Source: History of Boone County, Indiana, by Hon. L.M. Crist, 1914.

DAIRY CREAM SEPARATOR COMPANY (W.E. CALLANE) Boone county ranks as
one of the best dairy counties in the Middle West; however, her people have neglected to
take advantage as extensively as they might of its resources in this respect, but each year
finds new additions to the already long list of successful dairymen. As the dairy business
grows, there is, of course, a demand for separators created and this gives employment to
many artisans and furnishes a good field for invested capital. One of the most successful,
efficient and widely known manufactories of this line in the Middle West is The Dairy
Cream Separator Company of Lebanon, which was established in July, 1907, with the
following officers: S. N. Cragun, president; R. D. Voorhees, vice-president; D. V.
Booher, secretary; W. E. Callane, treasurer. They soon got the business well established
and continued to manage the same until 1910, when it was reorganized, with the
following officers: Philip Voorhees, of Logansport, Indiana, president; R. D. Voorhees,
of Flora, Indiana, vice-president; M. E. Callane, secretary, and W. E. Callane, treasurer.
These gentlemen now own all the stock and have greatly increased the prestige and
earning power of the plant. They manufacture centrifugal cream separators for farm use,
these being of the most modern design, and, owing to their superiority of workmanship
and quality are eagerly sought, and the business of the firm is rapidly growing, new
territory being constantly invaded. The firm owns a large, well-equipped and valuable
building in Lebanon, which was erected for the purpose in 1907. During the summer of
1914 an addition was built, adding fifteen thousand square feet of floor space, it being
modern and fireproof. Here from one hundred to one hundred and thirty skilled
mechanics are constantly employed, and the annual output of machines is from twelve
thousand to fifteen thousand. W. E. Callane is general manager and he is the moving
spirit of this important plant.

Mr. Callane was born in Flora, Carroll county, Indiana, in April, 1866. He is a son of
Richard and Mary (Cunningham) Callane, both natives of Pennsylvania, from which state
they came to Indiana when young and were reared on farms here, educated in the early-
day schools and were married in this state. W. E. Callane grew up on the home farm and
was educated in the public schools of Flora, Indiana, and when seventeen years of age he
began teaching, which vocation he continued with satisfactory results for four years. He
then turned his attention to dentistry and was graduated from the Indiana Dental College
in Indianapolis in 1889, having made an excellent record there. Returning to Flora, he
began the practice of his profession, which he continued successfully until 1900, enjoying
a large and lucrative patronage, but he then sold out his business and began as a general
merchant in his native town; in fact, he had been interested in the same financially since
1890. He sold out his store in 1903 and became a stockholder in the Dairy Cream
Separator Company, and was treasurer and general manager of the same, doing much to
insure its constant success, and continued thus until the company was reorganized. This
concern sells to jobbers on a large scale and the products of the plant are sent all over the
world.

Mr. Callane was married in September, 1887 to Clara Rodkey, a native of Carroll
County, Indiana, where she was reared and educated. She is a daughter of Barton and
Jane (James) Rodkey, a highly respected family of that county. To our subject and wife
two children have been born, namely; M. E., who is secretary of the Dairy Cream
Separator Company, and Charles C., who is at this writing a student in Wabash college at
Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Politically, Mr. Callane is a Republican, and fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of
Pythias at Lebanon. He is a member of the Disciples Church and is vice-president of the
official board of the local congregation. Mr. Callane is a man of progressive ideas and a
companionable, obliging and genial gentleman.

BOOHER CALLANE CRAGUN CUNNINGHAM JAMES RODKEY VOORHEES

Submitted by Amy K Davis