The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-17
DEATH OF GENERAL W. H. H. TERRELL.
The End Of a Long and Busy Career of
Usefulness and Honor.

The death of General ". H. Fl. Terrell, which
has hourly been expected for two days, occurred
last night at $50 o'clock. His life was pro
longed, after all hope for his recovery had been
abandoned, by a remarkable constitutional vi
tality, which yielded to dissolution slowly.
During the last three days of his illness he took
no nourishment.
Although for many years a man of prominence
In the public affairs of Indiana, General Terrell
is one Of the few Of whom no Biographical sketch
has ever appeared in print, This is due more
to his own aversion than to any neglect. No
man better understood the value of biography,
and no one has given more careful attention to
the preservation of the personal history of those
who are numbered among Indianas distin.
guished dead. General Terrell was born in
Henry county, Kentucky, Nov. IL, 1927. He
came to Indiana with his parents in 1928,
and his home during his boyhood was at Column
bus. The rudiments of his early education were
acquired in the common schools, Early in 1916
he became a clerk in the Madison G. Indianapo-
lis railroad Office, at Edinburg, which was then
the northern terminus of the line. In 1S47h he was
deputy auditor of Bartholomew county. During
the same year he became editor and part propri-
etor Of the Columbus Gazette, which was then a
Wing newspaper. Two years later he was ap-
pointed deputy county clerk and recorder, and
was given the entire management of the two Of
fees In the same year he was chos-
en- county school commissioner. He
also attended to the duties of
county librarian, and for three years was
treasurer of the town of Columbus. In 1850 he
was elected county recorder as a Wing, by a
-s--.4- % I A-a. Ahn rY11n Vlap1n - ~
nominee, although the county was Democratic
by a majority of 300. He discharged the duties
Of deputy county clerk during his term as re-
corder, at the expiration of which he was admit
ted to the bar, having previously devoted his odd
time to the study of law. He entered into an
advantageous partnership, and continued in the
practice of the profession until December, 1887,
when he removed to Vincennes, where
he accepted the position of cashier in a
bank, and was also given the management of the
office business of a large manufacturing estab-
iishment. He was one of three citizens who
established the Vincennes gas-works upon their
own capital. At the outbreak of the war, in
1861. he was chosen secretary of
the military auditing board, authorized
by the General Assembly, to audit
the expenditures of the State for
Morton appointed him military secretary of the
executive department.
In 1868 the General Assembly refused to make
any appropriation for maintaining the military
and civil affairs OF the state. Governor morton
established a bureau of finance, and
borrowed nearly a million dollars He
appointed Mr.. Terrell a member of his
staff, with the rank of colonel, and gave him tho
full management and administration of the
bureau. In making an appropriation for the re
endorsement of those from whom Governor
Morton had borrowed the 81, 900, 900, the Gen
eral Assembly made q complimentary recogni-
ton of the services rendered by Col Terrell.
In November, 1864, he was appointed Adju-
tant-general of the State, with the rank of colo
mel. In March, 1865, the General Assembly,
by special enactment, gave him the rank of a
Brigadier- general, which is the only instance of
the kind on record. He resigned the Office of
Acknowledgement in May, 1869, to ac-
cept the appointment of Third As
sistant Postmaster general, rendered him
by President Grant, which he filed for four years.
In May, 1873, President Grant appointed him
United States pension agent at indianapolis,
and he held this Office until July 4, 1877. Since
then he has devoted himself to his private affairs,
and has written a series of papers relating to
early Indiana history which have not yet been
published.
Before be became broken in health General
Terrell possessed an admirable physique. He
was six feet in height, and his weight was about
175 pounds. He was a Mason and a member of
the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. He
was married at Columbus in November, 1850,
TO Sarah f.. Church. a daughter of A. B. Church.
They have two children, a daughter and a son,
George F., Terrell, who is in the railway mail
aarUica