USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 34
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practical effort made to promote and advance the welfare of town or county, Mr. Rector never shirks the responsibilities of office, and for eight years has served as supervisor. Politically he is a firm adherent of the Republican party. Religiously he is a member of the United Brethren church, as is also his wife, and is very active in the organization, in 1891 joining the Con- ference, and in 1894 being ordained as minister.
ARTHUR RECTOR. The life history of Arthur Rector is closely identified with the history of Delaware county, which has been his home for three score years and ten. When he was but a little lad of ten years his parents with their family came from Ohio to Delaware county, Indiana, making the jour- ney with team and wagon, and throughout the years which have since come and gone he has been closely allied with the interests and upbuilding of the county.
Mr. Rector was born in Clark county, Ohio, near Northampton, June 12, 1827, a son of Jonathan and Mary ( Downing) Rector, both of whom were also born in Clark county. There they were married, and their union was blessed with eleven children, but only two of this large number are now living, Arthur, the eldest of the eleven children, and Eliza, who has been three times married, but her husbands are all now deceased and she is living in Oklahoma. About 1837 Jonathan Rector came with his wife and children to Delaware county, and as above stated located seven miles southeast of Muncie, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in the wilderness, his nearest neighbors in those early days being the Indians and wild animals. The first home of the family was a little log cabin, but this in time gave place to a modern frame residence, the first frame house of the locality, but Mr. Rector later sold this homestead and purchased the farm where his son Arthur now lives. There he spent the remainder of his life and died at the age of seventy-four years. He inscribed his name high on the roll of Delaware county's pioneers, and his name is honored and revered as one of its foremost founders. He was a member of the United Brethren church, and politically was a Jefferson Democrat until he cast his vote for John C. Fremont and the Republican party. Mrs. Rector died at the age of seventy-four years.
The boyhood days of Arthur Rector were spent with his father on the home farm, assisting in its clearing and cultivation and at the same time pursuing his educational training in the district schools. The first work which he performed after his marriage was the splitting of three thousand fence rails, receiving in compensation twenty-five cents a hundred, and at the time of his marriage his cash capital consisted of but fifty cents, his possessions now representing earnest and unceasing labor. After working for others about four or five years he purchased forty acres of timber land, erecting in the dense woods a little log cabin of the most primitive kind. Its furnishings were equally as crude, and its first bedstead was built by boring holes in the side of the cabin, in which were inserted poles with
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uprights, while stripped hickory elm was tied across the poles to support the straw mattress. The farm was located in Perry township, and with the passing years he added to his original purchase until he became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, which he sold in 1882 for eight thousand dollars. Coming thence to Harrison township he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, later adding sixty acres thereto, thus making him the owner of two hundred and twenty acres. In 1883 he erected the pleasant and commodious residence which now adorns the homestead. In 1906 he laid aside the cares of an active business life and is now living retired. In 1862 Mr. Rector entered the ministry of the United Brethren in Christ, and has ever since been an active laborer in the cause of Christianity. During twenty-seven years he traveled a circuit in the interests of his church. His first presidential vote was cast for Martin Van Buren, and since then he has supported the principles of the Republican party.
On the 3d of December, 1846, Mr. Rector married Mary Cary, who was born in Sidney, Ohio, March 7, 1831, a daughter of William and Hannah (Jackson) Cary, and her death occurred on the 25th of July, 1903, after becoming the mother of eleven children, the nine now living being Charles W., Marcus C., James, Mary E., Barbara C., Annis, John E., Elmetta F. and William A. Mr. Rector married for his second wife Mary Amanda Dines, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, February 14, 1842, a daughter of William and Rebecca (Wadman) Johnson, the former of whom was a native of Wayne county, Indiana, and the latter of Mary- land. Their deaths occurred, respectively, in 1842 and August 26, 1851, the mother being but twenty-eight years of age when death claimed her. Mrs. Rector is their only child, and she was first married to John L. Dine March 15, 1873. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, October 28, 1850, and died on the 27th of October, 1890. One daughter, Elva R., was born of this union, and she died at the age of seventeen years, August 20, 1892.
