Calvin Fletcher

Calvin Fletcher (1798–1866) was an attorney and legislator from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

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Early life

Fletcher was born in Ludlow, Vermont to Jesse and Lucy Keyes Fletcher. He started out for Urbana, Ohio in 1817 where he studied law in Urbana under James Cooley and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1820. Fletcher married Sara Hill in Urbana and both moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1821. Calvin and Sara had 11 children, including James Cooley Fletcher.

Career

Law

Fletcher was the first attorney practicing law in Indianapolis. He was elected prosecuting attorney for the Marion County Circuit Court. In 1825 he was elected state senator and remained in office until his resignation in 1833. Fletcher went on to join a law firm with Ovid Butler, Simon Yandes and Horatio C. Newcomb.

Banking and education

Just after 1833, Fletcher helped organize the State Bank of Indiana and acted as one branch's director for 16 years. He was appointed as one of the first members of the Indianapolis Board of School Trustees. He was also appointed a trustee during the organization of Asbury College which became DePauw University. Like Horatio Newcomb, he was commissioner for the Sinking Fund.

Farming

From 1839 to 1855 Calvin Fletcher owned a 269-acre (109 ha) farm called Woodlawn in the early settlement known as Fletcher Place. The settlement had several residents. Many contributions were made to the early development of architecture, religion, commerce, education, and social life in the city of early Indianapolis. The property was plotted off by his brother, Stoughton Fletcher.

Fletcher was an abolitionist like his friend and colleague, Ovid Butler. He promoted the organization of the U.S. colored troops in Indiana during the American Civil War, and the 28th Regiment United States Colored Troops used his farm land to train between December 1863 and April 1864. Fletcher also helped to found the Marion County Agricultural Society.

Faith

Fletcher was known as a very religious man. He contributed to the erection of almost all the early churches in Indianapolis. The Fletcher Place United Methodist Church was built on the on a portion of the farm, after the land had been donated to the church.

A marble bust of Calvin Fletcher is on display in the Indiana Statehouse.

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