USA > Indiana > Marshall County > History of Indiana : containing a history of Indiana and biographical sketches of governors and other leading men. Also a statement of the growth and prosperity of Marshall County, together with a personal and family histry of many of its citizens, Vol. I > Part 26
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" INDIANAPOLIS, April 15, 1861.
"To ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States. - On behalf of the state of Indiana, I tender to you, for the defense of the nation, and to uphold the authority of the government, ten thousand men.
"OLIVER P. MORTON. " Governor of Indiana."
In seven days from the date of this offer over three times the number of men required to fill Indiana's quota of the president's call, offered
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their services to the country. Never in the world's history did the peo- ple of a state respond more cheerfully and more enthusiastically to the call of duty, than did the people of Indiana in 1861. . This record of the state, which Mr. Morton was instrumental in planning, reflects imperishable honor on his name, and from that time forth he was known throughout the nation as the " Great War Governor." Dur- ing the entire period of the war he performed an incredible amount of labor, counseling the president, encouraging the people, organiz- ing regiments, hurrying troops to the field, forwarding stores, and inspiring all with the enthusiasm of his own earnestness. His labors for the relief of the soldiers, and their dependent and needy families, were held up as matters of emulation by the governors of other states, and the result of his efforts seconded by the people was that. during the war over $600,000 of moneys and supplies were collected and conveyed to Indiana soldiers in camp, field, hospital and prison. The limits of a sketch like this forbid a detailed account of Gov. Morton's public acts. He displayed extraordinary industry and ability, and in his efforts in behalf of the soldier justly earned the title of " The Soldiers' Friend." The legislature of 1862 was not in accord with the political views of Gov. Morton, and it refused to re- ceive his message, and in other ways treated him with want of con- sideration and respect. It was on the point of taking from him the command of the militia, when the republican members withdrew, leaving both houses without a quorum. In order to carry on the state government and pay the state bonds he obtained advances from banks and county boards, and appointed a bureau of finance, which for two years made all disbursements of the state, amounting to more than $1,000,000. During this period he refused to summon the legislature, and the supreme court condemned his arbitrary course, but the people subsequently applauded his action. By assuming great responsibilities he kept the machinery of the state in mo- tion and preserved the financial credit of the commonwealth by securing advances through an eastern banking house to pay the in- terest on the public debt. In 1864 he was again nominated for gov- ernor against Hon. Joseph E. McDonald, whom he defeated by an overwhelming majority. These two distinguished men made a joint canvass of the state, and passed through it with the utmost good feel- ing. In 1865 Gov. Morton received a partial paralytic stroke, affect- ing the lower part of his body, so that he never walked afterward
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without the use of canes. His mind, however, was in no wise affected by the shock, but continued to grow stronger while helived. In Jan- uary, 1867, he was elected to the United States senate, and immediately thereafter resigned the governorship to Conrad Baker, who served the remainder of the gubernatorial term. In 1873 he was re elected to the senate and continued a leading member of that body while he lived. In the senate he ranked among the ablest members, was chairman of the committee on privileges and elections, was the ac- knowledged leader of the republicans, and for several years exercised a determining influence over the course of the party. He labored zealously to secure the passage of the fifteenth amendment, was active in the impeachment proceedings against Andrew Johnson, and was the trusted adviser of the republicans of the south. In the national republican convention of 1876, he received next to the highest number of ballots for the presidential nomination, and in 1877 was a member of the celebrated electoral commission. In 1870 President Grant offered Senator Morton the English mission, which was de- clined. After visiting Oregon in the spring of 1877, as chairman of a committee to investigate the election of Senator Grover, of that state, he suffered another stroke of paralysis, which terminated in his death, November 1st, of the same year. The death of no man with the exception of President Lincoln, ever created so much grief in In- diana, as did that