In a message dated 12/23/2003 7:03:05 AM Central Standard Time,
INRIPLEY-D-request(a)rootsweb.com writes:
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Date: 22 Dec 2003 22:34:57 -0700
From: Lora1957(a)aol.com
To: INRIPLEY-L(a)rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <MFMBM02251dyZSdA6kv000005f5(a)mfmbm022.myfamilycorp.local>
Subject: [INRipley] Hillenbrand, Mitchell, Schrader
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This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Hillenbrand, Mitchell, Schrader
Classification: Biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4h.2ADI/1690
Message Board Post:
This book has no cover, and no index, and no author. I bought it on Ebay;=
it just has the insides, but it is full of Indiana biographies. I am not=
researching this family, just thought I would share. I do not know anymo=
re about these families or these surnames. NOTE: I don=E2=80=99t know if =
there is any additional mention of this family in the book, it has no ind=
ex. I do not want to sell this book. I am typing the biographies from it.
Typed by Lora Radiches:
Other surnames mentioned in the biography of JOHN HILLENBRAND, SR are, Hi=
llenbrand, Mitchell, Schrader,=20
JOHN HILLENBRAND, SR. In the death of John Hillenbrand, Sr., wh=
ich occurred in 1924, the community of Batesville lost one of its capable=
and energetic businessmen, the founder of the American Furniture Company=
, and a citizen who had been instrumental in forwarding the interests of =
the city from the time of his arrival in young manhood. Heavy responsibil=
ities were thrown upon his shoulders at an early period in his life and t=
hese assisted in developing a strong and sturdy character and qualities t=
hat assisted in making him a leader in his later years. Mr. Hillenbrand w=
as born in 1835, on a farm in Ripley County, Indiana, and attende=
d the public schools of that vicinity, although his education was=
not of an elaborate nature, as his father died when he was but ten years=
of age and he was forced to assist in the support of the family.=
After thirteen years on the farm he moved to Batesville, where h=
e embarked in the general store business!
, under the title of Hillenbrand Brothers Merchandise Company. T=
wo years later the furniture plant at Batesville, its most important indu=
stry, was destroyed by fire, and Mr. Hillenbrand, always alive to opportu=
nity, purchased the property, rebuilt the plant along larger and more mod=
ern lines, and founded the American Furniture Company, this coming into b=
eing in 1880. At the outset it was an unpretentious business, limited by =
a small capital, and employed about twenty employees. The mercantile busi=
ness was kept in operation until 1888, when John Hillenbrand bought his b=
rother=E2=80=99s interest and later sold all of the merchandise, putting =
the money thus secured into the furniture plant, which originally covered=
8,000 square feet, and specialized in the manufacture of bedroom furnitu=
re. Under the able direction and matured judgment or Mr. Hillenbrand the =
business showed a healthy growth, and about every five years it was found=
necessary to add additional buildings a!
nd equipment. At the present time the plant covers 240,000 square feet
, and employs about 220 skilled mechanics, office workers and salespeople=
. The Hillenbrand Company=E2=80=99s sawmill and timber manufacturing depa=
rtment was organized in 1890, at Batesville, with John A. Hillenbrand as =
president and George Hillenbrand, vice president, and bought 10,000 acres=
of standing timber in Ripley County, where seven sawmills were operated.=
This acreage consists of American walnut, oak and poplar timber, which i=
s used in the manufacture of furniture, and the business employs ninety =
men. Mr. Hillenbrand then organized the Batesville Casket Company,=
of which he became owner in 1902, and at that time his sons became activ=
e in the business, the floor space of this plant being about 16,000 squar=
e feet, with an output of 15,000 caskets a month, and 160 men employed. J=
ohn A. Hillenbrand is now president of the casket company and his brother=
George, vice president. Later John Hillenbrand organized the Batesville =
electric light & Power Company, with ten!
people employed to furnish electric light and power to Batesville and o=
ther communities of Ripley County. It now has 900 meters in use, with a 7=
00-kilowatt production, John A. Hillenbrand being president of this compa=
ny and George Hillenbrand vice president and treasurer. The Batesville Wa=
terworks Company was founded in 1901, by Mr. Hillenbrand, and this was so=
ld to the village of Batesville in 1928. In 1913 the Batesville Cabinet =
Company was bought by the sons of John Hillenbrand, Sr., George and John,=
and now employs 255 people in its plant, specializing in dining room fur=
niture. This plant covers 345,000 square feet of floor space, and is loca=
ted at Batesville, where George Hillenbrand is president and treasurer an=
d John is vice president. George is also president of the First National =
Bank of Batesville and of the First Savings & Trust Company, a position w=
hich he has held since its organization in 1907. John Hillenbrand, the el=
der, was a son of William Hillenbrand, w!
ho was born in Alsace Lorraine and came to the United States in young=20
manhood, settling, in 1830, in Ripley County, where he passed the remaind=
er of his life in agricultural operations. John Hillenbrand married Marga=
ret Hillenbrand, a native of Dearborn County, Indiana, who died in 1929, =
aged eighty-seven years. They were the parents of three children:=
George M.; John A. and Mrs. Mary Mitchell. While he was primaril=
y a businessman, John Hillenbrand never refused any of the responsibiliti=
es of citizenship, and served in the capacity of postmaster of Ba=
tesville during President Cleveland=E2=80=99s second administrati=
on. George M. Hillenbrand, son of John Hillenbrand, attended the schools=
of Batesville until he was fourteen years of age, at which time =
he entered his father=E2=80=99s plant and gradually learned the business =
details of the various enterprises conducted by the elder man. So=
well did he progress that at the age of twenty- one years he too=
k active charge, after spending several !
years as a traveling salesman, and when twenty-three years of age was ma=
de president and general manager of the controlling company. He and his b=
rother, John A., a review of whose careers will be found elsewhere in thi=
s work, are liberal-minded, far-sighted business men, and their plants gi=
ve employment to about eighty percent of the population of Batesville. Ge=
orge M. Hillenbrand married Miss Sophia Schrader, a daughter of Frederick=
and Hedwig Schrader, the former of whom was a prominent citizen of Bates=
ville, and at one time served in the Indiana State Legislature. Mr. and M=
rs. Hillenbrand have no children.
=20