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 21
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281
Philip Sweetser.
About the last hour he arrived, and had been successful. Learning of the great excitement and threats against him, he caused the people to be collected together, when he made a short speech to them that had the desired effect and allayed all bad feelings against himself; he convinced the excited people that he had done only what his oath, as a lawyer, and fidelity to the interest and life of his client required.
They found that, amid their own departure from the rules of propriety and sober life, he was immovable and determined to do his duty regardless of the consequences to himself.
Although Mr. Sweetser delayed the execution, his client was subsequently hung; he had the satisfaction of know- ing that he had done his duty to his client and his God.
As a lawyer and an advocate, it was remarked of Mr. Sweet- ser that he never allowed his dignity to be lowered by vulgar or ungentlemanly remarks to the opposing counsel or of their clients ; neither did he ever use any of the "slang phrases " too common at the present day, but at the bar, as in the par- lor, was governed by the same rules of propriety that stamped him the gentleman.
Although a fluent speaker, his main strength before a court or jury was found in his strong and convincing arguments, which he presented with such force as to readily earry con- viction to the minds of his auditors.
Mr. Sweetser had been a constant attendant of the different courts that were held in this city from the time he first came to the State up to the time of his death, which occurred in the summer of 1843.
He removed his family to Indianapolis in the year 1837. He has two sons who are among our well known citizens ; the eldest, James Noble, who possesses a great many of the father's traits of character, and, as a lawyer, considerable legal ability. Another, George, has been connected for many years with the 12H
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Early Reminiscences.
city post office, and is well known to our old as well as new citizens. The younger portion of the family still live with their mother, who yet makes her home among the many friends of her departed husband.
JOHN M. TALBOTT
Was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in September, 1811, and, with his parents, removed to Charleston, Clark County, Indiana, in the year 1818, where he resided and spent the most of his boyhood days, except two years he worked in the printing office of Shadrick Penn, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mr. Talbott came to Indianapolis with his brother-in-law, the late Major Alexander F. Morrison, in the spring of 1830, and entered the printing office of Messrs. Morrison & Bolton as a journeyman printer. He there continued until that old pioneer printer, George Smith, commenced the publication of the "Farmer," when he and Matthias T. Nowland (a brother of the writer) undertook to do the entire work of publishing that paper, doing the compositor's as well as the pressman's work, the latter on an old "Ramage Press," and at the same time publishing an Almanac for Butler K. Smith.
When the publication of the " Farmer " was suspended, Mr. Talbott quit the printing business and engaged in the employ- ment of the Government, with a corps of engineers, in laying out the National road, which was then being located through the State, and the entire route from Richmond to this place lay through a dense forest. He remained in that employment until 1835, when he commenced the mercantile business, and continued in it till 1847. He was then elected Treasurer of Marion County, which he held for one term, and then again resumed the retail dry goods business, and prosecuted it suc- cessfully for two years, when, in 1853, he commenced the wholesale dry goods business; which was about the first house
283
William H. Talbott.
of the kind in Indianapolis, and the only one at that time. It was then considered a rather hazardous undertaking, but. instead of a failure, as nearly all predicted, he built up a fine business, drawing a considerable trade from different parts of the State that hitherto had patronized Madison and Cincin- nati.
Mr. Talbott was appointed postmaster in this city by Presi- dent Buchanan in 1857, which position, with others, he filled to the entire satisfaction ef the public.
He has done considerable toward the improvement of the city ; he has a splendid private residence at the corner of Ohio and Tennessee streets, and sonie fine business houses on North Illinois street which he has lately improved in a very substan- tial manner.
Mr. Talbott was married in the year 1840 to a niece of the late Philip Sweetser, who is yet alive to enjoy his prosperity and success in the journey of life.
Mr. Talbott is a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and a contributor for the erection of that beautiful temple of worship. He is a liberal and hospitable man, and enjoys the entire respect and confidence of all who know him. He has a large family of relatives, most of them living in the city, to whom he is devotedly attached, and is a kind and generous brother.
WILLIAM H. TALBOTT
Came from Charleston, Clark County, to this place in the year 1833, and is another that lost nothing by becoming a citizen of Indianapolis. He was a mere boy, and lived with his bro- ther-in-law, the late Major Alexander F. Morrison.
