The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-27
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
CAPT. HARRY H SHEET ak OF
OLD CITY FAMILIES.
Many Have Scattered or Died Out, but
g Few Familiar Names Endure
-HOteI Notes.

Captain Harry H. Sheets, the man who
built the Denison Hotel. and the oldest
living member Of a family that was at one
Zine one of the most prominent in Indiana.
Is in the city with Mrs. Sheets for a visit
Of ten days or two weeks with old friends.
Captain and Mrs. Sheets are stopping at
the Denison.
h Sheets family came from Virginia
originally and Captain Sheets himself is a
typical Southerner in personal appearance
tall. erect. with gray hair and gray mus
tache and imperial. resembling TO a strik-
ing degree Admiral Schley. However, the
captain is a Hoosier by birth. having been
born in 1910 on the very spot where the
Denison now stands. William Sheets. his
father. came to Indiana from Fairfax
county. Virginia, in the early days of the
State. and in 1889. when he was chosen
secretary of state, he built the homestead
known as Cottage Hall. on the present site
OF the Denison. Cottage Hall was the
second brick residence built in Indianapolis
and for forty years it was one of the land
marks of the city. In 1870 Captain Sheets.
as the representative of the Sheets estate,
stroyed by fire in 1874, but he rebuilt 1t
at once. constructing the present build
Ing, which has since, however, been re-
modelled and enlarged.
In 1879 Captain Sheets and his family
moved back TO the old family home in
virginia. For several years he lived at
Gunston Hall, a typical Virginia mansion
near Washington. and at the time General
Benjamin Harrison was inaugurated Pres1-
dent in 1889 ne entertained the entire Har-
rison family at Gunston Hall for several
days At present Captain Sheets is resld-
ing on a large plantation near Leesburg.
eighteen miles from Washington. With
Mrs. Sheets he spends the winters in the
capital city and the summers on the PLAN
tauon in Fairfax county.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
The Sheets family is one of the Oldest
in Virginia and is closely connected with
the Harrison family. Both the Harrisons
and the Sheets were related to John Ran
dolph of Roanoke, and there have been
several marriages between distantly related
numbers of the families.
This is the first visit that Captain Sheets
has made to Indianapolis since 1891, when
he came here to bury his mother. He and
Mrs. Sheets came here two weeks ago for
their visit. but they were recalled to vir-
glnia after they had been in the city but
a few hours.
There have been many changes In In.
dianapolis even since / last visited here, y
said Captain Sheets last evening, "but, oil
course, my memory of this city dates back
most NlNldly 10 the time we HNed mere
Since 1879 so many changes rave taken
place that we feel almost like total strang-
ers. Nearly all the old families that were
prominent here in those days have scat.
tered or died out. and although we still
have many friends in Indianapolis and shall
renew these friendships with the keenest
pleasure, our return cannot help but bring
many sorrows, for there are so many OF
the old friends whom we cannot see"
In recalling the old families, Captain
Sheets mentioned the Rays. the Shapes
the Fletchers, Vances. Pattisons, Loves
Lords. Mobiles. Morrises. Morrisons, Hen,
bricks, McDonalds, Buffers, Harrisons and
Blakes-names that have long been identi
fed with the social history of indianapolis
Many of them are still represented by
younger generations than the ones Captain
and Mrs. Sheets knew when they livec
here, while a few Of the original member
are still living.