USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Sketches of prominent citizens of 1876 : with a few of the pioneers of the city and county who have passed away > Part 12
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When Mr. Merrill was ready to go to dinner his cloak was nowhere to be found. As it was a cold, disagreeable day, he certainly had worn it to the office. He could not think what had become of it. On his
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way home he met old man Wilson ( the person referred to as having come for clothing ) promenading Washington street with it on.
Mr. Merrill was one of the first to join the Second Presbyterian church when first organized by Henry Ward Beecher, and was a warm personal friend of that eminent divine during his residence in Indian- apolis. During the thirty years he was a resident of this city, no person enjoyed the confidence and respect of its citizens to a greater degree than Samuel Merrill.
He has several children yet living in the city. His eldest daughter is now the widow of the late John L. Ketchum. A son, bearing the father's name, is a prominent bookseller and stationer, and there is no sign now in the city whose name is more familiar to the writer than that of Samuel Merrill.
JOHN DOUGLASS
Was the State printer, and came to this place when the other State officers came, in 1824. He immediately became connected with Doug- lass Maguire in the Western Censor and Emigrant's Guide, by the purchase of Mr. Gregg's interest, and changed the name to the Indiana Journal. He was connected with the paper for several years, for some- time as sole proprietor, and then with S. V. B. Noel as a partner. He was a practical printer, and a very industrious man.
Mr. Douglass was an honest, upright man, and, as I have said of another in these sketches, would rather suffer a wrong himself than know- ingly do another an injury ; and were he living at this time he would hardly be considered qualified to superintend a printing establishment, when their advocacy of a measure is sometimes procured by selfish motives or a pecuniary reward.
The writer was well acquainted with him during his twenty-six years residence in this place, and has never heard a harsh or unkind word spoken of him.
He has several children yet living in the city. His eldest daughter is the present wife of Mr. Alfred Harrison, a prominent banker. Two of his sons are living, James and George. Mr. Douglass died about the year 1850, respected by all who knew him, and his death much regretted.
CHARLES C. CAMPBELL.
Charles has been so long in the city that he has almost become a part of it, at least as much so as the State House or the Governor's Circle.
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CHARLES C. CAMPBELL.
Mr. Campbell first came to this place as an apprentice to the tailor- ing business. After his apprenticeship was out he carried on the busi- ness for a short time, long enough, however, to learn that it could not be carried on without work, and arrived at the conclusion that it was about as easy for a needle to go through the eye of a camel as it was for a Campbell to sit cross-legged all day on a broad board and pull a needle through tammy cloth, with nothing but a goose (tailor's) for a companion.
Charles has held several offices of public trust and emolument, such as sheriff, deputy sheriff and receiver of public moneys. He made a good and efficient officer, and was never known to unnecessarily oppress or put to trouble those with whom he had official business.
Although he is not a professional juryman, he has served his country in that capacity a great deal, hardly ever being objected to, unless some unfortunate descendant of Ham should be engaged in a suit with a white man; his well known preference for his own race and color might be urged as an objection.
Mr. Campbell is, perhaps, as well acquainted with the early history of this city as any gentleman now living; indeed he knows a great deal his modesty would prevent his telling.
He has been an honorary member of all the political conventions of both parties for forty five years, always honoring them with his pres- ence, and is possessed of many anecdotes in regard to them ; he, also, has considerable legislative experience as a lobby member.
He has managed to glide down the stream of time without over- taxing his physical energies. He lives "at peace with all the world and the rest of mankind," in the full enjoyment of extraordinary good health, and a conscience reasonably clear.
In his business career I had forgotten to mention that for a short time he engaged in the banking business with Kilby Ferguson, to the amount of fifteen hundred dollars. If not a silent partner, Charley says he would like it kept as silent as possible.
Although he has no pretensions to aristocracy, he owns property and lives in the midst of that class of citizens on North Meridian street.
The writer can not close this sketch without acknowledging his obli- gations to Mr. Campbell for the privilege of looking at the first elephant that ever came to Indianapolis, although he has seen several elephants since that cost him more money.
" He is well paid that is well satisfied."
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SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
JAMES B. RAY
Was one of the remarkable public men of his day. He held the office of chief executive of the State for seven years-one year by virtue of the office of Lieutenant Governor, which he held when Governor Hendricks was elected to the United States Senate, in 1825, and was twice elected for a full term of three years each.
