USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement to the present time; with Biographical Sketches and Reference to Biographies, Volume I > Part 33
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Wm. D. Owen, born in Bloomington, Ind., September 6, 1846, edu- cated in the State University, studied law in Lafayette, Ind .; later be- came a Christian minister and in 1881 located in Logansport and en- gaged in the practice of law with D. C. Justice. He was congressman from the tenth Indiana district 1884-90; secretary of state 1894-6, and
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commissioner of immigration during President Mckinley's administra- tion. Mr. Owen was a bright man, a good orator and fluent writer. In 1883 he published a book of 671 pages, entitled, "The Genius of Indus- try," treating of the elements of success. Mr. Owen gave good advice but did not always practice what he preached. He was thrice married, but had no children of his own. His present abode is unknown.
Edgar Packard, a former school teacher of Cass county, but now principal of the high school at Berlin, Wisconsin, has been a contributor to a number of papers. While living in Logansport in 1895 he published a very beautiful booklet entitled "The Study of the Song of Solomon," and other short poems of real literary merit.
Rev. Martin Mercillian Post, the first resident minister of Logansport, was born in Vermont, 1805, educated at Middleberry College and And-
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over Theological Seminary, and located in Logansport 1829, where he died 1876. He had five sons, all of whom became Presbyterian ministers and one daughter, now the wife of Professor Coulter of Purdue Univer- sity. Reverend Post was a kindly man of sterling integrity, a careful writer and prudent minister. He wrote many articles and addresses, published in the religious and secular press, notably : "Retrospect of Thirty Years of Ministerial Work," December 25, 1859; Thanksgiving Address, 1862; Address on Capt. Chas. E. Tucker, 1867.
Rev. Martin Post, son of Rev. M. M. Post, born in Logansport, 1835, where he was educated and resided for twenty-five years. Mr. Post is now a resident of Los Angeles, California, where he moved recently for his health. His principal literary work is the "Riverton Minister," a hook of 352 pages published in 1897. This is an interesting novel founded on facts of the early history of Logansport and the minister referred to in the novel was Rev. M. M. Post.
Hon. Daniel Darwin Pratt, a native of Maine, where he was born 1813, brought up and educated in Madison county, New York, located in Logansport, 1836, and became one of the most eminent lawyers of the state. He was elected to the state legislature 1851-53 and to the United States senate, 1869. Mr. Pratt was a large man of commanding appear- ance, and a strong voice and was secretary of the Republican National Convention that nominated Lincoln in 1860. While in the United States senate his printed speeches on "Admiralty Jurisdiction," Payment of War Claims," "Rights of Settlers," "Amnesty Bill" and other topics were models of English diction. In 1875 he was appointed commis- sioner of internal revenue by President Grant and made himself felt in the prosecution of the "whisky ring." He was such a master of the English language that anything from his pen attracted attention, so that even the whisky ring stood up and took notice, not only of Mr. Pratt's sterling integrity, but also of his masterful articles and speeches against them.
While dictating some literary matter to his daughter Julia, he died suddenly on June 17, 1877, and was interred in the old cemetery, but later removed to Mt. Hope.
Mrs. Sarah S. Pratt, daughter of Nicholas Smith, was born in Del- phi, Indiana, 1853, educated in the Presbyterian Academy of Logans- port; married Wm. D. Pratt, then proprietor of the Logansport Jour- nal and a writer of some distinction, and they are blessed with five children. Mrs. Pratt is a brilliant writer, was editor of the Sunday Critic, Meridian, and Church Chronicle for fifteen years. She has writ- ten many short stories for St. Nicholas, Munsey's, Life, Judge, Woman's Home Companion, the Outlook and other magazines. One of her short stories, "The Blue Cashmere Gown," was reprinted in Canada and translated into several foreign languages, and her writings have received most flattering endorsements from many eminent authors. The Pratts moved to Indianapolis in 1896, where they now reside.
Mrs. Ellen Lasselle Preston, daughter of Hyacinth Lasselle, was born in Logansport, 1839, and moved with her father to Washington, D. C., in 1849, where she was married to Robert Emmett Preston 1863, by whom she had five children, three of whom are still living. Mrs. Preston died May 1, 1909. She was a frequent contributor to different magazines and is the author of "Magdalene the Enchantress," a pop- ular novel in its day.
