USA > Indiana > An illustrated history of the state of Indiana: being a full and authentic civil and political history of the state from its first exploration down to 1875 > Part 26
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The increase in population and business facilities was steady for many years succeeding the depression of trade in 1837-8, but not rapid. Up to 1860-65, the spirit of improvement and enterprise was only in process of development. After that time, however, new life seemed to be infused, and rapid advances were observable in every department of industry, and capital - before withheld from investment promising extensive accumulations, as if a dollar out of sight was for- ever lost- began to seek investment in public and private enterprises which have since yielded liberal profits. For a few years past, the character of the improvements have been more healthy and permanent than ever before, the population increasing in the last decade more than three hundred per cent. To-day it contains fourteen church edifices, one college, eight public school buildings, including seven ward and one high school building, in addition to four private school build- ings, representing conspicuously. the educational interest of the citizens.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY - HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.
TIPPECANOE county contains within its limits one of
the oldest historical landmarks in Indiana -Ountanon. This was the French name given to the military post which was established on the Wea prairie, near the Wabash, about the same time that Fort Miami, at the head of the Maumee, was erected, probably in 1705.
At Ountanon, (unlike other pioneer French outposts in Indiana,) but few French settled, except the transient trader, who was coming and going with the demands of his vocation, and the military occupation of the place was not permanent. There were long intervals when no garrison was maintained to restrain the savages, which may be given as a reason for the tardiness of the place as a general French settlement. How- ever, in 1759-60, when all the French forts in the northwest fell into the hands of the British, Ountanon was enjoying the benefits of a garrison, and was surrounded by a small number of rude French dwellings. The post, with all others in the vicinity, passed into the hands of the English, and was garri- soned by the latter in 1760. At this time most of the French inhabitants removed to Vincennes, a few families only remain- ing.
The Wea Indian village surrounding the fort, was one of the most important Indian settlements in the Miami con- federacy, and remained such until its destruction under the military administration of General George Rogers Clark, in 1788-9.
In 1763, during the memorable Pontiac war, Fort Ountanon fell among the "fated nine," a victim to Indian stratagem.
(381)
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
At that time the little fort was commanded by Edward Jen- kins, who, in a letter to Major Gladwyn, of Detroit, dated June first, 1763, gives us an account of the reduction of the fort in the following language:
SIR: I have heard of your situation, which gives me great pain ; indeed, we are not in much better; for this morning the Indians sent for me to speak to me, and immediately bound me. When I got to their cabin I found some of my soldiers in the same condition. They told me Detroit, Miami, and all those posts were cut off, and that it was a folly to make any resistance. They therefore desired me to make the few soldiers in the fort surrender, otherwise they would put us all to death in case one man was killed. They were to have fell on us and killed us all last night, but Mr. Maisongville and Lorain gave them wampum not to kill us, and when they told the interpreter that we were all to be killed, and he, knowing the condition of the fort, begged of them to make us prisoners. They have put us into French houses, and both Indians and French use us very well. All these nations say they are very sorry, but that they were obliged to do it by the other nations. The belt did not arrive here till last night about eight o'clock. Mr. Lorain can inform you of all. I have just received the news of St. Josephs' being taken. Eleven men were killed, and three taken prisoners with the officers. I have nothing more to say, but that I sincerely wish you a speedy succor, and that we may be able to revenge ourselves on those that deserve it.
This letter was written by Mr. Jenkins while a prisoner of the Indians before his departure from Wea to Illinois, whence he was taken by his captors.
These incidents were enacted on the soil of Tippecanoe county, in 1763, long before it was settled by Americans. The fort had been erected probably in 1705, and was garri- soned, at intervals, by the French until 1760, when it was occupied by the English, who maintained a garrison at the post until its destruction by the Indians in 1763, which termi- nated its existence. It was never rebuilt, and to-day not a vestige of it remains to mark the place where it stood. The soil has been cultivated, and most of the old rusty swords, tomahawks, etc., have been uncovered and carried away by the surrounding settlers.
When the fort was reduced, in 1763, the few remaining French settlers removed to Vincennes, leaving their rude dwellings, as well as the old fort to the Wea Indians, who demolished them.
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TIPPECANOE COUNTY.
