USA > Indiana > White County > A standard history of White County Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. I > Part 46
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REMOVAL OF THE COUNTY SEAT
Shortly after the close of the Civil war a movement was launched, in the western part of White County, to remove the seat of justice from Monticello to Reynolds. The idea had its origin prior to the war but during that struggle the subject was permitted to occupy a rear seat. After the war the removal was freely agitated, its sponsors urging the change for the reason that Reynolds was situated very near the geographi- cal center of the county. This suggestion was met with the statement that if the change was made the people of the county would be taxed to raise at least $250,000 to pay the lot owners of Monticello for their lots, the title to which would fail should Monticello cease to be the permanent seat of justice of the county. This argument was based upon the terms of the grant by which the county acquired title to the lands on which Monticello was located. As stated, at the close of the war the subject was again agitated, meetings were held pro and con, the newspapers dis- cussed the proposed change and handbills were printed and circulated all over the county and for a dozen years the question was acute. On June 29, 1867, a large handbill was published and circulated, showing why the removal should not be made, and carefully stating the reasons against such removal. This was signed by Isaac Reynolds, Randolph Brearley, Jonathan Harbolt, Rowland Hughes, Charles W. Kendall and John Roberts. This was not the end of the controversy but at last the movement died, peace was declared and the subject forgotten.
OLD TIME JOURNALISM IN WHITE COUNTY
An examinaion of the files of the White County newspapers prior to 1885 discloses some strange features in local journalism. In the olden time if two or more individuals became involved in political, or other, controversies they would rush into print and tell the truth about each other in a most shocking manner. After the first article no argument was ever used, the question at issue was dropped, the words "thief," "liar" and many even worse epithets were freely printed and the war went merrily on until both sides had exhausted their vocabularies and the matter was dropped; but only for a short time. In a few months another war would be declared, perhaps with a different alignment, the vials of wrath would be opened, innocent bystanders would be involved, the reputations of many of our best citizens would be attacked and the casual observer would naturally expect to see bloodshed or even murder before it was ended. But none of this. When they grew tired they would rest for a time, then at it again. These wars were confined to no class or profession but most of them were waged by local lawyers or candidates for office. To read them now is to be amused, but perhaps in fifty years the reader may get as much enjoyment in reading of our way of doing things.
Another feature of these old papers is worthy of note. If a man died, no matter how prominent he was, he was lucky to get three lines in
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a local paper, but if he belonged to some society, he was good for a half column of formal resolutions which gave no account of his life, his work or his family. Does the reader ask what these papers contained ? They would be given over to news from Washington, speeches in Congress and even whole pages from the Congressional Record. In what has been written no reflections are intended on these pioneer newspapers. They were well printed, neat in appearance and published what the people wanted to read, but since about 1885, a great change is noted.
The last thirty years has been remarkable in journalistic development. It would really repay any one to read the local papers published during that time just to recall the wild schemes that have been set afloat. Traction lines from no place to no where have been located by wily promoters, life, accident, and fire insurance companies launched by irresponsible solicitors from far away cities, worthless mining stocks have been sold by the wholesale and the work still goes on its way. The public enjoys such things and is willing to pay for it.
Another change is apparent. The old time local paper had no army of correspondents. If Betsey Short visited Bud Means Sunday, if old Jack Means helped Bull catch a coon, or Squire Hawkins assisted the hero of Lundy's Lane to kill a hog, the public remained in blissful ignorance of such events. Betsey's courtship was ignored, Bull gained no publicity and the poor hog met his death, "unwept, unhonored and unsung." But time has changed all this. What will the next generation think of us ?
MEXICAN WAR
So far as known the following is a list of all the old Mexican soldiers who ever permanently lived in White County : Roy D. Davidson, Michael Austin, a man by the name of Conkling (a cousin of Senator Conkling's), Thomas Cooper, John Wright, a Mr. Penny, Andrew Robinson and William F. Ford. These have all passed away but the descendants of some of them still live in the county. Three men only enlisted from the county, William F. Ford, N. H. Steel and Beveridge McCormick, and all went from Jackson Township and these, too, have since died. Mr. Mc- Cormick died in the service from the loss of an arm.
