A biographical history of eminent and self-made men of the state of Indiana : with many portrait-illustrations on steel, engraved expressly for this work, Volume I, Part 119

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Cincinnati, Ohio : Western Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > Indiana > A biographical history of eminent and self-made men of the state of Indiana : with many portrait-illustrations on steel, engraved expressly for this work, Volume I > Part 119

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

he closed his mercantile career and became a planter, continuing as such on the same place until 1856, when he moved to Illinois, where he died the same year. In Mrs. Lockridge, as well as in her husband, we see illus- trated the inheritance and transmission, through differ- ent generations, of some one trait or prominent pecul- iarity. Her maternal grandfather, Rev. John Brown, D. D., was a man of fine literary attainments, a distin- guished author in the German language, and known far and wide for his deep piety and great moral worth. His literary mantle has fallen gracefully upon Doctor Lockridge's estimable wife. Her writings are favorably known to the many readers of the periodicals to which she has contributed, and, before this sketch is read, it is the writer's prediction that she will be still more widely known, as one who " writes whereof she knows, and testifies to what she has seen," in the South during the bloody conflict between the states. Her paternal grandfather was of German descent, and was one of the earliest settlers of the Shenandoah Valley. Her grand- mother on the same side was of Scotch-Irish descent, was a Rhea, and a near relative of Governor Rhea, of North Carolina. With the blood of such an ancestry coursing through her veins, with her rare literary ac- complishments, her name will yet be enrolled, if she lives, among those who constitute the galaxy of brill- iant American female authors. She was educated by an accomplished and cultured French governess. The Doctor is a modest and unassuming Virginia gentleman, with easy deportment and quiet demeanor. He is not given to argument, yet when stirred up into action is a ready and formidable antagonist with either tongue or pen, though preferring the latter weapon. We predict for him a brilliant career in his new Western home as a scholar, a writer, a physician and surgeon, and a use- ful and influential citizen, of whom the people of his adopted city and state will be proud. Like his an- cestors, he is a strict though liberal Presbyterian.

OFTIN, SAMPLE, M. D., treasurer of Marion County, Indiana, was born in Davidson County, North Carolina, June 19, 1823. His parents, Joseph and Mary (West) Loftin, moved to Indiana in 1827, and settled in Marion County, about nine miles north of Indianapolis, near Augusta, in Pike Township. Here, in the unbroken wilderness, his father entered eighty acres of land, and built a log-cabin to shelter his little family, and here he toiled to bring the soil to a state of productiveness. He lived to see large additions made to his original entry, the log-cabin replaced by a com- fortable homestead, and waving corn-fields and green pastures taking the place of the primeval forest, where, with the faithful partner of his early privations, he

Sample Loftin MA

I27

REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF INDIANA.

7th Dist.]

spent his last days on earth, surrounded by a loving | purloined from the treasurer's office by a sneak-thief, family. When Joseph Loftin felled the first tree on the farm which is still held by his children, the city of Indianapolis boasted of but one brick dwelling, and railroads were still in the future in Indiana. It was amid such surroundings that the early life of Doctor Loftin was passed. He was the oldest of a family of four sons and three daughters, and upon him, after the father, naturally devolved much of the responsibility of bearing a hand for the support of the family. His early education was obtained in the old-fashioned log- cabin school-house, with its rough benches and prim- itive surroundings, and this was supplemented by study at home, after the day's labor was ended. At the age of twenty-two he commenced the study of medicine with Doctors Sanders and Parry, of Indianapolis, after- wards attended two full courses of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, and graduated thence in the spring of 1849. Major Jonathan W. Gordon was a member of the same graduating class, as was also a brother of the famous freethinker, Robert G. Ingersoll. He immediately began practice in Augusta, Marion County, and continued in the profession for twenty-one years. His career was crowned with success, his busi- ness extending over a large extent of country. In ad- dition to the practice of medicine, Doctor Loftin was also extensively engaged in farming operations. He bought one thousand acres of land in Hamilton County, and for several years operated it as a grain and stock farm, with much success. He also operated a large farm of six hundred acres in Illinois, and was for a part of the time engaged in pork-packing, and the general stock trade. The financial crisis came on, and Doctor .. Loftin, with many others, was compelled to suffer, and had to seriously restrict his operations; but, while suf- fering financial loss himself, in no instance during his whole career was any one called upon to suffer loss through him. Doctor Loftin was literally born a Dem- ocrat, and has remained true to his convictions during *his whole life-time. He has never been a bitter parti- san, and, although always active in the councils of his party, had never sought office for himself. In speaking ·of his political principles, he says that he believes that no party is perfect, but that the Democratic is the very best he knows of, and more in the true interests of the country than any other; and as long as its position on the great questions before the country remains the same, : so long it shall have his voice and vote. A combina- tion of circumstances compelled Doctor Loftin to change his determination never to seek the suffrages of his party for official position, and in 1878 he was elected county treasurer of Marion by the party with which he had worked and voted so long. He took his seat as treasurer September 4, 1879. About two months after his inauguration nearly a thousand dollars in cash were

