USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > Biographical and historical record of Vermillion County, 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 Vermillion county, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the county and its villages > Part 13
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The One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment, under Colonel Charles Wise, organized Au- gust, 1863, and served in Kentucky.
The One Hundred and Seventeenth Regi -. ment, under Colonel Thomas J. Brady, or- ganized at Indianapolis September 17, 1863.
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
The One Hundred and Eighteenth Regi- ment, under Colonel George W. Jackson, organized September 3, 1863.
The One Hundred and Nineteenth Regi- ment, or Seventh Cavalry, was organized, under Colonel John P. C. Shanks, in October, 1863; made an endurable name on many fields of battle. Many of this regiment lost their lives on the ill-fated steamer Sultana.
The One Hundred and Twentieth Regi- ment was organized in April, 1864, and formed a portion of Brigadier-General Ho- vey's command.
The One Hundred and Twenty-first Regi- ment, or Ninth Cavalry, was organized at Indianapolis, under Colonel George W. Jack- son; this regiment also lost a number of men on the steamer Sultana.
The One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment failing to organize, this number became blank.
The One Hundred and Twenty-third Regi- ment, under Colonel John C. McQuiston, perfected an organization in March, 1864, and did good service.
The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, under Colonel James Burgess, organized at Richmond March 10, 1864, and served under General Sherman.
The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Regi- ment, or Tentlı Cavalry, under Colonel T. M. Pace, completed its organization at Columbus, May, 1863, and immediately moved to the front. This regiment lost a number of men on the steamer Sultana.
The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regi- ment, or Eleventh Cavalry, organized at Indianapolis, under Colonel Robert R. Stew- art, in March, 1864, and entered the field in Tennessee.
The One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh .
Regiment, or Twelfth Cavalry, under Colonel Edward Anderson, organized at Kendallville
in April, 1864, and served in Georgia and Alabama.
The One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment organized at Michigan City, under Colonel R. P. De Hart, March 18, 1864, and served under General Sherman in his famous campaign.
The One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regi- ment organized at Michigan City, under Col- onel Charles Case, in April, 1864, and shared in the fortunes of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth.
The One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment organized at Kokomo, under Colonel C. S. Parish, March 12, 1864, and served with the Twenty-third Army Corps.
The One Hundred and Thirty-first Regi- ment, or Thirteenth Cavalry, moved from Indianapolis to the front, under Colonel G. M. L. Johnson, April 30, 1864.
April, 1864, Governor Morton called for volunteers to serve one hundred days. In response to this call:
The One Hundred and Thirty-second Regi- ment, under Colonel S. C. Vance, moved from Indianapolis to the front May 18, 1864.
The One Hundred and Thirty-third Regi- ment moved from Richmond to the front May 17, 1864, under Colonel R. N. Hudson.
The One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regi- ment, under Colonel James Gavin, moved from Indianapolis to the front May 25, 1864.
The One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regi- ment, composed of companies from Bedford, Noblesville and Goshen, and seven companies from the First Congressional Distriet, entered the field, under Colonel W. C. Wilson, May 25, 1864.
The One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regi- ment, from the First Congressional District, moved to the front, under Colonel J. W. Foster, May 24, 1864.
The One Hundred and Thirty-seventh
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Regiment, under Colonel E. J. Robinson, moved to the front May 28, 1864.
The One IInndred and Thirty-eighth Regi- ment perfected its organization at Indian- apolis, under Colonel J. II. Shannon, May 27, 1864, and marched immediately to the front.
The One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Regi- ment was composed of companies from various counties, and entered the field, under Colonel George IIumphrey, in June, 1864.
All these regiments gained distinction on many fields of battle.
Under the President's call of 1864:
The One IInndred and Fortieth Regiment, under Colonel Thomas J. Brady, proceeded to the South November 16, 1864.
The One Hundred and Forty-first Regi- ment failing to organize, its few companies were incorporated in Colonel Brady's com- mand.
The One Hundred and Forty-second Regi- ment moved to the front from Fort Wayne, under Colonel I. M. Comparet, in November, 1864.
The One Hundred and Forty-third Regi- ment reported at Nashville, under Colonel J. T. Grill, February 21, 1865.
The One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regi- ment, under Colonel G. W. Riddle, reported at Harper's Ferry in March, 1865.
