USA > Indiana > Brief biographies of the members of the Indiana State Government : executive, judicial, and legislative, 1874-5 > Part 6
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other disturbers of the public peace. Upon the settle- ment of the county and the advent of lawyers, Justices of the Peace were a necessity and Mr. Brown was elected. Then as civilization advanced, Legislators were required and now Squire Brown, in response to the call of his con- stituents in the counties enumerated above, comes to the Capital. The Squire is a Democrat and has been ever since the Whig party "went into Know-Nothingism." His home is at Milroy, Rush county, Indiana. By occu- pation he is a farmer.
GEORGE BURSON,
JOINT REPRESENTATIVE FROM FULTON, PULASKI AND STARKE, Was born of American parentage, but Irish descent, in Columbiana county, Ohio, February 24, 1827, and came to this State in 1853. He was educated in the common schools of the State of Ohio, and read law, adopting that as his profession. Since learning the law he has practised his profession, with the exception of two or three years that he spent in the army. In the service he was 1st Lieutenant and then Captain of Co. H. 40th Indiana vol- unteers, and subsequently was made Major of a regiment of colored troops and assigned to duty in Arkansas, where his health failed him, and in consequence he resigned in the fall of 1863. In 1864 he was elected to the position of Assistant District Attorney of the 25th Judicial Circuit, and served in that capacity, until 1866.
His father was Treasurer of Van Wert county, Ohio, for several years.
In politics Representative Burson has been a Democrat since 1864, but was a Republican before that, after the war began.
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FRANK D. CALDWELL,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM CLINTON,
Was born in Butler county, Ohio, of Scotch and Irish par- entage, September 13, 1823. He came to this State with his parents in 1830, and first settled in Fayette county, and then in Clinton county, where he has since resided. From youth to manhood he enjoyed one continuous course in " Brush College," and graduated with the first honors of his class. But he bears his honors with becoming meek- ness. In 1856 he was elected Sheriff of Clinton county, and served to the satisfaction of all concerned, until 1861. When his term of service had expired, he resumed rural pursuits until 1863, when he assumed the editorship of the Frankfort Crescent, and so acted one year. He was engaged in mercantile business at Kilmore, and also in the stock trade for a season. The first office he ever held was that of School Trustee. He was elected Repre- sentative in 1870, and again in 1874. Politically, he has been a Democrat ever since the abandonment of the Whig organization, and is now encouraged to always remain such.
JOHN ALEXANDER CANTLEY,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM CASS,
Was born in Monroe county, West Virginia, February 13, 1825. His parents were of German descent. His grand -. father, Linely, was a Captain in the Revolutionary war, and fought with Washington for American independence. Mr. Cantley came to Indiana and stopped in Henry
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county in 1844. Leaving there five years afterwards, hic traveled and taught school seven years in various parts of the State, finally settling down at Logansport, where he served eight years as Justice of the Peace. Originally a farmer, he had but poor opportunities for obtaining an education, but he succeeded admirably under the circum- stances. In politics Mr. Cantley is and has ever been a Democrat. He cast his first vote for General Lewis Cass; voted for Douglass in 1856, but wintered his vote in 1872, not having an appetite adequate to the consumption of crow.
DAVID CHARTERS,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM MIAMI,
Was born in Milton county, Pennsylvania, January 25, 1821. His father was of Irish and his mother of German descent. He was educated in the common schools of the old Key Stone State, and adopted the avocation of a far- mer for a living. When twenty-three years of age he left the hampering confines of the old homestead and came West in the pursuit of fame and fortune, and he found them both in Indiana. As a farmer he is prosperous, and has the honor of representing the county of his adoption in the Legislature. In politics he was first a Whig, and followed the fortunes of that party to the end, but he is a Republican now. Peru is his postoffice address.