which was promptly refunded to the treasury by Doctor Loftin. For a time there were sanguine expectations of the detection of the culprit, but subsequently all trace was lost, and the treasurer, faithful to his trust, remains the only loser. Although but a short time in office, Doctor Loftin has already proved himself a zeal- ous custodian of the funds committed to his care, which aggregate immense sums in the course of a year. Doc- tor Loftin was married in 1848 to Miss Margaret Jane Pattison, a native of Rush County. Mrs. Loftin is still living. They have had a family of nine children, of whom six survive. There is only one son, who is now in the treasurer's office, with his father. Doctor Loftin is a fine type of the rugged, unassuming, thoroughly conscientious business and professional man to be found only in the West. Honesty is his creed, to do right his religion, and he has made an unblemished record for unswerving integrity of character and purpose. While it is impossible for a man in his position to please every body, his official conduct has been emi- nently satisfactory to people of all shades of political opinion. He has enlarged his already wide circle of friends, and has made no enemies.

OVE, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, a prominent law- yer of Shelbyville, was born in Shelby County, Indiana, March 31, 1831. His parents, Samuel and Lucy (Chisler) Love, were among the pioneers of this state, having removed from Kentucky at an early day and settled in Shelby County, where his father died in 1843. Mr. Love's early days were spent, as was usual with the children of the first settlers, in attend- ing the district schools during the winter months and working on his father's farm during the summer. When nearly grown he spent a short time at the Shelbyville Seminary, where he made the study of geometry and algebra a specialty, as a preparation for surveying and civil engineering. He has always taken a deep inter- est in subjects of a scientific nature, particularly those which involve the principles of mathematics. It may be well to mention here the fact that the Love family are all ardent mathematicians, and especially his brother F. M. Love, who is one of the best in that part of the country, a knowledge principally self-acquired. In his youth Mr. Love was remarkably fond of reading, and eagerly perused every thing of a useful nature which he could procure. In this way he spent nearly all of his leisure time, rarely indulging in the common amusements or in the enjoyments of society. From his eighteenth to his twenty-third year he taught school about half the time. In the spring of 1854 he started on horseback from Indianapolis to the state of Illinois,

128

REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF INDIANA.

[7th Dist.

purchasing Blackstone's and Kent's Commentaries be- fore he began his journey. With these text-books in one end of the saddle-bags and a surveyor's compass and chain in the other, he improved every moment of leisure on his way. He spent the remainder of that year and the following (1855) in surveying those parts of the state which were then in the early stages of settlement. When quite young Mr. Love had deter- mined to become a lawyer, and, during all these years, he engaged in teaching and surveying only as a means of support while preparing for the profession of his choice. In the latter part of 1857 he removed to the state of Missouri, and, in the spring of 1858 began the study of law as his sole occupation, in Perryville. He was admitted to the bar in April, 1859, under license issued by Judge John H. Stone. In 1859 and 1860 he attended Cumberland Law University, Tennessee, where he received the degree of B. L. After leaving this institution he began practice in Cape Girardeau, Mis- souri, but remained there only two months. He then removed to Murphysborough, Illinois, where he opened an office and practiced until the spring of 1861. The breaking out of the late Rebellion having somewhat affected the prospects for business in the line of his pro- fession at that point, Mr. Love removed to Shelbyville, the county seat of his native county, where he has since continued in active practice. He is not a member of any Church, but is a regular attendant upon religious services, and is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school. He was married, in Boone County, Kentucky, November 8, 1856, to Miss Elizabeth Johnson, who died July 14 of the following year. He married his present wife, Martha J., daughter of Ander- son Winterwood, July 3, 1865. He has no children. All local enterprises have found in Mr. Love a liberal supporter, as do also all charitable and benevolent works. Being kind, affable, and genial, he has gath- ered about him many warm friends, who look upon him as a leading spirit. As a lawyer, he ranks among the foremost at the Shelby County bar, and has few supe- riors in Eastern Indiana as a counselor or advocate. His whole time is given to his profession, and he is an inde- fatigable student and worker. He is never daunted by danger or difficulty, and is always ready to lighten the gloomiest experience by a sally of wit or a pleasant remark.