The One Hundred and Forty-fifth Regi- ment, from Indianapolis, under Colonel W. A. Adams, joined General Steadman at Chat- tanooga, February 23, 1865.
The One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regi- ment, under Colonel M. C. Welch, left In- dianapolis March 11, 1865, for the Shenan- doah Valley.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh Reg- ment, under Colonel Milton Peden, moved from Indianapolis to the front March 13, 1865.
The One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regi- ment, under Colonel N. R. Ruckle, left the State Capital for Nashville February 28, 1865.
The One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regi- ment left Indianapolis for Tennessee, under Colonel W. H. Fairbanks, March 3, 1865.
The One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment, under Colonel M. B. Taylor, reported for dnty in the Shenandoah Valley March 17, 1865.
The One Hundred and Fifty-first Regi- ment arrived at Nashville, under Colonel J. Healy, March 9, 1865.
The One Hundred and Fifty-second Regi- ment organized at Indianapolis, under Col- onel W. W Griswold, and left for Harper's Ferry March 18, 1865.
The One Hundred and Fifty-third Regi- ment organized at Indianapolis, under Col- onel O. H. P. Carey, and reported immedi- ately at Louisville for duty.
The One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regi- inent left Indianapolis for West Virginia, under Major Simpson, April 28, 1865.
The One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Regi- ment, recruited throughout the State, were assigned to the Ninth Army Corps in April, 1865.
The One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Bat- talion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Charles M. Smith, moved for the Shenandoah Valley April 27, 1865.
All these regiments made a fine record in the field.
The Twenty-eighth Regiment of Colored Troops was recruited throughout the State of Indiana, and placed under command of Lien- tenant-Colonel Charles S. Russell, who was subsequently Colonel of the regiment. The regiment lost heavily at the "Crater," Peters- burg, but was recruited, and continued to do good service.
The First Battery was organized at Evans-
REAL
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
ville, under Captain Martin Klauss, Angust 16, 1861, and immediately joined General Fremont's army; in 1864 Lawrence Jacoby was promoted to the captaincy of the battery.
The Second Battery, under Captain D. G. Rabb, was organized at Indianapolis Angust 9, 1861. This battery saw service in the West.
The Third Battery, under Captain W. W. Fryberger, organized at Connersville Angust 24, 1861, and immediately joined Fremont's command.
The Fourth Battery recruited in La Porte, Porter and Lake counties, and reported to General Buell early in 1861. It was first commanded by Captain A. K. Bush, and re- organized in October, 1864, under Captain B. F. Johnson.
The Fifth Battery was furnished by La Porte, Allen, Whitley and Noble counties, commanded by Captain Peter Simonson, re- ported at Lonisville November 29, 1861; during its term it participated in twenty bat- tles.
The Sixth Battery, under Captain Fred- erick Behr, left Evansville for the front Octo- ber 2, 1861.
The Seventh Battery was organized from various towns: first under Captain Samuel J. Harris; succeeded by G. R. Shallow and O. H. Morgan.
The Eighth Battery, under Captain G. T. Cochran, arrived at the front February 26, 1862, and entered upon its real duties at Corinthi.
The Ninth Battery, under Captain N. S. Thompson, organized at Indianapolis in Jan- uary, 1862, and began active duty at Shiloh in January, 1865; it lost fifty-eight men by the explosion of a steamer above Paducah.
The Tenth Battery, under Captain Jerome B. Cox, left Lafayette, for duty in Kentucky, in January, 1861.
The Eleventh Battery organized at La Fay-
ette, and left Indianapolis for the front, under Captain Arnold Sutermeister, December 17, 1861; opened fire at Shiloh.
. The Twelfth Battery, from Jeffersonville, perfected organization at Indianapolis, under Captain G. W. Sterling; reached Nashville in March, 1862. Captain Sterling resigned in April, and was succeeded by Captain Jaines E. White, and he by James A. Dunwoody.
The Thirteenth Battery, under Captain Sewell Coulson, organized at Indianapolis during the winter of 1861, and proceeded to the front in February, 1862.
The Fourteenth Battery, under Captain M. II. Kidd, left Indianapolis April 11, 1862, entering the field in Kentucky.
The Fifteenth Battery, under Captain I. C. II. Von Schlin, left Indianapolis for the front in July, 1862. The same year it was surrendered with the garrison at Ilarper's Ferry, reorganized at Indianapolis, and again appeared in the field in March, 1862.
