Biography of Col. Aubrey L. Kuhlman, pages 
336/337/338/339/340/341.  History of DeKalb County, 
Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.,  Indianapolis, 1914.



A due measure of success invariably results from clearly 
defined purpose and consecutive effort in the affairs of 
life,  but in following out the career of one who has 
gained success by his own efforts there comes into view the 
intrinsic individuality which makes such accomplishment 
possible. Such attributes are evidently possessed by the 
subject of this sketch, who, during all his manhood years, 
has been prominent in commercial and industrial life, and 
who has impressed his personality upon the lives of all 
with whom he has come in contact.  He has always stood 
ready to identify himself with his fellow citizens in any 
good work and extend a co-operative hand to advance any 
measure calculated to better the condition of things in his 
community, that will give better government, elevate 
mankind, insure higher standards of morality and the 
highest ideals of a refined, ennobling culture, being a man 
of public spirit and correct conduct, and enjoying the 
confidence and esteem of all who know him, by reason of 
these commendable characteristics, coupled with a genial, 
gentlemanly address and a heart of charitable and 
hospitable impulses. Indeed, no family in DeKalb county  
has been better or more favorably known than that 
represented by the subject of this sketch, the name Kuhlman 
standing for progress, upright manhood and loyal 
patriotism.  Aubrey Linden Kuhlman was born in Auburn, 
DeKalb county, Indiana, on December 25, 1869, and is the 
son of Enos and Amanda (Rhodefer) Kuhlman.  Enos Kuhlman 
was born at Canton, Stark count, Ohio, the son of William 
and Mary (Hoover) Kuhlman, whose ancestors originally came 
to this country from Germany. Enos Kuhlman was reared and 
educated at Canton, and in young manhood came to Auburn, 
Indiana.  At the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, Enos 
Kuhlman enlisted as a private in Company K, One Hundred and 
Thirty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which 
command one of his company comrades was Winfield T. Durbin, 
ex-governor of Indiana. Mr. Kuhlman rendered gallant and 
faithful service to his country and at the conclusion of 
the war he returned to Auburn.  Here he became a salesman, 
traveling the greater part of the time until 1890, when he 
went to Mulhall, Oklahoma, where he has since been 
successfully engaged in the general mercantile business.  
Soon after his return from the army, Enos Kuhlman married 
Amanda Lorena Rhodefer, who was born and reared near 
Auburn, the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Feagler) 
Rhodefer.  Elizabeth Feagler was a granddaughter of Henry 
Feagler, who was a captain in the war of 1812, and Colonel 
Kuhlman has now in his possession a military order 
addressed to Captain Feagler at Frederickstown, Maryland, 
during the second war with England. Abraham and Elizabeth 
Rhodefer came to DeKalb county from Montgomery county, 
Ohio, in 1845, locating first about three miles northwest 
of Auburn, but eventually moving to a farm two miles south 
of that city, where they spent the remainder of their 
lives. To Enos and Amanda Kuhlman were born five children, 
the eldest, Clyde, being killed at school at the age of 
seven years, and a daughter, Geneva Nevada, the youngest, 
dying at the age of three years.  The three living at the 
time this volume is printed are Col. Aubrey L. Kuhlman, 
William O. and George W., all of Auburn, Indiana.  Aubrey 
L. Kuhlman was reared under the parental roof in Auburn and 
secured his education in the public schools here, 
graduating from the high school with the class of 1887. 
