HEATH, Col. David N.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday 21 May 1897
The community was surprised and saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Col. David N. Heath, which occurred in the morning shortly after 4 o’clock at the West Main Street residence of his daughter, Mrs. Linnie Lynn, with whom he had of late years made his home. Col. Heath had been in failing health for more than a year past, being troubled with heart disease and a general breaking down of his nervous system. He had frequent severe attacks and each left him less able to resist the next but he remained as always cheerful and courageous. On Monday night he was taken very ill and never rallied. He grew weaker till death relieved him yesterday. The funeral will occur on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the residence of Mrs. Lynn. Interment will be at Oak Hill.
The community was surprised and saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Col. David N. Heath, which occurred in the morning shortly after 4 o’clock at the West Main Street residence of his daughter, Mrs. Linnie Lynn, with whom he had of late years made his home. Col. Heath had been in failing health for more than a year past, being troubled with heart disease and a general breaking down of his nervous system. He had frequent severe attacks and each left him less able to resist the next but he remained as always cheerful and courageous. On Monday night he was taken very ill and never rallied. He grew weaker till death relieved him yesterday. The funeral will occur on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the residence of Mrs. Lynn. Interment will be at Oak Hill.
David N. Heath was born May 11, 1820 in South Carolina, and was the son of Joseph and Rebecca Jackson Heath, both natives of the same state. His parents were large planters and owned from 150 to 175 Negroes. They were members of the Old Baptist Church. His father died when he, David, was an infant. He had been a life long Democrat of the Calhoun stripe. David N. Heath left his native state in 1837, and went to Boyle County, Kentucky, and attended common school, then Center College, at Danville.
September 29, 1841 he was married to Mary J. Walker, from Culpepper County, Virginia, who died some ten years ago. She was born in 1823. Her father was a plain, stern Virginian, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church over sixty years, and died in Crawfordsville in 1868, at the age of eighty three, never having been sick a day in his life. He had been a Whig and a Republican. He came to Putnam County, Indiana, in 1859 and to Crawfordsville in 1867. He was a great reader, a lover of history and devoted to his Bible. Her mother, Katy Thomas Walker, was a native of Kentucky.
Mr. and Mrs. Heath had four children: Mahala C., Henrietta C., James I. and Maria L.
They were both members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Heath was a Whig prior to the war, but afterwards was an active Democrat. His business career was a varied one, sometimes fortunate, sometimes disastrous. From 1850 to 1855, with his brother, he dealt in mules and horses as extensively as any other two men over the mountains. In connection with G. F. Lee, of Boyle County, Kentucky, he undertook to monopolize the mule trade in New Orleans, but failed. In 1859, he moved to Greencastle, Ind., and engaged in the livery business. He bought 107 extra fine horses and 93 fine mules in Kentucky, walked them over the mountains to South Carolina and the war coming on, he sold twenty four for cash and the rest on time. The latter he lost altogether by the war. During the rebellion he bought and sold government provisions and at its close he went to Bourbon County, Kentucky and settled. From thence he, with W. F. Jinkins, of Indianapolis, went to Montgomery County, Alabama, and planted 1,050 acres of cotton and 450 acres of corn. In this speculation they lost about $38,000 in one year. He then traded in mules and horses in Kentucky and sold in Columbus, Mississippi, till 1873, when he came to Crawfordsville. Here he opened a private stable and bought and shipped horses to New York for two years, then engaged in the livery business in Chicago, where he again lost all he had. He returned to Crawfordsville and continued to buy and ship horses. On July 15, 1880, he leased the boarding, feed and sale stable on Pike Street, at which place he continued for some time. During the last few years he was not engaged in active business. Mr. Heath was a member of the order of Masons.
Col. Heath was a fine old gentleman, esteemed by all who know him. His impulses were kind, generous and loving, and he was courageous in his convictions and his beliefs. He was a perfect type of the southern gentleman, a type now passing out, and, most chivalrously did he represent it. Courtly, impulsive and generous he will long be remembered, with loving regret, by the many hundreds to whom his character ever appeared as very good and beautiful.