USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > Evansville and its men of mark > Part 11
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
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faithfulness with which they labored for their patrons gradually brought them an extensive as well as lucrative business. Their little shop-20x30-has expanded into the Washington Foun- dry, and which employs about thirty operatives and where the annual sales are at present over sixty-five thousand dollars. Their architectural castings have illustrated fully the mechan- ical ingenuity and ability of Evansville citizens, and have been the means of attracting to our city a large and rapidly increas- ing trade. Many rare and unique machines are used in the manufacture of the products of this firm. Steam-power is ex- clusively used ; and all the improvements of the present util- izing age have been added from time to time to the equipments of the Washington Foundry. From poverty to comparative affluence their career has been gradual but sure. With a pur- pose to become manufacturers, they labored on from year to year, till at last the full fruition of their long and cherished desires were realized; and to-day they occupy an honorable position in the mercantile circles of the city.
Hon. Samuel Hall.
AMUEL HALL, son of John and Elizabeth Hall, was born on the 1st of June. 1797, in Somerset County, in the State of Maryland. In the year 1805, his father moved with his family to the West, and located in Jefferson County, Kentucky, where he died in the year 1822. His mother was a Ward, sister of the late David L. Ward, one of the most enter- prising men of the age, who amassed an immense fortune by his individual efforts.
At the time the subject of this memoir was a boy, there were but few schools in the State of Kentucky. The test of qualifications in a teacher, in those days, was his handwriting : if that was good, no further inquiries were made; if bad, no qualifications, however exalted, could secure him a place as
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teacher. All the schooling the subject of this memoir received was in a log cabin on " Flat Rock," in Jefferson County, Ken- tucky. He had, however, pious parents, who instilled into him the principles of virtue, and a strict regard for truth.
In the year 1814, while yet a boy, he, with the consent of his parents, left his home in Kentucky, and settled in Gibson County, Indiana. Through the recommendation of friends, he obtained a situation as clerk in a country store. His employer soon after dying, he was again out of business. Being entirely out of funds, he contracted with the famed General Robert M. Evans, then Clerk of the Circuit Court for Gibson County, to write in his office. By the terms of his contract, young Hall was to get his board and fifty dollars per annum-a little over four dollars per month. While thus engaged he employed all his leisure hours in the study of the law. By the most unre- mitting perseverance, he prepared himself for the practice in seventeen months. Not seventeen months devoted to study ; but the spare hours in that time from his daily employment. His practice was, to rise early in the morning, and study till breakfast ; write in the office till 4 o'clock P. M., and then re- sume and continue his study till 12, and sometimes 1 o'clock at night. Often has he trimmed the midnight lamp while poring over Blackstone, Coke upon Ltttleton, Plowden and Bacon. He had no instructor, no guide, other than the books he borrowed. Though the path before him looked dark and gloomy-without funds, without education, and without patronage-yet he never wavered in his purpose. His course was onward. He had de- termined, if he lived, on success; and success crowned his efforts. In 1820, he obtained a license and commenced the practice of his profession ; and such was his attention to busi- ness, that he soon obtained a large and lucrative practice. Though he was not an eloquent speaker, yet his earnest manner always commanded respect and engaged the attention from both court and juries. He made it a point to study and investigate in extenso every litigated case in which he was employed. He never trusted to chance what he could reach by vigilance and study. He was always ready, when his cases were called, to take them up and dispose of them. In the course of time, he acquired the enviable reputation of being an honest and success-
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ful lawyer. Early in his profession he adopted a rule from which he never departed - and that was to make an effort to bring about a compromise, without suit. Many persons now residing in Southwestern Indiana, are living witnesses to his success in restoring a friendly relation between disputants who, if they had not been checked in time, would have embarked in lawsuits that might have taken years to settle, and probably at the ruin of the parties.
In 1823 he was admitted as an attorney and counselor. of law in the Supreme Court of Indiana, and in the District Court of the United States. He continued the practice of his profes- sion without interruption, until the year 1829, when he yielded to the solicitations of his friends, and became a candidate for the Legislature. He was elected over his opponent by a large majority. He was re-elected in the year following to the same office, and was appointed Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In that capacity he introduced many reforms in the practice of the law.