Upon completing his studies he took employment with Kuhlman 
Brothers, a lumber company at Auburn, with whom he spent a 
little over three years, transferring thence to the lumber 
firm of A. Lewis & Company, with whom he remained two 
years.  He then joined the Auburn Manufacturing Company in 
the capacity of lumber inspector, and in January, 1894, 
became office manager for that concern. Soon afterwards he 
was elected secretary of the company, and a year or two 
later he was also treasurer of the company, holding both 
offices, and for several years carried the additional 
responsibilities of general manager.  Several years later 
he was made a director of the company, and excepting six 
months, when he was in active military service during the 
Spanish-American war, he was continuously identified with 
this concern until February 10, 1906. On that date Colonel 
Kuhlman received his commission as postmaster of Auburn, 
and served four years in that capacity, or until May 1, 
1910. His administration of the postoffice was 
characterized by the same careful attention to details and 
to the wants of the patrons of the office that has 
characterized him in all his business affairs and his 
relations with his fellows, and his official record was 
such as to win for him the approval of the department and 
the commendation of the community.  After the expiration of 
his term as postmaster, Colonel Kuhlman accepted a position 
in the office of the Zimmerman manufacturing Company, 
having less that a day’s vacation between engagements, and 
he remained with the Zimmerman Company until the spring of 
1912. He then enjoyed a vacation of several months, after 
which he took a position as manager of the Angola factory 
of Auburn Automobile Company, and served in that capacity 
until August 1, 1913, when he was transferred to the main 
office in Auburn, where he holds a responsible position, 
being one of the most valued and appreciated members of the 
splendid force which is making this concern one of the most 
successful manufacturing enterprises of the state. 
Possessing executive and administrative ability of a high 
order, Colonel Kuhlman is also a man of tact and sound 
judgement and his relations both with his employers and the 
men under him have been mutually pleasant and agreeable.  
For many years the subject of this sketch has been deeply 
interested in military affairs and more than a score of 
years ago he organized at Auburn a company of the National 
Guard, of which he was elected captain on the date of its 
muster into service, January 12, 1892. On March 25, 1897, 
he was commissioned a major, and on the outbreak of the 
Spanish-American war, he reported at Indianapolis for duty 
with his regiment on April 16th and was, on May 10, 1898, 
commissioned as major and had command of a battalion of 
four hundred and thirty-five officers and men, his command 
being a part of the One Hundred Fifty-seventh Indiana 
Volunteer Infantry, for the United States volunteer 
service, serving as such until mustered out of that service 
on November 1, 1898. His regiment was  mobilized at 
Chickamauga, Georgia, leaving Indianapolis on May 15th and 
arriving at Chickamauga on the 17th, under the command of 
General Brooks, moving on June 1st to Tampa, Florida, and on 
July 29th were transferred to Fernandina, of  the Atlantic 
coast of Florida.  The regiment left Fernandina on August 
30th, arriving at Indianapolis September 2nd, remaining there 
until mustered out, excepting a furlough period for the 
entire regiment from September 10th until October 10th. The 
battalion under Major Kuhlman’s command comprised the 
companies from Angola, Waterloo, Auburn and Ligonier.  
After the war the Indiana National Guard was re-organized 
and on April 27, 1900, the subject of this sketch was again 
commissioned a major. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel 
on December 11, 1909, and on February 1, 1913, was 
commissioned colonel to the Third Regiment, made up of the 
twelve companies whose home stations are at Ft. Wayne, 
Auburn, Angola, Columbia City, Monticello, South Bend, 
Plymouth, Rensselaer, Albion, Warsaw, Goshen and Elkhart 
and the band at Peru.  His entire military service has been 
characterized by duty promptly and intelligently performed 
and he is commander, he took part in Governor Matthews’ 
campaign  against prize fighting at the Roby arena in 
September, 1893, when a lot of toughs and sporting men from 
Chicago threatened to override the laws of Indiana.  In 
1894, during the great strike of the American Railway 
Union, he had command of the detached military post at 
Whiting, Indiana, which was garrisoned by the two companies 
from Auburn and Fort Wayne. On January 4, 1908, the 
National Guard was called to Muncie to assist in 
suppressing the rioting during a strike on the street and 
interurban lines, twelve companies of infantry and one 
battery of artillery being called into service, and during 
the latter half of the service Colonel Kuhlman had command 
of the entire force.  On November 6, 1913, the entire 
National Guard of Indiana was called to Indianapolis to 
protect life and property in connection with the strike of 
the street railway employees, and during this period of 
duty Colonel Kuhlman had command of a force consisting of 
fifteen companies, eleven companies of his own regiment, 
three companies of the Second Regiment and one company of 
the First Regiment.  Colonel Kuhlman’s war horse, “Harry,” 
a product of DeKalb county, who carried him through the 
Spanish-American war and in army maneuvers during fifteen 
years following the war, died January 5, 1914, a the age of 
twenty years. On December 25, 1895, Aubrey L. Kuhlman was 
married to Josie B. Shull, who was born and reared in this 
county, northwest of Auburn, the daughter of Eli W. and 
Adaline (Olinger) Shull, who now reside on a farm about a 
mile from the place where Mrs. Kuhlman was born.  
