USA > Indiana > Encyclopedia of biography of Indiana > Part 24
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the work with one term as president, re- tiring finally from all official connection in February, 1898. Mr. Fortune had charge of the National Paving Exposi- tion held in Indianapolis in 1890. It was the first exposition of the kind ever held. The original purpose of it was to interest the people of Indianapolis in good street pavements, and to bring to them the op- portunity of fully informing themselves as to materials and methods. The en- terprise, however, attracted such wide attention throughout the country that it quickly grew into national importance and official delegates were sent to it by municipalities from all parts of the Unit- ed States. In 1891 Mr. Fortune proposed that a systematic and organized effort should be made to bring to Indianapolis large conventions or meetings, arguing that in this way the fame of the city could best be spread, and, besides affording the most desirable advertising, it had the ad- vantage of bringing to the city a large revenue. This work was established on a basis which will enable it to be contin- ued perpetually through funds raised by his personal efforts. He was elected Ex- ccutive Director of the G. 1. R. National Encampment held in Indianapolis in 1893. This encampment was conducted on new plans devised by him after a careful study of the methods followed in previous years. Greater responsibility devolved upon him than was ever put upon one man in the management of these great veteran en- campments, and his work involved every detail of expense. As the encampment
was held at Indianapolis in the year of the panic there was difficulty in raising the large sum of money required for its expenses and it was feared that there would be a deficit. The total amount raised was about $120,000, of which $75,- 000 was appropriated by the common council of Indianapolis. The expenses the year before at Washington had amounted to $157,000. The encampment in Indian- apolis was conducted on fully as large a scale as in Washington and the ac- commodations for veterans were the best ever provided, but at the close it was found that the total expense was only about $63,000. Over $42,000 of the city appropriation was returned and about $12,000 of funds raised by the Commer- cial Club were left on hand. The work covered over a year's time, and had been undertaken at the sacrifice of consider- able income, on the promise of remun- eration. It was decided by the chairman that the payment for the services of the executive director should be $5,000. . 1 heated and prolonged contest arose out of this matter and was given wide pub- licity in the newspapers. The city was influenced to institute suit for the recov- ery of the amount paid for his services, though no question was raised as to the payment of others for services. The suit failed. the Supreme Court holding that there was no foundation for it. In 1892 a movement for good roads was started through the efforts of Mr. Fortune, re- sulting in the assembling of a Good Roads Congress, to which delegates were
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sent by nearly every county in the State. At this meeting the Indiana Highway Association was formed. Mr. Fortune was elected president but declined, and the congress adopted a testimonial, thanking him for his work in behalf of good roads. He was also prominently identified with the Good Roads Congress at the World's Fair in 1893. Mr. For- tune was the first presideut of the In- dianapolis Press Club, organized in 1891. He was one of the organizers of the Cen- tury Club, and was its president in 1892. He is a member of a number of clubs, in- cluding, besides those mentioned, the Country Club, the Columbia Club, the University Club and the Woodruff Club, of Indianapolis, and the Reform Club, of New York. Mr. Fortune was one of the committee of three, the other members of which were H. H. Hanna and Col. Eli Lilly, which had charge of the relief of the unemployed in Indianapolis during the winter of 1894. This committee de- vised and successfully carried out what became widely known as "the Indian- apolis plan" of relief, whereby food, fuel and clothing were provided for unem- ployed people in need, under conditions which eliminated as far as practicable the pauperizing influences of charity. The plan embraced the establishment of a food market, where, after investigation, worthy people were given credit for sup- plies, issued in regular rations, in pay- ment for which they performed labor un- der the direction of the committee. They provided for over 5,000 people during
most of the winter, and, so successful was it in the avoidance of pauperizing influ- ences, that for some time after the close of the relief work in the spring of 1894, there were fewer people than usual de- pendent upon the Charity Organization Society. A history of this work is given in a pamphlet entitled "Relief for the Un- . employed," and it was the subject of sev- eral magazine articles. In 1894 Mr. For- tune proposed and brought about the or- ganization of the Indiana State Board of Commerce, composed of the commercial organizations representing the different cities of Indiana, which are thus brought together for united action in advancing the public and commercial interests of the State. He was elected president of this organization in 1897 and again in 1898. He has been specially active in the movement inaugurated by the State Board of Commerce to reform county and township government in Indiana. His management of the National Paving Ex- position in 1890 suggested to him the need of a publication devoted specially to municipal improvements, and, with William C. Bobbs as business manager. he soon afterward issued "Paving and Municipal Engineering" as a sixteen page journal. This has since grown into the "Municipal Engineering Magazine," a large and prosperous publication recog- nized as an authority and the foremost representative of the interests connected with the practical affairs of American municipalities. He is the editor of the magazine and president of the company
