Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932


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GEN


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02171 323 2


Gc 977.2 M51


Memorial record of Northeastern Indiana


MEMORIAL RECORD


. OF ...


Northeastern Indiana


ILLUSTRATED


"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."-MACAULAY.


CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY


1896


1139023


"Biography is by nature the most universally profitable, universally pleasant, of all things." -CARLYLE.


SURNAME FILE


Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270


INDEX.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


A


Abbey, G. T


730


Adair, J. W. 30


Adams, A. A


17


Adams, J. W. 251


Alderman, D. 273


Alexander, A. C. 615


Alleger, J. D. 537


Alleman, Wm. D. 761


Allen, P. A. 677


Allen, W. S. 631


Altman, J. C. 709


Anderson, C. 772


Arnold, Daniel 435


Arnold, George 151


Auger, B. L .. 832


Aukerman, E. L 818


Ayers, Edwin B 688


Ayers, Porter. 689


B


Baird, S. M. 400


Baker, J. S. 804


Barker, J. W. 811


Baker, S. F. 593


Baker, W. D


100


Baldwin, Abel. 18


Banister, N. 849 Barns, J. A. 745


Barrett, J. M. 509


Barze, B. F. 578


Bash, J. M. 641


Bass, J. H. 33


Bechtel, Martin. 874


Beck, Adam 710


Beck, Adam L 687


Beeson, E. B


465


Bell, R. C 215


Berghoff, H. 766


Bishop, G. A .. 383


Blackburn, W. J 692


Blount, R. F. 110


Bobilya, L. J 125


Boland, M ..


276


Bonham, A. H. 473


Boseker, C .. 767


Bourie, L. T .. 190


Bowman, Charles.


894


Bowman, H. W 845


Boyd, L. C.


518


Brady, T. R. 849


Brames, Louis. 342


Brannum, H. C. 240


Brashear, R. A. 648


Breen, Wm. P. 334


Briant, C. E. 513


Briggs, A. J. 489


Briggs, Silas .. 426


Brown, C. M. 878


Brown, Vallorous.


245


Bruder, August. 266


Brudi, G. G .. 861


Bruner, Levi. 781


Burns, John.


476


Burris, W. P


62


Burwell, J. W. 758


Butterbaugh, J. 291


C


Carver, Orville. 717


Case, I. H. 846


Centlivre, C. L. 398


Chafee, Wm. C. 699


Chandler, O. J.


650


Chaney, C. H 482


Chapler, M. L. 348


Clugston, P. H. 515


Cobb, B. M .. 707


Coblentz, J. W. 197


Coffinberry, H. N 825


Colerick, D. H. 84


Colerick, Henry


416


Colerick, John. 71


Colerick, W. G. 89


Collins, J. S .. 180 Emerick, E. V 347


Columbia City Post.


251


Emerson, M. B


832


Compton, James. 695


Conley, L. H.


760


Cook, John W.


853


Cook, L. H. 587


Cook, N. P. 726


Cowgill, Calvin. 532


Cray, Amos L 815


Creager, Peter


834


Crist, G. W


866


Cummins, F. D 606


Cummins, R. F 565


D


Davenport, F. E


376


Davenport, L. C. 659


Dawson, J. W 205


Brooks, William H.


143


Day, S. F.


667


De Armitt, J. B.


Decker, John. .. 320


De Long, A. W. 44


De Pew, Elijah : 408


Diether, Louis & Brother. 841


Dinius, Henry


684


Doan, T. A. F 121


Dougall, A. H. 343


Dougherty, Hugh 103


Doughman, N. D


505


Drover, Henry


696


Drover, Simon 653


E


Eberhart, E. L


182


Eberhart, John. 446


Eckhart, Charles 729


Edgerton, J. K.


884


Edsall, C. W. 360


Edsall, Wm. S 356


Eichhorn, W. H. 828


Elder, Abraham 301


Elliott, A. F. 766


Elliott, S. J. W 525


Ellsworth, Wm.


