Bartholomew County IN Archives Biographies.....Hinman, Miranda J. C. 1825 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 23, 2007, 11:08 pm

Author: B. F. Bowen (1904)

MRS. MIRANDA J. C. HINMAN.

   No history of Columbus would be complete without mention of Mrs. Miranda
Jones Comstock Hinman, whose residence in this city dates from 1826; There is
perhaps no other citizen of Columbus who has so long remained here and her
influence has been widely felt in social, intellectual and church circles. It is
like the fragrance of the violet, not obtrusive yet penetrating and enriching
all. With the history of the city she is familiar and her mind bears the impress
of its historic annals. She can relate many interesting incidents concerning the
early days in Bartholomew county as well as the story of its later progress and
development.

   Mrs. Hinman was born in Casey county, Kentucky, on the 24th of August, 1825,
and is a daughter of John F. and Malinda (Ward) Jones. The Jones family
furnished to the Continental army during the Revolutionary war those who won
fame in the service of the colonies. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Hinman was
a soldier of the war of 1812. The ancestry, however, is traced further back than
this, for at an early day in the development of Maryland, ancestors of
Scotch-Irish parentage came to the new world and established their home on this
side of the Atlantic. In early life both John F. Jones and Malinda Ward
accompanied their respective parents to Kentucky, which was then a pioneer
region in which the work of development and improvement had scarcely been begun.
They were reared to adult age in that state and were there married and in 1826
they came to Indiana, bringing with them their three children. The little town
of Columbus was their destination. It contained then but a few hundred people
and was situated upon the frontier. All around was unbroken forests in which the
sound of the woodman's ax had hardly been heard. At that time Newton C. Jones
was the proprietor of the first hotel or tavern of Columbus and at his death J.
F. Jones, the father of Mrs. Hinman, became proprietor of the hotel and
continued in the business throughout his remaining days. He became well known to
the travelers in this part of the state and he was a man who took an active and
influential part in politics, giving his support to the Whig party and to the
new Republican party, upon which ticket he was elected to the offices of sheriff
and treasurer of Bartholomew county. He served in the former position until it
became necessary to execute two criminals, when he resigned in order to evade
the execution, as he could not endure the thought of taking the life of a human
being. While conducting the hotel he had the honor and distinction of
entertaining Hon. Henry Clay, of Ashland, Kentucky, Gen. William Henry Harrison
and others of equally wide reputation. General Harrison was then territorial
governor, residing at Vincennes, Indiana. The gubernatorial mansion, built in
1804, has been a point of interest to tourists for many years. At the close of
the Indian war General Harrison and Tecumseh planned to smoke the pipe of peace
on the lawn in front of the mansion. The General stood awaiting Tecumseh and his
braves and when they arrived he bade them be seated. Tecumseh replied: "No; the
earth is my mother; I will recline on her bosom." These two distinguished men of
historic times were several times guests of Mrs. Hinman's father in Columbus. In
pioneer times he served as tax collector in Columbus; filling the office at a
period when taxes were paid in pelts or other products of the locality. In
matters pertaining to improvement and development of the community he took an
active and helpful part and his influence and aid proved a potent factor in the,
growth of this section of the state. Unto him and his wife were born two sons
and a daughter, the latter being Mrs. Hinman. The sons are Logan D., who is
now-deceased; and B. Buckner Jones, who is residing in Columbus. The latter was
one of the foremost promoters of the Big Four Railroad and secured its building
to this city. Perhaps no other one enterprise has proved of such value to
Columbus as has this and Mr. Jones certainly deserves the gratitude of the
public for what lie accomplished in this direction.