In 1832 he was elected by the General Assembly Presi- dent Judge of the Fourth Judicial Circuit of the State of Indi- ana. He held this office for about two years, when, to the regret of the bar and community, he resigned it.
It is a part of the history of the times, that in the year 1836, the western country ran wild over the subject of internal improvements. The State of Indiana embarked in schemes which would have cost, when finished, thirty millions of dollars. A Board of Public Works, consisting of nine members, was created by the General Assembly. This Board had extraordi- nary powers. The subject of this memoir was chosen as a mem- ber. He entered upon the discharge of the duties assigned him in the Spring of 1837. From the very onset he attempted to check extravagant appropriations of money. He made efforts to confine the expenditures within the means under the imme- diate control of the Board, He warned the friends of the sys- tem of the ruinous consequences of entering into engagements beyond their present means to meet; that such a course would in the end, break down the system, and bankrupt the State. But his warning voice was disregarded. A mania for a grand system seemed to have blinded the great mass of the commu-
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nity. Finding. his views opposed, at the end of seven months he resigned the office as a member of the Board. At a subse- quent period, after the system had exploded, the Legislature appointed a committee to investigate the subject and the con- duct of the members of the Board, to whose management the system had been confided. The committee was composed of three Whigs and two Democrats. They spent months in the investigation of the matter. They at last made a report to the General Assembly. Some members of the Board they censured. Against others they recommended suit to be brought in the name of the State. As respects the subject of this memoir, the following is extracted from the journals of the Senate :
" MR. SAMUEL HALL .- This gentleman served as a mem- ber of the Board of Internal Improvement, and acting commissioner on the Central Canal for eight or nine months. During this time he was engaged in active service, attending to all the arduous duties imposed on the members of the Board of Internal Improvement, at that period. The act of 1836 allowed to members of the Board a compensation of $2 per day and reasonable expenses. By a somewhat liberal construction of the act, and, in the opinion of the committee, an unjustifiable one, the Board construed this act to allow them $2 per day for the entire year, as appears from the testimony of Mr. Yandes, Gen. Long, and others; the entire pay would amount, at this rate, to $730.
" Not being able to keep small accounts of expenditures with convenience, by an equally liberal construction of the act, the Board fixed the rate of their daily expenditure at $1 50 per day for the entire year, making total allowance for expenses the sum of $2,277 50. It is but just to remark that one mem- ber of the Board justifies his allowance by the usage established by members of the Legislature under a similar act, in taking their per diem for holidays and Sundays during the session. So far as the holidays are concerned, your committee think that the case is fully in point, and that those members who vote for adjournment at Christmas and New Year's day, should by no means charge the per diem for that time. We are admonished by this instance, by which one abuse is justified by another, to set better examples in the future. Mr. Hall, in this matter, stands on high ground ; he performed duties equal, or nearly so, to those of any other member of the Board of Internal Im- provement and received his per diem for the time actually en- gaged in the public service, charging no more than actual expenses, making a total of a little less than $95. We find no charge against him whatever."
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In the year 1840 Judge Hall was elected Lientenant-Gov- ernor of the State of Indiana for the term of three years. Being ex-officio President of the Senate, he discharged the duties as presiding officer of that body for two sessions only. At the close of the first session, the Senate, in token of respect, unan- imously adopted the following resolution :
" On motion of Mr. Chamberlain, it was
" Resolved, That as an expression of the regard we enter- tain for Lieutenant-Governor Hall, President of the Senate. we extend to him our thanks for the dignified, impartial, and highly satisfactory manner in which he has presided over our delibe- rations."
At the close of the second session, the Senate unanimously adopted the following resolution :
" On motion of Mr. Davis,
" The orders of business were suspended, and leave granted him to introduce the following resolution :
" Resolved, By the Senate unanimously, that the Hon. Sam- uel Hall, President thereof, is entitled to our thanks for the impartiality, dignity and ability which has characterized his presidency, during the present session of the General Assembly.
