RIERDEN, Henry - Putnam

HENRY RIERDEN is one of the veteran businessmen of Parke County, a furniture merchant at Montezuma, the community where he has spent nearly all his life. He has known the people there and is familiar with almost the entire history of the locality, and Montezuma citizens have learned to repose in Henry Rierden their complete confidence as a man of integrity and honorable purpose. He was born October 3, 1859, at Montezuma, son of James and Margaret (Keough) Rierden. His parents were natives of Ireland, his father of County Clare and his mother of Tipperary. James Rierden came to the United States when a young man and settled at Montezuma, Indiana, where he spent his life. His wife was brought to the United States when a girl. They had a family of five children: James, a railroad man, who married Edith Phillips, of Parke County, and died leaving two children, William and Walter; Miss Ella, who lives at Montezuma; Henry; William, who died when three years old; and John, a railroad engineer living at Roswell, New Mexico. Henry Rierden attended the public schools of his native town and began his career as a clerk. He was in the dray and transfer business for some years, and then turned his capital and management to the furniture trade. He owns a well-stocked furniture establishment, also has a skating rink and garage, and is one of the chief businessmen in this community. Mr. Rierden is a Democrat in politics and a member of the Catholic Church. His only public office has been on the local school board, and for four years he devoted part of his time to an intelligent administration of the schools. Mr. Rierden married Miss Mary Emma Scherer. They had no children of their own, but after the death of his brother James he took the sons, William and Walter, and reared them in his own home and has regarded them with the affection of a father to sons. William Rierden is in the automobile business at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and married Jane Hollister. Walter Rierden, who is in the coal business at Montezuma, was with the colors during the World war. He has been postmaster of Montezuma, and is an active member of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus. Walter Rierden married Pauline Deitrick, of Greencastle, Indiana, and they have three children, Patricia Coleen, born in 1921; James William, born in 1923, and Joe Henry, born in 1924.