463


Elward, W. A. 416


Emerson, R. J. 484


Evans, O. E.


228


Everett, C. E.


387


Bruner, J. A. 785 Depoy, John F. 406


6


INDEX.


Hipskind, John. 786


Lowry, Robert. 235


Lyons, W. B. 666


M


Maddox, L. E 732


Maring, R. H. 315


Marion Normal College. 723


Marshall, T. R 263


Martin, A. N 812


Martin, Jacob. 683


Martin, Philip. 38


Mcclellan, C. A. O 41


McCormick, T. H. 355


Mccullough, Hugh. 9


Mccullough, T. P 139


McDonald, A. C. 862


249


McHenry, J. E.


769


McIntyre, W. H


638


Mcintyre, Wm.


751


Mckinley, L. B.


759


McLallen, E. L. 289


McLallen, Henry 395


McLin, G. H. 681


Melrose, Robert. 422


Mentzer, S. E 199


Merriman, E 171


Metts, John 1. 487


Metz, Ozias .. 326-


Metzgar, H. M 252-


823


Mills, A. C.


117


Mindnich, Martin


857


Moffat, D. W.


Keller, Henry 365


Kelley, L. E. 776


Kemp, S. B.


626


Kenower, A. Q.


624


Hale, Bowen 571


Hale, James P 592


Hale, John D. 581


Hale, S. W. 591


Haller, Gottlieb 768


Hanna, O. S.


16


Hanna, Samuel 13


Hanna, S. D. 788


Hare, M. B 492


403


Harris, G. S.


536


Harrison, J. M. 499


L


Harshbarger, B.


#23


Hartman, E. 1).


636


Lane, W. H.


883


Nickey, A. B 881


Northrop, S. A. 750


Null, L. S. .


98


Nuttman, J. D


2]


0


Oakley, C. B. 371


O'Brien, Patrick. 179


Ogden, Robert. . 404


O'Rourke, Edward 113


O'Rourke, P. S.


527


Heckman, A. I)


Lewis, Abner.


727


Hench, S. M


Leyman, D. S. 175


Henderson, C. H.


526


Lightle, W. H. 545


Logan, (. P. 672


Hess, Peter S.


Long, Lewis. 856


Hildenbrand, J. 260 Long, M. F 765


1


Indiana Rubber & Insulated


Wire Company 725


Irwin, John S. 339


J


Johns, A. S. 384


Johnson, Alexander 782


Johnson, Solomon. 869


Geiger, W. A.


187


Glass, J. T


575


Good, Benjamin.


413


Good, C. H .. 250


Goshorn, D. A


861


Gray, Wilson. 292


Gross, John. 817


Guynn, Lincoln 136


H


Hackleman, E 69


747


Mohler, O. E 199


Moody, D. D. 643


Moore, Samuel. 879


More, Alex 483


Morris, John 374


Morrison, J. A 230


Mossman, J. F 434


Mott, E. B. 798


Mowrey, John 654


Mowrey, Wm. C. 281


Myers, Joseph


49I


N


Nathan, Julius 381


Nestel, Daniel 863


Hartman, Lewis.


494


Latchem, J. B. 242


Hatfield, V. M


217


Havens, S. W.


629


Law, C. 1) 391


Ilawley, I). M 703 Lawrence, G. W 323


Hawley, S. W.


704


Lawrence, H. H 265


Hawley, W. W


702


Lawrence, M. E. 837


Hayden, F. J.


118


Lawton, C. H. 373


Hayden. I. W


335


Leas, W'm. H 847


Heal, W'm. E.


613


Leeper, J. L. 521


Heaton, Owen N


815


Leonard, N. R


227


P


Page, W. M 424


Pape, Charles .. 601


Patterson, J. W


876


Patterson, R. D.


859


F


Fair, D. W 390


Fay, James A. 165


Ferree, E. H 595


Fisher, R. J. 220


Fletcher, C. P


238


Foster, D. N.


53


Foster, S. M. 60


Foust, F. H.


