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 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
79
ISAAC BLACKFORD, LL. D.
I believe Mr. Yandes is the only person now living who has been an actual citizen for fifty-five years continuously, he having never removed from the place since he first made it his home.
As his portrait shows, he is quite a large featured man, fully six feet in height, with a robust constitution and vigorous for one of his years. He is descended from Pennsylvania German parentage, and was the first person who settled in the "New Purchase" speaking that language.
Mr. Yandes never entered into wild speculations. His great strength of will and clear perception between right and wrong, and indomitable perseverance enabled him to lay the foundation for accumulating wealth steadily and honestly, and he is now one of the solid men of Indian- apolis.
ISAAC BLACKFORD, LL. D.
Judge Blackford was a native of New Jersey, born the village of Bound Brook, Somerset county, on the 6th day of November, 1786. He was the third son of Joseph Blackford, a native of Europe. The two older and only brothers died without children. The Judge's only child, George, died while at college, and when quite young, so there is probably none living of the family who bear the name.
After receiving a preparatory education in the village school, Judge Blackford was sent to Princeton college, in his native State, where he graduated with high honors in his twentieth year.
In 1806 he commenced the study of law with Colonel George Mc- Donald, in Somerville. Afterward finished the study of his profession with Gabriel Ford, of Morristown.
In 1811 he emigrated to the West, and settled in Brookville, Frank- lin county, in the Indiana territory, and was there admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law.
In 1813 he was chosen principal clerk of the Territorial House of Representatives. Soon after, in the spring of 1814, he was appointed by Governor Posey Circuit Judge of the First Judicial Circuit, and re- moved to Vincennes, Knox county. This office he resigned after the close of the fall term, in 1815.
In 1816 he was elected to represent Knox county in the first State Legislature, and elected speaker of the House.
In 1817 he was put in nomination by Governor Jonathan Jennings, and confirmed by the Senate, to fill the place on the Supreme bench made vacant by the death of Judge Johnson.
The latter position he held for thirty-five years without intermission,
80
SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
discharging its duties with an ability seldom equaled. During the time he was on the Supreme bench he compiled and published eight volumes of the decisions of the court, which are held in great esteem by the legal fraternity, and which will stand as a monument to his great ability as a lawyer.
In 1855 he was appointed by President Pierce one of the Judges of the Court of Claims, at Washington City, which office he held at the time of his death, which occurred on the 3Ist of December, 1859. In 1827 he removed to Indianapolis, where he had free access to the archives of the State to aid him in the publication of his reports.
During Judge Blackford's residence in Indianapolis he purchased some valuable property : the lot on the southeast corner of Washington and Meridian streets, upon which he built a fine business house, known as Blackford Block ; he also purchased several acres of the donation lands situated between New York and North streets and west of West street. This property he sold out in lots, and is known as Blackford's addition.
During Judge Blackford's twenty-eight years residence in Indiana- polis no person had won the respect of the entire population to a greater extent ; as a friend, kind and accommodating ; as a man, high-minded and honorable ; as a judge, just and correct, a gentleman of the old style and finish. Judge Blackford sleeps in that beautiful city of the dead, Crown Hill, under a monument upon which is inscribed :
HONORABLE ISAAC BLACKFORD, LL. D.,
Born in Somerset county, New Jersey, November 6, 1786 ; graduated at Princeton College in 1806; emigrated to Indiana in 1811, and engaged in the practice of law; was Clerk of the House of the Territorial Legislature in 1813; was elected to the first Legislature after the formation of the State government from Knox county, and made Speaker of the House in 1816, and thereafter, the same year, chosen Presiding Judge of the First Circuit ; soon after, upon the death of Judge Johnson, was made Judge of the Supreme Court, which place he filled thirty-five years; in March 1855, upon the organization of the United States Court of Claims, was appointed by the President one of its Judges, and remained in that position until the time of his death, December 31st, 1859.
The honors thus conferred were the just rewards of an industry that never wearied, of an integrity that was never questioned.
DOUGLASS MAGUIRE, JUNIOR.
