USA > Indiana > Memorial and genealogical record of Representative Citizens of Indiana > Part 57
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Mr. Smith's death occurred on September 25, 1909, at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, while on his way home from Lake James, where he had been spending a few days with his wife. His death was due to apoplexy. At his funer: The was accorded one of the most remarkable tributes ever paid the memory of a resident of Black- ford county. During the hours of the services business and pub- lic activities generally were abandoned ont of respect to the man whom every one felt was his friend.
Thus passed a good man and true. His life was as an open book, with nothing to conceal. He was a man of rare gifts and great moral courage, never shifting his burdens to others and al- ways choosing the harder tasks himself. Sham, pretense, in- stability and inefficiency were foreign to his nature. His inter- ests were broad and general. He felt that money, time and talent were for the furtherance of great ends and good causes. His char- acter was many-sided, in some ways unique -- a man in whom others reposed implicit confidenec.
HON. JESSE OVERSTREET.
Human life is like the waves of the sea. They flash a few brief . .1 1 A punct and beauty, and then are dashed upon the relentless shores of death and disappear for- ever. As the mighty deep has rolled for ages past and chanted its sublime requiem and will continue to roll during the coming ages until time shall : e no more, so will the waves of human life follow each other in countless succession until they are mingled at Jast with the billows of eternity's boundless sea. The passing of any human life, however hmuble and unknown, is sure to give rise to a pang of anguish to some heart, but when the fell destroyer knocks audibly at the door of the useful and great and removes from earthly seenes the man of honor and influence it not only means bereavement to kindred and friends, but a public calamity as well. In the largest and best sense of the term, the Hon. Jesse Overstreet was distinctively one of the notable men of his day and generation, and as such is entitled to a conspicuous place in the annals of his state, for as a citizen he was public spirited and enterprising to an unwonted degree, as a statesman he was the peer of any of his contemporaries, and as a friend and neighbor he combined the qualities of head and heart that won confidence and commanded respect.
Hon. Jesse Overstreet, deceased, late member of Congress from the seventh Indiana congressional district, had the peculiar distinction of having represented three districts of this state in the national legislative body. He was first elected to Congress in 1894 and served until 1908. During this long period he performed many valuable services for his constituents, chief among which will rank his labors in behalf of what is generally known as the gold standard act. For a number of years he was one of the most trusted counselors of the national organization of the Republican party, relinquishing this work in 1906 because of the pressure of other duties.
Mr. Overstreet was a member of the third generation of his fami'. in Indiana, being a grandson of Samuel Overstreet, a na- tive of Virginia, who early settled in Kentucky. From Oldham
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county, Kentucky. Saumed Overstreet moved to Johnson county, Indiana, in 15'4, among the carly pioneers of that section, where he settled down to farming. He died at the advanced age of eighty-two years. Sammel Overstreet was twice married, first to Elizabeth Hawkins, and syond to Miss Whitesides. He had a large fammiy, att born to the first marriage, and we have record of the following: Rev. Robert M., a Presbyterian minister, is now the only living one, residing at Emporia, Kansas; Richard T. was a banker at Franklin, Johnson county, Indiana; James and Will- iam were merchants at Franklin; John was a farmer; Elizabeth became the wife of John Herriott, merchan , pork packer, farmer and land owner; Matilda married L. W. Fletcher, of Johnson county, Jater of Indianapolis, farmer, pork packer and banker; Gabriel M. was the father of Hon. Jesse Overstreet; and there were several others, some of whom died in infancy. The Over- street family is of English extraction.
