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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01707 3690
GC 977.2 G621 Goodrich, DeWitt C. An illustrated history of the state of Indiana
-
GEN.GEO. R RS.CLARK.
GOV. THOMAS. POSEY.
MAJ. GEN. WN
MAJ. GEN. ARTHI
R
ST CLAIR.
MAJ. GEN. AN
ARRISON
JAYNE.
AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
OF THE
STATE OF INDIANAS
BEING A FULL AND AUTHENTIC
Civil and Political History of the State from its First Exploration down to I879.
INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF TIIE
COMMERCIAL, AGRICULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL
GROWTH OF INDIANA.
WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES OF THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES,
EMBRACING Interesting Narratives of Pioneer Life, TOGETHER WITH
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES AND PORTRAITS
Of the Prominent Men of the Past and Present,
AND A HISTORY OF EACH COUNTY SEPARATELY.
Goodrich
IC
EDITED AND REVISED BY
977.2
HON. W. S. HAYMOND. 2/62 € S. L. MARROW & CO., PUBLISHERS.
INDIANAPOLIS: 1879.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by RICHARD S. PEALE & Co., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
. .
1264413
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
Owing to the well deserved favor accorded to the Illustrated History of Indiana at its first appearance, and the continued demand for a reliable history of the State, the publishers have been induced to offer to the public a new revised and enlarged edition of this valuable work. The third edition has been prepared with great care and brings the history of the State down to the beginning of the present year. Numerous cor- rections and alterations have been made in the body of the work and nearly a hundred pages of new matter added. This embraces much valuable statistical information, the concluding events of the administration of Governor Hendricks and the leading events of Governor Williams' administration to the first of January, 1879. The latter includes the special legis- lation relating to the building of a new State House, an enter- prise the people of Indiana will be directly interested in, per- haps, for the next half decade of years, also proceedings of the Board of State House Commissioners, and progress in the con- struction of the new building, and the history of the great railroad strike of July, 1877, together with other events of historical interest.
The Biographical Department has also been enriched by the addition of numerous sketches of distinguished public men, who are now, or have been identified with the political history and progress of the State. These numerous alterations and additions, coupled with the fact that this is the only history of Indiana now being published, we trust will make the work generally acceptable and meet with even greater favor than it has hitherto.
INDIANAPOLIS, January, 1879.
TO
THE PIONEERS OF INDIANA, MEN AND WOMEN, WHO
BY GREAT INDUSTRY AND A CONSTANT INTEGRITY IN THE LABORS OF THEIR SEVERAL CALLINGS HAVE LAID WELL THE FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES OF A GREAT AND PROSPEROUS STATE, THIS VOLUME
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.
BRITISH
TERER
POSSESSIONS
OCEAN
N.W. TERRI
RITORY 1787
TERRITORY ACQUIRED
PACIFIC
..........
17 90
MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY
CADSEN PURCHASE
1853
1798-1804-1812
SPANISCH
ATLANTIC OCEAN
RUSSIAN CESSION
68
18
MEXICO
MAP OF
SNOISS355
TERRITORIAL ACCESSIONS Adapted to Illustrate Thompson's Hand-Book of The Presidents and Their Administrations
12 -6181
.....
S. W. TERRITORY
ORIGINAL STATES
FROM MEXICO 1848
LOUISIANA 18 03
INTRODUCTORY.
-
"THE positive need of a reliable history of Indiana has been recognized for more than ten years, by nearly all the people of the State. It is equally true that the harvest of ma- terials for such a work was fully ripe. The early explorations of the French in the country of the Miamis; the labors of the zealous missionaries among the natives; the adventures of the fur-traders; the early wars with the Indians; the scenes and events around the old French forts and settlements; the strug- gles between the French and the English; the subjugation of the latter by Americans; the heroic proceedings of General George Rogers Clarke and his brave Virginians; the thrilling incidents and interesting reminiscences of pioneer life; the growth and prosperity of the settlements; the glorious part acted in the War for the Union; and, lastly, the unparalleled advancement in all the great industries and professions of civ- ilization ;- all these combine to render the narrative replete with interest and instruction.
How far we have succeeded in our attempt to collect and arrange these materials in the form of a history of the State, may now be seen; and, we shall regret, indeed, if, after so much labor, our work has been in vain. Our aims and objects have been shaped, as near as possible, by the demands or wants of the people. Hence it has not been an important part of our plan, as it has, of course, been beyond our ability, to present
(9)
10
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
a work of any great literary merit. But such a work at this time is uncalled for, and it would seem that the present volume is needed to prepare the way for its demand in the future. Although deficient in many things, it will scarcely fail of this desired end.
