USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 7
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
JOHN DOUGLAS
In 1834 upon the organization of the Evansville branch of the state bank of Indiana, John Douglas, a Scotchman, cashier of a bank in Louisville, was engaged at a salary of $1200.00 a year as cashier. John Mitchell was selected president. The directors in this organiza- ·tion were John Shanklin, William Lewis, George W. L. White, Rob- ert Barnes, Marcus Sherwood, Chester Elliott, James Cawson, De- rias North, and John Mitchell, all prominent men in the community. Douglas served as cashier for thirteen years and was succeeded by George W. Rathbone, a man who later became president, and remained at the head of the bank until his death, and by his will established the Rathbone Home, one of the valuable public institutions of the city and county.
Douglas died in 1863 about eighty-six years old, leaving a large estate. Among his relatives was the mother of Mr. S. Wallace Cook, of this city.
Paper of John W. Foster
Paper of Mrs. Shanklin
Paper of Mrs. Hamlin
SOCIAL LIFE OF EVANSVILLE by Mrs. James Maynard Shanklin
In beginning I may say I shall not try to give exact dates for I kept no record of them in my girlhood visits to my uncle, Mr. Samuel Orr and family in Evansville, but it was about 1851, so can only judge by recalling events as I remember them.
My own home was in Pittsburgh, Penna., and my maiden name Eliza McCutcheon. My father and mother were married in America, both were of Scotch Irish descent. My father, Robert Mccutcheon was in the wholesale grocery business, but as many merchants did in those days made trips to New Orleans with produce. And on one of these trips brought me to Evansville for a visit during his six weeks stay in the south. It was a great event in my life, as transportation then was entirely by boat at least from Cincinnati, and the river then admitted of fine steamers. I think it took us one week to get to Evans- ville. We landed at the wharf during the night and as the boat only stopped long enough to take on freight and passengers, her time was uncertain, so the quandry with my father was how to get me safely to my uncle's (these were not days of telephone) and not miss his own passage. It happened fortunately however that Mr. Lansing Heberd, an Evansville well known gentleman, whose son and daughters are now living in New Jersey, hearing the situation, offered to see me safely to my Uncle's and my father entrusted me to his care. The whole situation was strange to me, the board walks, the oil lamps, etc. and when Mr. Heberd offered me his arm, I was quite shy in accepting it, which proves I was rather a young miss. Probably it was my first ex- perience, though in 1917 the custom is universal.
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However, we soon reached my Uncle's home then on the corner of Second and Vine Streets. A ring at the bell brought him to the window, and when Mr. Heberd announced the arrival of his niece, I was most heartily welcomed by him and my Aunt; but my cousin Mattie Orr was too sleepy to give me more than a hasty nod. I had scarcely gotten settled however, when the bell rang, and my father's anxiety was relieved by hearing I was quite safe. The most attractive thing to me in the morning was the big open fire place, the small pew- ter egg cups which required some skill and experience to keep the egg in proper bounds. Also the strange taste of the cistern water from a shingle roof. I soon became adjusted to these things and had a jolly good time. My father had suggested that I either take music lessons, or go to school with my cousin (which ever I preferred) and deciding the former was most attractive, I began with enthusiasm, but later concluded it would be more fun to go to school, so don't imagine I made much progress in either. My cousin, James Orr, I think was then in Belfast, Ireland, where he was in school and spent the year with his grandmother returning home with quite a little Irish brogue. I judge I was looked upon as quite a City Miss, as I wore then a new style straw scoop bonnet with a long green silk curtain and had the accomplishment of jumping "twist the rope," which was thought quite a feat. Mr. Safford had a boy's school in the basement of the Meth- odist church, then on Locust street and his scholars were especially proficient in Latin. Afterward a school was built on the then hill (some time later graded to street level) where business houses were erected. Mrs. Safford taught girls, and was so very near-sighted that I have often heard the girls tell how they would hide under their desks, or perhaps jump out of a window, and would not be missed by her. Mallie Shanklin, Eliza Foster, (sister of the Honorable John W. Fos- ter of Washington) and many other girls of that generation were scholars, some of whom became women of prominence. Among the early teachers were Miss Abbott, and the Misses Dean, all from the East.
Mr. H. Q. Wheeler instituted our public schools, which from a small beginning have grown to great proportions. And the Misses Dean were the first teachers. After a few years however, they re- turned to Vermont, but subsequently came back, as Mrs. James H. Cutler and Mrs. George L. Start. Mrs. Cutler is still with us, a good club and church woman, and much respected and beloved by her friends.
