History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, Part 28

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 942

USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana > Part 28

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

of thawing roads, tired, cross, and hungry. In this condition the late Oliver H. Smith carried to Cincinnati with his drove of hogs the news of his own election to the United States Senate. The elder John Wood drove horses to New Orleans in the same fashion, but less unpleasantly. He was

Smith), John M., Phebe (Mrs. M. A. Daugherty), Mary (Mrs. Robert L. Browning), Martha (Mrs. E. K. Foster), Cornelia (Mrs. R. L. Browning), and William E. Mr. Wood early became a dealer in horses, and continued this business first in New York State and later in Kentucky, to which State he removed. While residing in Maysville, in the latter State, he took horses in large numbers to the New Orleans market, and was the first man from Kentucky to engage in this enterprise. In Septem- ber, 1834, Mr. Wood made Indianapolis his resi- deuce, having for a brief period resided in Laneaster, Ohio, and purchased a farm of four hundred and

ונג

כז

153

CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.

eighty acres, most of which is now embraced within the city limits. He continued his business in Indi- anapolis, and became a large shipper of horses to other localities. He also opened an extensive livery- and sales stable, to which his son John succeeded in 1840, and has since transferred to his son, Horace F. Wood. Mr. Wood was in politics a firm and uncompromising Whig, but not an office-sceker, his time and attention having been entirely absorbed in the management of his extended private business. He was, however, active in the political field, and eager for the success of his party. He was a niem- ber of the order of Free and Accepted Masons, which he joined at an early day in Kentucky, as also of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows. His death occurred Jan. 6, 1847, in his sixty-third year. Two of his children, John M. and William E., still reside in Indianapolis.

Among the merchants of this primitive period of transportation were Lawrence M. Vance and David S. Beaty (of the firm of Vance & Beaty), both dead now after lives of honorable activity, cut off in their prime.

LAWRENCE MARTIN VANCE was the youngest of nine children of Capt. Samuel Colville Vance, who for many years held the responsible position of pay- master of the Northwestern Territory, with head- quarters at Fort Washington, now Cincinnati. He subsequently removed to a locality on the Ohio River which he named Lawrenceburg, after his wife's maiden name. His wife, Mary Morris Law- rence, mother of Lawrence M. Vance, was a grand- daughter of Gen. Arthur St. Clair.

L. M. Vance was born at Cincinnati, July 16, 1816. His youth until eighteen years of age was spent at Lawrenceburg. He was a companion in boyhood of Governor A. G. Porter, who speaks of him as a bright, venturesome lad, with sanguine temperament and open, manly naturc. Those traits certainly characterized his later life. His opportunities for early education were ample, but, freed from restraint by the death of his parents in carly childhood, he followed his inclination to engage in activo business pursuits and never completed a collegiate course. He removed in early manhood to Indianapolis.

There he engaged in general merchandise in partucr- ship with the late Hervey Bates, whose eldest daugh- ter, Mary J. Bates, he married in 1838.

With the first internal improvements in Indiana he became interested in railroads and railroad build- ing. He, was an officer of the first railroad to enter Indianapolis, and a large contractor and builder of one of those subsequently constructed. These en- terprises occupied the remainder of his active busi- ness life. He possessed a very large share of musical talent and no little culture, and was a member of the first choir in the city, that in Mr. Beccher's church.

From the first agitation of the "irrepressible con- flict" he was an ardent Republican, and a most zeal- ous supporter of the principles subsequently estab- lished by that party. He sent three sons to the war in defense of the Union, and himself was active and earnest in the cause, being intrusted with many im- portant commissions by the War Governor. His death, from pleurisy, occurred in March, 1863. His name is perpetuated in one of the largest business blocks in the city, erected by Mrs. Vance since his death.

Mr. Vance possessed a large, whole-souled, emo- tional nature, and Christian faith and work was a pleasure as well as a duty with him. The charac- teristics of his nature were those that came under obedience to the higher law of morals with natural ease and grace.

Socially, his wit and humor made him a most agreeable companion ; his intelligence and good sense made him an instructive one. Warm-hearted, kind, affectionate, a stranger to malice, he was the life of every circle in which he moved. He was a true friend, an affectionate father, a faithful husband, an upright and honest man.