The first American settlers who came to Tippecanoe county, settled in 1823, seven years after the date of the organization of the State, and at an era in its history when immigration was flowing in from the east in a steady volume. From 1763 to the date of the settlement of the county, there is but little of importance to record. In 1808, the "Prophet's Town,"
WIGHTMAN BUFFALO, N.Y.
OPERA HOUSE, LAFAYETTE.
which has become famous in history, was established. It was located near the junction of the Tippecanoe and Wabash rivers, about one mile from the spot where the celebrated " Battle of Tippecanoe" was afterwards fought, and about seven miles from the present city of La Fayette. When General Harrison invaded this town, on the seventh of
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
November, 1811, it contained about two thousand inhabitants, men, women and children, and was the largest Indian settle- ment in the State; but, with the Prophet's defeat, and the return of his brother, Tecumseh, in the following spring, it was broken up, and the remaining followers of the brave Shawanoe went with him to Canada, where they established themselves near Malden.
In 1823, when the first settlers came to the county, Craw- fordsville was the center of civilization in the Wabash valley for several miles in both directions. It was at this place that the first land office was opened, and where the first settlers of Tippecanoe county entered their lands. For three years after the settlement of Tippecanoe county, or until 1826, when the county was organized, the settlers were obliged to go to Crawfordsville for all judicial purposes, as well as for supplies. As we have said, the county was organ- ized in 1826. "In due time commissioners were appointed to survey and lay out the new county according to law, and to locate the county seat. The natural beauty and eligibility of the site now occupied by La Fayette, together with its surround- ings, immediately determined the said commissioners to award to this locality the county honors. At the time there were rival towns, but that rivalry soon ceased to be, as La Fayette soon outstripped them in the race of progress, some of which joined with her and added to her population, being satisfied that La Fayette was soon to be the "pride of the valley,' her location being at the head of navigation, bounded by the beautiful wooded hills, beyond which lies the different prairies, teeming with fertility, the abundance of whose harvests have more than made real the hopes of the most hopeful, gladdening the hearts of the industrious farmer, filling his home with the necessities of life, giving him a liberal purse, a liberal mind. and manly qualities."*
In 1825,+ or about one year previous to the creation of Tippecanoe county, one William Digby was induced by a few enterprising gentlemen from Crawfordsville, to lay out the first
* Loren Harsman's pamphlet.
t From a sketch written by Mr. A. J. Rouse, of La Fayette.
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TIPPECANOE COUNTY.
plat of the town of La Fayette, on his little tract of land on the east bank of the river Wabash, near the center of what would be a reasonable sized county, with the view that ultimately it might become the county seat of the then projected county. Digby was not a man of enterprise or forethought, and conse- quently sold his entire town plat of the city on the same day
1
ayas Del
GADAMS.CO.CIN
FORD SCHOOL, LA FAYETTE.
it was laid out, to Samuel Sargent, for two hundred and forty dollars, reserving for himself only one fractional lot, and twenty acres adjoining the town. The original plat was soon divided between Isaac C. Ellston, John Wilson, and Jonathan Powers, all of the same town of Crawfordsville. As yet it was a mere city on paper, located in a dense forest, with rivals
25
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
both above and below, whose claims were not to be ignored. Cincinnatus, two miles below, on the west bank of the river, and Americus, above, on the east bank, had each clainis that were thought by the parties interested, sufficient to induce the proper authorities to locate the county seat at either place. But the joint proprietors of the new city in the woods were liberal as well as enterprising, and offered to the new county authorities half of their town plat for the location; besides, Sargent, Kesey, and Alexander, each donated ten acres adjoin- ing the plat, as a further inducement to the authorities, which liberal donation was accepted, and the location of the county seat made the same year the county merged into existence. The choice was a wise one, that has given entire satisfaction to the inhabitants ever since, because of its central and healthy location.
With the completion of the old Wabash and Erie Canal to La Fayette, that place began to improve and increase in popu- lation, and although for several years it had many rivals in the Wabash valley, it has outgrown them all, and is now one of the leading cities in the State in point of population, wealth and influence. La Fayette is beautifully situated, and is one of the handsomest places in the State.
