The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-02-06
HAS BURIED THOUSANDS
AN INDIANA UNDERTAKINGS WONs
DERFUL RECORD. me
Some People He Has Inferred Twice
MANY of the Collins Made by
Himself. ya 7la53

Having buried over Is, 900 human beings
during career of 60 years in the under Z
taking business, Louis A. Peltler, the old
est inhabitant of Allen county, Ind, and
the Oldest undertaken in the state and !.
very likely the oldest in the United
States, would, if he were an everyday
Hoosier, conclude it was about time to
take rest, says the indianapolis Journal
Instead, however, he still remains In bus
mess, and is actively engaged every day
in populating cemeteries and depopulating
Fort Wayne, his place of birth, which
occurred at this point over 50 years ago.
This remarkably active and vigorous old
gentleman first opened his eyes to the
world in the old military garrison at
Fort Wayne, at the junction of the st.
Mary and st. Joe rivers, which form the
Maumee. Not a white human being re-
sided outside of it's stoekade within
radius of a hundred miles at that time.
Fierce Indians of the Miami tribe were
absolute masters of every foot of soil for
miles and miles surrounding this famous
military settlement. His birth marked
new epoch in the history of the settle
ment and surrounding country inasmuch
as he was the first white child born in
this section Of the commonwealth. There
was great joy in the old garrison when 1t
was announced that a son had been born
to French trader named Maloch Peltier,
and his French bride, who had been Miss
Bmeline Chapteau. Friendly Indian scouts
soon carried the tidings outside of the
stockades and there was a great demand
by the friendly portion Of the Miamis to
see the white papoose"
When Mr.. Peltier was youngster there
were no schools in this vicinity, so he was
not obliged to pass several years at study
| before going to work, but at an unusually
| early age he began to learn the carpen-
ter's trade and gradually picked up that
| of cabinet-maker. While engaged in this
occupation he was frequently called on TO
make collins for some poor soldier or set
| tier who had died. In a couple of years
| he had the field to himself, and found
/ himself the only undertaken in this sec
ton of the country. For a year or so his
| work and services in this direction were
| given gratis, and it was not until he was
a little past his majority that he made
his first charge and received his first pay.
This was for an Indian family which had
lost a child. This family resided on a gov
eminent grant of land about u miles from
Fort Wayne, and the young undertaken
delivered his coffin via horseback, receiv-
| AAA6 q bCeSA bSAL AOA lAlS pay HIS COAAAiA
he describes as having been made with
poplar wood and stained with lampblack
and bears grease.
Since then he has served as undertaken
for and buried over 1900 people, among
them being his own grandfather mother
and father, daughters and sons, and sew
eral grandchildren. This large number
does not include those whom he buried
the second time, as was the case with sew
eral hundred whose remains he removed
from one cemetery to another as the first
one was found to be too close to the city,
which had grown very rapidly.
Made Collins.
Several thousand collins for these he
made by hand himself, and, in fact, 1t has
only been since the introduction of ma
chtnery- made collins and caskets that he
has given up manufacturing them himself
During his 60 years career as an under
taker he has seen the plain poplar or black
walnut coffin, Vanished and trimmed with
a few casttron or silver plated ornaments,
evolve into the superb casket of today,
fashioned as If for am emperor, draped in
silks, broadcloths and satins, and trimmed
in solid silver or gold. Thirty-five years
ago Mr.. Peltier made his own coffin. He
selected beautiful piece of black walnut
for it, and without assistance made it into
an old-style coffin, without any otna-
ments. This he still keeps In his establish
ment, and, as he has always expressed a
desire to be buried in it, his wishes will be
complied with.
All of his playmates of four score years
ago, all of the "old settlers and pioneers"
all of the oldest inhabitants" have been
laid to rest by this venerable man. He has
buried the first-born and the last-born,
and the first of a family and and the last
of a family. In his own family he has
buried members of four generations. bur
| ing the cholera plague he buried Shuman
) beings at the rate of 20 day. He has
: buried those who have died from fearful
5 contagious diseases, yet he has never been
} ill a day He has buried those whom,
! after ne did SO, he would charge the7ex-
pense of in the profit and loss account as
there was no one left of relatives or fam
5 lily to pay the bills. All nationalities, civ
2 ilized and savage, all colors, all oreeds; a II
= ages all stations of life, have had his SER
vices From the mansion to the hut sall
z have seen him, all know him. More than
t 18. 600 human beings! Verify, he cam talk
of THE cities of the dead. To this day ne
= mounts his hearse and drives to funeral
= | with the same agility ne dtu ut44 d Ei7lhT
. tury ago. In the hottest and cotdest
t weather old man Peltier may be seen seat
ed on the hearse, taking some poor nioFtal
: to his last resting place. He attributes his
n excellent health to his regularity of habits
o and total abstinence from liquors ,andsto
: bacco in any form. During his long bus
q mess career he has never sued person
! for a bill. If you can't pay him. Albright.
+ If you are able and won't-you may coco
n the devil That is the way helpnts It.
Students atS&taFVnrd.
/ The latest figures show that the gain Id
e the number of students at Harvard university
: this year over last has been n. This is the
Loo 49,