James W. Bordon and Epy Dettrow petition
Collection — Folder: S2783
Identifier: S2783
Scope and Contents
This collection includes one undated petition to Governor Joseph A. Wright with 22 signees for the release of William Dettrow, a prisoner at the Indiana State Prison. The document includes two notes, one from the presiding judge of the case, James W. Bordon, and the other from Epy Dettrow, wife of the prisoner, both suggesting that Dettrow deserved earn his freedom. Among the signees are judges and jurors from Dettrow’s case, as well as John Studebaker, the father of the co-founder of the Studebaker Corporation.
Dates
- circa 1849-1857
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Sketch
James Wallace Borden was born on February 5, 1810 in Beaufort, North Carolina to Joseph and Esther (Wallace) Borden. His father passed away when he was young, so Borden’s mother sent him to New England for schooling. Borden studied law and gained employment with Judge and U.S. Congressman Abijah Mann, Jr. He married Emeline Emma Griswold on February 21, 1831 in New York, New York and the couple had seven children: Anna Esther, Mary Emeline, Rebeca Kenyon, Joseph John, William James, George Pennington, and Emma Griswold. Under Mann's tutelage, Borden gained the experience to pass the bar of the New York Supreme Court at Utica in 1834 at just 21 years old. He moved back to Indiana in 1835, initially settling in Richmond before becoming the mayor of the city in the late 1830s for a couple years, resigning the position in 1839. Borden moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana to lead the United States Land Office there.
Borden was elected president judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Indiana in 1841 and held the position until asked to represent the Indiana General Assembly during the revision of the Indiana State Constitution as an elected delegate for the counties of Adams, Allen, and Wayne in 1850. After the constitution's ratification in 1852, he was elected judge of the Common Pleas District for Allen, Adams, Huntington, and Wells counties, and held the position until 1857. On January 11, 1858, Borden was chosen as U.S. commissioner to the Kingdom of Hawaii by President James Buchannan and held the position until 1861. Borden moved back to Fort Wayne and was elected judge in 1864, moving to the criminal courts in 1867 and holding the position until his death. He remarried Jane Conkling on August 15, 1848, and the couple had one child: Henry David. Bordon died on April 25, 1882 and is buried in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Sources:
FamilySearch. “James W Borden.” United States Census, 1870. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LW8F-G98.
FamilySearch. “James W. Borden.” Indiana Death Index, 1882-1820. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LW8F-G98.
FindAGrave.com. “Judge James Wallace Borden.” Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7116997/james-wallace-borden.
Genealogy Trails. “Hon. James W. Borden: Criminal Judge.” Allen County, Indiana Biographical Sketch. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://genealogytrails.com/ind/allen/biographies/bio-borden.html.
-----
Epy Dettrow (also spelled Detrow) was married to William Dettrow and lived near Fort Wayne, Indiana during the 1850s. William Detrow was sentenced to eight years in the Indiana State Prison for grand larceny.
Borden was elected president judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Indiana in 1841 and held the position until asked to represent the Indiana General Assembly during the revision of the Indiana State Constitution as an elected delegate for the counties of Adams, Allen, and Wayne in 1850. After the constitution's ratification in 1852, he was elected judge of the Common Pleas District for Allen, Adams, Huntington, and Wells counties, and held the position until 1857. On January 11, 1858, Borden was chosen as U.S. commissioner to the Kingdom of Hawaii by President James Buchannan and held the position until 1861. Borden moved back to Fort Wayne and was elected judge in 1864, moving to the criminal courts in 1867 and holding the position until his death. He remarried Jane Conkling on August 15, 1848, and the couple had one child: Henry David. Bordon died on April 25, 1882 and is buried in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Sources:
FamilySearch. “James W Borden.” United States Census, 1870. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LW8F-G98.
FamilySearch. “James W. Borden.” Indiana Death Index, 1882-1820. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LW8F-G98.
FindAGrave.com. “Judge James Wallace Borden.” Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7116997/james-wallace-borden.
Genealogy Trails. “Hon. James W. Borden: Criminal Judge.” Allen County, Indiana Biographical Sketch. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://genealogytrails.com/ind/allen/biographies/bio-borden.html.
-----
Epy Dettrow (also spelled Detrow) was married to William Dettrow and lived near Fort Wayne, Indiana during the 1850s. William Detrow was sentenced to eight years in the Indiana State Prison for grand larceny.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection consists of only one item.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2024/10/04 by A.J. Chrapliwy. EAD finding aid created 2024/10/18 by A.J. Chrapliwy.
- Title
- James W. Bordon and Epy Dettrow petition
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
