April 15, 1841 - Demas Deming Jr. (April 4, 1841 – Mar 7, 1922)
By Dr. Dipa Sarkar
In discussing Demis Deming Jr., great pioneer of Terre Haute, it is only fitting that I start with his illustrious father, Demis Deming Sr., a judge. He was born in 1787 in Wethers Field, Conn. His father, Captain Seth Deming (1748-1827), served with great distinction in the American Revolutionary War.
Demis Deming Sr. was the sixth in the line of descent from John Deming who came from England and settled in Connecticut. During the second war with Great Britain, Demis Sr. joined the army. At the end of the war, he resigned his commission. He was looking for his career in business and for awhile settled in Baltimore, but was attracted by the newly-opened west. When he moved to Terre Haute in 1818, he opened a dry goods store where “Clark House” stood at the corner of First and Ohio.
At this time, Terre Haute was just a sleepy town with a few log cabins. But he was a man of vision, who knew prosperity would follow. He began to buy lands, the first of which was recorded in 1819, and eventually acquired a large land empire. He worked on the public highway and served as a judge of elections. He helped build the first courthouse. In 1822, he represented Masons in Grand Lodge. He was an associate judge for several terms. He became the first president and held the position for the next 18 years. In 1849, he married Sarah Patterson, who also came from another illustrious family of Pennsylvania who immigrated from Ireland.
In 1814, her father, Arthur Patterson relocated to Vincennes and then to Parke County, where they were married. They had four children, the first being Demis Deming Jr. (1841-1922), who played a vital and leading role in the progress of Terre Haute. He was educated in local schools and Waveland Academy. He joined his father’s banking business at 16 and was known as “Boy Banker.” He married Mary B. Floyd and after her death in 1893, he married Lillian R. Lohrmann, a widow with a daughter. He had no children in either of these marriages but he had a very loving relationship with his step-family.
He was a very able businessman and acquired vast amount of lands, which his father started. He became the president of Deming Land Co., vice president of Terre Haute Savings Bank and Terre Haute Gas Light Co.
When Rose Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1874, he became treasurer until his death. He had great friendships with important people and philanthropists of this area like Rose, Wiley, and others.
Demis Deming Sr. built his homestead on a very large lot at the northeast corner of Sixth and Poplar. A part of this square was sold to the school board, where Wiley High School was built, but the best part remained where the Methodist Church and YMCA were built later.
The largest city park of Terre Haute was named Deming Park, which was dedicated on July 23, 1921, in honor of Demis Deming Sr. The park has a total of 177 acres of land, which was sold by the family with all proceeds going for creation of Ohio Boulevard. The remaining money was donated to Rose-Hulman Institute.
The Demis and Sarah Deming memorial dormitory was the first residence hall constructed in 1926. Deming Street, a school, a former hotel and Deming Woods all bear the name of the generous family.
His father moved here with great pioneer spirit. With hard work, vision and hope, he helped shape this sleepy village to a prosperous city of today. His worthy son carried out his unfinished dream into reality, not only for his own family, but also by guiding others through his generosity, dedication, and philanthropy.