Gabriel M. Overstreet was but fourteen years old when his father moved to Johnson county, Indiana, in 1834, and he grew to manhood on the pioneer faim. But he had other ambitions for himself, and in o der to aid him in securing the education he de- sired his father advanced him a share of his estate, which he sold for six hundred dollars, a large sum in those days. This sum, together with what he had saved from his earnings, enabled him to enter the State University of Indiana, and in order to conserve his resources he walked the entire distance from Franklin to Bloomington. Ile made a good record at Blomington and was graduated in 1844. He had decided to take up the legal pro- fession, and accordingly began the study of law with Gilroy Hicks, of Franklin. He was admitted to the bar in 1847, and one year later formed a partnership with A. B. Hunter, which con- tinned unbroken until the latter's death in 1891, through the re- markable period of over forty-three years. Their partnership relations were remark ble in their harmony, there never having been the slightest dissension between them. Mr. Overstreet died at his home in Franklin on February 8, 1907, in his eighty-seventh year. For years he ranked as one of the foremost lawyers of In- diana, and through an active professional life held the respect and admiration of the legal fraternity throughout the state. His was a grand character, and his optimistic and sumy disposition made him a welcome member of society, his life being like a
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Hed benedicting on a who come in contact with him. Mr. Over treet devoted him. elf princip ally to his private business digis , but he served as a member of the state Senate from 1862 to 1856. Hle had positive convictions regarding the great ques- Tion of the day, however, and though over age when the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in the Union service, becoming a men- feer Infantry, in which he served as a private to the end of his team of three months. Returning to civil life, he engaged in the practice of his profession until 1902, when he retired. Fraternally, he was a Mason, and in religion a Presbyterian, being a member of the church board.
On November 20, 1819, Mr. Overstreet was married to Sarah Lucinda Morgan, a native of Indiana, whose father, Lewis Mor- can, was a pioneer Baptist preacher of Indiana. Mr. Morgan was a native of Tennessee, and settled in Shelby county, Indiana, in the early twenties. Later he moved to Illinois, where he lived for some years, but, returning to Indiana, he passed the remain- der of his life h re, becoming prominent in the work of his de- nomination in this section. He was one of the founders of the Baptist College at Fran'lin, Indiana, and was its first financial agent. He died at the age of about eighty, after a long and use- ful life, leaving an excellent name to his numerous descendants. We have the following record of this numerous family: Madison Morgan was a farmer of Johnson county, Indiana; Rev. Thomas J. Morgan, a prominent minister and educator, held numerous important positions and was for years a power in the Baptist denomination; he was professor of church history at the Uni- versity, Morgan Park, Illinois, president of the Normal College at Potsdam, New York, president of the Normal College of Rhode Island; commissioner of Indian affairs under President Harri- sou; and for a number of years preceding his death was secretary of the Baptist Home Missionary Society of the United States. At the outbreak of the Civil war he left college to enlist, and re- mained in the Union service throughout that struggle, which he ntered as a private soldier, but was mustered out as a brigadier- general. William Morgan was a merchant in Indiana. Alexan- der Morgan was a merchant and farmer of Kansas, residing near Topeka. Elizabeth Morgan married Col. Samuel Lambertson, a merchant of Franklin, Indiana. Iby Morgan became the wife of
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Thomas Norval, of Independence, Missouri. Nancy married George Kain, a Californian. Hasseltine married Charles Burton, now deceased, an attorney at Denver, Colorado. Sarah Lucinda was the wife of Gabriel M. Overstreet. Mrs. Overstreet was a granddaughter of Andrew Grans, who fought in the Revolution- ary war and was engaged in the famous battle of King's Moun- tam. She was also a grandnice of Gen. Daniel Morgan, and great- granddaughter of Elizabeth Taylor, who came of the same fam- ily as President Zachary Taylor.
Gabriel M. Overstreet was a member of the Presbyterian church and long served as elder. His wife was a Baptist prior to her marriage, after which she joined her husband's church. and all their children have united with that denomination. Seven children were born to them, namely: (1) Irene is the wife of Dan- iel W. Herriott, of Wa hington, D. C., an expert in the treasury department, where he has been employed for over thirty-three years. (2) Samuel L. was located at Guthrie, Oklahoma, and at the time of his death was considered the best lawyer in that ter- ritory, having been appointed United States district attorney by President MeKinley. He died suddenly on a railroad train while on his way to celebrate his parents' golden wedding anniversary, his being the first death in the family. He married Julia Kern, of Louisville, Kentucky, who also is deceased. They left no children. (3) Hubert L., at present engaged as chief clerk in the House of Representatives at Washington, D. C., married Miss Hannah Stillenger, of Columbus, Indiana, and they have a daugh- ter, Dorothy. (4) Jesse is mentioned farther on. (5) Arthur, a manufacturer of Columbus, Indiana, married Hattie F. Crump, of that place, and they have a son, Francis. (6) Miss Nina M. lives at the family home in Fran' lin (7) Carrie Hasseltine is the widow of A. N. Goff, late a farmer of Franklin, Johnson county, Indiana, where she now lives; she is the mother of two children, Bessie Jean and Hubert Il.
