USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > Evansville and its men of mark > Part 27
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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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hale and hearty at the age of fifty-four, and able to sustain a vast amount of mental labor. We trust his career, that confers so much benefit to the public while it enriches himself will be prolonged for many years.
Aside from his business in Cincinnati, Mr. Elsas has been for many years a large property owner in Evansville, as partner with Mr. H. in Heidelbach & Elsas' Enlargement. He has twice been President of the Jewish Hospital, and a trustee of the same for about twenty years. He also has, in connection with Mr. Heidelbach, laid out the Jewish Cemetery, on the Montgomery Pike ; was an active member of the building com- mittee during the erection of the temple on Plum street, and has been a member of that congregation since his residence in the city. He has always avoided politics and politicians, but was induced to accept the appointment of a park commissioner- ship, which he filled for two years, and has been reappointed for a second term. This not being a lucrative office, he can hold it without hurt to his feelings. His benevolence and patri- otism were manifested on the breaking out of the war by sup- plying fourteen substitutes, though he was over age ; and at the close of the war he erected a beautiful monument in the Jewish Cemetery to the memory of those who had fallen in battle. He is characterized by a large-hearted benevolence whenever a de- serving object presents itself.
Twelve children have been born to him, nine of whom are still living. Cecilia is the wite of Samuel Pritz; Mary is the wife of Henry Eisfelder ; Clara is the wife of Gabriel Netter ; the next in order being Nettie, Eda, twin boys Louis and Max, Cora and Samuel. Mrs. Elsas is now in excellent health .- Cincinnati, Past and Present.
Stephen S. L'Hommedieu.
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LTHOUGH forty years have not elapsed since the first railroad was put into operation, but few cities are now without that important handmaid of commerce. And the fact has been demonstrated that the cities which inaugurate most liberal policy, and exhibit the keenest appreciation of railroad centers and radiations, speedily outstrip less enterprising rivals. It is useless to speak of what Cincinnati would have been to- day without railroads. Suffice it to say that she has assumed large proportions, accumulated great wealth, and is second to few American cities in all that which combines to make it desir- able for education, business or pleasure ; and railroads have largely contributed to this end. To represent this great inter- est we have selected Stephen S. L'Hommedieu, the builder of the road and for more than twenty years the President of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad Company.
Mr. L'Hommedieu was born in Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York, January 5, 1806, and is a lineal descendant of a Huguenot who fled to this country from France after the siege of Rochelle.
In the Summer of the year 1810, Captain Charles L'Hom- medieu, father of the subject of this sketch, removed to Cincin- nati and established himself there as a merchant and manufac- turer. In 1813 he died, leaving five children. Previous to his death he purchased the land now bounded by Central avenue, Mound, George and Seventh streets, for pasturage and other purposes ; then somewhat remote from the village, but now about the center of a great city. The property was kept intact and divided equally among the five children in 1828.
S. S. L'Hommedieu, at the age of twelve, was put into a store with his uncle, John C. Avery ; and in 1821, when fifteen years of age, was placed in the office of the Liberty Hall and
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Cincinnati Gazette, owned and conducted by Ephraim Morgan, James Lodge and Isaac G. Burnet, to learn the printing busi- ness. A few weeks after coming of age he was taken as a partner in the Gazette. At that period it was feared the paper, then a semi-weekly, would be deprived of its chief support, post-office and other government patronage, by the election of General Andrew Jackson to the Presidency of the United States. On consultation with its then able editor, Charles Hammond, it was determined to make the Gazette in every respect an inde- pendent paper-not, however, what is now understood as a neutral in politics -- believing that that course would bring a better reward than all the patronage the Government had to bestow. The result showed the wisdom of taking such an inde- pendent position.