The first Trustees of the public schools were Mr. Christian Decker and Mr. William Hughes.
Our parties included girls and boys, and we played such games as "dropping the handkerchief." "blind man's buff," with an occasional kissing game, over which the girls would usually make a pretense of resistance, but enjoyed being chosen just the same. We were dressed simply with no extra frills, though I recall a little striped silk dress my father had brought me from Philadelphia of which I was quite proud. However, all good things come to an end, as did my visit and
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when very early one morning I heard my father's voice down stairs, I knew my doom was sealed and with tears bade my companions good- bye, and sailed up the Ohio homeward.
My next long visit was some years later after my father's death, and at this time my associates were then older young ladies and gentle- men. The Old Bulls Head Tavern was on outer Main Street where occasional dances were held, but my Aunt, Mrs. Orr, was somewhat opposed to such frivolous amusements, so I never attended one of these balls. I recall Miss Carrie Law, daughter of Judge Law, as one of the prominent young ladies, also Miss Mary Stockwell, Mary Jones, Malvina Shanklin, Mary and Fannie Page, Lizzie Half, Ella Lister, Margaret Goslee and many others. Miss Law was afterward Mrs. D. J. Mckey, Miss Stockwell the wife of Mr. Cyprian Preston, Mary Jones became Mrs. Blythe Hynes, Mallie Shanklin Mrs. John Marshall Harlan, who was for many years one of the Associate Justices of the United States Supreme Court. I became the wife of Lieutenant Colonel James Maynard Shanklin, who was instrumental in raising the 42nd Regiment of Indiana Volunteers for the Civil war, of which he was Major, later, Lieutenant Colonel. He was slightly wounded at Perryville in 1862, and in the battle of Stone river, while guarding a Section of woods, was overpowered by a superior force, lost his horse and was taken prisoner. He died from the effects of confinement for three months in Libby prison, when but twenty-eight years old.
Maggie Goslee married Cyrus K. Drew, Jr.
Among the long list of gentlemen were Mr. Matt Henning, Os- borne Reilly, Matthew Dalzell, Mr. Charles Denby, Well Walker, Mr. Read, Mr. Fish, (both Eastern men) and too many others to mention, so that the girls had no lack of company to parties and entertainments, and saved one the possibility of being a wall flower. The girls of that day were pretty, and dressed well, and Evansville has always kept up her reputation in that line, though beauty is more artificial now than then. Among the prominent families who entertained were, Mr. and Mrs. James Laughlin, Mrs. John Morgan, Mrs. George Sonntag, Mrs. Charles Viele, the Babcocks, Mrs. John Shanklin, the Orrs, Mrs. Crawford Bell, Mrs. Barnes and too many others to enumerate. Our parties were always evening entertainments (for Bridge whist was not then known) but with occasional dances and agreeable conversation, were most enjoyable. The ladies made their own cakes and the prin- cipal ornaments of the table were pyramids of wine jelly in different colors, and on graduated glass stands, macaroons covered with spun sugar and any number of large handsome cakes, later the suppers were similar to the present ones. I always recall with great pleasure, the old First Presbyterian Church. Originally Mr. Chute with his bass viol led the congregational singing, but later a small gallery was erected for the accommodation of the choir. Among its members were Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Gilbert, Mallie Shanklin, Mary Jones, D. J. Mackey, Osborne Reilly, Blythe Hynes, R. K. McGrew, Will Wood, and later Mrs. John Foster and myself, beside others whom I do not now recall. The bell rang twice for service and woe to the late arri-
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