57


Fox, Louis. 131


France, John T 740


Frazer, J. S 685


Frederick, W. J. 842


Fulton, J. F.


647


Fulton, S. W 895


Fulton, Wm.


644


G


Gardiner, G. E. 195


Garrett, F. W. 411


Garthwait, W. I' 548


Gas City. 516


Geake, William. 36


Jones, A.


724


Jones, Washington 208


Jones, W'm. P 283


K


Kaler, S. P. 271


Kaler, Wm. A 149


Kell, George \ 633


Kenower, John.


618


Kidd, G. P


867


Kidd, M. H


169


Kinzic, H. C ..


745


Klein, Richard. 251


Kreider, George 810


Kreider, John.


468


Kunkle, William A 611


Kutche, Angelo 367


Kyler, Jacob 501


Harter, George. 567


Lackey, G. W 309


Lathem, E. E 247


Mohler, A. 1). 91


749


Mohler, Amos


Hadley, J. R. 564


Hoover, J. I . .


160


Horning, E. E.


397


Huffman, John.


325


Huffman, Simeon


328


Hughes, T. N 423


Hughes, Wm. M.


Hunsel, Bernard. 312


Hunt, H. B. 363


Hunt, Wm. R


735


Hurd, Jonathan. 514


Hyre, Aaron


441


Henley, A. 872


Hodge, Chester P 771


Hoffman, A. W. 865


Harper, J. B


Miller, H. I.


McGrew, James I


7


INDEX.


Peabody, S. J. 67


Shull, B. F. 307


W


Wade, C. U. 597


Walker, William 443


Waring, Frank T. 419


Weber, A. A 715


Weber, Michael. 712


Weber, William. 714


192 Webster, D. E Wells, J. M. 689


Wheeler, E. S 705


White, J. B. 255


White, R. B .. 439


Wiechmann, F. C. 535


Williams, Reuben 819


Williams, T. B


855


Williams, Wm. 756


Wilson, J. H 870


Wilt, F. P. 285


Wilt, J. M. 893


Wilt, W. W 310


Wood, H. D. 854


Worden, W. H


508


Young, W. F.


662


Z


Zeis, E. L


830


Zimmerman, F. T. 890,


Zollars, Allen.


49


ILLUSTRATIONS.


Allen, P. A 676


Bash, J. M. 640


Bass, J. H. 32


Bell, R. C. 214


Briant, C. E 512


Brown, Val. 244


Sturgis, E. Y. 583 Colerick, W. G. 88


Compton, James 694


Davenport, L. C 658


Dawson, C. M. 204


Doan, T. A. F. 120


Dougherty, Hugh 102


Doughman, N. D. 504


Ellsworth, Mrs. Betsey 461


Ellsworth, Wm. 460


Emerick, E. V. 346


Everett, Charles E. 386 Fay, James A 164


Foust, F. H ... 56


Gardiner, G. E. 194


Garrett, F. W. 410


Hale, Bowen. 570


Hale, John D 580


Hale, S. W. 590


Hanna, Samuel 12


Hunt, H. B. .


362


Irwin, John S


338


Kaler, S. P


270


Kaler, Wm. A 148


Kenower, A. Q.


624


Sheldon, T. K. 859


Shoemaker, J. H 379 Shorb, N. G. 352


Shull, C. Q. 541


Penfield, W. L 51


Shuman, J. F. 141


Peterson, R. S 840


Shutt, S. S. . 738


Proegler, Carl. 222


Slack, James R 479


Purviance, H. M 460


Purviance, M. J. 460


Purviance, Samuel H. 449


Purviance, Wm. R. 708


Purviance, Wm. T. 680


Q


Quinn. B. W 612


R


Racine, Aime. 302


Rademacher, J. 776


Ramsey, J. F 852 -


Randall, F. M 136


Stewart, Robert


889


Randall, F. P. 133


Stewart, T. H


316


Randall, P. A. 551


Stickler, C. D


829


Rayhouser, G. 471


Stitt, Wm. S.


