Home > Australia > South Australia > Adelaide Hills Council > Gumeracha > Gumeracha North Cemetery > Philip Martin Alber

Philip Martin Alber

View larger map

1 / 4

2 / 4

3 / 4

4 / 4

❮ ❯

Philip Martin Alber

Birth	:	10 Nov 1818 Liechtenstein
Death	:	30 Mar 1906 Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana, USA
Burial	:	Gumeracha North Cemetery, Gumeracha, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate	:	-34.8108700, 138.8913300
Plot	:	Sec OP, lot 320, sp 1
Description	:	(from "Biographical Memoirs of Wabash County, Indiana" pub 1901, pp 266-269) The subject of this sketch is one of the leading brewers of Indiana and for a number of years has been intimately associated with the growth and prosperity of the city of Wabash. Mr. Alber was born November 10, 1818, in Furstenthum, Lichtenstein, Europe, and there spent the first thirty years of his life. He enjoyed good school advantages, and while still a boy learned stone cutting and became an expert workman as a stone and brick mason before attaining his majority. He worked at these trades in his native... Read More	(from "Biographical Memoirs of Wabash County, Indiana" pub 1901, pp 266-269) The subject of this sketch is one of the leading brewers of Indiana and for a number of years has been intimately associated with the growth and prosperity of the city of Wabash. Mr. Alber was born November 10, 1818, in Furstenthum, Lichtenstein, Europe, and there spent the first thirty years of his life. He enjoyed good school advantages, and while still a boy learned stone cutting and became an expert workman as a stone and brick mason before attaining his majority. He worked at these trades in his native country and followed the same a number of years in America. When a young man Mr. Alber cherished for a number of years a strong desire to go to the new world across the waters, where he was told better advantages and greater opportunities awaited young men with meager capital than could be found in any part of Europe. In 1848 he was enabled to realize this desire, and boarding the St. Nicholas at Le Havre, France, sailed for New York City. On the same vessel there came to the United States a young lady of twenty summers named Miss Barbara Hilty, a native of Germany, who afterward became Mr. Alber's wife, meeting en route, but it was not until some months later that they were married. From New York Mr. Alber proceeded to Cincinnati, but not finding work in that city he pushed on to Dayton, where he secured employment for about three months. At the end of that time he again started out in quest of a location, and after rambling over a large area of country and visiting a number of cities and towns, he finally reached Wabash, Indiana, where he secured a position in a stone-quarry. Here he was joined by his brother, George Alber, who is still living in Noble Township, two miles from the city. On reaching this place Mr. Alber found Michael Heyman, Christopher Hess and a Mr. Simon Newberger, fellow countrymen of his, the only ones in the village besides himself that could speak the German tongue. At this time the young lady who became his wife was living at Logansport, and he met her at that place while making the trip from St. Louis to Wabash. The impression left upon him by this meeting was so strong as to induce him to return and renew the acquaintance, the result of which was a marriage, solemnized on the 18th day of September, 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Alber set up their domestic establishment at Wabash in a little two-room building made of rough slabs, standing upright, covered with large boards obtained from a sawmill near by. It required Mr. Alber and his brother but ten days to erect this mansion and get it ready for occupancy, after which it was furnished with three chairs, a table and two feather beds, one belonging to the husband and one to the wife, both of whom brought these articles from the old country. It is a fact worthy of note that Mr. and Mrs. Alber still have in their possession the beds and chairs with which they went to housekeeping under such modest circumstances in the days of "Lang Syne." The year following his arrival in Madison Mr. Alber built a dwelling of enlarged dimensions, purchasing the material for the same with eighty dollars in gold, borrowed from his brother in Logansport. The brick of which the building was composed cost four dollars per thousand, and the work, all of which was done by his own hands, represented but a small outlay of capital. After becoming established in his new home Mr. Alber began gardening, and was thus engaged for some time in connection with other work, realizing the first year about $850 in profit. Subsequently he leased a stone-quarry of Col. Steele, and for a period of nine years carried on the business with encouraging results, making enough money during that period to purchase a home place consisting of twenty acres, for which he paid the sum of $40 per acre. Previous to and during that period Mr. Alber received great assistance from Col. Steele and other friends, who did all within their power to encourage him to get a start in a new country where conditions were so different from the land of his nativity. He made the above purchase at the instigation of an agent, who insisted that the bargain was in every respect a capital investment, and in order to make the first payment he was obliged to borrow the sum of $200, that sum being the amount the owner of the property required before making a deed for the property. By dint of close economy and diligent attention to business he was enabled to meet the deferred payments as they became due, and found in the end that the transaction was a good one, and that the agent who gave this good advice to help him along