James Whitcomb
Encyclopedia
James Whitcomb was a Democratic United States Senator and the eighth Governor of Indiana
. As governor during the Mexican-American War, he oversaw the formation and deployment of the state's levies. He led the movement to replace the state constitution and played an important role at the convention to institute a law that prevented the government from taking loans in response the current fiscal crisis in Indiana. By skillfully guiding the state through its bankruptcy, Whitcomb is usually credited as being one of the most successful of Indiana's governors. He was elected to the United States Senate after his term as governor but died of kidney disease only two years later.
on December 1, 1795, the fourth of ten children of John W. and Lydia Parmenter Whitcomb. In 1806 his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
where they farmed land. Whitcomb loved to read books, but his father would often discourage him from reading, believing that his son needed to take up manual labor to have a successful future. Instead, young Whitcomb taught school and attended Transylvania University
in Kentucky, where he studied law and adopted many southern customs. After returning to the north, he became known for his "fastidious dress and elegant manners", and was often criticized during his life for being a fop
. Whitcomb loved music, and was able to play many different instruments, but his favorite was the violin
. He became well known for his talented playing and would often dance, sing, and play for friends throughout his life.
After graduating in 1819 he moved to Fayette County, Kentucky
where he was admitted to the bar and, in March 1822, began to practice law. He moved to Bloomington, Indiana
in 1824 where he continued to practice law. In Bloomington he quickly became respected in the community. Whitcomb was appointed as prosecuting attorney for Monroe County, Indiana
by Governor
James B. Ray
and served from 1826 to 1829. His position earned him some fame in the area because of several high profile cases that he successfully prosecuted.
. Other senators noted Whitcomb's addiction to tobacco, and that he was almost always smoking a cigar. In the Senate Whitcomb was the most outspoken of the anti-internal-improvement men. He was one of only nine men to speak against the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act in the Senate debate, his chief cohorts being Dennis Pennington
, Calvin Fletcher
and John Durmont. Despite their protests the bill was passed, and he voted for it after a meeting with his own constituents who asked him to "go for it".
Whitcomb was appointed by President Andrew Jackson
to serve as the Commissioner of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C.
from 1836 until 1841. He probably secured the post with the help of Congressman Ratliff Boon
. While in office he undertook the study of French and Spanish so that he was able to read the land treaties, and became fluent in both languages. His primary work was overseeing the survey of large tracts of land in Iowa and Wisconsin and dealing with land disputes in the recently purchased Florida Territory
. Upon resigning from the Land Office in 1841, Whitcomb moved to Terre Haute
, where he eventually launched his campaign as the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
. The program had completely broken down in 1841 and most of the state's investment in the projects was lost. The state had negotiated a partial bankruptcy by the transfer of the project to the state's creditors, in exchange for a reduction in the state's outstanding debt. Despite this progress, the debt was still too large for the state to bear and the situation was still dire. Whitcomb campaigned on the issue and overcame the Whigs, who received most of the public blame for the debacle. Bigger, a Presbyterian, had made disparaging comments against Methodists during the campaign. Whitcomb, who was a Methodist, played up the statements and gained a great deal of support from the large Methodist community, as Bigger became the object of fiery sermons in their churches. Whitcomb won the election and defeated incumbent Governor Samuel Bigger in a close election, 60,784 votes to Bigger's 58,721 with 1,683 going to Elizur Demming, who was fielded by the newly formed anti-slavery Liberty Party
. The victory was a swing of 10,000 votes from the last election.
Upon his election, he found the government coffers empty, as the state had exhausted itself in an attempt to recover from overspending on internal improvements during the 1830s. During his term, the government began to recover from the losses of the internal improvements. The Bigger administration had overseen a large reduction in the state's debt, but the government was still unable to make headway on the nine-million dollar debt that still existed. During his first term, he advocated major spending cuts, including large cuts in government employee wages. Those cuts, along with steadily improving state revenues, enabled the government to manage its debt during his first term in office.
Whitcomb advocated the creation of the Indiana School for the Deaf
, and an asylum for the mentally insane. Both acts were passed, but funding was delayed until the state's financial crisis could be resolved. As his first term ended, he announced he would seek reelection. Touting the success of current measures to resolve the debt situation, Whitcomb won reelection with 64,104 votes to 60,138 to Whig Joseph G. Marshall, and 2,301 going to Liberty candidate Stephen Stevens.