In 1827 the firm of Morgan, Fisher and L'Hommedieu issued the Gazette as a daily paper, commencing with only one hundred and twenty-five subscribers, but few of whom are now living. It was the first daily paper published west of the Alle- ghany Mountains, or in the valley of the Mississippi, with the exception of a small sheet, issued for a few weeks, the year pre- vious, in Cincinnati, by S. S. Brooks, The reputation of the Gazette from 1827 to 1840 under the principal editorial man- agement of Charles Hammond, is well known to the country. Mr. L'Hommedieu closed his connection with the Gazette in the year 1848, having been in its service twenty-seven years. During that period it has grown in public favor and influence, and all those connected with it had prospered in a pecuniary point of view. He was the more willing to retire from a con- nection with it as his early associates, Charles Hammond, James Lodge and Richard F. L'Hommedieu had been taken to their graves honored and lamented.
On retiring from the Gazette it was Mr. L'Hommedieu's intention to devote himself to horticultural pursuits, and espe- cially to the cultivation of the grape, on his place near Cincin- nati, where he still resides, but his friends soon persuaded him that that mode of life was neither active nor useful enough for one of his temperament. Fully appreciating that he had grown with the city, and been liberally sustained by her citizens, he was ready, on the call of friends, to undertake that which he
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believed would be a public benefit, Within a few weeks from the time he retired from active business, he was elected President of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad Company and found himself again with full employment. The company had been chartered in 1846 with only a capital of five hundred thousand dollars. At a meeting of directors in Janu- ary, 1847, Lewis D. Campbell, of Hamilton, was chosen as the first President. Under his administration but little had been accomplished, as other official duties prevented his giving that attention which so important an undertaking required. Mr. L'Hommedieu was elected to succeed him at the annual meeting, July 3, 1848, Contracts for the construction of fourteen miles of road, from Hamilton south, had been made two months pre- viously ; but after thoroughly examining into the condition of the company, its limited amount of stock subscribed-$33,000 -its liabilities of more than double that amount already incur- red, as well as the limited number of rights of way obtained, the President reported it to be expedient to suspend the work until the rights of way had been obtained, and the means requi- site to build the road secured ; the directors, as individuals, advancing money to pay for work already done. More than a year was devoted to obtaining rights of way, and not until the Fall of 1849 did the President make personal application to our citizens for the means with which to build the road. Such was the confidence gained by him in the value of the enterprise and its management, that in the course of three weeks the President succeeded in raising, mostly in subscriptions of five thousand dollars and upward, about three-fourths of a million of dollars in Cincinnati, and equal to about one-third of that amount in the city of New York. The subscriptions were made, with but few exceptions, by the mechanics, manufacturers and merchants.
In March, 1850, the work on the road was resumed, but was soon interrupted by injunctions granted to individuals claiming more than had been awarded them for rights of way ; and soon after these difficulties were overcome the cholera made its appearance among the laborers, so that the work was not fully in progress of construction until September, 1850.
This important public improvement was commenced and successfully carried through by individual enterprise and the
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public spirit of our citizens, aided by friends in New York. No city, county, or State aid was asked for or received. In one year from the time the contractors were enabled to get to work the road was so far completed that an excursion trip through to Dayton was made with three trains, carrying, on invitation, about three thousand persons, under the immediate direction of R. M. Shoemaker, superintendent and civil engineer in the con. struction of the road, and Daniel M'Laren, master mechanic. The road was regularly opened for business on the 22d of Sep- tember, 1851. Its first year's earnings amounted to a little over $300,000. Those of the present amount to about a million and a quarter per annum.
The site of the depots was much criticised in 1851, and they were said to be too far from the business of the city. At this time the city and its business extends miles beyond, and before many years the depots will be considered quite centrally situated. The large amount of land secured by the managers of the road for depot purposes and machine shops in the west- ern portion of the city was also much commented upon at the time, but the subsequent business of the road has demonstrated the wisdom of the policy pursued in securing the necessary ground.
The Dayton and Michigan road, extending from Dayton to Toledo, one hundred and forty-two miles, was leased perpetu- ally by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Company in 1863. The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton has also the controlling interest in the Cincinnati, Richmond and Chicago road, extend- ing from Hamilton to Richmond, and the number of miles now rated by the company is two hundred and forty-seven. Mr L'Hommedieu having been President of the company for twenty- two years, embracing the whole of its practical history, it may readily be seen why we should give a running history of it. He resigned his position as President on the 4th of July last, and in a few days thereafter sailed for Europe, and at this writing has not returned. We hear of him, however from up the Nile and as far east as Damascus.
Since Mr. L'H. retired from the career of an editor and publisher of a paper, he has never meddled with politics, nor sought for political position, but has steadfastly stood by the
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old Flag. Indeed, had he desired political preferment his con- nection with the old Whig party would probably have stood in his way. His last appearance on the political stage was at Philadelphia, as the delegate from the First District of Ohio, to the National Convention of Whigs, on the 7th of June, 1847, at which time his favorite, Henry Clay, was slaughtered .by the politicians, and General Zachary Taylor nominated for the Presidency. His ambition since has been to contribute his time and talents to the building up of our goodly city, especially that portion of it which in early times seemed to have no advocates -west of Main street. Through the management and influence of wealthy citizens in the eastern portion of the city the Miami Canal was mislocated, carried down Deer Creek Valley, when it should have been located west of Freeman street. The first railroad, by the same management, was located in the Little, when it should have been in the Great Miami Valley. The city council, controlled, in a great degree, by the same influence about thirty-three years ago, was not willing, in his judgment, to do justice to the western portion of the city. He was a member of the council at the time referred to, and fought hard against such neglect, if not injustice, but without much effect. This prompted him, to seek other ways for building the city westward, although at the time his most valuable property was on Main street. Those who have lived here for a quarter of a century know how effective bis efforts in this direction have been.
Mr. L'Hommedieu's life has been truly one of activity and usefulness. The period during which he has achieved his great- est success has been marked with unparalleled progress. The changes which have taken place within his memory are wonder- ful to contemplate. He sometimes facetiously remarks that he must be over an hundred years old, because for twenty-seven years he was connected with the publishing of a newspaper ; twenty-two years president of a railroad; for forty-one years the husband of one wife, and for eleven years was employed in other matters, making a total of one hundred and one years. But seriously, he remembers seeing Kentucky troops pass through our city, on their way to repel the British and their Indian allies ; was on board the first steamboat built and run on
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western waters on her first trip; brought to the West, across the mountains, the first Adams, and the first steam printing press ; rode on the first mile of railroad on the Atlantic coast, before the introduction of locomotives, and has passed over the last mile of the line on the shore of the Pacific ; and in the meantime has contributed to the building up of a village from a few hundred inhabitants to a city of over a quarter of a mil- lion. He has been, as these facts abundantly attest, an enter- prising man in an age of enterprise. Uniting great physical endurance with mental activity-a sound mind in a sound body -he has labored with great zeal, industry, intelligence and un- wearied activity in the many enterprises of an active and useful life.
He has not neglected the duties which instinctively impel the head of an household to provide for the comfort and inde- pendence of his family. But it can be truly said of him that he has never suffered private considerations to outweigh his duty to the public ; that one of the main motives of his activity has been to advance the prosperity of the community in which he has lived for so many years ; and it is one of the most con- tinually present sources of his gratification that he has not striven for himself alone .- Cincinnati, Past and Present.
His connection with the railroad enterprises of Southern Indiana has made him closely identified with its interests. What he may do for Evansville in the future, time alone can tell ; as for the past, Evansville, has had no warmer friend than the subject of this sketch.
Horace Plumer.
AS born in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, on the 26th of April, 1821. He was the youngest son of a family of eight children. His father, Enoch Plumer, was a thriving farmer, and his mother died before he was two years of age.
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He received his earliest education at the village school in his native town ; and as he, at an early age, showed a fondness for study, his father determined to give him a college education. He commenced fitting for college at Dumer Academy; then went to Atkinson, New Hampshire, where he remained until prepared to enter Dartmouth College in 1836. He graduated in July, 1840, with the highest honors of his class, being next to the youngest member.
He studied law in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in the office of Edward LeBritton. After having passed a satisfactory ex- amination, he was admitted to the bar in his native State. In 1844 he married N. D. Woodwell of Newburyport. He then removed to Tennessee, where he engaged in teaching an Acad- emy and acquainting himself with the laws of that State. Hav- ing passed an examination, he was admitted to the practice of the legal profession.
