USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware county, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 12
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journed January, 1817. November 8, 1816, the general assembly, by a joint vote, elected James Noble and Waller Taylor to represent Indiana in the senate of the United States. " In the senate Gen. Noble had for associates the ablest men the country has yet produced. He was not dwarfed by their stature, but maintained a respectable standing among them." He remained in the senate until his death, which occurred February 26, 1831. Mr. Noble was a large, well proportioned man of fine address and bearing. He was a good lawyer and as a speaker was very effective be- fore a jury or promiscuous assembly. Person- ally he was quite popular and his warm heart and generons nature made him the idol of the people of his section of the state.
EN. JOHN TIPTON was born in Sevier county, Tenn., August 14, 1786, and was the son of Joshua Tipton, a native of Maryland, a man who possessed great positiveness of character, with keen preceptions and uncommon execu- tive ability. These peculiarities induced him to remove from his native state and settle in a home further west, where he afterward became a leader in the defense of the frontier against tne hostile Indians. He was murdered by the savages on the 18th of April, 1793. Left thus early in life in the midst of a frontier settle- ment, surrounded by the perils incident there- to, the son, inheriting the sagacity and self-re- liance of his father, soon began to develop that positive energy of character which dis- tinguished his after life. In the fall of 1807, with his mother and two sisters and a half- brother, he removed to Indiana territory and settled near Bringley's Ferry, on the Ohio river, where he purchased a homestead of fifty acres, which he paid for out of his scanty earnings,
making rails at fifty cents a hundred. These early experiences laid the foundation of his future success in life. June, 1809, he en- listed in a company recruited in his neighbor- hood, which was soon afterward ordered to the frontier for the protection of the settle- ments. September, 1811, the company en- tered the campaign which terminated in the battle of Tippecanoe. Early in that memor- able engagement all his superior officers were killed, and he was promoted to the captaincy, when the conflict was at its height. Subse- quently he rose, by regular gradation, to the rank of brigadier general. At the first elec- tion under the state constitution, he was chosen sheriff of Harrison county, which po- sition he filled two terms, and in 1819 was elected to represent this county in the state legislature. While a member of that body he served on the committee to select a site for the location of the state capital, which selec- tion was made in June, 1820, and approved January, 1821. He was re-elected in 1821, and at the following session was chosen one of the commissioners to locate the boundary line between the states of Indiana and Illinois. In March, 1823, he was appointed by Pres. Mon- roe general agent for the Pottawatomie and Miami Indians on the upper Wabash and Tip- pecanoe rivers, and immediately thereafter moved to Ft. Wayne, the seat of the agency. At his instance the agency was removed from Ft. Wayne to Logansport, in the spring of 1828, where he continued to discharge the functions of his trust with fidelity and success. At the session of the legislature, December, 1831, he was elected United States senator from Indiana, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. James Noble, and was re-elected at the session of 1832-33, for a full term of six years. While a member of that distinguished body, he was noted for the soundness of his judgement and the independ-
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ence of his actions on all questions involving the interests of the state or general govern- ment. He opposed the views of President Jackson in reference to the re-charter of the United States bank, and recognized no party in determining the line of duty, always acting from motives of public right. As a civilian and citizen, he was alike successful in direct- ing and executing, to the extent of his power, whatever purpose his conscience approved or his judgment dictated. After locating in Logansport he directed his energies toward the development of the natural resources of that town and surrounding country, and to him more than to any other man is dne the credit of supplying the settlements with grist and saw-mills and other improvements, and for taking the initial step which led to the or- ganization of the Eel river seminary, at that time one of the best known educational insti- tutions of northern Indiana. He was also pro- prietor of four additions to the town of Lo- gansport, and was interested with Mr. Carter in the plan and location of the original plat thereof. Mr. Tipton was twice married, the first time to Miss Shields, who died within two years after their marriage. The second time was in April, 1825, to Matilda, daughter of Capt. Spier Spencer, who was killed at the battle of Tippecanoe. The second Mrs. Tip- ton died in the spring of 1839, about the close of her husband's senatorial career. Gen. Tip- ton closed an honorable life on the morning of April 5, 1839, in the full meridian of his usefulness, and received the last sad honors of his masonic brethern on Sunday, April 7, 1839.