DAVID SANDFORD BEATY .- John R. Beaty, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born Dec. 8, 1782, and married Elizabeth Sandford, born May 4, 1791. The birth of their son, David Sandford, occurred Dec. 31, 1814, in Brookville, Ind., where the years of his childhood were spent. After obtaining the rudiments of an education, he became a pupil at the State University, located in Blooming-

154

HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

ton, Ind. He then determined upon a business career, and choosing Indianapolis as a promising field for professional and business undertakings, he became an employé of Hervey Bates, Esq., and re- mained with that gentleman until his later con- nection with L. M. Vance in the establishment of a general dry-goods business. He was one of the chief promoters of the scheme for lighting the city with gas, assisted in the organization of the gas com- pany, and was for many years its efficient secretary. Mr. Beaty then established a general business agency for the collection of debts, the settlement of decedents' estates, and the exercise of guardianship.

These duties absorbed his time and attention and called him much into the Probate Court, in which he had extensive business connections. His ability and undoubted integrity soon threw upon him a large responsibility, and, in the special department which he controlled, so increased his labors as to make serious inroads upon his health, which was at no time robust. ' The trusts confided to him were often of the most important and delicate nature, requiring the greatest fidelity and keen business per- ception. The records of the county indieate how faithfully they were discharged, and many widows and orphans recall with gratitude the serupulous manner in which their interests were guarded. Mr. Beaty also for a while engaged in farming pursuits, but not to the exclusion of other matters of greater import. He was one of the first to introduce and encourage the system of public schools, and an early member of the School Board of Indianapolis. He was in politics first a Whig and later a firm adherent of the principles of the Republican party. In poli- tics, as in other matters, he was a man of profound convictions, which led him to be regarded as a strong partisan. He was in religion a supporter and mem- ber of the Christian Church. Mr. Beaty was mar- ricd, on the 25th of October, 1842, to Miss Naney Singleton, daughter of Dr. John Sanders, of Indian- apolis, and had eight children, of whom four survive. Mr. Beaty's death occurred Jan. 17, 1875, in his sixtieth year. He was regarded as "an honorable, upright man, whose life was pure and whose repu- tation was as bright as burnished silver."

· As before intimated, the early stores of the city mixed up groceries and dry-goods always, and it was thirty years or more before the separation was made complete and a customer had no reason to expect to find salt and silk, coffee and calico in the same house. When the separation was made, and hardware and groceries were kept to themselves, among the first in the enterprise of maintaining an unmixed grocery stock was John W. Holland, and in the similar maintenance of hardware was Abram Bird.

JOHN W. HOLLAND is the son of John Holland, who was of Southern birth, and resided successively

Holland

in Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana. Re- moving to the latter State in 1816, he settled in Franklin County, and engaged in the trade of a grocer. In 1825, Johnson County, Ind., became his residence, from whence he removed to Bartholomew County, and in 1827 he became a citizen of Indian- apolis, where he remained until his death in 1865, in his eighty-eighth year. He was married to Sarah Crisfield, and had children,-George B., Naney H., John W., David S., Samuel J., Rebecca E., and two

D. S. BEATY.

د :

Abram 13in

155

CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.

who died in infancy. John W., their second son, was born in Wellsburg, Brook Co., W. Va., Oct. 23, 1810, and early removed with his parents to Franklin County, Ind., where, after receiving a plain education, he served an apprenticeship in the printing business with Rev. Augustus D. Jocelyn, at Brookville, in the above county. In 1829 he removed to Lawrence- burg, and pursued his trade until the following year, when Indianapolis became his home. Here he en- gaged as clerk in the store of A. W. Russell & Co., at one hundred and twenty dollars per year and his board, and was thus employed until 1836, when he became a partner, and continued a member of the firm until 1839, when the business was closed. In 1842 he entered the establishment of William Sheets & Co. as clerk, and in 1847 began the commission grain business under the firm-name of Blythe & Holland. Connected with it was the jobbing of groceries, which was continued until 1850, when the firm removed their stock to the corner of Washing- ton and Pennsylvania Streets, and conducted an ex- clusively grocery jobbing business. This was con- ducted under various firm-names until 1877, when the disasters of the panic, together with enfeebled health, occasioned Mr. Holland's retirement. He, however, still maintained his character for integrity and honor by liquidating all his indebtedness. It was proverbial that in all his business transactions " his word was as good as his bond." Mr. Holland is in politics a Republican, though not an active worker in the political ranks. He is in his religious affiliations a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having for fifty-two years identified his name with the Old Wesley Chapel, in Indianapolis, and continued his relations with that church until his later connection with the Roberts Park Methodist Episcopal Church. . He has at various times filled the positions of class-leader, exhorter, local deacon, and local elder. Mr. Holland was, in 1834, married to Miss Naney A., daughter of William Farquar, of Louisville, Ky., to whom were born seven children, the survivors being Charles Edward, Theodore F., Francis R., John H., and Edmonia M. Mrs. Hol- land died in 1848, and he was a second time mar- ried, in 1849, to Eliza J. Beckwith, daughter of )