The carly history of the Wabash Valley would, of itself, if properly written, make a volume much larger than the present one, and, perhaps, if viewed in the light of narrative excel- lence, more interesting. At the beginning of the eighteenth century communication was opened up between Louisiana and Canada, by the way of the Maumee, Wabash, Ohio, and Mis- sissippi. Indeed this route had been traveled by a few, among whom was Robert de La Salle, some twenty years before, or as early as 1680. But with the beginning of the eighteenth cen- tury a general communication was established. With this came the necessity of forts or fortifications, to protect the route against hostile Indians, and, also, to further possess the country adjacent to it against the encroachments of the English colo- nies, which, until this period, and for several years after, were content with a narrow strip of land on the Atlantic sea-board. Such became the policy of the French Colonial Government sometime between 1690 and 1700, a decade during which the possibilities of establishing a permanent branch of the French Empire in the New World were bright and promising.
In 1700, the French decided to establish this chain of forti- fications without delay, and in one year after, Fort Pontchar- train (Detroit) was established on the Detroit river. During the four years following, rude forts, or stockades, were erected at the head of the Maumee, where the city of Fort Wayne now stands, on Wca Prairie, near the Wabash, in what is now Tippecanoe county, and at a point further down the Wabash, where Fort Knox was afterwards established, and where the
-- ------
11
INTRODUCTORY.
flourishing city of Vincennes now stands. The first was called Post Miami, in respect to the Indian Confederacy of that name, which had its ancient capital near the site; the second was called Quantenon; the third, Post Vincennes, in honor of its founder. I am well aware that certain phases of these state- ments will be contradicted by persons who have made conside- rable research, particularly those points touching the exact date of the establishment of these posts; but it is necessary that such contradictions be accompanied by satisfactory proof. A prominent gentleman of this State, who has justly earned a wide reputation for historical information, stated, in a conver- sation with the writer, only a few weeks ago, that the first military occupation of Vincennes took place in 1716. Grant- ing this, we give Post Miami ( Fort Wayne ) an antiquity exceeding Vincennes by eleven years, for it is certain that a military post was established at the former point in 1705.
But in the absence of the records themselves, the date of the first French military settlements in Indiana, can best be deter- mined by observing the colonial policy under which they were made, as also, the year in which that policy was executed. In many portions of the Northwest, the first French settlements were merely the off-shoots of personal ambition, or missionary zeal, as was that at Green Bay, Wisconsin, or that near the mouth of the St. Joseph of Lake Michigan; the former affords us an illustration of personal aggrandizement - presented in the daring and privations of M. Longlade; the latter a grand demonstration of the burning zeal of Fathers Dablon, Allouez and others, early Jesuit missionaries of New France. With regard to these and like settlements, there is ground for dispute as to the date of their origin. But the first settlements in Indiana were not made by chance explorers, or roving fur-tra- ders, or pious Jesuits; they were made under a fixed policy of
1
12
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
the French Government-a policy framed by the sagacious La Motte Cadillac, the founder of Detroit. Near the close of the seventeenth century, this bold pioneer and statesman of New France returned to his native country, on a mission of greater importance to French interests than was, at that time, realized by his countrymen. Filled with patriotic zeal, he laid before the Colonial Minister, Count Pontchartrain, the first map of the Wabash Valley ever made, executed by his own hands. He pointed out the new route that had been discov- ered by La Salle and his associates, through the fertile vales of Indiana, and urged upon the establishment of a chain of fortifications upon it, for the protection of travel. And we fancy Cadillac reasoned in this wise: He pointed out upon his rude map the vast extent and richness of the country adjacent to the route on either side, and indicated the Indian strong- holds, suggesting their value as allies in case of future conflicts with rival colonies. Whatever his arguments were, they were convincing, as the Colonial Minister at once entered upon Ca- dillac's plans. "Pontchartrain," says a French writer, " was delighted with his plan, and at once commissioned him to execute it."
Cadillac returned to Canada and established Detroit, as we have said already, in 1701. It was under this general policy that the first military settlements were made in Indiana. The missionaries undoubtedly visited Vincennes, as did they also the site of Post Miami, long before military posts were erected in those places, but no permanent missions were stationed until after their occupancy by military power. This took place according to the French Colonial records, in 1705, and as near as can be ascertained there is not more than six months' differ- ence in the date of the first establishment of Posts Miami, Quantonon, and Vincennes. Certain it is, that they were all
13
INTRODUCTORY.
existing in the spring of 1706. That these posts were often deserted, and left without military garrisons, is undoubtedly true, but we will venture the assertion that the French Colo- nial archives will show that small garrisons were located at the three points indicated previous to 1706.
