The Indianapolis journal., 1896-12-13
JOSEPH j. BINGHAM DEAD
HE WAS A wELL-kNOwN EDITOR
AND NEWSPAPER MAN.
Brief Review of His Life-Hfs Connec-
tion with the SentineE, which
Paper He Once Owned.

After an illness of six months duration.
Joseph j. Bingham died at o'clock yes
terday morning at his home, No. $40 North
Meridian street. He had been confined in
doors since the middle of the year, and ten
days ago was forced to take to his bed and
his death had been momentarify expected
since then. During the past two months
life was sustained on nutritious fluids
alone. For several months past he was
hardly conscious OF what was going on
around him. When his death occurred all
the family, excepting two daughters, who
are living in Washington, D. c., were at
his bedside. He passed away quietly and
calmly, and apparently without any suf-
fering. The funeral will take place Mon
day afternoon, and the interment will be
at Crown HILL
On Jan. 6. 1916, Joseph J. Bingham was
born in New York city. He was boy fif-
teen years of age when his father died. He
was the eldest son, and was going to
school, but was then forced to give up his
studies and assist in supporting the family.
Seven years later he went to Toledo, o.,
and with a brother-in-law became engaged
in the lumber industry.
Mr.. Bingham went to Lafayette in 1Si3
About this time he engaged in river traff1c
ana was captain of a steamboat on the Wa
bash. In 1874 he married Rebecca Irwin, a
niece of Hon. Daniel Mace, one of the pio-
neer settlers of Tippecanoe county. He had
one daughter by his first wife, who died
twelve months after their marriage. After
this he engaged in the soap and candle
business, in which he was quite successful
and accumulated reasonably large returns
for his labor and invested capital
In 1S47 he married Mary West, of Roches-
ter, N. Y, daughter of Ira West, who
ter. Mr.. Bingham was deeply interested in
educational affairs, and TO this was coupled
an ability-an executive power in organiza-
ton of schools, which soon led to his being
placed on the governing board Of the
schools earliest established in Lafayette.
He became editor of the Democratic paper
at that time published there and owned by
Alfred West. A Mr.. Luce owned the oppo-
sition paper, and during Mr.. Luce's absence
in New Orleans. where he went 20 recu-
perate his health, Mr.. Bingham looked
paper, thus writing on both sides at once
of political and local questions.
By his second wife he had one son, Joseph
West Bingham, who, when he came to
young manhood, became prominent in jour-
nalism in Indianapolis, ST; Paul, Mime
apolis and Chicago, and who died in this
city about ten years ago.
The second Mrs Bingham died in 1851,
and In 1852 the deceased married @ Sophia b.
George Uphold, first bishop of the protest
ant Episcopal Church in Indiana.
Mr.. Bingham purchased an interest in
the Indianapolis Sentinel in July, 1856 and
removed to this city. Until Jan. 13, 1857. the
firm Larrabee Bingham & Co, but on
that date Mr.. Larrabee retired. The Sem
tinel Office was then on the site now occu-
pied by Trons saloon, on Illinois street. 1t
was removed to the Capitol House build
ing on Washington street, and was consid-
cred one of the best equipped offices in the
State. A new boiler exploded in the engine
room on April z, 1857, and the rear OF the
building was badly demolished. This ne
cessitated suspension. of publication until
April q, which caused much financial en-
Sarrassment to the proprietors. On July 81
Mr.. Bingham was Joined by John r. Elder
and John Hardness in the ownership or the
Sentinel, and the office was again removed,
this time to the site now occupied by
Kerschner's restaurant, on South Meridian
street. In 1863 a new building was erected on
the east side of South Meridian street, just
below Pearl street, and the Sentinel office
waf n 1SS 1S TINS r Was CHIEF
editorial writer during all these years.
In 1865 Charles w. Hall bought the Sem
tinel and changed its name to the Herald,
as the name Sentinel had engendered Bit
ter feeling by it's oppositional utterances
regarding the war, and the Herald was
installed in the former headquarters in the
old Capitol House building.
In 1868 the Herald was purchased by Rich
ard j. Bright, who changed the name back
to Sentinel and installed Mr.. Bingham as
editor. Again followed change of quart
ers in 1869 and the Sentinel was issued from
the building at the southwest corner OF
Meridian street and Monument-place, now
known as the Waverley building. 1t had
been remodeled from the old Wesley Chap
ell. From 1856 to 1910 the Sentlnel grew ana
prospered under the skillful direction of
editor Bingham, and much OF Its success
as a political organ was due to his efforts.
In 1872 he retired from the Sentinel in his
editorial capacity and was engaged in
brickmaking for three years following.
Under James II. Rice he was deputy aud
itor of state, and when the School Board
was organized in 1870 he became a member
of it, continuing until 1882. He was greatly
interested in school affairs, and had a great
deal TO do with the establishment of the
system now In vogue in this city. Nine
years ago his health began to fail and his
mental powers began to become impaired.
Hardening of the brain resulted and grad
ually his mind became more and more fall
tering. A widow, three sons and three
daughters-Emily S. Bingham and Mrs.
Richard c. Dean. living in Washington, d.
c. and George T.. Edmund H., Frank l..
and Laura N, living in this city, survive
him.