Meharry - Samuel
Source: Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana.
Evansville, Ind; Unigraphic, 1888, p. 565.
Samuel Meharry, who is now living a retired life at Lafayette is a native of Adams Co Ohio the date of his birth being Dec 7, 1810. His parents, Alexander and Jane (Francis) Meharry, were born in north of Ireland of Scotch Ancestry. They were reared in Ireland where they lived until after their marriage coming to America in 1794 and locating in PA. They subsequently left Connelsville, PA going by river in a flat boat to Manchester, Adams Co Ohio where the father lived until his death which was caused by a tree falling on him as he was returning form a camp meeting, June 20, 1813. Three of his sons, Hugh, Thomas and James came to Indiana in 1827, and entered land in Montgomery County on which they settled in 1828. James Meharry was 29 days in making the trip from Ohio to this county. Samuel Meharry, our subject brought his mother to this county in 1843. She lived in Indiana until her death which occurred in Tippecanoe County, in August 1844. Samuel Meharry was reared in Adams County, Ohio on a frontier farm. In 1834 he entered land in Tippecanoe County, within 3/4 of a mile from Shawnee Mound, his first entry consisting of 40 acres. In 1846 he came to the county to settle on this land, which he found to be raw prairie, entirely unimproved. The fall of his arrival in the county he saw thousands of people in Lafayette, the canal having just been completed, but only two faces he saw that were not pale with ague. He came to the county with a small capital, and by his industrious habits and good management he accumulated a large amount of property. When but 17 or 18 yeaers of age he took a deep interest in the slavery question, often debating it at school, taking the prohibition side. HIs brother, Rev. Alexander meharry, who was a preacher in Cincinnati informed Mr. Braden, pres of the Central Tenn College that Samuel was a strong abolitionist. Mr. Braden called on our subject and after informing him of the condition of slaves in the south, Samuel Meharry gave him $100 for a nucleus toward the building of a medical college int he South for the education of negro physicians. The college was located at Nashville, and the medical department named the Meharry Medical College. Since his first donation toward this worhty object he has given several thousand dollars and his brothers have donated even more. Mr. Meharry was married in Adams Co Ohio Jan 20, 1836 to Miss Mary Samsberry who died June 29, 1840. Two children were born to this union, both now deceased. Mr. Meharry was married a second time May 9, 1844 to Miss Rebecca Bower a native of Brown Co Ohio. they have no children living but have reared a numbr of poor children. They lived on their farm in Tipp Co until Nov 14, 1882 when they removed to LaFayette where they are classed among the honored and most esteemed citizens. Mr. Meharry has been a methodist from his boyhood and for many years connecte with the Shawnee church. - typed by kbz
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Source: "Notes on Education." New York Tribune, Thursday March 5, 1885
The Meharry Medical Department of Central Tennessee College was organized in 1878, for the purpose of furnishing to the colored people of the South an opportunity of obtaining a medical education. "At that time," says The Nashville American," there was no medical school in the Sothern States that would admit colored students, and in the North the doors of many of the medicl colleges were closed against them. It takes its name from the generous and philanthropic family who have so liberally contributed toward its establishment and support. In 1879, through the munillcouce of the Rev. Samuel Meharry of Shawnee Mound, Indiana and his brothers, the Rev. Alexander Meharry and Hugh Meharry, esq. aided by the Rev. R.S> Rust, D.D.corresponding secretary of the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church a lot was purchased, and the beautiful and . commodius brick building was erected. The building is of brick, four stories in height, including the basement, and is almost 40' wide by sixty in length. The college has conferred the degree of MD on 52 young men (including the graduates of this session), nearly all of whom are engaged in the successful practice of their profession in the Southern and Western States.
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Source: "Railway Enterprise." Indianapolis Sentinel, Saturday March 1, 1873.
Articles of association were filed yesterday with the Secretary of State by the Crawfordsville, Lasalle & Northwestern Railway Company with a capital stock of $300,000 divided into shares of $50 each. The eastern terminus of the road shall be Crawfordsville, running northwesterly by way of Pleasant Hill through Montgomery County, and Newton (sic - Newtown) and Attica in Fountain County and thence through Warren County to the stateline between Indiana and Illinois, crossing the Wabash River in the direction of Hoopston in the last named state. The length of the road is estimated at 60 miles. The affairs of the company will be managed by a board of 9 directors chosen from the number of stockholders, which is at present made up as follows: Elliot Detchon; Philo R. Simpson; Emory Totte; John S. Brown; Alexander Meharry; David C. Frazier; Isaac C. Elston; Lei Curtis and Christopher C. Bever. Elliot Detchon has been elected president of the company.
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