At the time he first became Governor he was a widower, and quite a showy and dressy man, good-looking, with the exception that he had one cross-eye. He was of a tall and commanding form, straight as an arrow, wore his hair plaited or wrapped, and hanging down his back in a queue. He walked with, or rather carried, a cane, which he flour- ished in a way that denoted he knew and felt the importance of his posi- tion and the authority vested in him.
In 1826 he was appointed, in connection with Generals Tipton and Cass, a commissioner to treat with the Pottawatomies and Miamis of the Wabash and Eel rivers, for certain of their lands on these rivers. It was through the influence of Governor Ray that a donation was obtained from the Indians to the State of a section of land for every mile of road one hundred feet wide from Lake Michigan, via Indianapolis, to a point on the Ohio river, to be designated by the Legislature.
The location of the southern terminus of this road was legislated upon for several years, and was finally located at Madison, via Greens- burg, and is known as the Michigan road.
Governor Ray was considered a very visionary man, and some of his predictions were ridiculed that have since been verified, one of which is the present railroad net-work of the State and country.
Governor Ray was the owner of that tavern known in its day as the "Travelers' Ray House Cheap," and "Travelers' Ray House Cash," and which sometimes brought his excellency into personal combats with his tenants. At one time this house was kept by James Forsee, Esq., at- torney and counselor at law, and of whom I have spoken in another sketch. He and the Governor had an altercation; Forsee got the Gov- ernor by the queue, and for awhile had him in a very disagreeable posi- tion, but the Governor rallied his whole strength, got loose from his antagonist and struck him a severe blow over the nose that made it bleed profusely ; just then a traveler rode up on horseback with the in- tention of "putting up." Mr. Forsee, anxious to secure a customer, left the Governor, and running toward the traveler with his face bloody,
Il Simonson
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GENERAL JOHN S. SIMONSON, U. S. A.
exclaimed, "D-n him, I'll kill him!" The traveler, thinking he was after him, put spurs to his horse, and Mr. Forsee lost his customer.
In the year 1840, at one of the Whig conventions, Isaac Naylor, who had been in the battle of Tippecanoe, made some allusions to Gov- ernor Ray which were distasteful to his excellency, and which he, at the next Democratic meeting, in speaking of the battle of Tippecanoe, said, where "Owen, Warren, Spencer and Davis fell," and after a pause, "and Isaac Naylor lived," which seemed to imply that Mr. Naylor had kept himself out of danger. The Governor's manner convulsed the house with laughter.
While Governor of the State he registered his name at hotels and on steamboats as "J. Brown Ray, Governor of the State of Indiana, and commander-in-chief of the army and navy thereof."
A short time before his death he advertised for sale a farm near Augusta, in this county, his tavern stand in the city, and a proposition to build a railroad from Charleston, South Carolina, through this place to the northern lakes, all in one article. The farm and tavern have been sold, and the railroad built, although the latter is not exactly on the plan he proposed. Governor Ray was a man of ability, but, like every one else, had some weak points, which would sometimes intrude themselves upon the public to his injury, and cause him to be ridiculed. Such was Indiana's third State Governor. He died about the year 1850.
GENERAL JOHN S. SIMONSON, U. S. A.
Although General Simonson is not a permanent citizen of Indiana- polis, he has been identified with the history of the city for several years, so much so as to be well worthy of having his name enrolled on the pages of its history. I remember General Simonson as a member of the Senate from Clarke county, as far back as 1826, when his asso- ciates in that body were John Ewing of Knox, Thomas Givans, Daniel Grass, John M. Coleman, Dennis Pennington, Wm. Cotton, John Watts, Wm. Graham, James Gregory, Ross Smiley, Dr. David Oliver, Isaac Montgomery, David H. Maxwell, Amos Robertson, Israel T. Canby, Marston G. Clark, James Rariden, Amaziah Morgan, John Milroy and Calvin Fletcher, all of whom have passed away, and Mr. Simonson is the sole survivor of that body. The officers of that Senate were John H. Thompson, Lieutenant Governor and presiding officer; James Dill, Secretary ; John H. Farnham, Assistant Secretary ;. James M. Ray. Enrolling Secretary; Dr. John W. Davis, Sergeant at Arms; and
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SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
Charles J. Hand, Doorkceper. Of the officers but one remains, the venerable James M. Ray. What a change has been wrought in the whole State, as well as the city, since that time, when Indianapolis could scarcely find accommodation for the seventy-five members that composed the two branches of the Legislature !
