Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1, Part 18

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 982

USA > Indiana > Adams County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 18
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 18

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The county secured very favorable terms when it selected Thomas Johnson's land for a county seat. Mr. Johnson gave his notes for $3,100 to the county; $500 payable in one year, and the remainder in three years. Ile also donated four lots for churches, speei- fying the Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist and Baptist denominations, half an acre for a public square, one aere for a county seminary, and land for a cemetery. Finally he paid the expenses of the locating commissioners, and furnished a building for holding court and transacting county business until the erection of a court-house. Jehn S. Rhea donated to the county twenty acres off the west end of an eighty-aere lot on the south- west quarter of seetion 2, and Samuel L. Rugg donated ten acres adjoining Mr. John- son's land.

At the session of the Board held June 20, 1836, Jeremiah Roe resigned as county treasurer, and John Reynolds was designated to fill the vacaney. Joseph Wise and John W. Cooley were appointed constables for Root Township. Wabash Township was created out of the territory in the south tier of townships, and half of the next tier north.

This was the third township in the county. The first election was appointed for the first Monday in August following, and David Studabaker was named as inspector of elec- tions. At that election a supervisor, con- stable, two overseers of the poor and two fence viewers were chosen.

Sheriff David MeKnight was allowed $8.873 for making the first assessment of property in Adams County, and the tax levy for county purposes was fixed at one-half of 1 per cent. The clerk was directed to advertise for pro- posals for building a county jail, to be com- pleted by July 1, 1837.

At the September session John Reynolds was allowed $12 for the use of his house up to date for commissioners' meetings and elec- tions. Esaias Dailey was appointed county road commissioner under the provisions of an act of the General Assembly, which had appropriated to counties a portion of what was known as the " three per cent. fund." The sum of $600 was appropriated for the State road " leading trom the State line to the Allen County line on the west side of the St. Mary's River," and 8400 for the State road " leading from the State line near Will- shire to the Allen County line on the east side of the St. Mary's" These were the first expenditures in Adams County on account of roads. The roads referred to are still in use, and are among the leading thoroughfares of the county. They run northwest and south- east, nearly parallel, with the river between them. The road on the east side had been ent previous to this appropriation, and only needed to be put in repair and supplied with bridges.

The Board fixed the following modest scale of' licenses: For taverns and groceries, 810 each; for merchants, $10 for the first $3,000 eapital employed, and in proportion for larger amounts; for vending wooden clocks,

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85. James M. Wilson received the first license to sell - spiritnous and strong liquors and foreign and domestic groceries."

The first marriage license was issued by the clerk of the court to Joseph Troutner and Sarah Weimer. They were married July 3 by Thomas Ruble, justice of the peace. Another license was issued the 2d of August to Philip Evermore and Lydia Liste. They were married Angust 4 by E. W. Butler. The first civil action ever tried in the courts of Adams County was B. F. Blossom rs. Esaias Dailey.

At the January (1837) session of the Board the following jurors were drawn for the spring term of court: Grand jurors-Abraham Elifrits, George Ague, Joseph Wise, Marvin Gorsline, James Nibliek, Daniel Stevenson, Joshua Major, Levi Russell, Zachariah Smith, Sr., Jacob England, James M. Fuller, Ruel Risley, Thomas Ruble, Theron Harper, Will- iam Heath, Ir., William Ball, Robert Simison and Jonathan Lewis. Petit jurors-Michael Roe, Eli Zimmerman, Robert Nibliek, Bos- ton Rock, Michael Roek, William Major, George Ilopple, George Weimer, Jeremiah Andrews, Daniel Ball, Samnel Smith, Abner Fuller, Joel Roe, David MeKnight, William Boram, Aaron Archer, Bail W. Butler, James M. Wilson, James Burdick, Peter Studabaker, Jonathan Roe, Robert D. Tisdale, John W. Wise and Alexander Smith.

The first year's receipts and expenditures of Adams County footed up as follows:

Tax in the hands of collector, 8107.22; grocery lieense, 810; total receipts, $117.22; serviees and contingent expenses, $157.44; books and stationery, 867.433; jury fees, 845; total expenditures, 8272.273. From this it appears that the balance against the county at the end of the first year was $155.053-a small amount in these days, but larger then, in proportion to the revenue of the county.

