BIOGRAPHY
of Lewis W. Otto
It is no very rare thing for a poor boy in our country to become a prosperous man and occupy a commanding position in the business world, but many who have fought their way from poverty to wealth, from obscurity to prominence, retain some marks and scars of the conflict. They are apt to be narrow and grasping, even if not sordid and unscrupulus.
Louis W. Otto, well known and successful jeweler of Crawfordsville although he did not come up from the ranks of the poverty stricken and has not reached the affluence of the rich, yet he has worked his way from a modest beginning to a comfortable station in the world of affairs, being an instance of a man who has achieved success has not removed him further from his fellow men, but has brought him into nearer and more intimate relations with them and, although he leads a busy life, he has yet found time to deveote to those interests which develop the intellectual and moral nature of man, living not to himself alone, but willing to assist his fellow man on the highway of life when ever proper occasion presents itself.
He is of German extraction and seems to have inherited many of the characterstics that win, from his sterling ancestors. Mr. Otto was born in Ripley County, Indiana, Dec 10, 1864 and is a son of Franz E. and Marie Otto. They were both born, reared and educated in Saxony, Germany and there they spent their earlier years, finally emigrating to the United States, and settling in Ripley County, and because very comfortably established through their thrift and frugality, and here spent the rest of their lives, having been deceased now a number of years. They were honest, hard-working people and respected by their neighbors.Lous W. Otto left the old homestead in Ripley Co and received a good common school ecuation. When a young man he learned the watch making and jeweler's trade, becoming quite proficient in them for he went into the work enthusiastically having been apprenticed to an excellent workman in Aurora, Indiana remaining with him 3 years then one year as a journeyman. Thus well equipped for his chosen vocation Mr. Otto went to Pomroy, ohio where he remained for a time, then to Gallipolis, Ohio. We next find him in Kentucky, following his trade in Georgetown and Paducah respectively. He then came back to Indiana and located at Rushville and from there came to Crawfordsville in 1885, and started in business on Green Street where the Western Union Telegraph Office is now located, being in partnership under the firm name of Rost & Otto and they continued together 4 years when they dissolved partnership and our subject locate at 111 South Washington Street, remaining ther 10 years, then came to his present location in 1899. He was successful from the first, and has enjoyed a constantly growing and lucrative business, his hundreds of customers coming from over a wide radius of territory and many of the customers he had a quarter of a century ago still patronize him, this being sufficient evidence of his honesty and courtesy in dealing with the public. He has an attractive and modernly appointed store, carrying at all times a large and carefully selected stock of jewelry and everything commonly found in an up-to-date store of this kind, diamonds and fine jewelry being what he specializes on.
Politically, Mr. Otto is a Republican, but he has never been especially active in public affairs. Religiously, he belongs to the Methodist Church. He is prominent in fraternal circles. He belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, being Past Great Sachem of Indiana in this order. He holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a member of the board of auditors of the Head Camp; he also elongs to the Tribe of Ben Hur and Knights of Pythias. Mr. Otto was married in October 1889 to Mary Keegan, a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Keegan, a well known and highly respected family. Mrs. Otto who was a woman of gracious personal characteristics was called to her eternal rest in October 1912 leaving 3 children: Marie who is in Vassar College; Frederick Keegan and Elsa Louise both attending high school in Crawfordsville. Mr. Otto was twice elected President of the Crawfordsville Commercial Association.
FOOTNOTES:
SOURCE:Bowen, A.W. History of Montgomery County, Indiana Indianapolis: A.W. Bowen, 1913 p. 885