" Which was adopted."
The reason why Judge Hall did not take his seat as Presi- dent of the Senate the third session to which he was elected, may be inferred from the following proceedings, which are taken from the journals of the Senate :
" On motion of Mr. Collins,
" The orders of business were suspended, and leave granted him to offer the following, which was unanimously adopted :
" Whereas, in the dispensation of an inscrutable Providence it has pleased the Giver of all Good to visit the Hon. Samuel Hall. Lieutenant-Governor of this State with a severe domestic bereavement, by taking from him and his family his excellent consort, whose exemplary life and many virtues have endeared her to a numerous acquaintance, and shed lustre within her sphere, and given happiness to all around her : Therefore,
" Be it unanimously resolved by the Senate, That the melan- choly affliction of the Hon. Samuel Hall, in the loss of his wife, is deeply felt by the Senate.
"Resolved, unanimously, That the sympathy of the Senate be tendered him, and that the Senate's sincere condolence is hereby assured him, in the deeply afficting dispensation it has pleased Providence to visit upon him.
" Resolved, unanimously, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to communicate a copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions to the Hon. Samuel Hall."
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Judge Hall was called upon to preside over the delibera- tions of the Senate of Indiana at a time when party spirit raged at its highest. It required strict integrity and a firm resolution to prevent a bias in favor of party predilections. But he had presided but a short time when his political friends ascertained that nothing was to be expected from him but a strict and impartial discharge of his duty.
Having accumulated a large estate by his assiduty to bus- iness, Judge Hall gave up the practice of the law, as a business, about the year 1840; and afterward did not give much attention to the legal profession.
In the 1849 it was decided by the people of Indiana to call a convention to remodel their constitution. In the year follow- ing, an election took place throughout the State for the election of delegates to the convention.
It may be proper here to premise that Judge Hall has always been a consistent Whig. He was appointed one of the Vice-Presidents of the great Whig Convention which assembled at Nashville in the year 1840. In the year 1844 he was ap- pointed a Delegate to the Baltimore Convention, and after reaching that place was chosen one of the Vice-Presidents; which latter convention nominated Henry Clay for President of the United States. With a knowledge of these facts, the Dem- crats as well as the Whigs of Gibson Dounty, with great una- nimity, united in placing him in nomination, and after- wards electing him a Delegate to the State Convention to amend the constitution.
That convention assembled on the first Monday of October, 1850. It was Democratic, nearly two to one. Jndge Hall was placed as chairman of one of the most important committees - " On State Debt and Public Works."
Identified with the prosperity of his adopted State, he felt a deep interest in looking forward to that period of time when Indiana shall be out of debt. He made a labored calculation, based upon the future resources of the State, by which he proved with great clearness, that in sixteen years, the last dollar of her indebtedness would be paid off. In order to prevent a diver- sion of the revenues of the State, he drew up and reported the section which provides that " all the revenues derived from the
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sale of any of the public works belonging to the State, and from the net annual income thereof, and any surplus that may, at any time, remain in the treasury, derived from taxation for gen- eral State purposes, after the payment of the ordinary expenses of the Government, and of the interest on bonds of the State other than bank bonds; shall be annually applied, under the direction of the General Assembly, to the payment of the prin- cipal of the public debt."
He also reported another section, which prevents any new debt being contracted on the part of the State, except to meet casual deficits in the revenue. Both of these sections were in- corporated in the new constitution.
Judge Hall, for many years, contended that it was wrong in the fundamental laws of a country to allow any person to become 'answerable, as security, for the debt of another. He says the contracting parties, being alone interested in the profits growing out of the contract, the one in selling, the other in purchasing, they alone should run the risk of a loss. He brought the subject before the Legislature of Indiana, in the year 1831, but the doctrine being new, did not meet with much favor. He brought the subject before the convention in 1850. As chairman of the committee to whom the subject was refer- red, he reported the section here appended. It was sustained by a respectable minority in the convention, but was voted down by the majority. He thought the time would arrive when it would be adopted as the law of the land.