Soon after he came here he engaged with Daniel A. Webb to learn the trade or business of a jeweler. When Mr. Webb sold out and left the place Mr. Talbott continued with his successor, Elliott K. Foster, until he finished or perfected the
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Early Reminiscences.
trade. He then, for several years, carried on the business of jeweler, which also embraced that of watch repairing. He was attentive and assiduous to his duties, and did a larger portion in that branch of business than any one in the city, and by that means, and others, was enabled to retire with a competency.
He has on several occasions been a delegate at large from this State in the Democrat conventions, was for some yeaars chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, and considered an efficient officer, a good political tactician and wire-worker for the party.
In 1863 he was elected by the Legislature president of the Sinking Fund, and held the office for several years. He is not now engaged in any particular business farther than the attention to his private property, which is considerable. He has a fine private residence at the southwest corner of Ohio and Meridian streets, one of the most fashionable portions of the city.
Mr. Talbott was for several years one of the leading beaux of the capital, and thought by some to be given over to bach- elorism, but by a fortunate circumstance he met with a daugh- ter of the late Captain Tinker, then of Cincinnati, and sur- rendered to her charms a " prisoner at will."
JAMES C. YOHN.
Shakspeare, or some other speare, once wrote something like this, that there "is a tide in the affairs of men which, if taken with the flood, leads on to fortune." Mr. Yohn must have have fallen into that tide, as he has floated gently on until he has reached the port spoken of by the distinguished writer.
James C. Yohn, with his mother, two sisters and a bachelor uncle (James Gore), came to this place from Baltimore County, Maryland, in November. 1834. The elder sister was soon
285
Henry HI. Nelson.
married to a Mr. Walker, then of Danville, Illinois, after- wards a United States Senator from the State of Wisconsin. The younger sister died in this place several years since, unmarried.
Mr. Yohn, when but a mere boy, engaged as store-boy, then as clerk, with one of the leading merchants of this place, afterwards a partner, and finally engaged in the mercantile business on his own account, and was a successful merchant, and in the meantime he was married to a daughter of Hiram Brown, a distinguished attorney of this place.
During the war he was appointed a Paymaster in the United States service, with the rank of Major. This position was uncongenial to his feelings, and he resigned sometime before his services were not required.
He owns some fine private as well as business property in the city. The elegant block, known by his name, on the corner of Washington and Meridian streets, he built and owns. He is considered a good man, upright and punctual in all his dealings, and remarkably quiet and retiring in his habits. He has been a consistent member of the Methodist Church since his boyhood.
His mother and uncle yet reside with him on North Dela- ware street. Of the five in family when they came to Indian- apolis, thirty-six years ago, three are yet living.
HENRY H. NELSON.
In writing this short sketch of Mr. Nelson, I am at a loss what to say that every person does not know that has lived in this city for the last thirty years.
Mr. Nelson, like his friend Charles C. Campbell, has hon- ored with his presence nearly every political convention that has assembled from time to time in this eity for the last quar- ter of a century, and like him, too, has considerable experi- ence in legislation as a lobby member.
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Early Reminiscences.
I think Mr. Campbell has served his country, as a juror, oftener than has Henry ; yet his willingness to serve his fel- low citizens in that way has never been doubted by his many friends.
He was born in Washington County, East Tennessee, and inherits a considerable share of the Jackson Democracy so peculiar to those who reside in the vicinity of the old hero's late residence.
He came to Indianapolis in the fall of 1833, and has con- tinued to reside he resince that time, having changed one to and added several to the name of Nelson.
Henry is an upright, honest and jovial man, with a smile and pleasant word for all, a frown for none, and is universally respected by all who know him.
- BENJAMIN EMERSON
Was generally called "Uncle Ben" by all who enjoyed the benefit of his acquaintance and friendship. He was from the "Great Crossings," Scott County, Kentucky, a locality noted for horse-racing as well as swapping. Uncle Ben understood both branches of the business to perfection, but before leav- ing Kentucky he had joined the Christian Church and left off racing ; se he came to Indianapolis a regenerated man.
He was a smooth-talking, oily tongued man, calculated to win the confidence of almost any person, more especially the young and unsuspecting, and would generally compass his object upon first trial, but after that it was very difficult to have a second transaction with the same person.