Rev. Douglas P. Putnam, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Logansport, 1887-1889, was born in Ohio, 1844, died in Cincinnati, 1905. He graduated from Wabash College, 1867, and Lane Theological Semi- nary, 1870, and at the time of his death was professor in Lane Theo-
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logical Seminary. Reverend Putnam was united in marriage at Lafay- ette, Indiana, June 22, 1870, to Jennie Williamson, who with one son and four daughters, are now living in Logansport. Reverend Putnam was a deep thinker, a concise writer and contributed to numerous relig- ious papers and many of his published sermons and addresses have been widely read. He was a regular contributor to the New York Evangelist and Herald and Presbyter.
Mrs. Laura B. Reed, daughter of Wm. D. Hall of Sidney, Ohio, as the wife of Dr. J. H. Reed, moved to Logansport in 1904, but later they separated and she moved to Monticello with her three children. Mrs. Reed has an acute but somewhat erratic intellect and has written many short stories and dialogues, but her principal writings were compiled into a neat little volume of one hundred pages composed of short poems mostly of an educational character adapted to children, a copy of which was donated to the Historical Society by the author.
Dr. T. J. Shackleford, son of Rev. Shackleford, who. was pastor of the Market Street Methodist Episcopal church from 1876 to 1878, is a graduate of the Logansport high school 1877, and M. D. from the Bal- timore College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is now engaged in the practice of medicine in Warsaw, Indiana, but finds time to write occa- sional short poems of real merit, which have appeared from time to time in various publications, some of which are: "Life Melodies," "Christmas Day," "Patient Misunderstood," "Phonograph," etc.
Wm. H. Smith, born in Noblesville, Indiana, 1839, received an aca- demic education; was married and had one son; was chief clerk in the Indiana house of representatives; secretary of Indiana senate, and chief of bureau of foreign mails for a time. He moved to Logansport in 1869; was instrumental in establishing the Logansport Daily Star, and was its editor until it suspended 1877-8; editor of the Journal 1880, and the fol- lowing year moved to Indianapolis and became editor of the Indianapo- lis Journal and later of the Times and Cincinnati Gazette. He wrote a comprehensive history of "Indiana" in two volumes, found in the pub- lic library ; "Life of Oliver P. Morton," "Life of C. W. Fairbanks," "History of Banking in' Indiana," "History of the Treasury Depart- ment," "Historical Towns of Western States," and is a contributor to many magazines. He is a fluent but somewhat reckless writer and now resides in Washington, D. C., as correspondent to several papers.
Albert Garrett Small and his twin brother, Will R. Small, are sons of Rev. Gilbert Small and were born in Indianapolis, 1867. They came to Logansport in 1888 and were editorial writers on the Journal and later published the Saturday Night Review. In 1900 they moved to In- dianapolis and are there engaged in newspaper work. In 1907 Mr. Small edited and published the "Genealogy of the Small, Robertson and Allied Families," a work of 250 pages, a copy of which he presented to the Historical Society.
Mrs. Fannie Snyder, daughter of Sidney and Deborah Baldwin, born in New York state, 1858, came with her parents to Logansport in 1849; married to Andrew Snyder, who died many years ago leaving no chil- dren. Mrs. Snyder is still an honored resident of our city. She has completed a number of very creditable poems: "My Island Home," published in the Pharos February 8, 1867; "The Old Cemetery" and "Mother's Birthday," with other poems and fragments appeared in the Pharos from time to time. We quote a few stanzas from "The Island Home":
My Island Home-how dear thou wert In life's unclouded day ;
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Ere sorrow came, to chill my heart, Which then was bright and gay, Where erst, I roved a happy child, So full of life and glee; All are gone-those visions wild, All gone, save memory.
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The Wabash rolls on either side This quiet, peaceful 'home; Like hearts, which fate, a time divides, Then sweetly blend in one, Its waters gently kiss the shore, As night winds kiss the sea; To one it brings sweet thoughts of yore, When fancy wandered free.
JUDGE BIDDLE'S ISLAND HOME, LOGANSPORT
But ah, how changed that loved spot, What sad regrets will come; Now strangers dwell within the cot, Dwell, in my childhood's home, My childhood's home, whose humble walls, Are dearer to my heart, Than all the pomp of lofty halls, Or palaces of art.
I know not what my lot may be, Or where my feet may roam; But earth can yield no spot to me, So dear as Island IIome. A few short years, and angel forms, Shall guide me to that shore, Where sin and sorrow never come, And partings are no more.