was correct in his views. A little later Mr. Alber had the opportunity of purchasing for a nominal sum over half the present site of Wabash, but thinking the town would always remain a small village, he refrained from investing. Like many others, he realized when too late the stupendous mistake in not buying the land offered so cheaply. In 1864 Mr. Alber purchased a tract of woodland, the present site of his home and manufacturing establishment, but at that time covered with a dense forest growth. He cleared the land, blew out the stumps and erected a fine dwelling, the same which the family now occupy, although it has since undergone modifications and been greatly improved. The site of his home was for many years the burying ground of the Indians living in the vicinity of Wabash, and in excavating his cellar he came to a space 4 x 4 1/2 feet, strongly and neatly enclosed with stone, evidently the last resting place of some noted chief or sachem of the Chippewas, who formerly occupied a large section of country bordering on both sides of the Wabash River. When he first came to the country the red men were numerous, and being fluent in the use of the French language, he had no difficulty in conversing with his savage neighbors, many of whom had become familiar with that language through their intimacy with French traders in Canada. In 1865 Mr. Alber engaged in the brewing business in partnership with his brother-in-law, F. A. Rettig, and from the beginning the enterprise proved successful beyond their most ardent expectations. The firm thus constituted lasted until 1901, although Mr. Rettig died four years prior to that date. Mr. Rettig was a native of Hesse-Cassel, Germany, where he learned the brewing trade, becoming expert in the business before coming to the United States. Previous to the organization of the firm of Rettig & Alber he operated a small brewery at Wabash, and it was from that little beginning that the present colossal business has grown. The plant at this time is one of the most valuable of the kind in northern Indiana, the buildings covering an area of two and a half acres, the annual output being over twenty thousand barrels of beer, besides many thousand cases of the product in bottles, for all of which there is a great demand. The excellency of the Wabash beer has long been known, and for years the establishment has been engaged to its full capacity in order to supply the demand, which is constantly on the increase. Mr. Alber has given his personal attention to the management of the brewery since the death of his associate, the entire business now resting upon his shoulders. He possess business ability of a high order, and the enterprise of which he is the head has long been recognized as one of the most flourishing establishments of Wabash. Some years ago he made what is known as Alber's addition to Wabash, and in many other ways he has promoted the interests of the city, having from the first taken an active part in all movements tending to the general welfare of both city and county. Politically Mr. Alber is a Democrat, but the magnitude of his business has always prevented him from participating actively in the affairs of his party. He has never been an office-seeker, and has no taste for partisan politics, generally voting in local affairs for the man best qualified for the position sought. The family of Mr. and Mrs Alber is made up of the following children: Amelia, wife of John B. Latchem; Jacob, superintendent of the brewery; Frank, lives in Wabash; Thomas, a blacksmith of this city; William, proprietor of the Circle Restaurant; and Alice, who is still with her parents. In addition to the above there are two children deceased, one dying in infancy and one at the age of five years. Financially Mr. Alber has been remarkably successful, being at this time one of the well-to-do men of Wabash County. He is liberal with his wealth, and believes in getting all the pleasure out of life there is in it. In the summer of 1900 he made an extensive tour throughout Europe, visiting Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland, and spending some time amid the scenes of his childhood and youth. he found living at the old home a nephew whom he never knew; but in the main the old landmarks had disappeared and strangers lived in places formerly occupied by his relatives, companions and friends. He was accompanied on this trip by his daughter, a charming young lady, well educated and a brilliant conversationalist. She frequently entertains her many friends by vivid and graphic accounts of her visit to many places of interest, including among others Oberammergau, where she witnessed the Passion Play; Rome, where she was honored with seeing the Pope at St. Peter's, who gave her his blessing, besides going through the Vatican and many palaces, art galleries and other buildings of historical interest. She also visited Venice and a number of cities in Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, being received with marked favor wherever she went. The trip was delightful in every respect, and will always be a source of pleasure to those who made it. The fiftieth anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Alber's wedding was made the occasion of great rejoicing and festivity by their children and numerous friends, who celebrated the event in a manner befitting the occasion. To render the day the more enjoyable the sons erected in the barnyard an exact counterpart of the little slab dwelling in which the good old couple began housekeeping when they set up their first domestic establishment in the little backwoods village on the banks of the Wabash a half-century before. Cause of death: Asthma [The 1898 photo was contributed by Wabash County Historical Museum archives]

