Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1890-01-16
PROMINENT PEOPLE OF THE
PIONEER PERIOD.
First United States Senator's from In.
diana-"rhe Era Of Good.
feeling.'
Sketches Of Senator James Noble and
His Successors.

Indiana came 1nto the Union In Q
time of peace in politics. 1t WAS the
qoiet administrstion of Monroe, and
the parties formed upon questions afis-
ing from the effects of the war of indie
pendence, had settled most OF their
controversies and had dissolved. New
parties on the new questions arising
from the presence and influence OF
slavery in the nation, had Tot been
formed. Io Indiana. the people had
been divided since 1902. upon the prop
osi,ion to repeal the restriction on
slavery in the ordinance OF 1857. and
allow its introduction. for . few years
1T least. The Tree state constitution
adopted in 1916. settled that matter.
and lett the people no subjects for dit.
ference of sentiments except personal
preferences in the distribution OF the
new public Offices.
In regard to the distribution Of the
Offices, 1t the time OF the formation OF
the state government, there were three
factions among the politicians. These
factions were composed respectively OF
those who favored the Advancement Of
Jennings, Hendricks. and Noble. In
the disposal OF the chief Offices, Jen-
nipgs was made governor. Hendricks
was elected the representative In Con
gress, and Noble became one OF the U. 5.
senators. The other offices-the leeisla.
ture chose the supreme judges, the state
secretary. auditor and treasurer-were
distributed among friends OF the three
leaders, at least, . number were SO con-
ferred.
We have considered the careers Of
two members OF that trium vlrate. We
will now view the pu bio services OF the
other or third member.
SENATOR JAMES NOBLE.
This gentleman appeared in the first
constitutional convention - . delegate
from Franklin County. He was the
ablest member of that county's deleRa
ton, il not the ablest delegate from the
eastern side of the State. Upon the
organization of the convention he was
made chairman Of the committee on
the legislative department; and was
member of the committee on judicial
department.. and of that on militia.
James Noble was born at Battletown,
Virginia. While . youth, he went to
the frontier. locating first in Kentucky
and aiterwsrd in Indiana Territory.
Making the then comparatively -four
County, his home. he began the prac-
tice OF law. Before his election to the
convention. Noble had held several
offices under the territorial government.
In 1911 he WAS prosecuting attorney OF
the court having Jurisdiction of ,
district or circuit including Wayne
County, CHAT year set of as .
separate county,. Two years later, he
was . member of the territorial legisla
ture and speaker Of the lower house.. 1T
the first session held 1t Corydon. (Which
remained the capital until 1925 IN
January, 1915, Noble was appointed
Judge OF the circuit OF which Wayne
County WAS . part; but next year. WAS
succeeded by Jesse l.. Holman. who
presided at the trial of Henry Chryst.
or the first murder in Wayne County.
( Chryst il embalmed in the amber Of
local tradition. IS the first man eyer
hung in Wayne County" Noble con-
Quoted the defense of Chryst. At Sails
bury. in March. 1916.
About that time, General Noble, Is
he Was frequently named, (tor it seems
that among the various positions he
occupied. he was. 1t some time, . high
officer in the militia,) WAS the leading
lawyer in the Whitewater Valley, and
popular ~ such.
In those days. the people delighted to
ten to the lawyers plead" as they
Noble was an accom- modatipg speaker
on such occasions, Tor he had . voice
which he could make heard not only
throughout the court room, but over
much of the county town.
At the first election, under the state
constitution. IL August. 1916. Noble was
elected Q representative from franklin
County. in the state legislature. He
Was thus . member OF the body that
elected him to the national senate The
first session of the Indiana legislature
under the state organization. met at
Corydon in Harrison County. on No
vember 4. 1916. That session convened
. month earlier than succeeding SEES
sions, in order to have time to organize
the state government, The governor
was insugursted on the 7.h. and . few
days later. james Noble and Waller
Taylor were elected rs the United States
senators for the new State. Il is prob
sble that they soon set out for Washing
ton City. for Congress would convene
on the first Monday of the next month
and, BY the means tor travelling in those
days. some time Was required to make |
SO long journey.
BY JOINT resolution. approved on the |
the 11th OF December. 1916 Indians |
was fiaally and formally admitted into |
the Union. The DELEGATION from Indi- |
ana probably took seats next day. In |
the new senators, (the senate |
is divided into three classes; the terms |
of one third of che senators are expiring
every two years). Noble drew the long |
term aad went into the class whose |
term expired March 3. 1921. Taylor |
drew the short term, ending March 3.
1919 Noble was re elected In 1921 and |
again in 1927. Taylor was re- elected in |
1919. and was followed by William Hen
bricks, in 1925. In the present con-
eress. Senator Turpie is the successor to |
Noble, while Voorhees, il the successor
to Taylor
Senator james Noble died while in
his third term, ct Washington City, on
the 26sh day OF February, 1881.
J.C. NJ.
Continued