, the only successful public works project, the debt-holders agreed to an additional reduction of the state's total debt to about $4 million, $3 million of which was from the internal improvement projects. The creditors agreed to refinance the debt, which enabled the state to lower the interest rates that it paid on its bonds. Although the debt still consumed nearly half of the government budget, it had reached a level which the growing state could accommodate. With the passage of the Butler Bill in 1847, the state's financial crisis was finally nearing its end.
Whitcomb married his wife, the wealthy widow Martha Ann Renick Hurts, on March 24, 1846. The couple soon had a baby girl, on July 1, 1847. The pregnancy was difficult for his wife, and she died only sixteen days after giving birth. The death was very troubling to Whitcomb, who shut himself away for several days. His daughter grew up to marry a prominent Terre Haute lawyer, Claude Matthews
, who was elected governor of Indiana in 1896.
The United States declared war on Mexico during Whitcomb's second term, and he was responsible for meeting the military quotas set forth for the state during the Mexican-American War. The state was ill-equipped for the war because of the ongoing financial troubles. The militia system had been abandoned omce the threat of Indian raids had ceased, and the state arsenal was nearly devoid of weapons. The militia had come to be derided as the "cornstalk militia"; due to a of lack of weapons and uniforms, they drilled with cornstalks as rifles and tassels in their caps.
The conflict had been unforeseen, and no money could be appropriated for the expense. With the state's credit in ruins, the prospect of borrowing money for such purposes from out-of-state lenders was unlikely. With the legislature out of session and the state's coffers empty, Whitcomb had no funds for the enterprise. On May 26, Whitcomb took a personal loan, on his own credit, for $10,000 from the Bank of Indiana
's Madison branch, which he used to purchase arms for the state's regiments. The same day he sent letters to other branches of the bank requesting equivalent loans from them, which allowed the state to muster the five regiments that had been requested by the Federal Government. Once the General Assembly convened, they repaid what he had paid from his own pocket and assumed his outstanding debts to the bank. For his role as a war-time governor, a bronze statue of Whitcomb was placed in Monument Circle
in Indianapolis.
Whitcomb's most unpopular act as governor was his refusal to reappoint Indiana Supreme Court Justices Sullivan
and Dewey. Whitcomb criticized them for allowing the docket to get backed up, and claimed that younger men were required to catch it back up. His refusal to act was one of the leading factors in the change to the method in which justices are appointed in the 1851 constitution
. This was because the General Assembly was unhappy with his position, but it had no way of overriding it. In 1848, the Democrats took strong majorities in both houses of the Assembly. In his address to the legislature that year, he called for a constitutional convention to deal with several constitutional issues. In addition to the matter of appointing justices, another issue was the removal of the state's authorization to take loans, and there were other needed governmental reforms, as well.
Speaking of his profession, Whitcomb once said,
Whitcomb was a very active Mason. He became the first person to be knighted as a Masonic Knights Templar in Indiana, on May 20, 1848. He organized a Masonic lodge which for several years met in his home. He was always proud of his relationship with the Masons, and the Raper Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, was established in his home where it met for several years before building a lodge.
. He resigned as governor and served in the Senate from 1849 until his death in 1852, and was a staunch opponent of tariffs. While in Washington, D.C.
, he served several years as the Vice-President of the American Bible Society
, remaining in that position until his death. He became afflicted by kidney stones and sought medical treatment in New York City for kidney disease. He died from the illness in New York City on October 4, 1852. His remains were returned to Indianapolis
, to be buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, where the state erected a monument over his grave. In 1898 his daughter had his body exumed and moved to Crown Hill Cemetery
next to the grave of Oliver P. Morton. In his will, Whitcomb left his large private library and part of his estate to the Methodist Asbury College
(now known as DePauw University
). He also left a large donation for the American Bible Association. His library is thought to be haunted
by some of its patrons. There is a statue of Whitcomb on Monument Circle in Indianapolis
.
James Whitcomb Riley
's father was a close friend of Whitcomb and named his son after the governor. Whitcomb's pamphlet on tariffs became popular again after his death and was circulated nationally during the failed reelection campaign of Benjamin Harrison
, who was a proponent of tariffs. Whitcomb was not the most popular of Indiana's politicians and gained many enemies during his time in office, but was well respected and remembered as one of Indiana's most important governors.
