The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-26

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! sparse settlements and few of the physical
| developments of progress and civilization. Two
years later his father penetrated deeper into the
primeval forests of HoosierdoTn, making q
| Judgement the bluffs of Blue river val.
| ley, just east of and adjacent to what af-
terward became the town of Shelby
vile and county-se of Shelby county.
| There Mr.. john Hendricks bnilt the pioneer
| palace of the period. of logs, called cabin and
this primitive dwelling stands there to DAY, along
/ side the Michigan road pike. It's site was
CHOSEN on the brow of the river hills. its 'front.'
looking over broad and fruitful valley toward
the sesting sun, suggesting that the builder had
| in mind the line,
| westward the course of empire takes its way"
Now. more than half a century since Major
John Hendricks erected and lived in that drnin-
utive log cabin on the bluff, it is still occupied as
a dwelling Major John Hendricks father Of
Thomas A. was popular farmer and won his
military prefix as an officer in the militia OF that
| time. His was large, spledidly-developed ply
| sique. of commanding presence, and he was
known and respected for his sterling qualities of
| head and heart subsequently Major Hendricks
| erected a substantial resdence--one of the most
comfortable in Shelby county at that time. a
| spacious story-and-a- halt brick-on the brow Of
the same bluff further to the south, where it stst
| stands in monumental grimness and quaintness
of architectural design uniting the past with the
present. 1t is within stones throw of the O., L.,
ST L. & G. railway, it cuts through the hill to
rise from Blue river valley to the level of the
country beyond At later period Major Hen
bricks erected modern and spacious brick
dwelling in Shebyvile. in which residence he
peacefully passed away In the fullness or
| years. after life of struggle and success.
Young Thomas was, in those carrier years, q
barefooted Hooser farmer lad. His early boy.
hood days do not seem to have been peculiarly
| eventfuL He did not. evidently, achieve wide
| fame among the community for prowess
| woodman or farm hand. or in any other branch
of manual labor His prediction for
| books. This his sagacious father perceived and
| accordingly nurtured.
| He mastered all he could be taught in the pub
| lie schools in and about Shebyvie. dozen
| miles distant toward GreensbGrg, a courageous
| pioneer named John Robinson, father of Hon.
| William j. Robinson. during several terms a
| representative and senator from Decatur county,
| in the Legislature had established public
| school with advanced studies, though the curric-
| ulum was mere play-day bagatee in contrast
| to that of any Of our modern universities. A
| professor was brought from Boston, and to this
miniature college" young Thomas, now nearing
manhood IN maturity, was sent as siud Mt A
| few of his schoolday "reminiscences ale o inter<
est. Mrs. Roanna Thompson, of Shelby
county. who is over three-quarters of
century old. was Miss James, and MEM
Der Of the Robinson household, in Decatur
| county, when young Thomas A. Hendricks
was a student there She repeats the
story of circumstance of that time which I'M
| pressed itself upon her memory indellibly. A
i little orphan boy was also a member of the
| household, and seemed TO be the object Of petty
| persecution by quite all the young men in at.
| tendance upon the school. They hectored over
| him to his great grief and annoyance, and he
| was a spectacle of fororn frendlessness, deserv-
| ing of pity. Young Thomas Hendricks heart
warmed to the little fellow with sincerest TEN
| derness, and the attachment became
| mutual. This championship lifted a mountain
Gus burden from the little fellows shoulders, and
| his cheerful countenance promptly betokened
| the growth of his courage and happiness under
| his protectorate. This anecdote was frequently
| the subject of complimentary comment upon
,1rtol
| nature and love of fair play
Upon an occasion, while these students were
| there, John DumOnt. Wing candidate for Gov
| ernor against Wallace-and father of the late
| Gen. Eb Dumont-made political speech at St
| Omer two miles from the Robinson school. ALI
| the young gentleman students went over to hear
the speech. 1t novelty and relief from
| the monotony of pioneer school days. Dumonts
| argument was wholly of an economic character.
| pertinent to State affairs and local public inn
| provements. The logic electric upon the
young student theorists. and every one returned
| TO his books a thorough champion of Dumont
| En- PEASANT, Maj. John Hendricks at ons
| time Wing in politics. In the political evolu-
| tons of the period he became pronounced
| Democrat.
| The teachings of the Robinson school having
| been mastered, young Hendricks became a
| student at Hanover College When he mad
finished the course of studies there he returned
| to Shelbyvllle, and entered the law Office Of
| Judge Maj er as law student
The law students progress such as to
clearly indicate in the boy the wealth of develop
ment possible in the man of matured years
That was in 1912. His uncle, Judge Thomson,
was professor of law in Gettysburg College,
| Pennsylvania. Young Hendricks repaired to
| Cham6ersburg and took course of law reading
with Judge Thomson, reaching point of pro-
ficiency warranting return to Shelbyville,
where he was admitted to the bar in 1943. He
began the practice Immediately. It was a
| struggle in those pioneer times-the days Of
small things. The young lawyer. Thomas
Hendricks was earnest. hopeful, ambitious, in
| dustrious. A biographer has written of him in
these words: His success rapid and well
| earned. There a charm about him that won
| him hosts of friends. He was pure in morals,
and not merely upright in character, but solicit
Gus to preserve himself from even the appear
| ance of evil"
| When still young man he fell in love with
fascinating and brilliant girl, Miss Eliza C. Nor
| gan. who resided near North Bend, o. On Sept
| 20, 1S45, they were married The conjugal
union proved happy one Their only child
was born in l848, and in 1851 at the tender age
| of three years, little Morgan Hendricks passed
away in death This was an irreparabe loss.
1t is all the more touching in the fact that no
| other jewels OF conjugal affection have been
vouchsafed to Mr. and Mrs Hendricks. Little
Morgan was lost while his parents still resided
| in Shelbyvlle.
Two years after he entered upon the practice
of his profession. When but twenty eight wears
| OF age Mr.. Hendricks had so far obtained the
confidence of the people of his county tShelbyt
| thdt tney electeo nun TO the Legislature. But
| he die not take liking 10 that peculiar public
! service and at the next election ne declined
denomination In 1850, however, under an un-
/ yielding pressure, he was chosen a senatorial
delegate to the constitutional convention con-
vened to remodel the State Constitution. In
that body Mr.. Hendricks took q conspicuous
| part, as the records show.
! Tie succeeding year, in August, 1851, Mr..
| Hendricks was promoted to scat In Congress-.
| The district was large, and contained many
| counties. stretching from Brown on the south.
to Upton on the north, and from Madison. on
the east, to Hendricks. on the west, including
Marion, Hancock, johnson, Shelby, etc His
| opponent in the contest was Colonel Rush, of
| HANCOCK Hapdricxu hxv