Its educational advantages are second to no city in Indiana; its commerce is very good, and in manufactures it is consider- ably behind, but there are ample facilities for this branch of industry in La Fayette, and many bright prospects of their being improved at an early day. The city has now a popula- tion of about twenty thousand, and is growing rapidly.
The history of the public schools of La Fayette is full of interest and instruction. It has been very pleasantly written by Mr. Sanford C. Cox, an affable old gentleman of La Fayette, who himself has spent many valuable years as a teacher of pioneer schools, and who has kindly permitted the use of the pioneer schools, and who has kindly permitted the use of the following in this volume:
In the fall and winter of 1827-28, Joseph Tatman, Esq., taught school in La Fayette, in a log cabin that stood near where Breckenridge & Jenkins' mill now stands. Like all other cabins of those days, the floor was laid with punchcons, the door made of shaved clapboards, hung on wooden
387
TIPPECANOE COUNTY.
hinges, the chimney built of cat-an-clay, with back wall and jambs. The seats and writing-tables were also made of puncheons, and the windows were covered with greased paper instead of glass. The furniture con- sisted of a splint-bottom chair for the teacher, a water bucket, gourd, and some pegs in the wall on which to hang hats, cloaks and dinner-baskets. He taught two or three terms in this cabin. He also taught vocal music, and played well on the flute. The next school was taught by John D. Farmer in the same cabin, who afterwards removed his school to the old court-house, that stood near the ferry landing at the foot of Main street, which was afterwards occupied as a residence by Moses Michaels, the ferryman, and the widow Riley, who baked and sold the first ginger-cakes baked in La Fayette. How many terms Mr. Farmer taught is not remem- bered .*
Hugh M. King, in the year 1829, taught school in a one-story frame
BOARDING
HOUSEF
PURDUE UNIVERSITY.
that stood on the lot now occupied by Handley's block, on the east side of Fourth street, between Columbia and South streets. These were sub- scription schools- the employers paying according to the number of pupils subscribed, at the rate stipulated in the articles, which was gener- ally from one dollar and fifty cents to two dollars per scholar per quarter. The branches taught were spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar and geography. In but few instances was the teacher called upon to instruct his pupils in more than the four first named branches. The athletic sports of the boys, at the noon play-time, consisted in playing corner ball (bull-pen), cat, town ball, and a game called shinny. Base
* The sketch of the pioneer schools of La Fayette may be applied, in a great measure, to the pioneer schools of every city and county in the State.
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
ball, now so popular among grown-up boys, who go from city to city to play with other hopeful "nines " whose ages range from eighteen to forty- five, is a perversion of town-ball. It is a rough and dangerous game. The girls amused themselves jumping the rope, gathering flowers, swinging, and other healthful amusements. There were then no male and female Dolly Varden Croquet Clubs, playing out-door billiards on the green. with painted mallets and balls, large shoe-buckles, and a stock of affectation to match.
The next on the list of teachers was Ezekiel Timmons, who taught in a small frame house which stood on the northeast corner of the lot occupied by the Milwaukee block. He taught several terms. He also taught sing- ing schools in the village, and in several neighborhoods in the country, and served as surveyor of Tippecanoe county for many years. He wrote excellent poetry. Rufus Webb followed Mr. Timmons in teaching the young idea how to shoot. He taught in a one-story frame on the " Miller property," east of Henry Taylor's residence, near the corner of Third and Alabama streets. He taught two or three terms. Miss Abigail Huff, in the summer of 1833, taught school in a one-story frame that stood on Main street, north of the public-square, between the First National Bank and Wilson & Hanna's bank. Colonel Henry Oilar, a few years later, taught three terms in the Jennings' brick, which stood where the Lahr House now stands. He was also county surveyor for several years.
In 1833, the Presbyterians built their brick church, on the corner of Fourth and South streets, and had, by an agreement with those who con- tributed funds for its erection, a room struck off at the west end for a school-house. Rev. Joseph G. Wilson and his wife, and Rufus A. Lock- wood, Esq., were among the first who taught in this house. Hon. David Turpie, Hon. Joseph E. McDonald, and other distinguished personages, can look back to this little house where they received their first academic honors. In a few years, the congregation being straitened for room, the partition was taken out, and the whole building was used as a church, literary hall, and public lecture-room, where many distinguished strangers entertained the literati of the village. The first County Lyceum (inaugu- rated by Mr. Town, the grammarian,) was held in this house. Some of the most pleasant recollections of by-gone years of many of our older citizens, date back to the literary meetings held in this house.
