- Hon. Joseph H. Defrees died at his residence in this city on Monday morning, December 21, at about 11 o'clock, after an illness of less than a week. No other death has occurred in Goshen for years which has struck so sorrowful a cord in the hearts of the community, for Mr. Defrees was known by all, esteemed by all, honored by all. His unsullied integrity, and his unswerving fidelity to principle, truth and justice, were such as commanded the respect of the whole surrounding country, and his death is not only a family bereavement but a public loss.
The deceased was born May 13, 1812, in Sparta, White county, Tennessee. He is of Huguenot descent, his ancestors, during one of the frequent religious troubles in France, fleeing from that country to Holland, and thence to America Sometime prior to the Revolutionary War. Of the three brothers who came over, one settled in Virginia, one in New York, and the third in North Carolina. Mr. Defrees was a descendent from the one who came to Virginia. Joseph, grandfather of Mr. Defrees, settled in Philadelphia after the Revolutionary war, while James, Mr. Defrees's father, made Nashville, Tenn., his home. At the age of six or seven years, the subject of our sketch accompanied his parents to Piqua, Ohio, where he learned the blacksmith trade, but subsequently entered a printing office. In 1831, he, with his brother, John D. Defrees, came to South Bend, Ind, where they established the North Western Pioneer, a Whig journal, and the first paper west of Detroit and north of Indianapolis. In 1833, Joseph H. Defrees came to Goshen and engaged in merchandising, and from that time his life was intimately interwoven with the business, the social life and the political history of Goshen and of Elkhart County
Soon after his arrival here he was appointed County Agent to sell lots and to settle with the contractors who had erected the first court house in Elkhart County. In 1835 the Governor appointed him Sheriff to fill a vacancy, and subsequently he was elected to the same office for two terms, in the face of a usual Democratic majority of about 400. In 1819, he was elected to the State House of Representatives, and the next year he was chosen a State Senator. The campaign of 1850 was an exciting one, Mr. Defrees being a candidate upon the "People's Ticket" as against the Democratic ticket. Railroad matters agitated and divided the people of the county. Through the labors of Mr. Defrees, Dr. Latta and James Barns, and others, a chapter had been obtained for a road through Indiana, from State line to State line, in the direction of Chicago, and to pass through Goshen. The Michigan Southern railroad had also obtained a charter from the cast to the west line of Michigan, aiming at Chicago, but the charter forbid the road from being built nearer than one mile to the Indiana line. The citizens of South Bend and of Elkhart feared, notwithstanding assurances to the contrary by Mr. Defrees and others, that the Goshen road was to be built directly west from this point, leaving those two towns to the north, and for that reason their efforts were directed toward a repel of the charter of this road. To facilitate this object, a citizen of South Bend purchased a mile of land from a point on the projected Michigan Southern road to the Indiana line, on which a private road was to be built to connect with a road in this State which was to strike Elkhart and South Bend. The election of Mr. Defrees defeated the scheme for repealing the charter of the Goshen road, and the final result was the construction of the Lake Shore road, in its present shape,
About this time an informal tender was made to Mr. Defrees of the Whig nomination for Governor of Indiana, but he declined the honor.
In 1864, Mr. Defrees received the Republican nomination for Congress, and was elected. He took his seat in December, 1865, serving during the reconstruction period of the States lately in rebellion. In 1970, he was again elected to the lower house of the State Legislature. For the few last years he has been president of the City National Bank, and a leading stockholder of the institution. In connection with his son, Frank B., he has also operated for some years a flouring mill and a linseed oil mill in this city.
In 1816, Elkhart County Lodge No. 31, I. O. O. F., was chartered, and Mr. Defrees was the first member initiated into the order here, the meeting being held in the jury room in the court house. Dr. Latta, and perhaps one or two others, were initiated the same evening. Mr. Defrees was also a member of the Masonic order.
In 1832, Mr. Defrees married Miss Mary A. McKinney, of Piqua, Ohio, daughter of John R. and sister of Frank B. McKinney, ex-member of Congress. Six children were born to them, namely, James M., who died in 1859, and whose son, Joe. H, is now practicing law in Chicago; Margaret J., who died in infancy; Hattie E., wife of Hon. John H. Baker; Frank B., who married Miss Beers; Mary E., wife of Judge J. A. S. Mitchell; Sarah C., wife of C. J. Thompson, an attorney of St. Paul, Minn.