WILLIAM H. BROWN bears an honorable record for service in the Civil war and Delaware county also numbers him among her prominent agri- culturists and business men. He was born in Clinton county, Ohio, March 12, 1844. His father, Joseph S. Brown, claimed Pennsylvania as the commonwealth of his nativity, born March 20, 1819, but when a boy of fourteen years he accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio. He continued as a farmer in that state until his removal with his family to Indiana in 1852, first purchasing forty acres of timber land in Harrison township, and in the little round log cabin which stood upon the land the family began their pioneer life in the Hoosier state. The country was then new and wild, without roads and the other improvements of the present day, but as the years grew apace and the country became more thickly settled conditions changed, and in the meantime Mr. Brown cleared his
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land and added forty acres to its boundaries, while in time the little log cabin gave place to a more commodious frame residence. There this Dela- ware county pioneer spent his remaining days and died on the 7th of March, 1905. He was a lifelong farmer and for a number of terms served his fellow townsmen as a supervisor. He upheld the principles of the Democratic party and was a member of the New Light Christian church for about thirty years. During his residence in Ohio, on the 8th of Sep- tember, 1841, Mr. Brown married Mary (Jones) Taylor, who was born in Virginia August 20, 1809, and she died in Harrison township February 9, 1891. She was twice married, first wedding James Taylor, by whom she had six children, and two are now living-Sarah, the widow of James Goodrich and a resident of Hartford City, and George W., who married Susan Clevenger. Of the three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown two are now living, William H., the subject of this review, and Eliza Jane, the wife of W. T. Downing, of Harrison township.
William H. Brown was but a lad of eight years when the family home was established in Delaware county, and during his boyhood days he assisted his father in the work of the home farm, attending school during the winter months. In his eighteenth year, on the Ist of August, 1863, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, for six months, and was discharged at Indianapolis, Indiana, March 1, 1864. Re-enlisting in Company D, Sixteenth Regiment of Mounted Infantry, October 21, 1863, he was later transferred to Company I, Thirteenth Regiment of Indiana Cavalry, October 24, 1864, and was dis- charged at Jackson, Mississippi, October 23, 1865, by reason of the expira- tion of his term of service. During his military career he participated in the battles of Walker's Ford, Blue Spring, Greenville and in many skirmishes, and after his return from the war he resumed his agricultural labors and soon located on the farm where he now resides in Harrison township, promi- nently engaged in general farming and stock raising. In 1897 he remodeled his residence and his homestead is now one of the best in the locality.
On November 13, 1871, Mr. Brown married Miss Rachel M. Coffen, who was born in Harrison township, Delaware county, September 13, 1849, a daughter of Isaac and Mary (Reed) Coffen. The father was born .in Fayette county, Indiana, November 21, 1812, from whence he removed to Delaware county, Indiana, in 1845 or 1846, purchasing land from his father, Samuel Coffen, in Harrison township. This land had been formerly entered from the government. The little log cabin in which Mr. Coffen first made his home in Harrison township was later replaced by a frame residence, and there his death occurred at the age of seventy-eight years. His entire business career was devoted to agricultural pursuits, his political affiliations were with the Whig and Republican parties, and he was a member of the United Brethren church. Mrs. Coffen, who bore the maiden name of Mary Reed, and was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 10, 1813, died on the 15th of October, 1892. They were married March 12, 1847, and became
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John M. Bloss
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the parents of five children, of whom two are now living-William H. and Mrs. Brown. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown : Mary A., the wife of James McCreery; Martha S., the wife of George Stinson; Arthur, who married Susan Benadum; and Ralph. The Repub- lican party receives Mr. Brown's active support and cooperation, and he has membership relations with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army Post in Gaston. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church.
