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History of Elmhurst and About the occupants:
Timeline: Events in italics are appear here only to offer historical perspective.
1808. John Conner and his brother William relocate their fur trading post, Conner's Post, to what today is the center of Eastern Avenue at west end of Charles Street to a region inhabited by the Delaware Indians. The former location of the post having been about 20 miles south, at approximately Cedar Grove, which became unsuitable as the Delaware Indians had moved away under the Treaty of Greenville, signed in 1795.
1812-1815. The War of 1812. Seven notable events and battles take place within the the Indiana Territory.
1813. Connersville, Indiana is platted by John Conner. Comprised of 62 lots. The entire Indiana Territory non-indigenous population is less than 24,520.
1816. Indiana is admitted to the Union as the 19th State, portioned from the region theretofore called the Northwest Territory and Indiana Territory. This being 4-1/2 years after the 18th State (Louisiana, April, 1812, from the Territory of Orleans) and One year before the 20th State (Mississippi, from the Mississippi Territory.) Corydon, IN was capital of the Indiana Territory (1813 - 1816.)
1820. Warren Lodge #15 F. & A.M of Connersville is Chartered.
1821. Indianapolis is platted after the General Assembly selected the site. The population of all Fayette County Indiana is 5,950. The population of Indiana is 147,178. The population of Indianapolis in 1821 is unavailable, but in 1830 was estimated to be 1,500 souls.
1825. Indianapolis officially becomes the State Capital of Indiana. It is officially incorporated as a town later, in 1835.
1831. Elm Farm is built by Oliver Hampton Smith. The original structure was the just the core of the building we know today. It was a two story, four room brick structure with two large chimneys; one at the south end and one at the north. A wood frame structure on the back (west) side served as the kitchen and dining room. Smith chose the site for the view of the valley looking north, east, and south. The old north-south Indian Trail passed directly in front of the property to the east about where State Road 121, the Canal, and the railroad tracks are in the modern day. The trail forked to the west, up the hill to Jenny's Point - the highest point for miles - where the Indians maintained fire bowls for signaling. There's a radio broadcast antenna there now. Smith was very friendly with the Native Americans and befriended them as often as he could. Smith bought the land from John Adair of Brookville for $9/acre. The transaction was recorded on January 3, 1831. Adair died less than 4 months later. Oliver H. Smith was a distinguished politician and author but it seems his few years at Elmhurst were a respite between terms in office. He was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives (1822-1824) and then a Member of the US House of Representatives from Indiana's 3rd district (1827-1829.) Then he established Elm Farm as a residence in 1831, as we know. He was later a United States Senator from Indiana (1837-1843) believed to have been served entirely after his departure from Elm Farm. He was not re-elected to another term and them moved to Indianapolis to resume his law practice and to write. He wrote several books bust was best known for "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches: Reminiscences" published in 1857. In it he refers to purchase of Elm Farm as told above, and refers to the 2nd occupant after him as follows: "I bought the fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, adjoining Connersville, the same now the residence of my friend Samuel W. Parker, of John Adair of Brookville, for $9 dollars per acre, in three installments without interest." So he knew both his immediate successors very well, and called Connersville home until about 1843. He no doubt was never very far from Elm Farm during that time. He died in Indianapolis in 1859.
~1836? Elm Farm passes to Caleb Blood Smith. The exact timing is unknown but Oliver H. Smith purchased an elegant home in the heart of Connersville (population about 500) about 1-1/2 miles north of Elmhurst and moved there. This was probably at the time of becoming a US Senator, or just before. The two men were not related but they had a close professional relationship as Oliver H. Smith (age 42) tutored Caleb Blood Smith (age 28) in Law. Caleb B. Smith had been living in Cincinnati and Oxford, Ohio, studying at Miami University of Ohio, but left school in 1827. In the fall if 1827 he moved to Connersville to be mentored by Oliver H. Smith. The two men being close and Caleb Blood Smith having been in town at the time of the establishment of Elm Farm, he was no doubt already familiar with the property and it follows that the transaction was on friendly terms. Caleb B. Smith was already highly accomplished by this time, having founded and edited a newspaper, the Indiana Sentinel (1932,) and becoming the Master of the local Masonic Lodge (1832 & 1833) and being a member of the Indiana House of Representatives (1932 - 1937 as Speaker in 1836,) and as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana Freemasons (1837,) all the while continuing his law practice in Connersville (1828-1843.) Given his association with Oliver H. Smith and his Connersville residency it's very possible that he even played a part in the 1831 establishment of Elm Farm. He certainly loved the place as he wished to be buried here. While he is arguably the the most notable occupant of Elm Farm he remained there only two additional years as the estate became the property of James Shaw in November of 1838. Caleb B. Smith remained in Connersville practicing law until 1843, becoming Master of the local Masonic Lodge again (1840 - 1842) and winning additional terms in the Indiana House of Representative (1840, 1841.) In 1843 and beyond he served Indiana in Washington D.C., first a the Representative of Indiana's 4th District (1843 - 1849,) was appointed by President Zachary Taylor to a commission settling claims against Mexico (1849 - 1851.) He returned to Cincinnati in 1851 to again practice law but also to participate in the booming railroad industry. In 1854 he became President of the Cincinnati, Cambridge and Chicago railroad line while it was constructing the line from Cincinnati to New Castle, Indiana. He remained in Cincinnati until 1859 when he returned to Washington to participate in a Peace Convention assembled to attempt to avert the Civil War (1861.) He then served as the 6th Secretary of the Interior under President Abraham Lincoln (1861 - 1862) and then back to Indiana as Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Indiana (1863,) so appointed again by Lincoln.) Smith died in Indianapolis on January 7, 1864 at the age of 55 after a fit of coughing resulted in a ruptured blood vessel. It was his wish to be buried at Elmhurst, but his final resting place was never disclosed and has never been determined. His widow, Elizabeth Watton Smith feared that his remains would be desecrated as was threatened by Confederate sympathizers. He was buried in a Connersville cemetery but his body was relocated due to these fears. Although she had a mausoleum built in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, still a landmark in it's own right, it has been proven that he was not buried there. Much effort and research been spent trying to determine his final resting place. For now we will just leave it here that toy can rightly say: "Who is buried in the Caleb Blood Smith Mausoleum? Well, NO! not Caleb Blood Smith!"
1838 (November 13.) Elm Farm becomes the property of James Shaw.
1842 (February 14.) Elm Farm becomes the property of Nicholas Patterson.
1850 (February 23.) Elm Farm becomes the property of Samuel W. Parker, aka "Judge Parker," brother-in-law of Caleb B. Smith as mentioned above. The two men married sisters. Caleb B. Smith was married to Elizabeth Watton and Samuel W. Parker married Susan Watton, her sister. By the time he moved in to Elm Farm Samuel W. Parker had already been prosecuting attorney for the sixth Circuit Cout, an Indiana State Representative, and Indiana State Senator. Parker called Elm Farm home until his death in 1859. He became a member of Congress while here (1851 - 1855.) After his service in Washington he continued his law practice in Connersville but also was a transportation mogul. He was President of the Junction Railroad Company which operated in northern Ohio. He was also president of the Whitewater Canal Company which operated the 76 mile canal from Nettle Creek (near Hagerstown and Cambridge City) to Lawrenceburg and which passed right in front of Elm Farm. Canal boats would toll their bells when passing Parker's home. Parker had a bell installed in front of the house and he would respond to the canalboats with his own bell ringing. The bell is still in front of the house, and remnants of the canal can still be seen across the road. The canal offices were one mile North at The Canal House, 111 E 4th Street, Connersville. The Canal House is another Historic Site in Connersville and houses a museum today. Parker beautified the grounds. At the Agricultural Fair of 1858 held in Connersville Parker received an award for The Best Improved Farm. At one time there was a specimen of every tree native to Indiana planted in the yard. Parker also gave the house, now 19 years old and on it's 5th ownership, it's first extensive remodeling. Among other things, he had the main room paneled with solid walnut. This is the paneling we still see today throughout most of the first floor. Parker dedicated a family cemetery behind the house, up on the hill. He was buried there upon his death in 1959. Other Parker family members known to be buried in the Parker Family plot on the hill include: a son John "Marshall" Parker d. 1854 (age 18 yrs, 3 mos;) a son Sargent Walter Scott Parker d. 1862 KIA in Richmond, KY during The Battle of Richmond (age 22 yrs;) a son Samuel B. Parker d. 1863 (age 22 yrs;) possibly an infant death, if indeed buried there would be the first internment, Preston W. Parker d. 1850 (age ~1 yrs.) and lastly the matriarch Susan B. "Susanna" Watton Parker d. 1903 (age 87.) She died in Indianapolis at the hospital of Little Sisters of the Poor but her remains were interred in the family plot back in Connersville. A fifth son, Quincy Parker lived until 1901 (age 55 yrs) and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. It is said that Quincy mismanaged the family finances, leading to these relatively humble circumstances for his mother and himself. Elm Farm was sold at a foreclosure sale in 1881 to James Huston.
1881 Elm Farm becomes the property of James Huston. Huston was the owner of Citizen's Bank in Connersville and under his ownership the home was extensively renovated and added onto, being patterned after The White House in Washington D.C. Huston had massive fireplaces built on both the 1st and 2nd floors. Most remarkable is the massive fireplace in the main center room on the 1st floor which faces the front door directly. It is made of carved sandstone imported from Italy and polished granite. On the left side in the sandstone is a likeness of Indian Joe. Indian Joe was a member of the Shawnee tribe who remained in the valley after the relocation of the Shawnee in the early 1830's, about 50 years earlier and around the time Elm Farm was first constructed. Indian Joe was well known throughout the area and is said to be buried somewhere on the grounds that once comprised Elm Farm. The sculptor had an old tin type to use for a likeness to model his carving. The sculptor recommended that another face should be carved into the right side sandstone, for balance. Huston agreed, and an African American stable boy who liked to watch the sculptor work became the opposite face. He would be whistling constantly as he watched the artist work, and so artist captured that and The Whistling Boy is the opposite face memorialized in the sandstone on the right. It was Huston who added the massive porch columns and the north and south wings onto the original house, significantly increasing the square footage and number of rooms. He also continued the walnut paneling that was started by Parker into these new areas. He was also respnsible for the beautiful oak stairway. All told his renovations cost was $44,000, the equivalent of nearly $1.4 million in today's dollars. He also expanded the grounds, the property grew to over 800 acres. The estate was called Elm Park during Huston's ownership, and was also called "The White House of Indiana."
James Huston's father William settled in Connersville in 1851, when James was two years of age. William was a co-founder of Citizen's Bank here. James became owner of the bank in 1875 when his father passed away. In 1876 James Huston, the bank owner, was elected to the Connersville City Council, in 1880 to the Indiana House of Representatives, and in 1882 to the State Senate. During these years in Indianapolis politics he became close friends with another Indiana politician, Benjamin Harrison. James Huston was State Chairman of his political party during the presidential elections of 1884 and 1888, and in 1888 the Political Manager for his friend, candidate Benjamin Harrison, the US Senator from Indiana at the time. Harrison won the election, and in 1889 Harrison nominated Huston to be Treasurer of the United States. Huston served in that role for two years until April 24, 1891. They were such close friends that Harrison and his first wife Caroline Scott Harrison were frequent visitors at Elm Farm. A bedroom in the expanded house was reserved exclusively for their use and was furnished and decorated according to their tastes. Today, the large room that is the ground floor level of the north wing has been named The Harrison Room commemorating the many times he spent here.
March 1901 Dr. Alonzo (Lon) Daum purchases the building. Dr. Daum added the north annex, called the Daum Annex, for use as a Sanatorium, presumably for tuberculosis patients. The large annex consisted of twenty-six rooms on two floors. Daum endeared himself to the community as a doctor, humanitarian, and as a deeply religious man. Daum however died that same year suddenly, at the age of 33, following a trip to Europe. He was buried in the Parker burial plot behind the building on the hill. There were rumors that his death was caused by a strange disease picked up on the trip. The grave was kept lighted with lanterns, and a guard was posted, for more than a month to prevent any molestation in case anyone might attempt to solve the mysterious cause of death.
April 1902 The Daum family transferred the property to Charles Chambers and Ella Porter. They operated the sanatorium with Dr. W.J. Porter providing medical care. At the time this Sanatorium was well known throughout by now forty-five United States.
August 1903 "The Old Elm Farm" was divided. The House and one-hundred and forty acres retained were renamed "Elmhurst" by Mrs. Ella Porter at this time. "Elmhurst" was then sold to the newly formed Connersville Sanatorium Company. The Connersville Sanatorium Company operated until 1906.
June 1906 Elmhurst was purchased for use as a Summer Home, by George B. Markel of Hazelton, Pennsylvania and Emmett, Michigan.
1909 The Elmhurst School for Girls was established. The school was directed by Isabel Cressler and Caroline Sumner for the purpose of giving girls of the Middle West educational opportunities equal to those available at eastern schools. The building could accommodate twenty-four students and initially enrollment was limited to that number, although at one time as many as forty were enrolled. The school developed a course which was unique among private schools for girls that was a combination of Agricultural and Domestic Sciences, utilizing the tillable land on the property. Daughters of prominent and wealthy families were educated at Elmhurst, among them daughters of the George Ball family of Muncie (Ball State University, Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company.) The Ball family presented the school with a drinking fountain made from Italian Marble during the years of their daughters' enrollment. The drinking fountain remains and is now in the dining room of the since remodeled building.
1929 Elmhurst School for Girls is closed. The estate was controlled by Manfred Dale. After a brief period of vacancy, a Mr. Lewis started the Pennington Military Institute, enrolling several local young men. That institute operated only about one year.
1931 Herbert Bard, a professor of one of the colleges in the east attempted to open another private school. This effort ultimately proved to be a failure.
1931 - 1939 Idle. Robert Ingersoll, caretaker.
1939 Elmhurst is acquired by Warren Lodge No. 15 F. & A. M.
1941, February 22. Deliberately on George Washington's birthday; Warren Lodge and the newly formed Historic Elmhurst Inc. dedicated and reopened the building. This was done only after extensive renovation which transformed the Daum Annex of 26 rooms on two floors into a single room with a balcony and with the design features and furnishings prescribed by the fraternity common to their lodge rooms. Among the other considerable renovations and updates made at the time, three regulation size slate billiard tables were placed in the 2nd floor center room, now made a game room which required the use of a crane, and the removal of those windows under the porch roof and behind the columns.
Elmhurst was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1977.
c. 1530 - 1560. (Best guess.) The Elm Tree for which Elm Farm (Elmhurst) was named, sprouts from seed and is just a sapling. 50 years after Columbus landed in the Bahamas, and and at least 60 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, the elm tree that gave Elm Farm it's name was young. The Delaware and Miami peoples have beaten a trail nearby, and access a clear water spring also in the vicinity. Also nearby is the high point where they maintain fire pots for signaling. This little tree later, in the 1700's and 1800's will be 95 feet tall and 16 feet in circumference, and will inspire the name for 165 surrounding acres. More about this remarkable tree later.
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Credit and Citations: Elmhurst has a long and noble history. The most authoritative compilations were completed by (1) Warren Lodge #15 Trestleboard Vol. 11 No. 6 Dated June 1963. and (2) by Donna Schroeder, Fayette County Historian, with Aimee Brumfield, Elmhurst Historian and printed by Fayette County Tourism Bureau in 2022. That print version is available to visitors at the several historic buildings in Connersville.
Credit for the information presented in the timeline below is credited entirely to them, as is much of the wording.
Additionally, several collaborative sources from the world-wide-web contributed.
Credit and Citations: Elmhurst has a long and noble history. The most authoritative compilations were completed by (1) Warren Lodge #15 Trestleboard Vol. 11 No. 6 Dated June 1963. and (2) by Donna Schroeder, Fayette County Historian, with Aimee Brumfield, Elmhurst Historian and printed by Fayette County Tourism Bureau in 2022. That print version is available to visitors at the several historic buildings in Connersville.
Credit for the information presented in the timeline below is credited entirely to them, as is much of the wording.
Additionally, several collaborative sources from the world-wide-web contributed.
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