USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > A history of the formation, settlement and development of Hamilton County, Indiana, from the year 1818 to the close of the Civil War > Part 5
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N. J. Jackson from 1852 to 1856.
In the years 1856 to 1861 John Green represented the above named counties, and in 1861 to 1865 G. B. Grubb represented Hamilton and Tipton.
Representatives.
John Conner, in 1824, for Hamilton.
In 1825 and 1826. James Paxton, for Marion, Madi- son, Hamilton and Johnson.
In 1826 to 1829. Elisha Long, for Henry, Madison and Hamilton.
In 1829 to 1831, Elisha Long and William Conner, for. Henry, Madison, Hamilton, Hancock, and all the territory north of those counties.
In 1831 and 1832 William Conner represented Ham- ilton, Boone and all the territory north to the Miami Reserve.
In 1832 and 1834 Austin Davenport represented the last named territory. It was represented also in 1834 and 1836 by Robert L. Hannaman.
William Conner, in 1836 and 1837, Hamilton.
Jacob Robins, 1837 and 1838, Hamilton.
F. B. Cogswell, 1838 and 1840, Hamilton.
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Jacob Robins, 1840 and 1841. Hamilton.
William D. Rooker and B. E. Cogswell, 1841 and 1842. Hamilton.
Allen Sumner, 1842 and 1843. Hamilton.
H. W. Clark and W. W. Conner, 1843 and 1844, Hamilton.
William W. Conner, 1844 and 1845, Hamilton and Tipton.
R. T. Kimberlin and C. T. Jackson, 1845 and 1846, Hamilton and Tipton.
Jesse Lutz, 1846 and 1847, Hamilton.
Samuel Collip, 1847 and 1848, Hamilton.
Griffin Shaw, 1848 and 1849, Hamilton. ·
Thomas Harvey and William Stoops, 1849 and 1850, Hamilton.
William W. Conner, 1850 and 1851, Hamilton.
James Douthit, 1851 to 1853, Hamilton.
David Moss, 1853 and 1855, Hamilton.
J. F. Sims, 1855 to 1857, Hamilton.
A. H. Conner, 1857 to 1858, Hamilton.
Addison Boxley, 1858 to 1861, Hamilton and Tip- ton.
Joseph Goar, 1861 to 1863, Hamilton and Tipton.
James O'Brien, 1863 to 1865, Hamilton and Tipton.
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CHAPTER IX.
Internal Improvements.
Prior to 1833 the States of Ohio and New York in- augurated a system of improvements. Toll roads and canals were built by the States. The revenues derived from these roads and canals were satisfactory. From about the year 1832 to the year 1835 the main political issue in Indiana was internal improvements corre- sponding to those of Ohio and New York. This ques- tion was the test of members to be elected to the Legis- lature. The result was the passage of a bill by the Legislature of 1835 and 1836 providing for an expendi- ture of twenty million dollars by the State in making State roads, railroads and canals. Bonds were issued and ten million dollars appropriated. One of the im- provements provided for in this bill was the southern portion of the Central Canal. This canal was the only State improvement in which the people of Hamilton County had any interest. The course of this canal was from northeast to southwest through Hamilton County. The people believed that the completion of this canal was about all that was necessary to make
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them all wealthy. The canal was located, contracts let and work commenced upon it as soon as possible after the passage of the law. Many of our best citizens who were for that period in good financial circumstances became contractors. becoming liable for a great deal more money than all their property would at that time bring them. The price of land along the line of the proposed canal was sold in many instances for twice its value. Labor and produce advanced out of reason ; business was on a boom and every one connected with the work in any way was apparently happy. A good deal of the grading upon this canal was done in this county by men who had contracted with the State to do so, using their own means and
credit. The State, however, had undertaken too large a job, and after having spent ten million dollars of the people's money, payment upon all public works was suspended. The men who had taken contracts on this canal were ruined, and many of them were so badly in debt that they never recovered. They lived and died poor men. The business boom collapsed and the price of land dropped back to the figures obtained before this work began. This measure was opposed by many wise, prudent men, but the promoters carried the day. Evi- dence of this work is to be found at many points in this county.
Brick Court House.