John S. Simonson was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of June, 1796, and there received a limited education. In 1814,. when volunteers were called for to serve on the Niagara frontier and in. Upper Canada, he volunteered in Captain Knapp's company, attached to Colonel Dobbins' regiment, and General P. B. Porter's brigade. He took part in the battle of Lundy's Lane, on the 25th of July, 1814, was. at the skirmish of Shogeoquady creek, and siege of Fort Erie, the battle of the 15th of August, the attack of the British on Fort Erie, and the sortie on the 17th of September. After having received an honorable discharge from the army at Batavia, November 2, 1814, he came to- Indiana in 1817, and settled in Charlestown, Clarke county. On the 3d of May, 1820, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Watson, of Charles- town. His old friend of over half a century, Judge James Morrison, was his groomsman, and Miss Jane Todd, afterwards Mrs. Morrison, was bridesmaid. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. John Todd, the bridesmaid's father. In 1822 he was elected sheriff of Clarke county, and re-elected in 1824, and served the constitutional term of four years.
In August, 1828, he was elected to the Senate from Clarke county, and remained a member until 1830, when he was elected a justice of the peace to succeed his old friend, Judge Morrison, the latter having been elected Secretary of State. In 1833 he engaged in the manufacture of flour, and did a general produce business, in the meantime farming.
In 1841 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, and re-elected each succeeding year until 1846. In 1845 he was elected speaker of that body and gained an enviable reputation as a presiding officer, prompt and very correct in his decisions on any questions of parliamentary usages pertaining to his duties, and from which there was but seldom an appeal taken.
On the 27th of May, 1846, he was appointed by President James K. Polk captain of mounted riflemen of the United States Army, and served through the Mexican War in the branch of the army commanded by Major General Winfield Scott. He was at the siege and capture of Vera Cruz; was in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Chepultepec, Gauta de Belen, and was wounded in the latter battle and breveted major for gallant and meritorious services at Chepultepec, and
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GENERAL JOHN S. SIMONSON, U. S. A.
commanded his regiment at that battle after the fall of Colonel Loring. In 1849, after having participated in all the battles in and around the City of Mexico, he, with his regiment, crossed the plains to Oregon. In 1852 he was ordered to Texas. He served on the frontier and the Rio Grande, and commanded an expedition against the muscular Apaches in the Diable Cannissa and Gaudeloupe mountains for the pro- tection of the El Paso road in 1855. In 1856 he was ordered to New Mexico. He was in the campaign of 1857 against the Coyatero Apaches, under Colonel Bonneville, and established a camp and military depot on the Gila river, near the Mogollon mountains. In 1859 he commanded an expedition against the Nabajo Indians and explored the San Juan river and the country bordering thereon. Also the Tuni-Cha mountains, the Canon . De Chelly and the country occupied by the Nabajos. On the 14th of May, 1861, was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment of mounted riflemen, which regiment was, by an act of Congress, made 3rd U. S. Cavalry. In September, 1861, was ordered before a retiring board of officers assembled at Washington, and after examina- tion and defense, placed upon the retired list for disability, consequent upon long and faithful service and wounds received, and exposure while serving his country in the line of his duty.
In 1861 he was ordered on duty at Indianapolis, as superintendent of the volunteer recruiting service. . In February, 1862, he was ordered to relieve Major Carpenter, and, in addition to the superintendency, per- form the duties of mustering and disbursing officer. These duties were onerous and laborious in the extreme, and required constant and unre- mitting attention. Those of our citizens who were here at that time need not be reminded of the difficult and trying scenes which demanded the exercise of a cool, prompt and determined judgment in those who were collecting, preparing and forwarding the gallant soldiers to the front. With the exception of about six months that Colonel Simonson was on duty at St. Louis, he was on military duty at Indianapolis, until the latter part of the year 1867. A portion of the year 1863 he was commander of the military district of Indiana and Michigan, performing active duty here and in charge of the hospitals throughout the State, discharging soldiers on surgeons' certificates of disability, and investi- gating claims against the United States government. The latter duty he continued to perform up to 1869, when, by an act of Congress, re- tired officers were prohibited from performing such duties.