JOHN MCKNIGHT BLOSS, deceased, patriot and educator of national reputation, was a native of Indiana, born in Washington county, near New Philadelphia, on the 21st of January, 1839, and his death occurred April 26, 1905, at his late home in Hamilton township, Delaware county, Indiana. He was the only son of Isaac Scott and Agnes (McKnight) Bloss, but he had two sisters, Elizabeth J. and Margaret A., and also four half-brothers and two half-sisters by the father's second marriage. In tracing the lineage of Mr. Bloss it is found that the progenitor of the family in America was Edmund Bloss, who came from England about 1634, and was one of the founders of Watertown, Massachusetts. He had a son, Richard, the father of Richard, Jr., and the last named was the father of Samuel, who had a son Samuel, and he became the father of Dorman Bloss, the grandfather of John M. Bloss. Dorman Bloss and his son Isaac were pioneers of Washington county, Indiana. "
In his youth John M. Bloss assisted his father on the farm and in the tannery, and was permitted to spend a few months each year attending the early pioneer schools, which did not afford the best of educational advantages, but with indomitable energy and courage he applied himself to his books, making his own way so rapidly that at the age of sixteen we find him teaching, beginning at that early age the work of his life. In the year of 1854 he entered upon his college course and six years of his time were spent at Hanover, teaching his way when necessary to defray expenses in college. He graduated in 1860 with honors, receiving the degree of A. B., and at once entered upon the regular work of his life as principal of the public school at Livonia, Indiana.
Soon after Fort Sumter was fired upon by the South young Bloss tendered his services with other youths of Livonia to Governor Morton, who could not accept their services for the reason that the state's quota had already been more than filled. However, in the following summer he again tendered his services in the defense of the Union and was accepted. He enlisted as a private in Company F, Twenty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was sworn in on the 9th day of August, 1861. His regi- ment was sent directly to the Potomac and placed in Mcclellan's army. In the dreadful conflict that followed between the states young Bloss took part in the battles of Ball's Bluff, Winchester, Bull Run, Antietam, Chan- cellorsville, Gettysburg, Resaca and others. After the battle of Antietam 18
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he was made first lieutenant of his company, and six months later was placed in command of the first division, Twelfth Army Pioneer Corps. After this he was for a time inspector on General Ruger's staff, and on the 12th of May, 1864, he was promoted to the captaincy of his company, which went west under Hooker and took part in the engagements at Resaca and Atlanta. While in the service Captain Bloss was wounded four times, once each at the engagements of Antietam, Winchester, Chancellorsville and Resaca, the last time so seriously that he was compelled to resign and return home. His resignation was dated October 17, 1864, and thus it is seen that he served nearly through the war, having been exposed to fire in no less than fifteen engagements.
The most noted event in the military career of Captain Bloss was the finding of the "Gen. Lee's Special Order No. 191," or Lee's Lost Dispatch. In this dispatch General Lee directed General D. H. Hill to move from Frederick to South Mountain, and informing him that General Stonewall Jackson had been sent to capture Harper's Ferry, also disclosing General Lee's plans in the Maryland raid. General Lee had designed not only to hold "heroic Maryland," but also plant the war in the "wheat fields" of Pennsylvania and take Washington city. The entire plan was drawn out in detail and a copy given to each of his corps commanders, one of which was General D. H. Hill, who was so displeased with the place given him in the plans that in a fit of ugly temper he threw the dispatch on the ground, even overlooking two cigars contained in the envelope, and of cigars, too, he was very fond. This dispatch was written on the 12th of September and found on the following day. Sergeant Bloss was in command of a skirmish line in the advance upon Frederick, and as a short pause in the march was ordered the soldier boys threw themselves down on the ground for rest. It was about nine o'clock in the morning of a fair day, and nothing indicated that only a few hours before the command of General Hill had left the scene in obedience to General Lee's orders. Sergeant Bloss noticed at the feet of a comrade some papers and said, "What is that paper?" "An envelope," was the reply. "Hand it to me," said the sergeant. Taking it, the soldier noticed the two enclosed cigars and playfully divided them, but to Bloss he handed the envelope containing General Lee's dispatch. Ser- geant Bloss learning its import knew that it was a valuable find and at once forwarded it to General Mcclellan, who by these means became aware that General Hill alone was in his front and General Jackson was advancing on Harper's Ferry. He accordingly pushed on to South Mountain, defeated Hill and drove him across Antietam, and then, unfortunately, instead of pushing forward, waited two days for Lee to collect his forces, as the "lost order" showed he would do. This order was used as one of the evidences against General McClellan during his investigation by Congress and was probably the cause of his being removed from the command of the Potomac, while General Hill was severely denounced throughout the south.