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NATHAN HUNT CLARK,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM HAMILTON,
Is a native of North Carolina, as also were his parents. He was born in Randolph county, in that State, Septem- ber 10, 1825. After attending the common schools of that State and acquiring as much of an education as they could afford him he removed to Indiana and engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. Mr. Clark is a member and a minister of the religious society of Friends, and a full believer in salva- tion by and through Jesus Christ, as all his fathers were. Politically he is and all his life has been, a believer in the universal brotherhood of man, and that all men of every nationality, color or clime, ought to have the same right before the law. Therefore he has always adhered to the original Abolition, Free Soil, and Republican parties, and he now avows his belief to be that the salvation of this nation, so far as human agency is concerned in such salva- tion, depends upon carrying out to its entire legitimate conclusion the great doctrine of the equality of all men before the law. He is therefore still a Republican, and expects to see far more gloomy days than those of 1861 if he lives to see the party that was victorious last fall come into full possession of the the General Government of the United States. He is also an advocate of advanced tem- perance ideas, and has already offered a bill to further this reform. He lives at Eagletown.
ALFRED B. COLLINS,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASHINGTON,
Is a native of Indiana, having been born in New Albany, September 10, 1835. His parents were both natives
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of Virginia. His father, the Hon. James Collins, represented Floyd county in the Legislature for several. sessions, and served as Senator for the same county one term. He also acted as Agent of State for two years, and was well known as an eminent lawyer. Representative Collins was educated at Greencastle, and read law. In March, 1873, Governor Hendricks appointed him Prose- cutor for the Third Circuit. In politics Mr. Collins was a Republican until the candidacy of Mr. Greeley on the Democratic ticket, when he observed that about all there was true to Republicanism in the party had left it. Then he experienced a change, and became Liberalised. So when the time came, in 1874, to dispense with the services of the stewards of that party, the Democratic Central Committee of Washington county called upon Mr. Collins and asked him to assist, and tendered him the nomination for Representative. Though he had not sought, and did not desire the distinction, he accepted the nomination, made a most thorough canvass, and carried the county by a handsome majority. He had to contend against a com- bination of Republicans and Independents, but every effort was made to break the Democratic line without avail. It was the warmest canvass ever made of the county, and as Mr. Collins was the only county candidate experienced in public speaking, the great burden thereof devolved upon him. Mr. Collins resides at Salem, and is a member of the law firm of T. & A. B. Collins.
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CHARLES E. CRANE.
REPRESENTATIVE FROM KNOX,
Was born in Wayne county, New York, February 14, 1836. His parents were Americans by nativity. When the son was but two years of age, the Cranes migrated to Michigan. When he had attained the age of four- teen he launched his bark upon the waters of life and began thus early to " paddle his own canoe." Having, by his own exertions acquired a good general English education, he taught school in Tennessee, whither he went from Michi- gan, when he left the paternal roof. By general reading and persistent application to study he also acquired a fair knowledge of the classics. In 1861 he felt called upon by his country to return to Michigan, and attach himself to the cause of the preservation of the Union. His patriotism being of the practical kind, he entered the army and served until the close of the war. Then he returned to the State of Michigan and embarked in the lumber busi- ness. Remaining there until 1868, he removed to Knox county, this State, and engaged extensively in the walnut lumber business as a specialty. He is now one of the most enterprising men of that county, having in less than six years assisted in clearing the timber from a large tract of very valuable land, and in bringing it under cultivation, giving employment to hundreds of worthy men. He has also aided materially to advance the prosperty of the town of Sandborn, a flourishing little village on the Indianapo- lis and Vincennes Railroad, thirty miles this side of the latter place. Although a life-long Democrat, when he became a candidate, which was not at his own solicitation, Republicans as well as Democrats rallied around his stand- ·
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ard, at the polls, and sent him, in a " triumphal car of vic- tory," to the Legislature to represent the county, and not the Democracy merely. He lives in Sandborn.
THEOHPALUS CRUMPACKER,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM PORTER.
Was born in Redford county, Virginia, January 18, 1823, of German parentage. When eight years of age, the son came West with his parents to grow up, etc, and abided for a season of seven years in Union county, in this State They then removed to Laporte county, where they con- tinued to reside until 1863. At that time Mr. Crumpacker, having had a hard time of it in his hand to mouth struggle with poverty, settled down to rural pursuits in Porter county, where he has since lived, and to some purpose, having surmounted the obstacles that thickly beset the
path of youth and early manhood. In 1872, without seek- ing political position he was elected to the Legislature, and re-elected again last October, and on the Republican ticket, the Democratic candidate for State Senator carry- ing the county by two hundred majority. He is and has been a Republican since the inception of the movement that resulted in its organization. Before that he was a Whig. He resides at Valparaiso.
