Shelby  County  Indiana
Newspaper  Articles

Trackwell

The  Indianapolis  Star
March 30, 1915
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          Shelbyville - Thomas Trackwell  of Marion will profit several thousand dollars if he wins a suit at circuit court involving the Waldron gold fish farm, built up in partnership between  William Shoup  and  Charles Heck, both deceased.  Before  Mrs. Shoup  died, she signed a contract that the partnership property should go to Mrs. Heck, whom she and Mr. Shoup had reared and who is now  Mrs. A. B. Irvin of Rushville.  Mr. Trackwell is Mrs. Shoup's brother and only heir at law.  He asks that the contract disposing of Mrs. Shoup's share of the partnership property be declared void.
[Note from John Ballard: There are many news items from all over the state about his long litigation concerning his sister, Samantha Trackwell Shoup's estate.]
Contributed by John Ballard

The  Shelbyville  Democrat
Wednesday, January 13, 1915
Page 1   column 1
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FIGHTING  FOR  HALF
OF  GOLD  FISH  FARM
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Thomas  Trackwell  Filed
Suit  Today  For  Cancella-
tion  of  Deed.
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COMPLAINT  CHARGES  FRAUD
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Declares That Mrs. Arthur B. Irvin
and Former Husband, Charles
Heck, Conspired to Cheat Him
Out of Inheritance.
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          Another suit in connection with the fight of  Thomas E. Trackwell,  of Marion, Ind., to get possession of the estate of his sister, the late  Mrs. Samantha J. Shoup,  was filed in circuit court this morning by Mr. Trackwell, thru his attorneys,  McDaniel & Ross  and  Wray & Campbell.  The defendants are  Maggie M. Irvin,  formerly the wife of  Charles Heck,  and her present husband,  Arthur B. Irvin,  a Rushville banker.  He is asking for the cancellation of a deed by which Mrs. Shoup on November 6, 1906, transferred, as he alleges, her entire half interest in the real estate and personal property of the famous Gold Fish Farm, near Waldron, to Mrs. Irvin and her then husband, Charles Heck, for the consideration of $300.
          There is only thirteen and ninety-six-hundredths acres of the land, but the complaint asserts the property is easily worth $50,000, and that the consideration was wholly inadequate.  Mr. Trackwell, moreover, asserts that the transfer was brought about for the purpose of defrauding and cheating him out of the half-interest in the farm that is his by virtue of the fact that he is Mrs. Shoup's only heir-at-law.  He urges further that Mrs. Shoup was of unsound mind at the time of the conveyance and not capable of executing a valid deed.  He says he has offered the defendants $300 for the reconveyance of the land and that they have refused the offer.
          He asks that the court declare him the owner of a one-half interest in the real estate and personal property of the Gold Fish Farm and that his title to it be quieted and that the real estate be partitioned and his share set off to him.
          Mrs. Shoup inherited the half-interest in the farm from her husband the late  William Shoup,  who, with Charles Heck as his partner, had developed the farm and made it one of the biggest of the kind in the world.  The deed in controversy was executed just a few months after the death of Mr. Shoup.
          Mr. Trackwell alleges that Mrs. Shoup at the time was past sixty years of age and that she was greatly enfeebled in mind and body.  He says she had no relatives to advise her or to counsel with; that she was grief-stricken, prostrated, partially blind and suffering from an injury from which she never recovered; that she was illiterate and unexperienced in the matter of business and that she had but a meager knowledge of the values of property, owing to the fact that her husbnad had always managed the business himself.  Following the death of Mr. Shoup, Mr. Heck and his wife managed the farm until Mr. Heck's death in 1910, since which time it has been controlled exclusively by the defendant, Mrs. Irvin.
          Mrs. Irvin had always lived as one of the family in the Shoup home, the plaintiff alleges, the result being that Mrs. Shoup trusted her and her husband, Mr. Heck, implicitly.  Mr. Trackwell charges that they sought and obtained her trust and confidence to such a degree that they could overpower and control her will in the feeble condition of her mind and body and her mental weakness and ignorance of business.  He charegd further that they took advantage of akk ger weaknesses and corruptly contriving and intending to profit thereby, and to defraud the decedent and her heir-at-law the plaintiff, out of the fee simple title to her interest in the said real estate, induced her to sign and attempt to execute a deed of said land to the defendant, Mrs. Irvin, and that no adequate or sufficient consideration has ever been given.  He charges that they said deed was not the free, voluntary and intelligent act and deed of Mrs. Shoup, and that it can have no force and effect as against the plaintiff.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Massillon  Independent
Massillon, Ohio
September 28, 1888
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Thomas Trackwell  of Meltzer Indiana has sued  John Midkiff  for breaking his jaw.  He wants $5000 damages.
Contributed by John Ballard

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Monday, January 25, 1886
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L O C A L     N E W S.
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          The case of  Trackwell  vs.  Mann,  suite for possession, set for trial before 'Squire Thompson  at Waldron Saturday, was compromised, each party paying their own costs and Mann agreeing to give possession of the house Feb. 27.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Saturday, January 23, 1886
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LOCAL  NEWS.
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          Albert Akers  went to Waldron this morning to represent  McClellan Mann  in a suit brought against him by  Thomas Trackwell,  who will be represented by our old friend  "Tink" Haymond.  The case will be tried before 'Squire Thompson,  and we'll bet a big red apple that "Tink" will be done up.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
January 16, 1886
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          Thomas  and  Will McNeely, two jolly boys of  Oseada, Mich., will remain with us for some time, and  Tom Trackwell  says he will keep them until after the township convention.
[Note from John Ballard: These could be sons of  Lorenzo McNeely]
Contributed by John Ballard

The  Shelby  Union  Banner
Thursday, March 19, 1885
Page 1
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"GOAT  RANCH"  GLEANINGS.
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          When  Thomas Trackwell  went out to open his sugar camp, he began to look around and to his surprise he had neither barrel nor vehicle to bring in the water with, so he had to fall back on something else.  After cogitating awhile, he concluded to make his spiles long enough to run the water right into the kettle.
Contributed by John Ballard

The  Shelby  Democrat
March 12, 1885
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          Mr. Thomas Trackwell  and wife were visiting their friend,  Fred Friday, one day last week. (Cynthiana news)
Contributed by John Ballard

The  Shelbyville  Republican
March 25, 1875
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          Thomas Trackwell  vs.  Wm. H. Robinson.  Civil action.  Submitted to Court and finding for defendant.
Contributed by John Ballard

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