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owning it. Mr. Fortune was one of the original members of the Commercial Club Elevated Railroad Commission, ap- pointed in 1894, and, in conjunction with Colonel Lilly, was active for years in pro- moting the project for establishing in In- dianapolis a system of elevating railroad tracks, running east and west through the city, as a means of relief to the public from the dangers and inconveniences of grade crossings. Mr. Fortune was ap- pointed chairman of the commission in June, 1898, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Colonel Lilly, who had pre- viously been at the head of the work from the time of its beginning. Mr. Fortune was married, November 25, 1884, to Miss May Knubbe, daughter of Frederick and Jerusha A. Knubbe. They have three chil- dren-Russell, Evelyn and Madeline.
HENRY C. DUNCAN.
Hon. Henry Clay Duncan, of Blooming- ton, was born in Lawrence county, Indi- ana, January 16, 1845. His parents were Kentuckians, born in Jefferson county of that State, his father, William, being a descendant of Scottish Duncans, while his mother, Mary Malott, was of French and Dutch extraction. In December, 1826, they removed to Indiana, locating upon a farm near Bedford in Lawrence county. Both were members of the Christian church, and in politics William Duncan was first Whig and then Republican. He died in 1875, his wife surviving him by
twelve years. The boyhood of Henry Clay Duncan, like that of many another who in maturity has found his sphere of action among the broader affairs of men, was passed upon his father's farm, in the fields of which he toiled in summer, attending school during the winter terms. The Duncan farm was a fine one, and its man- agement prosperous; and at the age of nineteen our subject was able to enter the State University at Bloomington. This was in 1864, when our Civil War was wag- ing hotly, and at the end of his first term he found himself so imbued with the spirit of patriotism that he left the uni- versity and enlisted in the army, doing service as a private soldier until his dis- charge from military duty, when he re- turned to Bloomington and resumed his college work. He graduated in 1868, read law for a year with Moses F. Dunn, at Bedford, then entered the Law Depart- ment of Indiana University, where he re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1870. For the next five years he was en- gaged in the practice of law at Bedford, then, in 1875, located at Bloomington, which has since been his place of resi- dence and the center of his professional labors. The abilities displayed in his legal work quickly marked him as a man meriting public trust; and his faithful- ness in discharging the duties of the many offices he was called to fill, reacting upon his practice, expanded it to immense pro- portions, until it had become a rare oc- currence that any case of magnitude in the county was adjusted without his as-
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sistance. For twenty years Judge Dun- ran has been one of the directors of the First National Bank of Bloomington; and he has been city attorney. prosecuting at- torney and Judge of the Circuit Court. In 1888 he was nominated by the Repub- licans for Congress, but met defeat with the rest of his party. In 1894. however, he was elected State Senator, and served during the sessions of 1895 and 1897 as chairman of committee on education, as also on other committees of importance. including those on cities, towns, claims, insurance, corporations, and building and loan associations. He was a member of the commission appointed in 1895 for the investigation of prison labor, the Indiana Reformatory being founded at Jefferson- ville in consequence of the efforts of this commission; and Judge Duncan has been a member of the managing board of the institution since its organization. Re- taining his interest in agriculture since his early days, the Judge has for many years given some attention to farming. as a side issue and largely by way of re- laxation from his more arduous profes- sional work. Like his parents, Judge Duncan is a member of the Christian church; and he belongs to the F. A. M. and the G. A. R. In 1872 he was mar- ried to Miss Sarah Cummins, whos" father, Dr. A. F. Cummins, now deceased. was one of the leading physicians of Bloomington. Five children have been born to them, of whom the four now liv- ing are: Frank, Antoinette, Newland and Sallie. Judge Duncan's successful and
prominent career has brought him into personal relations with many men of con- sequential position, whose esteem his high abilities and principles have won. As one of these may be mentioned Hon. William H. Martin, who, at the beginning of his professional life met young Don- can as opposing counsel in a case in which each made his maiden plea. In a few sim- ple words Judge Martin thus effectively sums up the character of his old-time an- tagonist: "I have known Senator Dun- can as a lawyer, a judge, a senator, in politics and in private life, and have known him well. In every walk of life he has been a thorough man, a close and successful lawyer, a painstaking, careful man on the bench, a straight guardian of the interests of his constituents as a sen- ator, true to his party as a politician, and in private life a good man."
