USA > Indiana > Putnam County > Biographical and historical record of Putnam County, Indiana > Part 17
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From the best data that can be had at this day it may be stated that the first school- house in the county was erected seven miles sonth and a little west of Greencastle, in the fall of 1823. It was of the pattern common in those days. Buildings for snch purposes were then rude in the extreme, and it would be a matter of interest to record a description of one had they not already been described so frequently by those who attended them. Dr. John Slavens, Bryce W. Miller, Alfred Bur- ton, Thomas Dodge, John Evans and James Robinson are named by oldl citizens as among the carly school-teachers of the county.
A condensed statement of the condition of the schools of the county at the present time will serve as a fitting close to this article, and show at a glance the progress that has been made. The figures are taken from the last published report of the Superintendent of Publie Instruction of Indiana.
The amount of the common school fund belonging to the State and held by Putnam County was 814.622.63 on June 1, 1586, and had increased 81.209.26 during the preceding year through fines and forfeitmes paid into the Circuit Court and to justices. The Con- gressional township school fund held by the county amounts to $25.515.52, and is seldom increased, the only possible source of accre- tion being from the sale of land.
During the year ending July 31, 1586. there was expended for tuition 842,410.83; for permanent improvements, $4,883.35; for other purposes, $12,020.16: total, 859,264.34.
The enumeration or school census, taken May 1, 1856, showed that there were in P'ut- nam County, between the ages of six and
twenty-one years, 3,962 white males; 3,552 white females; 98 colored males, and 79 colored. females; total, 7,691. The children between ten and twenty-one who could not read or write were in number but 26. The enrollment in the public schools during the year included 2,848 white males; 2,672 white females; 60 colored males, and 59 colored females; total enrollment, 5,639; average attendance, 3,025.
. There were in the county; July 31. 1886, 14 brick school-honses and 115 frame school- houses; total, 132. Three new houses had been erected during the preceding year, at a cost of 82,275.
The value of school-houses, including grounds, seats, etc., is stated in the aggregate at 8166,900; that of apparatus. at 86,871: total value, 8173,271.
The average number of days taught in the schools was 116.
DE PAUW UNIVERSITY.
The Indiana Asbury . University was char- tered by the Legislature in 1587, under the patronage of the Indians Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, in order that that church might share and bear a part in the education of the coming generations. The charter was as - liberal, and guaranteed freedom from sectarianism as fully as any State institution, using the following language: " The Indiana Asbury University shall be founded and maintained forever upon a plan the most suitable for the benefit of the youth of every class of ourcitizens and every relig- ious denomination, who shall be freely ad- mitted to equal advantages and privileges of education, and to all the literary honors of said university, according to their merit."
The enterprise of a few citizens of Green- castle and of Putnam County secured the location, and the result has demonstrated
306
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
their wise foresight. The students and fac- ulty have expended not less than $50,000 an- nually in the city and county, aggregating in the last fifty years not less than $2,500,000. This money has gone into the hands of every one who had anything to sell or anything to do. Besides this, many men of large means have been induced to locate here, adding ma- terially to the sum of wealth and enterprise.
The preparatory department was opened June 5, 1837, under Cyrus Nutt, A. B., with an attendance of six students. The school was then without building or endowment.
The corner-stone of the first edifice was laid on the 20th of the same month, with in- posing ceremonies and an address by Rev. Henry B. Bascom, D. D., of Kentucky. Nearly two years later, March, 1839, the first faculty' was constituted: Rev. M. Simpson, D. D., President and Professor of Mathemat- ics; Rev. Cyrus Nutt, A. M., Professor of Ancient Languages: Rev. J. Weakley, A. M., Principal of the Preparatory Depart- ment; and John Wheeler, Tutor in Lan- gnages. Thus, this enterprise, which was to live and grow for generations, to shed light and Christian truth upon the world, took its place among the educational institutions of the State to aid in the elevation and culture of the people. Upon it was centered the earnest attention and devout prayers of the church, and the gifts of the people, small, but liberal in proportion to their wealth, flowed in to erect the building and support the faculty. November 1, 1848, the Indiana Central Medical College was established at Indianapolis, with a full faculty, as a depart- ment of the university. The Law School was organized in the fall of 1853. Both these departments were afterward discon- tinued.
From the beginning the trustees had en- tered upon the accumulation of a permanent
endowment fund, by soliciting gifts and by the sale of scholarships. A perpetual scholarship, upon which the purchaser or his descendants could send a student perpetually without tuition, was placed upon the market at the sum of 8500. In 1844 the cost of perpetual scholarships was reduced to $100. In 1875 tuition was made free in all de- partments. In June, 1877, ladies had been admitted on equal terms with gentlemen, Asbury being one of the first institutions of like grade in the West to accord equal uni- versity privileges to females.