414


Redelsheimer, D. S. 303


St. John, R. T


607


Reed, Wm. H 627


Reese, Charles. 344


Strawn, W. E. 467 Rhoades, C. E 366


Strodel, John, Sr. 808


Strodel, John C.


810


Rinehart, J. K 90


Roberts, George.


299


Robertson, R. S 25


Robinson, J. M. 129


Roby, Frank S 736


Rogers, T. C. 429


Rogers, L. M. 349


Rose, James E. 634


Ross, Robert. 746


Stults, M. B.


711


Rostetter, L. 821


Rothinghouse, C. H. 691


Royse, L. W 892


Runyan, J. N 561


Runyan, P. L 649


Rurode, E. C.


267


S


Sanders, D. W. 188


Sarnighausen, J. D 146


Sattison, Scott. 803


Schafer, Fred. 827


Schnelker, H. F 774


Schoenauer, Wm. 874


Scholze, L. G .. 839


Schraker, Isaac. 331


Schrader, J. S.


440


Schrader, David. 425


Scott, J. E. 828


Scott, Joseph. 293


Seiberling, A. F 725


Sell, William. 318 Serailion, M. K. 764


Townsend, Dick. 531


Trask, Harlan A. 721


V


Kenower, John. 620


Kenower, Mrs. John 621


Lawrence, G. W


322


Slack, James R 757


Slaymaker, S. D. 617


Smith, Adam J 604


Smith, A. J 161


Smith, Ira F 822


Smith, James M. 835


Smith, Louisa F 162


858


Snyder, J. A. 837


Stallsmith, John


325


Starbuck, J. D.


167


Sterling, J. B.


445


Stevens, L. B. 185


Stewart, J. W. G.


351


Stoner, H. M.


497


Stout, O. L.


671


Renner, John H 851


Rinear, E. M. 553


Rinear, J. W. 557


Strodel, L. C. F 809


Strodel, Wm. 809


Stroh, H. P .. 652


Strong, E. K. 442


Studabaker, David. 95


Studabaker, D. E 755


Studabaker, John. 157


Stults, J. E .. 734


Stults, Joseph 741


Swain, David H. 795


Swaim, Mrs. H. T 792


Swaim, S. H. 663


Swaim, Wm . 789


Swaim, Wm. F 673


Swaim, W. T. T 795


Swarts, D. J 753


Sweringen, H. V. 274


T


Taughinbaugh, C. A 246


Taylor, Alvah. 225


Taylor, E. T. 670


Taylor, William. 655


Tewksbury, H. 176


Thomas, B. D. 868 -


Thomson, J. F 200


Tigar, Wm. H 763 Harper, J. B. 402


Todd, Jacob J 77


Tribolet, J. W 201


Trier, John. . 546


Shaw, James H. 474


Van Sweringen, H


274


Strodel, J. G., 806


Robbins, Albert. 728


Snyder, George.


Peltier, Louis. 123


INDEX.


Leyman, D. S.


174


O'Rourke, I


112


Stoner, Henry M.


496


Lowry, Robert ..


234


Peabody, S. J.


66


Studabaker, David.


93


Maring, R. H .. . .


314


Purviance, S. H


448


Studabaker, John. 156


Marshall, Thos. R ..


262


Randall, P'. . A


550


Swaim, D. H


794


Mcclellan, C. A. O.


40)


Roberts, Mrs. Elizabeth 247


Swaim, W. T. T


799


McCormick, T. H.


354


Roberts, George.


296


Taylor, Alvah.


224


Mccullough, T. P.


Robinson, J. M


12×


Todd, J. J.


76


Mclallen, E. L.


2×8


Rogers, T. C ..


428


Townsend, Dick


530


McLallen, Henry


394


Runyan, John N


560


Trask, Harlan.


720


Metts, John 1.


486


Schrader, Isaac.


330


Waring, Frank T


418


Morris, John ..


374


Shoemaker, J. H.


378


White, J. B.


254


Mowrey, Mary Ann


279


Shull, B. F.


306


White, R. B.


