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 13
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His father and mother were both natives of Franklin county, Ken- tucky. The father was born on the 7th of July, 1795; the mother, whose maiden name was Ficklin, was born on the Iith of July, 1799. The families of Mr. Bradley and the author have now been intimately acquainted for three quarters of a century, with an uninterrupted friends ship during the entire time. Mr. Bradley inherited from his father and mother a lively, jovial disposition, willing to take the world as he find- it and make the most out of it. Without any knowledge of the great future he has made the most of the present.
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JAMES H. McKERNAN.
The career of Mr. McKernan shows a man of pre-eminent usefulness. Holding a prominent place among the men whose energy and ingenuity have illustrated the history of the west, few have done more, or obtruded themselves less, than himself. The originator of many important enter- prises, and the founder of great iron manufacturing interests in the State of Missouri, it may well be supposed that he is no common man and has no ordinary career. His success, like all great successes, has been achieved against constant disappointments, frequent failures and heavy losses. Perseverance and indomitable energy have been characteristics of Mr. McKernan's life, which has been one of struggle, self-reliance, bold effort and hard-won though inadequately requited success.
The following sketch is mainly from data furnished, though the writer has been personally and intimately acquainted with Mr. McKernan for more than thirty years :
" James H. McKernan was born in Wilmington, Delaware, in De- cember, 1815. In his seventh year he was removed with the remainder of the family to Muskingum county, Ohio, where his father settled on a little farm of fifty acres, subsequently increased to seventy-five. The straightened circumstances of his father prevented him from receiving more than the merest rudiments at school. At the age of seventeen he- was left by the death of his father the sole support of the family, with no means but the farm, which was nearly as poor in quality as small in quantity.
" But he was a brave-hearted boy for the struggle of life. The dis- couragement natural to his forlorn situation was a feeling that he never knew. He worked hard and rented land to eke out the inadequate. yield of his own. In two years he had made a very fair showing for even a full-grown man. He had forty-seven acres of small grain to cut, and was using prudently all the opportunities of trade that came in his- way. Among his neighbors his reputation for business capacity, prompt- ness, integrity and prudence was most enviable. And yet he was a boy of an age when most lads are still at school, and few depend upon their own efforts, much less have the support of others. By the time he had attained his majority he had paid off his father's debts which hung over the farm, built a handsome and valuable house, one of the best in that neighborhood, and accumulated a little money in addition, to start him- self in business. Nothing probably in his life excels this achievement while still in his nonage, and not one man in a million can match it.
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JAMES H. McKERNAN.
In truth, heroism and self-dependence, combined with grasp of mind and energy, were inborn elements of his character.
"In 1836, then twenty-one years of age, he put in his fall grain and began trading in produce. He was quite as successful in this as in his farming. In the spring of 1837 he associated himself with a Mr. John McMullen in the mercantile business at Lafayette, Madison county, Ohio. The next five years of his life was merely the usual routine of the dry goods dealer. In 1842 he established himself at Lafayette, Indiana, in the foundry business, and in 1845 removed to Indianapolis, where he has ever since resided. He began business in the dry goods way with Jesse Jones; but his tastes and talents inclined him strongly to inventions and the mechanic arts. Whatever his immediate occupa- tion, mechanical constructions, improvements, and suggestions were always floating in his mind. He has patented several valuable inventions.
"A man of his energy and enterprise quickly sought or created the widest fields of action. It was not one or two things, but many, which engaged his attention. He speculated in real estate, bought whole for- ests, built saw mills to cut them, and erected whole streets of cheap, but neat and serviceable houses, extending Indianapolis on the south- west beyond the wildest dream of the most enthusiastic visionary. In fact he added a small town to the city, which is called McKernansville. This district is within the corporate limits of the city, being less than five squares from its center, and four squares from the Bates House.
