USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Early reminiscences of Indianapolis, with short biographical sketches of its early citizens, and a few of the prominent business men of the present day > Part 14
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At the time he received his education the opportunities were very limited for the rudiments of a common English ed- ucation ; for a portion of what he did receive he walked three miles in winter, most of the way through the woods to the log school house, where his young ideas were first taught to shoot, frequently on his way seeing deer and flocks of wild turkeys, with which the woods abounded at that time.
Mr. Beeler tells me his earliest recollection was seeing In- dians passing his father's cabin, hearing the wolves howl at night, and their killing all the sheep his father had, ten or twelve in number, and that his mother considered it a great calamity, as she did not know how her family was to be pro- vided with the necessary winter clothing. She dressed and spun flax and wove linen for summer clothes ; and for a Sun- day suit, and to be worn on special occasions, she would gene- rally stripe it.
At the age of twenty-one years (not being willing to lose much time) he was married and settled on a farm just west of Eagle Creek, on the Mooresville road, three and a half miles from town, where he yet resides.
Although, like his father, very decided in his political views, and frank to express them, he has never taken a very active part in politics. He cast his first vote for a Presidential can- didate for Henry Clay in 1844.
In the year 1850 he was nominated by the Whig conven- tion as its candidate for Representative of the county in the Legislature, and though he got the full vote of his party was
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Samuel Merrill.
defeated, the Democrats having the ascendancy in the county at that time.
During the existence of the Marion County Agricultural Society, from 1852 to 1860, he was a member, five years a director, and two years its president.
He was nominated by the Republican party, and elected a member of the House of Representatives in October, 1868, and served in the regular and special sessions ; was chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, and took an active part in all questions relating to it, as well as the interests of his im- mediate constituents and the general welfare of the State, and introduced a bill for the appointment of a State Geologist and a geological survey of the State, which was about the only bill of general importance that became a law at the first ses- sion of that legislature.
After the death of A. J. Holmes, Mr. Beeler was appointed his successor as "Secretary of the State Board of Agricul- ture," and has passed through one of the most successful fairs of the West with entire satisfaction to the public and credit to all its officers.
As Fielding is rather good-looking, I hope he will excuse me if I attempt to give the reader an idea of his personal ap- pearance.
As will be seen by his age, he is just in the prime of life, about five feet eight inches in height, rotund form, light hair, florid complexion, a blue eye and smiling countenance, and inherits all the candor and frankness of his father.
SAMUEL MERRILL
Was one of the good men, substantial and permanent citizens Indianapolis gained when the seat of government was removed to it. He was a native of one of the Yankee States, I think Vermont, but came to the West when a young as well as sin- gle man. His first residence in Indiana was at Vevay, where
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Early Reminiscences.
he was married. He then practiced law for a short time. In the winter of 1822-23 he was elected Treasurer of State, and in the spring removed to Corydon, then the capital of the State.
In the fall of 1824, when the State offices were removed to this place, he, with his family, made this place their home. He held the office of Treasurer of State until the State Bank of Indiana was chartered in 1834, when he was, by the legis- lature, chosen its president, and organized it, as well as the different branches, throughout the State. This position he held about ten years. He was then chosen President of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad. It was while he had the supervision of this road its stock was worth from twenty-five to thirty per cent. premium.
While Mr. Merrill held these public positions he was ever active in private pursuits and enterprises. The first summer he was here we had no person that was qualified or willing to teach school ; he was induced to do so, and kept school in the log Methodist Church on Maryland street, between Illinois and Meridian. Some years afterward he engaged in merchan- dising, and then, in connection with Mr. Yandes, built the mills on Fall Creek, known now as Bretts' Mill. He was ever active in all benevolent and charitable institutions, and during his entire residence was superintendent or teacher of a Sunday school. While he was president of the Benevolent Society he kept such clothing as was donated for that purpose in a room in the State Bank, adjoining his office. He had just bought himself a fine cloth cloak, such an one as was fash- ionable at that day, and very costly. One morning he en- tered his office through that room, and had thrown his cloak off on the pile of clothing left for distribution to the poor ; a few moments afterward an old man, that lived upon the chari- ties of the people, came to Mr. M. for clothing; he told him
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John Douglass.
o go into the room and help himself to such as were there, which he did, and among other articles took the fine cloak.