HIRAM DALE, REPRESENTATIVE FROM WABASH
Was born of American parentage, at Warrensburg, Fayette · county, this State, July 30, 1826. His father was a promi-
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nent citizen of his county, serving three years as Director of the Whitewater Valley Canal when the company was first organized, and two or three terms as County Commis- sioner. Hiram however, had but limited opportunities for an education. Yet, by his own exertion, he qualified him- self for teaching and taught ten or twelve terms during the winter months, farming through the summer season. He claims to have contributed his mite to the advancement of the material and moral interests of his community and county. Before the disorganization of the Whig and the organization of the Republican party, he belonged to the first named organization ; since then and now, to the latter. His postoffice address is Dora, Wabash county.
JAMES MILTON DARNELL,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM HOWARD,
Is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Jessamine county, June 28, 1817. His father was a native of Mary- land and his mother of North Carolina. The elder Darnell, not recognizing the divine right of man to enslave his fellow-man, as was maintained by the supporters of the slave system of the South, removed to the free State of Indiana in the fall of 1821. The son was then but four years of age. He lived and worked on the farm with his father until he was twenty years old ; then he was per- mitted to provide for himself, and succeeded so well that in a few years he had secured a splendid education at Han- over College. He accumulated the means to acquire this education by teaching school in the winter, and working
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on a farm in the summer. Then he studied medicine in the office of Dr. Brown, of Connersville, now of Indianapolis. In 1842 he commenced the practice of medicine in Carroll county, and continued the same until 1864, when he removed to Kokomo and engaged in the drug business, at which place and in which business he is yet engaged. In polities he first professed the principles of the Whig party, and voted with that organization until 1848, when he espoused the principles of the Free Soil party, and voted for Van Buren for President. When the Republican party was organized he thought he properly belonged to that, and became a Republican in principle and practice, and he is still true to the party tenets. Twice he held the office of Councilman for the city of Kokomo, through the favor of men of all parties, and was elected Representative at the last election over a Democratic and Independent can- didate.
ALEXANDER A. DAVISON,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM JACKSON,
Was born at Dupont Powder Mills, in the little State of Delaware, on the 28th of June, 1836. His parents were natives of, and were married in Ireland. They came across the salted sea and settled at Seymour in 1864. The son lived on a farm, and attended district school until of law- ful age to take care of himself. Then he entered the State University, but did not complete a collegiate course, merely spending two sessions in the preparatory department. Hav- ing served as Clerk in the city of Seymour in 1865, and
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subsequently serving satisfactorily as Councilman, and eventually as Mayor, in 1868 Mr. Davison was elected Treas- urer of the county of Jackson. In 1872 he was re-elected and served another term. He was nominated for the office he now holds without his consent, and was elected without opposition, and then he consented to serve. In the earlier part of his career, Mr. Davison taught school and was clerk in a dry goods store. Latterly he engaged in the hard- ware business, devoting a part of his time and talent to editing the Seymour Democrat, which newspaper he owns. He is a graceful and a logical writer. In politics he is, and always has been a Democrat, though he did not take hold of crow in 1872 with real relish. However he did dine upon the corvine biped on election morn of that year. As a Democrat to-day he is not in favor of inflating the currency, nor can he see Democracy through greenback glasses, He is a tried and true Democrat of the Jackson and Jeffersonian school, modernized. Above all, he is hon- est in his political professions, and practices what he preaches.