The history of these posts from their first establishment until they were discontinued, furnishes a narrative replete with thrilling incident. It carries the reader through all the interesting scenes of French and Indian intercourse, which presents many romantic, unique phases. In some of these phases, we see Frenchmen degraded instead of savages ele- vated; we see thousands of reckless men, throwing off all civil- ized restraint, and plunging deliberately into barbarism; with the rifle and the scalping knife, they go forth to wreak ven- geance upon the whites, side by side with red men, as if their destinies have become indissolubly united with those of their new allies; we see a type of amalgamation for which the history of the world furnishes no parallel - Frenchmen descending to the level of Indians in social economy, and in many instances, dragging the natives down to a pitch of degra- dation from which a half savage sense of propriety often recoiled with just pride.
And again, the history of these posts carries the reader through curious accounts of the fur-trade, of the manners and customs of the courriers des bois, or wood rangers-a set of half breeds, with a language and characteristics peculiar to themselves. In the light canoe they would float carelessly down the streams, basking idly in the summer's sun, or gaily singing some French or Indian song. At night they slept upon the river's bank. thoughtless of bed or protection. Returning with loads of furs after a long journey, or from the chase, they were greeted by their tawny wives and hybrid offspring with social enthusiasm,
14
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
and, in their low, uncultivated sphere, seemed to enjoy life without many of its cares and burdens. The fur-trade had many distinguishing features. Whiskey was one of the chief articles of merchandise, and in the use of this the savage per- petrated his greatest abuse. Oft have the forests around Fort Wayne or Vincennes echoed with the hideous yells of the pow wow, when barrel after barrel of poisonous liquors was permitted to be distributed among deluded savages. Verily, the fur-trader will have an account to give at the day of reck. oning, in which Indian wrongs will be vindicated.
And, again, the history of these posts carries us through the pious devoutment of Catholic missionaries, through accounts of Christian zeal, persecution, privations for the Gospel's sake. We see missionary priests mingling with the savages, teaching them, supping with them, pointing them to the cross. In wigwams or rude log-huts, these priests gathered anxious, curi- ous pupils and labored to instruct them in a civilization and Christianity that they could never, never comprehend or appre- ciate. But the Indians assented and applauded in their silent devotion, and the missionaries labored on, in a hopeless cause, until a war of extermination ended their labors.
And, again, the history of these posts is filled with thrilling narratives of war, narratives that carry the reader through Sandoskit's ( Nicholas ) conspiracy, Pontiac's conspiracy, Te- cumseh's war, and the long desultory war that, for years, kept alive a feeling of alarm in the pioneer homes on the borders. We see the mighty war-clouds gathering, as the voice of the mighty Pontiac resounds through the forests of the lake regions, and, as they burst in thunderous volleys of musketry, we behold the massacres that characterized the fall of the " fated nine." Who shall paint the darkness and gloom that settled over the western outposts in 1763-4, when the giant of the
15
INTRODUCTORY.
Ottawas swayed, at his imperial command, all the Indian forces of the Northwest? Who shall tell us of the foul conspiracies plotted in forest councils where this proud Ottawa presided ? What pen shall ever describe the horrors in the execution of these conspiracies? The mind turns away from the scene at Michilimackinac, awed with its extremes of barbarity; the heart sickens with a contemplation of Vanango; while the fall of Holmes, on a supposed errand of mercy, at Post Miami, and the capture of Jenkins at Onantenon, present shameful inci- dents of French cowardice and Indian treachery. But no sooner did the storm of Pontiac's vengeance subside, than another great Indian statesman rose to defend his race. Tecum- seh gathered the scattered forces, and led the last great struggle of the red men, until swallowed up in death and defeat.
As we have said, these things - the important events in the history of the Wabash Valley - would make a volume, one quite easy of construction, but full of deep interest. But with the aim of presenting modern Indiana, its early history has been exceedingly abridged, so that, to a great extent, this field may still be regarded as open to the investment of labor and research.