WILLIAM H. CALDWELL.
Dr. William Hampton Caldwell was born in Rappahannock county, Virginia. in 1858. Among his ancestry are some very distinguished persons. His grand- father, Dr. Joseph F. Caldwell, was an editor and writer of prominence as early as the year 1800, when he established the Palladium of Virginia at Fincastle, Vir- ginia. His grandmother was Miss Ann Tyler, first cousin of President John Ty- ler and a lady of rare charm and cultiva- tion. His ancestors represented some of the most prominent families in the palmy
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days of the Old Dominion, among them such noted names as the Reids, Ficklens, Slaughters, Botts and Dangerfields. John Caldwell Calhoun, the famous South Car- olina statesman, is a branch of the fam- ily, his mother having been a Miss Cald- well. The great phrenologist and writer, Dr. Charles Caldwell, a professor and in- corporator of the old Transylvania Col- lege of Lexington, Kentucky, was another member of this distinguished family. Dr. William H. Caldwell undoubtedly owes his medical talent to heredity and endow- ment, as his grandfather, father, uncle and brother were all noted physicians in their native State of Virginia. He re- ceived his medical education in Balti- more, Maryland, where he attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons; also the Baltimore Medical College, taking his degree from the latter school in the spring of 1883. During the summer of 1885, Dr. Caldwell was located as resident phy- sician, at the Old Sweet Springs, Vir- ginia, and had for his patients many of the most prominent people of the South. In 1886, he decided to make his home in Lexington, Kentucky, where he entered at once upon a most lucrative and successful general practice, which eventually so in- creased as to justify him in discarding the hardships of the general practitioner, adopting a specialty and limiting his work to office practice. Dr. Caldwell studied as a specialty, the diseases of the skin, blood and nervous system, and in treating them, has devised an entirely new and original mode of treatment. He
has been for many years a member of the American Medical Association, the South- ern Surgical and Gynecological Associa- tion, the Kentucky State Medical So- ciety and the Lexington and Fayette County Medical Society. .An examina- tion of the reports of these varions medi- cal organizations show many able articles written and discussed by Dr. Caldwell during their meetings. Many of the won- derfnl discoveries made in the new field of electro and hydrotherapy treatment are directly traceable to Dr. Caldwell; especially is this the case in the use of the electric light for penetrating the hu- man body-as Dr. Caldwell had used the electric light for this purpose three years before the now famons Roentgen discov- ered the X ray. Many of the ingenious electrical devices used and invented by Dr. Caldwell in his institute at Indian- apolis, are not to be found elsewhere. His successful treatment in accomplishing seemingly hopeless cures of the diseases of the skin, blood and nervous system, is naturally accounted for on scientific prin- ciples, and has been the result of years of study and experiment on the part of Dr. Caldwell. He is a great humanitarian, and alleviates the sufferings of many of his fellow beings who are unable to make him any compensation save that of grati- tude. Dr. Caldwell came to Indianapolis in November, 1895, and almost imme- diately entered upon a large practice in his special line, electro and hydrotherapy treatment. He has a host of influential people of the city who are glad to testify
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to his marked gentlemanly characteristics and peculiar skill in treating the diseases in which he is a specialist. Dr. Caldwell ix a Mason and an Odd Fellow of high standing. His wife was Miss Weed of Connecticut-sister of Mrs. William Sprague, wife of the ex-Governor of Rhode Island. The talent and charm of Mrs. Caldwell have been beautifully transmitted to their only child-Orestez -a handsome little lad of nine years who evidently inherits the family trend, as- at the age of three years-he was able to locate and name anatomically the vari- ous bones of the human body. Dr. Cald- well has a commodious and well equipped building of eighteen rooms for his electro and hydropathie institute, situated in the most beautiful part of the city near Uni- versity Park on North Pennsylvania street, where he receives not only his pa- tients, but many friendly visitors as well.