The columns of the press and pages of history have been devoted to
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this lost dispatch, and at one time Harper Brothers published an authentic story of its finding, crediting Private Mitchell for finding it, but the story as here told is authenticated not only by Mr. Bloss, but by several trust- worthy affidavits now in possession of Mr. Bloss' widow. In this regard, while there can be no reasonable doubt as to who found the "Lost Dis- patch," the writer, after having made full investigation, would observe that had Private Mitchell been the actual finder of the dispatch, credit is due Mr. Bloss for interpreting its import and forwarding it to his chief commander.
Official Documents in the Case. Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, September 9, 1862.
Special Orders, No. 191.
. The army will resume its march tomorrow, taking the Hagerstown road. General Jackson's command will form the advance, and, after passing Middletown, with such portion as he may select, take the route toward Sharpsburg, cross the Potomac at the most convenient point, and, by Friday night, take possession of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, capture such of the enemy as may be at Martinsburg, and intercept such as may attempt to escape from Harper's Ferry.
General Longstreet's command will pursue the same road as far as Boons- borough, where it will halt with the reserve, supply, and baggage trains of the army.
General MeLaws, with his own division and that of General R. H. Anderson, will follow General Longstreet. On reaching Middletown he will take the route to Harper's Ferry, and by Friday morning possess himself of the Maryland Heights, and endeavor to capture the enemy at Harper's Ferry and vicinity.
General Walker, with his division, after accomplishing the object in which he is now engaged, will cross the Potomac at Cheek's Ford, ascend its right bank to Lovettsville, take possession of Loudoun Heights, if practicable, by Friday morning, Keys' Ford on his left, and the road between the end of the mountain and the Potomae on his right. He will, as far as practicable, cooperate with General MeLaws and General Jackson in intercepting the retreat of the enemy.
General D. H. Hill's division will form the rear guard of the army, pursuing the road taken by the main body. The reserve artillery, ordnance, supply trains, &e., will precede General Hill. . General Stuart will detach a squadron of cavalry to accompany the commands of Generals Longstreet, Jackson, and MeLaws, and with the main body of the cavalry will cover the route of the army and bring up all stragglers that may have been left behind.
The commands of General Jackson, MeLaws, and Walker, after accomplishing the objects for which they have been detached, will join the main body of the army at Boonsborough or Hagerstown.
Each regiment on the march will habitually carry its axes in the regimental ordnance wagons, for use of the men at their encampments to procure wood, &c.
R. H. CHILTON, Assistant Adjutant-General.
MAJ. GEN. D. H. HILL, Commanding Division.
Lee's Special Order, No. 191.
As a member of Co. A. 27th Regt-Indiana Volunteers I wish to make a state- ment about the finding of The Lost Dispatcher "Lee's Special Order No-191" found near Fredrick Maryland, Sept. the 13th, 1862.
That morning Company "F" and Company "A" of the 27th, were on the skirmish line. John M. Bloss was then the first or Ordily Seargeant" of Company "F". We moved forward but discovered no enemy and halted near the city limits in a meadow; it was a warm morning and when we halted we threw ourselves on the ground to rest. I was one of the smallest of Company "A" and my position in the ranks of the Company formation was on the extreme left and this would place me immediately at the extreme right of Company "F" and very near the position of "Ordily Seargeant" Bloss of Company "F".
We were in the position indicated when my attention was called to an envelope which was picked up near me. I saw Seargeant Bloss with the envelope in his hand drawing a paper or papers out of it, he then and there read the contents of the
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papers aloud to us, of what proved to be Lee's Special order No-191. Sergeant Bloss remarked "This is of great importance if genuine," he then started to the rear with the papers in his band, there was no one with him when he left the Com- pany to take the order to the officers. I distinctly remember seeing Bloss hand the envelope to Col. Colgrave who drew out the papers and then went through the motion of reading them; Col. Colgrave then mounted his horse and disappeared from my sight. At no time did I see anyone have the envelope or papers in his hands except Bloss until I saw him place them in the hands of Col. Colgrave.
