Other Information
My connection with History.
After I had made the decision to announce my candidacy to run as the Representative for District 55, I was curious as to some of the history of Indiana House and Senate members who resided in Union County.
I first used the website Political Graveyard and found information on Elijah Van Sandt. I was intrigued by the fact that he died in Harrison Township, the same township I grew up and live in.
The Liberty FFA chapter, a group I served as a member, an officer, State Vice President, and currently proudly serve as on the Ag advisory board, several years ago undertook the project of reclaiming the historical Railsback Cemetery that is located on the farm that I live. In 2006, I agreed to let Travis Stevens do a more detailed clean up of the cemetery in order for him to earn his Eagle Scout Badge.
During the course of his efforts, Travis had uncovered the headstone to Representative Van Sandt. As I looked at his marker, I could not help but to feel a certain connection to history.
Additional information that I have compiled about Elijah Van Sandt is that he was born December 9th 1802 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He attended subscription schools. Married Malinda Allen in 1826 and moved to Indiana in 1827, they had 5 children. Malinda passed on in 1861 and then Mr. Van Sandt married Mrs. Jennie Ryan. In addition to his political career, Elijah was a tanner and a farmer. He was a Democrat until 1854 then changed his affiliation to the newly formed Republican Party. Mr. Van Sandt was a Justice of the Peace, ca. 1828; Union County Commissioner, 1836; Union County Associate Judge, 1849-52; Harrison Township Trustee, 15 years; Lost running for State Representative, 1844; Constitutional Convention, 1850; State Representative for Union County in the House, 1857. Elijah Van Sandt died October 31, 1881.
This information was compiled from A Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly, Vol. 1, Justin Walsh, General Editor, Published by The Select Committee on the Centennial History of the Indiana General Assembly in Cooperation with The Indiana Historical Bureau. Indianapolis, 1984
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