Joseph Roll, of Marion County, whose children are Pamelia H., Benjamin B., and Willie G.

ABRAM BIRD .- Henry Bird, the father of Abram, was a native of Virginia. His wife still survives, in the eighty-cighth year of her age. Their son Abram was born Nov. 8, 1817, on a farm rear Shelbyville, Ky., from whence, after some years devoted to farm labor, interspersed with limited educational advan- tages, he removed to Indianapolis, at that early period but a small village. His first business expe- rience was as a clerk in a hardware-store, where by industry and economy he, after several years of ser- vice, accumulated sufficient means to establish himself in the same business near the northeast corner of Washington and Illinois Streets. At this time Washington (then called Main) Street was not adorned with shade-trees, Mr. Bird having been the pioneer in the planting of trees in this locality. This disinterested act called forth the warmest com- mendation from the editor of the Sentinel, who pre- sented him, as a tribute of regard, a year's subserip- tion to the paper. Mr. Bird developed early in life unusual business capacity, which with assiduous de- votion to his various enterprises secured a compe- tenee, with which he retired about the beginning of the late war. Though not directly associated with any religious organization, he manifested a keen in- terest in church enterprises, and frequently contributed toward the erection of churches and the furtherance of religious causes. In politics he was an ardent Whig until the dissolution of that party, when he espoused the principles of the Democratic party, of which he was in later years a zealous defender. He was in November, 1843, married to Miss Ann Maria, daughter of George Norwood, of Indianapolis, to which union two children were born, William F. and Georgia (Mrs. Goldsberry). The death of Mr. Bird occurred Oct. 20, 1881, at his home in Indianapolis, at the age of sixty-four years.

Although all inward transportation was so largely done by wagons, and wholly by them after the first decade of the settlement, a considerable amount was done by keel-boats up to that time, while all exporta- tion of any consequence was done by flat-boats, as related in the earlier part of this work. Of the

156

HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

extent and character of the commerce of that day some notion may be obtained from a report in the Journal of 1827. The total "imports" of the year amounted to about ten thousand dollars, embracing chiefly seventy-six kegs of tobacco, two hundred bar- rels of flour, one hundred kegs of powder, four thou- sand five hundred pounds of spun yarn, and two hun- dred and thirteen barrels of whiskey, besides seventy- one barrels made here. Except this statement we have little account of the early commerce of the city, and no means of making comparisons or estimating advances from one period to another. But in one of the earliest copies of a daily paper published in Indianapolis, dated Jan. 16, 1843,-the earliest daily was but a year older,-there is an interesting indica- tion of the business of that time in the advertise- ments. Though irrelevant to this particular topic, it is relevant to the general history to notice here the fact that legal advertisements were published in this paper for Morgan, Hendricks, Boone, and Hancock Counties, -a fair indication that forty years ago neither county bad a paper of its owo. The first business adver- tisement is that of our pioneer artist, Jacob Cox, still easily the first and most eminent, and his brother Charles, that they are selling " cooking stoves," a comparatively recent innovation then. " Brandreth's Pills" are advertised largely as for sale at the book- store of Charles B. Davis, still a resident here. Tomlinson Brothers advertise ." Sand's Remedy" and " Dr. E. Spohn's Remedy for Sick-Headache." One of the brothers is still living here. Benjamin Orr adver- tises ready-made clothing ; he was the first to open a house of that kind here in 1838. E. Hedderly, a leading grocer then, advertises printing ink. Daniel Yandes, one of the leading pioneers in all enterprises, advertises a pocket-book, with “ ten dollars and valu- able papers" in it, lost " during Mr. Clay's speech" the preceding October. Judge Blackford advertises his reports of the Supreme Court, cheap then, in- valuable now. John Lister advertises a new " livery- stable on the alley north of the Palmer House" (Occidental). The late William W. Weaver adver- tises a "cabinet wareroom." Day, Tyler & Co. ad- vertise bookbinding. Mr. Tyler is now a farmer in Perry township. Peck & Willard (Mr. Willard