When he met an acquaintance he would extend both hands, and tell them he was just that moment thinking of them, and ask them if there was anything he could do for them. He would often remark to the writer, that it did him so much good to do a kindness for a friend ; " true religion," he would say, " consists in acts of kindness to our neighbors."
287
William Sullivan, Esq.
Uncle Ben's store was adjoining the residence of the wri- ter's mother. One morning I stepped into his store quite early. He met me with his usual bland manner, both hands extended ; "Johnny," said he, "I was thinking of you just this moment. Johnny, do you know (in a low tone of voice) that the horse you got of Boyer, I mean one of the blacks, is taking the glanders ?" I answered in the negative, and was surprised to hear him say so. Said he, "he certainly is, although as yet it is hard to discover."
"Johnny," said he, "you know old Joe Pratt treated you very bad in the horse trade you made with him, I wish you to get even with him, and I'll tell you how we'll do it; I'll give you that bob-tail grey of mine and fifty dollars for your blacks; I can put them on to old Joe, and then the laugh will be on him."
Nothing more was wanting than Uncle Ben's word, and the trade was made; the horses were changed from one stable (which were adjoining) to the other before my friends were aware of it, and the fifty dollars paid over to me.
Uncle Ben kept his word and put them on to Old Joe for one hundred and fifty dollars, which, at that time, was a very high price for the finest of horses.
The horse I got of him was not worth twenty dollars, while those he got of me were as serviceable horses as ever went to harness. Old Joe put them on to Nathan B. Palmer for about one hundred and seventy-five dollars.
I never saw them afterwards but that I felt like praying for " Uncle Ben" for his disinterested kindness to me as a neighbor, and that he might meet the " bob-tail grey " on the other side of Jordan.
. WILLIAM SULLIVAN, ESQ.
Among those of the second decade in the settlement of In- dianapolis, and who have been rather prominent before the
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Early Reminiscences.
people for the past thirty-five years, is William Sullivan, Esq., a native of Maryland, who first came among us in 1834, in the character of a schoolmaster, and pursued the business of teaching for several years.
Mr. Sullivan, having married a young lady of this city and made it his permanent home, accepted the office of county surveyor, and subsequently that of city civil engineer in 1836, then first created ; it was under his directions our first street improvements were made.
While acting as engineer he constructed a large map for the use of the city, and published a smaller map for the general use of the citizens, a valuable but a very scarce map at the present day.
Mr. S. took an active part in school matters before the in- troduction of the present system of graded schools, and was instrumental in organizing the Franklin Institute, or High School, then located near the northwest corner of Market and Circle streets, an institution of great utility at that time, and successfully conducted by the Rev. Mr. Chester, now deceased, and afterwards by General Marston, late a member of Congress from the State of New Hampshire, and lastly, I believe, by the Hon. W. D. Griswold, now of Terre Haute, Indiana.
Mr. Sullivan has served as councilman of his ward and as President of the City Council, discharging magisterial duties similar to those of Police Judge now exercised by the Mayor of Indianapolis.
From November, 1841, to November, 1867, twenty-six years, he held the office of justice of the peace for Center township in this city, a longer time than any office has been held by any other person since the settlement of the place, doing a large amount of business, and frequently discharging the duties of City Judge, in the absence or inability of the Mayor.
Meanwhile he has given of his means and devoted his spare time to public improvements, particularly railroads centering
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William Sullivan, Esq.
at Indianapolis, surveying for several years, as a Director of the Central Railway, from Indianapolis to Richmond during the construction of that road, and subsequently as Trustee of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad.
Mr. Sullivan is of a quiet and retiring disposition, but has a mind and will of his own, and acts promptly and vigorously as occasions may require. He is a man of genial manners and great kindness of heart, quick to notice an intended injury, and as quick to forgive and forget it when due reparation is made.
He has by close application and attention to business, econ- omy and temperate habits, accumulated a competency suffi- cient to enable him to live at ease and without business the balance of his life, and leave a handsome property for cach of his three children, but I cannot see that he has relaxed his energy or industry of a quarter of a century ago.
