USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Memorial record of distinguished men of Indianapolis and Indiana > Part 18
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Alonzo Greene Smith was born on a farm in Meigs county, Ohio, on the 6th of September, 1848, and was a scion of one of the sterling pioneer families of that sec- tion of the Buckeye state, though the family record may well be said to have been, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "the short and simple annals of the poor." In his youth Mr. Smith had fellowship with hard work and many deprivations, but who can doubt that his self-reliance and ambition were quickened and matured by these very conditions and circumstances? He had no wish to flinch from the responsibilities early imposed upon him and as a youth he assisted materially in the support of the family, as his parents were in most modest circumstances. As has been well said in this connection: "These years were filled with hard manual labor and much self denial; but such experiences served only to develop that rugged® character, both physically and mentally, which he afterward exhibited."
The early educational advantages of Mr. Smith were those afforded in a some- what desultory and irregular attendance in the common schools of his native state, but he made good use of these opportunities and widened his mental ken through effective self-discipline. He was finally enabled to partially complete a course in Franklin College, Ohio. From an appreciative memoir appearing in the published report of the eleventh annual meeting of the State Bar Association of Indiana are taken the following extracts, with but slight paraphrase: "In his young manhood,
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even before he attained his majority, Mr. Smith determined to enter the legal pro- fession, and thenceforward he bent all his energies to fit himself for a place at the bar. He qualified himself to teach school, and thus occupied himself during the months when the district schools were maintained, and in the intervals between terms he performed such manual labor as his surroundings furnished, in the mean- while giving every spare moment to the study of the law. He was admitted to prac- tice at the bar of Jennings county, Indiana, in 1869. He was of fine physical pres- ence, large and well proportioned, and possessed of great vigor of both mind and body. Self-reliant and aggressive, he soon acquired his full share of the business of his own bar, and his field of professional labor quickly extended not only to the ad- joining counties, but also throughout the southern portion of the state. He was ever a fearless advocate of his clients' causes and never hesitated to perform any duty in their behalf. He had come to Indiana when nineteen years of age and established his home at North Vernon, Jennings county."
Distinctively a man of action and well qualified for leadership in public affairs, Mr. Smith early began to take part in county politics and his influence in this line soon penetrated state politics. He gained precedence as the recognized leader of the Democratic party in Jennings county, and in 1884 he was elected to represent his district, comprising the counties of Jennings and Jackson, in the state senate, in which he served during the sessions of 1885 and 1887,-the latter being recorded as one of no inconsiderable turbulence. Upon the resignation of General Manson from the office of lieutenant governor Mr. Smith was elected president of the senate, in which position he served during the session of 1887. In the fifty-sixth session of the general assembly, in 1889, he was elected and served as secretary of the senate. It is needless to say that in the deliberative body of the state legislature Senator Smith was not an inconspicuous figure. His very individuality implied this, and he proved zealous, resourceful and influential as a legislator of broad economic views and indubitable civic loyalty, so that he was naturally marked as eligible for positions of even higher public trust.
In 1890 Mr. Smith was elected attorney general of Indiana, and the estimate placed upon his services in this important office was shown in his election as his own successor in 1894. Concerning his administration as attorney general during the fol- lowing record is given in the article from which quotation has already been made: "During his incumbency of office many important causes arose, particularly those af- fecting questions of corporate taxation, and these he conducted with great vigor and skill to a successful termination in the supreme court of the United States. It may truthfully be said that until that time the attorney general of the state had never been called upon to perform such important and laborious duties as fell to his lot, all of which were brought to completion, to the approval of the executive department of the state and of the people at large."
