Noah Noble

He was born in Berryville, Virginia on January 15, 1794. At a young age, Noble's family moved to Kentucky where he remained until manhood. Noble moved to Brookville, Indiana around 1811 at age seventeen, following his brother James Noble who had moved there some time earlier. James was a prominent lawyer and later United States Senator. He was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the 7th Regiment, Indiana militia, in 1817 and a colonel in 1820.¹

Public Life

In 1820 Noble was elected sheriff of Franklin County, he served as sheriff until 1824. He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1824 as the representative of Franklin County. He won the election with only twenty votes cast against him.¹

In 1826 Noah was appointed by United States President John Quincy Adams to be the receiver of public money for the Brookville district, a position made vacant by the death of his brother Lazarus Noble. The position took him to Indianapolis where he was responsible for collecting revenue for the federal government. The position brought him into contact with many of the leading men in the state whom he was quick create good relationships with. He served in that position until 1829 when he was removed by President Andrew Jackson who was awarding government position to party loyalists. In 1830 Noble was selected as a commissioner to lay out the Michigan Road.² He laid out the entire southern portion of the road.³

In 1831 Noble ran for office as the Whig candidate for Governor and defeated James G. Reed 2,791 votes. Noble was elected to the governorship in 1831. He was re-elected in 1834 again defeating James G. Reed this time by 27,767 to 19,994. While governor Noble called out the militia in parts of the state when it was threatened during the Black Hawk War, a Native American uprising to the west of Indiana. 150 men were sent to Illinois where they skirmished with the native uprising.

Noble continued on with the internal improvements began by his predecessor, James B. Ray. He was himself a big supporter of the canal projects. His term was marred by the rapid slide of the state's finances, the states revenue expectation and returns from the projects were much lower, and slower in coming, than expected. The spending led to the near bankruptcy of the state shortly after his term.⁴

Noble's term as governor ended in 1839. The same year he became a member of the Board of Internal Improvements which was tasked with overseeing the ongoing internal improvements in the state. By early 1841 it became apparent that the state would not be able to pay the interest on the their debt, and paying off the debt was out of the question. In 1841 the board sent James Lanier to negotiate with the state's creditors and all of the internal improvement projects, except the Wabash and Erie Canal, were turned over to the creditors in exchange for a 50% reduction in the state's debt.

Noble, who hoped to succeed his brother in the United States Senate, was a candidate in 1836 and 1838 but was defeated in both elections. Noah died in Indianapolis, Indiana, aged 50, and buried next to his wife, the former Catherine Stull Van Swearingen, in Greenlawn Cemetery. His body was moved to the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1979.⁵⁶

Around 1820 Noble's father sold the slaves he owned.o Noble was fond of the family and sought them out to purchase them and bring them to Indianapolis where he freed them. He had assisted them during his life and left a part of his estate to them for their continued well-being.⁷