Jesse Overstreet was bo. December 14, 1859, in Franklin, Johnson county, Indiana, and was reared there. He attended the public schools, the High school and Franklin College. gradnating from the latter institution in 1852 with the degree of Master of Arts from his alma mater His classical course completed, he began reading law with le- father, though for some time after leaving school he had very poor health and was in danger of los-
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in hi eyesight. In ING Hely many , member of the lion to which His father belonged, and which then became Overates, Hunter & Overstreet. Arter Mr. Hunter's death, father and son contin- ned to practice together until JEU, in which year Jose Over- street, in water to give jesper att tion to hi legity . duties, removed to Indianapolis. Ile wa first elected to Congress in . ties, and served until 1895. In that year he was re-elected, from the new district made up of Johnson and Marion counties, and accordingly moved to Indianapolis. Marion county was after- wards made a district by it. elf, and Mr. Overstreet, during the remainder of his legislative life, represented it. He had been active in legislation favored by his constituents from his very first term, when he called the attention of Congress to the injus- tice done the old soldiers in the method of paying them their pen- sions at the agencies, whe e they were frequently the prey of desiguing men and women who relieved and in many instances robbed thou of their money. The law Mr. Overstreet succeeded in obtaining required all persons to be paid in cheeks, which they received at their homes, thus affording the recipients the protec- tion of their families and friends. The system has greatly bene- fited the soldiers and has been warmly commended in many quar- ters. President Cleveland pronounced the bill as he signed it the best piece of work enacted by the fifty-fourth Congress. After the national contest of 1896, over the gold and silver standard, a movement originated at Indianapolis of which H. U. Hanna, of that city, was the leading spirit, in behalf of the gold standard. It resulted in the appointment of a commission directed to pre- pare and urge upon Congress comprehensive financial legislation, and this body consisted of the following members: George F. Edmunds, of Vermont, chairman; George E. Leighton, of Mis- souri; T. G. Bush, Alabama; W. B. Dean, Minnesota; Charles S. Fairchild, New York; Stuyvesant Fish, New York; J. W. Fries. North Carolina; Lewis A. Garnett, California; J. Lawrence Langhlin, Illinois; C. Stuart. Patterson, Pennsylvania, and Rob- ert S. Taylor, Indiana. The comprehensive measure prepared by this commission was introduced into the fifty-fifth Congress by Hon. Jesse Overstreet, but, although it was considered by a com- mittee, no action was taken upon it by that body. During the last session of the fifty-sixth Congress, at a caucus of the Repub-
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Jiean members of the House, a committee of eleven was appointed and directed to prepare and report to a caneus of the Republican members at its next session a bill relative to financial matters. This canens committee consisted of Gen. J. B. Henderson, of Town; John Dalzell, Pennsylvania; Sereno Payne, New York; J. W. Babcock, Wisconsin; W. C. Lovering, Massachusetts; W. S. , CHE ; R. D. H., Hans, Charles curtis, kansas; Page Morris, Minnesota; E. F. Lond, California; Jesse Overstreet, lu- diana. The committee met at Atlantic City, New Jersey, where- upon it became known as the "Atlantic City Commission." It agreed upon and prepared a bill, and selected Mr. Overstreet to prepare a report upon the bill and present the bill and report to the Republican cauens at Washington. The report which he pre- pared was approved by the committee without any changes and was presented to the canens and approved by it. This matter of presentation to the caucus was left entirely to Mr. Overstreet, no other member of the committee taking part. Some features of the bill not clearly understood met with opposition in the caucus, and this difficulty was not fully overcome until explained by Mr. Overstreet at the second session, at which the bill was approved in its entirety. Mr. Overstreet opened the debate and had the management of the bill in the House, which it passed success- fully. The Senate passed a substitute therefor, and when the conferees of both Houses to which the bill was then sent (this com- mittee consisting of Senators Aldrich and Allison and Represent- atives Overstreet and Brosions) mnet they settled the differences between the two Houses, the bill was passed, and on March 14, 1900, received the signature of President MeKinley. It is best known as the Gold Standard Act of 1900, and its effects have been far-reaching, having had great influence in establishing confi- denee in the United States and strengthening our credit abroad.
