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. 2, Part 13

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 948

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. 2 > Part 13
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. 2 > Part 13

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

C. Probaseo, Charles Anderson, A. M. Webb and Rufus M. French, of Harmony Lodge, No. 119, Fort Wayne. The first officers elected were: A. K. Bascom, Noble Grand; . Hall, Vice-Grand; Charles T. Melsheimer, Secretary, and Lew Allen Price, Treasurer. Two Brothers, Nathaniel Greenfield and Will- iam Sharp, from Dalton Lodge, Ohio, were admitted by eard, and Amnza White, Amos Townsend, Theodore Horton, James Dailey and William W. Wilson were initiated on petition, making a membership of twelve.

The first representative to the Grand Lodge was Past Grand C. T. Melsheimer, on July 1, 1854.

Since the institution of the lodge up to Jannary 1, 1887, the following report, made hy a committee appointed by the lodge, com- posed of Past Grand C. T. Melsheimer, Past Grand C. I. Kline and Past Grand J. B. Plessinger, was submitted and approved:

Whole number initiated, 199; admitted by card, 56; reinstated, 31; withdrawn on eard, 51; expelled, 7; dropped, 97; died, 16; de- grees conferred, 643; total amount of re- ceipts, 813,612.05; amount of expenditures, 85,543.59.

Present officers: B. L. Fry, Noble Grand; S. D. Hasty, Vice-Grand; C. I. Kline, Seere- tary; W. I. Fitch, Treasurer. Number of members, 85.

Order of Rebekah, Paradise Lodge, No. 83, was instituted in Bluffton, March 27, 1872. Prior to this time the degree of Rebekah was conferred npon members of the third degree and their wives by the subordi- nate lodge.

The officers first elected were: John W. Kenagy, Noble Grand; Sister Lucinda Dailey, Vice-Grand; John W. Tribolet, Secretary, and Sister Catharine Wilhelmn, Treasurer.

Number of members initiated, 119; pres- ent number in good standing, sixty. Pres-

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

ent officers are: Mrs. I. I. Fiteh, Noble Grand; Mrs. Mary Cook, Viee-Grand: Mrs. L. C. Bender, Secretary, and Mrs. M. Me- Bride, Treasurer.

Patriarchal Encampment, No. 141 .- Charter issued to Patriarchs May 15, 1576. On the prayer of Samuel L. Dailey, Charles A. Clayton, Isaac Il. Pepperel, C. I. Kline, J. B. Plessinger, C. Warner, F. N. Kellogg, John W. Kenagy, Charles Shaffer and John N. Smith. It was instituted in the hall of Bluffton Lodge. under the name of Bluffton Encampment, No. 141, with the following officers: Samuel L. Dailey, Chief Priest; James B. Plessinger, High Priest; John W. Kenagy, Scribe; C. I. Kline, Grand Warden; Charles Shaffer, Junior Warden; F. N. Kel- logg, Treasurer. Present officers are: James B. Plessinger, Chief Priest; F. D. Hasty, High Priest; C. I. Kline, Seribe; A. E. North, Grand Warden; Thomas J. McDow- ell, Junior Warden; W. J. Fitch, Treasurer. Whole number of contributing members, sixty.

Patriarchal Militant, Uniform Degree, Camp No. 12, was chartered Mareh 31, 1883, on the application of Patriarchs F. D. War- ing, L. M. Dailey, II. Steckemper, I. H. Pepperel, Richard Rossington, W. I. Fitch, W. L. Swan, J. B. Plessinger, C. T. Mel- sheimer, Charles Shaffer, S. Oppenheim, W. S. Silver, T. J. MeDowell, Fred Mosu- inen, C. 1. Kline, John E. Sturges, J. N. Myers and Jolin II. Smith. The follow- ing officers were elected: J. B. Plessinger, Commander; J. II. Smith, Senior Vice-Com- mander; C. I. Kline, Junior Vice-Com- mander; Henry Steekemper, Outside Guard; W. L. Swan, Secretary; W. I. Fitch, Treas- urer. Present number of members, twenty- three.

Bluffton Lodge, No. 92, Knights of Pythias, was instituted February 16, 1881.

