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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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