Immediately after the completion of her education, Mrs. 
Kuhlman became a teacher in the schools, but at the time of 
her marriage was engaged in the millinery business in 
Auburn.  Mrs. Kuhlman is prominent in church, club  and 
social circles. Mr. Shull is a prosperous farmer and 
public-spirited citizen, owing more than three hundred 
acres of good land. He has been a life-long resident of 
this locality and was a veteran of the Civil war. To 
Colonel and Mrs. Kuhlman has been born a daughter, Helen, a 
beautiful, talented and affectionate girl, beloved by all 
who know her.  Fraternally, Colonel Kuhlman is an 
appreciative member to the  Knights of Pythias, while he is 
also a member of the Spanish-American War Veterans, his 
comrades insisting upon naming the Auburn camp of Spanish 
War Veterans Kuhlman Camp, in his honor.  In local civic 
affairs he has long been a prominent figure and has been an 
active member of the Auburn Commercial Club, which he 
served as president two years and for three years as a 
member of the board of directors. When the Agricultural 
Exhibit at Auburn was originated, Colonel Kuhlman proposed 
the idea, drew up the plans of organization and had a 
leading part in the development and consummation of the 
affair, a plan for the exhibition of agricultural products 
so different from the time-honored county fair, and so 
successful in its results that it has been copied in many 
states of the Union and the very first year of its 
operation,  it produced such a splendid display of 
agricultural products from DeKalb county alone that at 
least a half dozen state fairs in the Central state were 
outclassed by the quantity and quality of the products 
displayed by DeKalb county, this statement being the 
voluntary testimony of visitors who had seen the state 
fairs and it is generally conceded that the Agricultural 
Exhibit which Colonel Kuhlman originally proposed and 
planned has, by mean of the attention which it has 
attracted to this county, increased the value of every acre 
of land in DeKalb county at least fifty per cent.  In 1902 
Colonel Kuhlman published a book which brought to its 
author the very highest encomiums for some of the most 
distinguished men in America, statesmen, authors, 
evangelists, generals, clergymen and publishers, and almost 
from the day of his graduation his versatile pen has been 
called upon from every direction. In this connection we are 
tempted to include in this sketch several of the comments, 
taken at random from the many similar ones:  Unusually 
beautiful--- I have read it with pleasure.”-Gen. Lew 
Wallace.  “I am delighted with it. It will do great good to 
all who read it and is worthy of a place in every American 
home-“ Ira D. Sankey.  “An invaluable help to young people. 
It contains ‘nuggets’ of very great value.”-Governor W. T. 
Durbin.  “Major Kuhlman’s booklet, ‘Nuggets of Gold.” will 
be wonderfully helpful to any life. There is no question as 
to its value.”-Chaplain Medbury.  “The volume is 
beautifully gotten up and the exterior does homage to the 
nobility of sentiment between the covers.”-Col. George M. 
Studebaker.  “The selection of paragraphs has been 
exceptionally happy and it is certainly such a volume as 
might be presented to anyone and through any medium, with 
pride and satisfaction.”-Youth’s Companion.  Roosevelt, 
Taft, Hitchcock, Marshall, Hanly and many other 
distinguished men have commended the book, but, although 
Colonel Kuhlman’s book received such commendation as very 
few books ever receive, it has never been place upon the 
market or offered for sale. A man of many sterling 
characteristics of head and heart, among his contemporaries 
it would be difficult to find a record as replete with 
toilsome duty faithfully performed in all the walks of life 
as Colonel Kuhlman’s, while his career in the humble sphere 
of private citizenship has been such as to comment him to 
the favorable consideration of the city and county where he 
has long maintained his residence.

Submitted by: 

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com