R OBERT HANNA was born in Laur- ens district, S. C., April 6, 1786, and removed with his parents to Indiana in an early day, settling in Brookville as long ago as 1802. He was
elected sheriff of the eastern district of Indiana in 1809, and held the position until the organ- ization of the state government. He was afterward appointed register of the land office, and removed to Indianapolis in 1825. In 1831 he was appointed United States senator, to fill the unexpired term caused by the death of James Noble, and served with credit in that capacity from December, of the above year, until January 3, 1832, when his successor took his seat. He was afterward elected a member of the state senate, but suffered defeat, when making the race for re-election. He was acci- dentally killed by a railroad train while walk- ing on the track at Indianapolis, November 19, 1859.
O LIVER HAMPTON SMITH, congress- man and senator, was born on Smith's island, near Trenton, N. J., October 23, 1794. He attended school near his home at intervals until 1813, at which time, owing to the death of his father, he was thrown upon his own resources. He afterward found employment in a woolen mill in Pennsylvania, and, on attaining his majority, received $1,500 from his father's estate, which he soon lost in an unfortunate business investment. Mr. Smith came to In- diana in 1817, and settled at Rising Sun, Ohio county, but, in a short time, moved to Lawrenceburg, and began the study of law. In March, 1820, he was licensed to practice, and soon afterward removed to Versailles, Ripley county, where he opened an office, but, be- coming dissatisfied with the location, in a few months he located at Connersville, thence in 1839 moved to the state capital. In August, 1822, he was elected to the legislature from Fayette county, and while a member of that body served as chairman of the judiciary com- mittee, an important position, and one usually
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given to the ablest lawyer of the body. In 1824.he was appointed prosecutor of the third judicial district, and in 1826, became a candi- date for congress against Hon. John Test, who had represented the district for three full terms. He made a vigorous canvass, and defeated his popular competitor by 1, 500 majority. Mr. Smith served with distriction in congress, and was ever attentive and industrious in his pub- lic duties. In December, 1836, he was a can- didate for United States senator, his competi- tors being Noah Noble, William Hendricks and Ratliff Boon. He was elected on the ninth ballot. In the senate, Mr. Smith was chair- man of the committee on public lands, and took great pride in the place, which he filled with distinguished ability. In 1842 he was a candidate for re-election, but was defeated by Edward A. Hannegan; in March, 1843, his senatorial services terminated. Soon after his return home, his attention was directed to railroads, and Indianapolis is mainly indebted to him for the building of the Indianapolis & Bellfonte road, now known as the "Bee Line." In 1857 he commenced writing a series of sketches for the Indianapolis Journal on early times in Indiana, which attracted much atten- tion, and which were afterward brought out in book form. This volume is valuable as a rec- ord of early Indiana times, and contains much information not otherwise noted. Mr. Smith died March 19, 1859. As a political speaker, he exhibited much the same qualities and powers of mastery that he did as a forensic speaker, but he was less successful on the stump, because argument and close reasoning, which were his mode of dealing with political questions, were not as popular as anecdotal and declamatory style. "As a lawyer, Mr. Smith was ever true to the interest of his client, and in the prosecution of his cases in court, he displayed much zeal and earnestness. He was an honest opponent, and very liberal in his
practice, and yet very capable, and sometimes ready to seize upon the weakness or oversight on an adversary. His career at the bar was a successful one, and he well merited the high tribute paid to his memory at the time of his death." "In person, Mr. Smith was five feet ten inches in height and weighed about 180 pounds. He was broad chested, and large from the waist up. His eyes were dark, his hair was black and stood up upon his head. He had large shaggy eyebrows, and the general contour of his features denoted energy, pluck and endurance. His place is in the front rank of the great men of Indiana."