In February, 1837, Esaias Dailey was given a license to vend liquors and groceries.

It cost 811.50 to assess the county in 1837, JJames M. Willson being allowed that amount. The tax levy for county purposes was fixed at one-third of 1 per cent, and the poll tax at 75 cents per capita. For State purposes the levy was 20 cents on each hundred dollars, and 50 cents per eapita.

The county jail was completed in July, 1837, according to contraet, and accepted by the commissioners. The contractors were David MeKnight and . William Lewis, and they were paid $650, ont of the money donated to the county at the time of the location of the county seat.

At the March session, 1838, three new townships were created, and elections ap- pointed for the first Monday in April follow- ing, for the choice of a justice of the peace, a constable, an inspector of elections, one or two supervisors of roads, two overseers of the poor and two fence viewers in each township. Township 26 north, range 15 east, was designated by the name of Blue Creek. First eleetion was held at the house of Samuel Flagg, and Pliny Flagg was inspector of elections. Township 25 north, range 15 east (the southeast corner of the county), was named Jefferson, and two tiers of sections on the west were attached temporarily. They were afterward restored to Wabash. Robert Webster was inspector of elections at the organization of Jefferson. Township 27 north, range 14 east, was organized as Wash- ington, the first inspector of elections being Jacob Inffer. That part of scetion 34, township 28 north, range 14 east, which lies west of St. Mary's River, and which ineludes a part of the town of Decatur, was also attaelied to Washington Township, of which it has always formed a part. Preble Town-

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ship (28 north, range 13 east) was soon afterward organized.

In January, 1839, the Board of Commis- sioners adopted a seal, which had been purchased by the elerk. The official descrip- tion of it was: " It is of brass, five-eighthis of an inch thick and circular in opposite dimensions, one inch and three-quarters in diameter. Within the periphery are first one heavy and one light eirenlar lines, within which lines are the words . Adams Board of County Commissioners, Indiana;' next to which words is a heavy circular line, then a broad ornamental circular line, then another heavy plain line, within which is the figure of a Durham short-horned cow, represented standing with her head to the right hand on the seal." This seal was used until consider- ably worn, and then the one now in use was obtained, which is of substantially, though not exaetly, the same design.

At the May session, 1839, French Town- ship was organized, composed of township 26 north, range 13 east, and an additional tier of sections on the south. The first election was at the house of Joseph Sheldon, and Joseph French was inspector of elections.

It was at this session that the construction of the first court-house of Adams County was ordered. The record reads:

" Ordered, that John Reynolds and Samnel L. Rugg be authorized to build a court-house on lot No. 94 in the town of Decatur, which shall be a framed honse built of good material, and thirty feet by forty feet in size, and two stories high; the lower story or room to be left whole, without any partitions, and the

upper story or room divided into rooms to accommodate the grand and petit juries, and that they convey the said lot to the county by its proper agent, for which lot they shall be allowed the sum of 850, the cost of which, together with the costs of building the said house, shall be paid ont of the donation soon to become due from the said John Reynolds and Samuel L. Rugg. The expenses of build- ing the said house shall be adjusted and agreed on by the county agent with the said contractors, and the said county agent shall exercise a kind of superintendence over the completion of the said building and adjust the costs of the said building with the said builders in a fair and equable manner, and that the said building shall be completed by the October term of the Adams Cirenit Court, if possible. The weather boarding on the two sides next to the streets shall be planed."

In March, 1840, township 26 north, range 14 east, was set off and organized as Monroe. The first election was held at the house of Henry Martz, who was inspector ot elections. In September following township 28 north, range 15 east, was set off and organized as Union. Benjamin Middleton was inspector of the first election, which was held at the house of David Hinge. A year or two later Ilartford and Kirkland Townships (25 and 27 north, range 13 east) were organized, thus completing the list of twelve townships which still compose Adams County. There have been no changes of names, and few of boundary lines, in the half century that has since elapsed.

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PIONEER LIFE.

IIE early settlers of In- diana mostly came from older States, as Penn- sylvania, Kentucky and and Virginia, where their prospects for even a competeney were very poor. They found those States good-to emigrate from. Their entire stock of furniture, implements and family neces- sities were easily stored in one wagon, and sometimes a eart was their only vehicle.

