Courtney - John R. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Truly, I would say I was mesmerized the most by this man than any other Crawfordsvillian I’ve ever researched. In fact, I still have so many important unanswered questions to discover, and I was frustrated to have to quit so I could share what I learned, but here goes!

Even with all the press and his sensational demise, there is no birthdate available but he was seven in 1860 and 17 in 1870 which goes with the notation on his death record of being 41 in 1894, thus I would assume he was born in the year 1853.  His father (Robert) passed away in 1859 leaving the young John R (assumedly for Robert) Courtney with sisters, Octavia, Fannie, Florence, and brothers, William and Philip along with his mother, Eliza Jane Haynes.  She was left with quite an amazing amount of money but it was all gone within the ten years between census.  However, she had some awesome brothers who helped her out, and she managed to raise those children as well as some of her grands and when our subject passed away, his wife went from here to Tennessee and his mother helped her as well since both of her parents and other family members had passed.  One amazing lady, for sure!  She lived into her late 80s or early 90s, passing away in Franklin, Tennessee.  

Why John R. Courtney came to Montgomery County, Indiana is unknown other than we do know that he is a Wabash College graduate, probably the year 1874 when he married a Crawfordsville gal, Elizabeth (Lizzie), the granddaughter of John Beard, our famous Indiana educator.  She was the daughter of Nathan Graham and Mary Beard, born May 17, 1855 in Crawfordsville.  As per above, when John passed away, she went to Franklin, Tennessee where she lived out the rest of her life and is buried with a nice stone in Mt. Hope Cemetery there, outliving her husband by more than two decades.

Upon graduation, John (better known as Colonel, at first thinking he was a Colonel in the war, but later realizing that this was simply a respectful title) was accepted into the Montgomery County Bar Association at the young age of 21, attending Wabash and reading law under Sam Wilson.  

Having had “luxuriant, oily, beautifully curly and flowing locks,” his appearance put one in mind of Buffalo Bill Cody (well minus the two side guns).  He wore these locks with great pride and was quite well known by them until April of 1888 when he desired a political office and decided to clean up his act.  Then he was tagged in the local newspapers as good looking as a “Broadway swell!”  

A full lot of charm went with the good looks.  Top that with an amazing intellect and all seemed perfect.  The Courtneys had four children, two boys, two girls and he reveled in being a father, loving to show-off his young ones.  Likely his highest quality though was that of a lecturer.  Of course, this came in handy in the courtroom during his three murder trials, major rapist cases, multiple bastardy incidents, robberies, railroad problems and other various trips into court, not only in Crawfordsville but many in Terre Haute, Indianapolis and beyond!  Definitely, he was a well-sought-after lawyer of the times.

However, he used his wiles to woo voters (running for mayor at one point) as well as to prompt folks to give money.  He particularly loved the 63rd Indiana GAR group and was often entertaining the Civil War soldiers and other groups. Always, always, his witty and sparkling manner prevailed.  A lecture much in demand was his declaim of the Battle of Franklin.  He hailed from Franklin and would have been there at that time as an eleven-year-old, viewing the maiming and deaths of many, mainly Southern gentlemen, including 14 Confederate Generals (hurt, killed or captured) and 55 other officers.  Although he had uncles and at least one brother, William Wirt (see photo from Ancestry.com whom I view as looking a lot like John) in the war for the Confederacy, it did seem that some were true Northern sympathizers.

Life was mainly good for the six Courtneys.  Lizzie Graham Courtney adored her four children: Mary, Robert Graham, Edward and Margaret.  Sadly, the boys would eventually follow in their father’s footsteps.  You see, in all of Colonel Courtney’s marvelous pluses, his desire for drinking and gambling was the ruin of not only his business but his life as well.  

My heart warmed as I read that his mother came for a lengthy visit here not long before his final sickness.  The hint of his fall was that John would occasionally pass out or have a fit of insanity, then be fine for a lengthy period. Yet, it was on the street of Crawfordsville that he had a major episode to the point a lunacy commission was immediately called.  He was taken to the state mental asylum by the sheriff.  This occurred in the early part of 1894.  John thought he would surely be able to go home soon but in a short time it was apparent that it wasn’t only the Colonel’s mental but his physical strengths failing as well.  

His number one visitor was Lizzie’s brother-in-law, Dr. Frank West.  Sometimes the Colonel could converse intellectually and know who one of his favorite friends was and other times Frank viewed a raving mad man.  Within just a few short weeks, John was diminished to a baby in all capacities and on July 17th of that year passed away, leaving Lizzie and his children destitute.

The fellow lawyers called a special meeting deciding to pay for his funeral and serve as pallbearers. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery but has no stone marking his place.  He was eulogized with this final thought, “A bright light has gone out!”  Rest In Peace dear John!