DISTILLERY IN WHITE COUNTY
Between 1840 and 1850, an individual by the name of Smith, living about two miles southwest of the present town of Idaville, procured a "worm" and engaged in the manufacture of "Mountain dew." Shades of the past! All this in Jackson Township. All of its patrons have passed beyond and Smith has gone to his reward. His was doubtless the first (but not the last) blind tiger in White County. Peace to his memory.
BURNS MURDER
In the early spring of 1860, one Burns, who came from Ohio, and settled about two miles north of Burnettsville, became jealous of his
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spouse and after killing her committed suicide. He also attempted to kill his child which he declared to be illegitimate. She was interred in the Winegarner Cemetery but he was denied Christian burial and his grave is still preserved on the old farm but in a sadly dilapidated condition.
SUICIDE OF WILLIAM CROSE
A few of the older citizens of Jackson Township remember the suicide of Mr. Crose. He was a quiet, reserved man whose mind became unsettled on the subject of religion and about 1855 killed himself by shooting about two miles southwest of the present town of Idaville. The affair was a sad one and for many years the neighbors with bated breath discussed his unnatural act.
BRUMMER MURDER AT REYNOLDS
On July 2, 1866, a man by the name of Brummer who had been married about a year and whose wife had left him about a month prior to the above date, met her near Reynolds, fired two shots at her and . then turned the revolver on himself. This was Sunday about 10 o'clock and he died about 2 P. M., while she passed away at 4.30 P. M. of the same day.
MURDER OF RICHARD M. HERRON
On Sunday January 23, 1876, the body of Richard M. Herron, a veteran of the Civil war, was found frozen in the woods pasture about two miles east of Monticello on the south of the railroad. He had left Idaville Friday afternoon, January 14th, where he had been tending bar for John (Jack) Kelly and started, as was supposed, to Brookston, where his father lived. Search had been made for him for more than a week but without success until after he had been dead for some ten days. His body was brought to Monticello, placed in the courthouse and an inquest held by the coroner, Doctor Henry. The inquest occu- pied a portion of three days, the jury of twelve men returned a verdict that deceased had come to his death at the hands of John, alias, Jack Kelly. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was committed to . jail without bond. Subsequently he was tried in the White Circuit Court where a jury found him guilty and fixed his punishment at six years in the penitentiary ; being dissatisfied at this he applied for and was granted a new trial, but in this trial the jury found him guilty and gave him eighteen years and failing to get another trial, he was taken to prison. Kelly was a blacksmith. by trade and when not drinking was an industrious, peaceable man, but liquor made him a demon and when in his cups was a terror to the village. He had quit his trade and was keeping a saloon in the same house in which he lived with his two little girls, aged ten and thirteen years, and Herron for about a month had been a member of the family. The principal witness for the state was
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one, John Toothman, who had succeeded Herron as bartender for Kelly and it was largely on his testimony that Kelly was convicted.
DROWNING OF MRS. LUCINDA HUGHES
On May 31, 1863, Mrs. Lucinda Hughes, wife of John C. Hughes, who lived just east of what is now Sitka, was drowned at the Hughes Ford, on the Tippecanoe River, where now stands the Lowe bridge. With her husband and two grandchildren they had been visiting on the west side of the river and were returning to their homes. Mrs. Hughes feared to cross with her husband in his buggy and was with the grandchildren in a spring wagon when it struck a rock and was turned over. The children, by holding to the wagon, were carried down stream and rescued. Mr. Hughes, who had crossed safely, returned at once but the body of Mrs. Hughes was carried down the river and was found the following day two miles below the ford. She was sixty years old at her death and held in great esteem by all who knew her. Her husband, John C. Hughes, was a brother of Rowland (Pap) Hughes and died in 1872, at the age of seventy-two and both are buried in the old cemetery at Monticello. Near their graves are buried his parents. Ellis Hughes, born December 17, 1776, died January 6, 1850, and Sarah, his wife, born January 25, 1777, died March 18, 1857, in her eighty-first year. These dates carry us back to the Revolution. Near these graves lie the remains of Mary Imes, mother-in-law of "Pap" Hughes and the late Senator Turpie. She died February 15, 1868, at the age of eighty- two.