At the September session of the Board of Commis-
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sioners, in the year 1835, it was ordered that a new court house be built on the public square, as follows : To be 45×45 feet square, with - stone foundation eighteen inches below the surface and two feet above; two-foot wali, the wall to be brick; the lower story six- teen feet high ; upper story ten feet ; first wall eighteen inches thick; the second thirteen; to be finished with suitable doors, windows, etc., and to have a cupola and steeple according to plan hereafter agreed upon by the commissioners ; notice to be given by publication in the Indianapolis papers and by manuscript and printed ad- vertisements, etc., sealed proposals to be received at Noblesville between the 17th and 24th of October next ; to be completed by January Ist, 1837.
At the October session, 1835, a further order was entered among the proceedings of the board at that term in these words, to-wit: "Ordered that the plans and descriptions for a new court house, authorized at last session, be rescinded, and that the board accept the plans of John Hirewalt ; house to be built on center of public square, and the proposals received according to notice given for the erection of the same being now opened." It appears that Charles Grover, James Turner and William Evans proposed to furnish the material, build the same and complete it according to the above named specifications and plan for the sum of $3,985.00, and that John D. Stephenson proposed to build the same for the sum of $4,500.00, and it appearing that the
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bid of the said Grover, Turner and Evans is less than that of Stephenson the sum of $515.00, and there being no other bid, it is considered that they are entitled to the contract for the erection of the same." It was ac- cordingly ordered "that Charles Grover, James Turner and William Evans be allowed $300.00 payment in advance on contract after filing bond."
At the January session, 1836, it was ordered that the principal front of the proposed court house be placed to the east; and at the May session following Francis W. Emmons was allowed $3.50 for making draft and specifications for said building, and a further sum of $200.00 was allowed the contractors for work done, of which the county agent was directed to pay $50.00 as soon as collected. At the June session the agent was directed to pay said contractors the further sum of $75.00. to apply on their contract for building the court house. Again, at the September session, 1836, $1.400.00 were ordered to be paid for work done on the new court house, and at the same time the county agent was directed to contract for painting and enciling the brick work. James Mahin and Thomas j. Lindsey, at the November term following, con- tracted to do the plastering for the sum of $395.00, and the contract was accepted. The contractors having made good progress in the construction of the new building, were allowed an additional $500.00 on their work.
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At the January session, 1837, and at a special ses- sion, held on the 20th of the same month, the board made the following further orders in the premises, that "Charles Grover be allowed $40.00 for extra services on court house and $5.00 for the use of the new court house during the December term of the Circuit Court for the year 1836." It was further ordered "that the agent of the county pay Grover, Turner and Evans the balance due them for building the court house as soon as they deliver the keys." Subsequently, at the March session, 1837, the county agent reported that he had paid to Grover. Turner and Evans $375-75, the balance due them for building the new court house, and to Barnes and Horniday for painting $115.00, and to H. Foland for viewing painting $1.50, making a total bal- ance on account of the court house $474.25. At the same time the sheriff was directed to sell the old frame court house at public auction in the town of Nobles- ville on Saturday, the 25th day of March, 1837, for one- half the purchase money, in three, and the remainder in six months from the day of sale. At the May session, 1838, the county agent was ordered, out of the funds in his hands, to furnish the court room with a bench for the judges, boxes for the jurors, seats, stands and other necessary furniture. Finally, at the November session of the same year, Joseph Nichols was allowed $1.00 for making out a specification for the new court room, which completed the court house.
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Bridges.
As a part of the road system of the county, carly in the fifties the Board of Commissioners caused to be erected a wooden bridge across White River at No- blesville. \ wooden bridge was also, by order of the board, constructed across White River at Strawtown. A bridge, by order of the board, had been constructed across Fall Creek. Two wooden bridges were con- structed across Stony Creek. A wooden bridge had long before that been constructed across Cicero Creek, on the Lafayette road. Some time after the erection of the first bridge across the river at Noblesville a flood came. The river was deep and swift, carrying with it a large amount of drift wood. The middle pier of this bridge was struck by drift wood and knocked out of place, making the bridge unsafe. By order of the county board repairs were made, so that the people could again use the bridge. Soon after this the bridge was swept away by high water and the people for some time had no means of crossing at times of high water except by canoe and ferry boat.
