Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1900 — Another Old Timer Gone. [ARTICLE]

Another Old Timer Gone.

The building which Uncle Abe Leopold has just demolished, at the corner of Van Rensselaer and Harrison streets, was one of the very few surviving buildings of 59 years or more ago. Its history is rather difficult to trace. It was built in 1842, by one Harper Hunt an erratic individual of those older days, who tried to shine for awhile in the business sky of Rensselaer, as a star of the Ist. magnitude, but whose light soon flickered out. It was the first frame building, for business .purposes, erected in Rensselaer, and the second frame, of any kind. The one that preceded it was built by James Van Rensselaer, on Front street, where Delos Thompson’s residence now stands,, and which, itself, has been ■ removed a short distance and is still used by J. H. Cox, as a wood and coal office. The man who did the carpenter work on this old building of Mr. Leopold’s was Samuel Sparling,whose death, at advanced age, occured a few years ago. Willis Wright, also now deceased, helped on the building* Hunt kept a store in the building for a year or twOj having about ! two wheelbarrow loads of goods.' He was succeeded by Wm. Tharp. 1 who had two wagon loads of stock,! which he hauled clear from Fort Wayne. Mr. Tharp also reached a 1 great age and died at Remington a, few years ago. The building was soon turned into a residence, and has had several owners and numerous oc-j cupants Albert Timmons says; his father, Clements Timmons, a!-: so now dead, lived in it way back, and that he, the said Albert, was born therein. Uncle Norm Warner, when he was first married lived in it about 18 months. He and his excellent wife were much younger then than now, but not much brighter, happier nor more cheerful and contented. The late Thomas Monnett owned it for a long time, and lived there once, if we are not mistaken.

Soon after Leopold became owner of the property he had it thoroughly repaired and considerably enlarged and made into a tenant house for two families. No doubt many sad as well as happy events have been connected with this building. The saddest however, in the memory of anyone now living, was the instant death, by lightning, some 15 or 16 years ago, of a young bo} r who stood in the door of the building, and was killed before his mother’s eyes. He was a eon of Mr. aud Mrs. M.' E. Baylor, former well known residents of our town. - The Republican is beholden for most of the above facts, to Uncle Jared Benjamin, who, with his brother-in-law,. Uncle David Nowels, are two of the very few surviving links which still connect us with the very earliest days of our city’s history. *