CROW BOUNTY
By an act in force March 4, 1911, the Legislature of Indiana author- ized counties to pay a bounty of 10 cents for each crow and 5 cents for each crow's egg killed or found in the county and the party filing his claim was obliged to make affidavit to the facts before the county auditor and produce the crow's heads and eggs. An appropriation was made for this purpose by the county council early in 1911, but at its meeting on April 6, 1912, the fund had been overdrawn $116. At this meeting a further appropriation of $300 was made for the purpose but the council suggested that the commissioners reduce the bounty to 7 cents per crow and 3 cents per egg. The auditor was obliged to cremate the birds heads and eggs and one enterprising individual brought in at one time 167 crow heads, yet the crow continues to flourish.
LIVERY STABLE BURNED
1
On the night of October 22, 1873, a large livery stable at the southwest corner of Washington and Illinois streets, in Monticello, owned by Beeson Brothers, was destroyed by fire. Everything in the barn, including nine head of horses, six buggies, grain and a large quantity of hay was consumed. But one horse was saved and it was in a bad condition,
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having been almost burned to death. The fire originated in a defective flue and the loss was in excess of $6,000, with insurance for half that amount.
SOUTHWEST CORNER MAIN AND MARION STREETS, MONTICELLO
On this corner stands one of the land marks of Monticello, the three story brick building, 45 by 70 feet, known as the Reynolds Block. The White County Democrat of July 20, 1865, notes that it was being built by the Messrs. Reynolds and that the cellar is excavated and the walls begun. It also adds, "the front will be supported by iron columns." This building is yet one of the principal business blocks of Monticello and bids fair to stand another half century.
WHITE COUNTY IN 1847-48
In an article contributed to the White County Democrat of Decem- ber 16, 1898, James Spencer, who now lives in Liberty Township gives some interesting history of White County as it was in 1847-48, when Mr. Spencer came to this locality with his parents. At that time Monti- cello contained less than three dozen houses, both public and private. He remembers the old two-story frame courthouse, said to have been built by his father some years earlier ; without a yard of plaster, it had been ceiled with wide poplar boards. This seat of justice stood on the east side of Main Street, not far from the present M. E. Church. (This building was later removed to the northwest corner of Main and Har- rison streets and used for a wagon shop. It is now the office and grain room of the Southside feed barn.) On the present site of the M. E. Church stood the leading hotel of the town, run by Jacob Beck and shortly afterwards by Joseph Rothrock. (This building was later the home of the late Squire Henry P. Bennett, but when the church was built it was moved to the east side of Main Street half a block south of the South Side School building, where it now stands.) The only other hotel in the town was operated by Rowland Hughes on the east side of Main Street in a one and a half story log house. The only dry goods store in the town had just been started by Rowland Hughes, who converted his 10 by 12 barroom into the limited, yet ample, quarters for the mercantile traffic of that day. Isaac Reynolds and J. C. Merriam, . of Logansport, soon afterward opened a competing store in the same locality. Daniel M. Tilton had a meager stock of groceries in the one story frame building which stood at the northwest corner of Main and Washington streets and James C. Reynolds kept the postoffice in the front room of his little harness shop which stood where the State Bank is now located.
There was but one church in the town, the New School Presbyterian, which stood on the ground now occupied by the Presbyterian Church. This old church was later moved to the north side of Court Street and was used as a barn until the fall of 1914, when it was torn down and a
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garage erected on its site. Rev. G. D. Miller was the only resident pastor, the Methodist Episcopal people having only a small class with occasional preaching appointments. The writer of that article calls to mind William M. Bott, Joseph and Mahlon Fraser, as the first earnest advocates of Bible Wesleyanism and their earnest zeal and consistent daily walk and conversation, which had a great influence in placing that church squarely on its feet in the community.
This writer's father, and Dr. Samuel Rifenberrick, were the only practicing physicians in the town as Dr. Randolph Brearley had just withdrawn from the practice. Thompson Crose and Amer S. McElhoes were the only blacksmiths, but Jesse Grim soon made the sparks fly on his own forge. Johnson Rifenberrick was the merchant tailor, John Maguire the dandy shoemaker with old man Day & Sons as super- cobblers. There were no drug stores in the whole county, no newspapers, no railroad dreamed of, but one weekly mail via LaFayette, and in fact no towns in the county except Monticello and Norway. At that time there were no mills of any kind except Hillman's sawmill. Just above what is now Tioga, Sheetz' gristmill, now Oakdale, and the Norway mills. Norway was the best trading point, the Kendall brothers at that place had a fine trade both in their store and mill. Jonathan Harbolt was the only undertaker in Monticello and his six and eight dollar stained poplar coffins were good enough for our old pioneers. Charles Dodge conducted the only wagon shop in the rear end of lot 1, on Marion Street between Main and Bluff streets, and across the street to the east J. R. Willey, did some work of the same character. Joseph and Abram Hanawalt were the plasterers and Uncle Samuel Heckendorn had the only furniture shop in the village. Benjamin Linville, Samuel Logan and Sampson Hartman were the active carpenters of the time and the old log jail stood near what is now the Pennsylvania depot.
