Abel Streight: Difference between revisions

'''Abel Delos Streight''' (June 17, 1828 – May 27, 1892) was a peacetime lumber merchant and publisher, and was commissioned a [[United States Army]] / [[Union Army]] [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] in the [[American Civil War]] (1861-1865). His command precipitated a notable cavalry raid in April-MayApril–May 1863, known as [[Streight's Raid]] into northern [[Alabama]]. He was a prisoner of war for 10 months following his surrender in the Confederate States capital of [[Richmond, Virginia]]. On March 12, 1866, his nomination for appointment to the grade of [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]], to rank dating from March 13, 1865 was confirmed. He later became a politician, and served as a [[state senator]] in the [[Indiana Senate]] (upper chamber of the [[Indiana General Assembly]] - state legislature) back home in the state capital of [[Indianapolis, Indiana]] for two terms.

The year after the war, after returning home to "The Hoosier State", in 1866, Streight and his wife built a large landmark [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek Revival]] / [[Classical Revival architecture|Classical Revival]] style architecture with tall white columns and portico (reminiscent of old-style Southern antebellum plantation manor houses) of a two-story brick mansion on a wooded 23 acres estate in the then rural / country at 4121 East [[Washington Street (Indianapolis)|Washington Street]]. The old luxurious estate facing on the historic east-west [[National Road]] (from [[Baltimore, Maryland]] to [[Vandalia, Illinois]] near the [[Mississippi River]], (later in the [[1920s]] designated as [[U.S. Route 40 in Indiana|U.S. Route 40]]), just east of Indianapolis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/life/2014/03/21/indiana-womens-history-trail/6711737/|title=Ground-Breaking sites for women in Indianapolis|last=Rudavsky|first=Shari|date=March 21, 2014|website=IndyStar|access-date=October 21, 2017}}</ref> A decade later, in the [[American Centennial]] year of 1876, Streight ran successfully for a seat as a state senator in the [[Indiana Senate]], (the upper chamber of the state legislature [[Indiana General Assembly]], sitting in the [[Indiana Statehouse]] ([[State capitol|state capitol]]), serving a two-year term. Another decade later in 1880, he ran unsuccessfully as the dominant [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]] candidate for [[List of Governors of Indiana|Governor of Indiana]]. In 1888, he was once again elected as a State Senator. He died in Indianapolis four years later, in May 1892, from complications of [[Bright's Disease]].<ref name=":0">Lovina Streight Research Files 1861–2003 at the Indiana Historical Society. Processed by Kate Scott, May 2014. Collection # M 1099. See biographical sketch.</ref> Although initially buried on the front lawn of his residence at his widow's request, his grave was eventually moved ten years later in 1902 to the nearby prominent [[Crown Hill Cemetery]]. The impressive grave site includes a bronze head bust of the merchant, publisher, colonel, prisoner-of-war, and later general, followed by state senator, The sculpture is inserted into and surrounded / surmounted by a huge monumental granite temple-like structure with places beneath for Streight, his wife Lovina and their oldest son John. Special collections of his and his wife Lovina's papers and memorabilia are held at the [[Indiana Historical Society]] in Indianapolis.<ref name=":0" />

Streight's wife Lovina joined her husband on his southern campaign during the war, often ministering as a nurse to help the wounded men during and after battles. She was captured three times and exchanged for prisoners. When Abel died in 1892 she had him buried in the front yard of their home, stating, "I never knew where he was in life, but now I can find him."<ref>Willett, Robert L.; ''The Lightning Mule Brigade'', Carmel, IN, 1999, p. 196.</ref> Lovina Streight was known as the "Mother of the 51st", and upon her death 45 years after the war in 1910, her funeral too like his in 1892 was afforded full military honors and attended by a large concourse of veterans and Indiana citizens. It was said at the time that her funeral drew the largest crowd of mourners to [[Crown Hill Cemetery]] in Indianapolis since the earlier turn-of-the-century funeral of fellow Indianan. and 23rd President [[Benjamin Harrison]] (1833-1901, served 1889-1893).<ref>obit. of Lavina Streight, Indianapolis Star, 7 & 9 Jun 1910, p. 1</ref> In her probated will, she directed that the large elaborate Streight family mansion on Washington Street should become a home for aged women; however, other relatives successfully challenged the will in orphans court on the grounds that she was of “unsound mind.” Their main arguments used by the plaintiffs were that she believed in spiritualism and was under the influence of a B. Frank Schmid, a spiritualist. The controversial trial, held in nearby [[Shelbyville, Indiana]], over Lavina's will was a big news story in its day, and was covered in the several local daily newspapers of the time.</ref>''[[Indianapolis News]]'', 27 Aug 1910, p. &nbsp;2, 5 Apr 1911, p. &nbsp;1, 16 Apr 1911, p. &nbsp;8; ''[[Indianapolis Star]]'', 28 Apr 1911, p. &nbsp;1; ''[[Shelbyville Democrat]]'', 4–28 Apr 1911</ref>