Museum Corner January 2021

Hail to the Chief—recalling previous Inaugurations

By Becky Buher—Published in the Times-Mail newspaper Jan. 6, 2021

As we look to the Jan. 20, 2021, presidential inauguration, let’s look back at a few of Lawrence County’s local citizens who attended presidential inaugurations, some politicians, and some people who themselves were trendsetters.

In 1829, R.W. Thompson attended the presidential inauguration of Gen. Andrew Jackson. By 1832, Thompson was living in the promising young town of Bedford in what was then considered “the country’s West.” Here, he became a teacher, lawyer, newspaperman, politician and ultimately served as Secretary of the Navy under President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Thompson’s law partner, George Grundy Dunn, was both lawyer and orator. Some of his personal belongings can be found in Case No. 5 in the museum’s first-floor gallery. You’ll find a coat he wore when attending Congress in Washington, D.C. in 1847. Congressman Dunn’s green, brown and ivory Majolica-ware spittoon used in his law office is on display as well as the leather hatbox, which he used to carry his tall tile hat on trips to and from Washington, D.C.

Both Dunn and Thompson were active in the campaign of William Henry Harrison for president of the United States. “The Indianapolis Journal,” reported on Jan. 18, 1840, “Harrison Meeting in Lawrence County. A large number of the citizens of the county of Lawrence met in the Courthouse in Bedford. ... Spirited Preamble and Resolutions were reported to the meeting by R.W. Thompson, and unanimously adopted. One hundred and sixty-six (Whig) Delegates were appointed.”

In 1860, Col. Archibald Voris was selected as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago and was active in securing the nomination of Abraham Lincoln for President. During the Civil War, President Lincoln commissioned Voris a captain.

Voris later was commissioned colonel. Voris’ spirited wife, Antoinette, once rode by horseback to spend six weeks near his Civil War camp. She saw President Lincoln review the troops. She and her sister-in-law attended the last White House reception given by the Lincolns. Before Antoinette died in 1933, she was one of the few surviving people who had personally known President Lincoln.

In 1893, Mrs. Carrie Winstandley wore a black bonnet when she and her husband, Jesse, attended Grover Cleveland’s inauguration. It can be seen on the top shelf of Case No. 48 in the gallery.

In 1913, Beryl Farmer, Homer Franklin and Miss Lena Fish attended the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson as guests of the “Indianapolis Star.” “They were enthusiastic over their trip, enjoying the inaugural ceremonies and side trips to points of national interest.”

Alma and Albert Fields (Bedford’s Democratic mayor 1910-1918) attended Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inauguration in 1933, which was the last year the inauguration was held in March. Mrs. Fields wore an elegant cream-colored dress and silk shoes.

In January 1949, three Bedford men, Eugene B. Crowe, Edward Ellison and Albert Fields travelled from Mitchell aboard the B. & O. Railroad’s National Limited to attend Harry S. Truman’s inauguration. This was Ellison’s first inaugural experience. Local politicians, Congressman Earl Wilson and Senator William E. Jenner, were already in Washington that year, and they witnessed Truman’s inauguration. Pfc. Thomas Kern, who was stationed at Boling Field in Washington, marched in Truman’s inaugural parade.

In addition to Truman’s inauguration, Crowe, a Democrat and former Ninth District Representative in Congress had attended the inaugurations of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, 1937, 1941 and 1945. In 1965 during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency, Crowe, at age 87, planned to again visit to the House of Representatives where some of his colleagues still served.

Kamala Harris will soon be the first female Vice President of the United States, but local women in politics have been groundbreakers, too.

Lawrence County’s own Shawna Girgis had the honor of being Bedford’s first female mayor. On an Independent ticket, she served from January 2008 to January 2020.

Another local citizen, Becky Skillman, was the second female to serve as Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor. A Republican, she served from January 2005 to January 2013.

Back at the museum, Lois Wiley’s charming Presidential First Ladies Doll Collection will continue to be displayed until the end of January. Rowena Cross-Najafi updated the collection to include Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. We’ll have to wait until Jan. 20, 2121, to discover the design of First Lady Jill Biden’s gown.