The first school attended by Mr. Spencer was on the east side of Bluff Street, just north of Washington. It was taught by Prof. George Bowman, in an old one story frame building that long since has been torn down.
David Turpie was the only resident attorney and Horace P. Biddle, of Logansport, was judge of the court whose sessions were brief and far between.
In 1847, there were no bridges across the Tippecanoe River and not even a ferry boat, until 1850, when one was started at the foot of Marion Street. The part of the town east of Main Street and north of the present railroad was called, "Ponetown," and was devoid of human habitations. Such in brief is a showing of Monticello prior to 1850. Few can recall these scenes and these few will soon have passed away.
SOLDIERS MONUMENT
It may seem strange that White County has erected no memorial to the soldiers and sailors she has furnished in our three wars since the organization of the county, but our people have been taxed so heavily
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for drainage and roads that it has not as yet been thought expedient to levy a tax for this purpose. That a fine one will some day be erected no one doubts. The subject has not been frequently agitated of late years, but so long ago as the close of the Civil war meetings were held for the purpose of interesting the public in such a project. The first meet- ing of which we can find an account was held at the courthouse in Mon- ticello on Saturday, 2 P. M., May 21, 1864. At this meeting, on motion of Thomas Bushnell, David Turpie was chosen president, and James W. McEwen and Richard Brown, secretaries.
Thomas Bushnell, Orlando Mcconahay and Dr. J. A. Blackwell, were appointed a committee to prepare a subscription paper for circula- tion and agents to circulate this paper were appointed for each township. Of all the people named in connection with this work James W. Mc- Ewen is the only one now living. This monument was to be erected in the public square at Monticello; at the close of the meeting nearly $150 was subscribed. Some years later Congress provided for the erection, over all graves of deceased soldiers, of the little plain head- stone so familiar to us all and, like the little bronze button, this soon became popular with the old veterans. Many counties of the state have erected memorials to their soldier dead and it is not likely White County will much longer delay some action in this matter.
OLD TANNERY AT NORWAY
About 1855, Rev. Abraham Snyder, father of Captain Snyder, now living in Monticello, built a tannery at Norway and for some fifteen years he did a thriving business. He purchased the hides from the farmers and butchers and tanned them with tanbark, taken from the surrounding forests which method produced a splendid quality of leather known as, "Snyder's Jerk." It was used largely by local shoe and harness makers and gave the best of satisfaction. John C. Bartholomew, who married Mr. Snyder's daughter, was a saddler and harness maker and had his factory in the tannery which was located just south of Norway across the road from the fine spring, which is passed on the highway. The water from this spring which is, "sweet unto this day," was used in tanning the hides and the Snyder family lived above the factory.
FIRST MARRIAGE IN WHITE COUNTY
The first marriage in White County, as shown by the records in the clerk's office was that of John Luce to Sally Hazelton, solemnized October 26, 1834. The second was the marriage of George R. Bartley to Katharine McColloch, on November 24, 1834, and the third Nathaniel Bunnell to Nancy Bunnell, on March 10, 1835. These licenses were all issued by William Sill, who was the first clerk of White County and in each case the knot was tied by George A. Spencer, justice of the peace.
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DEATH OF GYPSY KING AT NORWAY
During the month of July, 1913, a large band of Gypsies were encamped for several days on the east side of the river opposite Norway and while there their king, Thomas Nicholas, seventy-seven years old, died of dropsy. He was a man of wealth and the entire tribe was well supplied with money which was freely spent on the old king's funeral. His remains were taken by auto to Danville, Illinois, and there buried in regal style. His people would not allow the old king to be embalmed, the weather was quite warm and the trip was a memorable one for those unaccustomed to such funerals.
NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD CELEBRATION
On August 14, 1878, was celebrated at Monticello the opening of the second division of the I. D. & C. R. R. (now Monon and Standard Gauge). The Delphi and Monticello brass bands furnished the music. Rowland Hughes presided, speeches were made and all were hopeful that the road would soon be extended to Indianapolis and Chicago. This seems to have marked the completion of the road between Rensselaer and Monticello, for at the close of this meeting the watchword was, "On to Delphi." All were enthusiastic in praise of narrow gauge systems and it was openly expressed that the old standard gauge roads would soon be abandoned.
THE CALLAHAN FAMILY-NAME OF IDAVILLE
During the Civil war the Rev. Thomas Callahan, at that time pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at Idaville was a well known charac- ter. In politics he was a democrat of the old school but an intense union man. He has long since gone to his reward and in the spring of 1912 his widow died, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ida M. Baxter, in Valparaiso, Indiana, being eighty-nine years old. The town of Ida- ville was named after this daughter, who was handsome and a general favorite with the early settlers. After being given the name of Hanna it was discovered that there already was a Hanna in Indiana, hence the change.
DROWNING OF J. G. McCULLY
From the Register of July 5, 1854, we glean an account of the death by drowning in the Tippecanoe River of J. G. McCully, son of Solomon McCully, of Jackson Township, which occurred at the celebration on July 4, at Monticello. He, with several others, was bathing near the foot of Broadway and getting into deep water became frightened and sunk. His body, after about an hour, was recovered by Dr. Wm. Spencer and Benjamin Brusie.
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GRAVE OF THE OLDEST EARLY SETTLER
On the east bank of the Tippecanoe River, on a high bluff north of the dam, and just outside the city limits, is a little graveyard of much local interest, but very seldom seen by anyone save by the honest farmer who tends his crops in the adjacent field. Many of the graves are unmarked, but among the marble stones are those erected to the memory of Sarah S., wife of Moses S. Sheetz, who died January 14, 1853, in her thirty-second year; Margaret, wife of Zebulon Sheetz, who died December 2, 1861, in her sixty-ninth year; Mary A., wife of T. M. Thompson, who died October 24, 1867, in her forty-second year ; Zebulon Sheetz, who died November 9, 1868, in his seventy-first year; Thomas M. Thompson, who died August 24, 1881, in his seventy-second year, and Eva, wife of Jonathan Oates, who died January 1, 1845, in her thirty-fourth year. But at the southwest corner stands an old fash- ioned marble tombstone upon which is engraved this remarkable epitaph :
"To the Memory of Ann Barbara Sheetz Who was born in York Co. Pa. July 1750. Died in White Co. Ind., July 25, 1839."
No white person is buried in White County who was born prior to her birth. It is not known to whom she was related. The Sheetz, Oates and Thompson families were very early settlers, but neither record nor tradition gives any account of this woman who had lived a quarter of a century when the Revolutionary war was begun. She certainly came to White County after she had passed her fourscore years and we can only conjecture her reasons for coming, at that age, to a country occupied by the Indians. Her grave certainly contains the remains of our most aged early settler.
FIRST DITCH CASE TRIED IN WHITE COUNTY AS RECALLED BY JACK GRIDLEY
In 1863 and prior thereto the greater portion of Liberty and Cass townships consisted of ponds, sloughs and wet lands. Some time in 1862 or 1863 a meeting of farmers was held to consider the proposition of draining the wet land, and under the statute a company was organized known as the Keen's Creek Draining Company. The route of the pro- posed drain commenced near the head of Keen's Creek in Cass Township and followed practically the meanderings of the creek until it reached the
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Tippecanoe River. The company elected as directors Benjamin Watkins, Fred Burgett, Uriah Patton, Richard Cornell and others whose names I have forgotten. They proceeded to let a contract for the construction of the drain, having completed the preliminary survey and estimate of cost. Upon the completion of the drain they assessed the benefits against each tract of land benefited. Among the lands assessed were the lands of John C. Hughes and John Large, each of whom refused to pay his assessment. The company in 1865 employed Hon. David Turpie to bring suit against Hughes and Large for the collection of their respective assessments. He brought suit in the Common Pleas Court before Hon. David P. Vinton, judge.
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