Tipton-Franklin-Union County IN Archives Biographies.....Kleyla, Martin 1814 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 9, 2007, 1:18 am

Author: Charles Blanchard, Editor (1883)

   MARTIN KLEYLA, proprietor of Kleyla's Theater, and one of our oldest
citizens, was born in Germany September 17, 1814, at Walleitime City; he grew to
manhood in his native country, enjoying those splendid opportunities for
education which the admirable system of public schools in Germany afford; he was
married in the Fatherland on the 22d of March, 1837, to Miss Barbara Dexheimer.
In 1840, he emigrated to America and located in Franklin County, Ind., and
bought a farm of twenty-one acres. In 1842, he sold his farm and removed to
Union County and once more began the tilling of the soil, at which he continued
until 1848, when he once more resumed his travels, and this time located in
Cicero Township, Tipton County, where he purchased 120 acres of land and again
devoted himself to husbandry; he afterward purchased forty-five acres south of
his first investment, all of which he still owns. In 1879, he removed to Tipton
and engaged in the restaurant and bakery business, in a two-story frame building
which stood on the south side of Jefferson, and on the corner of it and
Independence street. He had not occupied it long, however, before it was
entirely consumed by fire, with no insurance, a loss to Mr. Kleyla of some
$4,000; he immediately resumed his business in a little frame building which he
erected on the south side of his lot for that purpose, where he met with
success. In June, of 1882, he began the erection of the large and elegant
theater that adorns the site of his frame building which was destroyed by fire.
It has two large store rooms below, 22x100 feet, and a large apartment above,
theatrically arranged^ with a raised auditorium, folding chairs, a large and
roomy stage and splendid scenery adapted to the presentation of any drama that
can be put on the boards. It is 44x100 feet, with a gallery that will hold 200
persons; its seating capacity, above and below, approximates 1,000; it is the
neatest, most convenient and most artistic in all its appointments of any opera
house in the State, outside of the capital. The cost of its construction was
$11,000, and it is an ornament of which every citizen is justly proud. Mr.
Kleyla has a family of four children, two boys and two girls, namely, Peter
Martin, Henry, Mrs. Mary Tichenor, Mrs. Amelia Achenbach. His farm is also well
provided with all modern conveniences. There is a fine brick residence standing
on it, built in 1859 at a cost of $3,000, good outbuildings and all necessary
machinery of improved pattern. Politically, he is a Democrat, also a member of
the order of Odd Fellows, and himself and wife are members of the Christian Church.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

COUNTIES OF HOWARD AND TIPTON, INDIANA.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ILLUSTRATED.

CHARLES BLANCHARD. EDITOR.
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO.
1883.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/tipton/bios/kleyla913gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/

File size: 3.4 Kb