PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
by B.J. Griswold
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The Paragon Cooperage Company
The Paragon Cooperage Company is a comparatively new concern
that represents one of the important industrial and commercial enter-
prises of Fort Wayne, its functions being the manufacturing and whole-
sale dealing in cooperage products of all kinds. The company, which is
not incorporated and which is a partnership concern, has not only its
well established headquarters in Fort Wayne, but also has well equipped
manufacturing and distributing plants in the states of Arkansas, Missouri
and New York. The enterprise was established in March 7, 1910, and
the interested principals from the inception have been Charles A Spanley
and John E. O'Connor, of both of whom more specific mention will be
made in this article. The company gives employment to a force of about
one hundred persons and progressive and reliable policies have been the
forces that have enabled the company to develop a substantial and pros-
pairs business that shows a constantly cumulative tendency as marking
objective appreciation of its facilities and effective services. Charles A.
Spanley, senior member of the firm, was born in Fort Wayne on April
26, 1881, and both he and his coadjutor are numbered among the aggres-
sive and enterprising young business men of their native city and state.
Mr. Spanley is a son of Martin and Sophia (Gephardt) Spanley, both of
whom were born and reared in Wayne township, this county, and are
representatives of sterling pioneer families. Martin Spanley devoted
the major part of his active life to farming and he and his wife still
reside in Wayne township, where he is now living virtually retired
after many years of successful association with the basic industry of
agriculture. He is a Republican in politics and both he and his wife are
earnest communicants of the Catholic church. Charles A. Spanley
gained his early education in the parochial school of St. Mary's Catholic
church in Fort Wayne and later took an effective course in the Interna-
national Business College of Fort Wayne, Indiana. For a short time he was
in the employ of the G.E. Bursley Company and later in that of the
Fort Wayne & Northern Indiana Traction Company, and then completed
his course in the business college, after which he was for eighteen months
in the employ of the Horton Manufacturing Company. About four years
were then given by him to service in the employ of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, and he then became associated with the Noble Coop-
erage Company, in the employ of which hee continued eight years, or
until he became associated with Mr. O'Conner in establishing their present
business, under the title of the Paragon Cooperage Company. Mr.
Spanley is a Republican in politics, holds membership in the Fort Wayne
Commercial Club and the celebrated Columbia Club of Indianapolis, and
is affiliated with the Fort Wayne Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks. John E. O'Connor was born in Fort Wayne on December
11, 1887, a son of Stephen and Louis (Bercot) O'Connor, the former of
whom was born in Ireland and the latter in Allen county, Indiana, where
her parents established their home many years ago. Stephen O'Connor
came to fort Wayne within a short time after the close of the Civil war
and had been long and actively concerned with business affairs in this
city, where he was secretary of the old S.C. Lumbard Company. John
E. O'Connor is indebted to the parochial school of the Catholic Cathedral
parish of Fort Wayne for his early educational advantages, and his initial
activity in connection with business affairs was as an employee in the
local offices of the Western Union Telegraph Company. He then found
employment in the establishment of the Noble Cooperage Company and
in this connection gained the practical experience that has effectively
qualified him for independent enterprise along the same industrial line.
He continued with the Noble Cooperage Company until 1910, when, as
already noted, he became associated with Mr. Spanley in the development
and upbuilding of their now thriving business conducted under the title of
the Paragon Cooperage Company. His political convictions are in har-
mony with the tenets of the Republican party and he and his wife are com-
municants of the Cathedral parish of the Immaculate Conception. Mr.
O'Connor is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, and the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks, the Friars, and holds membership in the
Fort Wayne Country Club. On November 30, 1912, was solemnized the
marriage of Mr. O'Connor to Miss Clara Lassus, daughter of the late
John B. Lassus, of Fort Wayne, and they have two childrenMary
Louise and John E., Jr.