Mr. Maguire is a native of the capital, born in Indianapolis, on the 15th of February, 1836. After receiving a good education, he engaged in business in 1855, when not twenty years of age. He had as partners John C. Wright and Hervey Bates, Jun., in the wholesale grocery trade. In a short time Mr. Wright withdrew from the firm, for the purpose of
81
DOUGLASS MAGUIRE, JUNIOR.
going to Europe with his father, Governor Joseph A. Wright, who was appointed Minister to Prussia. In January, 1859, Messrs. Bates and Maguire retired from business. For the next year and a half Mr. Ma- guire traveled for the wholesale grocery house of Robert Hosea & Co., of Cincinnati, Ohio.
In August, 1860, Mr. Wright having just returned from Europe, the old firm of Wright, Bates & Maguire was re-established in the same room in which they had first started five years previously, situated in the Bates House block, on West Washington street.
In April, 1863, Messrs. Wright and Bates retired, and Aquilla Jones, Esq., and John A. Vinnege formed a new firm under the name of Ma- guire, Jones & Co. Mr. Maguire withdrew from this firm in July, 1864, and in January, 1865, embarked in the grocery trade again, the firm consisting of Jacob A. Crossland, Douglass Maguire, Samuel C. Hanna and William J. Gillespie, under the name of Crossland, Maguire & Co., their place of business being the southwest corner of Meridian and Maryland streets, Schnull's block. This firm was favored with a large and prosperous trade, in fact the largest at that time of any house in the city, their sales being between seven hundred and seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars per annum.
In 1869 Mr. Maguire retired from the grocery trade, and in connec- tion with his brother-in-law, William J. Gillespie, bought out the coffee and spice mill of Judson & Todd, the name of the firm being Maguire & Gillespie.
In August, 1874, Mr. Maguire retired from the firm and built the Maguire hotel, on East Ohio street, to the keeping of which he is at present devoting most of his time.
It will be seen that Mr. Maguire was one of the pioneers of the wholesale trade of the city, and contributed very largely in building up, under adverse circumstances, the immense trade now being done in this city.
In August, 1858, Mr. Maguire was married to Miss Anna R. Gil- lespie, daughter of Mr. James Gillespie, who was also one of the " old settlers " of the city, and one of the best citizens. Mrs. Maguire's father has been dead many years, but her mother still lives, in good health and spirits, at the old homestead, on Delaware street, in this city.
Mr. Maguire's father, Douglass Maguire, Sen., was one of the pro- prietors and editors of the second newspaper established in this place, in 1823, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere.
82
SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
ROBERT B. DUNCAN.
Mr. Duncan was born in Ontario county, New York, on the 15th of June, 1810. In 1817, with his father's family, he removed to the then village, now city, of Sandusky, Ohio.
They remained at the late place until the spring of 1820. They then removed to what was known as the New Purchase in Indiana, and set- tled on what is now known as the " Conner Farm," four miles south of the site upon which the little city of Noblesville now stands. The last named place was the principal trading post of the Delaware Indians. Their last location was made previous to the selection of the four sec- tions upon which Indianapolis located, and but one white man lived at what was known as the mouth of Fall creek. I suppose it was at their last home Mr. Duncan took his first lesson in the use of the rifle (from the untutored Delaware boys), in which he became so proficient in after years.
Shortly after the organization of Marion county, in 1822, which then embraced Madison and Hamilton, the family removed to Pike township, in Marion county proper, and settled on Eagle creek, where Robert re- mained until 1827, at which time he became a permanent citizen of Indianapolis and has never made his home any where else since.
Soon after coming to the then village he entered the office of the county clerk as deputy to the venerable James M. Ray.
He remained as deputy clerk (in the meantime performing most of its duties) until 1834. On the retirement of Mr. Ray he became a can- didate for the place, his opponent being General Robert McHattin, who had formerly been a successful Kentucky politician, having defeated the celebrated Tecumseh killer, Colonel Richard M. Johnson. Mr. Duncan occupied the clerk's office by successive elections until 1850, in the meantime qualifying himself for the practice of law. At the age of forty he began the practice of his profession and has continued since, now in connection with his son, John S. Duncan, Esq.
Since Mr. Duncan first became deputy clerk he has been present at every term of the Marion county courts, and is more familiar with its records than any man living or dead.
I understand from those who know that Mr. Duncan's success at the bar is mainly attributed to the careful preparation of his cases. He never suffers himself to be drawn. into a trial until he is ready. He listens carefully to what his clients have to say, then takes his own course in the management of the case ; hence his success. Mr. Duncan's
83
OLD HELVEY.
industry, perseverance and temperate habits have enabled him to become quite wealthy; and in point of wealth, as well as citizenship, he is one of the leading men of the city.
