USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Memorial record of distinguished men of Indianapolis and Indiana > Part 19
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William H. H. Terrell was born in Henry county, Kentucky, on the 13th of November, 1827, and was the third in order of birth of the six sons of Doctor John Harrison Terrell and Sally (Moore) Terrell, members of the well known pioneer families of the old Bluegrass state. The original progenitor of the Terrell family in America was William Terrell, who was born in England, about the year 1635, and who came to America when a young man. He settled in Virginia and there continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1727, the maiden name of his wife having been Susannah Waters. The next in line of descent to the subject of this memoir was Henry Terrell, concerning whom little authentic information can be gained, save that he was twice married,-first to Anna Chiles and after her death to Sarah Woodson. Of the first marriage was born Henry Terrell (II), whose date of nativity was 1735 and whose death occurred in 1812. He married Mary Tyler, daughter of Captain William Tyler, who was a patriot soldier and gallant officer in the war of the Revolution. John Terrell, son of Henry and Mary (Tyler) Terrell, was born in 1773 and died in 1810. He married Alba Allan and their son John H., who was born in 1801 and died in 1867, was the father of him to whom this review is dedicated.
General William H. H. Terrell was an infant in arms at the time of the family removal from Kentucky to Indiana, in the spring of 1828, and the family home was finally established at Columbus, Bartholomew county, where the father engaged in the practice of medicine, as one of the pioneer physicians and surgeons of that section of the state. In the early '40s Dr. Terrell purchased a farm in Bartholomew county, about three miles north of Columbus, where he turned his attention to
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agricultural pursuits, practically abandoning the practice of his profession. He was one of the influential and honored pioneers of that section of the state and contributed his quota to its civic and industrial development. Both he and his wife continued to reside in Bartholomew county until their death. The early educational discipline of General Terrell was acquired in the common schools of the pioneer days and was limited in scope, as may well be understood. An alert and ambitious mind, however, enabled him to gain through self-application and well directed reading the equivalent of a liberal education, and he became known as a man of broad intellectual ken and mature judgment. He was fourteen years of age at the time of the family removal to the farm, and concerning this period in his career the following pertinent statements have been made: "On the farm, after the day's work was done, he could be found reading until the late hours of the night. He cared nothing for works of fiction but devoted his reading to histories of the United States and other countries and to the New York Tribune and other newspapers. Solid information was what he was looking for, and by close application to his studies he fitted himself well for the life before him."
The arduous and prosaic life of the pioneer farm did not satisfy the ambition of young Terrell, and in 1846 he secured a position as clerk in the office of the Madi- son & Indianapolis Railroad at Edinburg, Johnson county, which place was the northern terminus of the line. This was at that time the only railroad in the state, and thus the name of General Terrell merits place on the roll of the pioneer railroad representatives of Indiana, though his position in this connection was one of subordinate order. In 1847 he initiated his career as a public official, by assuming the position of deputy auditor of Bartholomew county, but later in the same year he became editor and co-publisher of the Columbus Gazette, which was a staunch supporter of the principles and policies of the Whig party. Apropos of this asso- ciation with journalistic enterprise the following statements are of interest: "He had some little previous newspaper experience, as he had served as roller-boy and carrier of the Columbus Advocate in 1838-9, and at a later date had written a num- ber of contributions for the Columbus Gazette and for the Western Literary Spec- tator, of Indianapolis."
In 1849 General Terrell was appointed deputy county clerk and recorder of Bartholomew county and was given virtually entire charge of the two offices; in the same year he was appointed county school commissioner, an important trust, and these official preferments well indicate the confidence and esteem in which he was held in his home county. He also served as county librarian and three years as treasurer of the town of Columbus. Upon the adoption of the present state con- stitution, by which many new offices were created, General Terrell became the Whig candidate for the office of county recorder of Bartholomew county, and his former effective service in public office, combined with his personal popularity, enabled him to overcome the normal Democratic majority of about eight hundred votes, his election being compassed by a majority of two hundred and fourteen He gave an able administration during his term of office and in the meanwhile he continued to serve as deputy county clerk. After the expiration of his term as re- corder he was made the candidate of his party for the office of county clerk, but as this was a general election, party lines were closely drawn, and he was defeated by such political exigencies. He had in the meanwhile carefully prosecuted the study of law and was admitted to the bar. After his retirement from the office of recorder
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he entered into a professional partnership with William F. Pidgeon, under whom he had previously served as deputy county auditor, and he gained no slight pres- tige and success as a representative of the legal profession, with which he continued to be allied in an active way for several years.