A military department was organized in 1876 by Capt. C. W. Smith and Major John L. McMasters, and in the following year Captain D. D. Wheeler, U. S. A., was de- tailed by the War Department as Professor of Military Science and Tactics. The physi- cal culture and drill of the regular service, as carried out here, both promote health and qualify young men for command who could understandingly organize for the protection of property against strikes and riots.
Marked success and great usefulness char- acterized the history of the university, and the management has been such as to win ap- probation and encominms from both patrons and the public. The name of Asbury Uni- versity became known to all friends of educa- tion throughout the land, and during the latter years of its existence under that name, the attendance was from 400 to 500. Nearly seventy-five of Asbury's alumni have been called to fill presidential and professional chairs in colleges located in fifteen States of the Union; county superintendents, princi- pals of high schools and academies, teachers in great numbers, members of the United States Senate, the Lower House of Congress, State Legislatures, missionaries to Turkey, China, India, Japan and South America; active, useful and honored citizens in all the
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EDUCATIONAL.
avocations of life, have gone from her halls, and have contributed their culture, indepen- bence of thought and educational skill to denefit our State, and the nation as well, and to carry and illustrate and reflect our civil- ization and the Gospel of Christ to distant barbarous climes.
With this gratifying record made under the old name, and with limited financial resources, the friends of the university are most sanguine as to the future history of the institution, which has entered upon a new period of its history, under advantages that may easily make it one of the leading univer- sities of the United States. In 1883 Washington C. De Pauw, a wealthy and phil- anthropie citizen of New Albany, Indiana, made the most liberal offers of financial assistance to the university, conditioned partly on the raising of specified sums by the four Indiana conferences and the city of Greencastle (the latter's share being 860,000), and also made provision by will for the dona- tion to the endowment fund of the institution of a large portion of his property, he being a millionaire several times over. In partial recognition of this munificence, the name of " De Pauw University " was adopted, and this it will bear during its future existence. Mr.
De Pauw also, as president of the board of trustees and visitors, has during the last few years aided the university by his advice and sound business sagacity, which might have continued to serve the institution for many years longer, had his life not been snd- denly cut short, in May, 1887, while on a visit to Chicago.
Though the new order of things is but just begun, four large and commodious new structures have been added to the university's group of buildings, besides the enlargement and improvement of others; 140 acres of land has been added to the campus; and while the Asbury College of Liberal Arts has been made more efficient than ever, it has been surrounded with the several schools of theology, law, music, fine arts, normal instruction, etc., which constitute a university in fact as well as in name. and all advanced to the very front rank among the educational institutions of the great West.
During the year 1885-'86 the total attend- ance was 813, of whom sixty-nine graduated in 1886. There were over forty members of the faculty during the same year. Alexander Martin, D. D., LL. D., is president of the university.
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
MISCELLANEOUS.
AGRICULTURAL.
as its agriculture. Man- ufactures and mineral re- sources are desirable, but where they are the main dependence there will invariably be a poor, igno- rant, unenterprising class of citizens controlled by a few capitalists. Here in Putnam Connty property is quite evenly distributed, with the exception of a few large land-owners; all are comfortably situated, and all enjoy educational and social ad- vantages.
Putnam is destined to remain an agricult- ural county, and it is best so. As a farming region it ranks among the best in the State. Possessing the advantages of a good elimate, a soil of inexhaustible fertility, elose prox- imity to the markets of Chicago, Indianapo-
ROTHIING adds so much to lis and other cities, and excellent railroad the prosperity of a county facilities, the county has already attained a degree of agricultural development such as is seldom found in a country comparatively new. Its wealth and prosperity are steadily and rapidly increasing. When we consider that but two generations ago the red men were the owners of this region which now supports one of the most flourishing com- munities in the United States, we may well be astonished at the wonderful results which time and an intelligent industry have wrought. In many sections of our country lands which have been occupied by white in- habitants twice and thrice as long, exhibit not one-half of the improvements and sub- stantial evidences of real prosperty that Pnt- nam Connty can show. Nature did much for this region, and a thrifty and progressive people have admirably co-operated with her efforts. Farms, buildings and improvements of every kind are of unusual excellence in this county. Numerous towns and villages
309
MISCELLANEOUS.
scattered over the county furnish abundant and convenient trading points and home mar- kets, while unexcelled educational and re- ligions advantages make the homes of this connty as desirable as those of any other locality in the State.