"Mr. McKernan exhibited both benevolence and sagacity in carry- ing out his plans of improvement. He allowed the purchasers to buy on terms which made the installments of purchase money about equal to a fair rent, so that in a few years the purchaser found himself in pos- session of a house and out of debt. He thus made scores of freeholders of men who, if required to buy in the usual way, would have been rent- ers to the last day of their lives. In many cases he furnished a portion of the money and material to build with. The rapid building up of McKernansville is due to this liberal policy. The editor of the Indiana American, under date of February 18, 1871, commenting upon Mr. McKernan, says :
" ' One feature of his business deserves notice. For many years he has put up small houses, and sold houses and lots to the poor, on long time, at fair figures and low interest, to be paid for in monthly payments at little above the average rate of rents, thus putting them in their own property, paying their taxes, furnishing them money to build houses to keep them under shelter, charging them only a nominal interest, and in many cases where sickness or misfortune should overtake them, extending their credit ten, and often fifteen years-and few have more deserved the benedictions of the poor.'
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"The labors, difficulties, and sometimes sacrifices, which have been required on Mr. McKernan's part in the progress of this undertaking, have been sufficient to try his capability and endurance to the utmost. But he has persevered with the same firmness of purpose and confidence as to results which he displayed as far back as his boyhood, on the farm. What he has succeeded in doing is well stated in the Indiana State Sen- tinel of May Ist, 1871. An article headed 'McKernansville ' shows that section of the city to include an area of two hundred acres, having nu- merous and profitable manufacturing establishments, with an invested capital of over a million and a half of dollars, and a population of over five thousand souls, most of whom are hard-working, honest mechanics, and nearly all own the property on which they live. The Indiana State Journal, under date of June 16th, 1871, in an article on 'Our City,' writes in glowing terms of the labors and efforts of Mr. McKernan in building up Indianapolis.
"Among the lots of real estate which he obtained was a low bottom, bordering on White river, on the line of the projected Vincennes rail- way, at the southwest extremity of the city. Here he resolved to estab- lish an iron-rolling mill. In connection with a few others, he succeeded ยท in putting it successfully to work. But financial matters made it advis- able for him to dispose of his interest, and the mill, after some indifferent management, came under the control of men who have kept it in full and remunerative operation.
"In the prosecution of his real estate and other enterprises, however, Mr. McKernan did not lose sight of a subject which had long held a prominent place in his thoughts, and led him into many expensive ex- periments. This was the reduction of iron ore by means of ordinary western coal. He had satisfied himself of its practicability, and detected the defects in the operation of those who had attempted it and failed. So clear were all the processes, and so certain the result, in his mind, that he determined, with characteristic enterprise, to attempt it on a scale which should settle the question fully and finally.
"The inexhaustible deposits of iron and coal of the State of Missouri are well known. For more than half a century experiments have been made with this iron ore and coal, but, until Mr. McKernan's . success with them, good iron was never made.
" We find in the Missouri Republican, of St. Louis, under date of June 30th, 1871, a highly interesting article, giving all the authentic facts on the subject, from which we extract the closing paragraph :
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JAMES H. McKERNAN.
