Ca. 1877 Important & Interesting Indiana Col. Charles Harvey Denby Family Relic

Description

History could be heard if this Whiting Manufacturing Co., Indian Pattern, Sterling Silver table knife could talk….
If you liked the movie “Forest Gump”, then you will love this knife and family story of Col. Charles Harvey Denby & his wife Martha Fitch Denby.
This Sterling Silver knife was likely owned originally owned by Col. Charles Harvey Denby & his wife Martha Fitch Denby since the knife was engraved to recognize the birth of their son, Thomas Garvin Denby, who was born in Evansville, Indiana on August 11, 1877.  Col. Charles Harvey Denby was described as the first citizen of Evansville and was held in high regard by his fellow citizens.
On one side of the knife handle it has the name ‘
Thomas Garvin Denby
’ elegantly engraved in a fancy script.  The other side of the knife handle has the date ‘Aug. 11
th
, 1877" beautifully engraved. The knife blade has "Pat. 1874 Sterling" and image of Whiting Manufacturing Co. logo.  The blade also has "Bitterman Bros." stamped as well.  Bitterman Bros. was a jewelry / retailer located in Evansville, Indiana from 1874 until the late 1960's.  This knife came from Adolf & Isaac Bitterman's original store located 130 Main St.  The knife is approximately 8 1/4" inches long.
From 1850 – 1920’s, Col. & Mrs. Denby’s family had an extensive documented history of being directly involved in many important events in American History including the Civil War leader; United States Congress; United States Senate; Presidentially appointed to important positions; Diplomat to China; Secretary of The Navy (who later resigned after the Tea Pot Dome Scandal); President of Denby Motor Co. one of the first automobile makers in Detroit; a cigar company even named one of their cigar’s after a Denby (which is still sold today).  The list goes on and on…….
Here is a brief list of the Denby Family members and some of their lifetime highlights….
Mother - Martha Fitch Denby (1835 – 1906) -  Married to Charles Harvey Denby in 1856.  She was the daughter of Graham N. Fitch, of Indiana.  Graham N. Fitch (1809 – 1892) was a Physician who also served as U.S. Senator (1857-1861) & U.S. House of Representative member (1849 – 1853) for Indiana.  He was a Civil War Commander of the 46
th
Infantry of Indiana.   Fitch raised the 46
th
Infantry of Indiana.  As Commander, he was credited for a Union Army Battle of St. Charles (June 17, 1862) victory in a battle was supported 8 Union ships who were commanded by Admiral Kitty.  Commander Fitch received injuries in the battle and resigned his commission in late 1862 and then resumed his medical practice.  Col. Fitch passed away in 1892 at the age of 82.
Father - Colonel
Charles Harvey Denby
(June 16, 1830 – January 13, 1904): Graduate with high honors from Virginia Military Institute (1850): Indiana State Representative (1856 – 1857): Served as a
Civil War
U.S.
Union officer of the Indiana 42
nd
Infantry Regiment - was wounded twice at the Battle of Perryville,
Kentucky;  He was promoted to Colonel 80
th
Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
On October 8, 1862, Lieutenant Colonel Denby was wounded twice during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky.  He was shot once in the lip and once in the leg.  Two bullet holes were shot through his coat.  His horse was also shot from under him and killed.  The Indiana 42
nd
Infantry Regiment was involved in some of the heaviest fighting during the Battle.  The Regiment lost about 145 killed and wounded, about one third of its entire force.  Lieutenant Colonel Denby was reported as serving with great valor and distinction and was well liked by all the men of the Indiana 42
nd
.
Following the Battle of Perryville, for gallantry in action, Charles Harvey Denby was appointed as Colonel of the 80
th
Indiana Infantry Regiment on October 21, 1862.
Charles remained in Command of the Indiana 80
th
Infantry Regiment until January 17, 1863 when he was compelled to resign on a Surgeon’s certificate due to the wounds he sustained during the Battle of Perryville.
Following his resignation, Charles resumed his Law Practice in Evansville, Indiana.  He identified with the Democratic party, and was an active participant in its campaigns.  Although he was never a candidate for political office, he was repeatedly a “delegate at large” from Indiana to the Democratic National Conventions.
The Denby family resided in China from 1885 until 1900,
following the election of President Grover Cleveland, Charles Denby, was appointed as Minister to China on May 29, 1885.
Denby’s stay in China, covered three Presidential administrations and part of a fourth.
His career as Minister to China was marked by the unbroken confidence of the Chinese authorities.
To him, more than to any other foreign representative, they turned in their problems and difficulties, and by his advice they were largely guided in their relations with other powers.
He was one of the few foreigners to have conferred on him the “Order of the Golden Dragon” an order of great antiquity and distinguished honor which fell only to the greatest men of the Chinese empire.
The most important event to transpire during his tenure as Minister was the Chinese-Japanese war.
Denby took a prominent part in the peace negotiation, acting as a representative of Japan while our minister in Japan represented China.
Their preliminary talks led to a formal negotiation for peace.
After thirteen years of service, he tendered his resignation to President McKinley in August of 1898.
In September of 1898, Denby was appointed as a member of the commission to inquire into the conduct of the war with Spain.  Charles was especially well thought of by President William McKinley.  The two were in close consultation in 1899 and 1900 over the Philippines and Boxer trouble during which time Denby was appointed as a member of the Philippine Commission.
Charles returned home to Evansville early in the year 1900, where he resumed his law practice and devoted himself to literary studies.  As acquaintance of Denby’s, John Fendrich of the Fendrich Cigar Company, chose to name a cigar after Denby.  Charles never accepted any royalties for use of his name because he thought the brand wouldn’t las, much less sell.  This cigar is still in production today and is manufactured by the National Cigar Corporation in Frankfort, Indiana under the name “Charles Denby Invincibles”.
Son - Thomas Garvin Denby (1877 – 1933).   The November 1933 The Diamond of Psi Upsilon had gave many details of Mr. Denby’s life.   Her are just a few – he started the Denby Motor Truck Co. in Detroit, Michigan in 1914 and remained there until 1920.  He served as President and General Manager of Denby Motor Truck Co., until moving to New York City to work for Fulton Motor Works.
He was also Director of the American Kennel Club in New York City.
He was also the President of the Long Island Kennel Club at one time.
Mr. Denby died on September 16, 1933 in Brunswick Hospital, Amityville, Long Island, following an operation for an acute appendicitis.
Son -  Edwin Denby (
February 18, 1870 – February 8, 1929
)  was appointed by President Warren G. Harding to be the 42
nd
United States Secretary of the Navy.  Denby served as Secretary of the Navy from 1921 until 1924 when he resigned his position as a result of the “Tea Pot Dome” scandal.  Prior to that he served as a member of the United States Congress for 3 terms (1905-1911) where he served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Naval Affairs.  In 1917 he enlisted as a private in the United States Marine Corps when the U.S. entered World War I.  He was discharged in 1919 with the rank of major.    Other -  Attended the University of Michigan and played on the 1895 football team.
When Edwin Denby started as Secretary of the Navy there was a crisis of mail robberies in 1921.  Denby
issued orders that Marines should be put in mail trucks and rail cars as protectors of the U.S. Mails.
In his stirring order "To the Men of the Mail Guard", Denby impressed upon his former service the importance of the high duty entrusted to them: "If two Marines are covered by a robber, neither must put up his hands, but both must immediately go for their guns. One may die, but the other will get the robber, and the mail will get through.
When our Corps goes in as guards over the mail, that mail must be delivered, or there must be a Marine dead at the post of duty. There can be no compromise ...
" Within days, the robberies stopped, and there was not a single delivery of the mails disrupted while Marines stood the watch.
Son - Wythe Denby (Dec. 1, 1866 – Feb. 17, 1942) was a graduate from Cornell University.  Wythe was a mining engineer in Juneau, Alaska for 25 years.
Son - Graham Fitch Denby (Dec. 25, 1859 – June 19, 1919) – Became  an attorney in 1882 Indiana.
Son -  Charles Denby (November 14, 1861 -  February 15, 1938)  was also a United States Diplomat Representative to China.
Daughter – Harriet Ethel Denby (Hattie October 22, 1863 - 1918) – Married Gilbert Wilkes, USN in April 1889.
Daughter – Mary Denby (1865-1866)
Daughter – Jessica Denby (1872 – 1872)
This knife has some signs of wear and the blade has a few dings but the knife's relationship to the Col. Denby family outweighs any slight imperfections.
Buy with confidence pictures are of actual knife being sold to be enjoyed as is .
Spoon will be sent in a jewelry/gift box!
If you are an Ohio resident, please add 7.25% sales tax.
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