HON. JOHN A. DEEM
Hon. John K Deem was the eldest son of Thomas Deem and Phebe (Hutzler)Deem,
and was born March 9, 1840, in Greene county, Ohio, near the village of
Oldtown, a locality renowned in history as the birth-place of the famous
chieftain Tecumseh, and as the scene of Daniel Boone's captivity among the
Shawnee Indians. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and of German
descent. His mother was born in Virginia, but reared in Ohio. She was of
Scotch-Welsh extraction. The ancestors of both parents were Revolutionary
patriots, some of them soldiers. The subject of this sketch removed with his
parents to Spiceland township, Henry county, Indiana, in the autumn of 1848.
Here he grew to manhood, working on the farm in summer and attending the
district schools in the winter. His thirst for knowledge was intense, and by
close application succeeded in acquiring a good English education under
adverse circumstances. He began teaching school before he had reached his
majority and taught a number of terms. In 1862 he married Miss Elizabeth
Cloud, by whom he has three children: Wallace K., Ernest C. and Nora M. The
eldest son became the founder and first publisher of the Knightstown Sun,
which paper he sold and purchased the Banner, formerly his father's
newspaper. The second son, Ernest, is a progressive farmer, living near
Dunreith. and has held positions of trust, both political and civil. Nora,
the daughter, married J.E. Symons, and resides near Ogden on a fine farm, the
management of which was the subject of an interesting article in the
Cincinnati Gazette. She is an elder in the society of Friends, of which
religious denomination she is a zealous member. Before his marriage Mr. Deem
applied himself to learning the printing art, and in the spring of 1867
located at Knightstown and commenced the publication of the Banner. By
untiring effort he succeeded in placing his newspaper upon a prosperous
footing, and continued its publisher for about fourteen years. It became
noted for its radical views and red-hot editorials. While a citizen of
Knightstown he was three times elected school trustee and labored zealously
to effect the building of the magnificent structure whjch adorns the school
grounds of that town. The design is his own. the want of such an edifice had
long been felt, but it required some energetic public men to urge it forward:
He gave this public improvement his earnest support from its beginning to its
dedication. In 1878 he was elected justice of the peace, but resigned after
serving about ten months. In the spring of 1880 Mr. Deem returned to
Spiceland township and engaged in farming and the rearing of fine stock. His
stock has never failed to receive first premiums at the surrounding county
and district fairs. In 1882 he was chosen by the Republicans as heir
candidate for representative in the legislature and was elected by one
thousand five hundred majority, runnning ahead of the state ticket. He served
his constituents acceptably and in 1884 was again elected for the same
position. He received the largest vote ever given by the voters of his
township to any man and ran far ahead of the national ticket of that year. In
speaking of his re-election Col. Cyrus T. Nixon, a close observer of public
men and the doings of the Indiana legislature, said, ~This is a very fine and
a very just compliment. Mr. Deem was one of the most useful members of the
last house, and his re-election will place in the house one of the most
competent, upright and fearless legislators to be found anywhere in the
state. He was the first of the Republican members to secure the passage of
acts through both branches of the general assembly during his first and
second terms. He served on the committees for benevolent institutions, county
and township business, agriculture, and other important ones. He is the
author of the town election law, and an act for the better education of
children confined in poor houses and orphan asylums, as well as other good
legislation. He secured an appropriation for the erection of the mechanical
building at Purdue University and also one for fire protection at the
Soldier's and Sailor's Orphan's Home. In 1889-90 Mr. Deem was the editor and
publisher of the Home Journal. during which time it was the largest and
finest institution paper in America, if not in the world. He has been an
occasional contributor to the public journals, and was the first man in Henry
county to publicly advocate the possibility of finding natural gas in this
section of the state. In a series of articles he showed by geological data,
scientific facts and analogous reasoning the existence of the gaseous
treasure, and his writings assisted greatly in carrying conviction to the
minds of thoughtful and enterprising men. He possesses a fine library, filled
to overflowing with books covering every department of human knowledge. He is
passionately fond of reading, study and research, and spends the leisure
hours of a stirring life with his books, magazines and newspapers. Mr. Deem
is a gentleman pleasing in appearance, courteous in demeanor, but firm in his
Convictions of right. He possesses clear opinions, is devoted to duty and the
accomplishment of good in the world. He attracts the attention of men by his
earnestness, and convinces by his undaunted and outspoken adherence to the
principles he is pleased to advocate. He possesses a very fine constitution
and enjoys splendid health, which he attributes to temperate living and an
active life.