of Senator Morton, and he was mourned almost as much throughout the entire nation. On the 17th of the next Janu- ary, Mr. McDonald offered in the senate a series of resolutions in re- lation to Senator Morton's death, which were unanimously adopted. In speaking of these resolutions, Mr. McDonald said: "Naturally combative and aggressive, intensely in earnest in his undertakings, and intolerant in regard to those who differed with him. it is not strange that while he held together his friends and followers with hooks of steel, he caused many whose patriotism and love of country were as sincere and unquestioned as his own, to place themselves in political hostility to him. That Oliver P. Morton was a great man is conceded by all. In regard to his qualities as a statesman, men do differ now and always will. But that he was a great partisan leader - the greatest of his day and generation - will hardly be questioned, and his place in that particular field will not, perhaps, be soon sup- plied." Senator Burnside said: " Morton was a great man. His judgment was good, his power of research was great, his integrity
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was high, his patriotism was lofty, his love of family and friends un- limited; his courage indomitable." The following is from Senator Edmonds: " He was a man of strong passions and great talents, and as a consequence a devoted partisan. In the field in which his patriotism was exerted it may be said of him as it was of the Knights of St. John in the holy wars, 'In the fore front of every battle was seen his burnished mail and in the gloomy rear of every retreat was heard his voice of constancy and courage.'" The closing speech upon the adoption of the resolutions was made by his successor, D. W. Voorhees who used the following: "Senator Morton was without doubt a very remarkable man. His force of character can- not be over estimated. His will power was simply tremendous. He threw himself into all his undertakings with that fixedness of purpose and disregard of obstacles which are always the best guarantees of success. This was true of him whether engaged in a lawsuit, organ- izing troops during the war, conducting a political campaign, or a de- bate in the senate. The same daring, aggressive policy characterized his conduct everywhere."
HENRY SMITH LANE, for two days governor of Indiana, was born February 24, 1811, in Montgomery county, Ky. He secured a good practical education, and at the age of eighteen, commenced the study of law. Soon after attaining his majority, he was admitted to the bar, and in 1835, came to Indiana and located at Crawfordsville where he soon obtained a good legal practice. His winning manners made him very popular with the people, and in 1837, he was elected to represent Montgomery county in the state legislature. In 1840 he was a candidate for congress against Edward A. Hannegan, whom he defeated by 1,500 votes. He was re-elected the next year over John Bryce, and as a national representative, ranked with the ablest of his colleagues. He took an active part in the presidential cam- paign of 1844, and made a brilliant canvass throughout Indiana for his favorite candidate, Henry Clay. On the breaking out of the Mexican war, Mr. Lane at once organized a company, was chosen captain, and later, became major and lieutenant colonel of the regi- ment, and followed its fortunes until mustered out of service. In 1858 Col. Lane was elected to the United States senate, but owing to opposition on the part of democratic senators, he did not take his seat. On February 27, 1860, he was nominated by acclamation for
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governor, and was elected over Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks by a ma- jority of about 10,000 votes. Two days after the delivery of his first message, Gov. Lane was elected to the senate of the United States. He at once resigned the governorship, the shortest term in that office on record in Indiana. In the senate, Mr. Lane did not attain any great distinction, as it was not the place for the exercise of his pe- culiar talents as an orator, which were better suited to the hustings than to a dignified legislative body. When Col. Lane's senatorial term expired, he returned to his home in Crawfordsville, and never afterward held public office except the appointment of Indian com- missioner, by Pres. Grant. He was chosen president of the first national convention that assembled in 1856, and nominated John C. Fremont. It is worthy of note that every nomination ever conferred upon him was by acclamation and without opposition in his party. In person, Col. Lane was tall, slender and somewhat stoop shouldered. His face was thin and wore a kindly expression. In his later days, the long beard he wore was white as snow. He moved quickly, and his bearing was that of a cultured man. He departed this life at his home in Crawfordsville, on the 18th day of June, 1981.