In December, 1857, General Terrell removed to the historic old Indiana city of Vincennes, where he became cashier of a bank and also assumed the manage- ment of the office of a large manufacturing establishment. He was one of the three citizens who showed their progressiveness and public spirit by securing a charter for and installing the first gas plant at Vincennes, and this private enter- prise proved successful.
Concerning the advancement of General Terrell to an important public post an effective record has been given by one familiar with his entire career, and from the same quotation is made at this point, with slight paraphrase: "About this time the war of the Rebellion commenced. Governor Morton, while talking with some friends one day, said he was in great need of a suitable man to perform a certain work in his office and was at a loss to know where to find the man. Allison C. Remey, a warm friend of Terrell, was among those present, and he said: 'I know the very man you want, and I will guarantee that he can fill any place you may assign him. He is William H. H. Terrell, of Vincennes.' The governor sent Terrell a telegram asking him to come to the capital for a conference, and the latter responded by coming on the next train. Governor Morton explained the work he wanted done and Terrell responded briefly with the statement: 'I can per- form the service to your satisfaction.' The governor was pleased with the answer and also with the personality of Terrell, who was a man of commanding presence, six feet tall and weighing about one hundred and eighty-five pounds. General Terrell was forthwith employed and in addition to other work he made a list of all the Indiana companies in service, their location and information concerning the next probable battles in which they would be involved. This proved of great value in making proper provision for the Indiana troops in the field. The state legislature refused to make an appropriation of money to feed, uniform and arm the soldiers, and Governor Morton would have been helpless had not such men as Stoughton J. Fletcher, J. F. Lanier and others come to the rescue. These men provided the necessary funds and the governor established a finance department, of which he made Terrell secretary. Here General Terrell again showed his executive ability, for he so managed the fund that he was able to meet all demands upon it and also to create a surplus."
Further data concerning the services of General Terrell during and following the Civil war are here given, as they well merit perpetuation:
"Upon the breaking out of the war, in 1861, Mr. Terrell entered the military service as secretary of the auditing board appointed by the legislature to audit the military expenditures of the state. In January, 1862, he was appointed by Governor Morton to the position of military secretary of the executive department. In 1863, the legislature having failed and refused to appropriate funds to carry on the military and civil affairs of the state, Governor Morton established a bureau of finance, to assume the duties which should have been discharged by the auditor and treasurer of the state, and from private sources effected a loan of a total of nearly one million dollars. The governor appointed Mr. Terrell a member of his staff, with rank of colonel, and placed the administration and management of the
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bureau under his charge. The manner in which the responsible and laborious duties of this position were performed was warmly approved, after a thorough examina- tion by a joint committee of the legislature, withont distinction of party. The amount borrowed by the governor was allowed by the legislature and was paid back in full to the lenders, with a highly complimentary recognition by the legislature of the service rendered by General Terrell.
In November, 1864, General Terrell was appointed adjutant general of the state, with the rank of colonel. In the following March his rank was raised by special legislative enactment-the only one of the kind on record-to that of brigadier general, with the pay and allowances of that rank as allowed in the regular army of the United States. In addition to General Terrell's duties as adjutant general the offices of state paymaster and chief of ordnance were transferred to him. As adjutant general he adjusted several million dollars of state military claims against the general government and also prepared and published, by legis- lative authority and at a cost of about one hundred thousand dollars, a report of the part taken by Indiana in the Civil war. This publication, entitled "Indiana in the War," comprises eight large octavo volumes of seven hundred pages each, and in- cludes, among many other features, the names and military history of 208,367 offi- cers and soldiers who served as United States volunteers from the state of Indiana during the Civil war.