THE LOG CABIN.

After arriving and selecting a suitable lo- cation, the next thing to do was to build a log cabin, a description of which may be in- teresting to many of our younger readers, as in some sections these old-time structures are no more to be seen. Trees of uniform size were chosen and ent into logs of the desired length, generally twelve to fifteen feet, and hauled to the spot selected for the future

dwelling. On an appointed day the few neighbors who were available would assemble and have a " house-raising." Each end of every log was saddled and notched so that they would lie as close down as possible; the next day the proprietor would proceed to " chink and daub" the cabin, to keep out the rain, wind and cold. The house had to be re-danbed every fall, as the rains of the in- tervening time would wash out a great part of the mortar. The usual height of the house was seven or eight feet. The gables were formed by shortening the logs gradu- ally at each end of the building near the top. The roof was made by laying very straight small logs or stout poles snitable distances apart, generally about two and a half feet, from gable to gable, and on these poles were laid the "clapboards " after the manner of shingling, showing about two and a half feet to the weather. These elapboards were fast- ened to their place by " weight poles," eor- responding in place with the joists just described, and these again were held in their place by " runs " or " knees," which were

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chunks of wood abont eighteen or twenty inches long, fitted between them near the ends. Clapboards were made from the nieest oaks in the vicinity, by chopping or sawing them into four-foot bloeks and riving these with a frow, which was a simple blade fixed at right angles to its handle. This was driven into the blocks of wood by a mallet. As the frow was wrenched down through the wood, the latter was turned alternately over from side to side, one end being held by a forked piece of timber.

The chimney to the Western pioneer's cabin was made by leaving in the original building a large open place in one wall, or by cutting one after the structure was up, and by building on the outside, from the ground up, a stone column, or a column of sticks and mud, the stieks being laid up eob- house fashion. The fire-place thus made was often large enough to receive fire-wood six to eight feet long. Sometimes this wood, es- pecially the " back-log," would be nearly as large as a saw-log. The more rapidly the pioneer could burn up the wood in his viein- ity the sooner he had his little farm eleared and ready for cultivation. For a window, a piece about two feet long was ent ont of one of the wall logs and the hole closed, some- times by glass, but generally with greased paper. Even greased deer-hide was some- times used. A door-way was ent through one of the walls if a saw was to be had; otherwise the door would be left by shortened logs in the original building. The door was made by pinning clapboards to two or three wood bars, and was ling upon wooden hinges. A wooden lateh, with catch, then finished the door, and the lateh was raised by any one on the outside by pulling a leather string. For security at night this lateh-string was drawn in; but for friends and neighbors, and even strangers, the

" latch-string was always hanging out," as a welcome. In the interior. over the fire-place, would be a shelf, ealled " the mantel," on which stood the eandlestiek or lamp, some cooking and table-ware, possibly an old eloek, and other artieles; in the fire-place would be the erane, sometimes of iron, sometimes of wood; on it the pots were hung for cooking; over the door, in forked eleats, hung the ever trustful rifle and powder-horn; in one corner stood the larger bed for the " old folks," and under it the trundle-bed for the children; in another stood the old-fashioned spinning- wheel, with a smaller one by its side; in another the heavy table, the only table, of course, there was in the house; in the re- maining corner was a rude cupboard holding the table-ware, which consisted of a few eups and sancers and blue-edged plates, standing singly on their edges against the back, to make the display of table furniture more conspicuous, while around the room were seattered a few splint-bottomed or Windsor chairs and two or three stools.

These simple cabins were inhabited by a kind and true-hearted people. They were strangers to mock modesty, and the traveler, seeking lodgings for the night, or desirous of spending a few days in the community, if willing to accept the rude offering, was al- ways welcome, although how they were dis- posed of at night the reader might not easily imagine; for, as deseribed, a single room was made to answer for kitehen, dining-room, sitting-room, bed-room and parlor, and many families consisted of six or eight members.

SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS.