   Upon the old family homestead in Kentucky Mrs. Hinman was born, but when only
about a year old was brought by her parents to Bartholomew county and has since
resided in Columbus, watching its development from a little village to a city of
industrial, commercial and political importance. At the usual age she entered
the public schools where she pursued her studies until she had reached the age
of nine years. She then became a student in Miss Stevens' Seminary at Madison,
Indiana, where she pursued an academic course until she reached the age of
sixteen years. Returning to her home, she remained with her parents until she
gave her hand in marriage to Dr. George C. Comstock, who was a native of
Kentucky and a graduate of the Kentucky Medical College of Louisville. He was a
man of splendid professional attainments and was graduated with the highest
honors in surgery in his class under Professor Gross. He then located for the
practice of his profession in Columbus, but hardly had he taken up his life work
when death's heavy hand was laid upon him and he answered to the summons which
comes to all, pasing away in 1845, leaving to the care of his widow two little
children, one of whom is now Dr. L. W. Comstock, a successful practicing dentist
of Chicago. On the 13th of November, 1850, Mrs. Comstock was again married, this
time becoming the wife of Dr. H. Towner Hinman, who was a graduate of the Ohio
Medical College and not only won for himself a prominent place in the medical
fraternity, but also gained distinction in the ranks of the Masonic fraternity,
becoming grand lecturer for the state of Indiana. He continued to practice
medicine until 1860, when he, too, was called to his final rest. By this
marriage there was born one son, J. J. Hinman, who is a commercial traveler of
Indianapolis, Indiana.

   Mrs. Hinman has ever been recognized as a leader in intellectual, literary
and social circles in Columbus and although she has now passed the Psalmist's
span of three score years and ten her work is still followed along many lines
here. She was a charter member of the Order of the Eastern Star, of this city,
and also of the Culture Club. For some time she served as president of the
Women's Suffrage Club and also of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. For
many years she worked untiringly for the poor, individually and without
concerted action. Finally, on the 6th of January, 1885, eight ladies met at the
home of Mrs. Hinman and organized the Columbus Flower Mission, with officers as
follows: President, Mrs. Hinman; vice-president, Mrs. Botsford; treasurer, Mrs.
Thomas, and secretary, Mrs. John Perry. The society met in Mrs. Hinman's parlor
every week, with an attendance of from forty-five to sixty ladies and gentlemen.
Mrs. Hinman endeavored by every means to induce the congressman to subscribe his
name with others for the erection of an orphans' home. Approved by her sister
workers, the clergy and all good citizens, she persisted in the effort and at
length articles of association were sent to the auditor of state. About this
time, before plans were fully matured, Mrs. Botsford and Mrs. Thomas were called
to the higher life. The county commissioners finally opened bids for a site on
which to erect a home. Meanwhile Mrs. Hinman had elicited the attention and
interest of Mr. Richard Thomas, through his love for his deceased wife and her
devotion to this work, and while the commissioners were in session Mr. Thomas
walked in and presented the deeds for three acres of land, east of the city,
selected by Mrs. Hinman. In due time there was dedicated to the memory of Mrs.
Francis Comfort Thomas the grandest monument to charity any community can
possess. On this occasion the opening prayer was made by Mrs. Hinman and the
dedicatory address was delivered by Rev. Z. T. Sweeney. Mrs. Hinman has studied
closely many questions affecting the welfare of humanity and has labored along
lines for the benefit of her fellow men, desiring the advancement of the race in
intellectual and moral progress. She has long been one of the leading members of
the Presbyterian church and has been one of its most earnest, consistent and
capable workers. She has also won fame as a writer and has contributed many
interesting and valuable articles to the press of Indianapolis. Her broad mind
and humanitarian spirit have characterized her relations with the city and its
welfare and those who are personally acquainted with her know her as a kind and
sympathetic neighbor, a devoted friend and an earnest, Christian woman. Her work
in the world has been of an important character and she has the warm regard and
esteem of all with whom she has come in contact. In all that tends to the
development of character she has taken a deep interest and in the lives of many
with whom she has come in contact she has left the impress of her individuality
for good.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY
INDIANA

INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA

ILLUSTRATED

1904

B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER


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