My position of the left of Company "A" and the position of Sergeant Bloss on the right of "F" brought us near together and when we halted we were not more than four or five feet apart, and when he began to read aloud those who were near all elustered about him. WILLIAM H. HOSTETTER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this the Is day of December 1906. SALATHIEL I. GILLAM, Notary Public.
A STATEMENT IN REGARD TO LEE'S " LOST DISPATCH." Special Order No. 191.
I wish to make the following statement in regard to the celebrated lost dispatch. Special Order, No. 191, found near Frederick City, Maryland, September 13, 1862. I was a private soldier in Company "F", 27th. Indiana volunteers. On the morning of September 13, 1862, about nine o'eloek, Co. A and Co, F. were sent forward as a skirmish line near the city of Frederick, our Company being in charge of John M. Bloss, who at that time was Ordily Sergeant of the Company. We advanced aeross a field to where there had been a fence, but at that time only a row of weeds, grass and some small shrubs or bushes. The men lay down, Sergeant Bloss at the head of the Company, Barton W. Mitchell next to Bloss, and on Bloss's left; I next to Mitchell, and so on down the line. Just after we lay down I saw a large envelope to my left, lying in the grass and weeds, and was in the aet of reaching for it with my left hand when at the same moment Bloss said "What is that paper?" I had got the package in my hands by this time and read the address, "Gen. D. H. Hill, Commanding," ete. Bloss said "Hand it to me." As I passed the paper to him over Mitchell's body, two or three cigars fell out of the package. Mitchell picked up one of the eigars and said "I know what this is." Bloss took the package and took the order out of the envelope and read it, or a part of it aloud, and remarked "Boys this is an important matter (or important paper) if genuine. I will take it to Captain Kopp." Bloss went to the rear with the order, to where Captain Kopp was, and later on I saw him and Captain Kopp talking to Col. Colgrave.
I make this statement, feeling that Captain John M. Bloss, has not had the recognition in this matter that is due him. B. F. Mitchell did not see the paper until after Bloss spoke to me about it, and did not have it in his hands, and did not accompany Bloss to the rear when Bloss took it to Captain Kopp. Bloss being in charge of our Company on the line, none of the men could retire to the rear where Captain Kopp or Col. Colgrave were, without Bloss's permission.
DANIEL B. VANCE, Brownstown, Indiana.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 15 day of September 1905. M. H. PEACOCK. Notary Publie.
My Commission will expire April 19, 1906.
As stated above Captain Bloss on account of a disabling wound received at Resaca resigned and returned to his home. In the winter of 1864 he pursued post-graduate courses, and the next year taught in New Phila- delphia. His rise in the profession of teaching was rapid. For four years he was principal of the academy at Orleans, Indiana, and then, 1870, was chosen principal of the Female High School at New Albany, Indiana. While at Orleans as principal of the academy there Mr. Bloss also served for three years as county superintendent of schools of Orange county. Fis stay at New Albany covered a period of five years, and then, in 1875, he was advanced to the superintendency of the city schools of Evansville, the second largest city in Indiana, and by reason of which, under the school
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law, Mr. Bloss became a member of the state board of education. He remained at the head of the city schools of Evansville for five years, and in 1880 became the Republican nominee for the office of state superintendent of public instruction, and was elected to the office. He held the position for two years, or one term, was renominated by his political party as its candi- date for the office, but with all his colleagues shared the defeat of his party at the polls in 1882. At the expiration of his term of office Mr. Bloss was called to the superintendency of the city schools of Muncie, Indiana, which position he held from 1883 to 1886. In the latter year he was chosen superintendent of the city schools of Topeka, Kansas, where he remained five years, and was then made president of the State Agricultural College of Oregon at Corvallis. There he remained until 1896, when on account of failing health he resigned and returned to Delaware county, Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his days on a farm in Hamilton township.
The thirty-second report of the superintendent of public instruction, state of Indiana, dated 1884, states that Mr. Bloss at the head of the state department displayed high ability in every phase of his work, and from that same report we take the following excerpt :
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