Miss Evaleen Stein, whose mother was Virginia Tomlinson, a sister of Mrs. Harry Torr, Mrs. D. D. Dykeman and D. W. Tomlinson, whose home now is in Lafayette, has been identified with Cass county and can justly be accorded a place in our history. 'She is a vivacious writer and has contributed to newspapers and magazines, and is the author
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of the following publications which have been well received by the read- ing public :
"One Way to the Woods" appeared, 1897, "Among the Trees Again," 1902 and "Troubador Tales," 1903.
George Winchell Stout first breathed the air at Marion, Indiana, 1874; came to Logansport in 1894, where he was united in marriage to Lillian D. Clary, April 5, 1899.
Mr. Stout was a local writer on the Journal in 1894-1896, later on Marion papers and at present resides at Indianapolis and contributes to the Star of that city. He is a spicy writer and has contributed some short poems, which have been favorably received.
Frank Swigart, born in Ohio, 1840, and when two years old moved with his father, Samuel Swigart, to Clay township, Cass county, where he grew to manhood.
He was married in 1865 to Margaret I. Cline, to which union five sons were born. Mr. Swigart enlisted in the Forty-sixth Indiana Regi- ment and rose to be captain of his company; was presidential elector, 1888; chief of law division of the treasury department, 1889-1893; referee in bankruptcy for eight years, and at the time of his death, 1912, was commander of the G. A. R. of Indiana. Captain Swigart was the author of a number of short stories and articles for the National Tribune, New York and Philadelphia papers; History of the Forty-sixth Indiana Regiment, assisted by Colonel Bringhurst; "Margaret of the Valley," "Hortense De Berri," not published, and "Mary Lawson," an interest- ing story of pioneer life, published in 1910, a copy of which was pre- sented to the Historical Society by the author.
J. Edmond Sutton, son of A. J. Sutton, born in Indiana, October 21, 1863; when a boy moved with his parents to Logansport; graduated from the Logansport high school, 1882; united in marriage, 1887 to Inez Stanley of Los Angeles, California, and had one daughter, Psyche, and one son, Lindlay R., the latter now editor of the Logansport Reporter. Mr. Sutton established the Bon-Ton, a literary paper, in 1885, and in and in 1888 the Daily Reporter, which he successfully published until his untimely death, January 6, 1900. He traveled in Europe and wrote a series of letters and published the same in book form, entitled "Across the Sea," a copy of which his widow presented to the Historical Society.
William W. Thornton was born in Cass county in 1851; attended Smithson College in Logansport and the law department of Michigan University and in 1880 was deputy attorney general of Indiana, under D. P. Baldwin, and since 1889 has resided in Indianapolis. Mr. Thornton was united in marriage to Mary F. Groves of Logansport.
Mr. Thornton has a great reputation as a legal writer and has prob- ably written more law books and contributed more articles to law journals than any writer in America; with few exceptions. In 1887 appeared his first work, "Statutory Construction," since which time he has issued scores of legal works too numerous to mention and Cass county may be flattered to own him as her son.
David Turpie, born in Ohio, 1829, died in Indianapolis, 1909. He studied law in the office of D. D. Pratt in Logansport in 1849, and practiced here from 1868 to 1872, when he moved to Indianapolis. His second wife was Alice Patridge of Logansport, whom he married in 1884. He was United States senator from 1887 to 1899. Mr. Turpie edited and compiled a number of law books, and in 1903 he published a very interesting work of 387 pages relating to his observations and experiences in early times, entitled, "Sketches of My Own Times," a copy of which was donated to the Cass County Historical Society by
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the author. Mr. Turpie was a profound lawyer, able speaker, erudite writer and a linguist, being master of seven languages.
Mrs. Alice Patridge Turpie, wife of Senator Turpie, who was reared in Logansport, also wrote some very beautiful poems, one of which, "Shadows on the Door," we reproduce in part :
Oft when the sun begins to set, And daily toil is o'er,
. I sit within the hall aind watch, The shadow on the door.
I read with earnest care the page, Full fraught with earnest lore, Anon, I pause to catch a glimpse Of shadows on the door.
And when the day dies in the west, Where fell the light before, I look, but look in vain to find The shadows on the door.
So life itself is brief and dim, Swift passing, seen no more, No trace is left, 'tis gone, 'tis gone, Like shadows on the door.
Oh may I pass the pearly gates, And walk the golden shore, Where all is light, no moon, no night, No shadows on the door.
Lee Wesley Wall, for many years a printer in Logansport, died here July 10, 1899, and lies at rest in Mount Hope cemetery. He was mar- ried, but left no children. Mr. Wall is the author of "Words of Com- fort," a religious book of 140 pages consisting of Bible quotations, with appropriate poetical accompaniments, many of which are original. It is an excellent work for lovers of moral and sacred verse. The book was published in 1896, by Longwell and Cummings.