438


Mowrey, Wm. C.


278


Shull, C. Q


540


Westminster Place.


520


Nuttman, J. D.


20


Slack, James R


478


Zollars, Allen


48


Oakley, C. B.


370 . Stevens, L. B.


1×4


Zeis, F. L.


830


MEMORIAL RECORD.


ON. HUGH McCULLOCH, de- ceased .- Standing out as one of the central figures on the pages of American history is the name of Hugh McCulloch. Prominent in the affairs of the nation, with a reputation as a finan- cier that extended beyond the bounds of this country, there was no more prominent or honored man in all northern Indiana.


He was born in the first decade of the present century, and in early life entered upon the study of law with the intention of making its practice his life work. In May, 1833, he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Indiana with the privilege of practicing in all the courts of the State, and a few weeks later made a location in Fort Wayne, Indiana, opening a law office. He served as Judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas for a short time, and was rapidly winning a high reputation as a jurist when he entered another field of labor. He did not, however, abandon the legal profession, expecting to return to it, and had he done so, such were his abilities, that he would undoubtedly have gained a place in the front ranks among the finest legal minds of the nation.


Mr. McCulloch was persuaded, however, to aid in the establishment and promotion of a bank. In the winter of 1833-4 the State


Bank of Indiana was chartered, and when a branch of that institution was established at Fort Wayne he was appointed cashier and manager. He entered upon this work with the thoroughness and determination that characterized every undertaking of his life. He resolved to place the bank on a substan- tial financial basis and then resign in order to again enter upon the practice of law. But he became deeply interested in his new business, was made one of the active direct- ors of the bank, and from that time until his retirement to private life was connected with financial affairs, both at home and abroad. He formed an extensive acquaint- ance among banking men, studied carefully the monetary situation of the country, and put forth every effort in his power to make the State Bank of Indiana one that would deserve the confidence and patronage of the public. It is needless to say that he suc- ceeded. In addition to helping materially in the improvement of the State, it secured to the commonwealth a net profit of nearly $3,000,000, which became the basis of her large and well managed school fund. The State Bank was succeeded by the Bank of the State of Indiana, on the Ist of January, 1857, and Mr. McCulloch was elected its president, with headquarters at Indianapo- lis. Success also attended this institution


1


10


MEMORIAL RECORD OF


until the establishment of the national bank- ing system, at which time Congress passed a law taxing the circulation of all State banks, and the Bank of the State of Indiana went into liquidation.


During all this time Mr. McCulloch was diligently studying monetary questions, and had attracted the attention of financiers throughout the country. He was called to public life in 1863, when through the in- strumentality of Hon. Salmon P. Chase, then Secretary of the Treasury, he was ap- pointed by President Lincoln as Comptroller of the Currency, and assumed the organiza- tion of the national bank bureau of the treasury department and the management of the national banking system. Then came a revolution in the banking affairs of the country, and without any disturbance to the current business of the people the national banks superseded the old State banks throughout the country, and all was accom- plished within two years. To Mr. McCul- loch is the country indebted for its present banking system, -a system that is unequaled in efficiency in any other country. He was an indefatigable worker, but his continuous and earnest labors produced this desirable result, and his reputation as a financier ex- tended to other lands.


The election of 1864 resulted in the re- tention of President Lincoln in the place of chief executive of the nation, and he entered upon the work of forming a new cabinet. The friends of Mr. McCulloch then recom- mended him for the position of Secretary of the Treasury; the recommendation was ac- cepted and in March, 1865, he entered upon the duties of that position which he so ac- ceptably discharged that, although in con- sequence of the war the monetary affairs of the nation were more involved than ever


before or since, he succeeded in producing order and system and carrying out a policy whose efficiency the world has acknowledged. When he entered upon a work he determined to raise money by loans to pay the soldiers of the great Union army and all other de- mands upon the treasury ; to fund and put in proper shape all obligations of the Govern- ment; and to take the first steps toward an improvement of the value of the paper cur- rency with the ultimate view of a return to specie payment. It was a herculean task. Occasioned by the war the debts of the country had become enormous, but with a keen, clear and comprehensive mind, capa- ble of grasping and mastering the situation, Mr. McCulloch accomplished his work and steadily pursued his policy, which was car- ried out by his successors until gold, silver and paper currency became of equal value in conducting the business of the country. During his administration over one thousand millions of short-time debts of the United States were funded into long-time bonds, and therefore required no attention for twenty years, except in payment of the an- nual interest.