The Strawtown wooden bridge stood and did serv- ice for the people at that point for a long time, when it was swept away by an ice gorge.
At a special session of the Board of Commissioners, held on the 12th day of June, 1862, the board ordered that a bridge be built over Fall Creek on the Greenfield and Noblesville State Road, and appropriated $550.00
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for the purpose. John Burk was appointed to superin- tend the work. The bridge was to be 120 feet long. The contract to build this bridge was let to Williams, Giger & Co. At the September session of the board for the year 1863 George 1. Haworth and others pre- sented a petition asking for a new bridge over Cicero Creek at the crossing of the Noblesville and Lafayette State Road, which petition was granted and the bridge constructed. At the same session, 1864, upon petition filed, the board ordered that a survey and plans be sub- mitted for a bridge over Stony Creek, on the Nobles-
ville and Pendleton Road. Elijah Cottingham was directed to make such survey and plans, with an esti- mate of the cost of the same. At a special session of the board, held in September, the contract for this bridge was let to Williams, Durfee, Stoops & Giger for $325.34.
Peru Railroad.
After the completion of the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, thereby connecting Indianapolis .. and the Ohio River, the subject of building a railroad from Indi- anapolis to Peru began to be agitated. There was much opposition to the proposed work. Some very peculiar notions were entertained. One class of men said if this road is built there will no longer be work for our people who have been making a living by hauling produce to the Ohio River, and goods from the Ohio River to this
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county. Another class said: "It will destroy the busi-
ness of the tavern keepers." Another class said it would take all that a man's wheat would bring at the Ohio River to pay the railroad company for hauling it. Others said the scheme was a visionary one and could never be carried out. Notwithstanding this opposition, a company was formed and named the Peru & Indi- anapolis Railroad Company. In 1846 a charter was granted to this company. The first meeting was held in Peru in 1847. At this meeting about $500.00 was subscribed and taken in stock. General T. A. Morris, of Indianapolis, was employed to run the line and make estimates preliminary to commencing the work. Other meetings were held along the line. Individuals sub- scribed stock, and shortly after all the counties between Peru and Marion County had subscribed as counties. The work was commenced at the south end and the road made, after wonderful difficulties and the exhaus- tion of financial resources had been overcome, up to Noblesville as a flat-bar road. Among the most active friends of this road was W. J. Holman, to whose untir- ing perseverance, more than to any one man, is the country indebted for this valuable thoroughfare. When other men were in despair Holman asserted his belief to be that the road would be built and would be a great benefit to the people of this county.
About the time the road had been completed to No- blesville the company placed some mortgages upon the
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road. This finally brought them into court, and as usual in such cases, the wreckers came and took the thing in. This left the Hoosier road-builders out and gave them time to consult as to what they would do about it.
Incidental to the action had by the counties along the line, appertaining to a development of the real in- terest felt by the people in the proposed enterprise, Hamilton County, through her commissioners, at their June session, 1848, "ordered that the sum of thirty cents on each $100.00 be levied for railroad purposes ; also fifty cents on each poll for railroad purposes ; also one and one-fourth cents on each acre of land for rail- road purposes," all ostensibly for the benefit of the Peru & Indianapolis road, as shown by the subsequent action of the board. At their September session in the same year Elijah Cottingham was authorized to vote the proxy of the board at the annual election of officers for the road, held at Dayton, O .. as the representative of 400 shares of stock held by the county in the road, the levy ordered as above being made to create a fund for the payment of such stock. In furtherance of this object, on behalf of the county, the board at the same session ordered that the auditor of this county be authorized and required to issue to the president and directors of the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad Com- pany, in payment of the county subscription to the capi- tal stock of said company, at such time as the president
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and engineer of said road may require, county orders in the denomination of two, three and five dollars each, in the proportion of one-third each, any amount not to exceed $2,400.00, and the "said auditor is hereby di- rected and required to take a receipt for the amount so issued and delivered, and that he report the same to the next session of the board."
The board also ordered that the Peru & Indianapo- lis Railroad Company be permitted to use the Indian- apolis State Road, provided, however, that they leave a sufficient amount of said road in good repair for pas- sage.