The Sixteenth Battery under Captain Charles A. Naylor, left La Fayette for the front in June, 1862, and joined Pope's com- mand.
The Seventeenth Battery organized at In- dianapolis, under Captain Milton L. Miner, May 20, 1862; participated in the Gettysburg battle, and later in all the engagements in the Shenandoah Valley.
The Eighteenth Battery, under Captain Eli Lilly, moved to the front in August, 1862, and joined General Rosecrans' army.
The Nineteenth Battery, under Captain S. J. Harris, left Indianapolis for Kentucky in August, 1862, and performed active service until the close of the war.
The Twentieth Battery, under Captain Frank A. Rose, left the State capital for the front in December, 1862. Captain Rose resigned, and was succeeded by Captain Osborn.
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
The Twenty-first Battery, under Captain W. W. Andrew, left the State capital for Covington, Kentucky, in September, 1862.
The Twenty-second Battery moved from Indianapolis to the front, under Captain B. F. Denning, December 15, 1862, and threw its first shot into Atlanta, where Captain Denning was killed.
The Twenty-third Battery, under Captain I. H. Myers, took a position at the front in 1862.
The Twenty-fourth Battery, under Captain J. A. Simms, moved from Indianapolis to the front in March, 1863, and joined the Army of the Tennessee.
The Twenty-fifth Battery, under Captain Frederick C. Sturm, reported at Nashville in December, 1864.
The Twenty-sixth, or " Wilder's Battery," was recruited at Greensburg in May, 1861, and became Company "A" of the Seven- teenth Infantry, with Captain Wilder as Lien- tenant-Colonel. Subsequently it was converted into the "First Independent Battery," and became known as " Rigby's Battery."
The total number of battles in which the soldiers of Indiana were engaged for the maintenance of the Union was 308.
The part which Indiana performed in the war to maintain the union of the States is one of which the citizens of the State may well be proud. In the number of troops furnished, and in the amount of contribu- tions rendered, Indiana, in proportion to wealth and population, stands equal to any of her sister States.
The State records show that 200,000 men entered the army; 50,000 were organized to defend the State at home; that the number of military commissions issued to Indiana soldiers was 17,114, making a total of 267,- 114 men engaged in military affairs during the war for the Union.
FINANCIAL.
In November, 1821, Governor Jennings convened the Legislature in extra session, to provide for the payment of interest and a part of the principal of the public debt, amounting to §20,000. The state of the public debt was indeed embarrassing, as the bonds executed in its behalf had been as- signed.
This state of affairs had been brought about in part by mismanagement of the State bank, and by speculators. From 1816 to 1821 the people liad largely engaged in fictitious speculations. Numerous banks, with fictitions capital, were established; im- mense issues of paper were made, and the circulating medium of the country was increased four-fold in the course of three years.
This inflation produced the consequences which always follow such a scheme. Conse- quently the year 1821 was one of great financial panic.
In 1822 the new Governor, William IIen- dricks, took a hopeful view of the situation. In consequence of good crops and the grow- ing immigration, everything seemed more promising.
In 1822-'23 the surplus money was prin- cipally invested in home manufactures, which gave new impetus to the new State. Noah Noble was Governor of the State from 1831 to 1837, commeneing his duties amid peculiar embarrassments. The crops of 1832 were short. Asiatie cholera eame sweeping along the Ohio and into the interior of the State, and the Black Hawk war raged in the Northwest. All these at once, and yet the work of internal improvements was actually begun.
The State bank of Indiana was established January 28, 1834. The aet of the Legisla- ture, by its own terms, ceased to be a law January 1, 1857. At the time of organization
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
the outstanding circulation was 84,208, 725, with a debt, due principally from citizens of the State, of $6,095,368.
The State's interest in the bank was pro- cured by issue of State bonds, the last of which was payable in 1866, the State thus placing as capital in the bank $1,390,000.
The nominal profits of the bank were $2,780,604. This constituted a sinking fund for the payment of the public debt, the ex- penses of the Commissioners, and for the canse of common schools.
In 1836 the State bank was doing good service; agricultural products were abundant, and markets were good.
In 1843 the State was suffering from over banking, inflation of the currency and decep- tive speculation.
Governor Whitcomb, 1843-'49, succeeded well in maintaining the credit of the State and effecting a compromise with its creditors, by which the State public works passed from the hands of the State to the creditors.