Mrs. Defrees died in February, 1864, and in the latter part of 1865, Mr. Defrees married Mrs. Margaret Pierce, sister of Mr. John McNaughton, of Elkhart.
For more than forty years, Mr. Defrees was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He had never been wanting in the moralities of life, but upon connecting himself with the church he also became a Christian. He always followed where duty led him. He respected every one's religious opinions, but also faithfully lived according to his own convictions. Nowhere will he be missed more than in the church counsels.
Mr. Defrees was endowed by nature with a strong and well-balanced mind, and in every public position which he tilled he exhibited the traits of honesty, inflexible integrity, and a sacred regard for the inviolability of public trust. His honesty, purity of character, and integrity were unimpeachable and above suspicion. He never compromised his principles for the sake of expediency, but carried his convictions of justice, honor, and right into whatever he undertook. As a speaker he was not eloquent, but forcible, and what he said upon the stump, as any where else, was believed it only because Mr. Defrees said it. All who knew him placed implicit confidence in his every assertion, and his word was at all times as good as his written obligation.
In private life, Mr. Defrees was without a blemish. He was a pure-minded husband and a tender father, a kind neighbor and an accommodating friend. As a citizen, his life was most exemplary. He encouraged all public and private enterprises of which his judgment could approve, and he always expressed his convictions without reservation, but with a due regard for the opinions of others.
So ended the life of Joseph H. Defrees Peace be to his memory; and may those upon whom the loss falls so heavily be comforted with the reflection that the husband, the father, never failed in the discharge of a duty.
The remains of the deceased will be interred this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, in Oak Ridge cemetery, under the auspices of the Odd Fellows.
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- US Congressman. Elected to represent Indiana's 10th District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1865 to 1867. Also served as a Member of the Indiana State House of Representatives from 1849 to 1850, 1871, and Member of the Indiana State Senate from 1850 to 1852.
DEFREES, Joseph Hutton, a Representative from Indiana; born in Sparta, White County, Tenn., May 13, 1812; moved to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Piqua in 1819; attended the common schools; apprenticed to the blacksmith trade 1826-1829; learned the art of printing; moved to Indiana and settled in South Bend in 1831, where he established the Northwestern Pioneer; moved to Goshen, Elkhart County, Ind., in 1833 and engaged in mercantile pursuits and later in banking; appointed county agent; sheriff of Elkhart County 1835-1840; member of the State house of representatives in 1849 and again in 1872; served in the State senate 1850-1854; elected as a Republican to the Thirty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1865-March 3, 1867); was not a candidate for renomination in 1866; resumed his former business pursuits; also interested in milling, the manufacture of linseed oil, and the construction of the Goshen Hydraulic Works; director of the Cincinnati, Wabash & Michigan Railroad and served as its first president; died at Goshen, Ind., December 21, 1885; interment in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Joseph Hutton DeFrees (May 13, 1812 - December 21, 1885) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana. Born in Sparta, Tennessee, DeFrees moved to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Piqua in 1819. He attended the common schools. Apprenticed to the blacksmith trade 1826-1829. Learned the art of printing. He moved to Indiana and settled in South Bend in 1831, where he established the Northwestern Pioneer. He moved to Goshen, Indiana, in 1833 and engaged in mercantile pursuits and later in banking. He was appointed county agent. Sheriff of Elkhart County 1835-1840. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1849 and again in 1872. He served in the State senate 1850-1854. DeFrees was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1865-March 3, 1867). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1866. He resumed his former business pursuits. He was also interested in milling, the manufacture of linseed oil, and the construction of the Goshen Hydraulic Works. He served as director of the Cincinnati, Wabash &. Michigan Railroad and served as its first president. He died at Goshen, Indiana, December 21, 1885. He was interred in Oak Ridge Cemetery. His brother, John D. Defrees, was a major figure in Indiana Republican party politics.
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Our Family History
1812 - 1885 (73 years)
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