History of Indianapolis, (Marion County) Indiana United States of America

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Biographies:

Norman Eddy, representative, was born in Scipio, N.Y., Dec. 10, 1810. He was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1835, and practised in Mishawaka, Ind., until 1847, when he removed to South Bend, Ind., and began the practice of law. He was elected a state senator in 1850, and was a representative in the 33d congress, 1853-55. He was appointed by President Pierce district attorney for Minnesota in 1855, and was commissioner of the Indian trust lands in Kansas in 1856-57. He served in the civil war as colonel of the 48th Indiana regiment, which he had organized, 1861-63, being wounded in the battle of Iuka Miss. He was collector of internal revenue, 1865-70, and secretary of state of Indiana 1870-72. He died at Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 28, 1872.

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

John Parker Hawkins, soldier, was born in Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 29, 1830; son of John and Elizabeth (Waller), grandson of Jameson and Ruth Ann (Threlkeld), great grandson of John and Margaret (Jameson), great2 grandson of Philemon and Mary (Smith) Hawkins, and probably a descendant of William Hawkins, a sea captain, a brother of Admiral Sir John Hawkins. He was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1852; was brevetted 2d lieutenant in the 6th infantry and promoted 2d lieutenant, 2d infantry, June 23, 1854, and was promoted 1st lientenant, Oct. 12, 1857. He was brigade quartermaster at Washington, D.C, 1861; declined promotion to the rank of 1st lieutenant in the 14th U.S. infantry, May 14, 1861; accepted the commission of staff captain and commissary of subsistence, Aug. 20, 1861, and served in southwest Missouri and west Tennessee, 1861-62. He was chief commissary on the staff of General Grant at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 6-7, 1862. He joined the volunteer army as lieutenant-colonel in the commissary department, Nov. 1, 1862, serving till April 13, 1863, at which time he was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers and he commanded a brigade of colored troops in northeastern Louisiana from Aug. 17, 1863, to Feb. 7, 1864. He commanded a division of colored troops at Vicksburg, Miss., from March, 1864, to February, 1865; took part in the Mobile campaign, his division being attached to Gen. Frederick Steele's column, Canby's army. He distinguished himself in the assault at Blakely, April 9, 1865, that resulted in the capture of Mobile. He was brevetted major-general of volunteers, June 30, 1865, and was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, Feb. 1, 1866. In the regular establishment he was brevetted major, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services during the siege of Mobile, Ala.; and lieutenant-colonel, colonel, brigadier-general and major-general, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services in the field during the war. He was promoted major in the commissary department, June 23, 1874; lieutenant-colonel and assistant commissary-general, Sept. 3, 1889, colonel and assistant commissary-general, March 12, 1892; and brigadier-general and commissary-general of subsistence, Dec. 22, 1892, and was retired by operation of law, Sept. 29, 1894.

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

George Brown, naval officer, was born in Indiana, June 19, 1835. At the age of fourteen he joined the navy as midshipman and made his first cruise on the Cumberland. After two years' service on this vessel he was transferred to the St. Lawrence. He received promotion to passed midshipman, June 12, 1855, and in September of the same year became master. In 1856 he was promoted lieutenant, and for four years was with the African and Brazilian squadrons. He served in 1860 on the Powhatan on special service, and was transferred in 1861 to the gunboat Octotora, the flagship of Commodore Porter's mortar flotilla. He accompanied Admiral Farragut when he opened up the Mississippi river, and was present at the engagement at Vicksburg in June, 1862, receiving commendation in the official report. The following month he was ordered to blockade duty off Wilmington, N. C., attached to the Octotora, and was promoted lieutenant-commander July 16, 1862. He then commanded the Indianola, an ironclad of the Mississippi squadron, and after passing the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg and Warrenton he, on Feb. 24, 1863, engaged four of the enemy's gunboats, manned by one thousand men. The Indianola held her own bravely for ninety minutes, but the tremendous odds against her forced her commander, who was severely wounded, to surrender. On being exchanged, a few months later, he took command of the Itasca. He rendered good service in the action of Mobile bay, Aug. 5, 1864, and in the operations against the defences of that city, March and April, 1865. He was given the rank of commander July 25, 1866, and, after a year of service in the navy yard at Washington, was for a time commander of an ironclad man-of-war, which the Japanese had bought from the United States, he having obtained leave of absence for the purpose. He was promoted to the rank of captain, April 25, 1877; to that of commodore, Sept. 4, 1887; was made a rear-admiral, Sept. 27, 1893, and was retired June 19, 1897. He was commandant of the Norfolk navy yard, 1886-97, and after his retirement made his home in Indianapolis, Ind.

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

Samuel Bannister Harding, educator, was born in Indianapolis, Ind., July 29, 1866; son of George Canady and Julia Cora (Bannister) Harding, and grandson of Jacob and Love F. (Nelson) Harding, and of Joshua and Jane (Draper) Bannister. Samuel was educated in the public schools of Indianapolis and served an apprenticeship in a printing office, working several years as a journeyman compositor. He was graduated from Indiana university in 1890, and was instructor in history and geography at the Ethical Culture school, New York city, 1891-93. He was married, Sept. 15, 1890, to Caroline Hirst Brown. He was elected assistant professor of European history at Indiana university in 1895, and associate professor of history in 1898. He was a graduate student of Cornell, 1890-91, and of Harvard, 1893-95; Morgan fellow of Harvard, 1894-95; and received from Harvard the degree of A.M. in 1894 and that of Ph.D. in 1898. He was elected a member of the American historical association. He is the author of: The Contest Over the Ratification of the Federal Constitution in the State of Massachusetts (Harvard Historical studies) (1896); and in collaboration with his wife he wrote Greek Gods, Heroes and Men (1897) and The City of the Seven Hills (1898).

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