At the close of his second term as attorney general Mr. Smith entered upon the general practice of law in Indianapolis, where he formed a professional part- nership with his old-time friend, Charles A. Korbly, of Madison, this state. This alliance continued until the death of Mr. Korbly, in 1900, and thereafter Mr. Smith was associated in practice with Bernard Korbly, a son of his deceased partner, until impaired health compelled him to resign the active work of the profession in which he had gained so much success and precedence. During his term of practice in the Indiana capital Mr. Smith was identified with much important litigation in
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both the state and federal courts and his firm controlled a large and representative law business, touching important questions, both public and private.
The estimate offered by the committee of the State Bar Association of Indiana at the time of the death of Mr. Smith concluded with the following statements :
"He neither fawned nor flattered, and from his brusque bearing and his abrupt and sometimes blunt speech he stood in great danger of being misunderstood and misinterpreted by the casual auditor or observer. But to those who came in close contact or relation with him he revealed himself in a different aspect. They knew him as he really was,-that he had an innate love for fair play and honest dealing; a great hatred of shams, pretenses and make believes of every character and nature, and of all lack of fidelity and all littleness and meanness of spirit. A partisan among partisans, he had broad toleration for those who openly espoused the oppo- site of the controversy, but he had no patience with a faint-heart or laggard in his own ranks. He never failed a friend, betrayed a trust or proved a coward in any adventure."
The above are significant words and emphatically denote Mr. Smith, the man of strength, truth and honor,-one who lived up to the full meaning of the aphorism: "To thine own self be true; and it must follow as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." The record of Mr. Smith in public station is an integral part of the history of Indiana, and in this memoir it is therefore not required to give more than the brief data already incorporated concerning this phase of his signally earnest and useful life. There is all consistency in perpetuating in this review, however, the following estimate which appeared in an Indianapolis paper at the time of his death:
"He had a wide circle of devoted friends. His was one of those elemental na- tures that win warm friends. He had fine abilities, direct, not subtle, he was full of the simplest courage,-childlike courage that drives straight at the point in utter absence of fear or consequences. He came into unique notice when, as president of the senate, he 'held the fort' against the attempt to seat Colonel Robertson as lieu- tenant governor. Amid the excitement of the time he was looked on by his polit- ical opponents as a ruffian. To himself the whole thing was more like a frolic. He said afterward to a friend, referring to that time: 'Why, I never had a fight in my life.' The good reason may have been that he was so manifestly ready to fight in any way at any time for any thing. He was ever brave, outspoken, facing to the end in everything. He showed his ability as a lawyer and man in his successful conduct of the state tax cases through the federal courts to final judgment. He was warm-hearted to an unusual degree. "The friends he had, and their adoption tried, he grappled to his soul with hoops of steel.' The others were not friends,- he was inclined to divide mankind into two classes. He was a born Democrat, a man of the people, and in the people he had the utmost faith, with a strong tendency to think that that faith was correctly declared by his party, for he was a strong par- tisan. He had deep affection for his intimate circle; he was a good neighbor and a good citizen."
That the "greater love" animated this man is a matter known to those who were near to him in affection and interests. It was said of him that no man had a higher sense of the obligations of family and friendship. It cannot be wished to lift the gracious veil that secluded his ideal home life, and in conclusion of this memoir is entered therefore only brief record concerning his domestic affairs.
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On the 18th of January, 1879, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Smith to Miss Ida Jane Shellenberger, of North Vernon, Jennings county, Indiana. Mrs. Smith still resides in the beautiful family home in Indianapolis and is a popular factor in the social activities of the city. She is the daughter of George W. and Eliza Shellenberger, who established their home in Jennings county, this state, in an early day, and both of whom died when Mrs. Smith was a child. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and was of staunch German ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Smith became the parents of two children,-Florence, who remains with her widowed mother, and David Turpie Smith. He married Orrin, daughter of Milton A. Woolen, of this city, and they reside at 1828 Talbott avenue, the home of Mrs. Smith and her daughter being at 1602 North Pennsylvania street and the same being a center of gracious hospitality.
