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 1879 > Part 28
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In 1825,t 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.
+ 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
McCoy!
C.ADAMS.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 scon 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
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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 clans 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, cach 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 scat 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 valnable years as a teacher of pioneer schools, and who has kindly permitted the use of the pioneer school, 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
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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
HOUSE
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 & Hanra'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 publie 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. Hcald, 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, lic 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,
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
near the old Junction House, and afterwards on Fifth street, about oue 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 Mecker, 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-liouse 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 HIallinan, 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 thic 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 castern portion of La Fayette, on the site now occupied by the Catholic Church and Seminary. It was opened ruder 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 Noven- 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- 1
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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-
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GAGE AQUSE
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. IIe 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. Ile is ripe in years, sound in intellect, fully conversant with the affairs of the world, and very pleasant in conversation.
The St. Mary's Academy is another of the valuable educa- tional advantages of La Fayette, as is also the Sisters' School. The buildings and grounds of these institutions are valued at one hundred thousand dollars.
Tippecanoe county is one of the best agricultural counties in the State. Throughout the county the farmers are nearly all wealthy, the schools are in good condition, and general prosperity is noticeable to the observing traveler on every hand.
CHAPTER XLIX.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY - EARLY HISTORY.
M ONTGOMERY county was named in honor of the dis- tinguished General Richard Montgomery, who gave his life for the American cause at the battle of Quebec. It was first settled in 1822-3. In the latter year the county was organized, including a much larger tract of country than that now embraced within its limits. Crawfordville, the county scat of Montgomery county, was carly a central point on the Wabash, and for several years the principal town in that sec- tion. It is one of the oldest settlements in the valley. It was the depot from which the early settlers of La Fayette and
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Tippecanoe county, drew their supplies from 1823 to 1826-7. Until 1826, all the settlements for thirty, and even forty miles in any direction, were compelled to visit Crawfordsville for judicial purposes.
Among the prominent early settlers was Major Ambrose Whitlock, who located in Montgomery county in 1822. This pioneer laid off the town of Crawfordsville in 1823. IIe was appointed receiver of public moneys by John Quincy Adams in 1825, one year after the land office was opened in Craw- fordsville. Major Whitlock was one of the leading men of the olden time; he was an active and efficient officer under General Wayne, and a useful man in the town which he assisted in founding. He died in Crawfordsville in June, 1864, leaving a widow, who lived until- ninety years of age. She died in Crawfordsville in 1873.
In 1824, or about two years after the county was first settled, and one year after the county was organized, the land oflice was opened at Crawfordsville. The first general land sale took place on the twenty-fourth of December of that year. Up to this date the numerous settlers were mere " squatters," having no title to the land which they occupied, and, as a con- sequence, there was considerable rivalry at the sale. At this period Crawfordsville was a small settlement, surrounded on every side by a dense wilderness.
The first white settlers in Montgomery county were William Offield and William Miller. Mr. Offield settled near the mouth of Offield creek in 1822, where he built a rude cabin and began pioneer life with energy. Mr. Miller settled near the present town of Crawfordsville in the same year. He erected a round log cabin, which was the first building of any kind erected in the vicinity. Both of these pioneers have passed away. Mr. Offield left the county in 1836, and Mr. Miller died in the city which he was useful in founding, early in 1874.
Among those who settled in 1823, in the vicinity of Craw- fordsville, was John Beard. He was born in North Carolina in 1795, and at the age of twenty-seven, came as a pioneer to the State of Indiana. IIe became prominent in the affairs of Montgomery county at an carly day. In 1827 he was elected
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY - EARLY HISTORY.
representative of the county in the State legislature, and was continued for fifteen years, with the single exception of one term, as a representative either in the Senate or in the House. Mr. Beard distinguished himself in legislative duties, render -. ing an effective support to the bills for the abolition of impris- onment for debt, liberal exemption of property from excention, investing the governor with power to commute capital pun- isInnent to imprisonment for life, and for the construction of the Wabash and Eric canal.
There is no better tribute to the memory of the public ser- vices of IIon. John Beard than that which has been con- tributed by Hon. John Coburn, of Moorsville, Morgan county, Ind., which is in these words: "I venture to say again, that not one man in a hundred in our State knows the name of him who proposed that the surplus of the proceeds of the stock of the State in the State Bank of Indiana should be appropriated as a school fund. IIe is one of our greatest public benefactors, a venerable, simple-hearted, clear-headed, sound-minded old gentleman, living in Montgomery county, named JOIN BEARD. His name ought to be precious in the heart of every boy and girl who enjoys the benefit of free schools. When he proposed the measure, it was hardly treated seriously. Nobody thought anything would be left as a surplus; he himself, doubtless, did not realize its importance. But so it was he put the net where it caught the golden fish, and we thank him for it ten thousand times; and we thank those steady, straightforward, strictly upright financiers who husbanded these funds for us. This measure has been the means of producing onr present fund of eight hundred thou- sand dollars for the support of common schools."*
But we must discontinue our sketches of biography, and refer the reader to the regular department of biographics in this work for life sketches of Messrs. Beard, Lane, and many other pioncer settlers of Montgomery county.
Montgomery county was organized in 1823, with the follow- ing county officers: John Wilson, clerk of the circuit court, recorder of deeds, and clerk of the commissioners' court;
* The fund is now $8,000,000.
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
William Offield, James Blevins, and John McCullongh, county commissioners; Samnel D. Maxwell, sheriff.
Montgomery county is located in the western part of the State, having good facilities for the transportation of its mer- chandise. The soil is well adapted to the cultivation of the various kinds of grain indigenous to the northwest. "It bor- ders upon those fertile prairie lands in the northern part of the State, and partakes partially of both timbered and prairie soils. Indeed, the northern portion of the county contains several small prairies, which give to it the appearance of having been settled much longer than it really has. The soil of these prairies is very rich and productive, yielding in favor- able seasons, very profitable crops of corn, wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Considerable tracts of this prairie remain uncul- tivated, being used principally for pastures.
Nearly two-thirds of the county was originally very heavily timbered, but much of it has been consumed; yet there is an abundance remaining for all immediate needs. The county is laid ont into eleven townships, and is twenty-four miles long north and south, and twenty-one miles wide. The soil is watered by Sugar creek and its tributaries. This stream nsed to be known by the name of Rock river. There are a consider- able number of mills located on this stream. The next prin- cipal stream is the Walunt fork of Sugar creek, which empties into the main stream near Crawfordsville. "The county," says Mr. James Heaton, Sen., "is well supplied with good public highways. The public improvements, in the way of school houses and bridges, are of the most substantial charac- ter. There are but few counties in the State so well supplied with railroads. Every township in the county, except two, has a railroad; and the two exceptions are so near to a road that it may be said that every township has a direct advantage in the way of railway traffic. These roads all center at Craw- fordsville, making that city a desirable location for manufac- turing enterprises."
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