MEDFORD B. WILSON.
Medford Bement Wilson was born in Palestine, Crawford county, Illinois, De- rember 8, 1845, the son of Isaac Newton and Hannah H. (Decker) Wilson. Isaac N. Wilson was a Virginian by birth, a native of Moorefield, Hardy county. His father, James Wilson, also a native of the "Old Dominion," removed to Illinois in the early part of the present century and was among the first settlers in the State. He located at Palestine, when the whole country was an unbroken wilder-
ness, and all that gave Chicago a place on the map was as the location of Fort Dearborn. Isaac N. Wilson was reared in the frontier settlement and soon after reaching his majority he married Hannah Decker, who was also a native of Virgin- ia, born in Romney, Hampshire county. Her parents removed first to Vincennes, Indiana, and afterward settled perma- nently at Palestine, Illinois. For many years Isaac N. Wilson conducted an ex- change bank in Palestine, doing a large business with the early settlers, as that was then the location of the only land office in the State. His elder brother, Wil-
liam Wilson, was the receiver of this land office, and his brother-in-law, Gen. Guy Smith, was the register. The Wilsons of Virginia are probably descended from Scotch-Irish stock, the original emigrant being a Presbyterian clergyman who set- tled there during the colonial period. Medford B. was carefully reared, his parents appreciating the advantages of a liberal education for their children. He attended the Palestine Academy, a very good preparatory school, conducted by two Presbyterian clergymen, Messrs. Alexander and Bovell. From there he en- tered the old Vincennes University, where he pursued his studies for two years. Having a special taste for the study of the modern languages, he determined to go abroad to avail himself of the better facilities there afforded. In 1866 he went to Germany and entered the University of Marburg, located at Marburg, Hesse Cassel. Here he took Latin, German and
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French, and such other studies as he felt would best develop his mind and equip him for the banking business, which he had already determined to make his life work. He pursned his studies faithfully for four years, returning home in Sep- tember, 1870. The following month he put his plans in operation by the organiza- tion of the Sullivan County Bank at Sul- livan, Indiana. This was a private bank conducted by Mr. Wilson until the spring of 1872, when he organized as its succes- sor the First National Bank of Sullivan. Mr. Wilson, though nominally the cashier of this institution, was in fact the mana- ger and shaped its business policy, under different changes in name, for a period of nineteen years. In October, 1889, he came to Indianapolis and organized the Capital National Bank, which has a capital stock of $300,000, and is doing a profitable busi- ness. Associated with Mr. Wilson as cashier of the bank is Mr. W. F. Church- man, a son of the late Francis M. Church- man, in his time one of the best known and ablest bankers of Indianapolis. Though Mr. Wilson has given his support to several business enterprises, in a minor way, he has given his best efforts and undivided energies to his life work, the banking business. His success in this calling is attested to by his business as- sociates who know him best. A leading lawyer of Indianapolis says of him: "Mr. Wilson is in every sense of the word a strong and resourceful man. He is admirably fitted by nature for his chosen calling. To his natural ability, he
has added the best opportunities of the schools of the world; and has besides, drawn largely upon the experience of older men. He has an active and incisive mind, which reaches correct conclusions by direct methods. Added to all this, he is a charming and approachable fellow personally, whom the people know to be honest, and with whom it is a pleasure to do business." June 11, 1872, he married Miss Nettie Ames of Cleveland, Ohio. To them have been born five daughters: Daisy, Sarah, Ruth, Edith and Clara.
CHARLES H. BRACKETT.