Oscar Garrett Wall is a Cass county boy whose father laid out and named Walton, Indiana. He is a cousin of B. F. Louthain, and went west many years ago and became a newspaper man. In 1909 he pub- lished an interesting work of 285 pages, giving his recollections of the "Sioux Massacre" in 1862, and the Sibley Expedition in 1863. He describes many seenes and incidents of Indian life in the northwest, the causes leading up to the massacre, and a portrayal of that blood- thirsty act.
Charles E. Walk is a son of a Methodist minister and was born in Memphis, Tennessee, March 18, 1875, educated in the Indianapolis high school, married Mary H. Hamilton of Kokomo, Indiana, 1893, moved to Cass county in 1908 and now resides in Galveston.
Mr. Walk is a fluent writer of popular fiction and has written many short stories for various high class periodicals and is one of Indiana's rising novelists. He is the author of "Silver Blade," published in 1908; "Pater Noster Ruby," in 1910, both of which were very popular. The "Silver Blade" has been dramatized.
Weldon Webster, son of John P. Webster, a pioneer jeweler of Logansport, was born in Cass county, educated in the public schools, and
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studied law. He was united in marriage to Ida Ferguson, daughter of S. C. Ferguson of Logansport. In 1900, Mr. Webster moved to Chicago, where he is now engaged in law practice.
In 1893 he published a very readable novel, entitled "The Mystery of Louisa Pollard," consisting of nearly four hundred pages.
Williamson Wright, a pioneer lawyer of Logansport, born in Ohio, 1814, came to Logansport, 1835, died in 1896. Mr. Wright was state senator, 1840; president of the company that built the first railroad into Logansport in 1854. He was a forceable writer and contributed many addresses and articles to the papers and magazines. His printed address delivered July 4, 1896, is a good resume of local history of Cass county, which is preserved in Biddle's Miscellany, Vol. 53.
W. S. Wright, son of Williamson Wright, born in Logansport, January 11, 1857, educated at Wabash College; studied and practiced law in Logansport; editor and proprietor of the Logansport Journal, 1888-1898; lieutenant in the United States Signal Corps during the Spanish-American war, in Cuba and San Domingo; deputy postmaster, 1889-1893; deputy secretary of state of Indiana, 1894 and a contributor to a number of publications; is a versatile and fluent writer and is the author of "Pastime Sketches," a small book published by Longwells and Cummings in 1907, giving much local history of Logansport and Cass county.
Miss Melba Mildred Welty is the daughter of A. L. Welty of Young America, and was born in 1888. Miss Welty is a school teacher and when only fifteen years old composed many short poems and displayed some poetical talent. In 1911 she issued "Memories of Youth," a neat little book of 130 pages, consisting of twenty of her short poems on rural and domestic subjects. The book is illustrated and possesses some merits. A copy was donated to the Historical Society by the author.
In addition to the list of writers heretofore mentioned, quite a num- ber of Cass county citizens have written more or less on various topics, which may justly be credited to, and receive a merited place in the literature of the county. Some are living; others are numbered among the honored dead. A brief mention of their names and the nature of their writings will be here given. Will Ball has written and published a complete history of the Broadway M. E. church in pamphlet form, and Joseph E. Crain has performed a like service for the Market Street M. E. church. Rodney Strain, born 1841, died, 1910, has written the history of the First Presbyterian church. Rev. Atwood Percival, at one time pastor of the Broadway Presbyterian church, wrote a brief history of that church.
Rev. P. J. Crosson, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's church, Rev. Bernard Kraeger of St. Bridget's church and Rev. A. J. Kraeger of St. Joseph's church, have each written the history of their respective churches, and published in the "History of the Fort Wayne Diocese," in 1907.
David M. Dunn, consul to Prince Edward's Island, H. Z. Leonard and W. H. Jacks, formerly consuls at London Ontario, have each written government reports and other articles that may justly be cred- ited to the literature of Cass county.
Rufus Magee, as editor of the Pharos in the early '70's, and as minister to Sweden and Norway, has contributed in no small degree to the literature of the county.
Besides Judges Biddle and Baldwin, who are mentioned elsewhere, we have a number of lawyers and judges who have contributed to the legal lore and literature of the county. Judges William Z. Stuart, and Q. A. Myers of the state supreme court; Judges George E, Ross and
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M. B. Lairy of the appellate court; Judge Kenesaw M. Landis of the federal court; Judges D. B. McConnell, Dudley H. Chase, John C. Nelson, John S. Lairy, and George A. Gamble of the local courts, have all written legal decisions in addition to published papers and addresses, delivered or read on various occasions.