The section above referred to read as follows :
" No man shall be held to answer for the debt, default or miscarriage of any other person upon any contract entered into from and after the year 1860, except in cases where executors, administrators, guardians, trustees, and public officers, are required to give boud and security, and where security is given to persons acting in a fiduciary capacity."
H. W. CLOUD, M. D.
H. W. Cloud, M. D., A. M.
AMES C. CLOUD, the father of Dr. H. W. CLOUD, was born in Boone County, Kentucky, in the year 1805, and was a farmer by occupation. He remained here until his mar- riage to Miss Susan Snyder, of the same county. Mr. Cloud soon afterward removed to Henderson County, and engaged in the family grocery business.
On the 7th of September, 1833, the subject of this sketch was born; and when about fifteen years of age, his parents went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he enjoyed excellent facil- ities in securing a common school education. Having a taste for books, and literary ambition, coupled with a determination to secure an education, he entered Asbury University with only twenty dollars to last him for four years. He remained here until the second term of his Senior year, when, with eight of his class, in the noted Rebellion of '56, he withdrew from As- bury, and graduated at the State University.
While at college, Dr. Cloud's favorite studies were Geology and Chemistry, and he pursued an after-graduate course in chemistry and medicine at the University of Kentucky, at Lou- isville. He received the degree of A. M. from Bloomington, and, in 1871, the same honorary degree from Asbury. For some time Dr. Cloud had charge of a select school at Owens- boro ; and his rare fund of information, his excellent literary qualities and genial disposition, made it a great success. He was speedily called to the Presidency of Henry Female College, at Newcastle, Kentucky. There is no doubt, had he chosen to follow his course, he would have gained high rank among the best professors and educators of the country. The college was in a most flourishing condition, with one hundred and fifty ladies in attendance, mostly from the South. The breaking out of the war interfered, however, with its further progress ; and
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in 1862 Dr. Cloud left Kentucky and engaged in the retail drug business at Sullivan, Indiana. In 1865 he came to Evansville, and engaged with his brother-in-law, Wm. M. Akin, Esq., in the wholesale drug business, and had complete control of the manufacturing department. As a practical chemist, Dr. Cloud has enjoyed rare success ; while his business ability and manly traits as a gentleman are well recognized in this section. He has followed his favorite study - Chemistry and its kindred subjects-with ardor all his life ; but not to the neglect of gen- eral literature and history. He is well versed in philological studies, and is a very fine Latin scholar, in particular. Dr. Cloud is an educated man and a gentleman of high worth, and has accomplished much for the educational interests of our city in his responsible position as President of the Board of Educa- tion. In '59 Dr. Cloud was married to Miss Sarah M. Akin, daughter of R. M. Akin, Esq., of Carlisle, Indiana. Three child- ren have been born to them - two daughters and one son - the latter named in honor of the greatest of living scientists of the present generation-Faraday.
Prudence Sherwood.
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RS. PRUDENCE SHERWOOD, wife of Marcus Sherwood, of this city, was born in Kentucky, in January, 1808. Her father and mother, Alexander and Mary Johnson, removed to Gibson County, Robb Township, in 1820, and remained in that township till about 1826, when the fam- ily removed to Evansville. The mind of Prudence was early turned to the subject of religion. Her parents were pious, and early taught their daughter her duty to her Heavenly Father. She became decidedly pious when about twelve years of age, and was firm in Christian character throughout the remainder of her life.
On the 27th of November, 1834, she was united to Marcus Sherwood in marriage.
11.
PRUDENCE SHERWOOD.
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Her life has been spent in this city. She ever took a lively interest in all that pertained to the welfare of the community. Active and industrious, she ever gave earnest aid to her hus- band in his various enterprises. She did not stop at caring for the material interests alone ; she sought to promote the moral and spiritual interests of society. She was generous - full of noble impulses. Her charity kept pace with all other interests.