In 1851 a general banking law was adopted, which again revived speculation and inflation, which culminated in much damage. In 1857 the charter of the State bank expired, and the large gains of the State in that institu- tion were directed to the promotion of com- mon school education.
October 31, 1870, found the State in a very prosperous condition; there was a sur- plus in the treasury of $373,249. The re- ceipts of the year amounted to $3,605,639, and the disbursements to $2,943,600, leaving a balance of $1,035,288. The total debt of the State in November, 1871, was $3,937,821.
Indiana is making rapid progress in the various manufacturing industries. She has one of the largest wagon and carriage manu- factories in the world, and nearly her entire wheat product is manufactured into flour within the State. In 1880 the population
was 1.978,301, and the true valuation of property in the State for 1880 was $1,584,- 756,802.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
This subject began to be agitated as early as 1818, and continued to increase in favor until 1830, when the people became much excited over the question of railroads.
In 1832 the work of internal improvements fairly commenced. Public roads and canals were begun during this year, the Wabash and Erie Canal being the largest undertaking.
During the year 1835 publie improvements were pushed vigorously. Thirty-two miles of the Wabash and Erie Canal were completed this year.
During 1836 many other projected works were started, and in 1837, when Governor Wallace took the executive chair, he found a reaction among the people in regard to the gigantic plans for public improvements. The people feared a State debt was being incurred from which they could never be extricated.
The State had borrowed $3,827,000 for internal improvements, of which $1,327,000 was for the Wabash and Erie Canal, the re- mainder for other works.
The State had annually to pay $200,000 interest on the public debt, and the revenue derived which could be thus applied amounted to only $45,000 in 1838.
In 1839 all work ceased on these improve- ments, with one or two exceptions, and the contracts were surrendered to the State, in consequence of an act of the Legislature pro- viding for the compensation of contractors by the issue of treasury notes.
In 1840 the system of improvements em- braced ten different works, the most impor- tant of which was the Wabash and Erie Canal. The aggregate length of the lines embraced in this system was 1,289 miles,
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
and of this only 140 miles had been com- pleted.
In 1840 the State debt amounted to $18,- 469,146; her resources for payment were such as to place her in an unfavorable light before the world, but be it recorded to her credit, she did not repudiate, as some other States of the Union have done. In 1850, the State having abandoned public improve- ments, private capital and enterprise pushed forward publie work, and although the canal has served its day and age, and served it well, yet Indiana has one of the finest systems of water-ways of any State in the Union, and her railroad facilities compare favorably with the majority of States, and far in advance of many of her elder sisters in the family of States. In 1884 there were 5,521 miles of railroad in operation in the State, and new roads being built and projected where the demand justified.
GEOLOGY.
In 1869 the development of mineral re- sources in the State attracted considerable attention. Near Brooklyn, twenty miles from Indianapolis, is a fine sandstone formation, yielding an unlimited quantity of the best building material. The limestone formation at and surrounding Gosport is of great va- riety, ineluding some of the best building stone in the world.
Men of enterprise worked hard and long to induce the State to have a survey made to determine the quality and extent of the min- eral resources of the State.
In 1869 Professor Edward T. Cox was ap- pointed State Geologist, to whom the citizens of Indiana are indebted for the exhaustive report on minerals, and the agricultural as well as manufacturing resources of the State.
The coal measures, says Professor Cox, cover an area of 6,500 square miles, in the
southwestern part of the State, and extend from Warren County on the north to the Ohio River on the sonth, a distance of 150 miles, comprising the counties of Warren, Fountain, Parke, Vermillion, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, Greene, Knox, Daviess, Martin, Gibson, Pike, Dubois, Vanderburg, War- wick, Spencer, Perry and a portion of Craw- ford, Monroe, Putnam and Montgomery.
This eoal is all bituminous, but is divis- able into three well-marked varieties; cak- ing eoal, non-eaking ecal, or block coal, and eannel coal. The total depth of the seams or measures is from 600 to 800 feet. The eaking coal is in the western portion of the area described, ranging from three to eleven feet in thickness. The block eoal prevails in the eastern pa:t of the field, and has an area of 450 square miles; this eoal is excellent in its raw state for making pig-iron.
The great Indiana coal field is within 150 miles of Chicago or Michigan City by rail- road, from which ports the valuable Superior iron ores are loaded from vessels that run direct from the ore banks.