cals. It was not unusual then, for even Elders of a church to take "a wee drop for the stomach's sake," but Mr. Parrott preferred his cup of tea, which cheered but did not inebriate. The Ladies assembled once a year to give the church a thorough cleaning, the one drawback being the washing of the very long Venetian blinds, a most tedious job. But they made a jubilee of it and had a merry time. Mrs. Wm. Railly has written a very interesting history of the church which will be found in Willard Library and is much prized by the Congregation. When the old church was demolished it was replaced by the present Walnut Street church. Its first pastor was Rev. William McCaver who was with us for seventeen years. He went to Philadelphia with instruc- tions to procure the latest architectural churchly plans and while there also secured quite a little sum of money. For some time service was held in the Lecture room, work being delayed by the Civil war, and before the main Auditorium was seated, all the ladies held a week's Bazaar and supper to raise funds for furnishings. Such women as Mrs. Alanson Warner, Mrs. Drew, Mrs. Thomas E. Garvin, Mrs. M. A. Lawrence, Orrs, Shanklin and Mrs. Henry Babcock, and many more industrious workers gave almost their entire time to it, making for sale useful and ornamental garments and our suppers then as now were quite popular, the younger contingent too, fully enjoying the ex- citement. Mrs. Thomas E. Garvin had quite a reputation for her delicious fried oysters, which were a drawing card for the gentlemen. Her entire family have always been loyal members of the old church. I have forgotten just how much was realized from the fair, but quite a large sum. When the upper room was finished the choir gallery and organ were in the rear of the church, but afterward were moved and placed behind the pulpit, which was then of white marble presented by Mr. W. A. Lawrence, and is still preserved as a relic of former days. Miss Amelia Lawrence was instrumental in purchasing a good organ, over which she presided for several years. I think Mr. Theodore Russell was then leader of the volunteer singers, who were Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Gilbert, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Butterfield, Mrs. Philip Decker, Mr. and Mrs. Blythe Hunes, Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Drew, Mr. and Mrs. Melville Lockyear. Mr. and Mrs. Mason, myself, and others, and when Mr. Tinker took the leadership and was with us over thirty years we rather prided ourselves in never having had a choir disagree- ment and frequently had outside soloists, conspicuous among them were Miss Babbett, now Mrs. Wm. Wilverthorne of California.
You will pardon my rather lengthy eulogy of my church which has always been very dear to my heart. One incident was the marriage in the church of Rev. Barnes, first pastor of the church on the hill, and Mrs. Drew, both about the age of eighty years, and followed the next day by the marriage of Bertha Gilliland and Dr. Hedges, she eighteen, he a little older. Both proved very happy unions.
We also had a philharmonic Society led by Mr. John E. Martin and many will remember our famous Warren's Band.
In thinking of the older families whose sons have left Evansville, I recall the Goodlet boys, the Babcocks, the Garvins, the Wartmans, the
MARINE HOSPITAL
CITY BREWERY
----
P. G. O'RILEY'S WHARFBOAT
PUBLIC SCHOOL
COURT HOUSE
EAGLE FOUNDRY
CITY FOUNDRY
VIEWS IN 1856
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Runcies, the Gilchrists, the Ingles, Casselberry Dunkerson, Preston Kumler, Lowrie Gillett, my own son and doubtless many others whom I personally may not have known. This exodus has deprived us of many valuable young men, all of whom have become prominent in other cities. But those who remained added to our Society many most attractive young matrons, among them Mrs. Edward Viele, Mrs. Charles Cook, Mrs. George E. Mesker, Mrs. Henry Murphy, Mrs. Judge Gilchrist, Mrs. John Igleheart, Mrs. Harry Wartman, who for a time removed to Louisville, and others.
When I married and came to Evansville permanently in 1859, the old Shanklin homestead with which I had many delightful Associa- tions, for here I came as a bride and here my son was born, was where the New McCurdy now stands. Father Shanklin sold the property originally to Mr. D. J. Mackey and Perry Huston, who built the old St. George, for so many years the successful hotel of the city. We then moved out to Mary street, to a house built by Mr. William Baker, for some years Mayor of the City, and whose Brother, Conrad Baker was Governor of the State. This home is now the Deaconess Hospital.
All my contemporaries and old associates have passed over and I alone am left to tell the tale.
Mrs. James Maynard Shanklin.