Mr. Duncan cast his first Presidential vote for Henry Clay in 1832, and strictly adhered to the fortunes of the old Whig party during its twenty years existence. He then, with the most of that party, became a Republican, and has been an earnest worker for its success, casting his last vote for Hayes and Wheeler.
In December, 1843, he was married to Miss Mary E., daughter of Doctor John H. Sanders, of this city, by whom he has several children ; among them John S. Duncan, who has gained a fine reputation for legal ability, having been called on several occasions to preside in important cases in the courts.
Mrs. Duncan yet lives to preside over the Duncan household.
OLD HELVEY
Lived on the school section (No. 16), west of Eagle creek, and near what was called the "big raspberry patch." His house was the head- quarters for dances and sprees of all kinds. He made it a point to invite all the " new comers," on first sight, to visit him.
He made the acquaintance of the late Colonel A. W. Russell soon after the arrival of the latter to the " new settlement." He invited him to come over and become acquainted with his family. Said he, " Thar's no such gals in the settlement as Old Helvey's; thar's Bash, and Vine, and Tantrabogus, and the like o' that.
"I'll tell ye, stranger, that Bash is a hoss. I would like you to come over and take a rassell with her. She throwed Old 'Likum Hard- ing, best two in three ; 'tother was a dog fall, but Bash soon turned him and got on top on him.
" Vine ain't slow for ten steps, as Ole Jim McCoy sez. She flirted Cader Carter every lick. Cader wanted to spark her, but the gal thought she seed nigger in his eye. It wouldn't do, stranger. Vine's clear grit, as Jerry Johnson sez.
"Now, you are from Kaintuck; you watch Cader's eye; see if thar ain't nigger thar.
"I'll tell you, stranger, that gal Bash killed the biggest buck that's been killed in the New Purchase. She shot off-hand, seventy-five yards. He was a real three-spiker, no mistake.
"There's a lame schoolmaster from Jarsey arter Bash, and the gal,
84
SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
I b'leve, has a kind of hankering arter him. He can't dance much, but he's an awful sight of book larnin'. He used to keep a school in Jar- sey. He's mighty nice kin folks. He's kin to them new comers, John- sons and Cools. You know that Doctor Cool. He degraded in college. The school teacher ain't far ahind him. So, stranger, come over and see what kind of gals Old Helvey's are, anyhow."
Mr. Russell accepted Mr. Helvey's invitation, and was frequently a guest at his house, and when he came all had to stand back, even the lame schoolmaster. He became a great favorite with the family gener- ally. The old lady said "he was the only man in the New Purchase that could play Yankee Doodle or Leather Breeches right on the fiddle," and after that dancing never commenced until "Young Kaintuck " had arrived.
The lame schoolmaster was successful, and won the hand as well as the heart of Miss Bashaby. Young Kaintuck was master of ceremouies on the occasion of the wedding. There are many of the guests yet living.
After the bride and groom had retired, the whisky gave out. There was no way of getting more of it except at Mr. Landis' grocery. He was present, but there was no pen, pencil or paper with which an order could be sent to his clerk. Old Helvey suggested that Mr. Landis should send his knife, which would be recognized by the young man. and would certainly bring the whisky. This was done, and the whisky came, to the great joy of all present. Mr. Helvey thought the bride and groom must be dry by this time, so he took the jug to them and made them drink to the health of the guests.
Miss Viney soon followed her sister, and became the wife of Cham- pion Helvey, her cousin. At this wedding there was a grand serenade by Nathaniel Cox's minstrels, which was under his direction. The prin- cipal musical instrument was a horse-fiddle.
Old Helvey distinguished himself in many hotly-contested battles at Jerry Collins' grocery, and never failed to vanquish his adversary, and fairly won the trophies of war, which were, generally, an eye, a piece of an ear, a part of a finger, or a slice of flesh from some exposed part of his antagonist's person. In Mr. Helvey's house could be found a great variety of munitions of war, such as rifles, shot guns, muskets, toma- hawks, scalping and butcher-knives. . In his yard were all kinds of dogs, from the surly bulldog to the half-wolf or "Injun dog." In his pound
Calvin Fletcher L.