As the climate of Tennessee did not agree with his health and as he preferred residing in a free State, he removed to Ev- ansville on the 2d of January, 1848. From that time he united his interests with those of this city. He was admitted to the bar in this place in March following his arrival. Up to the time of his death in January, 1860, he took a lively interest in the cause of education. He suffered much with a disease of the throat, which terminated his life. He left a widow, two daugh- ters, and an infant son.
David Dale Owen, M. D.,
AS born at Braxfield House, near New Lanark, Scot- land, on the 24th of June, 1807. He was the third son, who lived to manhood, of Robert Owen, the Philanthropist.
Dr. Owen was educated during 1824, '25 and '26, at Hof- wyl, near Berne, Switzerland. He also took a course in Chem- istry, with Dr. Andrew Ure, of Glasgow, Scotland, then at the
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University of London. He received his diploma as M. D. from the Cincinnati Medical College, in the times of Drs. Locke, Eberle and associates.
He was engaged, nearly all his life as Geologist, devoting his Winters to chemical analyses connected with the geological surveys. He was the first State Geologist of Indiana; then, in 1830, United States Geologist for Iowa ; and afterward, from 1848 to '50, for Minnesota and the remaining Northwestern Territory. The results were published in a large quarto vol- ume, beside plates and maps. Afterward he was, for many years, State Geologist of Kentucky ; his labors for that State being embodied in four volumes, large octavo. Subsequently, as State Geologist of Arkansas, he published two octavo vol- umes.
He married the third daughter of Joseph Neef, an associate of Pestalozzi. They had two sons and two daughters, all of whom are living. ()ne son was Colonel of the Eightieth Indi- ana Volunteers. Dr. D. D. Owen died on the 13th of Novem- ber, 1860.
It was said of Dr. Owen that his ability as a geologist was only equaled by his modesty as a man. The labors he per- formed have been of invaluable benefit to the several States in which he labored, and the volumes edited by him as a practical geologist and chemist, have made the name of Dr. David Dale Owen famous in the scientific circles of Europe as well as America.
Prof. Richard Owen.
AS born at Braxfield House, near New Lanark, Scot- land, on the 6th of January, 1810. He was the fourth son who lived to manhood, of Robert Owen, the Philan- thropist.
After early training in Scotland, he remained three years at the celebrated educational institution of Mt. Fellenberg, at Hofwyl, Switzerland, and pursued Chemistry an additional year under Dr. Andrew Ure, author of the Chemical Dict.
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On reaching this country, he spent a Summer in Pennsyl- vania, studying their system of farming ; took a course of En- gineering in Kentucky at the West. Military Institute, of which he was afterward Professor ; pursued, however, first after return- ing from the Mexican War, geological and chemical studies in the laboratory of his brother, Dr. D. D. Owen, and gained ex- perience in field work as assistant in his United States Geolog- ical Corps on Lake Superior.
After three years' study-from 1833-35 inclusive-of the art of malting and brewing, he took charge, for seven years, of a steam mill, in connection with stock-raising ; finally sold out the mill and devoted himself exclusively to farming until April, 1847, when he became Captain in one of the ten new regiments raised for the Mexican War, remaining fifteen months in the Sixteenth Infantry, Colonel Tibbatt's command, chiefly under Generals Taylor and Wool.
On returning from the New York survey he was elected Professor of Geology and Chemistry in the Western Military Institute, [and remained with it nine years and a half. The last three years they formed the Literary Department of the University of Nashville ; and General B. R. Johnson was Su- perintendent, while our subject was commandant of the corps. While there Mr. Owen published a geological work entitled " Key to the Geology of the Globe."
Returning in the Autumn of 1858 to Indiana, he became assistant and afterward State Geologist of Indiana, and pub- lished his report in one octavo volume.