In May, 1869, General Terrell resigned his office of adjutant general to accept from President Grant the position of third assistant postmaster general of which important post, representing the financial branch of the postoffice department, he continued in tenure for four years. In May, 1873, President Grant appointed him United States pension agent at Indianapolis, and in this important office he con- tinued to serve, with characteristic efficiency, until July 4, 1877, when he perma- nently retired from public office. Within his incumbency of the position of pension agent he disbursed more than five million dollars, without the loss of a penny to pensioners or the government. After his retirement he devoted himself to his pri- vate affairs and to the preparation of a series of papers relating principally to special subjects of Indiana history. These papers constitute a most valuable con- tribution to the historical literature pertaining to the state.
The following testimonial given by Governor Morton in thanking General Terrell for his services to the state should certainly be given place in this memoir: "I owe to you whatever success I have had in doing my full duty to Indiana and my country in assisting to put down the rebellion and establishing peace once more. No person has assisted me as much as you have by your highly appreciated, faith- ful service, and now, as we are about to take official leave of each other, I wish to assure you that should you ever ask me to do anything for you, I will do it."
The foregoing paragraphs have given evidence of the ability and distinguished services of General Terrell but the true strength and nobility of his character were shown forth more luminously in his every-day life,-in his association with family, friends and social activities. He was companionable, genial and kindly; his nature was buoyant and optimistic, and his sterling traits of character won and retained to him the confidence and esteem of all with whom he came in contact. A more intimate and significant tribute could not be asked than in the following sentiments uttered by the youngest brother of General Terrell after the latter had been summoned to the life eternal: "To him I owe all I am. He was the most generous and unselfish man I ever knew. He was always befriending others and
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neglecting himself. Our father, while on his death-bed, referred to him as the 'noblest of earth.' Indeed, he was most noble,-greatly admired by a host of friends throughout the country, by reason of his bright intellect, his goodness of heart, and his sterling manhood. He was beloved and idolized by his kinsfolk everywhere."
The death of General Terrell occurred at his home in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 16th of May, 1884, as the result of pulmonary tuberculosis. His health had been excellent until about three years prior to his demise, and he had passed about a year in the home of his youngest brother, Lynch M. Terrell, of Atlanta, Georgia, whither he had gone in the hope that the change of climate would prove of benefit to his health. His death occurred only a few weeks after his return to Indianapolis, and his remains were laid to rest with full military honors, in Crown Hill cemetery. His name merits enduring place as that of one of the really great and representative citizens of Indiana, a state which he dignified and honored by his exalted character and services.
General Terrell was a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party from the time of its organization until his death, and he was an able exponent of its principles and policies as well as an active worker in its ranks. He was secre- tary of the Republican state central committee of Indiana during the spirited cam- paign of 1880, and to his discrimination in the handling of the forces at his com- mand was attributed to a large degree the success of the party ticket in Indiana in that year. He was a member of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.
The home life of General Terrell was one of ideal order and to him home was ever a sanctuary; in it his affections and interests centered. At Columbus, Bar- tholomew county, this state, on the 19th of November, 1850, was solemnized the marriage of General Terrell to Miss Sarah Eliza Church, daughter of Alfred B. Church, a representative citizen of Bartholomew county. Mrs. Terrell was born at Rochester, New York, on the 13th of November, 1830, and, surviving her hon- ored husband, she continued to maintain her home in Indianapolis until she too was summoned to eternal rest, in July, 1902. She was a woman of most gentle and gracious personality and her memory is revered by all who came within the sphere of her influence. General and Mrs. Terrell became the parents of two children,-Emma, who was born November 20, 1851, and who still resides in Indianapolis; and George Fisher, who was born on the 22d of March, 1854. Miss Emma Terrell has passed the major part of her life in Indiana's capital city, where she has a wide circle of friends and where she has been a popular factor in social and other civic activities. George Fisher Terrell died on the 12th of July, 1897, in Indianapolis. He married Miss Emma Dale, daughter of the late John Dale, of this city, and she preceded him into the life eternal, her death having occurred in 1893. Their marriage was solemnized on the 30th of August, 1876, and Mrs. Terrell was born in New York City, August 5, 1858. The two children of this union still reside in Indianapolis,-Gertrude Eliza, who was born in this city on the 28th of December, 1877, and who is the wife of Samuel Montgomery; and Harrison Lynch, who was born August 29, 1881, and who is now an electrician in Indianapolis. General Terrell was survived by three brothers and one sister, and of the number those now living are: J. A. Terrell, of Bloomfield, Indiana, age eighty-eight years; C. A. Terrell, of Indianapolis; L. M. Terrell, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Mrs. O'Brian, of Indianapolis.