In 1865, on the recommendation of General Grant, and without so-
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licitation on his part, Colonel Simonson was breveted a brigadier gen- eral for long and faithful services.
Mrs. Simonson having died in June, 1861, the General has no family, and does not confine himself to any particular locality alone, although he claims Indiana as his home. His postoffice address is his old home, Charlestown, at which place and New Albany, where his daughter resides, he spends four months of each year ; the months of May and November in Indianapolis, with his old friend and acquaintance of over half a cen- tury, William H. Morrison ; the months of July and August he spends at some of the numerous watering places of the country ; the winter season he spends in Florida, mostly at St. Augustine.
The first winter General Simonson spent in Indianapolis he boarded with Luke Walpole, the succeeding senatorial session he boarded with Jordan Vigus, opposite the Court House, then with his old friend the late Nathan B. Palmer. What few old citizens who are now living will remember General Simonson as a leader of his party in the Legislature. He was a Democrat of the Jackson school. Now that he is sinking slowly into years, he is loaded with the honors of a well spent and eventful life, for there is no man living who has periled his life more and performed greater and more laborious duty than he. Although his locks are whitened by the frosts of four score winters, he is yet quite active. Such is General John S. Simonson, one of the pioneers of Southern Indiana ; and he will be remembered for his many noble and self sacrificing attributes long after the grass has grown green upon his grave.
On the IIth of December, 1826, General Simonson introduced in the State Senate a joint-resolution, in reference to divesting Congress of any control whatever in relation to the election of President and Vice Pres- ident and members of Congress, giving the whole matter direct to the people.
On the 9th of January he introduced another joint-resolution, asking Congress to give the election of United States Senators direct to the people.
Through the kindness of a very near friend of General Simonson's, who has had access to some of his papers relating to his military service during the Mexican war, I am enabled to present the following testi- monials of his gallant bearing throughout the battles from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, from his brave brother officers who fought by his side in the advance of General Quitman's column.
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GENERAL JOHN S. SIMONSON, U. S. A.
CITY OF MEXICO, March 4, 1848.
To Captain John S. Simonson :
DEAR SIR : Learning from an official source that, for the benefit of your health, you are about to return to the United States, we take this opportunity of expressing our sin- cere regard and respect for yourself, as well as our high appreciation of your gallant ser- vices in the battles of Mexico to this place. During all these engagements, up to the period when our arms entered the City of Mexico in triumph, no officer of the regi- ment of mounted riflemen or in the army showed more distinguished bravery or more undauntedly risked his life în the cause of his country than yourself at the stronghold of Contreras, at the deadly conflict of Cherubusco, at the storming of Chepultepec, and dur- ing the destructive fire opened upon the regiment of mounted riflemen (which, owing to the casualties of the day, you commanded), as the advance of General Quitman's column, you exhibited a fortitude and heroism, a courage invincible, never excelled and rarely equaled. In all these instances you have done honor to yourself, to the regiment to which you belonged, and more than all to your country - thoughts which must cheer and sup- port you through life with conscious assurance of fully having performed your duty.
God grant that you may be speedily restored to health, to your happy home and friends, to the land of the free, where the spontaneous expression of a grateful people will be, " Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
With assurances of our sincere respect and esteem, we subscribe ourselves,
Your sincere friends,
AV. F. Sanderson, Capt. Co. R. M. R. Dr. M. Frost, 2d Lieut. R. M. R.
I. B. Backenstos, Capt. R. M. R. Andrew Porter, Capt. Co. F, M't'd Rifles.
Stephen S. Tucker, Capt. Co. K, R. M. R.
N. Newton, Ist Lieut. R. M. R.
Francis S. K. Russell, Lient. R. M. R.
G. Granger, Lieut. R. M. R.
Alfred Gibbs, Brev. 2d Lieut. R. M. R. J. N. Palmer, Lieut. R. M. R.
James Stewart, 2d Lieut. R. M. R.
Thomas Duncan, Ist Lieut. M't'd Rifles.
In addition to this testimonial of General Simonson's military career, I will merely add a copy of his discharge from the army in the war of 1812:
" HONOR TO THE BRAVE."