HISTORIC NAMES PLACES AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE OLD EVANSVILLE
By Phebe Whittlesey Hamlin
To one who has been born and spent the first twenty years of life in the early Evansville, and then transported back to it after a con- tinuous absence of forty years, the effect of its growth and changes are startling. When I left it in the sixties, it was a town of a very few thousand inhabitants. Its graceful curve around the Ohio river, would have gained for it the cognomen of "The Crescent City," had not New Orleans preempted it. It was then a mercantile city, with dry goods stores and groceries predominating. When I returned it was an immense manufacturing center sending out its machinery to a vast part of the south and west-its suburbs extending for miles up and down the river, and towards all parts of the compass. When an expecting niece rescued me from being lost in its depths, I couldn't recognize a single land mark till we reached the intersection of Main & First Streets, then I realized I was again in the home of my nativity. But what had become of the old Firms, Alis & Howes, Jaquess and Hudspeth, Bement and Viele, Hopkins and Jon, Nesbet & Co., Preston Bros .? Had the old, substantial business men too, passed away, as well as their business places? Alas, I found they had. I could find no trace of The Washington Hotel, The Pavilion Hotel, kept by the genial proprietor Cyrus R. Drew Sr., The Sherwood House, the old Shanklin residence, The Half Corner toy store, kept by the widow and her daughters-even the architecture of the old dwellings seemed changed. The wide halls, long straight stairs, commodious, high-ceiled rooms, an
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
ell generally in the rear, had given place to a different style but I question whether a better style of architecture. Even the old Jaquess home, where many happy early years were spent, and that had claimed as guests half the shoppers of Posey and Gibson counties, was re- modeled into an up to date apartment house.
Not a trace was left of the old canal, that as early as eighteen forty-six, sometimes before the first railroad entered the city, and had connected the northern part of the state with Evansville, running through what is now Fifth Street if I remember right, and seeking its outlet through the mouth of Pigeon Creek into the Ohio. Its high, curving bridge on their stone abutments, over which the thorough- fares passed, and which were ever a menace to skittish horses, together with the picturesque ferry boats that were propelled through its slug- gish waters, were all gone. Even the long line of steam boats that had tied up at the river's wharf had dwindled down to a scant half dozen. I looked in vain for some trace of the Parrot home that had stood at the south terminus of First Street. It had in the very old days been the home and farm of Father Parrot, one of the patriarchs of the town. The youngest daughter Eva had gone from its threshold to become the bride of Union Bethel of Newburgh, another daughter was Mrs. John Hopkins Sr. Many were the jolly good times we had there, and their echoes perhaps still linger about the spot. Nothing is truer than "the fashion of the world passeth away" and the old friends too.
In the days of the Civil War from Water Street to the river-east and west-and from the Robert Barn's residence to the city wharf north and south, were stretched the white army tents of the Union soldiers, awaiting transportation to the southern battle fields, and the rendezvous of the entire population it would seem, at the strains of martial music called them there night after night to hear patriotic speeches and sing the war songs-sometimes the bands even breaking forth in the catchy tune of Dixie, inadvertently of course.
My surprise was great to find on this hallowed ground a fine large park, beautifully laid out and with the appropriate name of Sun- set park. The many shade trees were so grown up they might have stood there a century apparently.
When I passed down Main Street on my way out to the old String- town home, the changes grew upon me. Where was the little red brick school house at the foot of Main Street, where so many of the early youth had learned their multiplication table under the instruction of Charles Broughten? Where was the commodious two story brick poor house? Where was the plank road leading to Pigeon hill with its toll gates, where were the County fair grounds? Even Pigeon hill, that mountains of ruts and hollow, was leveled to a very small incline and Brown's hill down its steep descent the old stage coach used to rattle on its way into town, the fearless driver blowing his mellow horn, was now as level as a hall floor. Pigeon Creek I had remembered as a swift little river, too dangerous to ford, and in times of storm, rising over the public road and threatening the foundations of the long bridge, roaring like a cataract over Negley's dam, was now but the
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
thread of a stream. The old cemetery-graveyard we called it-on the banks of the creek, and where slept my ancestors, had been swept away, washed out by time and tide, no trace of a tombstone to mark the spot. In the early days some of the finest and best of Vanderburgh citizens had their homes on the border of this historic little stream. Deacon Negley with his four beautiful daughters the belles of the country. Mary-whose husband Crawford Bell, built Evansville's most elegant residence (afterwards the home of Mr. Charles Bab- cock of the early days, with a close second in the Williard Carpenter home -- they, certainly had dwarfed in magnificence during my years of absence. Lucy the eldest daughter married C. R. Rudd, another representative Evansville man. Another noted home on the banks of the creek was that of Deacon Olmstead, his daughter Mrs. Martin Vandusin and his sons William, Laird and Charles, the latter was a captain in the Civil War and died a soldier's death in the battle of Fort Donaldson. These all had homes there, and were mill wrights, own- ing flour and saw mills, not a link was left in Stringtown to connect me with the past-save the home and family of Marshal Hessmer.