Officers, first term : C. M. France, Past Chan- cellor; W. C. Stocktou, Chancellor Com- mander; N. Conover, Vice-Chancellor; O. P. Koontz, Prelate; C. A. MeKendry, Keeper of Records and Seals; G. W. Grimes, Master of Finance; B. F. Little, Master of Ex- chequer; T. D. Blackburn, Master at Arms; B. F. Forst, Inside Guard; A. Kornblith, Outside Guard. The present officers are: George Taylor, P'ast Chancellor; M. W. Walbert, Chancellor Commander; A. Mosure, Vice-Chancellor; M. Feeser, Prelate; H. E. Gilliland, Keeper of Records and Seals; Will- iam Guoynes, Master of Finance; George S. Ogden, Master of Exchequer; W. L. Holmes, Master at Arins; II. Workman, In- side Guard; John Burgan, Ontside Guard. The charter members were: Jay G. French, Frank Staver, S. S. Roth, B. F. Little, O. P. Koontz, Frank McBride, N. Conovor, A. Kornblith, W. C. Stockton, T. D. Blackburn, John W. Smith, D. T. Smith, G. N. Borgart, B. E. Morgan, W. D. Mason, W. II. Ernst, C. A. MeKendry, B. F. Forst, G. W. Grimes, II. E. Gilliland. The lodge is in a healthy condition finaneially, prosperous in numbers, having work almost every night conferring ranks and candidates.

Bluffton Lodge, No. 1,838, Knights of Honor, was organized October 22, 1879, in the office of J. J. Todd, Esq., by William M. Obermyer, D. G. D., with the following charter members, and the offices indicated, to which some of them were immediately after- ward elected: J. J. Todd, Past Dictator; Jere North, Dictator; W. D. Masou, Vice- Dictator; William Blackstone, Assistant Dic- tator; J. II. Reider, Chaplain; C. A. Clayton, Guide; J. II. C. Smith, Reporter; J. II. Smith, Financial Reporter; G. E. Gardner, Treasurer; A. Kornblith, Guardian; B. F. Forst, Sentinel; E. R. Horton, L. L. Martz, II. Dougherty, W. C. Stockton, J. V. Ken-

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623

BLUFFTON.

agy, W. A. Gutelius, W. A. Craig, J. W. Tribolet, E. Y. Sturgis.

On the second day after organization, J. W. Tribolet, John North and Hugh Dougli- erty were elected trustees, who fixed the first and third Friday evenings of each month for the regular meetings. Since organization, eighty-four names have been placed upon the membership roll. Three have died, each of whose families received 82,000. Some have withdrawn by eard, and a few have be- come delinquent. At this date (March, 1887), there are thirty-six full-rate and thir- teen half-rate members.

In the office of dictator, since the first, J. J. Baumgardner has served two years, and W. J. Evans three years or over. O. P. Koontz has been reporter since September, 1881.

Present officers: J. J. Baumgardner, Past Dietator; M. 1. Spake, Dictator; M. F. Borronghs, Viee-Dictator; G. R. Venis, As- sistant Dictator; O. J. Montgomery, Chap- lain; W. J. Evans, Financial Reporter; O. P. Koontz, Reporter; G. F. Markley, Treasurer; W. S. Crouse, Guide; W. C. Stockton, Guard; A. S. Van Emen, Sentinel.

Lodge meets every second and fourth Fri- day evenings of the month, in the hall over the Exchange Bank.

The object of the above order is to unite all acceptable white men into a seeret frater- nity, who should aid one another and their families, both morally and materially, by in- struetive leetures and a health and life insur- ance fund, and ameliorate the condition of humanity generally. Upon the death of any member a sum not exceeding 82,000 is to be paid to his family.

Lew Dailey Post, No. 33, G. A. R., was organized October 6, 1881, by J. R. Car- nahan, Mustering Officer, with twenty-four members, including the following officers:

Captain E. Y. Sturgis, Commander; William R. Miller, Senior Vice-Commander; Will- iam Hl. Covert, Junior Viec-Commander; Lee L. Martz, Quartermaster; Dr. A. G. Gorrell, Surgeon; Jacob J. Todd, Chaplain; George W. Lonis, Officer of the Day; S. M. Karns, Officer of the Guard; F. N. Kellogg, Adjutant. To date, 200 have been mustered in; present membership, 156, ineluding rep- resentatives from ninety-nine regiments of in- fantry and two batteries and U. S. Engineers.

Present officers: Benjamin L. Frye, Com- mander; A. N. Martin, Senior Vice-Com- mander; William II. Stephenson, Junior Viee-Commander; F. Effinger, Quartermas- ter; J. 'W. Bugh, Surgeon; N. A. Saxton, Chaplain; William Brown, Officer of the Day; II. K. Williams, Officer of the Guard; William E. Kinert, Adjutant; George W. Louis, Sergeant-Major; John Wasson, Quar- termaster-Sergeant; J. G. Feeser, Inside Sentinel; Samnel Foncannon, Outside Senti- nel; W. II. Stephenson, Lee Martz, John Wasson, Conneil of Administration; W. J. Craig, W. Il. Stephenson, A. N. Martin, Delegates to State Encampment. .

The Sons of Veterans also have a camp in Bluffton.

MINOR SOCIETIES.

Ever since the most infantile stage of Bluffton's existence there have been literary and other societies. A lyceum for debates and other exercises was in existence as early as 1849. In a number of the Republicun. Bugle we notice that in the autumn of that year they debated the proposition, " Should the union of these States be dissolved under any circumstances?" Affirmative, Sylvanus Church; negative, Theodore HIorton.

More recently a Chantauqua literary and seientifie eircle was established, having at one time as many as twenty-five members; but it is now discontinued, apparently because the

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624

HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

course of study was not thorough enough, or the examinations sufficiently rigid.

The " Ethereal Band " is the latest musical association for public entertainment, the music being prodneed by a rare combination of light instruments. It has been in exist- ence since 1883.

The " Bluffton Hunting Club " has been making exeursions to distant points for a number of years, as Arkansas, Michigan, ete., to participate in the pleasures of the chase. Ilon. Levi Moek is the tallest man of that happy " crowd."

Various literary societies and social clubs have given entertainments from time to time, some of which were very sneeessful. " You ought to have seen " J. J. Todd, Esq., on one occasion, when he shook so dreadfully. The audience shook, too. The gentleman men- tioned appeared before the exeited multitude, dressed as a poverty-stricken Hoosier pioneer, with an ill-fitting, buttonless, ragged coat, held in place by a rope wound twice around the waist; blue overalls tueked shabbily into his heavy boot-tops; slouch hat, around which was a large piece of red flannel; and a large frowzy, false moustache. He stood with arms akimbo, while, in the Hoosier aecent of forty years ago, he muttered :--

INDIANA AGER.

Once upon an evening weary, Whilst I sat me lone and dreary, In the sunshine, thinking o'er Things that had passed in days of yore, Gently there came in something creeping- Creeping upward from beneath my chamber floor. ""Tis a cooling breeze," I muttered, From the regions 'neath the floor,- Only this and nothing more.

So 1 sat me, nearly napping, In the sunshine stretching, gaping, And a-feeling quite delighted With the breeze from 'neath the floor, Till I felt me growing colder, And the stretching waxing bolder, And myself now feeling older,

Feeling older than I'd felt before,- Older than I'd felt before.

Ah! distinctly I remember,

"Iwas in that wet September

Of creation that 1 bore,-

Had for weeks and months been soaking

In the meanest, most provoking fog-rain

That, without joking, we had ever seen before;

So I knew it must be very cold,

Very cold and damp beneath the floor, Very damp beneath the floor.

All along my back the creeping

Soon gave place to rushing, leaping, As if countless frozen demons Had concluded to explore

All the cavities, the varmints

"Twixt me and my nether garments

Through my boots into the floor, Till I found myself a-shaking, Gently shaking, more and more,-

Every moment more and more.

'Twas the ager; and it took me, Shaking, to the kitchen,-every place,- Every place where there was warmth in store,- Shaking till the china rattled, Shaking till my molars chattered, Shaking, and with all my warming Feeling colder than before,- Colder than I'd felt before.

Then it rested till the morrow, When it came with all the horror That it had the face to borrow,-' Shaking, shaking-O so sore ! Shaking off my boots, and shaking Me to bed, if nothing more, Truly this, if nothing more.

And from that day in September,- Day which I shall long remember,- It has made diurnal visits, Shaking, shaking as before.

* *

And to-day the swallows flitting Round my chamber see me sitting, Moodily within the sunshine, Just inside my silent door, Waiting for the ager, seeming Like a man forever dreaming, And the sunlight on me streaming, Sheds no shadow on the floor, For 1 am too thin and sallow To make shadows on the floor,- Ne'er a shadow any more!

625

OSSIAN.

JOSSIAN ..

SSIAN, a beautiful vil- lage of sober and indus- trions inhabitants, now numbering nearly 600, was laid out by the town- ship trustees March 14, 1850, and is about nine miles north of Bluffton, on the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Lonisville Railroad, which was built through here in 1869. The railroad, how- ever, running a half mile west of the business center, two mills and a number of dwellings have sprung up about the depot, re- ceiving the name of West Ossian. The vil- lage is not yet incorporated.

BUSINESS.

The present business of the village is now represented by II. Ilatfield, general store; Anderson Morton, dry goods, recently burned out, but is rebuilding; J. II. Hoover, drug store; Bell & Davis, drug store; F. S. Naus, furniture store and chair factory; Henry Kreigh, grocery; William Quawkenbush, grocery and bakery; Ellsworth Salisbury, tin, stoves, hardware, and is also undertaker;

warehouse, Il. Ilatfield & Sons; William Earl and Harvey Spenee, wagon shops; Stine & Son, and Stine & McCollun, blacksmiths; Marcellus Donaldson, shoe shop; N. Weaver, harness shop; Mrs. Mary Vincore and Mrs. Wilmington, millinery; James Gorrell, hub factory; Eastman, Hatfield & Craig, creamery; Robert Seaton, postmaster; John Chalfant, lawyer; J. I. Metts, A. II. Metts and M. N. Newman, physicians; besides the following, more at length :

Woodword & Rupright's flouring mill is the sneeessor of two on the site which have been burned out. The first was built in 1864 by James Gorrell and John Brown, who ran it abont two years, sinee which time the proprietors have been: John Brown and James Milligan, eight years; James Gorrell and James Wilson, Wilson & Donaldson, - Craig, - Mannes and L. F. Wilson (burned out within six months), L. F. Wilson (burned out in three years), L. F. Wilson and A. Woodward, and since last February Wood- ward & Rupright. They do both merchant and custom work, with a forty-five horse- power engine, and two run of burrs for wheat, one for middlings, and one for eorn.

Koons & Co. (Philip Koons, William R.

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626

HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

Beaty and Thomas A. Doan), near the depot, manufacture and deal in dressed and rough lumber, shingles, lath, mouldings, ete. Mill was first built in 1872 by Koons, Milligan & Glass, with only half the present capacity. The present company commeneed in 1875, and they now have a sixty-five horse-power engine, employ nine hands, and run the mill nearly all the time.

E. Nimmons, with an average number of thirty hands in the winter, and fifty in the summer, manufactures oil-barrel staves and circled heading, which he ships to the Stand- ard Oil Company. The mill was first built by Carey & Baker in 1570, was burned down in 1872, rebuilt in the antumn of the same year, sold to II. Hatfield in the fall of 1876, to Nimmons & Bros. in 1878, and since Jan- nary, 1888, the present proprietor has had it alone.

Jacob Getty, who has resided in Jefferson Township thirty-two years, has kept the Ossian House and livery stable for the last sixteen years.

The present school building, a good two- story briek structure, was erected in 1878 at a cost of $5,000, by John B. Woods, eon- tractor, and James Gorrell, trustee. Present trustee, Dr. M. N. Newman; present prinei- pal of the school, J. P'. Bonnell, who con- mneneed December 7, 1885; has four assistants. The course of study comprises some of the higher branches, as algebra, geometry, botany, geology, zoology, chemistry, natural philoso- phy and a two years' Latin conrse. School is taught eight months each year. Present enrollment, 200; building will accommo- date 230.

CHURCHIES.

The Presbyterian Church at Ossian was organized in 1840 at the house of Adam Hatfield, by Rev. Isaac A. Ogden, with thirty members. The pastors since then have been

Revs. W. M. Donaldson, John Mitehell and M. M. Lawson. Present membership, 180. Trustees. G. W. Glass, Edward Stine and Il. W. Somers; treasurer, HI. Hatfield. The house of worship is a plain frame building, 40 x 60 feet, will seat 400 persons, and was built in 1858, during the ministry of Rev. Donaldson. Their first place of meeting was a log church, about two and a half miles southwest of town. In connection with the chinreh is a Sunday-school, having an average attendance of about 125 pupils; present superintendent, E. A. Vail; also a Ladies' Missionary Society, and a Young Ladies' Union (also missionary). Elders-Joseph Gorrell, William HI. Rankin, John Hatfield, IT. Hatfield, George Harter and M. J. Gorrell.

Mr. Donaldson was pastor of this church, together with those at Murray and Bluffton, twenty-eight and a half years, residing at the respective places portions of his time. Hle now resides in Suminit County, Ohio.

Mr. Lawson, the resident pastor, was born in Ilillsboro, Ohio, February 21, 1844, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Lawson, and was nine years of age when the family moved to Indi- ana; served from the age of eighteen to twenty-one in the Seventieth Indiana Infan- try, being with Sherman's army to the sea and return; received his elassical education at Wabash College, and his theological at Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, spending nine consecutive years in preparing for the minis- try; was married December 14, 1875; in April following he was ordained at Marion, Ohio; served several churches in that State, and sinee 1883 has had charge of the church at Ossian, during which time seventy-two have been added to the same. Mr. Lawson married Miss Katie, danghter of Rev. James A. and Mary (MeCutchen) Darrah, and a native of Missouri, and their children are-

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627

OSSIAN.

James MeKnight, Mary, Florence and Isaac Ilarry. Mr. Lawson, serving at several points, has at present abont 700 souls under his care within a radius of six miles.

El Hunan Presbyterian Church, three miles east and one-half north of Ossian, is a frame 26x36 feet, built on a lot donated for church and cemetery purposes by Robert Ewell, in 1845, during the pastorate of Rev. John Nevins. Present membership, abont forty; elders, Alexander White, Charles Fer- guson, James W. Ferguson; Sunday-sehool with thirty-five scholars, and Alexander White, superintendent. Pastor, Rev. M. M. Lawson.

The Methodist Episcopal Church at Ossian was organized abont the year 1851, with abont ten members, and John W. Foughty as class-leader. The present membership is about 100 and the present elass-leaders are John W. Foughty and John W. Wilson. Sunday-sehool attendance, 140; Frederick Livengood, superintendent. Their house of worship, erected in 1857 or 1858, was enlarged in 1866, so that it is now 42 x 55 feet in dimensions, valned at about $1,000. This society has also a fine parsonage. Be- fore the church was organized, Rev. Green- man preached awhile in this community, and the pastors since that time have been, in order: Revs. W. S. Bireh, James Johnston, W. T. Smith, Asbury Andrew, A. Douglas, B. Armstong (and Eriek, supplied), Stephen HI. Clark, - - Colelazer, J. P. Nash, McNeal, O. D. Watkins, J. II. Slade, W. E. Curtis, J. W. Roberts, - McMahon, Wolverton, J. Mann, J. B. Meridith, Newton Burwell, -- Ramsey, E. P. Church and Joseph Lewellen. Under Mr. Church's min- istrations there was a great revival. Harvey Pierce, now deceased, was a local preacher, whose five sons, besides a son-in-law, also became Methodist ministers. Mr. J. W. 39

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Foughty, referred to above, is also a local preacher. Present stewards-J. W. Fonghty, Sutton Potee and J. L. Wilson. Mr. Lew- ellen, the present pastor, is a native of Ran- dolph County, Indiana, born in 1848; attended Asbury University, and was admitted in the annual conference in 1873. Ossian is his sixth charge, to which he was appointed in April, 1886.

Of this ehureh, James Cartwright has gen- crally been trustee, and always one of the main pillars.

Emmaus (formerly Salem) Methodist Epis- copul Church, four and a half miles southeast of Ossian, is a frame, 30 x 40 feet, built in 1876. The society there was organized with abont forty members, mainly from the United Brethren church. Class-leaders, George Ilall and William Sowards; stewards, Levi Hoover and Newton Carpenter. Michael C. Blue is superintendent of Sunday-school, which has abont fifty scholars.

Prospect Methodist Episcopal Church .- From Mr. Levi Osborn we learn that this society was first organized in the Honsel neighborhood, at the house of John A. Lep- per in Jefferson Township, October 30, 1848, and was then in St. Mary's mission, Fort Wayne district. F. M. Palmer was the mis- sionary, Samuel Brinton, presiding elder, and William W. Cotton, class-leader. The original members were: William W. Cotton and wife, Absalom Honsel and wife, Ilezekiah Allen and wife, William Qnawkenbush and wife, Mary Cotton, John A. Lepper and wife, and Hannah Ady. We add that the present membership is about seventy, with William Lipkey and Simpson Todd class-leaders, and Levi Osborn and Simpson Todd stewards; local preachers, William Beaty and Jeremiah Soule. Sunday-school, with about sixty seholars, is superintended by Jacob Osborn. The church building, four and a half miles

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1.28

HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

southwest of Ossian, is a frame, 40 x 45 feet, erected probably about 1861.

The Olire-Branch Baptist Church, a frame building, three miles northeast of Ossian, was 30 x 40 feet in size. The society there was organized prior to 1840, and has had as high as forty members at one time. Minis- ters there have been: Revs. W. N. Welker, Colton, Levi Harding, -- Schofield, J. HI. Winans and others. In the fall of 1881 the building was removed to Ossian, where the present membership is about forty- five. Nathan Tobey, superintendent of Sun- day-school. Preaching every two weeks, Sunday morning. Deacons, Jeremiah Clark, Abraham Clark and J. Roek; clerk, Nathan Tobey. Present pastor, since March, 1857, Rev. D. B. Reckard, of Decatur.

The Christian Church at Ossian was or- ganized at the school-house November 20, 1872, by Elder MeCormick, with thirty-three inembers. Local elders, J. E. Lepper and Peter Quawkenbush; deacons, David Me- Dowell and Samuel Hughes. Ministers serving in a pastoral capacity have been: L. L. Carpenter, Messrs. Streeter, of Ohio, Lambert, Blaney, and perhaps others. The greatest number of aceessions to the church were in Rev. Streeter's time. Have generally had a Sunday-school. Since Rev. Mr. Blaney ceased preaching here in June, 1886, there have been no regular public services. Here- sides at Kendallville, Noble County. Church edifiee, a frame, 40 x 60 feet, costing $2,350, was dedicated November 3, 1873, by Elder L. L. Carpenter.

The Bethel United Brethren Church, at Ossian, is a frame, 30 x 40 feet, and was dedicated in August, 1882, by Rev. J. L. Luttrell. The membership has generally been over half a hundred. No pastoral services at present. The " Moneysmith " or Zion Church, four miles east of town, and

the Hebron Church, three or four miles northeast, as well as the Ossian Church, are alive and keep up their Sunday-schools. William Vardiman, of Ossian, is a local preacher.

TEMPERANCE.

Ossian has had two or three indireetly sne- eessful fights with the saloon evil. As early as 1850, during the building of the plank road from Fort Wayne to Bluffton, it became strikingly manifest that a drinking place was the origin of most evil, as exemplified by the great number of cases brought before a jus- tice from the boarding-house where drinking intoxicants were indulged in, while none came from an equally patronized temperance boarding-house near by.

Recently an attempt was made to establish a saloon and billiard hall in Ossian. The temperance people counseled together and eame to an understanding that when the new- eomer should start from the depot with his wagon load of saloon appliances, including billiard table, a steam whistle should be blown, as a signal for their rendezvous. The event occurring, they surrounded the wagon, and the driver could not get help enough to unload the table. The proprietor was in- formed by Messrs. Hatfield and Gorrell what opposition he would meet with here, and he was ultimately persuaded, on being paid $2, to leave the place.

On another occasion two men in partner- ship opened a saloon in Ossian, and, although they held their place for a short time, they had a falling ont, and one was convicted for erime and sentenced to penitentiary for life. At another time a fire burned out the saloon that had been started a short time before; so that, " providentially," the saloonists have failed to sustain their cause in Ossian, and there is now no such ngly place of resort there as the bad element had contemplated.

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629

OSSIAN.

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A Murphy temperance society, with David Stine as president, was organized at Ossian in 1878, and worked nobly for about four years, when, the chief enemy having been providentially driven to other parts, there was little left before them to do.

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Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 948

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 948