Aurora – 1880 Indiana Gazetteer and Business Directory

Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana entries from:
Indiana State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1880-81. Indianapolis : R. L. Polk & Co., 1880.
Digital Copy at Internet Archive – Part 1 and Part 2

AURORA. Pleasantly located on the Ohio river, in Center township, Dearborn county, 4 miles below Lawrenceburgh, the county seat, 25 below Cincinnati, and 90 southeast of Indianapolis. The place was laid out in 1819, was incorporated in 1848, and is now a flourishing business city, traversed by the O. & M. Ry. Owing to its superior transportation facilities, Aurora is quite an extensive manufacturing place, having the largest distillery in Indiana, and that, together with a large brewery, nail factory, brickyard, two saw mills, one furniture factory, two flour mills, a stave and heading factory, chair factory, and one foundry, comprise the principal manufacturing interests. Among the chief features of the place are its ten churches of different denominations, two handsome school buildings, seven hotels, a national bank, two weekly newspapers—the Independent and Saturday News—and a handsome opera house. The city, from its beautiful location, is very attractive and has an excellent fire department, is well lighted by gas, patrolled by police, and is, in fact, a very pleasant, thrifty place. Population 5,441. Liquors, hay, furniture, iron, nails, chairs and grain are the leading exports. Express, Adams and O. & M. Telegraph, Western Union. Mail received 8 times per day by rail, and 3 times by boat. John Walker, postmaster.