87
CALVIN FLETCHER.
or stable was a variety of Indian ponies. In his second cabin, used for a kitchen,
" Dried pumpkins over-head were strung, Where venison hams in plenty hung."
After the treaty with the Miamis of the Wabash, at the mouth of Little river, in the year 1832, Mr. Helvey moved to the treaty ground, and there died.
CALVIN FLETCHER.
The first lawyer that came to this place, about the middle of August, 1821. He was a native of Vermont, and there educated. His first residence in the west was at Urbana, Ohio, where he taught school, and studied law with James Cooley, an eminent and distinguished lawyer of that place, and for whom he named his first child, James Cooley Fletcher, who was for several years Consul to Brazil.
Mr. Fletcher and his young wife came by way of Winchester and down White river in a small two-horse wagon, that contained all his worldly goods. There was a cabin stood near my father's, a man named Winslow had raised and covered, but no floor was made ; a door was cut out, and a place for a chimney. My father advised him to take possession of it, as it was not likely the owner would ever use it, it being understood he had declined moving to the place since it had proved so sickly. The cabin was situated about the middle of the square between Missouri and West streets, and Washington and Mary- land streets. It was here Mr. Fletcher lived the first year of his resi- dence in Indianapolis, and until Mr. Blake had built a small one-story frame house (the first in the place) about the middle of the square on the south side of Washington, between Illinois and Tennessee streets. In this house his first two children, James and Elijah, were born.
After the death of my father Mr. Fletcher borrowed of my mother a horse for the purpose of attending court at Pendleton. While in his possession the animal foundered so badly that he died. Mr. Fletcher bought of Mr. Blake the only horse in the settlement, that was for sale, to replace the one that had died. This was not so good a horse as the one he had got of my mother. Said he, "When your daughter is old enough, and is married, I may be able to give her a better horse, and (pointing to the babe on my mother's lap), when she is married I will give her one also." Both of those pledges he faithfully kept, the latter twenty-five years after it was made, thus giving three horses for one. 6
88
SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
Mr. Fletcher was the first prosecuting attorney for this Judicial Circuit, and when practicing before magistrates had frequently to ex- plain the law both for and against his client.
Mr. Fletcher was elected Senator for the district composed of the counties of Marion, Madison and Hamilton ; and it was while a Senator he first met in that body that irritable old bachelor and Irishman, "John Ewing, of Knox."
Mr. Fletcher was quick to discover the weak points in Mr. Ewing's character, and amused himself and the Senate often by attacking them. Mr. Ewing was one of the most talented men of the Senate, and had been very overbearing toward his associates, but had never met his match in wit and sarcasm until he met the "Yankee pony," as he called Mr. Fletcher.
Many a practical joke did he play upon his associates at the bar while traveling the circuit. On one occasion himself, Harvey Gregg and Hiram Brown were going to attend the Johnson Circuit Court; Mr. Brown wore a very high-crowned hat, which Mr. Fletcher said resem- bled a North Carolina tar bucket. At or near Greenwood Mr. Brown stopped a few minutes, while Messrs. Fletcher and Gregg rode on. They had not gone far when they met a traveler ; said Mr. Fletcher to him, " You will meet a man riding a white horse, tell him we have found the tar bucket ;" and so he told every person they met between that and Franklin, and by the time Mr. Brown reached the latter place he had been told at least a dozen times that they had found the tar bucket, which annoyed him very much.
Mr. Fletcher was a successful practitioner of the law for about thirty years. His unequaled success was as much the result of his close ap- plication and attention to the business entrusted to his care as to his talent ; he was during nearly the whole time he practiced the collecting lawyer for Eastern merchants, throughout the State. This great busi- ness he got through the influence of his friend, the late Nicholas Mc- Carty.
At the time Mr. Fletcher first came to Indianapolis there was a strong prejudice existing among the people against the Yankees (as all Eastern people were called), but he soon overcame this by his disposition to suit himself to the times, and taking a deep interest in the welfare and suc- cess of all the settlers, and his attention to them in that trying time when nearly every family was helpless by sickness.
