USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Memorial record of distinguished men of Indianapolis and Indiana > Part 21
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As vice-president and general manager of the Vandalia Coal Company Mr. Mc- Fadyen had active supervision of the large and important business controlled by this corporation. The offices of the company are located in the State Life build-
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ing, in Indianapolis, but moved recently to Terre Haute, and its business com- prises the handling of coal at wholesale and upon a most extensive scale. His interest in Indiana and its capital city was not one of tentative or desultory order, and he manifested deep concern in all that touched the material and civic welfare of both. In evidence of this stood his published protest against the discrimina- tion directed against Indiana coal in the capital city of the state, and his senten- tious statements (taken from the "Fuel" a paper published in 1906) are worthy of reproduction in this connection.
"Indiana coal is being discriminated against by Indianapolis to such an extent that it seems that these markets are to be given over to the West Virginia opera- tors, to the detriment of the Indiana coal industry. The use of West Virginia coal has increased from twenty-five to thirty-three per cent. in Indianapolis this year. This increase is due to three causes. The first is that this city has the strictest anti-smoke ordinance of any city I know. The second is that the smoke inspector and the city government are most aggressive against those who try to use Indiana coal. The third is that men who fire the furnaces in Indianapolis are not told or instructed how they can fire their furnaces without creating the smoke. Instead of this, the owners of the plants are advised to use so-called 'smokeless' West Virginia coal. As a matter of fact there is no 'smokeless coal,' though it is true that some West Virginia coal does not throw off as dark a smoke as some Indiana coal. If the smoke inspector were as active in giving information on how to fire furnaces and prevent smoke as he is in discriminating against Indiana coal, it would mean a great saving of money for Indianapolis coal con- sumers and also give a fair deal to the Indiana coal industry, which certainly counts for something to the welfare and prosperity of this state and its capital city. Indiana coal is burned in Indianapolis furnaces which throw off practically no smoke,-less than that thrown off by the furnaces in which the West Virginia coal is burned. * *
* The Indiana coal men are not advocating that Indian- apolis should take on the smoke of Pittsburgh; are not advocating that there be no restrictions against producing clouds of smoke, but they do advocate a chance for Indiana coal in the Indiana market, and wish some slight modifications in the strictest smoke ordinance of which I have knowledge, and some attention paid to the education of the man who stokes the fires of Indianapolis."
The business career of Mr. McFadyen was marked by cumulative success, untiring energy and close application. He was a promoter in the true sense of the word and not as commonly interpreted,-he was a maker of wealth for others and a conservator of that prosperity which touches the entire community. He had great capacity for the conducting of large business activities and in the vari- ous communities in which he lived at different times he stood exponent of the highest type of citizenship,-commanding, by the very strength and nobility of his personality, the unequivocal confidence and esteem of his fellow men. Loyal to all civic responsibilities and genuinely public spirited, he never consented to be- come a candidate for public office, though he was a stalwart and well fortified advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party. At Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in the year 1876, Mr. McFadyen was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, and he continued to be actively identified with the time-honored fraternity until his death. In the same he passed forward through the various grades in the York and Scottish Rites until he had attained to the thirty-second
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degree of the latter. He retained from the beginning his affiliation with the follow- ing York Rite bodies at Johnstown, Pennsylvania: Cambria Lodge, No. 278, Free & Accepted Masons; Portage Chapter, No. 195, Royal Arch Masons; and Orien- tal Commandery, No. 61, Knights Templar. In Indianapolis he became a val- ued and popular member of the Commercial, Columbia and Country Clubs, all of which passed appreciative resolutions at the time of his death. His remains were taken to Pittsburgh for interment. Mr. McFadyen had naught of pretentiousness but was essentially democratic, sincere and congenial, with a respect for all men who merited it, irrespective of their various stations in life. His kindliness was shown in deeds as well as words, and he was a strong and genuine character, a constructive worker and a loyal citizen.