Thomas p. Egan
HERE are lines of business that can be carried on with some T measure of success without any especial preparation, but mer- chant tailoring is not one of these, on the other hand, a long period of training must be undergone before any skill can be expected or recognition come from a discriminating public. A tailor must have an accurate eye, a deft hand, a quick movement and also must have a large amount of taste and good judgment. All these qualities and many more were possessed by the late Thomas P. Egan, who was recognized during many years of business at Indianapolis to be a leader in the line of merchant tailoring. Mr. Egan was born in Ireland, on Christmas day of 1848, and died at his home in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 28, 1909. He was one of thirteen children, and his parents were Patrick and Ellen (Rush) Egan They were natives of Ireland, and although they came to America and remained for some years, during which the father conducted a tailoring establishment in the city of New York they never could forget the old home and returned there to die.
Thomas P. Egan was quite young when the family reached New York and after his school days were over he, with all his brothers, learned the tailor's trade under the father, who was a practical man and demanded perfect work from his sons just as he would have done from strangers. Thus they gained a thorough training and all became expert workmen. Thomas P. remained with his father until he was nine- teen years of age and then went to Connecticut and from there to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was engaged as cutter for Eli Hall, who was the leading man in his line in this city at that time. At a later date Mr. Egan, with his brother, Ed- ward C. Egan, opened a merchant tailoring establishment, shortly afterward ad- mitting A. J. Treat as a partner, but subsequently sold his interests and went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he conducted a merchant tailoring business of his own for two years. From there he returned to Ireland, but after a visit to his birth- place and a season spent with relatives and enjoying himself thoroughly, he felt ready to come back to Indianapolis, and he became an employe of the firm of Egan & Treat and remained until that partnership was dissolved. Mr. Egan again went into business for himself and conducted his establishment on South Meridian street until failing health made it necessary for him to retire from business effort. Al- though he survived for some eleven years, he was never able to resume his former activities.
On December 13, 1877, Thomas P. Egan was married to Mrs. Mary S. Bigelow, who was born in Delaware, and is a daughter of Delaware people. Her parents were Joseph S. and Hetty (Newcomb) Brittingham, the former of whom died when Mrs. Egan was three years old. After the death of her husband Mrs. Brittingham brought her family to Indiana, and she died at Indianapolis when aged seventy- five years. To Mr. and Mrs. Egan one child was born: Mary, who married H. J. Dillon, and they have one son, Thomas Finley.
Thomas P. Egan was a man of engaging personality, genial, kind hearted and companionable, and he numbered warm friends wherever he was known. As a busi- ness man he was held in high regard by the trade and by the public.
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Chus. P./ Заске
Charles R. Balke
NATIVE son of Indianapolis and a representative of one of its honored pioneer families of German stock, the late Charles A Rudolph Balke well upheld the prestige of a name that has been most worthily linked with the annals of the capital city of Indiana, and he marked by distinctive personal accomplish- ment a place of his own in connection with commercial, indus- trial and social affairs in his native city, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred on the 15th of December, 1908, his remains being laid to rest in beautiful Crown Hill cemetery. He was a man of impreg- nable integrity, of genial and buoyant nature, of marked business acumen, and of utmost civic loyalty and public spirit, so that he wielded no little influence in con- nection with the civic and material affairs of Indianapolis, the while he commanded the most secure vantage ground in popular confidence and esteem. Kindly and tolerant in his judgment of others, democratic and unassuming in manner, he won friends among all classes, and his character was the positive expression of a strong and earnest nature. Such are the men whose lives and labors as here recorded justify the publication of a work of the province assigned to the one at hand.
Charles Rudolph Balke was born in the old family homestead on East Washing- ton street, Indianapolis, on the 8th of March, 1856, and on the site of his birthplace now stands a brick business block which is still in possession of the family. He was a son of Carl Heinrich Balke and Louisa Christina (Schneider) Balke, both of whom were born and reared in Baden, Germany, whence they came to America and numbered themselves among the early German settlers of Indianapolis, where the father passed the residue of his life. Charles R. was the only child, but he had half-brothers and half-sisters born of a previous marriage of his father's. Of the same family line was Julius Balke, a member of the well-known Brunswick-Balke Collender Company, the extensive manufacturers of billiard tables and other appli- ances, in Cincinnati.