In April, 1861, he entered the Fifteenth Indiana Volun- teers as Lieutenant-Colonel ; and after the battle of Greenbrier, Virginia, was promoted to the Colonelcy of the Sixtieth Indi- ana With them he guarded prisoners at Camp Morton ; was in Kentucky with Colonel Dumont; at the first siege of Vicks- burg, with General Sherman, and at the taking of Arkansas Post. He was with General Grant at the taking of Vicksburg; with 'General Sherman when he took Jackson, Mississippi, and afterward commanded a brigade under General A. J. Smith, in Banks' Red River campaign. At the close of this he was in- vited, in the Autumn of 1863, to fill the Chair of Natural Sci- ences in the Indiana State University, where he has remained
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until the present time. In 1872 our subject was elected Presi- dent of the Purdue University, the State Agricultural College, located at Lafayette, Indiana, and expects to enter on his duties in April, 1874. In 1872 Wabash College voluntarily conferred on Mr. Owen the degree of L.L.D.
In 1837 he married the fourth daughter of Joseph Neif, the associate of Pestalozzi. Their two sons were with our sub- ject in the army ; being successively Adjutant of the Sixtieth Indiana. Their only daughter died when about eight years old.
Having revisited Europe in 1869, and extended his travels to Turkey, Egypt and Palestine, he has, at various times, lec- tured on those countries, and has contributed many articles on these and educational topics for the New Albany Ledger, Ev- ansville Journal and Indianapolis Journal, and during his jour- ney, for the New York Tribune.
The following is from "Indiana's Roll of Honor":
" At the breaking out of the war, Colonel Owen was elected Captain of a cavalry company, which his nephew, after- wards Major of the Fourteenth Indiana Cavalry, had raised in his own town, and which formed a part of that regiment. But as Governor Morton offered him a Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the Ffteenth Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Owen left the cavalry, and served with his infantry regiment in Western Virginia. While there, besides having command frequently of outposts, several miles from camp, and making reconnoissances, constructing re- doubts, etc., he was ordered to advance with three hundred men to meet the enemy ; but not to bring on a general engage- ment. Bivouacking the first night about six miles from Elk- water, the detachment lay on their arms in silence and without fires ; and being aroused by their comrades before daylight, came upon the enemy's outposts, eleven and a fourth miles from the Federal camp, and between one and two miles from the en- emy's camp at Marshall's Store, a still larger torce being in their rear at Big Springs.
Part of the force was cavalry, and so suddenly did our skirmishers come upon them that they had not time to mount, and in some cases a hand-to-hand engagement took place. The attacking party, in accordance with previous orders, now pre- pared to retire, having effected their object and ascertained the
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position of the rebel camp. Prisoners taken afterward said that fifteen men were killed by our troops, while we had only one man wounded. A continuous retiring fire was kept up as long as the enemy was in view, and marching back at a slow rate the party reached Elkwater camp in a little more than twenty- four hours after leaving it. They learned afterwards that sev- eral regiments and pieces of artillery arrived on the ground a short time after Colonel Owen's command left. This attack on the rebel outposts led to the drawing out of General Lee's en- tire force, and his subsequent unsuccessful attempt on General Reynolds' camp at Elkwater and Cheat Mountain,
Colonel Owen soon after led the Fifteenth Indiana-Colo- nel Wagner being in command of a brigade-in the action at Greenbriar, where the regiment remained over two hours in point blank range of the batteries, and finally withdrew in good order to Cheat Mountain.
Immediately after the Greenbriar reconnoissance, Colonel Owen, being authorized to raise a new regiment, organized the Sixtieth Indiana, which was employed three months in guard- ing prisoners of war at Camp Morton. Afterwards it was under General Boyle in Kentucky, near the Tennessee line, and fol- lowed General Morgan to Lebanon, Kentucky, in which place the regiment constructed fortifications, by order of General Boyle.
On the arrival of General Dumont, Colonel Owen was placed by him in command of a brigade to expel the enemy from Bardstown ; but found they had evacuated. It was after- wards ordered to form in line of battle at Lebanon Junction, where an attack was momentarily expected, and subsequently was detached by order of General Gilbert, commanding at Lou- isville, with a brigade designed to relieve the Mumfordsville garrison. On receiving this order General Dumont and Colo- nel Owen remarked that the whole brigade was certain to be sacrificed, as General Bragg's advance was known to be near there, but nothing remained except to obey orders.
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