The bed was very often made by fixing a post in the floor about six feet from one wall and four feet from the adjoining wall, and fasten- ing a stiek to this post about two feet above the floor, on each of two sides, so that the

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other end of each of the two sticks could be fastened in the opposite wall; elapboards were laid across these, and thus the bed was made complete. Guests were given this bed, while the family disposed of themselves in another corner of the room, or in the " loft." When several guests were on hand at once, they were sometimes kept over night in the following manner: When bed-time came the men were requested to step out of doors while the women spread out a broad bed upon the middle floor, and put themselves to bed in the center; the signal was given and the men came in, and each husband took his place in bed next his own wife, and the sin- gle men outside them again. They were generally so crowded that they had to lie " spoon " fashion, and when any one wished to turn over he would say " Spoon," and the whole company of sleepers would turn over at once. This was the only way they could all keep in bed.

COOKING.

To witness the various processes of cooking in those days would alike surprise and amuse those who have grown up since cooking- stoves and ranges came into use. Kettles were hung over the large fire, suspended with pot-hooks, iron or wooden, on the erane, or on poles, one end of which would rest upon a chair. The long-handled frying-pan was used for cooking meat. It was either held over the blaze by hand or set down upon coals drawn out upon the hearth. This pan was also used for baking pan-eakes, also called "flap-jaeks," " batter-cakes," cte. A better artiele for this, however, was the cast-iron spider or Duteh skillet. The best thing for baking bread those days, and possibly even yet in these latter days, was the flat-bottomed bake-kettle, of greater depth, with elosely- fitting cast-iron cover, and commonly known as the " Dutch oven." With eoals over and

under it, bread and bisenit would quickly and nicely bake. Turkey and spare-ribs were sometimes roasted before the fire, suspended by a string, a dish being placed underneath to catch the drippings.

Hominy and samp were very much used. The hominy, however, was generally hulled corn-boiled corn from which the hull, or bran, had been taken by hot lye; hence some- times called "lye hominy." True hominy and samp were made of pounded eorn. A popular method of making this, as well as real meal for bread, was to cut out or burn a large hole in the top of a huge stump, in the shape of a mortar, and pounding the eorn in this by a maul or beetle suspended on the end of a swing-pole, like a well-sweep. This and the well-sweep consisted of a pole twenty to thirty feet long, fixed in an upright fork so that it could be worked " teeter " fashion. It was a rapid and simple way of drawing water. When the samp was sufficiently pounded it was taken out, the bran floated off, and the delicious grain boiled like riee.

The chief articles of diet in early days were corn bread, hominy, or samp, venison, pork, honey, beans, pumpkin (dried pumpkin for more than half the year), turkey, prairie chicken, squirrel and some other game, with a few additional vegetables a portion of the year. Wheat bread, tea, coffee and fruit were luxuries not to be indulged in except on special occasions, as when visitors were present.

WOMEN'S WORK.

Besides cooking in the manner deseribed, the women had many other arduous duties to perform, one of the chief of which was spinning. The " big wheel " was used for spinning yarn, and the " little wheel " for spinning flax. These stringed instruments furnished the principal music of the family, and were operated by our mothers and grand-

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mothers with great skill, attained without pecuniary expense and with far less practice than is necessary for the girls of our period to acquire a skillful use of their costly and elegant instruments. But those wheels, in- dispensable a few years ago, are all now superseded by the mighty factories which overspread the country, furnishing cloth of all kinds at an expense ten times less than would be incurred now by the old system.

The loom was not less necessary than the wheel, though they were not needed in so great numbers. Not every house had a loom; one loom had a capacity for the needs of sev- eral families. Settlers having succeeded in spite of the wolves in raising sheep, com- menced the manufacture of woolen eloth; wool was carded and made into rolls by hand eards, and the rolls were spun on the " big wheel." We still occasionally find in the houses of old settlers a wheel of this kind, sometimes used for spinning and twisting stocking yarn. They are turned with the hand, and with such velocity that it will run itself while the nimble worker, by her back- ward step, draws ont and twists her thread nearly the whole length of the cabin. A common article woven on the loom was linsey, or linsey-woolsey, the chain being linen and the filling woolen. This cloth was used for dresses for the women and girls. Nearly all the eloths worn by the inen were also home-made; rarely was a farmer or his son seen in a coat made of any other. If, occasionally, a young man appeared in a suit of " boughten " clothes, he was suspected of having gotten it for a particular occasion, which occurs in the life of nearly every young man.

DRESS AND MANNERS.