The first regular school-house built in the town, was a one-story frame, which stood north of Main street, near where the German Catholic Church now stands. In this house John E. Heald, Frederick Stone and Jacob G. Wallace successively swayed the birch; also, a gentleman, and scholar, whose name is fortunately forgotten, generally known as the "Educator." The way he obtained that soubriquet was as follows: Having a high opin- ion of himself, and his qualifications as a teacher, he imprudently (per- haps playfully) told some of his chums that he was no common pedagogue, but an educator. His remark was regarded as rather pedantic for a new country, and was the occasion of a severe pun. One afternoon, on return- ing to school from his boarding-house, he espied the word "Educator,"
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TIPPECANOE COUNTY.
carved in large Roman letters on a plank of the weather-boarding of the house facing Main street. It could be seen and read plainly from the middle of the street. His wrath was kindled, and he declared that he would punish any one who had the audacity to engrave that word on the wall, to insult him. On an investigation of the case, he found it had been carved by a blue-eyed, golden-haired miss of some twelve summers, a member of one of the most wealthy and influential families in the town. He changed his mind in regard to inflicting corporeal punishment. The mischievous urchins, in going to and returning from school, would often stop and spell aloud the hand-writing on the wall, in the hearing of the teacher, which so worried him that in a short time he left the town in dis gust - but the word "Educator " was for many years seen standing out in bold relief, as the only monument of the departed school-master.
The white school-house that stood on the corner of Fourth and Alabama streets, east of the new jail, was the next school-house erected in the town.
LABORATORY. PURDUE UNIVERSITY.
It became the principal seat of learning for the youth of La Fayette, as well as a hall of the Moot Legislature that met there for several winters; the County Lyceum, and other interesting literary, religious and political meetings. The interesting discussions in the Moot Legislature, which numbered some hundred members, were participated in by many who afterwards became distinguished as jurists, legislators, scholars and busi- ness men. It was in this house Miss Sarah Webb, Rev. P. R. Vannatta, James B. Heatley and several others taught prior to the erection of the county seminary. Reuben Robinson taught one or two terms in the old frame Methodist Church, on the lot occupied by the late Fifth Street Church - now used as a town hall. Solomon Hathaway taught two or three terms in the basement of the Baptist Church, on Sixth street, between Main and Ferry. Mrs. McCune taught in the southern part of the city,
390
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
near the old Junction House, and afterwards on Fifth street, about one square south of the New Albany Railroad depot. Mrs. Goodwin's high school was taught on the Oakland Hill, near the Oakland House. Among the first teachers in the graded schools, under our common school system, were Laura Maynard, Ellen Merrill, Mary E. Smith, Nancy J. Skinner, Margaret E. Hoes, Sarah C. Comstock, Elmira Meeker, Mary G. Cline and Orphie Hathaway. C. M. Bishop taught a grammar school. In 1862-63, Professor Rouse had a Classical Academy in the old State Bank, corner of Main and Sixth streets. Professor Kennedy conducted a commercial college in Taylor's block, west side of the public square. There was also a commercial college and writing school taught by a Mr. Hollingsworth in the Barbee block, opposite the Lahr House, about the years 1862 and 1863.
P. B. Began taught in the school-house at the St. Mary's (Catholic) Church, on Fifth street, Father M. J. Clark, pastor. At St. Mary's Church and Seminary, on Columbia street, Rev. Father Hamilton and Hallinan, pastors; Christian Brothers' School, Superior Brother Bernard and five brother assistants; Sisters' School of the Order of Sisters of Providence; Superior, Sister Mary John, and eight sister assistants. At St. Boniface, (German Catholic Church and Schools) pastor, Rev. Biene; assistant, Rev. Gregory; Franciscan, (German School), taught by three Ursuline Sisters; and at St. Ann's (Catholic) Church and School, on Wabash avenue - three primary schools for children under eight years of age - under charge of the Brothers of the Holy Cross.