E LBERT S. WHITE, one of the most scholarly of Indiana's distinguished men, was born in Blooming Grove, N. Y., October 24, 1803. He gradu- ated from Union college, that state, in 1822, in the same class with Hon. William H. Sew- ard, and after studying law for some time at Newburg, was licensed to practice his profes- sion in 1825. Soon after this, he came to Indiana and located at Rushville, thence, one year later, moved to Paoli and subsequently took up his permanent abode in Lafayette. In 1830 and 1831 he was assistant clerk of the Indiana house of representatives, and served as clerk of the same from 1832 to 1835. In 1833 he was candidate for congress against Edward A. Hannegan, by whom he was de- feated. "He had neither the brilliancy nor the eloquence of Mr. Hannegan, but was the superior of that erratic man in education, cul- ture and in most of the qualities which go to make up the successful man." In 1837 he was more successful, having been elected to congress by an overwhelming majority over Nathan Jackson. The year previous, he was on the whig electoral ticket, and in the elec-
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toral college cast his vote for William Henry Harrison. In 1839 he was elected to succeed Gen. John Tipton in the United States sen- ate, the struggle having been an animated one, requiring thirty-six ballots divided among Mr. White, Noah Noble and Col. Thomas H. Blake. He entered the senate a young man, but his training eminently fitted him for the duties of that distinguished body, in the delib- erations of which he bore an active part. He strenuously opposed the annexation of Texas, as he did every measure which was calculated to extend the area of slavery. "He was of a conservative temperament, and usually voted with the moderate men of his party, but he was conscientiously an anti-slavery man and always acted with those who strove to confine slavery to the territory it then polluted." He was active in securing grants of land to aid in the extension of the Wabash & Erie canal, and took a prominent part in shaping legislation to promote other internal improvements. On the expiration of his term, Mr. White resumed the practice of law, but soon abandoned the profession and entered actively into the busi- ness of railroad building. He was president of the Indianapolis & Lafayette railroad from its organization until 1856, and during a part of that time was at the head of the Wabash & Western railway. In 1860 he was again called into public life as a member of congress, where his thorough knowledge of political and state affairs soon enabled him to take high rank. He was made chairman of a select com- mittee, raised to consider the question of com- pensated emancipation, and also reported a bill appropriating $180,000,000 to pay loyal men for their slaves, and $20,000,000 to aid' in the colonization of freedmen. His con- gressional career was eminently honorable, but he failed of a renomination, mainly on account of his action in regard to the emancipation question. In January, 1864, he was appointed
by President Lincoln United States judge for the district of Indiana, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Caleb B. Smith. He soon adapted himself to his new position, and had he lived, would have proved a worthy successor of his eminent predecessor. His term was cut short by his death, which oc- curred on the 4th day of September, 1864. "Mr. White had but little in common with the typical western pioneer, and it is therefore somewhat strange that he should have reached the eminence he did. He never sunk his man- hood nor lowered his self-respect, by trying to get down to the level of every man that ap- proached him. He was in no sense a dema- gogue, and never sought to curry favor by pretending to be what he was not. He was always dignified and always a gentleman." In personal appearance, Mr. White was below the medium height, quite spare and had a nar- row visage with a prominent Roman nose. Physically he was weak, but intellectually ranked with the strong men of the state and nation. "He was one of the first men of the Wabash country, and of the state, and his name will not be forgotten while learning and scholarship are chesished and honor and pat- riotism revered."