Charles R. Balke received excellent educational advantages, including those afforded in a private school conducted in Indianapolis by teachers from Boston and other eastern centers, as well as several from across the seas, this being a German school that held the highest reputation. It was known as the German-English School. He also prosecuted his studies in the high school in his home city and there- after he attended for some time an excellent private school conducted by his half- brother, Professor Herman, in the city of Philadelphia. After his return to Indianapolis Mr. Balke passed about three years as an employe in the office of Alex- ander Metzger, one of the influential business men of the city, and later he was con- nected for several years with the old firm of Butch, Dickson & Dell, coal dealers. This concern was later merged into the Frank Dell Coal Company.
In 1884 Mr. Balke went into the coal and lime business with William Krauss, who had been a life long friend of his. They had grown up together, had attended
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John D'Brian
N THE death of John O'Brian, on the 29th of November, 1905, I at his home in Indianapolis, there passed away one of the veteran railroad men of Indiana and one whose popularity was coextensive with the exceptionally wide range of his ac- quaintanceship. He was a native son of Indiana and a mem- ber of one of the sterling pioneer families of this state. He was a railway conductor for more than forty-three years, in the service of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, and as a genial, considerate and great-hearted man he gained a remarkably wide circle of friends through his long service as a passenger conductor on the line between Indianapolis and Michi- gan City, as well as through his varied other associations in connection with a life of signal integrity and usefulness. Through well directed endeavor and fortunate investments he accumulated a substantial fortune and after many years of service he made numerous attempts to retire from active railway work, but was unable to resist the importunities of the officials of the company in which he had been so long employed, for these executives realized how valuable had been his services and refused to consider his resignation, as they considered him practicably indispen- sible in the position of which he had been a most valued and popular incumbent for almost a half century. Impaired health finally caused his retirement about five years prior to his death, and the termination of his life was due to heart disease, from which he had long suffered and to which he succumbed with but slight pre- monition. His standing in the city which had so long represented his home renders altogether consistent the memorial tribute incorporated in this publication.
John O'Brian was born at Peru, the judicial center of Miami county, Indiana, on the 19th of October, 1840, and thus he was sixty-five years of age when he was summoned from the scene of life's mortal endeavors. He was a son of Patrick and Anna Margaret O'Brian, both natives of Ireland. Soon after his birth his parents established their home on a farm near Peru, and his father thereafter continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits during virtually the remainder of an active and useful career, both parents having continued their residence in Indiana until their death. Reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and thus early learning the lessons of practical industry, John O'Brian remained with his parents on the old homestead farm until he had attained to his legal majority, and in the meanwhile he duly availed himself of the advantages of the district schools, in which he laid the foundation for the strong superstructure of practical information which he later acquired through active association with men and affairs. Soon after reaching his majority Mr. O'Brian initiated his career as a railroad man by securing a position as locomotive fireman, and the fine physical powers which he had developed on the farm now came into excellent play. He won pro- motion to the position of train baggage-master and finally was advanced to that of passenger conductor, in which field of activity his service extended over a period
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of virtually forty-three years. He won in this incumbency a high reputation for careful, honorable and efficient service, as was well attested by the previously mentioned official refusal to permit him to retire, and his buoyant spirits and un- failing good humor gained to him a notably wide circle of friends among the trav- eling public. During his entire period of service as a passenger conductor he had only one train accident. He was originally in the employ of the old Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago Railroad, which later became a part of the Wabash Railroad sys- tem, and finally he became a passenger-train conductor on the line of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad between Indianapolis and Michigan City,-a "run" which he retained for thirty-five consecutive years. He died on the 29th of November, 1905, and thus Thanksgiving day far from justified its title in the home in which he had been the soul of affectionate devotion and in which his interests centered at all times, with the result that he had no desire to ally himself with fraternal or other social organizations. His mortal remains were interred in beautiful Crown Hill cemetery, where he had previously erected a fine mausoleum.