JOHN STEELE DAVIS,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM FLOYD,
Was born at Dayton, Ohio, November 14th, 1814, and coming to Indiana in 1836, located at New Albany, where he has since continued to reside. His father was at"one time a captain in the Federal army. The son was educa- ted at Dayton and Troy, Ohio, and read law and has prac- ticed that profession since. He began his political career
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as a Whig; was a member of the electoral college on the ticket for General Taylor, and was a member of the last Whig convention that ever convened, representing his adopted State, at large. After the disintegration of that organization he espoused the Democratic canse. He has spent six sessions in Indianapolis as a member of the House and two sessions as a member of the Senate, serv- ing the State as a Legislator for fourteen years in all. He has also served the city of New Albany as a Council- man, City Clerk and Attorney, and the Democracy of the State four years as a member of the Central Committee.
The gentleman from Floyd, is a man of magnificient mien and noble bearing. When he addresses the House all is attention, for he has something to say when he speaks. He is familiar with all the forms and details of Legislative proceedings and new members find it to their advantage to keep an eye set on the chair of the member from New Albany.
JAMES GLASGOW EDWARDS,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM PUTNAM,
Was born in Clayborne county, Tennessee, June 13, 1815. His parents were American born, of Irish descent. When a babe in arms James Glasgow accompanied his parents to the then territory of Missouri, and in consequence he had for the companion of his early youth the fiery, untamed papoose. When he was six years of age, his parents picked him up and took him back to old Tennessee, where he was educated in a log cabin. In 1831 he came to this State, and locating in Putnam county assisted in clearing
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the forest from the rich soil of that blue grass region of Indiana, and lent a helping hand toward rearing all the log cabins of his community. In those days " log rolling bees" were as fashionable as apple parings and corn husk- ings and quiltings have been since. He attended twenty- seven log rollings, to say nothing of house raisings, in one spring. So you see when it came to political log rolling, he proved himself to be no slouch of a hand at the busi- ness. So successful was he at the business, he rolled into office the first attempt. Besides he is not a stranger to manling rails. He even entertains the opinion that if rail mauling made Lincoln President, then he should have been Vice President. Politically Mr. Edwards has always been a Democrat, and can now see no necessity for a change in political principles.
JAMES EMERSON,
JOINT REPRESENTATIVE FROM BENTON AND NEWTON, Was born in Piqua county, Ohio, December 9, 1820. His parents were of American birth, but foreign lineage ; on his father's side Irish, on his mother's side German. When James was but eight years of age his parents removed from Ohio to Indiana. When he had attained the age the law regards as responsible and amenable to it he set- tled in Benton county, where he has since resided. The only education he was able to acquire was in the common or district schools of the rural regions where he was reared, so he adopted the avocation of a farmer, and followed that occupation all his life except when in office through 7
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the elective or appointive powers of country and county. Twice he has held the position of Township Trustee, and once that of Treasurer of Benton county. For several years he served his country in the discharge of the arduous duties of postmaster at Catalpa Grove. A Democrat, until recently, he became liberalized and drifted into indepen- dence of party and was elected to the Legislature on the Independent ticket. Aydeylotte, Benton county is his address.
EDWARD EVANS,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM LAPORTE,
Was born in Meigs county, Ohio, July 25, 1819. His parents were natives of Maryland. In 1829 the elder Evans removed to Indiana, and with his family settled in Vermillion county, where they lived until 1832, when they removed to Laporte county. The son followed farming with his father in the summer, and attended such schools as were accessible in those early days, in the winter. His life, up to 1861, was that of a well-to-do, quiet farmer, and in fact so continued until 1874, notwithstanding the fact that he was elected Township Trustee in 1861, and served in that capacity until 1866. But it was not until 1874 that his life became lively. Then, being a candidate for Repre- sentative, he began to learn what a mean man he was-in the eyes of his opponents. He had always been a Demo- crat, and had kept the faith and was fighting the fight faithfully, and as the sequel showed successfully.