Another historic place in Evansville was the Salt Wells. It was the only early pleasure resort-save the Camp ground, that I remem- ber. A man named Gifford was the Host there for many years. A few years ago as a party of us were motoring through Southern Cali- fornia, on the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains, we stopped at a small dwelling to ask some directions. A very old man came out to answer us. In the course of conversation he told us he was a native of Indiana,-had been proprietor of the Salt Wells at Evansville for many years, his name was Gifford. I told him I had been there many times when a child, had once picniced there with my father and mother, the McCalpins and the Echoles. These two families had emigrated to Cal- ifornia soon after. The old man said he remembered the occasion and knew my parents well. Among others who had left Evansville for the Land of Gold in the early fifties, were the Cody brothers, Conway, Smith, Fairchilds, Dr. Rucker, Kirkpatrick, Guthries, Rose Linxwiler and Billie Brown, also Gov. Conrad Baker's son Billie, whose wife was Emily Lister. None of these ever returned to E. that I have heard. Two of them were killed in the Panama & Aspenwoll R. R. disaster. Another by the caving of a mine. During my long sojourn here, I have never met one of these early Evansvillian's greatly to my sorrow, although I've known Mrs. Blake Alverson, a noted singer on this Coast, who at the age of eighty years retains her marvelous voice and sings patriotic songs for the veterans of the Civil War. She lived when a young girl with Madam Flagler the Artist on the State road, near the northern boundry of Evansville. Many of Mrs. Flagler's oil paintings must still hang on walls of old homes there. Another charm- ing old lady in the ancient days of Evansville was Mrs. Walker, a milliner with a shop on First street, who made all the stylish bonnets worn by the Elite there, hats for ladies were not in vogue in those days. Her twin sons, William and Welman Walker were large, handsome men of the old regeme. She took my childish fancy, by always wear-
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
ing a silk dress when at her work. Silk gowns were not for every day wear in those days.
More recently and yet over fifty years ago, Miss Fanny Barker- afterwards she became Mrs. Ronald Fisher-owned a similar milliner's shop on nearly the same site. Her assistants were the Misses Mary Kramer (who became Mrs. Billie Caldwell) and Christina Kruse- afterwards she married Phillip Guisler. They were charming young ladies and the Milliner's Shop was frequented by the lads of the town. The Hopkins boys, Tom Wheeler, DeWitt Lamphire, the Stockwells and Griffeths and Alex Foster-and they didn't drop in to buy hats either. In the Presidential election just before the Civil War, when Buchanan, Fillmore and Fremont were the candidates of their re- spective parties, the Evansville Journal and Enquirer presented white Satin Streamers with the name of the favorite presidential candidate printed in gold letters upon them, to the young ladies who would wear them at a grand ball to be given at Fosters Hall. Quite a number of girls wore the Filmore emblems, a fewer number those of Fremont, but only three, Christina Kruse, Mary Kramer and myself wore the Buchanan emblems. There were many democratic gentlemen present, and we three won out not only at the ball, but in the presidential elec- tion also. The figures danced at these old time balls were first, the cotilion, and Virginia reel, then for the round dances the vaisurienne, masouka shottishe waltz and heel and toe polka. The popular card games in social circles were euchre and seven up.
The older and more dignified set of belles and beaux that held sway in these early days, as I remember, were the Lempke brothers, Blythe Hines, David Mackey, Will Whittlesey. George and Gill Shanklin, Messrs. Dalzell, Authes, Armstrong, Flemming, Clerden- ning and Fileston. Those who took part in the political and military arena were Charles Denby, John Foster, James Shanklin and William Walker Junior-the last two were killed in the Civil War. Denby and Foster were bright stars in the political sky during long and suc- cessful careers.
The belles of that day were the Misses Mary Mackey and Mary Hauley, Marcia Carpenter, Ella Lister, Nellie Warner, Sallie and Cornelia Hughes. Annie Half, Fanny Page and a score more beautiful and accomplished young ladies.
Perhaps one more incident will be of interest to the readers. In President Polk's Administration, the war with Mexico ended with an attack by Santa Anna on the hospitals at Pueblo. The Mexicans were driven off by Gen. Joe Lane. He returned to Evansville bringing with him the flags his men had carried in the war. They had been made by the ladies of Indiana. They were presented to the State, and are now valued relics in the State Capitol. Mrs. Bolton, the Indiana
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
poetess, wrote a beautiful poem of which I can only remember the closing stanza.
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