  • Aurora Gas Light, Coke and Coal Co, capital $30,000, H W Smith president, Fred A York superintendent, W E Gibson treasurer.
  • Aurora Iron and Nail co, Capital $1,000,000. O P Cobb President, J S Stratton Secretary, L M Faulk Treasurer.
  • Aurora Valley Furniture Co, Capital $10,000, Fred Willman President, Wm Willman Superintendent and Treasurer.
  • Bagsby T C, carpenter.
  • Baker Walter S, insurance agent.
  • Barker Wm, carpenter.
  • Basler Henry, merchant tailor.
  • Bauer John H, tailor.
  • Beaty David B, sewing machines.
  • Bicker F W, physician.
  • Bitner Henry, barber.
  • Blackmore Henry, barber.
  • Blackmore Olive M Mrs, dressmaker.
  • Bloom A & Bro, grocers.
  • Bond Richard C, physician.
  • Braunagel Egiduis, saloon.
  • Brison William W, grocer.
  • Brown Robert D, lawyer.
  • Bruce Amos R, lawyer.
  • Bruce & Craig, lumber mnfrs.
  • Burton Richard J, wagon maker.
  • Busby Isaac, proprietor, Mansion house.
  • Calvert David W, propr Saturday News.
  • Canfield William W, lawyer.
  • Carbaugh Isaac H, justice of the peace.
  • Carter Frank A, crockery and glassware.
  • Chambers, Stevens & Co, general store.
  • Chapin Addison M Rev (Presbyterian).
  • Cobb John & Co, chair mnfrs.
  • Cobb Louis W, propr Dearborn Independent.
  • Cobb O P & Co, hardware & grocers.
  • Cochran G & L Misses, milliners.
  • Collins Lawrence, shoemaker.
  • Crescent Brewing Company, Capital $250,000, J W Gaff Pres, J R Vail Sec, S D Langtree Mangr, Cor. John and Decatur.
  • Davidson A C Rev (Baptist).
  • Day William P, undertaker.
  • Dearborn Independent (weekly), L W Cobb, propr.
  • Dewey E P Mrs, milliner.
  • Dobel A & Bro, boots and shoes.
  • Dobel Patrick, grocer.
  • Downey Erastus S, agricultural implements.
  • Drester Benjamin F, carpenter.
  • Droge & Donselman, flour mill.
  • Dunn Isaac M, lawyer.
  • Eagle House, Leonard Richt, proprietor.
  • Epicurean Hotel, Henry Hahm, proprietor.
  • Epstein Abraham, clothing.
  • Erle Phillip, grocer.
  • Farmers’ Exchange House, E. Schroeder, proprietor.
  • Fehling Charles, Jr, grocer.
  • Feustel Ernst, saloon.
  • First National Bank, capital $200,000, Thomas Gaff prest, E H Davis cashier.
  • Fisher Joseph, grocer.
  • Fisk Bros., carriage and wagon manfrs.
  • Flohr John, barber.
  • Freeman Amzi W Rev (Presbyterian).
  • Fritz Hiram, wagon mnfr.
  • Gaff T & J W & Co, Distillers.
  • Gehrisk Joseph, shoemaker.
  • Gerard Jerome B, physician.
  • Giegoldt J L & J F, meat market.
  • Giegoldt Michael, Propr Indiana House.
  • Gleason & Son, confectioners.
  • Goldsmith C & Bros, general store.
  • Graham John, lumber mnfr.
  • Gramly Ira B Rev (Universalist).
  • Hahn Henry, propr Epicurean Hotel.
  • Haines Abraham B, physician.
  • Hamiah Mrs, dressmaker.
  • Haring Emil L, dentist.
  • Haring Matthew, furniture and undertaker.
  • Hart Joseph, clothing.
  • Hauck Julius, barber.
  • Hauck Louis, barber.
  • Held J Ph H, merchant tailor.
  • Henley J H Rev (Universalist).
  • Henry Wm C, physician.
  • Herdegen Charles, agt Adams Ex Co.
  • Herdegen & Kress, grocers.
  • Hibbett Margaret A Mrs, milliner.
  • Holman & Holman, lawyers.
  • Horr Phillip, watches, clocks and jewelry.
  • Housemeyer Frank, grocer.
  • Hunt Ferdinand Rev Father (Catholic).
  • Hunt Walker & Son, brick mnfrs.
  • Hurlbert Lewis G, lumber.
  • Indiana House, Michael Giegoldt, Propr.
  • Jelley Charles S., lawyer.
  • Jenkins Charles W, confectioner.
  • Johnson Adam, baker and confectioner.
  • Johnson John A, confectioner.
  • Johnson Bros, flour mill.
  • Kassebaum Fred W, marble works.
  • Kastner Phillip, grocer and baker.
  • Kerr Mahlon B, blacksmith.
  • Kirsch Jacob, saloon and hotel.
  • Knight Sarah Mrs, fancy goods.
  • Koehler Peter, grocer and saloon.
  • La Mar J Howard, general store.
  • Lamb & Treon, physicians.
  • Langtree & Mitchell, grocers.
  • Lansberry Alexander B, wagonmaker.
  • Lansberry James W, furniture.
  • Leibecke Charles, druggist.
  • Leive, Parks & Stapp, lessees opera house.
  • Leive W & Bro, watches, clocks and jewelry.
  • Lindsay Thomas O, carpenter.
  • Loslein George, shoemaker.
  • Lostutter, Stratton & Jelley, insurance agt.
  • Lozier Abram, grocer.
  • McArdle James, grocer.
  • McClellan Mattie E Miss, fancy goods and notions.
  • McConnell Robert A, dry goods.
  • McConnell William R, constable.
  • McCreary & Niebaum, dry goods.
  • McHenry & Macker, lumber.
  • McIntyre Isabell Mrs, confectionary.
  • McIntryre John A, furniture.
  • McMullen & Downey, lawyers.
  • Maloney Michael, propr Valley House.
  • Mansion House, Isaac Busby, propr.
  • Marger Henry, meat market.
  • Margileth B, picture frames.
  • Marshall H J & Co, druggists.
  • Martin Charles, saloon.
  • Mattox Charles, agt O & M Ry and Ex Co.
  • Merkel Adolph, grocer.
  • Meyer Joseph, clothing.
  • Milburn John N, jewelry.
  • Mitchell Maggie B Mrs, milliner.
  • Mueller Charles C, druggist.
  • Mueller John M, propr Mueller House.
  • Mulberger & Son, stoves and tinware.
  • Mulvany John M, shoemaker.
  • Nees John A, saloon and hotel.
  • Oester Nicholas, Wholesale Wines and Liquors, and Agent for Celebrated Malakof Bitters, Fine Kentucky Whiskies, Swiss and Limburger Cheese, Holland Herrings and Russian Sardines, ss Third, e Main.
  • Opera House, Leive, Parks & Stapp lessees.
  • Oswald George, grocer and baker.
  • Palmer John, painter.
  • Parks John A, lawyer.
  • Pelgen Peter Mrs, grocer.
  • Peters Jacob, carpenter and undertaker.
  • Petescher John, saloon.
  • Phillip George, saloon.
  • Pickelheimer Moses S, lawyer.
  • Rabe Hermann, grocer.
  • Rabenstem Henry, tailor.
  • Rees Ralph W, Hardware and Cutlery, e s Main n Third.
  • Reiche H Rev (German Methodist).
  • Reichert Fred, saloon.
  • Renner George, chief of police.
  • Richt Leonard, propr Eagle House.
  • Riddell J A & Co, druggists.
  • Riggs Geo A, grocer.
  • Ritter Christopher, meat market.
  • Ritter Christopher H, grocer.
  • Ritter George, cigar mnfr.
  • Roach Samuel G, dry goods.
  • Roberts John W, saddles and harness.
  • Roberts Omar F, lawyer.
  • Robertson D A Rev (Methodist).
  • Runkle George Rev (German Lutheran).
  • Saturday News (weekly), D W Calvert proprietor.
  • Schaefer George, boots and shoes.
  • Schroeder Ernst, proprietor Farmers’ Exchange House.
  • Schub Mary E Mrs, hairwork.
  • Siemantel George, grocer and baker.
  • Siemantel John H, saloon and bowling alley.
  • Siemantel Simon, grocer and saloon.
  • Skirving Andrew, blacksmith.
  • Smith Edwin, physician.
  • Smith T Curtis, physician.
  • Somerfield Louis, merchant tailor.
  • Somerfield & Meyer, gents’ furnishing goods.
  • Spaeth H P & Co, hardware.
  • Speedy James A, tailor and city clerk.
  • Stamm Adolph, saloon.
  • Stamm Julius, Freizzer bit manfr.
  • Stapp David H, lawyer.
  • Stedman & Co, founders and machinists.
  • Stoll Leonard, meat market.
  • Stratton Loren S, general store.
  • Stunk Ferdinand, saloon and grocer.
  • Suerman August, cigar mnfr.
  • Suermann Edward, saloon.
  • Sutton George & Son, physicians.
  • Taylor George W, livery.
  • Thompson James W, grocer.
  • Tuck Nelson H, photographer.
  • Twentyman John, shoemaker.
  • Urley J P, dentist.
  • Uhley William, barber.
  • Valley House, Michael Maloney propr.
  • Walker Alfred D, blacksmith.
  • Walker A Mrs, dressmaker.
  • Walker John, Postmaster, s w cor Second and Mechanic.
  • Walton James N, photographer.
  • Webster Mary C Miss, milliner.
  • Welch Charles O, confectioner.
  • Wheeler Piercy, saddles and harness.
  • Wilber Robert C, grocer.
  • Wilke John A, dry goods.
  • Wilke John H, grocer.
  • Winkley Richard T, grain and commission merchants.
  • Wood Henry, flour.
  • Wright Thomas, grocer.
  • Wymond Philip, cooper.
  • Wymond Samuel & Co, coopers.
  • Wymond & Hayes, grocers.
  • York & Briddell, livery.