THOMAS A. HENDRICKS was the son of Major John Hendricks, and the grandson of Abraham Hendricks, a descendant of the Hugue- nots, who emigrated to New Jersey and thence to Pennsylvania, prior to the revolution. Abraham Hendricks was a man of remarka- ble force of character. He was elected to the Pennsylvania assembly first in 1792, and served four terms, the last ending in 1798. Will- iam Hendricks, second governor of Indiana, preceded his brother John in moving to this state from Ohio, and had gained much notoriety as a talented and public man when Major John finally con- cluded to risk his fortune in the wilds of the new west. John Hend- ricks, prior to 1829, resided with his family at Zanesville, Ohio. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane Thompson, and a niece, were the only members of the Thompson family who emigrated west, the others remaining in Pennsylvania and other eastern states, where some of them gained enviable reputations in law, medicine, politics and ministry. Shortly after their marriage John Hendricks and wife moved to Muskingum, Ohio, where they lived for some time in a rude log house, one story, one room, one door and two windows, built of round logs and chinked and daubed after the pioneer fashion. In this little domicile were born two sons, Abraham and Thomas A.
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The last named, Thomas A., was born September 7, 1819. The next year, 1820, lured by the brilliant career of William Hendricks, here- tofore spoken of, Major John Hendricks with his little family, re- moved to Madison, Ind., then the metropolis of the state. Two years later the family removed to Shelby county, at that time a wil- derness, and settled on the present site of Shelbyville. Here the; father commenced to erect a house and carve a career for their hope- ful son, then scarcely three years of age. A dwelling was soon constructed, trees felled, and a farm opened, and the Hendricks house early became a favorite stopping place for all who saw fit to accept its hospitalities. The future vice president received his early educa- tional training in the schools of Shelbyville, and among his first teachers was the wife of Rev. Eliphalet Kent, a lady of excellent cul- ture, fine education, graceful, and nobly consecrated to the Master, to whom Mr. Hendricks was largely indebted for much of his training and success. Having completed his course in the common schools, he entered Hanover college in 1836, where he remained for the greater part of the time until 1841. On leaving college he returned to Shelbyville, and commenced the study of law in the office of Stephen Major, then a young lawyer of brilliant attainments, and considera- ble tact and experience. In 1843 Mr. Hendricks went to Chambers- burg, Penn., where he entered the law school, in which Alexander Thompson was instructor, a man of distinguished ability, extensive learning, and much experience as judge of the sixteenth judicial dis- trict of that state. After eight months' arduous work in this insti- tution, he returned to Shelbyville, passed an examination, and was the same year admitted to the bar. His first case was before Squire Lee, his opponent being Nathan Powell, a young acquaintance who had opened an office about the same time. The cause was a trivial ·one, yet the young attorneys worked hard and with the vim of old practitioners for their respective clients. Mr. Hendricks won, and after complimenting Mr. Powell upon his effort, he gracefully served the apples which had been generously furnished by an enthusiastic spectator. Thus started the young advocate who was destined to be- come one of the nation's greatest and most beloved statesmen. In 1843 he formed the acquaintance of Miss Eliza Morgan, who was the daughter of a widow, living at North Bend, and two years later, September 26, 1845, the two were united in the bonds of wedlock. So soon as Mr. Hendricks emerged from boyhood his success as a
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lawyer and public man was assured. Having established an office in Shelbyville, he gained in a short time a fair competence, and soon became one of the leading attorneys of the place. As an advocate he had few equals, and as a safe counsellor none surpassed him at the Shelby county bar. In the year 1848 Mr. Hendricks was nominated for the lower house of the general assembly, was elected after a brill- iant canvass, and served his term with marked distinction. In 1850 he was chosen a delegate to the state constitutional convention, in the deliberations of which he took an active part, having served on two very important committees, and won distinction by a brilliant speech upon the resolution relative to the abolition of the grand jury system. The following year was the beginning of