The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-05
RESIDENCES OF INDIANA GOVERNORS.
The Houses in Which They Lived During Their
Respective Terms of Office.

pieted, mansion suitable for residence for the
Governor of this great State s'Tne Governors
OF Indiana, said an elderly gentleman have
always lived in tho sim piicity becoming rapub
lie. The first Governor to make his residence in
this city was James B. Ray. The first Leeisla.
ture met here in 1926 its sessions being held in
the old courthouse long since removed, which
occupied insignificant area of ground now
covered by our large courthouse. The proceed
ing Governor William Hendricks, who served
from 1922 to 1925 the Governors then being
elected for three years, never lived
here. but at Madison. Governor Rays
residence was on the south side OF
Washington street, perhaps nearly opposite to
the center of the courthouse square 1t was
brick house, built flush up to the street, and
think two stories high. The Governor and his
family lived up stairs while the first floor was
rented for store rooms 1 think the same bricks
are in the buildings, not greatly changed in the
remodeling that now occupy that ground Gov
ernor Ray wrote his name to documents in
much larger hand than John Hancock's appears
upon the Declaration Of Independence he
signed it to a treaty made for the extngush
ment of the titles of lands held by the Miami
bash. Gen. Lewis Cass, one of the commission
ers sent by the government to make the treaty
put his entire signature inside the loop of the
Governors big j, which created no little amuse
ment and comment
''Nuah Noble, uncle of the present Republican
candidate for Clerk of the Supreme Court, when
Governor, lived in a one-story brick house east
of Pogues run. 1t IS yet standing, on Market
street, though remodeled and much changed. 1t
was long known as the Davidson homestead.
N - oiln Enfh &c Wci1o
Gen. Lew Wallace, was Governor from 1897 to
1910. He did not have permanent residence
but boarded at hotel. Mrs Zerelda G.. Wallace,
the well-known advocate of woman suffrage, ia
his widow.
Samuel Bigger was Governor from 1910 to
l843. By the way, he is buried at Fort Wayne,
in an old cemetery now being turned into pub
lie park There is no stone to mark this resting
place of one of Indianas Governors, and the sug-
gestion made short time ago in the
journal that the Legislature appropriate money
to remove Governor Whtccmb's remains from
Greenlawn cemetery to Crown Hill, might also
be made in respect to those of him whose body
lies unmarked at Fort Wayne Mr. Bigger was
the first Governor to live in the property bought
by the State OF Dr. Sanders at the northwest
corner of Illinois and Market streets, in the rear
of what is now Milers Block. The old house
two stories high and considered great mansion
in its day, is still there, but in sadly dilapi
dated state Governor Whtcomb lived there
United States Senate, to be succeeded by Lieut..
Gov. Paris e. Dunning, who lived at Blooming
ton and who served out the remaining
one year of the three years term.
The next occupant of the Governors House.
as it was called, was Gov. Joseph A. Wright.
He served seven years from 1849, his first term
being for three years, and the constitutional con-
venton in the meantime having made four years
the term without Governor being eligible to re-
election to q next succeeding term1 and is marked
term tof any Governor of Indiana. He was sue
ceeded in the old house by Gov. Ashbel 2.
Willard, who. dying in Office, left the last year
Of his term to be filled by Lieut. Gov Abram A.
Hammond. Governor Hammond did not live in
the cid house. but took quarters at hotel
Henry s. Lane was Governor only few
days, as on the 10th of January, 1861 he was
elected to the United States Senate, being sue
ceeded by Lieut.. Gov. Oliver p. Morton,
who acted Governor from that time until
1865, when he was elected Governor, aud, after
serving two years, was sent to the United States
Senate, Lieut.-G Baker serving out
the term, Mr.. Baker being elected Governor for
the ensuing four years. Of course Mr. Lane,
acting as Governor only a few days, never had
residence here When Governor Morton first
came he 'occupieG The Governors House. but
before his second term he began boarding, tax
ing rooms in the McKernan property, on Circle
street, which now forms part of English's Ho-
tel. He bought the north half of the well-known
house at the southeast corner Of New York and
Pennsylvania streets, when he came back from
his brief sojourn in Europe, where Lieut.
Gov. Baker lived during Governor Mortou's
absence abroad. This was his home, and here.
with his family, he resided until his death.
Nov. l, 1877, and here Mrs. Morton still resides.
The house has two stories and an attic. It ie
cid fashioned, unpreteEtious and comfortable,
containing twelve rooms The house so long oc-
cupied by Governor Hendricks, and owned by
him, on North Tennessee street opposite the
new State house, is extremely plain and old5
fashioned. 1t is two and a half stories high, its
rooms few but large with high ceilings and
wide hall which did good service, when, as Otter
happened, especially during his presidency,
ne was called upon by large delegations Of adj
mirers and party workers The house was long
owned aid occupied by the Hon. Oliver Fl.
Smith and was sold by his scn-in-aw, the late
John Love- to Governor Hendricks. Governor
Hendricks also, for time lived in the large two.
story brick house at the northeast corner Of Ten
nessee and st. Clair, end it was while coming
down the ightof stone steps in front of this place
that he fell and so seriously cut his head fail
at the time believed to have been caused by
slight stroke of paralysis. Governor Hendricks
was always exceedingly careful! in his household
expenses, and those who were intimate with
him have declared that those expenses did not
exceed 81 200 year. Mrs. Hendricks being q
very helpful partner.
Governor Williams, during his entire term.
boarded at the Occidental Governor Porter.
during his four years incumbency of the Gov.
ornQrs ONCE contlnued TO occupy his own resi-
dence on Tennessee street, near SECOND a suh@
stantial and comfortable residence, by no means
as large as it appears TO be, but with a beautiful
yard about it. which is always kept in admirable
order, with special attention paid to the cultva-
ton of large beds of plants and flowers
Governor Gray for time boarded at the Bates
House, / believe He now occupies the two
story brick at the southwest corner of Pennsyl-
vana street Governor Baker, while Governor,
occupied perhaps, even a less pretentious resi-
dence than Governor Morton, being two-story
frame house on the east side of North Tonnes
see street, few doors north of New York street
The Legislature gave Governor Morton during
his first term, S., 900 in lieu of a residence
Governor Hendricks was the last to receive this
perquisite. The Governors salary was Their,
however, only $4,000 year. For Governor
Williams, the salary was raised to Sc, 900 year.
with nothing additional and during Governor
Wilams's term the salary was reduced to S., 900