As chairman of the committee on postoffices and postroads of the House, to which place he was appointed by Speaker Can- non, Mr. Overstreet proved himself capable and won a reputation for remarkable judgment concerning wise regulations in that de- partment. This committee is unquestionably one of the most im- portant in the House and summing up its duties from year to year, possibly the most important, affecting as it does every citi- zen of the country. Mr. Overstreet entered upon his duties at its head much against his will, realizing the enormous responsibility
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and vast amount of labor involved in the conscientious transac- tion of the business intrusted to it. The problemis connected with the handling of second-class mail, railway mail pay, readjustment of pay of postal employes, reorganization of the postal service, codification of the postal laws, and the reduction of the leiter post- age received his especial consideration. In 1906 he served upon the commission authorized by Congress to investigate the subject of second-class mail matter; and in 1908 he was a member of the commission authorized by Congress to investigate the business methods of the postoffice department, and make a report con- cerning a reorganization of the postal service and the codifica- tion of the postal laws. Mr. Overstreet's direct services to his home city are manifest in the beautiful federal building at In- dianapolis, and he deserves great credit for his work in that line, both for securing the appropriation and determining the classi- cal character of the architecture, without in any way sacrificing the utility of the structure. To him also is dne the credit for se- curing the location of the Benjamin Harrison army post near In- dianapolis, which has over fifty buildings and twenty-five Inm- dred acres of land; when the full garrison has been established it is estimated that the annual revenne to the city from the post and its men and officers will average two hundred an fifty thou- sand dollars. Mr. Overstreet labored faithfully in the promotion of these and other large interests which he deemed of most im- portance to the great body of the people whom he represented. In June, 1908, he was appointed by Speaker Cannon a member of the monetary commission authorized by Congress to investi- gate and report on the subject of banking : nd currency and kept up his connection with this work until a few weeks of his death. Mr. Overstreet was once the recipient of an apology from Presi- dent Roosevelt. The incident was in connection with the ap- pointment of a collector of internal revenue. Senator Beveridge had asserted to the President his right to dietate the appointment, which was acceded to by Mr. Roosevelt. Subsequently, Mr. Over- street and the President had a talk, during which the latter be- came convinced of his error, as the appointment had by all pre- cedent belonged to the Congressman, and the President apolo- gized, but did not change the appointment.
Mr. Overstreet's work in the Republican party organization is worthy of especial note. In 1892 he was a member of the state
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central committee. In 1895 he was made a member of the na- tional congress i nal committee, which deals with the election of members of Congress, and in 1896 was made a member of the executive committee of the national congressional committee. In 1898 he was made secretary of the committee. continuing as such until his voluntary retirement from that body. His Jabors in this association nafinally ben. 1+1. Close contact with the lead- ing men of the nation, and for a period of ten years he was one of three men who practically managed all the congressional fights. Representative Babcock, of Wisconsin, who was chairman of the national committee throughont these years, said of Mr. Over- street that he had the keenest perception and the most accurate judgment of a political situation of any man he ever knew. Hle refused twice to be chairman of the committee unless Mr. Over- street remained to assist him. In 1900 both Mr. Overstreet and Mr. Babcock remained on the counnittee at the special request of Mr. Mckinley, and in 1992 and 1901 at the special request of Mr. Roosevelt. In 1906 they both retired from t committee, Mr. Babcock's health making it necessary for him to be released from its duties, and Mr. Overstreet withdrew because of the multi- tudinons affairs which domanded his constant attention. They co operated as few men find it possible to do, and were successful in every campaign they undertook to manage.
As an attorney Mr. Overstreet was able and scholarly, clo- quent in speech, and noted for the integrity and fairness of his professional transactions. His home office was in the Tractional Terminal building, Indianapolis. The local opinion of him- self and his work is well summed up in the words of the venerable Dr. William II. Wishard who uttered the following words while Mr. Overstreet was living:
"] know Hon. Jesse Overstreet. I have known three gen- crations of Overstreets in Johnson county, Indiana, and they were the cleanest men I have ever known. All were honorable men. In the carly thirties Jesse Overstreet's grandfather cane from Virginia or Kentucky and settled in JJohnson county, In- diana, on Hurricane ereck, north of Franklin. He was a farmer, and his reputation was A No. 1. He had sons: William, a mer- chant, who died at Auburn, Kansas; John, who was a farmer; Gabriel (the father of the present Congressman), an attorney who was raised in Johnson county, and practiced there all his life,
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and I have heard it reported that if over there was an honest at . torney practiced at the bar in Frankdin, Johnson county, it was Gabriel Overstreet; and Richard, another brother, who was cashier in the bank at Franklin many years and stood as a man of mim- peachable integrity. They were all man who stod high in the com umnity as first class citizens and men of honor and integrity. Jesse man, but of great ability and integrity. He has been a faithful representative of his constituents, and of his country. He has an enviable record as a publié man and a citizen.