Esquire Sullivan is a man of fine conversational powers and at home in any genteel society, and never fails to entertain those he meets with by his great fund of anecdotes and his cheerful spirits.
In politics he was an original Democrat, acted with and gave that party a hearty support until the passage of the " Kansas-Nebraska Acts;" since that time he has voted with the Republicans, but with no very high opinion of the radical wing of that party. He is now chiefly engaged in attending to his own private business.
Mr. Sullivan's oldest daughter is the wife of Mr. May, for- merly of Cecil County, Maryland, now sojourning in Helena, Montano Territory, and has been recently appointed Receiver of Public Moneys in that land district.
His second daughter is the wife of that dashing and daring cavalry officer, during the war, Col. Bob Stewart, of Terre Haute. His remaining child, a son quite young, is yet living at home with his parents. Such is Esquire Sullivan, one of our respected citizens of thirty-six years' standing.
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Early Reminiscences.
ABRAM McCORD
Was among the first carpenters that settled in Indianapolis. He came in the year 1822, and built a shop and residence on the point lot between Virginia avenue and Pennsylvania street, fronting Washington street.
He has been dead several years, leaving four children, all of whom are now dead except Benjamin R., his second son.
His eldest daughter, Adeline, was the wife of Thomas Don- nellen, a well known cabinet-maker in his day. His second daughter, Emeline, was never married.
Joseph, the eldest son, has now been dead about twelve years.
Benjamin R. McCord is largely engaged in the lumber, planing, sash, blind and door business in connection with Mr. Wheatley, under the firm of McCord & Wheatley, and they are now doing as large, if not a larger, business in their line than any similar establishment in the city.
Since the above was written that large establishment refer- red to burned entirely down on the 28th of May, 1870, and was rebuilt and in running order in two weeks. Such is the enterprise of B. R. McCord and his partner, Wm. M. Wheat- ley.
DR. JOHN H. SANDERS
Was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in the year 1791, and there studied his profession and practiced some time in Millersburg ; he then removed to New Castle, Henry County, and there remained until his removal to Indianapolis, in the winter of 1829-30.
In the spring of 1830, at the sale of the donation lands, he, in connection with Nicholas McCarty, purchased that portion of the city now lying between Virginia avenue, South street and Fletcher avenue.
He built the house on Virginia avenue, and there resided
291
Dr. John H. Sanders.
several years, known as the Fletcher homestead ; his portion of this property he sold to Mr. Fletcher for fifty dollars per acre, three and one-half acres, which was recently sold by one of Mr. Fletcher's heirs to the Asbury Methodist Congregation, for thirty thousand dollars.
Dr. Sanders then purchased the three lots on the northwest corner of Market and Illinois streets, and built the house which he afterwards sold to the State for a residence for the Governor, for ten thousand dollars.
In 1839 he, with his family, removed to the Ozark Moun- tains, Missouri, but returned to this place in the early part of 1841.
He then built a residence on South Meridian street, where he resided at the time of his death, and where his family re- mained for several years afterwards.
In the spring of 1850 he visited a daughter, Mrs. McCrea, then living in New Orleans, and while returning home was attacked with cholera and died on board a steamer on the Mis- sissippi River on the 4th of April.
Dr. Sanders was a kind-hearted and hospitable man, and ardently devoted to his family and friends. He was a mem- ber of the Christian Church, and an exemplary man in all the relations of life ; as a physician he stood high in this com- munity.
Since his death his widow and second daughter have died. The most of his family yet reside in the city.
The eldest daughter was the wife of ex-Governor David Wallace; another the wife of Robert B. Duncan, one of the oldest citizens of the place, but by no means the oldest man ; another the wife of David S. Beaty ; the youngest, the wife of Mr. Gatling, resides in Philadelphia.
Dr. Sanders is another of the old and prominent citizens of this city that died before they had witnessed the great pros- perity it now enjoys.
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Early Reminiscences.
LAWRENCE MARTIN VANCE
Was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 1816. When in his eighteenth year he came to Indianapolis and engaged as a clerk in the dry goods store of Joseph M. Moore & Co., known as the store of the Steam Mill Company, of which Messrs. James M. Ray, James Blake and Nicholas McCarty were the principal owners.