As I have said before, he was worth but little in property when he first came to this place, but he brought with him that which afterwards
89
INCIDENTS OF 1821 AND 1822.
made him a fortune, and one for each of his numerous family, i. e., per- severance, industry and economy. At the time of his death, 1867, he owned and managed some of the finest farms in this and the adjoining counties, and I have been told that the immediate cause of his death was over-exertion on one of them. One of Mr. Fletcher's maxims, and by which he was governed, was never to leave until to-morrow that which could be done to-day.
The first night he spent in Indianapolis was under my father's roof; and he was for many years after the death of my father the friendly adviser of our family.
About the time of his death it was said that he came to this place a laborer; this was not true ; to my certain knowledge he never did a day's work for any other person but himself, save in a professional way, or assisting at house-raisings or log-rollings, after he came to this place.
Mr. Fletcher has several sons residing in the city and county, all of whom inherit the leading traits of their father's character.
He was a contributor to the fund for the erection of nearly every church built in the city, from the beginning up to the time of his death. He ever took great interest in Sunday schools, and was for many years the superintendent of one. Such was Calvin Fletcher.
INCIDENTS OF 1821 AND 1822.
The first dance of any kind that came off in Indianapolis, with per- haps the exception of that of the war or scalp dance of the tawny Del- aware or dusky Pottawatomie, was at the double cabin of John Wyant, in December, 1821, on the bank of White river, near where Kingan's pork house now stands.
Mr. Wyant had invited the entire dancing population of the "new settlement," men, women and children. The father and mother of the writer were there, as well as himself. Indeed, there was but little of a public nature in Indianapolis at that early day that I did not see, al- though there were many private transactions that I did not witness for the want of an invitation, but I have heard considerable about them since.
There was a charge of twenty-five cents admittance for each male adult that attended this "gathering ;" this charge was to furnish the fluids, which was the only costly article used on those occasions.
The guests had begun to arrive, and while the landlord was in "t'other house," as the second cabin was called, my father (having been
90
SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS.
educated in a different school of etiquette from that of Mr. Wyant), thought it but politeness to invite Mrs. Wyant with him to open and put the ball in motion, which she gracefully accepted, and they were, with others, going it in fine style when the landlord returned. He at once commanded the music, which was being drawn from the bowels of a dilapidated looking fiddle by the late Colonel A. W. Russell, to stop, which order was instantly obeyed.
Mr. Wyant said, "as far as himself and wife were concerned, they were capable of and able to do their own dancing, and that he thought it would look better for every man to dance with his own wife; those who had no wife could dance with the 'gals.'" This order, as far as Mr. and Mrs. Wyant were concerned, was strictly adhered to and faithfully carried out the balance of the night. When the guests were ready to leave, at dawn of day, Mr. and Mrs. Wyant were still "bobbing around " together, oblivious to surrounding circumstances, and seemed highly de- lighted with each other's society.
The second marriage in the New Purchase was early in the year 1822, that of Uriah Gates to Miss Patsy Chinn, daughter of Thomas Chinn. Mr. Chinn lived on the north bank of Pogue's creek, near the residence of the late Governor Noble; he lived in a double cabin, one of which was very large; the other was of the ordinary size, about eighteen by twenty feet square. In the latter room was a dirt floor; in this room the dinner table was made the day preceding the wedding. The table was made by driving forked poles into the ground of sufficient height and number; on these upright poles others were laid the length of the room; on these last poles puncheons were laid crosswise, which consti- tuted the table.
The invited guests began to arrive on the morning of the wedding about nine o'clock; the large cabin was being pretty well filled; the elder ladies came for the purpose of assisting Mrs. Chinn in the culinary department, the younger ones for dancing, so soon as the marriage cer- emony should be performed. As the two rooms were already occupied the bride had to make her toilet in the smoke house, where she received the bridegroom and his retinue. About half-past ten o'clock they were seen winding their way up the bank of Pogue's creek, and met the bride and her next friend in the house indicated above.
About eleven o'clock, and after it was known that the 'Squire had arrived, they came forth from the smoke-house and went to the large cabin, where they were made man and wife with the shortest number of words the 'Squire had at his command to perform the ceremony.
91
INCIDENTS OF 1821 AND 1822.
Then the older guests and the bride and groom were invited to the dinner cabin. As I was more deeply interested in this part of the pro- gramme, I went along as a spectator and to reconnoiter, and to take a peep at the good things in store for me at the proper time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.