In the year 1875 Mr. McFadyen was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Rush, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania. Concerning the children of this union the following brief record is entered: John W. resides at Latrobe, Penn- sylvania, and is one of the representative members of the bar of Westmoreland county ; Rush resides in the city of Pittsburgh, where he is secretary and treasurer of the Fort Pitt Coke & Coal Company, of which his father was the originator and first president, as already noted in this context; Craig is one of the executive prin- cipals of the Allen Exchange Insurance Company, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Rev. Bertrand is a member of the priesthood of the Catholic church, Order of St. Benedict, and is connected with St. Vincent's archabbey at Beatty, Pennsylvania; and the Misses Louise and Regina remain with their widowed mother in Indian- apolis where they have a beautiful home at 1920 North Meridian street. On the 18th of October, 1900, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McFadyen to Miss Anna R. Walsh, who was born and reared in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, and who is a daughter of Michael and Mary (Dixon) Walsh. Michael Walsh, who was a merchant of Pittsburgh died in 1890. The mother still resides in Pitts- burgh. Mrs. McFadyen has found her social associations in Indianapolis of the most pleasing order and has won distinctive popularity in the community, where her activities touch closely the representative social and religious lines. She is a com- municant of St. Peter and Paul cathedral church. No children were born of the sec- ond marriage of Mr. McFadyen.
In consonant conclusion of this memoir are reproduced the resolutions adopted at a meeting of the board of directors of the Vandalia Coal Company, held in its general office in Indianapolis on the 17th of May, 1910:
"Whereas, John McFadyen, a director of this company and its vice-president, departed this life at Atlantic City, state of New Jersey, on Saturday, May 7, 1910; and
"Whereas, The said John McFadyen has been a faithful member of the board of directors, and an efficient officer of the company, Therefore
"Resolved, That we regret the untimely death of our associate on the board, and in his death this company has lost a valuable and efficient officer.
"Resolved Further. That we extend the widow and family of Mr. McFadyen our sympathy in their bereavement.
"Resolved Further, That this resolution be spread upon the minute book of the company as a part of the proceedings, and a copy be transmitted the widow of the deceased."
Samuel Merrill
T ALMOST seems a sacrilege to attempt to record the memoirs of some men, for the nobility and beauty of their lives can not be done justice to in words and no true idea of their splendid man- hood may be given. Among these princes of the earth was Samuel Merrill. He has been dead now for many years but the memory of him still lingers, not only in the hearts of his descendants but also in the memories of many who did not even know him when he was alive but whose parents held him up as an example to their young eyes. We have grown accustomed to think of our forefathers as being men of mightier stature, intellectually and morally speaking, than the men of our own time. While this is very likely a false idea, yet we have few men of the present day who could present as fine a character or live up to the high ideals of Mr. Merrill. In the "Discourse" which was preached at the time of his death by his pastor, the Reverend George M. Maxwell, some of the excellencies in his character are enumerated as follows: "His large and liberal spirit in all things pertaining to the public good. Every public interest, con- nected with our city and state, in him has lost a most efficient promoter. His time, his talents, his money were devoted freely to the public good. Not less constant and active was his private charity. His richest record is written on the hearts of the poor and in God's book of remembrance. Almost his last plans were to aid a distressed woman to return to her distant friends. Almost his last words were directions to send some re- freshing drink to a poor, sick Irish woman in his neighborhood. His uprightness in business was remarkable. No ill-gotten wealth rested as a load on his con- science in his dying hour; for red-hot balls would have been as tolerable to his palm as the smallest coin he believed belonged to another. From offices from which others have reaped golden harvests, he came forth comparatively poor. And in this day when so many temptations to dishonesty strew the path of the business man, such an example should be held up high before us. In every enterprise he brought an energy and a decision that naturally impelled him into the front rank as a leader. His executive powers seemed fully under the control of the precept, 'Do with thy might whatsoever thy hand findeth to do.' He felt that the day was given to man for work, and he acted up to his conviction, and wasted no sympathy on those who shrunk from their task because they were too indolent to perform it. It was in keeping with this trait that when president of the railroad company and a very lazy man reproved him for suffering some cars loaded with live stock, the animals in pain from their confinement, to pass over the road on a Sabbath (in a very busy season), he replied that he recognized his obligation to obey the command 'Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy ;' but that the command said also, 'Six days shalt thou labor,'-and the man who didn't work the six days was not the proper person to re- prove him for working on the seventh. In his constant mental culture he was an example to us all. He manifested a genial and hopeful spirit. His very keen sensibility made him quick to feel troubles, but cheerfulness and good humor usually
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prevailed." These remarks were not intended as a eulogy and in the opinion of Mr. Merrill's friends and fellow citizens gave him no more than his just due. There- fore with such a character is it any wonder that the life of the man was full of in- terest and of great benefit to the community. He should be especially revered in Indianapolis, for he gave the city its name. He, with two other men, was ap- pointed to select a name for the little town, and he it was who suggested the name of "Indianapolis."
