Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 281, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1918 — PASSES EIGHTYFIFTH MILESTONE [ARTICLE]

PASSES EIGHTYFIFTH MILESTONE

RENSSELAER CITIZEN HAS HAD A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER. • • • The story of the life of Abraham Leopold, of this city, is a remarkable one. Monday, December 2, 1918, he was eighty-five years of age. He is still in active coptrol of .Ms large property interests and is enjoying splendid health for a man who has lived so many strenuous years. He was born in Germany at 11 a. m. on Monday, Dec. 2, 1833, so the records in that country show upon his investigations. » His parents were (Mr. and Mrs. Simon Leopold. He bid them good-, bye on March 15, 1850, when a lad of seventeen years, and left for America, the land of promise.

Young Leopold landed in New York on April 1, 1850. But this was April fool’s day for Germany and not America, for this young man was destined to make a prosperous and useful citizen of this country. From New York Mr. Leopold went to Philadelphia. In a short time he left there for Pittsburg, where he clerked for hi& brothers-ih-Jaw, Dan and Leopold Tuteur, for six months. From there he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where be was employed as a clerk in thfe clothing store of Sattler Bros. After working for some time for this'firm, which did a wholesale as Well as retail business, he was assisted by them in going into business for himself at La-

Porte. On .account of his limited capital this venture was not very successful, and after three years he sold this business and went to Rock Island, 111., and conducted a fruit store. This was a partnership business and the firm owned a store at Davenport, lowa, also. After about three year® he sold his interest in this business and went to lowa City, lowa, where >he clerked in a clothing store for about three years. Leaving there he Went to Chicago, where he was employed by Foreman Bros, in a large clothing firm. $ Here he met Eli Heidelberg, with whom he formed a partnership in the general merchandise business, locating for a year at Francesville and (then moving to Rensselaer. This was in the year 1864.

The Rensselaer store was located on the corner of Washington and Van Rensselaer streets and was in a small shanty. In a few years Mr. Leopold purchased Mr. Heidelberger’s interest and also the building and lots on which he was doing business. He paid for these lots $3,000.00. The Shanty has long since disappeared and the following business rooms now occupy toe site: C. Earl Duvall' clothing store,-the Ramp grocery, Werner tailor shop, Miss Rishling m'iHinery shop and Schlosser Bros, creamery. Besides these Ibusines rooms, toe following have upstairs offices: Moses 'Leopold, lawyer; Abraham Halleck, lawyer, and G. F. Meyers, real estate. For a while Mr. Leopold was in business with Ralph Fendig, but he later bought Mr. Fendig’s share. November-20, 1864, Mr. Leopold was married to Emily Elzeacher, of Chicago. They are the parents of eleven children. ’ Three have passed to the great beyond. Two off these were boys, one dying in infancy and the other lived to be four years old. The third was Mrs. Sadie Wolfe, who •lost her life in the Iroquois Theatre fire in ■Chicago.

Eight of (their children are living. They are: Mrs. Leo Wolfe, of Hammond; Simon Leopold, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Isaac and Mioses Leopold, of Rensselaer; Benjamin Leopold, of Brook; Lewis Leopold, of Wolcott; Mrs. Lewis Haas, of Tipton, and Gertie Leopold, of this city. Rensselaer was at the time of Mr. Leopold’s arrival a town of about 400 inhbaitants. It did not have a railroad and all goods were hauled by wagon overland from Francesville, Bradford, now Monon, and Remington. He contributed >1,000.00 for the narrow-guage railroad whihch was built from Delphi to this city. At that time the town had three or four stores, a mall, blacksmith shop and four saloons. Arriving in New York city in 1850 with ninety-five cents, today Mr. Leopold is worth more than 1150,000. He owns ten business rooms in the city, has fourteen residences and a large number of city lots. He has had great faith in Rensselaer and has (been very successful in his investments here. During the war he purchased |21,000 in Liberty Bonds. He contributes his success to irisstrict attention to business and iris promptness in meeting every obligation. /- Mr. Leopold exemplifies in his career the splendid opportunity offered in this country. By industry and elose attention to business and by strict Integrity he has risen to ibe a leading citizen and in that rise he has been a large factor in the advancement of this city.