MAIDEN, James Preston

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Death of Sheriff Maiden.

Sheriff Maiden, who has been lingering at death’s door with con­sumption for several weeks, passed over the dark river last Sunday morning at 4 o’clock. By his death our county loses a faithful officer, our city an honored citizen, his wife a devoted husband and his three children a kind and affec­tionate father. In all his long residence here “none knew him but to love him” and many sad hearts attest the high esteem with which he was universally regarded. The funeral services took place from the Presbyterian church, of which he was a consistent member, on Monday afternoon and the remains were in charge of the Knights of Pythias to which order he belonged. The services by Rev. Marshal were eloquent and most impressive and the floral tributes were numerous.

Preston Maiden was born in Scott county, this state, in 1850, and moved to this county in about 1872 and in the spring of 1875 was married at Edinburg to Miss Lizzie Alexander. He was en­gaged in business in our city up to 1888, when he received the democratic nomination for Sheriff and was elected at the November election of that year. He took charge of the office last August and hence had served but a few months when he was again nominated for an­other term. The members of the bar and court house officials held a meeting on Monday at which Judge Hackney pre­sided, and appropriate resolutions were adopted which will be published next week.

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The Franklin Democrat, Friday, June 20, 1890,
Volume XXX Number 52, page 1 column 4

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Resolutions.

The following resolutions on the death of Sheriff Maiden were adopted at a meeting of the Johnson county bar and court house officials on Monday of last week:

Whereas, the term of office and official career of Sheriff Preston Maiden has been terminated by his death on the 8th day of June, 1890, and feeling that our association with him as a citizen, and our connection with him as an officer commands from us a tribute of respect to his memory; therefore, by the bar and county officers of Johnson county, Indiana, be it resolved,

1st. That in his private life we have ever found combined all the elements of a faithful friend and courteous gentleman.

2nd. That in his brief career as sheriff, and in the discharge of his official duties, he has been punctual, competent and honorable.

3rd. That in the death of Sheriff Maiden, the court and this county have lost a faithful officer, thoroughly impartial, and possessed of integrity of the highest order, his family a true, kind and loving father and husband and the community a useful citizen.

4th. That we deeply deplore his loss, and extend to his grief stricken family our heartfelt sympathy in this their sad bereavement.

5th. That these resolutions be reported to the Johnson circuit court at its regular term in course with a request that the same be properly spread upon its records, and that a certified copy thereof be furnished his family, and that the various papers of this county be requested to publish the same.

Link to James Preston Maiden’s grave

Note: The Johnson County Indiana WPA Death Index, 1882–1920, page 123, referencing Book H-16, page 21, records that Preston Maiden, a forty-year-old white female [sic], died 8 Jun 1890 in Franklin.

Submitted by Mark McCrady, Cathea Curry and Lois Johnson