Samuel Merrill came of a fine race, on looking over the history of his forefathers one is able to see where some of his salient characteristics had their origin. His father and mother were both unusual beings. To his mother Mr. Merrill often paid the tribute, "That she was superior to any woman he ever saw, not only in moral qualities but in intellectual." His father was a man of great dignity, and the strength of his character, which showed itself in a rather stern manner, was also evident in his wife, though her manner was one of great gentleness and sweetness. These two, Jesse and Priscilla Merrill, lived in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and were quite comfortably settled, having strength and health and a comfortable amount of this world's goods, but they were instinctive pioneers, and could not be content with what would seem to us an existence far from tame. They felt that they must go further west, where there was more space and fewer people, so in 1789 they came to the little settlement of Peacham, way up in the Vermont mountain wilderness. They could not have found a more beautiful spot than this little cluster of huts in the foot-hills of the Green Mountains. Nature had gainsaid this country nothing, from rolling meadows and densely wooded forests, brooks and silvery ponds, to great hills through whose thin crust of earth jagged rocks thrust out their brown shoulders. The view was wonderful, bounded on one side by the White Mountains distant eighty miles and on the other by the green clad slopes of the Green Mountains. The little settlement was made up largely of Scotch who had settled here shortly after the war, and who were industriously endeavoring to win a livelihood from the rocky soil. The large church was the dominant object in the landscape and a little to one side nestled the school house. The minister was both learned and good, and had considerable influence over the thoughts and life of young Samuel Merrill, for it was in these surroundings that he was born, and-here, attending the little village school on week days and sitting stiffly in a straight backed pew through the long, long sermons, with not a bit of fire in the church, on Sundays, he spent his childhood and boyhood.
The 29th of October, 1792, was the birthday of Samuel Merrill. He did not remain a boy many years, for in the struggle to wring bread and butter and clothes from the reluctant earth of his little farm the father was in desperate need of assist- ance, and as soon as the lad could handle a hoe he was at work in the fields. Samuel was one of six boys and as these all grew older and more able to render assistance life on the farm became a little easier and comforts for the mother began to appear. The chief joy of Samuel and his brothers were the few books that their father had brought with him from Massachusetts. Among these were the Bible and Josephus, and these proved most interesting to them. The Merrill family was a happy one, the brothers were devoted both to their parents and to each other, and throughout their lives they kept in close touch with one another, a letter or visit from one of them being a great joy. Loyalty to his schoolmates and friends was another char- acteristic that remained with Mr. Merrill from his boyhood. A visitor to Washing-
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ton at the time of the Civil war, knowing that Thaddeus Stevens was a native of Peacham, took occasion to mention the name of Samuel Merrill to him. This was during the winter when Congress was torn asunder by dissensions, when the army was meeting daily defeat, when the whole country was turning a critical and doubt- ing face on that little group of leaders in Washington, and when the keen satire of Mr. Stevens struck here and there with lightning-like keenness, but the face of the fierce old fighter grew tender, and he exclaimed, "Ah, why should heaven, already thronged with such beings, snatch him away? The Lord may want him in another field but we need him here."