The Putnam County farmers began at a very early day to improve the quality of their live-stock, giving especial attention to the breeding of cattle for the beef market. Many of the pioneers came from counties in Ken- tueky, which had then made considerable ad- vancement in that business. Colonel A. S. Farrow and Roach Frakes were among the earliest to introduce fine cattle into the county for breeding purposes. Colonel Far- row was also one of the foremost breeders of horses, and owned the first jack in the county. In 1845 Dr. A. C. Stevenson bought some thoroughbred cattle, the first in the county, from Mr. Owen, and in 1853 he imported three direct from England.
The first fair for the exhibition of stock was held on the 7th day of September, 1837, on the ground occupied by the Presbyterian church recently destroyed by fire. It was but little more than a show of live-stock, held on the open ground, and without fees. A committee passed judgment on the merits of animals exhibited, but no premiums were paid. The horse owned by Colonel A. S. Farrow was adjudged the best in that de- partment, but the other winners on that day cannot now be remembered.
In the year 1838 or 1839, another fair was held on an open lot, near the present site of the university buildings. At this exhibi- tion a bull called Tecumseh, owned by Anderson B. Matthews, took the premium in that class.
means of bringing into the county from other States, and from foreign countries, some of the best stock to be had anywhere.
The Putnam County Agricultural Society was organized about the year 1852, and con- tinned to hold annual fairs for the exhibition of all kinds of stoek, produce and manufact- ures, from 1853 to 1862. From the latter date until 1868 there were no fairs held by the society, owing to the unsettled state of the country occasioned by the civil war. The society was then reorganized, and immedi- ately fitted np grounds on the farm of Ilon. John A. Matson, east of the Bloomington road, a short distance south of the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad depot, where it continued to hold its annual fairs until its removal to new grounds, east of the city of Greencastle, in the fall of 1877. These grounds were leased of Andrew Loekridge. Fairs were held in 1878 and '79. and the society then became dormant. It still keeps up its organization, and will doubtless seenre grounds and hold fairs again. The present officers are: B. F. Coleman, President; Ben- jamin F. Carver, Vice-President; Thomas E. Talbott, Treasurer, and W. S. Cox, Secre- tary.
The last published agricultural statistics are for 1884. In that year 41.163 acres --- nearly two townships in area-were planted with wheat, and nearly as much. 39,955 acres, were devoted to eorn. The production of these two staples was: wheat, 407,407 bushels; corn, 1,159,950 bushels. The oat acreage was 6,062; erop, 165,935 bushels.
Timothy was raised on 22,280 aeres, nearly a whole township, and the product was 35,499 tons. Also, 11,549 acres were planted to clover, and 19,328 tons of hay was the reward.
Since that time there has grown up among the farmers of the county a spirit of emula- The aereage of timber land was reported at tion and enterprise, which has been the ' 59.557: newly cleared land, 1,148 acres: idle
91
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
plow land, 4,087 acres; land devoted to blue and other wild grasses, 96,804 acres.
There were in the county 8,001 horses, 1,168 mules, 17.540 head of cattle (4,928 of these were milch cows), 23,400 stock hogs, 27.675 fatted hogs; weight of fatted hogs, 4,680,843 pounds; 15,826 sheep, 6,996 lambs, 13,265 dozen chickens, 660 dozen turkeys, 310 dozen geese, 339 dozen dneks, 109 dozen guinea fowl.
There were 1,718 stands of bees, producing 21,573 pounds of honey. The number of eggs reported was 325,646 dozen. Sorghum molasses to the amount of 10,384 gallons was produced, and 11,588 gallons of maple molasses, besides 5-0 pounds of sorghum sugar and 3,711 pounds of maple sugar. Of dairy products there were 1,579.007 gallons of milk and 324,307 pounds of butter; while of cider, wine and vinegar there were 13,027 gallons, 50 gallons and 3,372 gallons, respec- tively. The wool elip amounted to 68,051 pounds.
There were 57,648 bearing apple trees, and 27.101 under age; 11,812 bearing peach trees, and 14,285 under age; 2,038 pear trees, and 1,751 under age; 172 quince trees, and 207 non-bearing; 4,535 bearing cherry trees, and 3,257 non-bearing: 191 bearing Siberian crab-apple trees, and 104 non-bearing: 5.706 bearing grape vines, and 5,266 non-bearing.
There are now 200,000 rods of drain-tile laid in Putnam County.
RAILROADS.