On his retirement from the secretaryship, Mr. McCulloch turned his attention to his private banking interests. He crossed the Atlantic in 1870 to become the resident and managing partner of the banking house of Jay Cooke, McCulloch & Company, of Lon- don. The practical man of affairs had no sooner taken into his hands the business of this establishment before it began to rapidly develop and increase. His previous experi- ence had been a thorough school and prep- aration for this work, which was carried successfully forward until the business was second to no American firm abroad. Mr. McCulloch's partnership connected him only


3 1833 02171 323 2


1


Your, affectionatete,


13


NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.


with the London house, and the fact that this stood through the financial panic of 1873 was due entirely to his efforts. The firm of Jay Cooke & Company began the gigantic task of building the Northern Pacific Railroad. It was an undertaking that would have taxed the resources of a country, and failure overtook them, bringing on the mone- tary panic of 1873. This necessitated the withdrawal of the American partners from the London house and the formation of the banking firm of McCulloch & Company, with which Mr. McCulloch continued his con- nection for a number of years, until, wish- ing to spend his declining days in rest from the arduous toil which throughout life had been his lot, he returned to his native land.


Mr. McCulloch was married on the 15th of March, 1838, to Susan Mann, of Platts- burg, New York, and with the wife of his early years who had ever been a faithful companion and helpmeet to him on his event- ful earthly pilgrimage, he retired to a beau- tiful farm, pleasantly situated about eight miles from the city of Washington. He re- membered that some of the happiest hours of his life were spent in the quiet and re- tirement of this place, and hoped that his remaining years might be here passed amid the enjoyment and labors of rural life. He was, however, again called to public life in 1884; for, on the resignation of Walter Q. Gresham as Secretary of the Treasury, he was solicited by President Arthur to accept that position, and once more found himself at the head of America's financial affairs, where he remained until Grover Cleveland entered the White House. Once more he retired to private life, and on the fifteenth of March, 1888, in their home in Washing- ton, the honored couple who for fifty years had traveled life's journey together through


sunshine and storm, through adversity and prosperity, through joy and sadness, cele- brated their golden wedding, surrounded by their four children, their grandchildren and a large number of relatives and friends. Their eldest son, Charles McCulloch, still re- tains his residence in Fort Wayne, which is the city of his birth. He was born Septem- ber 3, 1840, and at an early age entered the Bank of the State of Indiana, afterward be- came a member of the banking house of Al- len Hamilton & Company, and is no presi- dent of the Hamilton National Bank.


The last years of Mr. McCulloch's life were spent in the enjoyment of his homes in and near Washington, in literary pursuits and in study of the questions of the day. In the winter of 1887-8 he wrote a book en- titled Men and Measures of Half a Century, -a review of the political events during fifty years previous and sketches of the promi- nent men who had shaped the political his- tory of the country. He was always a close student of public affairs, but was never a politician in the sense of office-seeking, and the honors conferred upon him in public life came to him in acknowledgment of his merit and ability. He attained to the ripe age of four-score years and seven. One of na- ture's noblemen, true to every trust reposed in him, devoted to the cause of right and honor, he was respected at home and abroad, and was numbered among the most promi- nent Americans of the nineteenth century.


