The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-11

Major Lacey was further influenced
by his early boyhood days in Fountain
City and contact with the operation
of the underground railway" in which
at times, he and his brother them
selves were conductors" Even as
an II year old boy, he witnessed the
armed resistance in the streets OF
Fountain City, offered by group of
rs negroes to recapture by their for
mer masters.
During his continuous service in the
Civil war, Major Locey kept the home
folks" acquainted with conditions at
the front through letters published in
the Richmond Palladium and signed
| pseudonym Of "Quilp."
| After the war, Maj. Lacey returned
to Richmond and was for year en-
ployed as wheat buyer for the Hen
| ley. Stratton and Starr company, then
for two years as bookkeeper for the
Richmond Pillow works. He was elect
ed chief of police of Richmond in 1859,
serving while Gen. Bennett was may
or, and resigning in 1873. After one
more year of bookkeeping for King and
Son, lumbermen, he went to Maryland,
where he farmed for the next 10 years.
Enters Law office.
| He left the farm to practice law IN
| Washington, D. c., but i'll health final
1 ly compelled him to return to Foun-
tain City where he spent the remain
/ der of his life. He opened an office
and was active in civic affairs and in
a business way until failing eyesight,
shortly before the World war began,
compelled him to curtail his activities.
He never lost his interest in current
affairs, however, and until his last
sickness, enjoyed talking with his
friends over events and people that
were in the public eye, his opinion al
ways being respected as that of man
unusually well informed and possessed
/ of a world view.
| His career in his home town after
4 his return, endeared him to all citi-
4 zeps. His first activities were con-
cerned with securing pensions for Civil
war veterans of his acquaintance and
/ although he was very successful in
getting claims allowed, he never made
a charge for his services. Similar IA
l vors for others and his ever ready help
4 for any civic or community cause,
soon made him a warm place in the
community. He was one of the organ
izers and promoters of the local tele-
y
i the city board of trustees in 1889, a
year after he had been elected justice
of the peace, and later held practically
i every office in the power of the citi-
zens to give him.
Active in Politics
i Maj Lacey also became known as
! one of the stalwart wheelhorses OF
the Republican party. an uncompro-
missing adherent of the party whose
principles he conceived to be just, and
as long as his activities continued was
prominent township and county
leader in the party councils.
His friends are found not only in all
parts of this state. but in half the
states of the Union While still in
possession of his eyesight, Maj. Lacey
paid visit to Col Hadley in Califor
MIA and was himself visited by Gen
Macklin, a former war comrade. II
Michigan, Illinois and Ohio are many
acquaintance, formed through his wat
record. In this town itself he wa;
known to everyone. and himself knew
most. even of the boys. by the SOUND
of their voices.
He was a charter member and thu
oldest member, of the Whitewater
o. O. F., a member of the Masonic
lodge of Williamsburg, and of tn
, Fountain City Knights of Pythia
: lodge, which he Joined in 1891. HI
: assisted in the formation of Fountain
> City post, No 420, Grand Army of tn
:. Republic and few years ago the Rich
K mond lodge of Elks sent delegation
+ to Fountain City, and conferred upo'
$ him life membership in that order.
s The deceased is survived by fou
e daughters, Mrs. Mable ]. Scarce, VIII
!. has been keeping house for him, Mn
) G. A. Dwiggins, also of Fountain City
/. Mrs. Maud Smith of Pittsburgh
d Pa. Mrs. Clyde Powers of CalifoI
g MIA, and a son, w l.. Lacey, assistan
u engineer of the Indianapolis publ
h parks. Another son, Walter. was xii
S ed by railroad train on the rai1wa
; bridge at Dayton in 1888. Majo
) Lacey's wife, Eliza Osborn Lacey, die
S in 1899