At the December session, 1848, the board petitioned the Legislature for authority to borrow money at a rate of interest not exceeding 10 per cent. to purchase bonds of the company in unlimited amounts, running from one to fifteen years. Thomas T. Butler was ap- pointed an agent to draft and issue bonds in the name of the county amounting to $16,000.00 for railroad pur- poses, drawing interest at any rate not exceeding 10 per cent., conditioned, however, upon the passage of the law for which the board had petitioned the Legis- lature. The bonds so contemplated to be issued were to be offered first to citizens of Hamilton County, then, if unable to dispose of them to these parties, to the citi- zens of any other county in the State, and for the pay- ment of these bonds so issued and placed on the mar- ket the stock of the county in such railroad was
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pledged, none of said bonds being payable in less than five years, the county reserving the right to draw them in at any time, interest in no case to be paid in advance. In the meantime Mr. Butler resigned the trust reposed in him and John D. Stephenson was appointed in his stead.
The Legislature having legalized and confirmed the proposed action of the board, the county was author- ized to borrow money not to exceed $50,000.00, the interest not to exceed 10 per cent. per annum, for rail- road purposes. At the June session, 1849, the agent appointed to sell bonds reported the sale of bond No. I at 8 per cent. for $250.00 and bonds Nos. 3 and 4 for $100.00 each to John Stalker; bond No. 5 at 10 per cent. for $300.00 to John Manlove on loan for fifteen years of $200.00, $100.00 of which was paid, the other $100.00 to be paid when the bond was issued. It was reported also at the same time that $1,475, the aggre- gate of said bonds, had been paid over to the railroad company. The agent was also authorized to borrow any sum not exceeding $4,000.00, $2,000.00 payable in eight months and $2,000.00 in one year. At the same session the board ordered a further levy of thirty cents on $100.00 for railroad purposes. The following is the form of bond adopted at the December session, 1849. by the county board to secure the loan above proposed for railroad purposes :
PRIMITIVE HISTORY OF
$100.00. HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA. LOAN FOR STOCK IN PERU & INDIANAPO- LIS RAILROAD.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That there is due ..... or bearer one hundred dollars from the County of Hamilton, in the State of Indiana, payable in years from the first Monday in July, 1849, with interest at the rate of ... per cent. per an- nuin, payable on the first Monday in July annually at the office of the treasurer of said county, in Noblesville. where the principal will also be paid, this bond being issued for a loan of the amount thereof to said county, as authorized by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, entitled "an act to authorize the com- missioners of Hamilton, Miami and Tipton counties to borrow money," approved January 5, 1849; and for the redemption and payment of this bond, both principal and interest, as above stipulated, the faith of said County of Hamilton and the stock of the Peru & Indi- anapolis Railroad Company is irrevocably pledged.
Witness, etc.
Work was begun at the southern end of the road. and in two years afterward twenty-one miles of the road were completed to Noblesville. The track was laid to Peru in 1854. In 1871 the road was finished from Peru to Michigan City and the cars were run through for the first time in that year.
The board at their June session, in 1852, ordered that the auditor issue one order in the sum of $876.66 2-3 for the redemption of the railroad bonds
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numbering from 80 to 87, inclusive, pursuant to the conditions of the bonds, reserving the right of the county to redeem the outstanding bonds at any time.
At a special session in November, 1853, the Peru & Indianapolis road asked the repeal of that part of the original order specifying that "the county shall elect to surrender to said company such obligations and assume the payment of the interest that shall accrue after such election and the principal when the same shall become due and payable on said bonds, the stock to become absolute in favor of the county, but until such election and assumption the counties have the right to hold such as security for the performance of certain stipulations on the part of the railroad company not entitling the county to any dividends, but to have a voice in the elections, etc." The railroad asked to have the same rescinded because of said railroad consolidating with the Marion & Indianapolis Railroad by order of the board of directors, to take effect January Ist, 1853. "Whereupon said board declare that if said railroad will execute additional bonds to the County of Hamilton for the performance of payment of the last issue of bonds, $2,000.00, numbering from 10 to 29, thereby re- leasing the county forever from the payment of said bonds, they will grant the request."