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
. As governor during the Mexican-American War, he oversaw the formation and deployment of the state's levies. He led the movement to replace the state constitution and played an important role at the convention to institute a law that prevented the government from taking loans in response the current fiscal crisis in Indiana. By skillfully guiding the state through its bankruptcy, Whitcomb is usually credited as being one of the most successful of Indiana's governors. He was elected to the United States Senate after his term as governor but died of kidney disease only two years later.
Family and background
James Whitcomb was born in Rochester, VermontRochester, Vermont
Rochester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,171 at the 2000 census. Rochester is home to the Quarry Hill Creative Center...
on December 1, 1795, the fourth of ten children of John W. and Lydia Parmenter Whitcomb. In 1806 his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
where they farmed land. Whitcomb loved to read books, but his father would often discourage him from reading, believing that his son needed to take up manual labor to have a successful future. Instead, young Whitcomb taught school and attended Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
in Kentucky, where he studied law and adopted many southern customs. After returning to the north, he became known for his "fastidious dress and elegant manners", and was often criticized during his life for being a fop
Fop
Fop became a pejorative term for a foolish man over-concerned with his appearance and clothes in 17th century England. Some of the very many similar alternative terms are: "coxcomb", fribble, "popinjay" , fashion-monger, and "ninny"...
. Whitcomb loved music, and was able to play many different instruments, but his favorite was the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
. He became well known for his talented playing and would often dance, sing, and play for friends throughout his life.
After graduating in 1819 he moved to Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
where he was admitted to the bar and, in March 1822, began to practice law. He moved to Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
in 1824 where he continued to practice law. In Bloomington he quickly became respected in the community. Whitcomb was appointed as prosecuting attorney for Monroe County, Indiana
Monroe County, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 137,974 people, 46,898 households, and 24,715 families residing in the county. The population density was 306 people per square mile . There were 50,846 housing units at an average density of 129 per square mile...
by Governor
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
James B. Ray
James B. Ray
James Brown Ray was an Indiana politician and the only Senate President-Pro-Tempore to succeed to become Governor of the State of Indiana. He served during the period when the state transitioned from personal politics to political parties, but never joined a party himself. Elevated at age 31, he...
and served from 1826 to 1829. His position earned him some fame in the area because of several high profile cases that he successfully prosecuted.
Early political career
In 1830, he was elected to serve as a member of the Indiana SenateIndiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...
. Other senators noted Whitcomb's addiction to tobacco, and that he was almost always smoking a cigar. In the Senate Whitcomb was the most outspoken of the anti-internal-improvement men. He was one of only nine men to speak against the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act in the Senate debate, his chief cohorts being Dennis Pennington
Dennis Pennington
Dennis Pennington was an early legislator in Indiana and the Indiana Territory, speaker of the first Indiana State Senate, speaker of the territorial legislature, a member of the Whig Party serving over 37 years in public office, and one of the founders of Indiana. He was also a stonemason and...
, Calvin Fletcher
Calvin Fletcher
Calvin Fletcher was an attorney and legislator from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.-Early life:Fletcher was born in Ludlow, Vermont to Jesse and Lucy Keyes Fletcher. He started out for Urbana, Ohio in 1817 where he studied law in Urbana under James Cooley and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1820...
and John Durmont. Despite their protests the bill was passed, and he voted for it after a meeting with his own constituents who asked him to "go for it".
Whitcomb was appointed by President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
to serve as the Commissioner of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1836 until 1841. He probably secured the post with the help of Congressman Ratliff Boon
Ratliff Boon
Ratliff Boon was the second Governor of Indiana from September 12 to December 5, 1822, taking office following the resignation of Governor Jonathan Jennings' after his election to Congress...
. While in office he undertook the study of French and Spanish so that he was able to read the land treaties, and became fluent in both languages. His primary work was overseeing the survey of large tracts of land in Iowa and Wisconsin and dealing with land disputes in the recently purchased Florida Territory
Florida Territory
The Territory of Florida was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 30, 1822, until March 3, 1845, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Florida...
. Upon resigning from the Land Office in 1841, Whitcomb moved to Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, where he eventually launched his campaign as the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
First term
In 1843 he authored a pamphlet entitled "Facts for the People" in which he made a case against the federal government's adoption of protective tariffs. The pamphlet was popular and widely read in the state. That year he was nominated as the Democratic candidate for governor. The Whigs, who had been the primary backers of the internal improvements, had come under increasing criticism in the term of Samuel BiggerSamuel Bigger
Samuel Bigger was the seventh Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from December 9, 1840 to December 6, 1843. Bigger was nominated to run for governor because he had no connection to the failed public works program...