The subject of this sketch was born October 30, 1855, in Hannibal, New York. He is the son of William H. Brackett, a native of Massachusetts, and who lived the allotted time mentioned in Holy Writ, three score years and ten. Mr. Brackett is descended from Scotch-Irish stock on his father's side, and his maternal an- restors were from England. His mother's maiden name was Sarah Ann Teller, a native of the State of New York. Seven children were born from this union, five of whom are living, our subject being the youngest child in the family. His pater- nal grandfather participated in the War of 1812, and his father, William W., was a successful merchant during the greater part of his life. He died in Hannibal, New York, October, 1876. Charles H. Brackett attended the common schools of his native place until he was sixteen
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years of age, and early developed many of the traits of character inherited from his father. He soon manifested a desire and adaptability for a business career and ad- hered to the old adage, "where there is a will there is a way." He entered the con- test vigorously, actively and independent- ly, and his efforts were early crowned with success. He began literally at the bottom of the ladder, by securing em- ployment on a railroad and working on a farm. After a short sojourn in Kansas, he engaged, in 1880, with the Empire Drill Company, of Shortsville, New York, and was in the employ of this well known manufacturing company continuously for sixteen years. His signal ability as a salesman and his enterprise and untiring energy advanced him from a subordinate position in that concern to that of general manager and superintendent over a ter- ritory embracing ten States. He first operated for the company in the State of Michigan and was afterwards transferred to Kentucky, with headquarters at Louis- ville. In March, 1896. he resigned this position and accepted a more remunera- tive offer in a new line of business, but which required the same business fore- sight and executive ability, namely, the position of manager of the Columbian Re- lief Association, located at Indianapolis. At the time he became connected with the association it had a membership of only 160. It has grown under his efficient management to a membership of over 10,- 000, its business extending over the States of Indiana, Pennsylvania and Kentucky,
and shortly will be represented through- out the entire United States. Mr. Brack- ett has never entered the political arena, nor has he ever been a candidate for any public office. He has never been led away by outside interests, but has given his en- tire time and attention to the manage- ment of the affairs of the corporation which he represents, and, though com- paratively a young man, he possesses not only the confidence of the company but has a large number of friends throughout many States. He is liberal and progres- sive in all his dealings and takes a just pride in whatever is for the material bene- fit of the city and State. He is a mem- ber of the Marion Club of Indianapolis, and has cast his allegiance with the Re- publican party. He was married Febru- ary 16, 1894, to Miss Millie C. Belser, a daughter of George Belser of New Al- bany, Indiana.
LEON O. BAILEY.
Leon Orlando Bailey has been called one of the "picturesque characters of In- diana," and in looking over the incidents of his life and considering that he is still a young man, his is a personality not only picturesque but almost phenomenal. His pedigree combines the Irish and the Welsh, a strain noted for sturdiness of purpose combined with acumen and sa- garity. His father, John W. Bailey, was a prosperous farmer and manufacturer of the State of Pennsylvania. He was a man
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of fine business faculties, largely identi- fied with the railroad and manufactur- ing interests of his native State. He was a staunch Democrat in politics, and a man of great benevolence, having devoted large sums to many charitable purposes. Hle died in Wellsboro in 1892. His wife, Margaret Lewis, came from Wales when about fifteen years old. Their son Leon, one of a family of seven boys and five girls, was born on a farm near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1857. His procliv- ity for books and study manifested itself when little more than an infant and such was his progress that at the early age of eighteen, he was a teacher of languages and mathematics in the high school of his native city. By his own efforts he se- cured the benefits of a collegiate course at Cornell, following this by a course in law with a well-known firm in Syracuse, New York. Circumstances impelled him toward the "Hoosier" State in October, 1879, and he entered the office of Baker, Ilord and Hendricks to resume his legal studies. The title of LL. B. was conferred upon him in 1880 by the Central Law School of Indiana and he formed a part- nership with William A. Van Buren. In 1882 he became a partner of Major Jona- than W. Gordon, with whom he remained until the death of the latter. In 1887 he entered into business with Hon. John W. Kern, with whom he continued until Mr. Kern was appointed city attorney in 1897. Mr. Bailey rose rapidly into a suc- cessful and important practice. His prae- tice has been in the higher courts and his
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