OVE, GENERAL JOHN, Indianapolis, was born January 9, 1820, in Culpepper County, Virginia, and is of distinguished parentage. A noble an- cestry is not always a patent of merit; but when, as in this case, a man proves himself worthy of his lineage, it may justly be reckoned to his credit. The father of General Love, Richard H. Love, was of Welsh

descent, and belonged to a family of influence and note in Fairfax County, Virginia. His brother was a resi- dent of Tennessee, of like social and state prominence, and was honored with the confidence and esteem of General Jackson. On his mother's side of the house, General Love is doubly descended from the illustrious family of Lee, his maternal great-grandsires having been Philip Ludwell Lee, of Stratford, England, and Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia. The latter was a de- voted patriot of the Revolution, and enjoyed the dis- tinction of having moved the Declaration of Independ- ence in Congress. His name and that of his brother, Francis Lightfoot Lee, are affixed to that immortal doc- ument. Their portraits are conspicuous for manliness and intellectual vigor in the noble array of patriots which adorns the rotunda of the National Capitol. The name of Richard Henry Lee illuminates every page of Revolutionary history. For a number of years before the war, he served as Representative of West- moreland County in the Virginia Legislature. He was a delegate to the First Colonial Congress. In that capacity he was chairman of the three different com- mittees assigned to the important duty of drafting ad- dresses to the King, to the people of Great Britain, and to the people of the American colonies. During the second session of Congress he framed a farewell address to the people of Great Britain which elicited praise from such able and distinguished men as Chatham and Mackintosh. He was elected president of Congress, a position during the war equivalent to that of President of the United States. After the adoption of the Con- stitution of the United States, he was chosen a mem- ber of the Virginia Legislature. Subsequently, he was obliged to resign a seat in the state Senate on account of ill-health, to the expressed regret of his constituents and the members of the General Assembly. Nothing . could be imagined more genial and improving than the atmosphere of Richard Henry Lee's home, where were assembled habitually the brightest luminaries of the age, Washington, Monroe, Madison, and Jefferson; and the sentiments they expressed in regard to national affairs, even in their ordinary conversation, made an indelible impression upon the mind of at least one favored mẹm- ber of the family. That was the gifted young grand- daughter of the host, Eliza Matilda Lee, who became the wife of Richard H. Love, and subsequently at whose home were entertained President Madison and his family, when driven from Washington by the burn- ing of the capital, and who was the mother of General John Love. In addition to rare home culture, she en- joyed the advantages of the most delightful Washing- ton society of that date. She was present at the first reception given by the President of the United States, and was conspicuous for her beauty of person and gracious manner. In later years she was noted for her

129

REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF INDIANA.

7th Dist.]

domestic virtues, filling well the part of wife, mother, neighbor, and friend. It was given her to live a much greater number of days than the allotted threescore years and ten; and there came a time, when compara- tively free from family care, that her mind was re- freshed with memories of her youth. She then em- ployed her leisure in writing personal recollections of the great men and events of that period. As she was endowed by nature with a fine intellect, was proficient in many accomplishments of education, and had kept up with the progress of the century, her reminiscences, if put into book form, would furnish an invaluable ad- dition to American literature. Like her father, the dis- tinguishing trait of Mrs. Love's character was patriotism. So fixed and zealous was her devotion to the Union, founded in great part by her ancestors, that during the War of the Rebellion she commanded the respect of the Southern people with whom her lot was cast. When she heard of the final surrender, she remarked: "I rejoice that the cause of my country is triumphant; but I am sad to think so much courage was displayed to ac- complish that in the failure of which I must rejoice." Mrs. Love may be said to have devoted her sons to the service of her country. The two eldest, Ludwell and Thomas, died in infancy, but Richard entered the United States navy, and rendered uninterrupted service until his death, in 1855; and John was educated at West Point, and served in the Mexican and late war. One of Mrs. Love's two daughters married Major Lewis Armistead, of the United States army, and the other was united to an Episcopal clergyman, the Rev. William Johnson, of Lebanon, Missouri. The army .... record of General Love's military history is as follows: He was a cadet from September 1, 1837, to July I,