. The program had completely broken down in 1841 and most of the state's investment in the projects was lost. The state had negotiated a partial bankruptcy by the transfer of the project to the state's creditors, in exchange for a reduction in the state's outstanding debt. Despite this progress, the debt was still too large for the state to bear and the situation was still dire. Whitcomb campaigned on the issue and overcame the Whigs, who received most of the public blame for the debacle. Bigger, a Presbyterian, had made disparaging comments against Methodists during the campaign. Whitcomb, who was a Methodist, played up the statements and gained a great deal of support from the large Methodist community, as Bigger became the object of fiery sermons in their churches. Whitcomb won the election and defeated incumbent Governor Samuel Bigger in a close election, 60,784 votes to Bigger's 58,721 with 1,683 going to Elizur Demming, who was fielded by the newly formed anti-slavery Liberty Party
Liberty Party (1840s)
The Liberty Party was a minor political party in the United States in the 1840s . The party was an early advocate of the abolitionist cause...
. The victory was a swing of 10,000 votes from the last election.
Upon his election, he found the government coffers empty, as the state had exhausted itself in an attempt to recover from overspending on internal improvements during the 1830s. During his term, the government began to recover from the losses of the internal improvements. The Bigger administration had overseen a large reduction in the state's debt, but the government was still unable to make headway on the nine-million dollar debt that still existed. During his first term, he advocated major spending cuts, including large cuts in government employee wages. Those cuts, along with steadily improving state revenues, enabled the government to manage its debt during his first term in office.
Whitcomb advocated the creation of the Indiana School for the Deaf
Indiana School for the Deaf
Indiana School for the Deaf is a fully accredited school for the deaf and hearing impaired, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.-History:When the first school for the Deaf was established in Indiana, it was not called Indiana School for the Deaf...
, and an asylum for the mentally insane. Both acts were passed, but funding was delayed until the state's financial crisis could be resolved. As his first term ended, he announced he would seek reelection. Touting the success of current measures to resolve the debt situation, Whitcomb won reelection with 64,104 votes to 60,138 to Whig Joseph G. Marshall, and 2,301 going to Liberty candidate Stephen Stevens.
Second term
In 1845 the state became insolvent again. Charles Butler, a representative of the state's debt-holders, arrived to negotiate a second bankruptcy. In exchange for partial ownership of the Wabash and Erie CanalWabash and Erie Canal
The Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via an artificial waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico...
, the only successful public works project, the debt-holders agreed to an additional reduction of the state's total debt to about $4 million, $3 million of which was from the internal improvement projects. The creditors agreed to refinance the debt, which enabled the state to lower the interest rates that it paid on its bonds. Although the debt still consumed nearly half of the government budget, it had reached a level which the growing state could accommodate. With the passage of the Butler Bill in 1847, the state's financial crisis was finally nearing its end.
Whitcomb married his wife, the wealthy widow Martha Ann Renick Hurts, on March 24, 1846. The couple soon had a baby girl, on July 1, 1847. The pregnancy was difficult for his wife, and she died only sixteen days after giving birth. The death was very troubling to Whitcomb, who shut himself away for several days. His daughter grew up to marry a prominent Terre Haute lawyer, Claude Matthews
Claude Matthews
Claude Matthews was the 23rd Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1893 to 1897. A farmer, he was nominated to prevent the loss of voters to the Populist Party. The Panic of 1893 occurred just before he took office, leading to severe economic problems during his term...
, who was elected governor of Indiana in 1896.
The United States declared war on Mexico during Whitcomb's second term, and he was responsible for meeting the military quotas set forth for the state during the Mexican-American War. The state was ill-equipped for the war because of the ongoing financial troubles. The militia system had been abandoned omce the threat of Indian raids had ceased, and the state arsenal was nearly devoid of weapons. The militia had come to be derided as the "cornstalk militia"; due to a of lack of weapons and uniforms, they drilled with cornstalks as rifles and tassels in their caps.
