Vigo County, Indiana - Chapter 14: Remarkable Men in Commerce, Law, Medicine and, 1908 (part 2 of 2)

We find a colored governor and congressman of the United States who undoubtedly was a resident of Terre Haute, according to the recollection of that very reputable, excellent man, the late William Clark, of South Second street. Before the war there was a young colored waiter at the old Stewart House, on Second and Wabash, known when his name was given in full as Pinckney Benton Stewart. Born in Georgia, a boatman, he possibly worked his way to Terre Hiute up the Wabash. He went south, slipped through the Confederate lines to reach New Orleans when lien Butler was there and helped raise colored troops. He went into politics, and had an appointment from Grant. He was president of the state senate and acting governor of Louisiana, and also served in Congress.

Rev. Emsley Hamilton was a conspicuous man for his character and commancHng figure, for he was a tall large man of striking appearance. He died about 1874. He was a blacksmith until about thirty, and then entered the Methodist ministry and took rank among the most acceptable preachers of the day. He was an active Republican, and a very popular stump speaker and debator, and while stationed in Miami county was elected representative. He had served two years on the Prairieton circuit, and returned there to live. In 1869-70 he represented Vigo county in the legislature, removed to this city and received an appointment in the revenue service, which he held until his death.

Michael Lamb (1809-1874), who came to Terre Haute in 1837, was a generous, warm-hearted and successful business man, and his position in public esteem was indicated at the time of his death, when he was given one of the largest public funerals known in the citv up to that time.

John G. Davis was of southern ancestr)-. He served as county clerk of Parke county twenty-one _\ears, and one term as sheriii". He was elected to Congress in 1850. serving four terms, .\fter removing to Terre Haute he was in the dry goods business.

John Jenckes ( 1790- 1860) was a sailor to the East Indies and South America, making three voyages. He came west and at the land sales of 1816 bid oft large lots of land, some of which is still owned by the Jenckes family. In 1818 he took up his residence in a new log house built for him by Thomas Puckett, three and a half miles south of Terre Haute. He i)ut a (|uartcr of section of land in wheat, but when he harvested it could not be sold at ten cents a bushel. There were times when the settlers sold corn at six and a quarter cents a bushel and paid seventy-five cents a pound for coffee. John Jenckes was associate judge with Demas Deming. He was in the state senate when the legislature met in the two-story log house at Corydon.

.\ resident on Ohio street was Marvin M. Hickcox. who came to Terre Haute in 1818 when nine years old, and lived here nearly sixty years, until his death in 1877. He was upright, e.xact and reliable.

George Xelson, one of the most popular railroad conductors of Terre Haute, lived at the northwest corner of .\inth and Ohio, in one of the comfortable old-fashioned frame houses of the period, and many will recall the breezy, cheerful, good-looking Nelson, the old conductor who ran between Evansville and Rockville. He married Mary Harrison, daughter of ISritton M. Harrison, who was a fine, pretty woman, and who died about 1873. His sister, who lived with him and took care of his boys, will be remembered as a very agreeable, intellectual woman, who was one otir early book clubs, for she opened a small circulating library in her home. She is now dead. Georcje Nelson went from here to a Texas railroad, and for some years has been in the minintj business in Colorado. C)ne of his sons became a minister of the Episcopal church.

J. V. Graff was a fine bov and is a fine man, the credit of whose good and upward start niav be divided among himself, a very good mother and his sister. When a mere boy he had an ardent admiration for Lyman Abbott, a popular young preacher, and for R. W. Thompson and wanted to be like them. As they were both eloquent speakers, this may have turned his ambition toward oratory. He was the orator of his high school class ('87). He went from here to Peoria, worked for a while in a grocerv store, and then studied law and has been elected three times to represent the Peoria district in congress.

W. S. Blatchley, who since 1894 has filled the office of state geologist with distinction and rare ability, was formerly connected with the Terre Haute high school .and will be remembered by former students. He was. liorn in Connecticut in 1859, was educated in the schools of Putnam county, Indiana, graduated from the Indiana State University, and made a specialtv of scientific subjects. He was assistant in the Arkansas geological survey in 1889-90, was with a scientific expedition to Mexico in 1891, was connected with the United States fish commission in 1892-93, and was elected state geologist in 1894.

C. M. Warren ( 1S37-1893 ) was born in Terre Haute, a son of Chauncev Warren, was educated in the city schools, entered the State Bank in 1858, and succeeded Preston Hussey as cashier of that and the National Bank, a position in which he served for thirty-five years.

General U. F. Linder, who died in 1876, was well known and practiced in this county, though he lived in Charleston. He was a man of great eloquence and a noted stump speaker. It was told that when Lincoln and Douglas were holding their historic debate in 1858, Linder received from Douglas a telegram reading, "For God's sake, Linder, come." The words of the message were made a sobriquet by which Linder was long known. If Douglas had attained his ambition to be president., Linder would have received high honors at his hands.

Samuel JMcDonald died on his farm in Lost Creek township, August 20, 1877, twenty-eight years old. His grandfather was General Samuel McDonald, distinguished as soldier and business man, who accumulated a great fortune to be scattered by son and grandson. William McDonald (son of the general) was a sporting man of Baltimore, best known as owner of the famous Flora Temple, and owned a magnificent residence and estate of 360 acres almost within the city of Baltimore. The home was one of the finest and stateliest in Maryland. Before it were marble gates, surmounted by bronze lions, at which gatekeepers constantly stood to admit visitors to the splendid grounds which they guarded. The estate was tied up until \Mlliam should be thirty-five, but he died before that age, when his bov was thirteen. The son Samuel spent years in school 'v. England and Germany, and on his return was made lientenant-colonel of a i\Iarvland militia regiment, the good associations and rigid discipline of which for a time kept him within the bounds of propriety. He fell from grace and a prolonged drinking bout caused the breaking of an engagement of three vears' standing with a Baltimore girl. He came to Terre Haute in 1871 and bought both town and country property, and divided his time between the two places. He was a handsome young fellow, verv courteous and gentlenianlv when sober, but drink transformed him into a demon. He paid thirty thousand dollars for his country seat, and the extensive improvements alone cost over fifteen thousand. He was a collector of all kinds of live stock, very fine for the time, but not to be judged bv the extravagant prices paid for them. He had some trotting stock and fine hunting dogs, and everything he did was on a scale of magnificence which astonished the people of Terre Haute and Vigo. His home was Rowdy Hall, where unbridled license ruled. He was indifferent to ])ublic opinion and flaunted his vices in public view as he did his disreputable companions, male and female. Strange to say. he would not gamble further than to back his horses in the park. His train consisted of a Baltimore gambler, another fop, a private secretary, and a very faithful Irish attendant. While on a visit to Baltimore young McDonald killed a noted gambler in a barroom quarrel, was indicted, tried and acquitted, his lawver being the late Senator W'hyte. his former guardian (who never lost a case).

After a severe spell of illness he formed good resolutions and moved all of his Sixth street belongings to his farm (the old Stewart farm). He soon tired of hunting, fishing, kennels and stables, and the last few weeks of his life was a prolonged debauch, and he died alone except for the hired help in his house, in the most dreary and neglected surroundings, after a wild fevered delirium.