Lake-La Porte County IN Archives Biographies.....Bader, Gallus J. 1864 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 7, 2006, 10:40 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) GALLUS J. BADER. Gallus J. Bader, prominent as a representative of the business and financial interests of Whiting, is now the president of the First National Bank at that place. A man of great natural ability, his success in business from the beginning of his residence in Whiting has been uniform and rapid. As has been truly remarked, after all that may be done for a man in the way of giving him early opportunities for obtaining the advantages which are found in the schools and in books, he must essentially formulate, determine and give shape to his own character, and this is what Mr. Bader has done. He has persevered in the pursuit of a persistent purpose and has gained the most satisfactory reward, and his name is a strong one on commercial paper and an honored one in all business transactions. Mr. Bader was born in LaPorte, Indiana, on the 2d of November, 1864, and is a son of Gallus J. and Magdalene (Mantel) Bader, both of whom were natives of Baden, Germany, whence they emigrated to America, settling in LaPorte county, Indiana, at an early period in the development and upbuilding of this portion of the state. The father was engaged in the hotel business and conducted what was called the Washington House. Gallus J. Bader, his namesake and the immediate subject of this review, is the youngest in a family of six children, all of whom reached adult age. His education was acquired in the public schools of LaPorte, and his boyhood days were spent under the parental roof. At the age of twenty-one years he began business as a dry-goods merchant of LaPorte, where he continued until 189O; when he came to Whiting and entered into partnership with Fred J. Smith in the conduct of a bakery and restaurant. Subsequently he turned his attention to the electric light business, and in this enterprise was associated with James A. Gill. They organized a company and erected a plant, of which Mr. Gill was the president, while Mr. Bader was the secretary and treasurer. This enterprise prospered and enabled him at a later date to extend his labors into financial circles. The First National Bank of Whiting was organized on the 1st of December, 1902, and capitalized for fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Bader is now president, while John M. Thiele is the cashier and W. E. Warwick is vice-president. These gentlemen are members of the board of directors together with James A. Gill, Richard F. Schaaf and Frank H. Morrison, the last named of LaPorte, and F. J. Smith, of Whiting. In 1893 occurred the marriage of Gallus J. Bader and Miss Elizabeth Wagner, who was born in 1870 and was reared in Michigan City, LaPorte county. This marriage has been blessed with one child, a son, Clarence. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bader are well known in Whiting and this portion of Indiana, and have gained many warm friends who entertain for them high regard and extend to them the hospitality of the best homes of Whiting. In his political views Mr. Bader is a Republican, having joined the ranks of the party in 1896 on account of the money question. He had formerly supported the Democracy, but could not endorse the "free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1." Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Columbus. He has been a very successful business man and one whose life history should serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to others, showing what may be accomplished by determined purpose and capable management. He began with a very small amount of money. His father died when the son was but thirteen years of age, and from that time forward the boy had to depend upon his own resources for a living. He entered upon his business career as a salesman in a dry-goods store, and in order to perfect his education attended night school for two winter seasons. He remained for two years in the employ of the man whose service he had first entered, and then went to Chicago, where he became an employe of the Crane Elevator Company, continuing for three years in the machinist department. He then returned to LaPorte and engaged in business for himself, and for five years he was numbered among the merchants of that place. On the expiration of that period he sold his business there in order to remove to Whiting, where he has since been located and where he has made for himself an honored name, gaining at the same time a very creditable success. Since 1900, the firm of Smith & Bader have been engaged extensively in the real estate business, after having been in the bakery business for ten years. Mr. Bader possesses untiring energy, is quick of perception, forms his plans readily and is determined in their execution, and his close application to business and his excellent management have brought to him the high degree of prosperity which is to-day his. He thoroughly enjoys home life and takes great pleasure in the midst of his family and friends, to whom he is always courteous, kindly and affable, and those who know him personally entertain for him warm regard. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/bader416gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb