General James C. Veatch

General James C. Veatch was born in Harrison County, Indiana, December 19, 1819, and died December 21, 1895 at Rockport. His great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War., In 1838, after teaching one term of school in Luce Township, he moved to Rockport where he married Eliza Jane Anderson in June, 1839. In 1839-40 Veatch taught in the seminary at Rockport, then the best school in Spencer County and one of the best in Indiana., In 1841, he decided to abandon the teaching profession and enter the political field when he was elected constable. But that same year the office of county auditor was created, and he was elected the first auditor of the county, a position which he held until 1855. In 1856, he was the first nominee for Congress, of the new Republican Party, in the First Indiana District. In 1860, he was nominated and elected to the state legislature from Spencer County. In 1860, Veatch was a delegate to the national convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln. Indiana was the pivotal state in Lincoln's campaign and General Veatch was one of its fighting leaders. In 1868, he was nominated for Congress by the Republicans of the First Indiana District, but was defeated by W. E. Niblack, of Vincennes, Indiana, the Democratic candidate., General Veatch joined Spencer Lodge No. 140, Independent Order of Odd Fellows in the year 1854; he was made a Master Mason in Rockport Lodge No. 112 in 1855; he was a charter member of Spencer Post, Grand Army of the Republic, organized December 23, 1882, and he was also a charter member of Rockport Lodge No. 107, Knights of Pythias, organized in May, 1883. In 1843, James C. Veatch and A. W. Jones founded the Indiana Herald, a Whig paper; they edited and published it until the summer of 1845. In 1878, Veatch wrote, and R. S. Hicks published in the Rockport Gazette, one of the best historical papers ever published in the state. It was a history of all the papers ever published in the county down to 1878, stating the policy of each and giving a sketch of the owners and editors., Veatch was secretary of the Rockport and Gentryville plank road company. They built a road as far as Centerville in 1850, and it was successfully operated as a toll road until 1857 The Rockport bank was organized in 1854 with J. C. Veatch as a shareholder. He showed his interest in education by starting the movement to build the Rockport Collegiate Institute., At the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion, Veatch was appointed mustering officer, and superintended the recruiting, mustering, and drilling of twelve or fifteen companies of militia in Spencer and adjoining counties. At the battle of Fort Donelson, he was in command of a brigade which was in the forefront in the assault on the fort. After the battle of Shiloh, he was appointed a brigadier general, and after the battle of Mobile, he was advanced to major general. At the battle of Hatchie River, he was seriously wounded. Near the close of the war, he was appointed the military governor of Memphis, Tennessee., This 30 lb. Parrot gun was presented by the Government to General Veatch. It was used in the siege of Vicksburg. It is 12 feet long and weighs 4,200 lbs. Several shot were also received., General Veatch died at his home west of the city. The funeral took place at the residence and was probably one of the largest ever witnessed in this county. A special train from Evansville brought about one hundred of his comrades and friends from that place and points enroute to pay a last tribute of respect. He was buried at Sunset Hill Cemetery with military honors., His home was later turned into the Spencer County Orphanage. In 2013, his home site is being used for trash collection.