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James Braden
James Braden, M. D.
IGH intellectual and professional attainments and distinctive H business ability gave Dr. Braden a place of prominence in the city and state which so long represented his home, and he was long numbered among the prominent and influential citi- zens of Indianapolis, where his capitalistic interests were wide and varied, and whence he ever stood exponent of ideal civic loyalty and public spirit. His character was the positive ex- pression of a strong and noble nature and his long and useful life was henignant in its every aspect. He was a resident of Indiana's capital city for nearly half a century and such was his status in the community, such the honors that he worthily achieved, that this memorial edition gains in consistency and value through according a tribute to so worthy a citizen. Strong in mental and physical powers until the close of his life,-a life that was prolonged to more than four score years, -Dr. Braden was summoned to the life eternal on the 12th of May, 1907, being the last survivor of a family of thirteen children. He had gone to the state of Oregon to devote a few months to the supervision of his important business inter- ests there, and his illness was of very brief duration. His death occurred at Gold Hill, that state, and the end came so suddenly that his devoted wife was unable to reach his side before his death, though she had been promptly summoned. His sterling character and genial personality had gained and retained to him the high regard of all who knew him, and his death was a source of personal bereave- ment to his wide circle of appreciative friends in Indiana and other sections of the Union.
Dr. James Braden, the seventh son of James and Elizabeth (Boyd) Braden, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, on the 28th of January, 1825, and was a scion of one of the sterling pioneer families of the southwestern part of the old Keystone state. On the maternal side he was the grandson of Colonel Robert Boyd, an Irish patriot whose perfervid zeal in behalf of his native land made him persona non grata to the governmental authorities, with the result that he was compelled to flee to America to save his life, bringing with him his bride of a few months, Mary Robb Boyd, and locating in Philadelphia, where her brother, James Robb, was a jeweler. His grandfather, Jacob Braden, served through the Revo- lution and bore a glowing record. He was with Washington at Valley Forge and Brandywine and many other important engagements of the war period.
Dr. Braden continued to attend the common schools of his native state until he had attained the age of sixteen years. The discipline thus gained was supple- mented by a course in the excellent academy at Martinsburg, Ohio, where he con- tinued his studies for three years. From there he went to Kentucky and taught in a private school for a year near Frankfort, and this was the beginning of a loyal friendship with the Freeman family which continued through life. He then returned to his native state and was matriculated in Jefferson College at Canons-
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burg, Pennsylvania, not far distant from his old home, in an adjoining county. This college later was united with Washington College. In this institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1847, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The late Hon. James G. Blaine was also graduated in the same year at Washing- ton College, and the two were close friends, their intimacy continuing until the death of Mr. Blaine. It is interesting to note in this connection that after their graduation Dr. Braden and Mr. Blaine were both instructors .- Dr. Braden in Georgetown College, a Baptist institution at Georgetown, Kentucky, where he was engaged for two years, and Mr. Blaine in the Military school. In preparing for his chosen profession Dr. Braden returned to Washington, Pennsylvania, where he began reading medicine under the effective preceptorship of Dr. LeMoyne, who, it will be recalled, established the first crematory in the United States. Dr. Braden finally entered the medical department of the historic old University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he completed the prescribed course and was graduated in 1850, with the well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. In the same year he initiated the active practice of his profession in the vicinity of Wash- ington, Pennsylvania, where he soon built up a substantial and representative business and gained reputation for broad and practical knowledge of medicine and surgery. He continued in practice until 1863 near Washington, in which year he came to Indiana, where his brothers, Captain David Braden and William Braden, were already located, and established his home in Indianapolis, where he became one of the founders of the firm of William & James Braden, engaged in the book and stationery business. He virtually retired from the practice of his profession and gave his attention to the upbuilding of this business enterprise, which even- tually developed into one of broad scope and importance, and which is now con- ducted by the W. B. Burford Company.