* * Thirty years ago Hon. Thomas H. Benton took coal from the Big Muddy to experiment in the reduction of Pilot Knob ores. Hon. John Bell, of Kentucky, made experiments with coal from near Caseyville in that State upon the same ores. The ingenious Mr. James Collins, of the firm of Collins & Holliday, conducted the experi- ments, and proved the power of coal to make iron, But enterprise was set in other direc- tions then, and, if it had not been, the chances are many to one that any iron-smelting enterprise would have turned out, as every effort till Mr. McKernan's did turn out, a failure. St. Louis, with fabulous wealth right under her hand, traded in lead and furs, and dry goods and groceries, and thought nothing of the vast inheritance she was neg- lecting. Her mountains of ore were curiosities she sent distinguished visitors and tourists out to look at, and wonder why she could put no part of her abounding energy to making them something better than shows. They were bragged about enormously, but not used. At last capitalists began to see what promise of prosperity for their city and State, and the whole country, lay in these phenominal hills of iron, and made efforts to use them. The Iron Mountain Company, in 1863, erected a large and expensive furnace, with all the latest improvements, at the Iron Mountain, and learned, in a year of utter failure and waste, that they did not know how to make iron with raw coal. Their product was worthless. It could not be worked in any shape, or for any purpose. The furnace was abandoned, and the investment lost. In 1864, the Pilot Knob Company, owning another . mountain of iron, bnilt a furnace at Carondelet, and renewed the disastrous experiment and experience of its predecessor. No expense was spared that the knowledge and skill of Pennsylvania iron men demanded for complete preparation, and workmen familiar with all the processes of the usnal mode of manufacture were obtained. A year of failure taught the same lesson in this as in the other case. The way to make iron with raw coal was yet to be learned, or, at least, applied. The great metropolis of the Mississippi valley was still struggling blindly, though vigorously, to reach the wealth that she knew was near, but did not know how to grasp. The conclusion seemed to be pretty well fixed that raw western coal would. not make iron, and if ever a great iron manufacture was established on the Mississippi, it would have to depend on charcoal instead of stone coal for fuel. In this state of public feeling and depression of enterprise, Mr. McKernan ap- peared with the mission of dispelling the public delusion, inspiriting dispirited enterprise, and starting St. Louis on the sure road to the infinite wealth-that is to be melted out of her vast heaps of iron. All that had been before was nothing and worse. It was his task to do something real, palpable and profitable, or pointing to inevitable profit.'"
" Mr. McKernan went to St. Louis in the spring of 1867. He was rather stimulated than discouraged by the failures of his predecessors, for he thought he saw the cause and the remedy. He obtained the abandoned furnace of the Pilot Knob Company at Carondelet, now a part of St. Louis, and adapted it to his own idea. It is not necessary to describe in detail the changes he made in the form of the furnace, or the mode of changing it. The experiment was a complete success, and first-class iron was made. A prominent western iron master stated at a meeting of the St. Louis Board of Trade that this iron was ' emphatically good.' It worked easily and well, and assisted the working of poor iron. In fact, it was as good iron as was used in any western mill.
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SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
"This was a great success for Mr. McKernan. He had realized his: hopes fully. Every one before him, with vastly more capital and better opportunities, but lacking his original theories and combinations, had failed. He had shown St. Louis a new source of business and prosper- ity of immense value. The way was 'blazed out.' The furnace, which was looked upon as a pile of ruins, and which was appraised, with a. quarter of a block of ground on which it stood, by sworn men, for tax purposes, at fifteen hundred dollars, is now worth one hundred thousand. But embarrassments, arising from his Indianapolis enterprises, rendered it necessary for Mr. McKernan either to abandon his undertaking or obtain additional means to carry it on. The St. Louis Board of Trade, and several of the largest capitalists, saw the fruits of the efforts he was. making, and urged him to remain and prosecute his work. At the meeting before alluded to his success was declared complete, and its importance clearly shown. He made an exposition of the business, and! fifteen thousand dollars were promised him in St. Louis and five thou- sand in Carondelet. With these inducements he remained, taking two. partners. His next difficulty was experienced by his partners, in spite of his resistance, overruling his mode of working, and returning to the- old one, which had always failed. It failed again. Work was resumed under the promise of the Board of Trade and citizens in the fall of 1867,. and the furnace underwent thorough repair during the winter until spring. Then Mr. McKernan obtained the consent of his partners to- try his own way again. He did it with a result that amazed and silenced them. They told him to keep on; they would interfere no more. Thus was the assurance of his former success confirmed. Iron smelting with cheap western coal was forever a fixed fact.
" But it did not pecuniarily profit Mr. McKernan. His financial liabilities at home, and inadequate assistance at St. Louis (only Caron- delet met its obligations fully), compelled him to sell his interest in the. pioneer furnace of successful iron smelting, and return to his affairs at Indianapolis. He thus sacrificed all his prospective gains, and returned home no richer, but rather poorer, than he went away. He had done all that St. Louis could ask, but nothing for himself. The Missouri Republican thinks that in the light of all the facts it becomes St. Louis to decide fairly what acknowledgment she owes to the man who has. achieved the great result in making iron, and whom she, by failing in her promise, forced to sacrifice all his interest and prospects in his own discovery. The same journal also pointedly declares that St. Louis owes less to her first settlers than to the man who has put in her hands
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JAMES H. McKERNAN.
the means to make available the grandest resources in the world. Both St. Louis and the State of Missouri certainly owe him some substantial recognition of his services.