The great events in Samuel Merrill's boyhood were when once a week at the end of the day he was sent through the lonely forest to the postoffice to get the weekly mail. This was at the time of the French Revolution, when the whole country was athrill with sympathy for her brethren who were at last roused to demand their freedom from tyranny, and at the same time was horrified at the terrible scenes which were being enacted by them in their frenzy. A little later Napoleon's star rose on the horizon and people watched with bated breath while he swept Europe with his seemingly invincible power. One can easily imagine how the people, gathered from far and near for the mail, would discuss these great events, and how the mind of an impressionable boy would eagerly drink in everything that was said. He was deeply impressed by the causes of all these events, by their foundation in the corrupt state of society, and by the injustice that seemed to be the root of the trouble.
Jesse Merrill would have sent all of his boys to college had they so desired it, for though it meant untold sacrifice and redoubled effort on his part, he believed that an education was the only foundation upon which to build. Four of his sons did attend college and three of them were graduated. Samuel Merrill was the one who did not graduate, being persuaded by his elder brother, James, to leave Dartmouth College, where he was part way through his junior year, and join himself and John Blanchard and Thaddeus Stevens in teaching school in York, Pennsylvania. The chief object of these young men was not to teach school but to study law, and after three years spent together, teaching and studying, being prepared for the practice of their profession, they separated and went to different parts of the country. All of them became famous men, James Merrill, becoming a distinguished lawyer. The other three remained in Pennsylvania, but Samuel, with the pioneer instinct inherited from his parents, came west to Indiana. This state had recently been re- ceived into the Union as a state, the year of his coming being 1816, when he was twenty-three years old. Mr. Merrill decided that the towns on the Ohio offered the best chance for a young lawyer, so when he arrived at New Albany he bought a boat, loaded it with his clothes and his law books, and proceeded to row himself up the river to Vevay, seventy-five miles away. This little town was the home of a very cultured group of people, and nowhere could he have found persons better fitted to influence him. Here is where he gained the friendship which was to last a life- time, that of the two families of Dumonts. John Dumont was one of the finest lawyers in the west, and was able to be not only a friend but to give good advice to Mr. Merrill in a professional way. His wife was a woman of fine intellect, and her mother was gifted with the grace of social charm. Abram Dumont, who was a young merchant, "was the wittiest, cheeriest and best of men."
Mr. Merrill immediately entered into the life of this community, and gave roy-
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ally of himself. He was soon elected to the legislature, and the energy which he showed during his campaign could not be surpassed today, even by that remarkable exponent of the strenuous life, Theodore Roosevelt. He represented Switzerland county, and to secure his nomination he walked over the entire county, and when he came to a house he would drop in and explain his views on the political questions of the day to his host. So simple was he, and so in earnest, that he was elected by a huge majority. He was representative for two years and during this time was elected treasurer of state. On this election, which took place in 1821, he removed to Corydon, which was then the state capital. When news of the honor given to his son reached the father back in Vermont he sat down and wrote him a letter, from which the following is a quotation: "If you don't honor the office the office will not honor you. Remember that he that rises must fall. While you are going up, pre- pare for retreat, not as the unjust steward did, but by being honest to your trust." The father had himself held office and he well knew that his son would have to face many temptations, therefore he was much concerned for the moral state of the young man than over the fact that he had received a great honor. How deeply the son took his father's words to heart was evidenced by the whole of his later career. In his professional capacity he received little money, for the people could not afford to pay their lawyer any more than their doctor, and as for the salaries they were mere pittances, but the honor of holding public offices was much greater than in the present day. In 1824 the capital was moved to Indianapolis, and hither Mr. Mer- rill came. This was not as easy a task as it sounded, for all the money in the treas- ury was brought by him, and as this was in solid coin, it was a somewhat bulky load. He made the trip in eleven days, during the month of October, the distance being one hundred and twenty-five miles.