There were several select schools kept in different portions of the town by the Misses Boyer, Garland, Campbell, Stiles, Carpenters, Shaw, Jason, Dame, Mrs. Underwood, Rev. Mr. Barton, Rev. Mr. Leveredge, Naylor and wife, Rev. Mr. Tenbrook and others, whose names and places of teaching are not remembered with sufficient definiteness to be described by the writer, nor by those with whom he has conferred on the subject - whose assistance has greatly aided him in the preparation of this paper, which, although correct in the main, he can not hope will be entirely free from inaccuracies.
The success in after years of a majority of these Lang Syne teachers is well known to our citizens. The most of them have passed to the Spirit land -while a few remain to witness the good results of their labors of "long time ago." May their hearts never grow old.
The erection of the County Seminary in 1841-42, by R. S. Ford, Joseph S. Hanna and Jacob Benedict, Trustees of the Seminary funds of Tippe- canoe county, formed a new epoch in the literary advantages of our county. It was built on the side of the hill in the eastern portion of La Fayette, on the site now occupied by the Catholic Church and Seminary. It was opened under favorable auspices under the charge of Rev. Joseph G. Wil- sou and his wife, as principals, aided by other competent teachers in the primary and higher grades of the Academy. Public exhibitions were given at the close of each session, giving satisfaction to the parents and guardians of the pupils attending the school. But county seminaries did
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TIPPECANOE COUNTY.
not supply the wants of the people of the different counties in the State. Few were able to pay the expenses of boarding and tuition of their chil- dren ; besides they were deprived of the society of their sons and daugh- ters, who were removed from the social endearments and wholesome restraints of home, where their welfare could be looked after by those who loved them best. The system became unpopular, and the law was repealed by the new Constitution of the State which took effect Novem- ber first, 1851, and the county seminary and land on which it was erected reverted to L. B. Stockton, Esq, who had conveyed it to the board of sem- inary trustees on the condition that it was forever to be used for school purposes and as a public hall for the town - and for no other purpose whatever. Resort was then had to the old system of select and high schools. A high school was erected on the corner of South and Seventh streets, under the auspices of Messrs. M. L. Pierce, R. H. Eldridge, Wil-
DORMITORY. PURDUE UNIVERSITY.
liam P. Heath, R. Brackenridge and others. It was conducted success- fully for several years, by Rev. Mr. Stone Allen and Prof. Winters and his wife.
But, at length, the present excellent common school system came to the relief of those who wished to educate their chil- dren, and three large school-houses- the Central, Southern and Eastern- were erected in localities to suit the conven- ience of the residents. But educational enterprise, under the new system, did not stop here. The Ford school building was soon after erected, which is one of the finest public school buildings in the State. Other school buildings have from time to time been erected, until La Fayette has to-day very com-
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
plete and most admirable school facilities. The present year required the labor of thirty-seven teachers, and there was an average attendance of two thousand pupils. The school prop- erty of the city proper is valued at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Aside from the public schools, the Purdue University, or Indiana State Agricultural College, is also a pride and boast of the citizens of La Fayette. There is sufficient reason to hope that, at no distant day, the Purdue University will be one of the most popular institutions of learning in the West. Its founder, whose name it bears, together with the trustees, have thus far spared nothing which might add to its advan-
GAS MOUSE
PURDUE UNIVERSITY.
tages. Its endowments are large enough to bring it up to a high standard, and, with proper management, it will surely become a lasting blessing to the State and a solid honor to its venerable founder. The funds available at present are as fol- lows: Educational fund converted into government bonds, $300,000; county funds, $50,000; donation by Hon. John Purdue, $150,000. There are now one hundred and eighty- four acres of land connected with this college, with a prospect of increasing the same to three hundred.
Hon. John Purdue, of La Fayette, has the honor, not only of founding this college, but of securing its location at La
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY -- EARLY HISTORY.
Fayette. He has already donated two hundred thousand dol. lars to it, in the way of money and land, and there is a prob- ability that he will increase this amount before his death to five hundred thousand dollars. The writer, when in Tippeca- noe county, called on Mr. Purdue, at his private rooms in the Lahr House, and was handsomely entertained. Mr. Purdue is a genial, kind-hearted old bachelor, having never married. He is ripe in years, sound in intellect, fully conversant with the affairs of the world, and very pleasant in conversation.
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