The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-01-18
HON. OSCAR B. HORD.
Dsath Of the Last Member Of the Firm Of
Baker, Hord & Hendricks.
The Demise of the Distinguished Lawyer
Caused by a!Recent ParayIetic Stroke
Sketch of His Life:

Hon. Oscar B. Hord, who received
stroke of paralyses last Tuesday, died at
10 o'clock last night at his residence, cor.
Der of New York and California streets.
He had been unconscious for two days and
all hope for his recovery was abandoned
yesterday morning. His death is thought
to have been produced by Inflammation,
caused by blood clot on the brain. Ali
the members of his family and other i'm
mediate relatives were present at the bed
| side.
The deceased was the son of Francis T.
Hord, of Washington, Mason Comfy,
Kentucky, where he was born August 3Ist,
| 1929. The family was q large one, consist
| irg of seven sons and two daughters, of
whom the following named still live: w.
| 7. Hord, surgeon in the Naval Academy at
Hord, Of Chicago Hon. Francis 7. Hord, of
Columbus. Ind, recently Attorney General I;
Judge K. NJ. Hord, of Shelbyville; Mrs. ].
| B. Hoyes, of MaysYille, KY, and Mrs. NJ.
| G. Clark, of this city. He began reading
law, while a mere boy, in his fathers
Office, and, in 1919. st the age of twenty
years, established himself in his chosen
profession at Greensburg, Ind, formiRg
| partnership with James Gavin. In 1850
he took unto himself wife in
the person of Miss Mamie Thomp-
sor- OF Mason county, KY, o
| died eighteen months after marriage with
| out issue. In 1912 he was elected prosec1t-
Ing attorney of the Decatur Circuit, in
which position he quickly gained distinc-
ton in that part of the State. On Novem-
Der 1, 1889, he was again married, his
second wife being Miss Mary J. Perkins,
of this city, daughter of Judge Samuel E.
Perkins The fruits of this marriage were
four sons, Elliott, who died
something over q year ago; Heary-E,,
Francis I. and Ricketts,, the ages of the
three last named ranging between seven
| teen and twenty-one years. Mrs. Hord
| died July 10, 1874, and Mrs. Clark has for
some years had charge OF the household.
| The deceased was nominated for Attorney
| General on the Democratic ticket in 1860,
| and was defeated, but two years later he
made successful race for the Office and had
| since been q resident of Indianapolis.
| The death Of Mr.. Hord deprives the
| Indiana bar of another of its most con-
| spicuous members. Thirty years ago he
began to make rapid strides in his pro-
fession, and his legal ability was even then
recognized throughout the State. He and
| his law partner, James Gavin. at that time
| practicing at Greensburg, began a compila-
| ton and revision of the statutes. Mr..
/ Gavin entered the war, and the work was
| completed by Mr.. Hord and Hon. Cortez
Ewing. The book was issued about the
| time of the deceased's election to the
] Attorney GeDeralship (1S62) and the "Hord
and Gavin Statutes" had wide sale, and are
still to be found In law Libraries. At the
! close of his term of office, he having NOV
ed to this city in the interim, he formed
a psrtn ership with Hon. Thomas A. Hen-
| bricks, under the name of Hendricks e
| Hord. This was in 1864, and not long after
ward udge Samuel Z. Perkins joIued
the finn, whose name was changed TO Hen.
| bricks, Perkins & Hord. In 1865 Judge
Perkins assumed the editorship of the
Sentinel then Herald) and the late Msjor
Abram w. Hendricks took place
| Hendricks, Hord e. Hendricks. When
| Ex-Governor Baker retired from Office, Ia
| 1872, he exchanged places with his sac
! cessor, Governor Hendricks, and the firm
became Baker, Hord & Hendricks, which
name il has ever since borne. 1t will be
seen, therefore, that Mr.. Hord, in point OF
service, was the oldest member of the cell
ebrated firm, and his demise removes the
last of the distinguished jurists who COM
| posed it.
Mr.. Hord was unquestionably one OF the
most learned lawyers of the State or
country. His legal knowledge was thor 1ugh,
not superficial, and the bulk of
| the real work of the firm fell to him and
| Major Hendricks. He worked systematic
| calIy, being punctual and nethodical in
| his office habits. He never sighted a
| clients interest, and was never known to
undertake the trial of a case unprepared.
| He wss an able advocate, and posse ssed all
the Clements that make up q successful
| lawyer. He was earnest, fearless and hon
est in all his methods, and no man was ever
| held in higher respect or esteem by fellow
members of the bar.
Aside from the MISUNDERSTANDING
| the deceased never sought or held public
| Office. His wide acquaintance aud
| popularity would have made him a for
midable candidate for any nomination,
but he had no political am oition, preferring
to devote himself to his profession and
quietly enjoy the competence accruing
therefrom. True, he was delegate to the
Democratic National Conventions of 1876
and 1884, but he did not seek those honors
20 crafty personal aspirations, but solely
to render service to The late Vice-President
Hendricks, of whom he was q devoted, life,
long friend. Throughout Mr.. Hendricks
public career, Mr.. Hord epi Dyed his CON-
fdence TO greater degree, Perhaps, than
any other Democrat in Indiana.
He was, in fact, bis first lieutenant and
his time and means were constantly at the
disposal of the great statesman. He aided
in securing Mr.. Hendricks the nominations
for Vice-President at both st. Louis and
Chicago, and always regarded these as the
two proudest acts of his life.
Mr.. Hord's attainments were not coz
fined to the law. He was scholar In the
full meaning of the term. BE was never
happier than when at home with his books.
His private library was one OF the
largest and most carefully selected
in the State. He found his great
est pleasure in literary pursuits
and was thoroughly posted on current lit
erature. Scarcely day passed that he did
not invest in a new volume of some sort.
He was veritable shook worm" and was
commonly known as ''the greatest reader
in Indianapolis"
Socially Mr.. Hord was one of the pleas
ATTEST companions. A cultured converse
tionalist, refined in thought and polished
in manner, he was naturally sought after
by gentlemen. His Kindness of heart and
generosity were striking traits of
bis character. He gave literally
to public charity, and was accustomed to
contribute to the relief of distress where
ever he found it. His purse strings were
COL stantly loosened to help the deserving.
He was also ever ready to lend a helping
hard to an ambitious young lawyer, aud
bis friendship in every way was of the sort