a DWARD A. HANNEGAN was a na- tive of Ohio, but in early life moved to Kentucky, and settled at Lexing- ton, where he grew to manhood. He received a liberal education, and after several years spent in the study of law, was admitted to practice at the Lexington bar at the early age of twenty-three. Not long after this he settled at Covington, Ind., where he opened an office and practiced his profession with flat- tering success for a number of years. He soon entered the political arena and ere long
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was honored by an election to the state legis- ture, in the deliberations of which he soon took an active and brilliant part. His career in the legislature brought him into prominent notice, and in January, 1833, he was elected to the congress of the United States, defeating Albert S. White, afterward his colleague in the senate. In 1840 he was again a candidate for congress, but after a very exciting contest was defeated by Hon. Henry S. Lane, afterward governor and United States senator. In 1842, much to the surprise of every one, Mr. Han- negan was elected United States senator, de- feating Oliver H. Smith and Tilghman A. Howard on the sixth ballot. He took his seat in the senate on the 4th of December, 1843, and served until March 4, 1849, during which time he made several speeches which attract- ed the attention of the country. While a member of that body his votes were always in accord with his party. In March, 1849, Presi- dent Polk nominated him for minister to Prus- sia, but being unfit for diplomacy by nature and habit it is no wonder that his career at Berlin added nothing to the character of the government he represented. He was recalled the next January, and with that recall the pub- lic life of the brilliant but erratic statesman ended. He returned to his home at Coving- ton, and the next year was defeated in a race for the legislature, which he took much to heart and which served to drive him further into the convivial habits which ultimately proved his ruin. The habit of drink con- tinued to grow upon him until in a fit of drunken frenzy he took the life of one whom he dearly loved-his brother-in-law, Capt. Duncan. The two had been drinking deeply and angry words passed between them. Mr. Hannegan finally went into a separate apart- ment, but was followed by Capt. Duncan, who applied some bitter epithets to him and slapped him in the face. Upon this Mr. Han-
negan seized a dagger and buried it to the hilt in Duncan's body, the effect of which was death the following day. He was not indicted and tried for this killing, the universal senti- ment of the people being in his favor. He re- moved to St. Louis, in 1857, and on the 25th of January, 1859. he died in that city. Mr. Hannegan was warm in his friendships and had a large personal following. His manners were elegant, and he was ardent, impulsive and undaunted, thinking, acting and speaking with the utmost freedom. In person he was below the medium height, firmly and compact- ly built, but in after years became quite cor- pulent. He was a charming companion, and as an orator was more eloquent than logical. "He was not a profound man nor a great scholar, but what he lacked in profundity he made up in brilliancy, and his deficiency in scholarship was largely compensated for by his quick wit and fertile imagination, and his power to express himself in the choicest lan- guage. He was of Irish descent, and inherited many of the characteristics of that warm- hearted, impulsive race."
J ESSE D. BRIGHT, for twenty years a leading politician of Indiana, was born in Norwich, N. Y., December 18, 1812, and came to this state when a boy, lo- cating with his parents at Madison, where he grew to manhood's estate. He received an academic education, and after a preparatory course of reading was admitted to the bar, where his talents soon won for him a conspic- uous place among the successful lawyers of Indiana. He was not profound in the philos- ophy of jurisprudence, but, being a fluent speaker and quite popular with the people, he succeeded in gaining a lucrative practice, which extended throughout the counties of the lower
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Wabash and elsewhere. He was elected judge of probate in Jefferson county, and sub- sequently received the appointment of United States marshal for Indiana, and it was while holding the latter office that he laid the found- ation of his political career. In the forties, he made the race for the state senate against Williamson Dunn and Shadrack Wilber, whom he defeated, and in that body was soon recog- nized as the leader of the party. In fact, he was a born leader of men, and always stood at the fore-front of the line. In 1843 he was lieutenant governor on the ticket with James Whitcomb, and such was the ability he dis- played in the discharge of the duties of that position, that the senators and representatives, with all of whom he sustained relations of the warmest friendship, afterward elected him to the senate of the United States. At this time he was barely eligible to a seat in the senate, on account of his age, being the youngest man ever elected to that distinguished body. In 1850, he was a candidate for re-election against Hon. Robert Dale Owen, who subse- quently withdrew from the contest, thus mak- ing Mr. Bright's election without opposition. In 1856, his term having expired, he again sought a re-election, which was granted him after a memorable contest which was decided by the United States senate, in a strictly party vote. In the senate, Mr. Bright ranked high as a committee worker, and enjoyed great per- sonal popularity. Such was his standing that on the death of Vice President King, in 1853. he was elected president pro tempore of the senate, which he filled with ability until the inauguration of John C. Breckinridge, in 1857. In the latter year, when forming his cabinet, President Buchanan offered Mr. Bright the secretaryship of state, which position he saw fit to decline. He continued a senator until 1862, when he was expelled for disloyalty, by a vote of thirty-two to fourteen. The princi-
pal proof of his crime was in recommending to Jefferson Davis, in March, 1861, Thomas Lin- coln, of Texas, a person desirous of furnishing arms to the confederacy. Mr. Bright organized and led the Breckinridge party in Indiana in 1860, and in stumping for the brilliant young Kentuckian gave the movement all the force and vitality it had in this state He left Indi- ana soon after the legislature of 1863 refused to return him to the United States senate, and took up his residence in Kentucky, in the legis- lature of which state he subsequently served two terms. In 1874, he removed to Balti- more, in which city he died on the 20th of May, 1875, of organic disease of the heart. Mr. Bright had a splendid physique, and weighed about 200 pounds. He had a good head and a good face, but was imperious in manner and brooked no opposition from either friend or foe. "He was the Danton of Indiana democracy, and was both loved and feared by 'his followers."