Mr. Hendricks' career in national politics. He was nominated for congress at In- dianapolis, May 16, 1851, over several other candidates, made a vigor- ous canvass, and was elected by a decided majority over Col. James P. Rush, the whig candidate. In congress he progressed with signal ability, and was called to act on some of the most important com- mittees, and soon won a national reputation. Scarce had congress ad- journed when he was required to make another campaign, for the constitution had transferred the congressional elections to even years, and the month to October. The whig candidate, John H. Bradley. of Indianapolis, was a brilliant man and a public speaker of rare at- tainments, whom Mr. Hendricks defeated by a largely increased ma- jority. In 1854, when the northern whigs were in a chaotic condition, pro-slavery, anti-slavery, free-soilers, abolitionists, know- nothings and democrats commingling in a storm of confusion a " fusion " state and congressional ticket was formed for the occasion. Opposed to Mr. Hendricks was Lucian Barbour, a talented lawyer of Indianapolis, who exerted himself to combine all the opponents of democracy. Mr. Hendricks made a vigorous and manly contest, but was defeated, after which he retired to his profession and his home, at Shelbyville. In 1855 he was appointed by President, Pierce, general land commissioner, in which capacity he served nearly four years, and in 1860 was nominated for governor of Indiana, against Henry S. Lane. After a brilliant and able canvass, during which the two competitors spoke together in nearly every county of the state, de- feat again came to Mr. Hendricks. In the same year he moved to Indianapolis, where he lived until his death. In January, 1863, he was elected to the United States senate, which position he held for
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six years. In 1872 he was again nominated for governor, his oppo- nent being Gen. Thomas Brown, a man of ability and enviable repu- tation. This campaign was peculiar in one particular. The republicans had infused the crusaders with the idea that they were the salvation of their cause, while the democracy opposed all sumptu- ary laws. Yet Mr. Hendricks went before the people as a temper- ance man, opposed to prohibition, but willing to sign any constitu- tional legislation looking toward the amelioration of erime and the advancement of temperance. He was elected and kept his pledges to the letter. He always kept his pledges inviolate, and ever remained true to his friends. He had a high sense of duty, and a spirit of philanthropy pervaded his whole nature. In 1876 he was nomin- ated for the viee presidency on the democratic ticket with Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, and of this election it was elaimed they were fla- grantly defrauded by returning boards and the electoral commission. In 1880 the name of Thomas A. Hendricks was placed in nomination for the presideney, at Cincinnati, by Indiana, and his nomination was strongly urged in the convention. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Chicago convention, and as chairman of the Indiana delegation, pre- sented in fitting terms and masterly manner, the name of Joseph E. McDonald for the presidency. After the latter had positively refused to accept the second place on the ticket, Mr. Hendricks was almost unanimously chosen, and the successful ticket for 1884, the first in twenty-five years, became Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hend- rieks. But few greater calamities ever befell the people than the death of Vice President Hendricks, which occurred on the 25th day November, 1885, at his home in Indianapolis, of heart disease. Mr. Hendricks was one of the nation's greatest men; deep, broad-minded, diplomatic and above all, a true man. His aets and speeches in con- gress, both in the house and senate, his defense of what he conceived to be right, his labors for the poor, the oppressed and the wronged of every class in this and other countries, were of great interest to his people and worthy of emulation by all. His devotion to his party, his candor and honesty of purpose, his noble ambition to serve the people faithfully, his philanthropy and universal love of mankind, all combined to make him one of the noblest of men. Strong in his convictions, yet courteous to opponents. Great in intelleet, yet ap- proachable by the humblest of men. High in position, he met every man as his equal. Independent in thought, self-reliant in principle,
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and rich in pleasant greetings to all whom he met. Though dead he yet lives in the hearts of the people, and his noble characteristics stand out in bold relief as beacon lights to guide and direct genera- tions yet to be.
