The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12

To the Editor-Sir: My family re-
Gently had a reunion at the old home of
Secretary of State Walter Q. Gresham,
in Harrison county, Indiana, and being
fresh from the scenes of this most dis
tinguished citizens early life. have
been requested to write something of
him and his family.
1 speak advisedly in using the term
most distinguished citizen" for with
out 'disparagement to Indiana's many
noble men. we can truthfully say that
he is the most renowned native Indi-
anian the state has ever produced.
He was born in a log cabin on farm
which adjoins the little town of Lanes
vile. The town is located among the
hills on the New Albany and CorydOn
pike, ten miles west of New Albany,
and is noted for its fine cathoic church,
one Of the finest in Indiana, which
stands on a hill 200 feet above the town.
His mother was eighty-five years of
age on the 5th of last September, and
lives In neat and well-furnished frame
cottage. which stands on Che site for
merly occupied by the cabin in which
the secretary was born. We called on
her and were received in a most cor
dial manner. For a lady Of such ad-
vanced age she Is remarkably active
and alert, walking into the room with a
firm step and recognizing the writer at
once, whom she had not seen for
twenty years.
Conspicuous on the wall was an en-
larged photograph OF the secretary,
neatly framed, and near it another,
that of William Gresham, only living
brother of the secretary. who is an at
torney at Saltwater, MINI. On the
center fQhla law (Nhfpa N pa lrDopr
house bill of fare. indicating that the
secretary had recently visited his
mother, thing he often does. But"
said the old lady, with a tinge of sad
ness in her voice, William never comes
home"
The secretary has three sisters. all re-
siding near the old Homestead. A
brother, Col. B. Q. A. Gresham, who was
a valiant soldier and Northumberland
of the Third Indiana cavalry, died only
recently at his home near GAINESVILLE
The father of the secretary, in early
days, was sheriff of Harrison county,
and while attempting to arrest a GRIM
inaI, was shot and killed. He was
warned of the desperate character of
the man, but would not believe him dan
gerous.
Thus. in early boyhood, the secretary's
father was taken from him. But he had
the instruction and guiding care Of a
mother of unusual intelligence and great
force of character. She has watched
with becoming pride, her sons illustri-
GUS career. and when she points 10 the
picture on the wall and says; Walter
visits me often, one cannot but think
that here is the spring from which Indi-
ana's greatest son drinks inspiration
Previous to the war the secretary took
two years law course in the state uni
versity, beginning the practice in his
native county. Soon thereafter he was
elected to the state legislature but the
war coming on about this time, found
him at once recruiting troops He en-
tered the service as Northumberland
of the Thirty-eighth regular Indiana vol
unteers. He soon resigned this position
and entered the recruiting field again.
getting together, from various parts of
the state, the Fffty-third regular Indi-
ana volunteers, of which he became
colonel. After the battle of Natchez. iu
1868, he was commissioned brigadier-
general for gallant service. On July 90
1864, while advancing the lines on Vicks-
burg, two days before the battle he was
wounded in the leg, badly fracturing the
bone. From this time he saw no more
active service. but returned to New Al
bany, Ind, for treatment, and lust be-
fore the close of the war was commits
stoned major-general
! In 1867 he was the republican candi-
date for congress, being defeated bv M
In 1869 he was appointed u. S. district
judge for the district of Indiana by
President Grant, and soon thereafter
took up his residence I'm INDIANAPOLIS
From there he went into Arthur's cabi-
net as postmaster-genera and then to
the u. $. circuit bench, from which DO
sition he was called by Cleveland to
his present exalted station.
He has carved out his own destiny by
incessant toll He is a man Of the peo-
pie, and the poorest citizen, though he
be clothed in rags, is as great in his
court as a Vanderbilt or Gould No
money can buy, no flattery seduce, this
just judge. In corrupt times he has
stood incorruptible, and the bench has
been exalted by his touch. Such men in
spire confidence in our courts and an
abiding faith in the wisdom of our in
situations. Honesty In high places and
equal justice to rich and poor is the
clamor Of our times. and we predict
that his next step will be to the supreme
bench and from there to the presidential
chair. FRANK A. HORNER.
Brazil Ind July g.