When Mr. Merrill was ready to go to dinner his cloak was o where to be found. As it was a cold, disagreeable day, he ertainly had worn it to the office ; he could not think what ad become of it. On his way home he met old man Wilson the person referred to as having come for clothing) prome- ading Washington street with it on.
Mr. Merrill was one of the first to join the Second Presby . erian Church when first organized by Henry Ward Beecher, nd was a warm personal friend of that eminent divine during is residence in Indianapolis.
During the thirty years he was a resident of this city, no person enjoyed the confidence and respect of its citizens to a greater degree than Samuel Merrill.
He has several children yet living in the city. His eldest laughter is now the widow of the late John L. Ketchum; a on, bearing the father's name, is a prominent bookseller and stationer, and there is no sign now in the city whose name is more familiar to the writer than that of Samuel Merrill.
JOHN DOUGLASS
Was the "State Printer," and came to this place when the other State officers came, in 1824. He immediately became connected with Douglass Maguire in the "Western Censor and Emigrant's Guide," by the purchase of Mr. Gregg's in- erest, and changed the name to the "Indiana Journal." He was connected with the paper several years, for sometime as sole proprietor, and then with S. V. B. Noel as a partner. He vas a practical printer, and a very industrions man.
Mr. Douglass was an honest, upright man, and, as I have said of another in these sketches, would rather suffer a wrong himself than knowingly do another an injury ; and were he living at this time he would hardly be considered qualified to
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Early Reminiscences.
superintend a printing establishment, when their advocacy of a measure is sometimes procured by selfish motives or a pe- cuniary reward.
The writer was well acquainted with him during his twen- ty-six years' residence in this place, and has never heard a harsh or unkind word spoken of him.
He has several children yet living in the city. His eldest daughter is the present wife of Mr. Alfred Harrison, a promi- nent banker. Three of his sons are living, Samuel, James and George. Samuel and James are partners in one of the largest printing establishments in the State, the "Indianapolis Daily Journal," that had descended from their father's paper. Mr. Douglass died about the year 1850, respected by all who knew him, and his death much regretted.
ARCHIBALD LINGENFELTER.
Were I to omit speaking of Archy, as he was thirty years ago, it would be passing over the name of one who contrib- uted in his way a great deal to the merriment of the fun-lov- ing citizens of Indianapolis.
Archy came to this place in 1826, a red-hot, full-blooded Kentuckian, and for several years pursued his avocation, that of plastering, until he was finally overtaken by a too fond in- dulgence in the use of ardent spirits, and which for several years rendered him useless to his family and a burthen to him- self. When drinking he seemed to think he was commander- in-chief of the army ; he would dress himself in the United States uniform and with a martial air parade the streets, and has often declared the town under martial law.
He would sometimes call all the ends of the earth to come unto him, never omitting, however, to except one, who had incurred his displeasure, this one he would assign to a coun- try or place said to be rather warm than pleasant.
About this time he went to Doctor Mears and told the Doc-
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Nathan Davis.
tor he wished he would give him something to kill him. The Doctor gave him a large dose of tartar emetic in a glass of brandy, which he drank without ever making a wry face. (See sketch of Dr. Mears).
When Archy first came to Indianapolis he boarded at one of the " taverns " of the place. On one occasion several of the boarders of the other taverns and boarding-houses were speaking of the fare their different landlords gave them. Ar- chy said he thought that his landlady gave her boarders the greatest variety of any tavern in the town. He said they had three kinds of meat, ram, sheep and mutton; three kinds of vegetables, boiled potatoes with the skins on, boiled potatoes with the skins off, and fried potatoes; two kinds of bread, corn bread baked in a skillet, and corn bread baked on a grid- dle; two kinds of milk, buttermilk and sour milk; he said they had but one kind of fruit pie, and that was pumpkin pie.
Archy has about lived out the three score and ten years generally allotted to man, and I think is indebted to Doctor Mears for having lived the last twenty-five years of it.
NATHAN DAVIS.