JAMES D. WILLIAMS was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, Janu- ary 16, 1808, and moved with his parents to Indiana, in 1818, settling near the town of Vincennes, Knox county. He grew to manhood there, and upon the death of his father, in 1828, the support of the family devolved on him. He received a limited education in the pioneer log school-house, but, by mingling with the best people in the neighborhood, he obtained a sound practical knowledge of men and things, which, in a great measure, compensated for his early de- ficiency in literary studies, so that when on reaching his majority, he was unusually well versed for one in his circumstances. He was reared a farmer, and naturally chose agriculture for his life work, and followed it with much more than ordinary success, until the close of his long and useful life. Gov. Williams entered public life in 1839, as justice of the peace, the duties of which he discharged in an eminently satisfactory manner for a period of four years, resigning in 1843. In the latter year he was elected to the lower house of the state legisla- ture, and from that time until his election to the national congress in 1874, he was almost continuously identified with the legislative service of the state. Few men in Indiana have been so long in the public service, and few have been identified with more popular legislative measures than he. It is to him that the widows of Indiana are in- debted for the law which allows them to hold, without administra- tion, the estates of their deceased husbands, when they do not exceed $300 in value. He was the author of the law which distributed the sinking fund among the counties of the state, and to him are the peo- ple largely indebted for the establishment of the state board of agri- culture, an institution that has done much to foster and develop the agricultural interests of Indiana. He was a delegate to the national democratic convention at Baltimore in 1872, and in 1873 was the democratic nominee for United States senator, against Oliver P. Mor- ton, but the party being in the minority, he was defeated. He served in the national house of representatives from December, 1875, till December, 1876, when he resigned, having been elected governor in the latter year. The campaign of 1876 was a memorable one, dur- ing which the opposition, both speakers and press, ridiculed the demo-
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cratic nominee for governor, making sport of his homespun clothes and plain appearance, but the democracy seized upon his peculiarities' and made them the watchwords of victory. Gov. Williams, or Blue Jeans, as his friends were pleased to call him, was a man of the strictest integrity, and was known as a careful, painstaking execu- tive entering into the minutest details of his office. He was self- willed and self-reliant, and probably consulted fewer persons about his official duties than any of his predecessors. In personal appear- ance, Gov. Williams was over six feet high, remarkably straight, had large hands and feet, high cheek bones, long sharp nose, gray eyes, and a well formed head, covered profusely with black hair. He was ,courteous in his intercourse with others, a good conversationalist, and possessed in a very marked degree, shrewdness and force of character. He died in the year 1880.
ISAAC PUSEY GRAY, one of the most prominent party leaders of Indiana, was born in Chester county, Penn., October 18, 1828. In 1836, he was clerk in a dry goods store in New Madison, Ohio, and afterward became its proprietor. In 1855 he removed to Union City, Ind., where he engaged in business for three years. Like nearly every other successful politician in Indiana, the future Gov. Gray eventually adopted the law as the surest stepping stone to fame and fortune. After a few years of practice, however, the civil war came on and, being an ardent unionist, Mr. Gray accepted a captaincy of the Fourth Indiana cavalry, which position he retained until com- pelled to retire on account of ill health. Subsequently he recruited the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Indiana infantry. Originally a whig, Mr. Gray drifted naturally into the republican party after its formation, and was for a long time one of its influential members. Dissatisfied with the administration of Grant, he joined the Greeley liberal movement in 1872, and from that time on, acted with the democrats. The latter received him with open arms and speedily showered upon him their highest honors. He was elected lieutenant governor on the democratic ticket in 1876, and was renominated for the same position in 1880, but was defeated. In 1884 he reached the goal of his ambition, by receiving the democratic nomination for gov- ernor, to which position he was triumphantly elected in the fall of that year. He served with energy and ability, for four years, his ad- ministration proving so satisfactory to his partisan friends that he became the recognized leader of the democratic party in Indiana. He
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was that party's choice for vice presidential candidate on the ticket with Grover Cleveland in 1888, and his supporters always insisted that Gray's nomination would have insured Cleveland's election. Previous to that event, his friends urged him for the United States senate in the winter of 1886-'87, and he would, no doubt, have achieved that honor, but for the fact that he occupied the governor's chair, and could not vacate it without giving place to a republican successor, which for party reasons, he was anxious to avoid. Since his retirement from the governorship, Mr. Gray has held no office, but has been a busy leader and spokesman for his party in the state, which thinks there is no honor too high for their favorite to aspire to. Gov. Gray has a strong personality, is an excellent judge of men and their motives, an exceedingly able organizer, and a speaker of more than ordinary ability. When to this is added a handsome per- sonal presence and courteous address, a natural talent for acquiring and retaining friends, his popularity as a party leader is easily ac- counted for.
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