"The promise of improvements held out to St. Louis by the success of Mr. McKernan is now being realized. There is a large, safe and constantly increasing production of iron. It has risen to be one of the prime elements of her prosperity, and it will be more and more import- ant with every year. It is claimed that the population of the city has increased one hundred thousand in the past three years, and that the developments of Mr. McKernan have contributed to this accession is proved by a most significant fact. Following close upon his success have come investments in iron smelting sufficient to erect furnaces of an annual capacity of about one hundred thousand tons. Men of means, and those familiar with the iron manufacture from all parts of the coun- try, have had their attention directed to St. Louis and its advantages in this regard.
" Mr. McKernan's daily life is marked by activity and industry. He is one who will never hesitate to do his share of the work which is done about him. Bold and confident in his temperament, he infuses others with like feelings. He has foresight to discover, intelligence to plan, and nerve to execute. Throughout his life he has been an originator of new schemes of enterprise, and both enlightenment and determination have been fully displayed. The praise of sound practical men, and of those who delight in far-seeing enterprise, has always been awarded to him, and the success which has crowned his efforts is of a character to constitute a public as well as personal benefit.
"Is it too much to claim that such a man is a type of the great practical nation to which he belongs? Such genius, energy and enter- prise are the harmonies which will ring through the ages the glory and power of our land. Leaving to the Old World the marshaling of arm- ies for conquest, the New will find her mission in the development of her people and resources."
Since the above was written Mr. McKernan has died, after a long and painful illness, superinduced by an accident and injuries received while building his iron furnaces at St. Louis. He departed this life on the 26th day of January, 1877, leaving a widow and five sons; the eldest song David S., is a well-known real estate agent and dealer of this city.
Seldom have we written the sketch of one whose loss will be felt more keenly by the poor of the city ; their attendance upon his funeral,
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as well as most of the wealthy citizens, is the best testimonial of the estimation in which he was held by all classes.
His obsequies took place from St. John's Cathedral, where the in- teresting and solemn burial rites of the Catholic church were conducted by Father Bessonies, assisted by Father O'Donaghue. I can not better express the true character of Mr. McKernan than by using the follow- ing quotation from Shakespeare :
" His life was gentle; and the elements So mixed in him that nature might stand up And say to all the world : ' This was a man !'"
NOAH NOBLE,
The fourth Governor of Indiana, was born on the banks of the Shenan- doah river, in Frederick county, Virginia. When his father moved to Kentucky he sold his plantation to a Mr. Swearengin, who was after- ward the father-in-law of his son.
Noah Noble returned to Virginia in the year 1819, and was married in the same house in which he was born. At an early day he removed to Brookville, thence to Indianapolis in the year 1826. Governor Noble's father-in-law visited him several times at this place. We remem- ber him as a fine specimen of the old Virginia gentleman.
Lazarus Noble, brother of Noah, had been receiver of public moneys at Brookville, and when the land offices were ordered to be removed to this place, he started to remove with his family, and ere he had reached the Franklin county line was taken sick and died at the house of his friend Judge Mount.
Noah was then appointed the successor of his brother, and immedi- ately entered upon the duties of the office, and removed his family to this place.
In 1829 he was among the first removals made by General Jackson, and James P. Drake appointed in his stead. After this he engaged in farming near the city ; a portion of his farm now forms an important part of the eastern portion of the city north of Washington street.
In 1831 he was selected as the Clay candidate, and ran against James G. Reed for Governor, and although the Jackson party was largely in the majority his great popularity with people not only crowned him with success, but also Milton Stapp, who was on the ticket for Lieu- tenant Governor. The office of chief magistrate of the State he held for two terms of three years each, and although he had attained the
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DR. WILLIAM. H. WISHARD.
highest office in the gift of the people directly, his ambition was not yet satisfied ; he aspired to the United States Senate, a place so long and ably filed by his elder brother, General James Noble. In this he was doomed to disappointment, intriguing and less scrupulous politi- cians outmanaging him.
