312                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

date for the State Legislature, the competitor of A. C. Veach in his second
race for the place. At some time in the year 1856 he was appointed post-
master to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Eli Hendrix,
under whose administration he had the contract for the delivery of the
mails from the Vandalia station to the postoffice, for which service he
received $10 per month, During his time as postmaster a fellow-citizen
was not denied the privilege of the mails because he did not have the three
cents to pay for a stamp. He was extended credit, and if he forgot to pay
up the account was squared with the department by “Dave” Stunkard. In
the spring of 1860 he resigned the position, succeeded by Robert Conley.
At some time within the Civil war he occupied the present Rigby house
as a hotel, which he vacated when purchased by Rigby, in 1866, and moved
to Terre Haute, where he occupied and conducted the Buntin House, and
here a tragic end befell him accidentally five years later. On Saturday
morning, July 15, 1871, he took a loaded revolver from a drawer in the
hotel office, saying that he must locate it elsewhere, to prevent his boys
from getting at it, but instead of going at once upstairs, where he intended
concealing it, he placed the weapon temporarily in his pocket, stepped out
onto the pavement and sat down in company with several guests of the
house who were awaiting breakfast. In the act of sitting down and at the
same time pulling up his pants-legs (as men are wont to do) the arm of
the chair (as it was supposed) contacted with the hammer of the revolver,
causing a discharge, the ball entering the abdominal region, passing
upward through the body and causing death from internal hemorrhage.
Though a number of physicians and surgeons were summoned, the wound
could not be probed and no aid could be rendered. He remained conscious
until about 9 o’clock and died at 11:40 a. m.
    President MeKeen, of the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad, pro-
vided a special train to carry the funeral party to Brazil, where the burial
took place on Sunday following, attended by the Free Masons and other
benevolent societies, the city military organizations, and a large concourse
of the business men of the city. The funeral services were conducted by
Rev. W. W. Curry of the Universalist church. There was a numerous
spontaneous outpouring of his fellow-citizens of both Terre Haute and
Brazil, to do honor to the memory of one who had risen from a humble
station in life to prominence, influence and usefulness in society by indus-
try, rigid attention to business and indefatigable energy in its successful
prosecution. Though all the while engrossed with a multiplicity of busi-
ness cares during the years of his active career at Brazil, he was liberally
endowed with responsive sympathy for humanity and was at all times
approachable. Though sensitive to injury or offense and impulsive to
resent any impugnment of his honor and good intentions, he could not
withhold the hand of reconciliation. While operating the old lumber mill,
with the upright saw, which stood near the Vandalia Railroad, in the south
part of town, he had a sawyer named Myers, who was afflicted with the
drink habit, and at times was insolent when under the influence of liquor.
At a time the two met at the old freight house by the side of the railroad
track, a little distance west of the saw-mill, when, in a conversation, Myers
called his employer a liar, who struck him a blow which knocked him
down and off the platform, where he lay, making no demonstrations to
regain his feet. Realizing that he may have injured Myers, Stunkard
walked deliberately up into the town and instructed Dr. Bemis to go upon
the scene, have Myers taken to his home, give him all the attention and