The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-01
]. H. B. ROWLAND is DEAD
PASSED AWAY EARLY THIS MORNING
AT HIS DEARBORN-sTREET HOME.
He Was One OF the Pioneers of Ma
riOn County-Sketch OF
His Career.

morning at 1855 O'Clock at his home, lilo
North Dearborn street. He was eighty-six
years old and the cause of his death was
exhaustion. One day in the latter part of
May he was attacked by a vicious dog in
the neighborhood. He was not hurt, but the
excitement was too much for him, and he
could hardly stand when he reached his
home. His decline began then, and he was
out of bed but a few days after that time.
81 can last only a few days longer, he
said, but he moderated even the little vital
ity that was in him. He refused TO let
doctor attend him. "He would doctor me
to DEATH" he said. Later. however, his wife
and daughter insisted that he allow the
family physician. DR.. Stevenson, to min
lister to him.
Many times 1t was reported that Mr..
Rowland could not live through the night,
but until yesterday the reports proved un-
true. At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon he
sank into Inconsistencies and never re-
vived. He had eaten no solid food for many
weeks and his wife and daughter fed him
matted milk. His friends called in large
numbers every day and he was always glad
to see them. though their conversation had
to be shouted in his ears. He liked to talk
Of the early days in Marion county, and 1t
seemed that his mind chung fast to the
memories Of his youth, even though he was
near death. He would break out with such
remarks as II came here in 1920 with our
family and our hired hands. There were
twelve Of US and am the last one. have
lived longer than the allotted time" and
my brother Matthias was one Of the isaves
ees Ss the hs dow and sen
Six other children are dead.
The arrangements for the funeral will be
made to-day.
Mr.. Rowland was engaged in several
kinds Of business in his younger days put
entitled Early "reminiscences of Indian
apolis." He was an authority on the history
OF Marion county and the incidents in the
ton of Indianapolis. The newspapers of
this city frequently published articles by
Mr.. Rowland, and he delighted in this sort
Mr.. Rowland was born at Frankfort. KY.
His father visited this locality when the
commissioners appointed oy the LEGISLATURE
| Of the State, and seeing the possibilities of
the newly-opened country he decided to
was to become the center Of Indiana. When
| he reached home and made this announce
ment his friends tried to dissuade him, say
| and children before they reached White
river. But he was firm and sold his farm
and made preparations to start on the mo-
His SON, who died this morning, says in
his book: He disposed of every article Of
pensabie. and he loaded a large six-horse
wagon with heavy necessary furniture and
provisions sufficient for winter use. The
beds and bedding and most of the clothing
were so arranged and packed as to
| be carried on the backs of horses. Feather
beds were rolled up and tied together
each side of the horse, forming a plat
| form on the back Of the animal on which
two children could ride. My mother and
horses AMI side saddles. and when the whole
| caravan was in motion 1t would remind one
Of savalcads Of Bedoains In this way =,
October, 1870, to seek our fortune among
strangers in wilderness whose population
The travellers ferried across the Ohio rivel
at the mouth Of the Kentucky river About
| nine miles north of where Columbus wa:
and William Bradley and Bob Sacre. This
meant the acquisition of three more rifles
The destination was reached Nov 4 and thu
Isaac Wilson. which was on the northwes
| corner Of the Statehouse square in this city
1t was necessary that they should make {
occupy a cabin located in the middle o.
Kentucky avenue between Illinois stree
anS capitol ave; arvesnue until they could bui l
| cabin in what now constitutes the city
proper It was owned by Quaker named
4 TOWNSEND. Dut ne was away on trip. Id
had neither cut places for doors, window!
nor chimney
A PIONEER HOME.
The following description of the Now
lands homemaking is found in Mr.. Now
lands book:
my father did not take the liberty OF
cutting out the doors and the chimney lest
owner wished, so he pried up two corners
OF the house and took out the third log
from. the bottom, which would by climb
ing. be sufficient for ingress and egress: A
few boards were taken out of the middle
OF the roof for the escape of smoke, the
fire being built in the middle of the room
mother lined the inside walls by hanging
up rag carpet, which rendered it quite com,
fS fort for the short time we occupied it
tender its services to assist in building a
cabin of our own and this. with seven mer
him in a few days to have a comforta biz
cabin, which he built on the west bank OF
the ravine, where the canal now runs, about
midway between Washington and Maryland
streets.
Our new cabin fsn was eighteen BY twent!
the east side. would take in a back log
eight feet In length and fore stick ter
feet. There were two doors, one on the
north and one on the south side, opposite
| sticks were about eighteen inches in diam
! eteT. One emo was plaCeQ ON SleQ, cdlle(
and driven through the house until the los
was opposite the fireplace and then ROLLED
to it's place in the fire; and with tn,
fore stick and the smaller fuel carried IL
and placed on top. The two large sticks
would last about twenty-four hours. AL
though this was one of the coolest winters
ever experienced in this country, and tn,
ground was covered with snow from thu
| time we arrived until March 1, we lived al
| comfortably and contented as Friday ant
Robinson Crusoe. There was none to hin
der or make US afraid with the exception
of our dusky neighbors, and they wer,
pretty quiet during the winter"
| Indianapolis was wonderful place a
| that time. from a modern point of view
| for deer and wild turkeys were shot In it
streets. A graphic description Of those day
the dead historians volume:
| The day before Christmas of that yea
| ore of our household killed a turkey in from
| of our door, and where Washington stree
crosses the canal, that weighed twenty
| three pounds before it was dressed. 1t wa
burst 1t open. About o'clock Christina
| morning we were awakened by a salut
| from eight or ten rifles and cry OF &c
up, Kaintuck; We want some of that oil,
peach brandy and honey which my fathe
| understood very we'll 10 be some excellen
which they drank freely while building ou
cabin. When he opened the door the entir
II ale portion of the Harding and McCor
mick population stepped into the cabin an
| gave three cheers for old Kaintuck tn
| newcomer After paying the brandy tn
ing freely Of II, they went 10 and salute
| the inmates of the different cabins in tn
| same way. There was no petty jealousy Il
the people at that day. All seemed or a.