The conflict had been unforeseen, and no money could be appropriated for the expense. With the state's credit in ruins, the prospect of borrowing money for such purposes from out-of-state lenders was unlikely. With the legislature out of session and the state's coffers empty, Whitcomb had no funds for the enterprise. On May 26, Whitcomb took a personal loan, on his own credit, for $10,000 from the Bank of Indiana
Bank of Indiana
The state Bank of Indiana was a government chartered banking institution established in 1833 in response to the state's shortage of capital caused by the closure of the Second Bank of the United States by the administration of President Andrew Jackson...
's Madison branch, which he used to purchase arms for the state's regiments. The same day he sent letters to other branches of the bank requesting equivalent loans from them, which allowed the state to muster the five regiments that had been requested by the Federal Government. Once the General Assembly convened, they repaid what he had paid from his own pocket and assumed his outstanding debts to the bank. For his role as a war-time governor, a bronze statue of Whitcomb was placed in Monument Circle
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis)
The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a tall neoclassical monument in the center of Indianapolis, Indiana that was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901....
in Indianapolis.
Whitcomb's most unpopular act as governor was his refusal to reappoint Indiana Supreme Court Justices Sullivan
Jeremiah Sullivan
Jeremiah C. Sullivan was a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from 1836–1846 and coined the name "Indianapolis" for the new state capital....
and Dewey. Whitcomb criticized them for allowing the docket to get backed up, and claimed that younger men were required to catch it back up. His refusal to act was one of the leading factors in the change to the method in which justices are appointed in the 1851 constitution
Constitution of Indiana
There have been two Constitutions of the State of Indiana. The first constitution was created when the Territory of Indiana sent forty-three delegates to a constitutional convention on June 10, 1816 to establish a constitution for the proposed State of Indiana after the United States Congress had...
. This was because the General Assembly was unhappy with his position, but it had no way of overriding it. In 1848, the Democrats took strong majorities in both houses of the Assembly. In his address to the legislature that year, he called for a constitutional convention to deal with several constitutional issues. In addition to the matter of appointing justices, another issue was the removal of the state's authorization to take loans, and there were other needed governmental reforms, as well.
Speaking of his profession, Whitcomb once said,
"Follow one line of thought and research with your whole mind and soul; take no active part in politics until maturity has brought you settled thought. The life of a politician is not always reputable; it has so many elements of deceit and dishonesty that it is hard to follow it and keep clean one's hands and soul."
Whitcomb was a very active Mason. He became the first person to be knighted as a Masonic Knights Templar in Indiana, on May 20, 1848. He organized a Masonic lodge which for several years met in his home. He was always proud of his relationship with the Masons, and the Raper Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, was established in his home where it met for several years before building a lodge.
Senator and death
In 1848, before his second term ended, Whitcomb was elected by the legislature to become a member of the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. He resigned as governor and served in the Senate from 1849 until his death in 1852, and was a staunch opponent of tariffs. While in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, he served several years as the Vice-President of the American Bible Society
American Bible Society
The American Bible Society is an interconfessional, non-denominational, nonprofit organization, founded in 1816 in New York City, which publishes, distributes and translates the Bible and provides study aids and other tools to help people engage with the Bible.It is probably best known for its...
, remaining in that position until his death. He became afflicted by kidney stones and sought medical treatment in New York City for kidney disease. He died from the illness in New York City on October 4, 1852. His remains were returned to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, to be buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, where the state erected a monument over his grave. In 1898 his daughter had his body exumed and moved to Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery, located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, is the third largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States at . It contains of paved road, over 150 species of trees and plants, over 185,000 graves, and services roughly 1,500 burials per year. It sits on the highest...
next to the grave of Oliver P. Morton. In his will, Whitcomb left his large private library and part of his estate to the Methodist Asbury College
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
(now known as DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
). He also left a large donation for the American Bible Association. His library is thought to be haunted
Ghost legends of Indiana
Indiana, a US State in the Midwest, is the location of numerous ghost sightings, and there are many locations that are considered to be haunted by locals. Some of the hauntings are celebrated in festivals, and most have some truth behind them.-Angola theatre:...
by some of its patrons. There is a statue of Whitcomb on Monument Circle in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the Hoosier Poet and Children's Poet for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively...
's father was a close friend of Whitcomb and named his son after the governor. Whitcomb's pamphlet on tariffs became popular again after his death and was circulated nationally during the failed reelection campaign of Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
, who was a proponent of tariffs. Whitcomb was not the most popular of Indiana's politicians and gained many enemies during his time in office, but was well respected and remembered as one of Indiana's most important governors.