About the time of which I am now writing, 1826, there lived in Indianapolis a hatter known to the citizens as " Hon- est Nathan." His shop, as well as his residence, was on the north side of Washington, between Meridian and Illinois streets.
" Honest Nathan " was not overstocked with either energy or industry, and was content if he could transform coon skins enough, into something he called hats, to provide for the daily demands and comforts of his family. In one of his hats there would be material enough to make a dozen of Ike Davis' fash- ionable hats of the present day ; and like his predecessor, John Shunk, sometimes required his customers to furnish their
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Early Reminiscences.
own coon, which were generally caught the night before they were needed by the hatter.
Before he made this place his residence he had lived on Blue River, about twenty-five miles east of this. One day, just before noon, two of his old neighbors and friends from his latter residence called, and were invited to have their hor- ses fed and stay to dinner; which invitation they readily ac- cepted. The worthy hatter brought out his bottle of " bayou blue," at the same time remarking that his neighbor, Doctor Scudder, had some very fine Madeira wine, and as it had been sometime since they had taken a "jorum " together he would step in and get some. The Doctor not being at his shop, Mr. Davis took the liberty to hunt up his wine bottle, which he found, but did not notice on the label the abreviation of " anti " going before wine.
From this bottle his friends and himself drank pretty freely. After dinner, and before resuming their journey, the three took a parting drink together, the travelers speaking in the highest terms of the Doctor's Madeira. They had crossed the river at the grave yard ford, and found themselves so sick they could neither proceed on their journey or retrace their steps to their friends' house. They laid down under a tree anI left their horses to graze at pleasure.
A farmer passing by on his way to town, they sent word to the worthy hatter that they were "pizened," and to come and bring the Doctor as quick as possible, for they would certainly die if they did not soon have relief. When the messenger arrived at Mr. Davis' he found him in the same situation, " heaving and pitching," and crying to the Doctor (who had just returned) for help, or he would surely die.
The Doctor inquired what they had eat or drank. "We only drank some of your wine." On examination of the bottle, he told him they had drank enough to start Mount Vesuvius. He hurried to the travelers to give them the only help and
189
Charles C. Campbell.
consolation in his power, that in due time the Madeira would work OUT all well, and that they would be better before they could possibly be much worse. The hatter lived here many years after this occurrence, but never outlived hearing of it from his neighbors.
CHARLES C. CAMPBELL.
Charles has been so long in this city that he has almost be- come a part of it, at least as much so as the State House, or the Governor's Circle.
Mr. C. first came to this place as an apprentice to the tail- oring business. After his apprenticeship was out he carried on the business for a short time, long enough, however, to learn that it could not be carried on without work, and ar- rived at the conclusion that it was about as easy for a needle to go through the eye of a camel as it was for a Campbell to sit cross-legged all day on a broad board and pull a needle through tammy cloth, with nothing but a goose (tailor's) for a companion.
Charles has held several offices of trust and emolument, such as sheriff, deputy sheriff and receiver of public moneys. He made a good and efficient officer, and was never known to unnecessarily oppress or put to trouble those with whom he had official business.
Although he is not a professional juryman, he has served his country in that capacity a great deal, hardly ever being objected to, unless some unfortunate descendant of Ham should be engaged in a suit with a white man ; his well known preference for his own race and color might be urged as an objection.
Mr. Campbell is, perhaps, as well acquainted with the early history of this city as any gentleman now living; indeed, he knows a great deal his modesty would prevent his telling.
He has been an honorary member of all the political con-
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Early Reminiscences.
ventions of both parties for forty-five years, always honoring them with his presence, and is possessed of many anecdotes in regard to them ; he, also, has considerable legislative expe- rience as a lobby member.
He has managed to glide down the stream of time without over taxing his physical energies ; he lives "at peace with all the world and the rest of mankind," in the full enjoyment of extraordinary good health, and a conscience reasonably clear.
In his business career I had forgotten to mention that for a short time he engaged in the banking business with Kilby Ferguson to the amount of fifteen hundred dollars; if not a silent partner, Charley says he would like it kept as silent as possible.
Although he has no pretensions to aristocracy, he owns pro- perty and lives in the midst of that class of citizens on North Meridian street.