This is attested by the number of orphan children she has reared and trained for usefulness. No less than four of those helpless ones have found a home in her house - some of them remaining with her during seventeen years. At times there were in her family three of them together. Thus did she prove her theory by actual work. Her steady piety was conspicuous in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which she was a member from its organization in January, 1851. From that time until her death she was active in all that she thought use- ful to her congregation.
The church was feeble, and but few gentlemen were mem- bers-much of the work of the church had to be performed by the ladies, and Mrs. Sherwood bore her full share in those duties.
Her house was a place of rest and welcome to the ministers of religion. Her sound judgment and quick discernment ena bled her to afford useful hints to her pastor, in the various parts of his official duty, She was much given to prayer and medi- tation on the moral and religious state of those around her ; hence, she was warmly in sympathy with those in distress. The poor, the needy, the sick, were neither forgotten nor neglected.
But her useful life is finished. It closed amid life's duties performed to the last. Those duties were carried down to the last moments that found her with strength to do, or voice with which to counsel. Death came after a severe illness of more than fourteen weeks. She endured very great suffering during all that time, with admirable fortitude and resignation. Some weeks before she died she was greatly comforted by the pre- cious promises of the Holy Scriptures. She often spoke of the blessing and comfort of religion, and earnestly urged her imme- diate family to seek an interest in the Saviour-now so gracious to her.
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When the hour for her departure came, she was fully pre- pared. On the morning of July 18th, 1870, at five minutes past 2 o'clock, she gently sank to rest. " The memory of the just is blessed." Her bereaved husband and her only son share the sympathy of the community, while the church laments the loss of a true and faithful member.
James Henderson McNeely
AS born in Lawrenceburgh, Dearborn County, Indi- ana, July 2d, 1828. Received a common school education, and at the age of fifteen years commenced to make his own living by clerking, trading, and working in the news- paper offices of his native town. In 1846 he set in as an appren- tice to learn the printing business in the Western Republican office at Lawrenceburgh. In 1847 he went to Cincinnati, in order to gain a better insight into the "Art Preservative " than he could hope to enjoy in a provincial office. Worked in the Commercial, Gazette, and other offices in the " Queen City " until 1849, and when the cholera became epidemic, returned to Lawrenceburgh. During that Summer and Fall, in connec- tion with two fellow-printers, he was engaged in publishing the Journal, the only daily paper ever published there.
In November, 1849, he removed to Indianapolis, and after a year's experience in telegraphing (as manager of the O'Reilly office, on the first line built in this State,) clerking, and travel- ing as journeyman printer, he entered the Indianapolis Journal office as local editor, proof reader, and general " utility man " of the establishment. Remained there until 1854. Was one of an association of five interested with the proprietor-Hon. John D. Defrees-in the profits of the establishment during the last year. In April, 1854, he started, in connection with one of his associates-Wm. S. Cameron-the " Capital Book and Job Printing Office," the first of the kind ever in Indianapolis.
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Continued in that business until November, 1859, when he removed to Evansville. Part of the time he was one of the publishers of the Indiana Republican, daily and weekly, and the Citizen, a daily evening newspaper. He assisted in edit- ting the former, and was principal editor of the latter while performing other duties.
In December, 1859, he became one of the proprietors and editors of the Evansville Journal, daily and weekly. In May, 1861, became Postmaster, was re-appointed in 1865, and re- mained in that office until May, 1867, when he was removed for political reasons by President Johnson. In July, 1866, sold his interest in the Journal to Colonel J. W. Foster. Turned his attention to the business of a real estate agent, and acted as assignee in a number of bankruptcy cases, also as a notary, in connection with Mr. John Schubert, (now deceased,) until July. 1869, when he assumed the duties of the office of Assessor of Internal Revenue for the First District of Indiana, to which he had been appointed in May. In May, 1873, the office ceased, all assessorships having been abolished by act of Congress the previous December. He bore an active part in the practical duties of both offices, and there are good reasons for believing that both the public and the Government were well served during his incumbency.
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