S AMUEL HANNA. - No compen- dium such as the province of this work defines in its essential limita- tions will serve to offer fit memorial to the life and accomplishments of the hon- ored subject of this sketch, -a man who was


14


MEMORIAL RECORD OF


remarkable in his breadth of wisdom, in his indomitable perseverance, his strong individ- uality, and yet whose entire life had not one esoteric phase, being as an open scroll, from which " he who runs may read." True, his were "massive deeds and great" in one sense, and yet his entire accomplishment but represented the result of the fit utiliza- tion of the innate talent which was his and the directing of his efforts along those lines where mature judgment and rare discrimina- tion lead the way. The days of our honored subject were part and portion of that indissol- uble chain which linked the annals of the early pioneer epoch with those of latter-day progress and prosperity, and the history of the city of Fort Wayne cannot be told without most intimate reference to this notable man who undoubtedly did more to promote its growth and development than did any other one individual. A man who stood four square to every wind that blew, and whose strength was as the number of his days, this work would be signally incomplete were there fail- ure to revert to the life of Samuel Hanna. Volumes might be written upon his life and yet much touching his active, useful and eventful career still be omitted. There was in Judge Hanna, as he was called, a weight of char- acter, a native sagacity, a far-seeing judg- ment, and a fidelity of purpose to the vari- ous public trusts he represented, that com- manded the respect of all. A man of inde- fatigable enterprise and fertility of resource, he carved his name deeply upon the records of Indiana. To accord even the most suc- cinct narrative of Judge Hanna's life, requires much more space than can be given in these pages.


Samuel Hanna was born in Scott county, Kentucky, October 18, 1797, and died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 11, 1866.


In 1804, James Hanna, the father of our subject, removed with his family from Ken- tucky to Dayton, Ohio, and near Dayton cleared up a farm. There Samuel passed his boyhood days, with but limited advantages for an education. His first occupation was that of post-rider, distributing newspapers to subscribers throughout the country. Subse- quently he clerked in a Piqua store; next, with a partner, was in business there a short time, and from that turned his attention to school teaching. At the time of the treaty at St. Mary's in 1818, he and his brother Thomas were engaged as purveyors, hauling provisions from Troy, Ohio, to St. Mary's, and in this way made some money. From the latter place he decided to come to Fort Wayne, and from 1819 up to the time of his death was thoroughly identified with the interests of this place, and probably did more to promote its growth than any other one man. On his arrival here he built a log cabin, mostly with his own hands, on what has since been known as the northwest cor- ner of Columbia and Barr streets, and in this cabin established a trading post. Here by his fair and honorable dealing he en- deared himself to the dusky natives of the forest and also to the pioneer settlers. Goods at that early day were brought from Boston and New York via the lakes and rivers and with pack horses, and transporta- tion was attended with great difficulty. These early difficulties turned his attention to the building of canals and roads, and, later, his wonderful enterprise developed itself in the way of securing railroads. In the meantime he was agent for the American Fur Company, from time to time made in- vestments, and acquired landed possessions throughout Indiana. His natural ability as a leader soon gained for him marked pres-


15


NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.


tige. As early as 1826 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives in the State Legislature, and in 1831 and 1840 he served as a member of the same body. He also served in the Senate from 1832 to 1836. While in the legislative body of his State, he was a champion of the canal pro- ject, and took a prominent part in the or- ganization of the financial policy of the State, rendering valued service on com- mittees pertaining to these matters. Indeed, he was one of the originators of the canal project and was untiring in his efforts until it was completed. He himself went to New York to purchase the instruments with which the survey was made, and brought the same on horseback from Detroit to Fort Wayne, and he not only did this, but also helped to make the survey, receiving as compensation the salary of $10 per month. No one, perhaps did more for the completion of this enterprise than did he. As chair- man of the committee on State banks, he drafted a charter, and as the result of the wisdom he then exercised, the banking sys- tem of Indiana has been substantial and a credit to the State. A branch of the State bank was at once established at Fort Wayne, of which he was president for a number of years. In connection with others Mr. Hanna was a prominent factor in securing the pioneer plank road of northern Indiana, from Fort Wayne to Ontario. The con- struction of the first ten miles of this road leading from Fort Wayne he personally superintended, and himself, with ax in hand, helped to build. He was also an indispensable factor in the building of the Piqua road.




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