The writer cannot close this sketch without acknowledging his obligations to Mr. C. for the privilege of looking at the first elephant that ever came to Indianapolis, although he has seen several elephants since that cost him more money.
" He is well paid, that is well satisfied."
CORNELIUS W. VAN HOUTEN
Is a native of the city of New York. He, with his father's family, emigrated to the West in 1816, and settled in Dear- born County, Indiana.
In the fall of 1827 he visited Indianapolis on a tour of in- spection, and seeking a home for himself and family.
In the month of April, 1828, with his family, including his mother (now 87 years of age), he came to and made this county his home. He settled on eighty acres of land about one mile south of the donation line, on what is now the Shel- byville pike, and immediately on the bank of Bean Creek.
191
Samuel V. B. Noel.
Here he lived for many years, and was one of our most pros- perous farmers.
About the year 1845 he engaged with his brother, Captain Isaac B. Van Houten, and built that splendid steamer, Eudora, which they ran between St. Louis and New Orleans. Captain Van Houten died in March, 1847 ; then Cornelius took charge of and commanded the boat until 1848, when the steamer, with twenty-six others, was burned at the St. Louis wharf.
In June, 1847, my wife and self visited St. Louis, and were very hospitably entertained by Mr. Van Houten on board the Eudora, and invited to take a trip with him to New Orleans, and return.
By the burning of this steamer he lost a considerable sum and was satisfied with steamboating, at least enough to quit it and return to his farm.
He has several children living in the city. A daughter is the wife of Mr. J. J. Graham, one of the business men of the city ; another, younger, the child of his second wife, lives with her sister ; and a son, a young man, who resides with his fa- ther and grandmother, Mr. Van Houten being a widower the second time. His first wife was the sister of our venerable fellow-citizen, James M. Ray, Esq.
SAMUEL V. B. NOEL.
The name that stands at the head of this sketeh has beer as familiar to the writer, for forty-four years, as that of any person now living, and his acquaintance, like wine, has im proved by time.
Vance Noel, as he is generally known to the old citizens of this city, is a native of Bath County, Virginia. At the age of three years his parents removed to Harrodsburgh, Merce County, Kentucky, and from the latter place they came to Indianapolis in the fall of 1825.
In 1828 Vanec engaged with Messrs. Douglass & Maguir
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Early Reminiscences.
to learn the printing business, in the office of the "Indiana Journal." He continued in that office, boy and man, appren- tice and journeyman, foreman, partner, and finally sole pro- prietor, for nearly twenty years.
It was while he was engaged in the "Journal" office he earned and acquired the reputation he is so justly entitled to for in- tegrity, industry and perseverance.
After he retired from the printing business he engaged in merchandising and the produce business, and owing to his too confiding nature and disposition he lost heavily. He shipped a large quantity of grain to a firm that failed, owing him sev- eral thousand dollars. Nothing daunted, he still persevered, and never seemed to lose any of his youthful energy, being always ready to " pick his flint and try again."
Vance was one of the "bloody three hundred " that went forth in 1832 to fight the bloody "Ingeans," and returned with a record as bright as any that were engaged in that mem- orable campaign, and unstained with blood.
He was, also, one of the' seventeen "Wild Oats of Indian- apolis " that journeyed to Tippecanoe Battle Ground in May, 1840, and shouted as loud as the loudest for " Tippecanoe and Tyler too ;" and the few of that seventeen now living will re- member the first night out at Eagle Village, where we met that veteran dancer Ezikel Benjamin, who danced in the rain to the tune of
" We'll dance all night, till broad day light, &c."
Then, in 1844, Vance, with the Clay Glee Club, sang-
" The moon was shining silver bright, The stars with glory crowned the night ; High on a limb that ' same old coon,' Was singing to himself this tune- Get out of the way, you're all unlucky, Polk can't come it with old Kentucky."
In 1841 he was married to Miss Elizabeth L. Browning, who was one of the belle's of Indianapolis, and daughter of
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General Robert Hanna.
Edmund Browning, Esq., one of our most respectable citi- ens.