He held the position of treasurer until 1834, and then resigned to take the po- sition of president of the newly formed state bank. He was chosen because of his "spotless reputation, his incorruptible integrity and his eminent financial ability. He held the office of president of the State Bank for ten years, and retired from office comparatively poor." He not only had to be an expert accountant, but he had to possess an enormous amount of physical endurance, for he had to be in the saddle, traveling from one bank to another, a large share of the time. He visited each bank in the state once or twice a year, and went over the books and consulted with the officials. Once when he was bringing a quantity of money from New York to Indianapolis he had an experience which might have been the end of his career. The currency, which was all silver, for nothing else was in use throughout the west, was packed in great chests and these were placed on the inside of the coach which he had chartered. Knowing nothing of the driver, and fully expecting an attack from robbers somewhere in the wilds of the Alleghanies, Mr. Merrill climbed up on the seat beside the driver and with a brace of cocked pistols in his hand sat through the long days' journeys on guard against danger or treachery. One night as they were passing through a narrow defile, where the road dropped abruptly, the coach struck an obstruction and was overturned. Mr. Merrill was thrown to the ground and his leg broken, but the money chests, which were his first thought, re- mained intact. The rest of the journey was made with considerable pain on Mr. Merrill's part, but he was too thankful for his narrow escape to complain. His bank was one of the three that withstood the stormy days of 1837-1842, and this was due to his ability and foresight, without any doubt. He was defeated for the
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presidency in 1844, for he was a Whig and the legislature was Democratic, and since party feeling was very high, they did not re-elect him. He now entered another field of work.
He was chosen president of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad in 1844, and with his characteristic energy took up the task of building the road, for it had been built only as far as Vernon, and no one seemed very enthusiastic or interested in seeing it built any further. In two years he accomplished more than had been done during the previous ten years. He saw the road constructed as far as Indian- apolis, and put the railway in running order. He was chief official of the road for four years and some of his most characteristic work was done during this time. His close attention to details is shown by the following incident. A sudden spring flood, bringing with it quantities of driftwood, was endangering the abutments of a bridge. The storm was violent, and the task of standing in an exposed position and protect- ing these structures from being torn away by the hammering driftwood was a dangerous one, but Mr. Merrill did not hesitate, and calling none of his subordinates, went alone down to the dangerous point, where he spent the night and saved the bridge. Another instance of his charity and his sense of responsibility is shown by an incident that happened while he was president of the railroad. No accident had ever occurred for which the road could be held responsible, nor in fact did one occur while he was chief executive, but an Englishman, who was bringing his family from London to Indianapolis, was killed through a blunder of his own. Mr. Merrill was greatly troubled over this, and went to Cincinnati, where the man's wife had been left, found her and brought her with her little children back to his own home. She lived there for some time and he took care of her until his death. Sometime after the road was completed a plan was devised by the principal bondholders of "watering the stock," but Mr. Merrill protested earnestly against any such scheme. The matter proved so distasteful to him that he felt compelled to tell the men, all of whom were his friends, he would not look at the matter in their light and must resign. This step, however, meant the severing of his connection with an institu- tion in which he had taken so much pride and achieved such splendid success, but his fine sense of duty never faltered when honor was at stake.
During one of his periods of so-called rest he compiled the Indiana Gazetteer, a third edition of which, consisting of ten thousand copies, was published in 1850. Mr. Merrill was not satisfied with this and intended to revise it, including a history of the railroads and of the State Bank. In 1850 he bought Hood and Noble's bookstore and turned it into a publishing house, which later became the Bobbs-Mer- rill Publishing Company. It was in 1855 that the end came, the strength which had so many times withstood the severest tests at last gave way. He made a journey on horseback to the northern part of the state and contracted a fever. A week after he returned home he died, on the 24th of August, 1855.
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