He held several other important offices, and came out of the political arena with an unsullied reputation as a public man, never yielding to anything that might be construed into selfishness, or bring reproach upon him as a public officer.
In his friendship he was warm and devoted, and confiding to a fault. He had a mild and benevolent countenance, and a smile for all that either business or circumstances brought him in contact with. He died in the winter of 1844.
Governor Noble left a widow and two children, a son and daughter. The daughter was the wife of the late A. H. Davidson ; she died in the summer of 1851, leaving several children who yet live in or near the city. The son, W. P. Noble, and his mother, yet reside on a portion of the old farm, and near the city.
" When by a good man's grave I muse alone, Methinks an angel sits upon the stone."
DR. WILLIAM H. WISHARD
Was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, in 1816, and with his father's family, Colonel John Wishard, came to Indiana in October, 1825. He remained at home doing farm work until 1838, at which time he went to Greenwood and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Benjamin Noble, brother of the late Governor Noah Noble. Dr. Wish- ard's education, like the children of nearly all the early settlers of his neighborhood, was quite deficient.
In 1840 he formed a partnership with Dr. Noble, in the practice of medicine ; being united in marriage the same year with Miss Harriet N. Moreland, daughter of the Rev. John Moreland, a Presbyterian min- ister who died a short time before in Indianapolis. He continued to practice at Greenwood for some years. He then purchased the farm which was formerly the home of his father, removing to it and remain- ing there until 1864. He then went to Southport, Marion county.
During the war of the rebellion he spent most of his time in the south, as surgeon in the army, being connected with several different
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regiments of Indiana volunteers. He also had charge of the removal of disabled and wounded soldiers from the south to their homes in Indiana.
At the election in 1876 he was elected on the Republican ticket coroner of Marion county, and removed to the city. Dr. Wishard is a man of pleasing address and genial manners, and is popular with all classes of our citizens, without regard to political considerations, al- though a staunch and firm Republican, having formerly been an old line Whig.
WILLIAM REAGAN.
Among the pioneers of Marion county was Mr. William Reagan, who came about the middle of October, 1820, and settled near Fall creek, on the north side of the donation.
He was a native of Newberry district, South Carolina. In the year 1800 he removed to Warren county, Ohio ; from there to Vincennes in 1816; thence to Marion county, as above stated.
Mr. Reagen was of Quaker parentage. He had but two children, both daughters. Rachel, the eldest, was the first white woman married in the New Purchase, as stated in the sketch of Jerry Johnson. The second daughter is the wife of George Bruce, and inherited the home- stead of her father.
Mr. Reagan died the 5th of April, 1847. Mrs. Reagan survived him twenty-seven years ; she died on the 12th of February, 1874. Mr. Reagen will be remembered by the few old citizens now living and their descendants as one of our most honorable and industrious, as well as prosperous farmers of the county.
REV. AMOS HANWAY.
Mr. Hanway was born at Marietta, Ohio, on the 16th of March, 1816. He came with his father's family to Indianapolis in the summer of 1821. They had descended the Ohio river and ascended the Wabash in 1820, in an Olean flatboat. . After remaining in Vincennes during the winter, they ascended White river to this point in their boat. Mr. Hanway's boyhood days were spent mostly as a fisherman, and he was considered expert in the business. The writer spent nearly every Sat- urday with him for at least ten years.
In early life he attached himself to the Methodist church, and in 1840 was licensed to preach, and has been in the ministry since that time. For some years he was connected with the church known as
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JUDGE FRANKLIN HARDIN.
United Brethren, but is now a member of the Southeast Indiana Con- ference of the Methodist Episcopal church. He received a great por- tion of his education in the same Sunday school with the writer. I remember well the protest we made against the organization of the school, as it interfered materially with our fishing arrangements.
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