: 1841, then graduating, and being appointed brevet second lieutenant of the Ist Dragoons. He served at the Cavalry School for Practice at Carlisle, Pennsyl- vania, in 1841-42, and was made second lieutenant February 21, 1842. He was assigned to frontier duty at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, in 1842; Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1842-43; and he took part in the march to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1843, and was stationed in the Pawnee country in 1844. He was at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1844, and was engaged in the expedition to the South Pass, Rocky Mountains, in 1845. From 1845 to 1847 he was on recruiting service, and during the last year was also on frontier duty at Fort Leavenworth. He was promoted to be first lieu- tenant June 30, 1846. In the war with Mexico he was engaged in the assault of Santa Cruz de los Rosales, March 16, 1848; and served as quartermaster of the Ist Dragoons from March 12, 1849, to December, 1850. He was breveted captain March 16, 1848, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Santa Cruz. He was stationed on frontier duty at Fort Leavenworth,

Kansas, in 1849, and was in garrison at Jefferson Bar- racks in 1849-51. He was in the recruiting service in 1851-52, but resigned February 1, 1853, and came to Indianapolis in 1852, where he has resided ever since. He also served in the War of the Rebellion, as chief of staff to Brigadier-general Morris, commanding in the campaign of Western Virginia. He was major staff brigadier inspector of Indiana volunteers from April 27 to July 29, 1861. He was engaged at the rebel evacua- tion of Laurel Hill, July 11, 1861, and the combat of Carrick's Ford, July 13, 1861. He was in command of the camp of instruction for Indiana volunteers at In- dianapolis, Indiana, from August I to September 10, 1861, and of a division in defense of Cincinnati in Sep- tember, 1862. He resigned January I, 1863, but subse- quently commanded a force in pursuit, through Indiana, of the John Morgan raiders, repulsing them at Vernon July 11, 1863. With such training as General Love re- ceived from his parents and relatives little need be said of the superior qualities of mind and heart which won the respect of his preceptors and the affection of his class-mates at West Point. He was, July 1, 1841, four- teenth in a class of fifty-two, the largest which had ever graduated up to that date. Although eligible to an appointment in the Scientific Corps of the army, a love of adventure, indomitable courage, and disregard for personal comfort, led General Love to select the Dragoons. If continuous service in the saddle for months at a time, in constant danger of death from wild Indians, and subsisting upon buffalo meat on the plains, can be counted for aught, his desire was fully gratified. In 1843, as lieutenant in Philip St. George Cooke's command, General Love was at the disarming of the Texan Rangers under Colonel Snively, who had been commissioned by President Houston (then Presi- dent of the Republic of Texas) to capture the Mexican Santa Fe traders. Cooke was under orders from the government to protect the overland traders to New Mexico on the valuable track from St. Louis and the West, and, coming upon Snively's forces about four hun- dred miles west of the Missouri line, demanded their arms, which, after much hesitation, were surrendered. In the spring of 1845, General Love was a lieutenant under the command of Colonel Kearney, detailed to protect overland emigration to Oregon. The emigrants escorted to the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, he returned to Fort Leavenworth in August of the same year, having marched twenty-five hundred miles in ninety-nine days, with cavalry, subsisting wholly upon the grass of the prairie and mountains. In the year 1846 Lieutenant Love was in Sumner's com- pany, Army of the North-west, which, commanded by General S. W. Kearney, captured New Mexico. Being ordered to the United States in the autumn, he recruited his company, which-under his command,

C-9

130

REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF INDIANA.