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Philip Martin Alber's memorial?
Philip Martin Alber's memorial is located at: Gumeracha North Cemetery, Gumeracha, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia.
When did Philip Martin Alber death?
Philip Martin Alber death on 30 Mar 1906 in Wabash, Wabash County, Indiana, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Philip Martin Alber's memorial?
Latitude: -34.8108700
Longitude: 138.8913300

Family Members:

Spouse

Barbara Hilty Alber

(1827 - 1912)

Children

(unknow - 1866)

(1849 - 1929)

(1850 - 1850)

(1852 - 1932)

(1854 - 1854)

(1857 - 1931)

(1860 - 1916)

(1864 - 1938)

Mary Alice Alber Burke

(1868 - 1944)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Gumeracha Salem Baptist Church Cemetery
Gumeracha, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8294500, 138.8876300

2. Kersbrook Cemetery
Kersbrook, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8040693, 138.8486109

3. Kersbrook Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery
Kersbrook, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7900482, 138.8482557

4. Birdwood Holy Cross Lutheran Cemetery
Birdwood, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8179169, 138.9487534

5. Chain of Ponds Cemetery
Chain of Ponds, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8230300, 138.8316500

6. St Matthews Catholic Church Cemetery
Birdwood, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8214900, 138.9527200

7. Cudlee Creek Cemetery
Cudlee Creek, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8435390, 138.8342770

8. Birdwood Cemetery
Birdwood, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8230848, 138.9626057

9. Birdwood Old Lutheran Cemetery
Birdwood, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7942800, 138.9690600

10. Lobethal General Cemetery
Lobethal, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8859196, 138.8838410

11. St. George's Mount Torrens Angelican Church Cemete
Mount Torrens, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8751780, 138.9572510

12. Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery
Lobethal, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.9044720, 138.8760480

13. Mount Torrens Springhead Lutheran Cemetery
Mount Torrens, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8956500, 138.9429500

14. Houghton Cemetery
Houghton, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8280580, 138.7680070

15. Charleston Cemetery
Charleston, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.9164380, 138.9061490

16. Mount Crawford United Presbyterian Cemetery
Mount Crawford, Barossa Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7014420, 138.9558220

17. Mount Pleasant General Cemetery
Mount Pleasant, Barossa Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7793600, 139.0469700

18. Tungkillo Cemetery
Tungkillo, Mid Murray Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8185670, 139.0561380

19. Golden Grove Cemetery
Golden Grove, Tea Tree Gully City, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7748502, 138.7318420

20. One Tree Hill Uniting Church Cemetery
One Tree Hill, Playford City, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7185200, 138.7682710

21. St. Marks Anglican Cemetery
Woodside, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.9490020, 138.8780970

22. Williamstown Cemetery
Williamstown, Barossa Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.6712876, 138.8851682

23. Montacute Cemetery
Montacute, Adelaide Hills Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.8911600, 138.7505000

24. Saint John's Anglican Cemetery
Mount Pleasant, Barossa Council, Australia
Coordinate: -34.7678650, 139.0568920