is still living) advertise a stock of the miscellaneous character usual at that period,-" machine cards, ladies' shoes, cambric linen handkerchiefs, silk shirts, ladies' gloves, hemp and mauilla cordage, Chine silks for ladies' dresses ; want two thousand pounds of geese feathers." Craighead & Brandon, predecessors of Browning & Sloan, take a whole column for their patent medicines. E. Hedderly and Justin Smith take another column for their groceries. Mr. Smith was father-in-law of Mr. John HI. B. Nowland, the well-known local author. Last of all, E. J. Peck and E. Hedderly advertise to farmers that they have made preparations " to manufacture lard from oil, and are ready to receive lard in large or small quantities ;" " mast-fed pork will be taken at a small difference in price." Mr. Peck was master bricklayer on the old State-House, subsequently largely interested in the gas company here and the Vandalia Railroad, of which he was superintendent and president.

EDWIN J. PECK was among the foremost citizens of Indianapolis, and actively identified with its com- mercial and religious interests. His birth occurred near New Haven., Conn., on the 16th of October, 1806, where his life prior to his advent in Indiana was spent. He was on his arrival in Indianapolis employed in superintending the mason-work of the new State-House then being erected, and intended during the fall of 1836 to return to his native State. He was, however, so greatly impressed with the enterprise, hospitality, and extended opportunities offered in the capital city that he decided upon making it his permanent residence. Very speedily engaging in business, he contracted for and built the Branch Bank buildings at Madison, Terre Haute, Lafayette, and South Bend. He was a director of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad in its most prosperous days, and prominent in the pro- jection of the Indianapolis and Terre Haute Railroad (now the Vandalia Line), having given it his per- sonal supervision during its construction as well as the survey. He was elected its first treasurer, and afterward became its president, and was for a period of twenty years associated with its management. He was also president of the Union Railway Com- pany. He was for several years president of the

والب الرياء

ـ يه ـ

را

ل .. .رز

مايسة

ـار

يـ

ك.

1 -

...

נלי

١٦٠

٢٢

. وورد

١ ٢٤ ٢

٢٢٢ ٠

ببا سب ى

6€¢

-----

LB Pattison

157

CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.

Indianapolis Gaslight and Coke Company, and for a long time one of the directors of the Insane Asy- lum. In connection with other prominent citizens he laid out and beautified the burial-place near the city known as Greenlawn Cemetery. Mr. Peck pos- sessed a large-hearted generosity, and manifested this trait in many unostentatious deeds of kindness during his lifetime. Especially was this manifested in the substantial aid given to individuals in business enterprises and in encouragement to manufacturing interests. He was a man of strong convictions, of steadfast purpose where a principle was involved, and with courage to defend the right and combat the wrong. He was cautious in all business opera- tions,-a trait which contributed greatly to his suc- cessful career. In his religious convictions he was a Presbyterian, and a liberal contributor toward the erection of the Second Presbyterian Church of Indian- apolis, to which he made a munificent bequest on his death. Wabash College was also the recipient of a legacy of very cousiderable proportions, as was the Protestant Orphan Asylum. Mr. Peck was in 1840 married to a daughter of Rev. John Thomp- son, who still survives. His death occurred Nov. 6, 1876, soon after his seventieth birthday, leaving the record of a virtuous life that rendered him greatly beloved.

As related in a preceding chapter, several attempts to establish an Exchange, or Board of Trade, or some similar organization were made before any succeeded. The late William Y. Wiley, the first real estate agent in the days when it meant something, tried to estab- lish an Auction and Stock Exchange in October, 1853, but it died in a few weeks, and repeated attempts and failures preceded the present firmly-established Board of Trade. The present condition of the city's commerce is presented in the fact that the number of cars arriving and leaving here is about twenty thou- sand a week, or one million a year, of which two- thirds are loaded, or at least six hundred thousand, each carrying an average of fifteen tons. This gives a total tonnage in the year of nine million, equal to the freight of nine thousand ships carrying one thou- sand tons cach, or about twenty-five every day of the year. Much of this, of course, merely passes through

the city, but what belongs and remains here appears from the report of the secretary of the Board of Trade, which says that the importations through the Custom-House for the year 1882-the last of which any report is ready at this time-amounted to $213,119, paying duties to the amount of $81,513. The clearances of the Clearing-House amounted to $101,577,523. In the wholesale trade we have the following summary :

Dry-goods

$6,000,000

Groceries.