[7th Dist.

and seventy-five strong-returned to New Mexico in the summer of 1847, in charge of a large amount of specie for the payment of the army. When four hun- dred miles west of Fort Leavenworth, with a number of emigrant and provision trains under his protection, he was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Indians, outlaws, and adventurers, who aimed to secure the treasure in charge. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Indian agent for the Upper Platte and Arkansas, who had been court- cously included in the escort of General Love, gives a graphic account of this event. After dwelling upon the perils of a road infested by Indians, and subject to the still more dangerous attacks of white desperadoes and outlaws banded with the Indians, he says that at Pawnee Fork Lieutenant Love's command, accom- panied by the Indian agency, came up with two large government trains loaded with commissary stores, to- gether with a few traders traveling with them for pro- tection. They had been detained at this point by high water, and on the other side of the stream was encamped an empty return train from Santa Fe, bound for Fort Leavenworth. The Indians, failing to overpower the outward bound train, dashed across the stream, and drove off or killed nearly all the cattle belonging to the return train. Lieu- tenant Love took command of the forces, and, hav- ing successfully effected a crossing, encamped for the night on the opposite side of the river. One of the companies disregarded his instructions to encamp close by, under cover of the main camp, much to his un- easiness, and his fears were well grounded. If the In- dians themselves had chosen the ground they could not have made a more favorable selection for a formidable attack or defense, and the next morning, as soon as the cattle were turned out of the corral to graze, the In- dians made a charge, and succeeded in driving them off. The further design of the Indians to surprise the main camp was prevented by the young lieutenant in command, who, as was his custom, was out at break of day with a spy-glass in hand, reconnoitering the country. He immediately ordered his men to arms, and the Indians were repulsed, with the loss principally to the insubordinate company before mentioned. The pru- dence and intrepidity of Lieutenant Love no doubt saved his command, to say nothing of the large amount of government stores and treasure. In these days of disastrous Indian warfare a profitable lesson could be learned from the military records of that date. The progress of civilization has been so rapid in the last few decades that the heroism and military skill which paved the way for that civilization are not justly appre- ciated. Nor is there, in the absorbing interest attached to the Rebellion, enough account taken of the brilliant achievements of the Mexican War. General (then Lieu- tenant) Love was the hero of a forced march unequaled

in the history of artillery campaigns. Upon the heels of that march, without rest, he led an attack at the battle of Santa Cruz that commanded the admiration of his superior officers, and entitled him to the brevet rank of captain for gallant and meritorious conduct. The or- der from Major Beall, to push forward with his battery to headquarters, met Lieutenant Love on the 12th of March, 1848, at the Hot Springs, one hundred and fifty miles from Chihuahua. He immediately left the baggage wagons, took two days' rations, and on the morning of the 16th, at five o'clock, arrived before the fortified city of Santa Cruz, accomplishing the whole distance-two hundred and ten miles-in four nights and three days and a half. This through the enemy's coun- try, at the imminent risk of capture or death. At half- past nine his battery was in position about five hundred yards from the main plaza, and a brisk fire was opened on the city. It was warmly returned by the enemy's batteries throwing solid shot, grape, and shell, notwith- standing which Lieutenant Love continued firing until he silenced every gun that bore upon him, and cleared the house-tops of infantry. At this point of time he was ordered to the cemetery, to silence a nine-pounder gun placed in an embrasure in one of the principal streets leading to the main plaza. Upon the church and a large building near by a strong force of infantry was stationed. Love's battery, which consisted of three twenty-four-pounder howitzers and three six-pounder guns, was exposed to an incessant fire of canister, grape, and round-shot, but it did signal service, clearing the church and house-tops of troops, and continuing the at- tack until the brave commander was ordered to fall back on the camp, which was threatened by nine hun- dred lancers. At three o'clock in the afternoon Lieu- tenant Love was again ordered to take position at the cemetery, with instructions to keep the house-tops clear of infantry. He was informed that the city would be charged by three different columns, acting as infantry, and that his first shot would be the signal of attack. This announcement fired his brave heart with an ardor which was quickly communicated to his men, and they re- sumed their former position without flinching, under the sharp fire of three of the enemy's guns. Upon the firing of the signal shot by Love's battery, the three columns of infantry responded with a shout, and charged at double-quick in grand and beautiful style. The scene which followed has not its counterpart in the annals of war. The church-top was crowded with the enemy's infantry, as was, also, a two-story house in the direction of Colonel Rall's column, upon which both kept up an incessant fire. Three shots from Love's six-pounder and three from his five-pounder cleared the house, but it was not until two shells of the twenty-four-pounder howitzer burst on the top of the church that it was abandoned. On the bursting of the second shell the Mexicans could

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A biographical history of eminent and self-made men of the state of Indiana : with many portrait-illustrations on steel, engraved expressly for this work, Volume I, Part 119

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Cincinnati, Ohio : Western Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1038

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Cincinnati, Ohio : Western Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1038