"Mr. Overstreet is a man of the strictest integrity, looking after the financial and real estate interests of his father in the interest of the family. He has the characteristics of his father in his business transactions as a just and generous man."
During his extensive travels, covering both this country and Europe, > . Overstreet gained by close observation much valu- able info ation concerni ; governmental affairs. He had a bost of friends and : dmirers in his home city, where his career was us- ually regarded as reflecting great credit upon those whose good judgment kept him in office, as well as upon himself. In his con- gressional work Mir. Overstreet did not rank as an orator, and rarely took part in the debates except upon subjects with which he was directly asse inted. Le excelled particularly in committee work, and in what "ter all, is the most important work of Con- gress, the preparation and construction of laws. The constructive statesman is equal in influence to the oratorical statesman. Mr. Overstreet was a master in detail work and a good executive officer. He was patient, painstaking and complete in his work, and clear and logical in debate. A close « indent, he made preparation with great care, and, having a thorough understanding of his subject, he was usually able to argue a question with great force. He was sincerc in all his dealings and enjoyed the confidence of all who knew him. He More an excellent reputation among publie men and exerted considerable influence in Congress. His peculiar tal- ent aud endurance in continued hard work were recognized, and brought demand in Congress for extra hard work. He was prob- ably appointed upon more different counnitfees and special com- mi -si, ns charged with especially important work than any other member during his service in the House.
Mr. Overstreet resided in Indianapolis from November, 1896,
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he aud his wife living at their home, No. 2015 North Meridian stre 0. He was married Jimnie 7, 1898, to a sister of his brother Arthur's wife, Kathryne Crump. Mrs. Overstreet is a daughter of Francis T, and Catherine ( Kyle) Crump, of Columbus, Indiana, where Mr. Crimp is a prominent farmer and manufacturer, and also the largest banker of the place. Mr. Overstreet was a mem- ber of thin Dann . un cintura, and fraternally he was a member of the Knights of Pythias and was also a thirty-second-degree Scottish Rite Mason. He belonged to the Marion, Country, Co- lumbia and Commercial Clubs and the Indianapolis Board of Trade.
Jesse Overstreet closed his eyes to earthly scenes on the morning of May 27, 1910. Ilis death was not entirely unexpected, as he had been confined to his bed from January 20th of that year, a sufferer from Bright's disease and hardening of the arteries. Ilis deat was universally mourned and many touching and com- plimentary tributes were received from ex-Speaker Joseph G. Cannon, Speaker Champ Clark, Albert J. Beveridge, Charles B. Landis, and others who had been associated with Mr. Overstreet in public life and knew personally of his eminent ability and high personal character.
J. L. BROWN.
An enumeration of the enterprising men of northeastern In- (Halla who wun recognition and success Ay tun iscives and au the same time conferred honor upon the locality where they resided would be incomplete were there failure to make mention of the late J. L. Brown, who, while yet young in years, became one of the substantial and most representative business men and influen- tial citizens of the city of Bluffton, where he conducted an ex- tensive hardware and harness establishment, also owned a fine stock farm in Wells county. He held worthy prestige in indus- trial circles and was always regarded as distinctively a man of affairs and wielded a potent influence among those with whom his lot had been cast, having won definite success and shown what a man of lofty principles, honesty of purpose and determination can win hy proper effort. In both mercantile and agricultural cir- eles Mr. Brown stood in the front rank of the men who honored these callings in his day and generation in Wells county, and be- cause of his industry, integrity and courtesy he was a man to whom the future held much of promise and reward, when his career was suddenly terminated by the grim reaper, "that gathers alike the bearded grain and the flowers that grow between."
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