In politics Mr. O'Brian was generically a Republican, and he gave to the party his support in matters where national and state issues were involved, while in local affairs he did not recognize partisan restraints but cast his vote for men and meas- ures meeting the approval of his judgment. While he had deep respect for spirit- ual verities, and was tolerant of the opinions of others, Mr. O'Brian was essen- tially an agnostic in religious views and was a great admirer of Robert G. Ingersoll. His heart was attuned to the utmost sympathy and kindliness and the great soul of the man could not but win to him the most enduring friendships, of all of which he was deeply appreciative. His love for children was one of his dominating characteristics and he was specially fond of little girls. All such youngsters knew him familiarly as "Uncle John," and he could entertain and be entertained by children for hours at a time. The children of his home neighborhood were by him remembered with birthday gifts and for those in poor circumstances he purchased shoes and other necessaries. When he gave them money he also advised them to buy good books or something to wear instead of frittering the sum away for candy or other dainties. His generous attentions in this direction were particularly given to little girls and upon his death he left a sum of money to assist in the education of a number of such children whose parents were not able to do much for them. Mrs. O'Brian has carefully dispensed this benefaction in harmony with his wishes and through his generosity the children are receiving excellent educational advan- tages. He was the friend of dumb animals and invariably won their affection. When he erected the family mausoleum he had provision made therein for the inter- ment of his favorite dog, which died six months after the loved master had passed away, and the remains of which Mrs. O'Brian had embalmed and duly deposited in the tomb, in accordance with the wishes of her husband.
On the 2d of April, 1879, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. O'Brian to Mrs. Amanda M. (Terrell) Fish, widow of John S. Fish, who had been a successful dry-goods merchant at Madison, Indiana, and who died at Peru, this state, in 1871, leaving one son, George Terrill Fish, who now devotes the greater part of his time and attention to the supervision of his mother's various capitalistic and property interests in Indianapolis.
Mrs. O'Brian was born at Columbus, the capital of Bartholomew county, Indi- ana, and is a daughter of the late Dr. John H. Terrell. Though eligible for mem-
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bership in the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames and the Daughters of the War of 1812, Mrs. O'Brian has not identified herself with these or other women's organizations, but she has been a popular figure in the social circles in which she has moved. She has maintained her home in Indianapolis for many years but since the death of her honored husband she has passed much time in travel, in connection with which she has visited many sections of the United States. Her Indianapolis home at the present time is at 2301 Central avenue. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brian had no children.
11
IT
WH Torrell
Wlilliam D. L. Terrell
HE noble character and exalted services of the late General T William Henry Harrison Terrell should give to his memory enduring honor in the state of Indiana, in which he passed virtually his entire life and in which it was given to him to render great service as a public official and as a loyal, patri- otic citizen of the highest ideals. General Terrell was a man of distinctive ability and his intellectual powers, symmetrical in their manifestation in all the relations of life, represented the outgrowth of careful self-discipline and the maturing of an intrinsically alert and receptive mind. Few citizens of Indiana did more to further the welfare of its soldiers in the climacteric period of the Civil war, in which he proved a most earnest and valued coadjutor of Governor Morton. Other fields of public activity later found in him effective service, through which he honored the state and nation. He was a scion of one of the sterling pioneer families of Indiana, with whose annals the name has been identified since the second decade of its statehood, and it is deemed a privi- lege to be able to present in this edition a brief review of the career of this vigor- ous, noble and useful citizen, whose life was one of signal consecration to duty and who exemplified the finest attributes of strong and useful manhood.
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