Rapid development of a new country is only possible through a system of railroads, affording speedy, regular, safe and economical transportation. To fully open up a district like Illinois, Indiana or Kentucky, a whole generation was required. Now, by the aid of railroads, the vast Territory of Dakota has within five years received a half million of
inhabitants, and is ready to be converted into two new States -- Dakota and Pembina -- stars No. 39 and 40 in our Federal constella- tion. By the same agency Asia, Australia, South America and Africa are being rapidly civilized and developed. In short, the known world is being wonderfully enlarged. But for the iron horse Africa must remain the " dark continent " for countless generations. In view of present developments, it is to be the land of promise for emigrants in the twentieth century.
In the early days of the county the farm- ers suffered greatly for lack of markets for their products. The best points at which they could dispose of their surplus grain were Madison and Lawrenceburg, on the Ohio, and La Fayette, on the Wabash River. In those days, too, they drove their fat hogs on foot to Cincinnati, or to the ports on the lakes. Under such conditions no one had any idea of the future prosperity of the county.
Terre Haute de Indianapolis Railroad. But a day of change came- the day of rail- roads and steam transportation. One of the first railroads in the State was that from In- dianapolis to Terre Haute. This road was completed and opened for business early in the year 1852. The last rail on this road was laid on a Sunday morning, about midway between Greencastle and Fillmore. The Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad has in Putnam County 21.13 miles of main track, assessed at $13,000 per mile, or $274,690; 7.17 miles of side track, assessed at §2,500 per mile, or $17,925. Rolling stock is as- sessed at 85,000 per mile of main track, or 8105,650; improvements on right of way are assessed at $1,752. Total assessed valu- ation of road in this county, 8400,017; taxes paid to county, $3,744.62.
The stations in this county are Fillmore,
811
JMISCELLANEOUS.
Greencastle, Lamrick and Reelsville. The : has in the county 17.28 miles of main track, townships crossed, with mileage in each, are as follows: Marou, 6.04: Greencastle, 6.69; Warren, 1.33: Washington, 7.16. This road forms part of, and is generally spoken of as the " Vandalia Line."
Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Rail- roud .- This road was built in 1958 from : which 81,080.56 taxes are paid.
New Albany to Michigan City. It has in The only stations in Putnam County are crossed, and mileage in each, are: Jackson, 5.62; Franklin, 5.65: Russellville, 6.01. Putnam County 32.21 miles of main track, Roachdale and Russellville. The townships assessed at $5,000 per mile, or 8161,050: 5.22 miles of side track, assessed at 82.000 per mile, or $10.110. The rolling stock is as- sexsed at 81,500 per mile, or $45,315. and the SUMMARY. improvements on right of way at 81,985: total assessment of the road in the county, Altogether these four railroads have in the county $9.99 miles of main track, assessed at 8686,755, and 17.11 miles of side track, as- sessed at 887,865. The rolling stock is as- sessed at 8220,980, and improvements on right of way, 85,867. Total valuation, 8951,497: taxes, from $5,000 to $10,000 annually. 8221,740; and it pays $2.151.40 in taxes. This raffroad has in the county the stations of Roachdale, Bainbridge. Greencastle, Green- castle JJunction, Putnamville and Cloverdale. The townships crossed, and mileage in cach, are: Franklin, 6.06; Monroe, 6.28: Green- castle, 7.49: Warren, 6.54: Cloverdale, 5.84.
Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad. The Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad extends through the central portion of the county, east and west, nearly parallel to the Vandalia Line, and was completed July 11, 1870. It has in Putnam County 19.37 miles of main track, assessed at $8,500 per mile, or $164 .- 645, and 3.26 miles of side track, assessed at $2,000 per mile, or $6,590. Rolling stock is assessed at $2.300 per mile, or 844.551. and improvements on right of way at 81,530; total assessment in this county, $217,246, on which it pays $2,078.35 taxes.
The stations in Putnam County are Green- castle and Oakalla. The townships crossed, This building remained in use until 1832, and mileage in cach, are: Floyd, 2.17; Ma- rion, 4: Greencastle, 6.77; Madison, 6.43.
Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield Rail- roud .- This road skirts the county on its northern border, and was built in 1878. It , of Comty Commissioners, with Anderson B.
assessed at 85,000 per mile, or 886.400, and 1.49 miles of side track, assessed at 82,000, or 82,980. Rolling stock is assessed at 81,- 300 per mile, or 822.464. and improvements on right of way at 8650; so that the total assessment within the county is $112.491, on
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
It is a matter of necessity that a county should have buildings suitable for the trans- action of public business, the administration of justice. the preservation of records and for many other purposes. The courts of the county were at first held at private houses, and afterward, as stated by old citizens, at the Methodist church in Greeneastle. The first court-house was a two-story frame building, erected in 1827 and 1828, by Amos Robert- son. under the supervision of Arthur MeGanghey, clerk and recorder of the county.
when a single-story, hip-roofed brick house was erected in its stead, which continned in use until the erection of the present edifice. On Monday, March 2, 1846, in the Board
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Matthews, president, on motion of Delana R. Eckels, Esq., it was
" Resolved, That it is the duty of this Board to take some preparatory steps toward the erection of a sufficient court-house for the transaction of the public business and the convenience of the people of Putnam County."
The ayes and noes being called on this reso- lution, resulted as follows: Ayes-James Athey, Lloyd B. Harris, Thomas Shipman, Thomas Morris, William Mckinley, John S. Jennings, William W. Berry, John Miller, Samuel Adams, Caleb B. Osborn, James Johnson, Joseph Albin, Stacy R. Youngman, Dillard C. Donnohue, James L. Boyd, James B. Wilson and John Leaton-17. Noes- John M. Purcell, Curran E. Swift, David Barnes, Isaac Hurst, Quinton Van Dyke, Robert Case, William Perkins, William Sanders, Thomas Miller and Sylvester W. Perry -- 10.
At the same meeting the Board appointed John K. Dawson, John Reel, Francis Dun- lavy, William Arnold and Norval F. Kennedy a committee to prepare plans and receive bids for material and for the erection of a court- house. This committee reported and were discharged on June 2, 1846, without having completed the business assigned thein, and the work went over to the September term.
At the September term Elisha Braman was appointed to prepare a draft of a build- ing, to be submitted to the auditor, who should give public notice that bids for the erection of the same would be received on the second day of the December term. On Tues- day, December 8, 1846, a committee appointed on the previous day to examine plans and speci- fications, reported in favor of the plan pre- sented by Mr. Braman, and on the following
day a contract for building was awarded to Elisha Adamson, at the sum of $8,500. It was finished and accepted in 1848, and the builder was allowed 8225.25 for extras. At the time the contract was let the old house was sold for the sum of $151, to William S. Collier, who was ordered to remove it from the ground before the first day of June fol- lowing, that the erection of the new building might begin at that date. A new court- house is needed and will be built in a few years.
The first jail, a log one, was built in the year 1823. A brick building for the same purpose was erected in 1830, which continued in use until 1863, when one was built at a cost of 812,000. The new jail was built in 1878.
On the 5th day of January, 1836, the Board of County Commissioners bonght of Henry Batterton a farm to be used as an asy- lum for the poor of the county, allowing him therefor the sum of $720. This land was entered by Mr. Batterton October 14, 1825. Suitable buildings were constructed on the poor-farm during the summer after its pur- chase. The present edifice was erected in the year 1845.
POPULATION.
The county nearly attained its growth in population before 1860. By the census of that year there were 20,681 inhabitants. In 1870 there were 21,518, and in 1880, 22,501. The population by townships in 1880 was:
Clinton, 1,016; Cloverdale, 2,043; Floyd, 1,152; Franklin, 1,458; Greencastle, 5,525; Jackson, 1,487; Jefferson, 1,108; Madison, 1,090; Marion, 1,430; Mill Creek, 511; Monroe, 1,477; Russell, 1,294; Warren, 1,075; Washington, 1,835.
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TOWNS.
>TOWNS.P
GREENCASTLE.
IIE General Assembly ! the east by Locust street, on the south by of Indiana, at the same Hanna street, on the west by Gillespie street, and was originally divided into 211 lots. session which organ- ized the county, ap- That part of the city which lies between Locust and Indiana streets was granted by Ephraim Dukes, having been entered by him Jannary 25, 1521, and was deeded by him to Amos Robertson, agent for Potnam County, on the 27th day of September, 1×23, in con- sideration of the location of the county seat at that place. pointed Jacob Lowe, of Monroe County, Daniel Anderson, of Owen County, and Judge Colman, of Vermillion County, com- missioners to locate and name the seat of justice for Put- nam County. After consid- The west half of the old plat was given by John W. Clark, a son-in-law of Mr. Dukes. This grant was entered by Mr. Clark on the 17th day of September. 1822. The deed conveying this land to John Baird, agent for Putnam County, was not recorded until June 7, 1825. erable delay, occasioned by the examination of several rival places, pointed out by persons residing in different parts of the county, each anxious to secure the location of the county seat in his own neighborhood, the present site of Greencastle was selected and established as the capital and seat of justice for the county.
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