6,300,000

Hardware and iron.

2,350,000

Drugs, paiots, oils, otc.

2,000,000

Boots and shoes.

1,575,000

Queensware ..

700,000

Hats and caps

385,000

Toys and fancy goods.

525,000

Confectionery ..

540,000

Coffee and spices.

140,000

Clothing.

420,000

Millinery. 725,000

Saddlery and carriage goods.

575,000

Leather, findings, and belting.

610,000

Produce and commission.

1,075,000

Agricultural machinery ..

1,500,000

$25,420,000

This was an increase of seventeen per cent. over the year before. Among the most prominent and successful of the wholesale dealers of the city may be named Mr. C. B. Pattison and Mr. William Johnson.

COLEMAN B. PATTISON .- The Pattisons are of Irish lineage. Edward Pattison, the grandfather of Coleman B., was a native of Kentucky, and later re- moved to Indiana. He married Hester Day and had children, twelve in number, of whom Isaac, John, James, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Joseph D., and Nel- son survived. Joseph D. was born Sept. 10, 1809, in Kentucky, and moved in his early youth to Indi- ana, where he pursued the vocation of a farmer and speculator. Indianapolis subsequently became his residence, from which he repaired to Franklin town- ship, his present home. He married Miss Lucinda Mawzy, of Bourbon County, Ky., and had daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth, and sons, Coleman B. and Joseph. Coleman B. was born near Rushville, in Rush County, Ind., April 9, 1845, on the farm of his father. In early life he was sent to Farmers' Col- lege, near Cincinnati, Ohio (of which he was a trus-

158

HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

tee), where he graduated in his seventeenth year, taking high rank in his class. He then came to In- dianapolis, and became a clerk in the dry-goods and motion jobbing house of Crossland & Co., then doing business near Masonie Hall. He remained with this house until 1864, one year, when it changed hands, and the firm of Webb, Tarkington & Co. came into possession. He continued with the new firm for one year, when another change took place, and he came into the house as a one-third partner, the firm-name then being changed to Landers, Tarkington & Patti-

soD. In 1867 this firm was succeeded by Hibben, Tarkington & Co., Mr. Pattison continuing with the house. This firm was succeeded by Messrs. Hibben, Kennedy & Co. in 1870. In 1875 the house again changed hands, Mr. Pattison taking an active part- nership, and the firm-name being changed to Hibben, Pattison & Co. He continued in this position until July, 1880, when his interest was sold to Mr. J. W. ! Murphy. Sueh, in brief, is a history of Mr. Patti- son's business eareer.

About the year 1877, Mr. Pattison's health began to fail. He was sensible from the first of the nature of the disease that had marked him as its vietim, and hoping for benefit from change of elimate, in the fall of 1877 went to Florida, where he remained all winter. He returned and spent the summer of 1878 looking after his business interests, and the following autumn went to Europe, remaining there until the spring of 1879, when he again returned. His foreign visit, like the others, had been of but little avail, but he determined to exhaust every expedient, and after remaining at home through the summer and autumn of that year, he departed for California, and prolonged his stay until the 20th of May. Finding that despite all he could do his health was fast failing, he returned to await the inevitable result of his malady. Up to the very hour of his death he seemed to possess all those bright, quiek, keen qualities that had been so characteristic of him through his more active life. Of him it has often been remarked that he was one of the best business men in Indianapolis. He had a large cirele of friends and acquaintances, both in and out of business, and by his genial temper and attractive qualities of mind and heart formed many attachments.

Mr. Pattison early in life exhibited quite a taste for literary pursuits, and had he turned his attention in that direction would undoubtedly have distinguished himself. He wielded a graceful and facile pen, and has contributed numerous articles to the local press.

Mr. Pattison was married on the 6th of June, 1867, to Miss Sarah J. Hamilton. Their children are Joseph H., Emma A., Samuel L., Day Coleman, and George C. The death of Coleman B. Pattison oeeurred on the 27th day of September, 1880.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, Part 28

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 942

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 942