Afterward, at the December session, 1853, the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad Company gave bond to the county in the penal sum of $40,000.00 to secure pay-
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ment of bonds issued by the county and delivered to the railroad company to sell and assist in the construction of said railroad, said bonds numbering from 10 to 29. the railroad paying interest on said bonds when due. And the agent of the county was ordered, in lieu, to surrender to said railroad company the last issue of bonds, numbering from 10 to 29, inclusive, each for $1.000.00, in all $20.000. The bonds numbered from I to 9, inclusive, provided for at the September session, 1860, were, at the special session, 1861, ordered to be paid out of any fund in the treasury not otherwise ap- propriated.
Prior to the organization of this railroad company and subsequent to the general inflow of new settlers into the county, the price of grain had fallen to a very low figure. Corn sold as low as eighteen cents; wheat, as has already been shown, sold at the Ohio River as low as thirty-seven and one-half cents. The price of wheat and corn about the time this charter was granted began to go up. The price of wheat went up to $1.00, or nearly so, before the road was completed. Many of the friends of the road attributed the rise in price to the proposed railroad. This was not true, for the reason that the prices rose at the Ohio and Wabash rivers.
WATER COURSES
White River, as has already been stated, crosses the east line of Hamilton County northeast of Noblesville
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at Perkinsville, passing through the county and out of it a little west of south. When Hamilton County was first settled it was believed by the early pioneers that White River would be navigated by small steamers as far up as the east line of the county. It was soon dis- covered that the flatboat was as large a boat as the depth of the water would admit.
In 1823 John Conner finished the first mill built upon this stream in Hamilton County. The capacity of this mill was sufficient to supply the needs of the people. Both corn and wheat were ground. A fair article of four was turned out. A sawmill was subsequently added to the grist mill, also a carding machine. Prior to the erection of this machine the pioneer mothers and their daughters had carded their wool into rolls by means of the hand cards. This mill did service until about the year 1850.
About the same time the Conner mill was built John Foster built a mill on White River five miles above Noblesville. At that time nothing but corn was ground. Foster sold his mill to John Stoops. It was afterwards known as the Schryock mill. During Schryock's own- ership of the mill a sawmill was added. From Schryock the mill passed into the hands of Conner & Stephenson. During the freshet of 1874 the mill was washed away and part of the dam washed out. It was rebuilt, how- ever, and finally passed into the hands of W. W. Con- ner, who added a carding machine to the property.
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In 1827 a man by the name of Stephens built a mill on White River above Strawtown at what is now known as the Shepard farm. This property passed from Mr. Stephens in an early day to Kemp, from which time it was known as the Kemp mill. A distillery and carding machine were added by Kemp. This property was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.
Pipe Creek.
This stream is crossed by the east line of Hamilton County between the village of Aroma and White River. It cuts off a small portion of territory lying north of White River and empties into White River between the east line of the county and Strawtown. No mills or machinery of any kind were at any time erected upon this stream.
Duck Creek.
This stream crosses the east line of Hamilton County at or near Pleasant Hill meeting house and empties into White River near Strawtown. Three mills were erected in an early day on this stream. They were what were called corn crackers. One of these mills was at or near the Peck farm. Another was situated on what is now known as the Couden farm near Straw- town. The third was near Aroma.
Bear Creek.
This stream crosses the north line of the county
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near the range line. It empties into Duck Creek before that stream reaches White River. At certain seasons of the year Bear Creek affords a good deal of water, but it has never been utilized as motive power for the running of machinery.
Cicero Creck.
This stream crosses the north line of the county about one mile east of the old Peru & Indianapolis Rail- road at Atlanta. Its course is a little west of south. It empties into White River about a mile and a half below Noblesville. In an early day George Tucker built a sawmill and corn cracker on this stream not very far south of the north line of the county. Jacob Crull built a similar mill farther south. This mill was afterward known as the Gascho mill. A mill was built on this creek near Cicero. These small mills, together with the sawmills on White River and possibly Cool Creek, did a thriving business for a number of years. Lumber was hauled on wagons from the Tucker and Gascho mills to Noblesville as late as the year 1850. The lum- ber sawed at the mills spoken of, for which a market could not be found in Hamilton County, was sold to the people of Indianapolis. This was done by rafting the lumber down the creeks and White River to Broad Rip- ple, where the rafts passed into the canal, and from that point to Indianapolis. William Neal, of Cicero, was, between the years of 1840 and 1850, largely engaged in this business.
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