In the second place, our account of the civil administration of the State and territorial government is necessarily very concise. This would, also, if properly digested, make a volume much larger than the present one; but, we presume it would not be as interesting to the general reader, as valuable to those in search of specific information concerning the civil service of the State. This digest of documents introduces us to the organization of the Territorial Government at Vincennes in 1800, under our own General Harrison; follows the dry routine in the administration of the territory-a narrative interspersed here and there with pleasing incidents; presents the interesting
16
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Constitutional Convention of 1816, which sat at Corydon, and framed the Constitution that so ably preserved the liberties of the people for thirty-five years; it presents also the Constitu- tional Convention of 1850, from which we received the present inestimable Constitution -the foundation of the grand free public school system of the State. It presents the burdens and blessings, the triumphs and defeats of the Old Internal Improvement system -a system so deeply rooted in the legis- lation of the State that it still presents itself at every change in the political composition of the legislature; it carries us through a system of land grants, and commissions thereunto belonging, which the State Government is still trying in vain to fathom; it presents a network of private legislation and an ocean of local laws, the enumeration of which, though not easy, would be a pleasant task, in comparison with the attempt to discover their origin and real designs. But, as already hinted, our occupancy of this field is so limited as to present the widest scope for zeal and energy. Indeed, the materials are ripe, and the demand large, for a Documentary History of Indiana.
In the third place, our county histories present the "might have been," more than they sustain the plan under which they are presented; and, if persons into whose hands this volume may be placed, jealous of the interests of their own counties, condemn the work because of the inequality apparent in the county sketches, we shall scarcely be surprised. Yet, after all, we may honestly rest our case, as to that point, with this explanation. It was not the original purpose to write a history of each county. This must be plain to even a careless thinker, as such a plan would require a scope of at least ten volumes. We regret, however, the want of space for more of these local records. Truly, the history of the pioneers of Indiana is full
17
INTRODUCTORY.
of interest and instruction. It presents a narrative full of dramatic situations and romantic scenes, in which more than a thousand actors render the same part.
The pioneer history of Indiana presents much that is worthy of admiration. In the hardy, honest pioncer we have a grand illustration of trne manhood. He left the scenes of civiliza- tion as if moved by an over-ruling divinity, and with axe and gun, wended his lonely way along the bending rivers, deep into forests, inhabited only by wild beasts and straggling natives. Prospecting on vale and hill, he moves forward, guided only by the familiar blaze of the surveyor's axe, through openings, across fertile bottoms, and through rolling woodlands, until the eye falls on the spot of his choice. Here the cabin home is to be erected. Hard by runs a rippling stream, through a fertile ravine, ever telling Nature's mystic story in the voice of tireless waters. Upon this the mill is to be established. Ever and anon, on either side stretches a vast forest of oak, walnut, and other valuable timber, and beneath is a rich, pro- ductive soil, awaiting only the touch of the husbandman to break forth into a golden harvest.
· The history of the pioneers of Indiana carries us from this scene through many incidents. We have the building of the cabin; the moving of the family from civilization to that iso- lated cabin home; the toils and hardships of the mother, rearing a family, where there is naught but her own hands to administer in circumstances where the most delicate and tender sympathy is required; the long, weary years of toil and danger through which the father passes, unmoved in his persistent energy. At his bidding, the forests gradually fade away, and fertile fields spread out in harvest luxury; and, in short, the various scenes in that grand transformation from the wilderness to the metropolis, from barbarism to civilization, from chaos
2
18
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
to achievement. Although we have presented much of this narrative, more than enough to constitute a rare and useful volume remains yet unwritten.
From these hints concerning the manner in which the three great phases of the State's history are treated in the following chapters, it will be seen that, while we do not claim to have elaborated on either, as much of all is presented as will con- form to our original plan - that of producing a work touching upon all these subjects, and at the same time condensing al. within the compass of a single volume.
CHARLES R. TUTTLE.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., March, 1875.
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
Brown, Prof. R. T
239
Brown, Austin II.
195
Buckles. Joseph S.
372
Biddle, Judge Horace P.
183
Brownfield, John
287
Hobbs, Prof. B. C.
281
Bates, Harvey
323
Bass, J. H.
140
Bass, S. S.
143
Brackenridge, Robert.
71
Bird, Hon. O.
84
Carpenter, Willard
227
Comstock, James
333
Cason, T. J.
357
Comingor, Prof. J. A
239
Cumback, Hon. Will
253
Cox, Prof. E. T.
187
Colfax, Hon. Schuyler
90
Campbell, John L
175
Clarke, Gen. George Rogers
Frontispiece
Danaldson, David S.
162
Evans, S. Cary
127
Evans, A. S.
54L
Edson, Judge Wm. P.
179
English, Maj. Elisha G
309
English, Hon. Wm. H
303
Edgerton, Joseph K
106
Edgerton, A. P.
130
Fletcher, Prof. W. B.
239
Field, Dr. Nathaniel
365
Fitch, Hon. G. N.
533
Fowler, Moses
152
Gooding, Hon. David S.
613
Hunter, Hon. M. C.
599
Houghton, Walter R.