He was married in 1838 to Miss Mary Jane, eldest daugh- ter of Harvey Bates, Esq. He then, with his father-in-law as a partner, engaged in merchandising, and afterwards with other partners, and was a successful merchant.
He was conductor on the Madison and Indianapolis Rail- road, and as such brought the first train that ever ran into Indianapolis, in October, 1847.
When the Indianapolis and Cincinnati Railroad was being built he took the contract for and finished several miles of it.
Mr. Vance was one of the seventeen that left the Old School Presbyterian Church and joined the Second Presbyterian Church when it was first founded by Henry Ward Beecher.
He was well known for his generous and obliging disposi- tion, his strict observance of every rule of morality and reli- gion, and his kindness to those that either business or circum- stances brought him in contact with.
During the war he was a devoted Union man, using his in- fluence and means, without stint, for its successful prosecu- tion.
One of his sons, after serving in a subordinate capacity for two or three years, was selected as Colonel of one of the city regiments in the hundred days' service, which position he filled to the honor of himself and benefit of the service.
Lawrence M. Vance was one of the enterprising and busi- ness men of Indianapolis, and as such enjoyed the confidence of its citizens. He died suddenly in April, 1863, leaving a wife and several children in good circumstances, if not wealthy.
293
Governor David Wallace.
Mrs. Vance owns that splendid business property on the corner of Virginia avenue and Washington street, fronting both on Washington street and the avenue ; also the beautiful homestead on East Washington street, and although deprived by death of her partner in life's journey, seems to make the best of it, and enjoy, as best she can, the balance of her pil- grimage on earth.
GOVERNOR DAVID WALLACE
Was a native of Pennsylvania, having been born in Mifflin County on the 24th of April, 1799. When quite young, with his father's family, emigrated to Ohio, and from that State, through the friendship and intercession of General William H. Harrison, received the appointment of cadet, and was edu- cated at West Point.
He afterwards became a citizen of Indiana, and for several years practiced law at Brookville, and represented Franklin County in the State Legislature.
In the year 1834 he was the candidate for, and was elected, Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with Governor Noah Noble.
In 1837 he was the Internal Improvement candidate for Governor against the Hon. John Dumont, the anti-improve- ment candidate, and was successful.
It was during this canvass that he said that an extra hen and chickens would be sufficient to pay all the extra taxation that would be levied against the farmers for internal improve- ment purposes. After the scheme proved a failure, he was often twitted by his friends for this expression of false pro- phecy.
In 1841 he was elected to Congress at the special election ordered by the Governor for members of Congress for the extra session called together by President Harrison.
Governor Wallace's first wife was the daughter of the Hon. John Test, an eminent and early Indiana lawyer, and sister
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Early Reminiscences.
of Judge Charles H. Test, now of Lafayette. By her he has three children yet living. The eldest, William Wallace, is one of our most respected citizens, and a fair lawyer. The second son, General Lew Wallace, now of Crawfordsville, whose history is well known, not only in Indiana but through- out the nation. The third son, Edward, I think, also lives in Crawfordsville.
His second wife is the daughter of Dr. John H. Sanders, late of this city, and one of its prominet physicians. By her he also has three children, a daughter, the wife of Wm. W. Leathers, a lawyer of this city, another daughter yet single, and a son about eighteen years of age.
Governor Wallace was a fine lawyer and one of the most eloquent public speakers of his day, a warm and generous- hearted man, a stranger to anything like duplicity or deceit, and enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him.
He died in September, 1859, in the sixty-first year of his age.
SAMUEL H. PATTERSON.
Mr. Patterson was born in Sumner County, Tennessee, on the 9th of March, 1806. When quite young he came to In- diana a manufacturer of the cases and vender of those old- fashioned clocks, commonly called "wall sweepers," from the fact that they reached from the floor to the ceiling of an or- dinary room.
He first located near Paoli, Orange County, thence to the vicinity of Indianapolis in 1829, and made his headquarters at the house of the widow Smock, two miles south of town on the Madison State road ; from the latter place his peddler's were traveling in all directions selling his clocks at from thirty to fifty dollars, taking notes for the same at twelve months' time. He finally purchased the clocks of Seth Thomas' man- ufacture and sold throughout the country for a year or so, or
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