Charles Collins, in 1876, published a very good write-up of Logans- port. (See Biddle Miscellany Vol. 73.)
Dr. J. P. Hetherington, in the Indiana Union Traction magazine of October, 1910, has. an article on the water power and other local matters of Logansport and is a frequent contributor to the local press.
Dr. D. L. Overholser, born 1835, died 1907, has written some meritorious articles for local and religious papers and is the author of a number of inspiring hymns, published in the history of the Broad- way M. E. church and elsewhere. Hal Tead, a native Logansport boy, but now in the Wabash railroad office at Springfield, Illinois, has con- tributed several poems to the local press.
William M. Elliott, son of Mrs. D. C. Elliott, now a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has written some creditable verses and short stories for the Century Magazine.
Rev. N. S. Sage, pastor of the Universalist church, 1868-1875, was an able writer as well as eloquent speaker and some of his printed addresses are gems in their line. (See Biddle Miscellany Vol. 41.)
J. T. Harrison, an employee at Long Cliff asylum, compiled a book, containing a list of all charitable and penal institutions of the United States in 1907.
Frank H. Wipperman, cashier of the Trust Company Bank, is sometimes inspired by the Muse, and one of his poetical effusions was published in the Bon-Ton. (See Vol. 71, Biddle Miscellany.)
Dr. J. M. Justice, born 1817, died 1894, has delivered many speeches and addresses, chiefly of a political nature, in the Lincoln campaign, 1860, and subsequent thereto.
De Witt C. Justice, a prominent attorney who died in 1905, was a frequent contributor to the local press and edited and compiled the city ordinances in a creditable volume in 1892.
John A. Chappelow, born in 1841, died 1913, a Union soldier during the Civil war, and for forty-six years an attorney at the Logansport bar, has been an occasional contributor to eastern papers and magazines, as is also Chauncey M. Abbott.
Some articles of John B. Smith may be found in the Bon-Ton and College News, in Biddle Miscellany.
Professor Kircher, principal of the American Normal College in 1878, has some very able articles in the College News about that time.
Samuel L. McFaddin, born in Ohio, 1826, came to Cass county, 1839, where he resided until his death, 1902. He was a veteran of the Mexican war; served in the state legislature; mayor of the city, judge and county clerk. He was jovial and congenial in temperament and wrote many articles describing the amusing side of pioneer life, which were pub- lished in the Pharos.
"Outlaws," a story of the building of the Wabash and Erie canal, published by Appleton, 1891, while written by Levi Armstrong of Huntington, is of local interest as is also the song "On the Banks of the Wabash Far Away," written by Paul Dresser of Terre Haute.
Robert Brown, now editing a paper in Franklin, Indiana, was formerly a resident of Cass county and reporter on a local paper. He married. Anna Smith of Logansport, was elected clerk of the supreme court, is a writer of some distinction and deserves to be mentioned.
Dr. N. W. Cady, a practicing physician in Logansport since 1877,
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was born in Indianapolis, 1850, and was a reporter on the Indianapolis Journal. He is a stenographer and often reports for medical and other journals. He is a terse and concise writer and many of his writings are meritorious literary productions.
Miss Alice Milligan, a former teacher in the city schools, has written some very pretty little poems of more than ordinary merit.
Meade C. Williams, D. D., son of Jesse Williams of Fort Wayne who surveyed the Wabash and Erie canal through Logansport in 1833- 1834, often visited here and was interested in Logansport's business affairs, was a writer of some note, and in 1905 donated to the public library three of his books, to-wit: "Early Mackinac," "At the Well Side," a religious study of the Samaritan well; "A Glance at the Higher Criticism," the latter a sketch of the writer's trip abroad. Reverend Williams died about 1909.
Barton Warren Everman, Ichthyologist to the United States Fish Commission, was born in the adjoining county of Carroll and used to haul grain to Logansport and otherwise identified with the county. He has written a number of books; "Game and Food Fishes," published in 1902; "Fishes of North America," in four volumes in 1900. The former is found in our public library. Mr. Everman has also written on Hawaiian, Porto Rican and Alaskan fishes.
Mrs. Minnie Buchanan and Mrs. Ella Ballard are writers of some note and have each written articles on local history, one of which was published in W. S. Wright's "Pastime Sketches" and found in the public library.
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