Lidikay - Jacob Edward
Source: 1913 History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis: AW Bowen, 1913 p 1225
In the list of Montgomery County's progressive men of affairs must consistently be included the name of Jacob Edward Lidikay, one of the leading business men and best known citizens of Ladoga. In his career there is much that is commendable, and his career forcibly illustrates what a life of energy can accomplish when plans are judiciously laid and actions are governed by right motives. He is of that type of men who, when once convinced that they are right, no suggestion of personal profit or policy can swerve them from the course they have decided upon. Starting at the bottom of the ladder of industrial success he has, unaided, carried forward tos uccessful completion whatever he has undertaken and his business methods have ever been in strict conformity with the standard and approved ethics of commercial life. He has permitted no obstacles to thwart him, and has forged ahead to the coveted goal in the face of all adversity. His is the record of a well balanced mental and moral constitution, strongly influenced by those traits of character which are ever of especial value in a progressive state of society. He is a man of public spirit and has done much for the town of Ladoga and vinicity and for this, and his industry and integrity he is held in high esteem by all.
Mr. Lidikay was born in Jefferson County, Ky, about 10 miles south of Louisville, on Oct 16, 1852 but his life has pracdtically all been spent in Montgomery County, Indiana, he having been brought the following fall after his birth to Scott Twp. by his parents, Jacob and Catherine (Yenawine) Lidikay, who settled in Scott Twp. His paternal grandfather was George Lidikay, who came from Tennessee to five miles west of of New Albany, Indiana, in an early day.
The family is of German origin. It is said that the spelling of the name has been changed in translating it from the German language and tradition has it that a town in the Fatherland was named in honor of the family. Catherine Yenawine, mentioned above, was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Evinger) Yenawine, native of Pa, and came to Jeffersontown, Jefferson Co, Ky. with her parents. When Jacob Lidikay came to Montgomery County in 1853 he purchased 220 acres from Joshua Harrison for which he paid $30 per acre, which was considered a very high price in those days. There the family home was established, the farm continuing the property of Jacob Lidikay until 1878, when he sold it to the subject of this sketch. The former lived there until old age, then retired and lived in Ladoga with his son, Jacob E, until his death. His wife, Catherine, died soon afterward. The father of our subject was a straightforward, hard working, honest German, modest and unassuming, who cared more for the humble duties of life than for the glittering prizes of the ambitious. His family consisted of 8 children, six sons, and two daughters, Namely: John Leonard, who died in 1864; George Emmanuel lives in Wellsville, KS; Martha Jane is the wife of Daniel Scholl, of Kansas City; Sarah Elizabeth, widow of Elias Scholl (deceased) lives in Connersville, IN; Melanethon Yenawine also lives in Wesllsville Ks; William Frederick d. in 1867; Ezara Keller died in Ky. in childhood and Jacob E, our subject, who was the youngest of the family. The parents of these children were Lutherans and in that faith reared their family.
Jacob E. Lidikay, the immediate subject of this article, grew to manhood on the home farm in Scott Twp, and there assisted with the general work when he became of proper age, and during the winter months he attended the neighboring schools. he took up farming for himself in his native township when young in years and followed this vocation, getting an excellent start in life, until he was 40 years old, in his native township then in 1878, he purchased his father's farm and in 1881 bought 400 acres two miles father north, and continued to carry on general farming and stock raising pursuits on a very large scale, ranking with the foremost and progressive farmers in the County until in 1892 he moved to Ladoga, giving up active work on the farm. Since then he has been engaged very extensively in business in Ladoga and has been regarded as one of the town's most industrious and influential men. He has been engaged in theelectric light business, hardware, banking, real estate and loans, making a pronounced success of each in turn. For several years he also carried on business in the manufacture of carriages at Ladoga and built up a large trade, there being a great demand for his products owing to their superior quality and honest workmanship. He has accumulated a handsome competency through his individual efforts, and has an attractive and commodious residence in ladoga. This beautiful home was presided over with rare grace by a lady of refinement and genial attributes, she having been known in her maidenhood as Elizabeth Goodbar, who was united in marriage to Mr. Lidikay in 1877. She was a daughter of Henry and Mary (Foster) Goodbar, and a sister of CL Goodbar. A complete sketch of Mrs. Lidikay's parents and ancestry is found on another page of this volume, hence will not be repeated here, other than to say that the Goodbars have been well and favorably known in Montgomery Co. for many years.
Five children graced the union of Mr. & Mrs. Lidikah namely: Lillus is the wife of John A. Harshbarger and lives two miles E. of Ladoga, and has wo children, Albert Edward and Elizabeth; Bertha, wife of John Hendricks lives on a farm near Jamestown IN and has one son, John Lidikay Hendricks; Ernest is a traveling saleman for a wholesale dry goods house and makes his headquarters in St. Louis; Anna died in her 16th year; Catherine, the youngest child is at home iwth her father in Ladoga. The mother of these children was called to her eternal rest on Oct 16, 1910.
Fraternally, Mr. Lidikay is a member of the Independet tOrder of Odd Fellows, and is also a Mason, in which order he has taken all of both York Rite and the Scottish Rite to the highest degrees, with the exception of the 33rd degree which is conferred only in rare cases. He is also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the mystic Shrine. He belongs to the lodges, the Crawfordsville Commandery, the Indiana Consistory and Murat Temple, the latter at Indianapolis. He is one of the active, honored and well known Masons of the state. Those who know him best say that he carries the sublime precepts of this time-honored order into his everyday life, for he is an obliging, lenient, genial, charitable and hospitable gentleman who is held in high regard by all with whom he has come into contact, and is eminently deserving of the same. -- typed by kbz