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JAMES CALVERT FAVORITE,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM HUNTINGTON,
Is a native of the county of that name, having been born there February 21, 1842. His parents were of American birth, his father a Pennsylvanian and his mother an Ohioan. The son was educated in the common schools of his native county, and in the collegiate institute at Marion in this State. Soon after the breaking out of the war, he enlisted in Co. H. 75th Indiana, and served with his regiment during the rebellion, ably assisting to dispel the delusion under which the nation had labored since the Mexican war, that Indiana volunteers would not fight. With the gallant 75th, this Favorite of the people of Huntington participated prominently in the bloody and disastrous battle of Chickamauga, and also in the bloody but brilliant victory of Missionary Ridge, and then marched in triumph with Sherman to the sea. Since those historical days he has been engaged in teaching school and farming alternately, earning an honest living and living honestly. These two occupations he lays aside for a season now, to serve the State in the Legisla- tive halls. In the distant future he will dandle his grand- children on his knee and tell them how, in his early man- hood, he served his country and State. In politics he is and has been from the beginning of the party organiza- tion a Republican. Post office address, Huntington.
MARK E. FORKNER,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM HENRY,
Is a native of Indiana. He was born in Henry county. January 26, 1846, and is the youngest appearing member
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of the House as he is one of the ablest in debate. His parents were residents of Indiana as early as 1819. The son was educated at Newcastle Academy. always standing at the head of his class, being both an apt and a studious scholar. Having concluded his course of study at the Academy he read law with Judge Mellett. He was admit- ted to the bar at the early age of twenty years, and for three years enjoyed the privilege of practicing, with Judge Millett for a partner.
MARTIN CALVIN FULK,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM GREENE,
Was born in Surrey county, North Carolina, March 15, 1823. His parents were German on his father's and Scotch on his mother's side. They werepoor, and left North Car- olina when the son was a mere child, for the free State of Indiana, though it was then a wilderness. They did this because they were determined that their children should not do as they had done, compete with slave labor in a poor country, for thus they had been kept in poverty. So in October, 1829, the Fulk family set out for the State of Indiana. They first stopped in Monroe county, and remained there a year and a half. Then they settled in Greene, where three or four years afterwards the wife and mother died, leaving the husband and seven children. The subject of this sketch was the eldest, and he had to help support the family from that time until he had arrived at the age of twenty-one. It was on this account that he did not receive the full benefit of even such very common schools as were then established in that unsettled seetion of the
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State. When of age he began business for himself as a farmer, and followed that occupation until 1850, when he united with the Baptist Church and entered the ministry. Since then his time has been about equally divided between his plow and his pulpit.
In politics Mr. Fulk was a Democrat for the ten years preceding the war, though he exercised large discretion in voting for men and measures, always aiming to support such as would best advance morality. In 1861 he thought the truest interest of the country required his support of the Republican party in its struggle to maintain the union of the States. With that organization he acted through- out the war then inaugurated, and until its corruption drove him from it, recently. Not being able to see any hope of deliverance through the Democratic party he became independent in politics and favored the organiza- tion of a new party, one which would give the necessary relief. He was elected by the Independents of Greene, Parke postoffice is his address.
JOSEPH GILBERT,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM VIGO,
Was born at Terre Haute, January 2, 1839. His father, Curtis Gilbert, was a native of Connecticut, and coming to Indiana in early life. he located in Vigo county, becoming one of the pioneers of the State. He at once became thoroughly identified with the interests of Indiana in gen- eral and Terre Haute in particular. He was the first Clerk of the county, and served three terms of seven years each,
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in succession. For fourteen years, he was President of the Terre Haute Branch of the old Indiana State Bank. The son was born on a seven acre farm (though not with a silver spoon in his mouth), corner Sixth and Main streets, now near the very heart of the beautiful little city of Terre Haute. There he lived three years, and moved, with his parents, to what is now known as the Gilbert homestead, in the eastern environs of the city. He lived there until he had attained manhood's estate, having in the meantime acquired a good education at Wabash College, Crawfordsville. Then he began business for himself as an agriculturist and horticulturist, on his own farm, near the city, where he was born and reared. He has been identified with those interests ever since, and is now known and recognized throughout the State as a leader in all that tends to advance agriculture and horticulture. He has served as Secretary of the Terre Haute Horticultural Society seven years since its organization, ten years since, and also as Secretary of the Vigo Agricultural Society six out of the eight years of its existence. For two years he was Corresponding Secrectary of the Indiana State Horti- cultural Society, and at the last annual meeting, a few weeks since, at Plainfield, he was elected President of that organization.
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