The dress, habits, ete., of a people throw so much light upon their conditions and

limitations, that in order better to show the circumstances surrounding the people of the State, we will give a short exposition of the manner of life of our Indiana people at dit- ferent epochs. The Indians themselves are credited by Charlevoix with being " very laborious "-raising poultry, spinning the wool of the buffalo, and manufacturing gar- ments therefrom. These must have been, however, more than usually favorable repre- sentatives of their race.

" The working and voyaging dress of the French masses," says Reynolds, " was simple and primitive. The French were like the lilies of the valley [the Old Ranger was not always exact in his quotations]- they neither spun nor wove any of their elothing, but pur- chased it from the merchants. The white blanket coat, known as the capot, was the universal and eternal coat for the winter with the masses. A cape was made of it that could be raised over the head in cold weather.

" In the house, and in good weather, it hung behind, a eape to the blanket coat. The reason that I know these coats so well is that I have worn many in my youth, and a working man never wore a better garment. Dressed deer skins and blue cloth were worn commonly in the winter for pantaloons. The blue handkerchief and the deer-skin moeca- sins covered the head and feet generally of the French Creoles. In 1800 seareely a man thought himself clothed unless he had a belt tied round his blanket coat, and on one side was hung the dressed skin of a pole-cat filled with tobacco, pipe, flint and steel. On the other side was fastened, under the belt, the buteher knife. \ ('reole in this dress felt like Tam O'Shanter filled with usquebaugh; he could face the devil. Cheeked calico shirts were then common, but in the winter flannel was frequently worn. In the summer

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the laboring men and the voyagers often took their shirts off in hard work and hot weather, and turned out the naked back to the air and sın."

" Among the Americans," he adds, " home- made wool hats were the common wear. Fur hats were not common, and scarcely a boot was seen. The covering of the feet in winter was chiefly moeeasins made of deer-skins and shoe-packs of tanned leather. Some wore shoes, but not common in very early times. In the summer the greater portion of the young people, male and female, and many of the old, went barefoot. The substantial and universal outside wear was the blue linsey hunting shirt. This is an excellent garment, and I have never felt so happy and healthy since I laid it off. It is made of wide sleeves, open before, with ample size so as to envelop the body almost twice around. Sometimes it had a large cape, which answers well to save the shoulders from the rain. A belt is mostly used to keep the garment close around the person, and, nevertheless, there is nothing tight about it to hamper the body. It is often fringed, and at times the fringe is com- posed of red and other gay colors. The belt, frequently, is sewed to the hunting shirt. The vest was mostly made of striped linsey. The colors were made often with alum, cop- peras and madder, boiled with the bark of trees, in such a manner and proportions as the old ladies prescribed. The pantaloons of the masses were generally made of deer-skin and linsey. Coarse blue cloth was sometimes made into pantaloons.

" Linsey, neat and fine, manufactured at home, composed generally the outside gar- ments of the females as well as the males. The ladies had linsey colored and woven to suit their faney. A bonnet, composed of calico, or some gay goods, was worn on the head when they were in the open air. Jew-

elry on the pioneer ladies was uncommon; a gold ring was an ornament not often scen."

In 1820 a change of dress began to take place, and before 1830, acecording to Ford, most of the pioneer costume had disappeared. "The blue linsey hunting-shirt, with red or white fringe, had given place to the cloth coat. [Jeans would be more like the fact.] The raccoon cap, with the tail of the animal dangling down behind, had been thrown aside for hats of wool or for. Boots and shoes had supplied the deer-skin moccasins; and the leather breeches, strapped tight around the ankle, had disappeared before unmen- tionables of a more modern material. The temale sex had made still greater progress in dress. The old sort of cotton or woolen frocks, spun, woven and made with their own fair hands, and striped and cross-barred with blue dye and Turkey red, had given place to gowns of silk and calieo. The feet, before in a state of nudity, now charmed in shoes of calf-skin or slippers of kid; and the head, formerly unbonneted, but covered with a cotton handkerchief, now displayed the charms of the female face under many forms of bonnets of straw, silk and Leghorn. The young ladies, instead of walking a mile or two to church on Sunday, carrying their shoes and stockings in their hands until within a hundred yards of the place of wor- ship, as formerly, now eame forth arrayed complete in all the pride of dress, mounted on fine horses and attended by their male admirers."

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Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 982

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 982