This certifies that John S. Simonson, Sergeant in Captain N. F. Knapp's company, Colonel Dobbin's regiment and General Porter's brigade of New York State Volunteers, having served through the late campaign in Upper Canada, and faithfully performed his duty, is most honorably discharged.
Batavia, November 2d, 1814. JOHN JONES, Ens. Comdg.
It will be seen that but few men living or dead have done as much actual service in the field as General Simonson.
" A soldier now behold him, All skillful in the arts."
General Simonson is among the oldest members of the Masonic fra- ternity in Indiana. The entered apprentice, fellow craft and master's degrees were conferred upon him in 1818, at Blazing Star Lodge, No. 3, Charlestown, Indiana. The higher degrees were taken in the Chapter
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and Commandery at Indianapolis. He was master of Blazing Star Lodge and delegate to the Grand Lodge, which met in Corydon, in 1821. At this time he is a member of Raper Commandery of Knights Templar, at Indianapolis. He is devotedly attached to the rites and principles of the Masonic order.
JOHN D. MORRIS, .
The fourth son of the late Morris Morris, and brother of General Thomas A. Morris, was born in Carlisle, Nicholas county, Kentucky, on the 18th of September, 1815. With the family of his father he came to Indianapolis in October, 1821, since which time.the writer has been well acquainted with him, being schoolmates for a number of years, first in the log school house on the point lot between Illinois street and Ken- tucky avenue, the school being kept by his elder brother, the late Aus- tin W. Morris, then in the different schools of the village for a number of years.
After he became of age he engaged in merchandising, the firm at first being Wilson, Hazelett & Morris. He was for several years general freight agent of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette railroad at this point. For some time he was a large stockholder in the Capital City Planing Mills, on Massachusetts avenue. He is now engaged with Charles Glazier in the coal, coke, lime and cement business, also jobbers in grain, flour, hay, mill feed, etc.
In all the various business he has been engaged in he has had the confidence of the business public. Mr. Morris was married on the 30th of June, 1841, to Miss Martha A. Wiles, of Ohio, who is yet his help- meet. They have five living children, one dead. One of his daughters is the wife of Commander George Brown, of the United States Navy.
In the fifty-six years of an acquaintance with Mr. Morris the writer has never heard him spoken of but in flattering terms, all to praise, none to censure. The writer's opinion of him may be judged from the fact that upon a time he selected him to stand by him at a very interesting period of his life, i. e., at the hymenial alter, an ordeal in which he played his part well.
JAMES L. BRADLEY.
Mr. Bradley was the eldest of two sons of the late Henry Bradley, one of the first settlers of Indianapolis. His father and uncle William had arranged with the father of the author of this work to meet him
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JAMES L. BRADLEY.
and family at the mouth of the Kentucky river on the Ohio in October, 1820, when he was en route to the mouth of Fall creek in the New Purchase in Indiana, but failed to meet them until they were encamped on the bank of Flat Rock, nine miles above Columbus. They then remained and assisted the family to their destination.
During the winter of 1820-21 they cleared land in common with the other settlers ; this was called the " big field." After putting in a crop in the spring of 1821 the Bradleys returned to Kentucky. On the 6th of September, 1821, Henry Bradley arrived with his family, consisting of his wife and one child, the subject of this sketch.
Henry Bradley was a magistrate. for Center township for many years, and then engaged in mercantile pursuits in 1847. After being a resi- dent of Indianapolis twenty-six years he purchased a farm on Sugar creek, between the Madison and Indianapolis railroad and the State road, where he lived until the 8th of February, 1859, at which time he died. His wife, Mrs. Bradley, lived until the 24th of November, 1876.
James L. Bradley was born in Franklin county, near Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky, on the 29th of March, 1819.
As stated above he came with his father's family to Indianapolis on the 6th of September, 1821. Was educated in the common schools of the place. In 1840 he went to Iowa, where he remained until the Ist of June, 1848. While in Iowa Mr. Bradley was married ; his wife died, leaving one child, a daughter.
After his return from Iowa he made his father's house his home. After the death of his father he again married ; among his second wife's children he has a fine sprightly boy, named in honor of his father.
Mr. Bradley was a heavy stockholder in the Madison, Jeffersonville and Indianapolis railroad, and was for several years one of its directors. He was also president of the Jeffersonville bank.
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