J OHN PETTIT was born at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., July 24, 1807, and died in Lafayette, Ind., June 17, 1877. After receiving a classical education and studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1838, and commenced the practice of his profession at Lafayette, Ind He soon became active in state politics, was in the legislature two terms and served as United States district attorney. He was elected to congress as a democrat in 1842, re-elected to the next con- gress and served with distinguished ability in that body from December 4, 1843, to March 3, 1849. He was a democratic elector in 1852, and in January, 1853, was chosen United States senator to fill the unexpired term occasioned by the death of James Whit- comb, serving as such until March 3, 1855,
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during which time he earned the reputation of an able and painstaking legislator. In 1859 he was appointed, by James Buchanan, chief justice of Kansas, and in 1870 was elected supreme judge of Indiana He was a delegate to the Chicago democratic convention in 1864, and as a political leader wielded a strong in- fluence in Indiana in a number of state and national contests. He was renominated for supreme judge in 1876, but owing to scandals connected with the court, which excited popu- lar indignation, he was forced off the ticket, and the name of Judge Perkins substituted.
a HARLES W. CATHCART, of whose public and private history but little is now known, was born on the island of Madeira, in 1809. He received a liberal education and early in life shipped as a sailor, and after a number of years spent on the sea located, in 1831, at La Porte, Ind., where he engaged in farming. He served sev- eral years as land surveyor, was a representa- tive in the legislature, and in 1845 was an elector on the democratic ticket. He was elected to the congress of the United States in 1845-47, re-elected the latter year to serve until 1849, and was afterward appointed to fill the unexpired term occasioned by the death of James Whitcomb. He served as senator from December 6, 1852, to March 3, 1853, and at the expiration of his term re- turned to La Porte county, where his death subsequently occurred.
RAHAM N. FITCH was born in Le Roy, Genesee county, N. Y., on the 5th of December, 1810, and is said to have been the first white child born in that town. His grandfather was a
soldier in the Revolutionary war, and his father, a soldier in the war of 1812, was wounded at the battle of Queenstown. Mr. Fitch received a liberal education, and in early life chose the medical profession for a life work, and completed a course of study in the same in the college of physicians and sur- geons of western New York. He came to Indiana in 1834, and settled at Logansport, where his successful career soon won for him the reputation of one of the most skillful sur- geons and thorough practitioners in the west. In 1844 he accepted a professorship in Rush Medical college, at Chicago, and occupied the chair of theory and practice during the years 1844-47. Though not naturally a politician, Dr. Fitch, from force of circumstances, was drawn into the arena of politics, where his commanding talents and energy marked him as the people's choice. In 1836 and again in 1839, he was chosen to represent Cass county in the state legislature. Subsequently, at the election in August, 1847, he was chosen to represent his district in the lower house of congress, holding that responsible position until 1852. During his membership he was active and efficient in the discharge of his duties, earning the reputation of a good legis- lator. His legislative capacity was further tested by an experience in the senate of the United States, commencing in 1860-61. The honorable distinction acquired in subordinate legislative positions was not dimmed by his senatorial experience, and he left that distin- guished body with a record of which posterity need not be ashamed. Although a democrat in political affiliations, he always esteemed principals above mere partisanship and was not slow to manifest disapprobation when his party seemed disposed to pursue a course of policy in antagonism to his better judgment. In the triangular contest for the presidency between Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Douglas and Mr.
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