Mr. and Mrs. Noel have thus far floated down the stream of time together, and their hearth-stone has been ever cheered by the voices of little ones. " A babe in a house is a well- pring of joy," and they have had their full share of joy in his way.
When I say there is no man in Indianapolis more respected by the old citizens than Samuel V. B. Noel, I but say what verybody knows that is acquainted with him.
GENERAL ROBERT HANNA
Vas a native of South Carolina, but, with his father's family ind a number of brothers, came to Brookville, Franklin County, at an early day in the history of the Territory.
He was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1816, hat framed the Constitution with which the Territory was dmitted into the Union in that year.
From Brookville he came to this place as Register of the and Office in 1826; this office he held until the election of General Jackson as President, when he was removed by the ld hero in the spring of 1829.
Old Bob, as he was familiarly called, was quite fond of office, and was not backward in offering his services to the people of Marion County in any capacity, they might be seful; as he used to say, "he cared not for his own ag- grandizement, he only wanted to be useful to the people."
If not always successful and popular it was no fault of his, 'or no man ever tried harder to be so than he did; he was ilways ready to lend a helping hand at a log rolling, house- raising, or go a friend's security, and on public occasions sing patriotie song ; his favorite one I well remember, " The Lib- rty Tree," having heard him sing it at several fourth of July celebrations.
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Early Reminiscences.
Although a southerner by birth, he had an innate prejudice against slavery and slaveholders- peculiar to those who live in the south that are not owners of slaves themselves ; those prejudices he was very careful in speaking of in his day, as the time " had not yet come " when they were popular.
At the time of the alleged murder of Morgan by the Ma- sons, the General felt the public pulse on the subject of an- ti-masonry, but it did not vibrate very strong in the direction he wished.
The General, like most backwoods politicians of that day, wanted a hobby, and determined, if there was a possibility, to have one. Just at that time there sprung up a prejudice in the country against the people of the town ; this hobby-horse he rode until its life was extinct. I have before me a speech he made against the village aristocrats that sat on store-boxes concocting plans to oppress the honest farmer.
One of General Hanna's fatal errors was, he calculated too much upon the eredulity of the people. He was a man of consid- erable electioneering tact, and at last managed, with a small capital of talent, to reach the Senate of the United States.
Senator General James Noble had died ; General Hanna and Governor Ray had some business transactions in regard to that well known tavern, "The Traveler's Ray House Cheap," " Traveler's Ray House Cash," which the General kept awhile. The Governor appointed him to fill the vacancy in the Senate until the Legislature should elect one, which they did in the person of General John Tipton a few days after they met. General Hanna was a United States Senator some two weeks, which was long enough, however, to secure the honor, which is considerable, and the mileage, which at that time was a more substantial item.
The General was considerable of a military man, and took great pride in arraying the corn-stalk and hoop-pole militia in line. I have seen him with the entire militia force of this
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Riley B. Hogshire.
and one or two adjoining counties on parade, when there was not a dozen guns among them, mounted on his little, bald- faced pacing poney, dressed in the continental uniform of a Major General, cocked hat, buff pants and vest, and high top boots ; his whole contour would remind you of the cheap pic- tures we see of General Washington at the head of his army, or crossing the Delaware.
To Robert Hanna belongs the credit of first navigating White River to this point with a steamboat, bearing the name of "The General Hanna." She arrived at her dock at the Indianapolis wharf and steamboat landing in April, 1831, amid the shouts and greetings of the entire population of the village. As she was the first, so she was the last, seen here, with the exception of the "Governor Morton," whose history was a brief one, and is yet fresh in the minds of the people.
I have taken Robert Hanna as a fair specimen of the early politicians and military men of the country. He was a man of good common sense, very democratic in his dress and hab- its, made no pretensions to be more than what he was, an hon- est and upright man, plain and frank in his intercourse with his neighbors.
General Hanna was killed by a train of cars on the Peru railroad in the winter of 1858, while coming from his resi- dence to the city.
He has five sons living, V. C. Hanna, Robert B., William, Thomas and John. The latter has been deputy sheriff of this county for about three years.
His only daughter, Catharine, is the wife of a Mr. Hughes, a worthy and respectable farmer, who lives near McCordsville, in Hancock County.
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