History of Logansport, (Cass County) Indiana United States of America

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Biographies:

Horace P. Biddle, jurist, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, March 24, 1811. He received an elementary English education and acquired a fair knowledge of the European and several of the Eastern languages. He studied law, and was admitted to the Ohio and United States courts. He then "travelled the circuit" in Ohio and in 1839 opened an office in Logansport, Ind. He served as presiding judge of the circuit court during nineteen years, as supreme judge during six years, and as a member of the constitutional convention of Indiana in 1850. He at the same time carried on a line of studies in philosophy, science and literature. In January, 1881, he retired from all active participation in the current affairs of life to his "Island Home," in the Wabash river, where, amidst his library, which he playfully called his "eight thousand friends," he de voted himself to literary pursuits. During the first year of his retirement he published: "Elements of Knowledge," "Biddle's Poems," "American Boyhood," "Glances at the World," "Last Poems," and "Prose Miscellany." "Musical Scale" and his first book of poems, had been published in 1852 and in 1858, respectively. Mr. Biddle constantly experimented in matters of science, particularly in reference to music. He had around him the entire viol family, from the double bass to the kit. He invented a new instrument of the viol kind, which he named "Tetrachord "?a method of stringing and tuning applicable to viols of all kinds and sizes, and to any pitch. He also invented the double action Eureka, an instrument of the harp kind, by which he presents, with forty-three strings, a consecutive chromatic scale of six octaves, having seventy-three notes, without any pedals or stops. He died at Logansport, Ind., May 16, 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Daniel Darwin Pratt, senator, was born in Palermo, Maine, Oct. 26, 1813. His parents removed to New York state during his childhood, and he was graduated from Hamilton college in 1831. He taught school in Indiana, 1832; was employed in the office of the secretary of state at Indianapolis; studied law, 1834-36, and practised in Logansport, Ind. He was a member of the state legislature in 1851 and 1853; a delegate to the Republican national convention of 1860, where he acted as chief secretary, and was elected a Republican representative from the eighth Indiana district to the 41st congress, but before the congress met be was elected U.S. senator to succeed Thomas A. Hendricks. He served in the senate, 1869-75, and was commissioner of internal revenue, 1875-76, resigning, July, 1876. He received the honorary degree LL.D. from Hamilton college in 1872. He died at Logansport, Ind., June 17, 1877.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

LeRoy Fitch, naval officer, was born in Indiana, in October, 1835. He entered the U.S. naval academy in 1852 and was graduated in 1856. Through successive promotions he attained the rank of master Sept. 5, 1859, and was assigned to the Mississippi squadron operating under Flag-Officers Foote and Davis. He assisted in the capture of Fort Donelson, Fort Pillow, the reduction of Island No. 10 and the destruction of the Confederate fleet at Memphis. He was promoted lieutenant Sept. 21, 1862, and commanded the steamers Moose and Lexington in operations on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, 1862-63, during which period he prevented Col. John Morgan, the guerilla chief, from crossing the Ohio river at Bufiington's Island. He afterward seized Morgan's train and a portion of his guns, which so crippled him as to lead to his capture. He also defended Johnsonville, Tenn., against Forrest, and supported General Thomas at Nashville against the Confederate force under General Hood in December, 1864. He continued his exploits against Confederate guerillas on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, making several expeditions inland to cut off marauding parties. He died at Logansport, Ind., April 13, 1875.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Vernon Gridley, naval officer was born in Logansport, Ind, Nov. 24, 1844; son of Frank and Ann Eliza (Sholes) Gridley. His parents removed to Hinsdale, Mich., when he was a child and he received an appointment as cadet to the U.S. naval academy in 1860. On account of the exigencies of the civil war he was ordered into active service with the class in September, 1863. On Oct. 1, 1863, he was promoted ensign and ordered to the sloop Oneida of the West Gulf blockading squadron. He participated in the battle of Mobile Bay, Aug. 5, 1864, and his bravery and coolness under action was conspicuous and received the notice of his superior officers. He was ordered after the close of the war to the Brooklyn, flagship of the Brazilian squadron, and served on that vessel, 1865-67. He was promoted master in November, 1866, lieutenant in 1867, and lieutenant commander March 12, 1868. He served on board the U.S. steamer Michigan on the Great Lakes, 1870-72; on the Monongahela, 1873-77; was instructor at the naval academy, 1875-79; executive officer of the practice ship Constellation during the summer cruises of 1877 and 1878; executive officer of the Trenton of the European station, 1879-81; was promoted commander March 10, 1882, and was on duty at the torpedo station. He was chief navigation officer of the Boston navy yard, 1882-84; commander of the training ship Jamestown, 1884-86; senior officer of the cruising training squadron from June to November, 1886; inspector of the 10th lighthouse district, Buffalo, N.Y., 1887-91, on special duty at the Washington navy yard, 1891; commanded the Marion, July, 1892, and was again inspector of the 10th lighthouse district, Buffalo, N.Y., 1892-96; commander of the receiving ship Richmond at League Island, Pa., 1897; was promoted captain, March 14, 1897, and ordered to the Asiatic squadron, and on July 28, 1897, was assigned to the command of the Olympia, flagship of Commodore George Dewey commanding the squadron. During the battle of Manila Bay, May 1, 1898, he directed the movements of the Olympia, and it was by his order that the broadside was fired which sank the flagship of the Spanish admiral. After the victory achieved by the American fleet, Captain Gridley was found to be seriously ill, by reason of the strain, and he was invalided home by Admiral Dewey. He took passage for home three weeks after the battle, was at Hong Kong, May 28, left there on that date on the steamer Coptic and died as the ship reached Kobe, Japan. He was married May 1, 1872, to Harriet F., daughter of Judge John P. Vincent of Erie, Pa., and two daughters, Katherine V. and Ruth W., and one son survived him. The son, John Paul Vincent Gridley, was appointed a cadet in the U.S. naval academy by President McKinley in 1898. Captain Gridley died at Kobe, Japan, June 5, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor