USA > Indiana > Putnam County > Biographical and historical record of Putnam County, Indiana > Part 16
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MI ROACHDALE.
The Indiana Statesman was established in September, 1582, by Howard E. Hennon, who is still editor and proprietor.
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›HIE following statement ; for jurors, comprise all the business shown of first court proceedings. by the record to have been transacted at that term. The record of this, and several terms following. is so blurred and faded as to be, in great part, illegible. and lists of judges of the different courts, are taken from the records of the Cirenit Court clerk's office.
The first (Circuit) court was held June 3. 1822, Jacob Call. presiding judge, signing the record of that date. Commission of said judge was spread of record. dated at Corydon, March 7. 1522. " the sixth year of the State, and of the United States the forty- sixth." The commission was signed by Jonathan Jennings, Governor, and counter- signed by R. A. New. Also the commissions and oaths of George Kirkpatrick and Prunell Chance, associate judges, were spread of record. An order for a seal for the court. and that the clerk, at least thirty days prior to the next terin, issue a venire for eighteen qualified grand jurors, and for the same num- ber of petit jurors, is also entered. The place of holding court is not stated.
Spreading commissions and onthis of judges of record, and orders for court seal and venires
The next term following, and the first at which any general business was transacted, is shown to have been "convened and held at the house of James Athey (at or near the forks of Eel River), on Monday, the second day of September, 1522, in and for the Coun- ty of Putnam." The sune judges were present as at the former session. The grand jury was impaneled and sworn. Of their names, only the following are legible: Ben- jamin Bell (foreman), - - - MeCoy, Abraham Lewis. Matthew Cole, Richard Moore, Henry Williams, Ephraim Dukes. Joseph Thomas, William Dole, -- ---- Chance, Luke Dyer, Sr., Isaac Anderson and John Stagg. (Joseph Wells, now of Madison Township, is said also to have been upon this jury.) On motion of S. Judah, Thomas II. Blake and James Far- rington, Esquires, were admitted and sworn as attorneys and counselors at law of this court.
The record of the first jury trial is signed June 3, 1823, in the case of John Ilamilton
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against William M. Blair and others. The plaintiff was represented by Thomas HI. Blake, and the defendant by Charles Deweese, Esq., their respective counsel. The following are the names of the jurors, one being illegible: Abraham Lewis, Noble J. Myers, David Ilurst, John Rowley, Benjamin Bell, Richard Moore, David MeCoy, Elisha Mullinix, Isaac Matkins, William Craig and Israel Linders.
James Athey was allowed $12 for the use of his house for the court twelve days; Robert Cunningham, $2 for furnishing a room for the grand jury two days, and also allowed 82 for two days' service as bailiff; and Justin Goodrich allowed $1 for his attendance as bailiff. At the close of the term, it was or- dered. " That this Court adjourn until court in course, to meet at the house of Isaiah Wright, at the next term." This record is signed, "June 3, 1828," by J. Call as judge.
The next intelligible record presents the following: " At a Circuit (Court) met and held in the town of Greencastle, on the fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, present the Hon. John Sigler and John Smith. associate judges." " The Court beingopened," the sheriff (William W. MeIntosh) "returned the panel of grand jurors" as follows: John Johnston, Elias Bridgwaters, Abraham Lewis. Solomon Coffinan, Arthur Conley, Alexander Johnston, Thomas Chadd, James W. Crawford, Thomas Johnston, Andrew Mc- Mains, Scady Chandler, George Goodman, Matthew Cole, Beasley Skers and Samnel Chadd. John Johnston was appointed fore- man.
Upon trial of an indictment against Silas G. Weeks, for selling spirituous liqnors, the following (second) petit jury was impaneled: Ephraim Dukes, David Deweese, Richard Breeden, Thomas Dewcese, George Eliott, Elisha Mullinix, Elias Gilder, Justus George,
William C. Butcher, David Iliggings, Jolin Friend and Jacob Butcher.
After the opening, it is shown that " the Hon. John R. Porter, Presiding Judge, ap- peared and took his seat, and by him the record is signed, May 6, 1825. Court ad- journed " until court in course." The county was then, as for some years following, in- eluded in the First Judicial Circuit.
The October term next following is the first shown to have been held "at the court house in Greencastle," the same judges pre- siding, and Hon. John Law, prosecuting attorney.
At the May term, 1827, the following entry appears upon the order-book: "On motion of John Allen, by John Law, his attorney," it was "ordered by the court, that
: a rule do operate upon Arthur MeGaughey, Clerk of the Board of Justices of Putnam County, on the first day of the next term of this Court, to show canse why a mandamus should not issne against him as clerk of said Court, to compel him to issne to said John Allen a county order for thirty-six dollars, for his service in establishing a seat of jus- tice for Putnam County --- said order dated November sixteenth, eighteen hundred and twenty-two."
At the May term, 1829, the same judge occupied the bench, with David Deweese and William Elrod, associate judges. William MeIntosh was still sheriff' and collector, and John Law, proseentor.
The May term, 1830, was held by the Hon. John Law, under commission as " Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit," running for seven years from the 25th day of January, 1830.
The following order appears upon the rec- ord of this term: "Ordered by the Court that the following space of land be and the same is hereby laid off and designated by
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the following metes and bonnds, around the | term, 1850, was held by Hon. Sammel B. county jail, as, and to be called and termed, Gookins, under temporary appointment to fill prison bounds for said county, to wit: Begin- ; vacancy, with Robert N. Allen and William ning at the northwest corner of the town of G. Duckworth as associates. Greencastle, in said county, thence south to Poplar street, in said town, thence east to
The May term, 1551, was held by the Hon. Delana R. Eckels, who had been elected in Water street, thence north to the northern : the winter of 1851, by the Legislature, and boundary of said town to Liberty street, ; commissioned as judge for seven years " from thenee west to the place of beginning; such and after the session of the General Assem- bly " of that year. Judges Allen and Duck- worth were still associates. After this term, the office of associate judge was abolished by the State. bounds to include the space covered by the several roads or streets so bounding such space as aforesaid." John Cowgill was ap- pointed master in chancery for the county. Judge Law having resigned, Hon. Geo. W. Johnston was appointed in his stead, and held the October term of the court, 1831.
At the April term. 1832, the Hon. Amory Kinney presented his commission as judge, to fill said vacancy, and held the term with the same last-named associate judges. Judge Kinney continued to preside up to the Deto- ber term, 1536, inclusive, James Rankin ap- ; pearing as associate judge at the said last
The May term, 1-37, was held by Hon.
The March term, 1857. was held by Judge Elisha M. Huntington, who continued as Hanna under regular election as judge, as- presiding judge until the April term, 1841, ; sisted by the Hon. Stephen Major, appointed inclusive.
The Hon. William P. Bryant occupiedl the bench at the October term, 1841, with the last-named associates, and continued in office until the October term, 1843, inclusive, when George Pearcy and Moses T. Bridges appeared as his associates.
The bench was resumed at the April term, 1844, by Judge Law, under commission run- ning for the term of seven years from Janu- ary 25, 1844, and continued to preside until the November term, 1849, inclusive, Robert N. Allen in the meantime having come upon the bench as associate, vice Judge Pearcy.
Judge Law having resigned, the November
In April, 1553, the Hon. James Hughes came upon the bench as judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the State having been redis- tricted for judicial purposes, and elections held for the several districts.
Judge Hughes having resigned before the expiration of his term (of six years, terms previously having ocenpied seven years). Hon. James M. Hanna filled the vacancy. under appointment, at the March term. 1856, sue- term instead of Judge Deweese, with Will- , ceeded by the Hon. Ambrose B. Carleton at iam Elrod co-associate.
the September term. 1956.
to try causes in which the regular judge was incompetent to preside.
The October term of the same year was also held by Judge Hanna.
Judge Hanna having resigned, the Hon. Solomon Claypool was appointed to fill the vacaney, and presided as judge under said appointment and succeeding election, until the October term, 1864, inclusive.
At the April term, 1865, Judge Eekels again came upon the bench, and continued to preside until the October term, 1870, inelu- sive, when he was succeeded by the Hon. William M. Franklin, who occupied the bench from the March term, 1871, until the
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close of the year 1872, and was succeeded by the Hon. Solon Turman, who served nearly two whole terms. Judge Eekels was ap- pointed in November, 1850, as a special judge to finish that term, which Judge Tur- man was unable to complete. In February following, the latter presided for the last time. Hon. Silas D. Coffey was appointed in March, ISS1, and elected to the same position in November. 1852. He is still : judge of the Thirteenth Judicial (irenit, in- eluding the counties of Putnam and Clay. Four regular terms of ronrt are held an- unally, in February, April, September and November. Each term is limited to five weeks in duration.
The first term of the Probate Court proper transacted by the associate judges) appears to have been "convened and hekl" on the 7th day of September. 1-20, the Hon. Joseph F. Farley presiding as "sole judge," and con- tinning as such to the end of the year 1\30, succeeded by the lon. John Cowgill, who held the office, under appointment by Gov- "yet these same citizens who profess to have a ernor Ray, until July S, 1831, when he was . contempt for lawyers will, when in any kind surereded by the Hon. George F. Waterman,"of difficulty. run promptly to one of the pro-
under regular cicetion and commission as probate judge for the county, running for a term of seven years from the 19th day of August, 1831. Judge Waterman continued upon the bench until August 13, 1542, when he was succeeded in office by the Hon. Reese Hardesty. Judge Hardesty continued to preside until August 19, 1843. He was then succeeded by the Hon. William Lee, who heid the office until May 16, 1846. The next and last of the probate judges was the Ion. Robert Glidewell, who held office until the Probate Court was superseded by the estab- lishment of the Common Pleas Court, be- ginning with the year 1553.
The Hon. John Cowgill, first common
pleas judge, presided until the close of the year 1860. The Hon. Frederick T. Brown was his successor, who presided up to the close of the June term, 1864. The next in office was the Hon. William M. Franklin, who held from the November term, 1864, to the June term, 1868, inclusive. From Octo- ber, 1868, to February, 1873, the Hon. Har- rison Burns presided as judge. After the last-named date the Court of Common Pleas was abolished by the statute, and the busi- ness thereof was transferred to the Putnam Cirenit Court.
BAR.
The law is a profession which ever attracts a certain percentage of our brightest minds (that class of business having been previously ; into its ranks. It is now rather more crowded than the other avocations, but this is in itself a proof of the advantages it offers. Of late years it has become enriously common for people to disparage lawyers, applying every sort of epithet, and making them the excuses for hundreds of jokes and stories;
fession, place themselves and their property entirely in his guidance, and eagerly follow his suggestions in the weightiest affairs.
Putnam County has been the residence of a long roll of attorneys. These have been as a rule able, well-read, conscientious and painstaking men, and a number would be in any city reckoned as brilliant. At the pres- ent time. as well as in the past, the county may be truthfully considered surprisingly free from " shysters." One testimony to their ability is the fact that attorneys are sel- dom imported from other counties to attend to important cases.
The attorneys who have resided and prac- ticed here for various lengths of time, and are
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now with the " silent majority," are believed to be all mentioned in this list: Robert Glide- well, Joseph F. Farley, Henry Secrest, Ed- ward W. McGanghey (member of Congress), George L. Waterman (circuit judge), John Cowgill (common pleas judge), William A. MeKenzie, John A. Matson (father of Hon. C. C. Matson, present member of Congress from this district), Russell L. Hathaway, James M. Hanna (Judge of the Supreme Court), Chilton A. Darnall, Columbus D. Sellers. John C. Turk, John Hanna (member of Congress, resided in Indianapolis at time of death), Robert M. Crane, Milton A. Os- born (member of the General Assembly), Justice II. Bachelder (mayor of Greeneastle), John Starr (of Bainbridge), and Gustavus II. Voss.
Judge Delana R. Eckels is yet living at Greencastle, retired, as is also John S. Jen- nings. Frederick T. Brown, once judge of the court of common pleas, is retired and living in the country. Encins P. Chapin was a partner of Judge Claypool. and has been mayor of Greencastle. He is now in the grocery business. Jesse W. Wick is simi- larly engaged.
These attorneys have removed: Oliver HI. P. Ash, Solomon Claypool (for many years circuit judge, and now a resident of Indian- apolis), Henry W. Daniels (now in the em- ploy of the Vandalia Railroad Company, at
Terre Hante), James A. Crawley (now in Iowa), William II. Nye (lives at Rockville), Weller B. Smith (has been a member of the General Assembly, now resides at Indianapo- lis, retired), William A. Brown (appointed to a Government clerkship at Washington), William Il. Burk (of Cloverdale), Henry B. Martin (now a surveyor in Washington Ter- ritory), Thomas Brown (now in Texas), Will- iam II. Crow (now in Dakota), John D. Reed (now in Nebraska), Joseph Crow, Jr. (now in Kansas), William McK. Milligan (now in Kansas), William Bosson (now in Indianapo- lis) and Greenberry Wright (removed to the West).
Hon. Delana Williamson is the oldest resi- dent practitioner. His fellow members of the present bar are Addison Daggy (partner in the firm of Williamson & Dagzy), Reuben S. Ragan, Dillard C. Donnohne, Marshall A. Moore, James J. Smiley. Willis G. Neff, Henry II. Matthias, James S. Nutt, Jonathan Birch, Courtland C. Matson (present Con- gressman), Joseph (. McClary (present mayor of Greeneastle), Thomas Hanna, G. C. Moore, T. C. Grooms, William S. Eekels, George Hathaway. John L. Myers, Silas A. Hays, John P. Allee. John R. Gordon. Henry C. Lewis, Benjamin F. Corwin, Thomas T. Moore, John R. Miller. Thomas M. Bosson, Presley O. Colliver, Frank D. Ader and Win- field S. Cox.
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EDUCATIONAL.
ULES SIMON, the French educator and statesman said: "That people which has the best books and the best schools is the best people; if it is not so to-day, it will be so to-morrow." These words, deserve to be- come a household quotation the world over, for no more potent nor expressive truth was ever nttered. Of course, all progress and education are not derived from the study of books, and, as Hosea Ballon has said, " Edu- cation commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearing of little children tends toward the formation of character, but at the same time no other one agency is so powerful as the common school in developing a nation of self-governing people.
The citizens of Putnam County feel a just pride in their progress in educational methods, which have fully kept pace with the advance-
| ment in wealth and the development of material resources. As soon as the county was sufficiently settled to enable any neigh- borhood to open a school, a school-house was provided, and the services of a teacher secured. Often a room of a private honse was occupied, and sometimes the deserted cabin of a squatter became a temporary school-room, in which the old-time masters, who worked on the tuition plan, flourished the rod and taught the rudiments of reading, writing and arithmetic. The first school- houses built were structures of the rudest kind, such as no pioneer would be content to occupy as a dwelling. Built of logs, with floors and benches of puncheons, with a huge fire-place and a stick-and-mnd chimney, they were little calculated for comfort or con- venience. Window-glass was too expensive an article to be used in the construction of a school-house, and therefore greased paper was substituted for it. The writing desk was a notable feature in every school-room. It generally extended across one end or one side of the room, and was made of a slab, held in
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its place by wooden pins. For architectural effect, probably, certainly not for convenience, it was fastened high up on the wall, and the pupil, in order to use it, must climb upon a high wooden bench and sit there withont a support for his back or his feet.
Of the qualifications of the teachers of those days, the less said the better. Many were accounted good teachers who, in these days, would be unable to secure a certificate even of the third grade. Yet the most of them put to the best use the little talent and less training they had, and succeeded in planting good seed in the minds of their pupils. Some of the best minds this county has produced were those of men whose whole school education was received in the log school-houses of pioneer days.
The progress of education here is only a miniature reproduction of what has taken place more slowly among all civilized nations. In recent years improved methods of mental culture have aided the teachers in securing better results. The primary object of edu- cating children is not that they may escape labor thereby, but that they may labor more intelligently. Children should be taught that employment leads to happiness, indo- lenee to misery, and that all trades and pro- fessions whereby an honest livelihood is obtained are honorable. Right living is the end to be achieved, and it is the workers that do the most good in the world. The man who constantly and intelligently thinks is above temptation. The women who honor- ably labor in the various trades are to be preferred and honored above those who sit with folded hands. It is education that makes duty more apparent, lesseus toil and sweetens life. It is by trne edneation that the moral responsibilities of the human family are better understood.
Methods are now sought for and followed
in the school-room. The child's character and capacity are better understood now than in the pioneer days. The rod is laid aside, and children are no longer forced, under the lash, to order and apparent studiousness. Fretful and cruel teachers are giving way to those who love children, and again will man- kind draw nearer to the millennium through the influence of the law of love. In this age better attention is paid to the hygiene and ventilation of the school-room. Houses are lighted, aired and warmed in a rational manner. Since the introduction of the " antomatic " school desks there need be no more disagreeable seating in our school-room. The inventor of this desk will have a reward in the blessings of the countless thousands of healthy men and women who, in this genera- tion, as children, are comfortably seated in many of our best schools.
New and better studies have been added to the course of study in our common schools within the last decade. Now, the child is taught to apply what he learns, directing his conrse of study in the line of his mental activity, cultivating the good and restraining the evil propensities. The time was, not far back, when only a limited knowledge of " reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic," could be acquired in the common schools. The high- est aim of the youth of the pioneer days was to write a fair hand, spell orally, and solve mathematical puzzles. This age is moving in a better educational sphere. The change was, of course, gradual. It was a long strug- gle of ignorance and bigotry against eduea- tion, in which the latter has been crowned the victor. But few teachers cling to the old theory. Little by little they are growing away from the old system. A few teachers who do not improve are yet votaries at the shrine of their idols. the birch, the dunce- cap and other old-fashioned methods. But,
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"Too weak the sacred shrine to guard,"
they must soon yield to the new education, and enter the conflict against error and for a better educational life.
In this struggle for better methods opini- ions, covered with age and honors, have been marched off the stage of human action and supplanted by facts and principles which have cost years of toil to discover, and more years to establish. To the close student and ob- server this theory is new only in its applica- tion to our schools. It is the normal or natural method. This is the theory of edu- eation that antecedes all others. The ancients taught by objeets, when but few of the most wealthy men of that day could afford books. In fact, text-book knowledge is a new thing to the world. The first teachers gave in- struction orally. They were, by the force of cireminstances, independent of text-books. To this excellent plan has been added the writ- ten method. Then, it was principally by observation that the pupils received instruc- tion. By placing the objects before the pupils the teacher could easily reach their minds by his lecture. In this age black- boards, spelling-tablets, slates, charts and other school apparatus is in general nse in our best schools. In the schools of to-day, it is through the eye that a mental picture is formed from the printed page which children draw upon paper or boards from the ends of their fingers. Well-qualified teachers do not think of depending upon text-books at their recitations, but rather imitate the ancient normal methods. In order to meet the de- mand for better-qualified teachers, normal training sehools have been established in this and other States. The teachers' institute is also an ontgrowth of the demand for teachers of a higher standard. Now, trne education is admitted to be the drawing-ont and develop- ing of that which the child already possesses,
instead of the old crowding theory of pioneer days.
There is perhaps no question which can so deeply interest the people of a county as that of obtaining teachers of known and tried ability. In the period of the carly set- tlement of this county almost anyone could teach. That time, with all of its rude school appliances, has rolled away. The claims of to-day can no longer be met by appliances of even a decade ago, for experience is begin- nig to show that teaching, like every other department of human thought and activity, must change with the onward movements of society, or fall in the rear of civilization and become and obstacle to improvement. The educational problem of to-day is to obtain useful knowledge - to secure the practical part of education before the ornamental, and that in the shortest time. In truth, a free nation's safety is wrapped in the intelligence of its citizens. Only an edneated people can long sustain a free republie, therefore, it is the duty of the State to edneate, that her free institutions may stand through all ages as saered and endeared monments of the en- lightened people.
Education sweetens and hedges in the fam- ily circle and drives away frivolity and gossip from a community, protecting the members from the inroads of vice and immorality. It is the strong bulwark of education that binds the nation of 36,000,000 people together for advancement that she may shine in the near future the brightest star in the constellation of governments. Rapid strides have been made in education within the last half cen- tury, but the field of improvement is yet boundless, and the work of education must still go on, and make perhaps greater changes than those from the time when
" The sacred seer with scientific truth
In Grecian temples taught the attentive youth,
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With ceaseless change how restless atoms pass From life to life, a transmigrating mass,"
to that of to-day, when men's thoughts are directed to the investigation of what they see around thein.
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