295
Hoagland, Pliney
200
Hackleman, Hon. Elijah
146
Hoss, Prof. Geo. W.
341
Hanna, Samuel.
120
Hanna, Mrs. Eliza
121
Hough, John
75
Hendricks, Hon. Thomas A.
113
Harrison, Gen. William H.
Frontispiece
Kirkwood, Daniel
295
Kerr, Hon. M. C.
357
LaSalle, Charles B.
669
Long, Thomas B.
204
Lane, Hon. Henry S.
599
Lingle, W. S.
657
Louder, Charles
385
Lockwood, John M.
223
Lewis, Andrew
231
Martindale, E. B.
651
Moody, M. M.
333
McDonald, Hon. Joseph E.
599
Mears, G. W.
239
Mitchell, Hon. William
191
Morton, Hon. O. P.
102
Nutt, Rev. Dr. Cyrus
211
Nuttman, J. D.
78
Orth, Hon. G. S.
599
Owen, Richard
295
Olds, N. G.
235
Pratt, Hon. D. D.
357
Purdue, Hon. John
137
Peed, H. A.
257
(19)
20
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
Patterson, Judge C. Y. 215
Sutherland, John 333
St.Clair, Gen. Arthur_Frontispiece
Posey, Gov. Thomas.Frontispiece
Tyner, Hon. James N. 599
Ryan, T.
457
Thompson, Col. James S. 295
Tuttle, Dr. Joseph F. 172
Roche, John 117
Robbins, G. W. 317
Vandgundy, Adam 333
Ross, W. T.
156
Rose, Chauncy
169
Randall, Hon. F. P. 96
Wright, C. E. 239
Wylie, Dr. T. A 295
Studebaker, Clem
493
Wood, George W.
249
Studebaker, Peter E. 513
Williams, Jesse L. 87
Studebaker, Jacob F.
523
Wayne, Gen. Anthony_Frontispiece
Scott, John T.
245
Yeoman, D. H. 333
Suttenfield, Mrs. Laura 93
Zollinger, Charles 81
MISCELLANEOUS.
Residence of Samuel Hanna 124
Residence of F. P. Randall. 99
Residence of Judge H. P. Biddle 219
Birth place of Judge H. P. Biddle
218
Studebaker Brothers' Wagon Works, South Bend.
641
Studebaker Brothers' Carriage Works, South Bend 453
Bass Foundry and Machine Works, Fort Wayne
647
Scene of the Battle of Tippecanoe
165
Council S me between General Harrison and Tecumseh
159
Public Scl ol Building, Sullivan
471
Ford School Building, La Fayette
403
Opera House, La Fayette 401
Purdue University Buildings 405, 407, 409. 410
New State House
277
Marion County Court House.
277
Harrison, Gen. Ben
590
Williams, Hon. J. D.
608
Colonial Map
8
Grand Hotel ..
795
Vance Block 796
Stock Yards.
797
Journal Building 798
Sentinel Building 798
Trentman, B. 110
Wolfe, Hon. S. K. 357
Shanks, Hon. J. P. C. 357
Wilson, Col. W. C. 207
Studebaker, John M. 503
Stockton, Lawrence B.
149
Pierce, Martin L. 134
INDEX TO BIOGRAPHIES.
Andrus, LL.D., Reuben 693
Field, Dr. Nathaniel 694
Biddle, Judge H. P. 660
Fletcher, Prof. W. B. 721
Baker, Hon. Conrad 650
Gooding, Hon. David S. 706
Beard, John 671
Hobbs, LL.D., Barnabas C. 654
Brackenridge, Robert 672
Hackleman, Hon. Elijah 686
Brownfield, John 692
Hoss, LL.D., George W. 686
Bates, Harvey 693
Hendricks, Hon. Thomas A. 716
Buckles, Joseph S. 697
Houghton, Walter R. 690
Holloway, Col. W. R. 700
Brown, Austin H. 719
Hoagland, Pliney 706
Brown, Prof. R. T. 720
Hanna, Samuel
721
Bass, J. H. 717
Hanna, Mrs. Eliza
721
Bass, Col. S. S. 717
Hough, John
Campbell, LL.D., John L. 665
Hunter, Hon. M. C.
721
Cumback, Hon. Will 668
Knoblock, John C.
694
Kirkwood, LL.D., Daniel
656
Kerr, Hon. M. C.
689
Lane, Hon. Henry S.
671
Cason, Hon. T. J. 795
Lingle, W. S.
681
Colfax, Hon. Schuyler 714
Long, Judge Thomas B. 698
Lowder, Charles. 698
Lewis, Dr. Andrew 702
Lockwood, John M.
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