Dr. Braden continued to be actively identified with business interests until 1876, when he removed to southern Indiana, and in 1883 bought an interest in the mineral springs at West Baden. In 1883 he was appointed receiver of public moneys of the United States land office at Walla Walla, Washington, this prefer- ment having come under the administration of President Arthur. Though the Doctor was a Republican, he was not removed from office after the election of Cleveland, and he continued to retain his post at Walla Walla for five years. He then returned with his family to Indiana in 1888 and sold his interest in the mineral springs and hotel property at West Baden, and resumed residence in Indianapolis. He was actively concerned with the development of this famous health resort at West Baden, and through his connection therewith received large financial returns. In later years Dr. Braden acquired extensive mining interests in the Rogue River Valley of Oregon, and it was while he was visiting his prop- erties at Gold Hill that his death occurred, as has already been stated in a pre- vious paragraph. These valuable mining interests are still retained by his widow and children.
In politics Dr. Braden was admirably fortified in his convictions, and although brought up a Democrat, after hearing two of the Lincoln-Douglas debates he was ever aligned as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party, in whose ranks he rendered effective service. At the time when General Garfield was the party's presidential candidate, Dr. Braden was nominated to represent his dis- trict in Congress, but while he ran far ahead of his ticket, he was unable to overcome
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the overwhelming Democratic majority of the district. As a citizen he was vigor- ously loyal and progressive and his aid was freely given in the promotion of those measures which tended to advance the general welfare of the community where he happened to reside. He was a member of the Presbyterian church from child- hood and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, though his deepest interests ever centered in his home, in which he represented the ideal of the devoted husband and father. His remains were brought from the west to his old home in Indianapolis and interment was made in beautiful Crown Hill cemetery. Dr. Braden was large of heart and large of mind, and his charity and benevolence were exemplified in countless and invari- ably unostentatious ways. He was humanity's friend and his very bearing and character begot objective confidence, esteem and affection, so that when, venerable in years, he was summoned from the scene of life's mortal endeavors there were many outside the immediate family circle who felt a personal sense of loss and bereavement.
At Springville, Lawrence county, Indiana, on the 4th of September, 1866, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Braden to Miss Lydia E. Short. She was born at Springville, and is the daughter of Milton and Mary (Tate) Short. She was graduated from the old Northwestern Christian University, now known as the Butler College of Indianapolis, in 1860. Her great-grandfather, John Short, was a patriot in the Continental army during the Revolution, as was also her maternal great-grandfather, William Owens. John Short was a resident of Virginia, and he was one of the early abolitionists of his time. He and his sons moved from Virginia to Kentucky in- 1802, and it was in 1817 that the family, freeing their slaves, removed from that state to Lawrence county, Indiana. Milton Short, who was the grandson of John Short and the father of Mrs. Braden, later returned to Kentucky, where he married Mary Tate in 1829. They became the parents of eight children, of which number five are yet living. Four were born in Kentucky and four in Indiana. He was a physician, as were also his two eldest sons, Rob- ert and Wesley. Luther Short and Burnet M. Short are graduates of the Indiana State University and the law department of the Michigan State University at Ann Arbor. Luther Short was at one time United States consul general to Turkey, and he is a thirty-third degree Mason. Milton Short was one of the first members of the Christian church and a great friend of Alexander Campbell.
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