Of the eannel coal, one of the finest seams to be found in the country is in Daviess County, this State. Here it is three and a half feet thick, underlaid by one and a half feet of bloek caking eoal. Cannel eval is also found in great abundance in Perry, Greene, Parke and Fountain counties.
Numerous deposits of bog-iron ore are found in the northern part of the State, and clay iron-stones and impure carbonates are found scattered in the vicinity of the eoal field. In some places the deposits are of considerable commercial value. An abund- ance of excellent lime is also found in Indi- ana, especially in Huntington County, where it is manufactured extensively.
In 1884 the number of bushels of lime burned in the State were 1,244,508; lime-
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
stone quarried for building purposes, 6,012,- 110 cubic feet; cement made, 362,014 bushels; sandstone quarried, 768,376 cubic feet; gravel sold, 502,115 tons; coal mined, 1,722,089 tons; value of mineral products in the State for the year 1884, $2,500,000; value of manufactured products same year, $163,851,872; of agricultural products, $155,085,663. Total value of products in the State for the year 1884, $321,437,535.
AGRICULTURAL.
In 1852 the Legislature authorized the organization of county and district agricult- ural societies, and also established a State Board of Agriculture, and made suitable pro- visions for maintaining the same, the hold- ing of State fairs, etc.
In 1873 suitable buildings were erected at Indianapolis, for a State exposition, which was formally opened September 10, of that year. The exhibits there displayed showed that Indiana was not behind her sister States in agriculture as well as in many other in- dustrial branches.
As stated elsewhere in this work, the value of agricultural products in the State for the year 1884 amounted to $155,085,663.
In 1842 IIenry Ward Beecher resided in Indianapolis, and exercised a power for good aside from his ministerial work. He edited the Indiana Farmer and Gardener, and through that medium wielded an influence toward organizing a society, which was ac- complished that year. Among Rev. Beech- er's co-laborers were Judge Coburn, Aaron Aldridge, James Sigarson, D. V. Culley, Reuben Ragan, Stephen Hampton, Cornelius Ratliff, Joshua Lindley, Abner Pope and many others. The society gave great en- couragement to the introduction of new va- rieties of fruit, but the sudden appearance of noxious insects, and the want of shipping
facilities, seriously held in check the advance of horticulture in accordance with the desires of its leaders. . In 1860 there was organized at Indianap olis the Indiana Pomological Society, with Reuben Ragan as President, and William II. Loomis as Secretary.
From this date interest began to expand, but, owing to the war, but little was done, and in January, 1864, the title of the society was changed to that of the Indiana Horticult- ural Society.
The report of the society for 1868 shows for the first time a balance in the treasury of $61.55.
The society has had a steady growth, and produced grand results throughout the State, the product of apples alone in the State for the year 1884 being 4,181,147 bushels.
EDUCATION.
The subject of education is the all-impor- tant subject to any and all comununities, and the early settlers of Indiana builded greater than they then knew, when they laid the foundation for future growth of the edu- cational facilities in the State.
To detail the educational resources, its ac- complishments from its incipiency to the present date, would require a number of large volumes; but as space in this work will not permit, and as the people have access to annnal State reports of the school system in detail, we will here give only the leading features and enormous growth, as well as flourishing condition of Indiana's school sys- tem to the present time.
The free-school system was fully established in 1852, which has resulted in placing Indi- ana in the lead of this great nation in ed- ncational progress. In 1854 the available common school fund consisted of the congres- sional township fund, the surplus revenue
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
fund, the saline fund, the bank tax fund and miscellaneous fund, amounting in all to $2,460,600.
This amount was increased from various sources, and entrusted to the care of the sev- eral counties of the State, and by them loaned to citizens of the county in sums not exceed- ing $300, secured by real estate.
In 1880 the available school fund derived from all sources amounted to $8,974,455.55.
In 1884 there were in the State children of school age, 722,846. Number of white children in attendance at school during the year, 461,831; number of colored children in school during the year, 7,285; total attend- ance, 469,116; number of teachers employed, 13,615, of whom 145 were colored.
And lastly we are pleased to say that In- diana has a larger school fund than any other State in the Union. The citizens may well be proud of their system of schools, as well as the judicious management of its funds, which have been steadily increased, notwithstand- ing the rapid increase of population, which has demanded an increased expenditure in various ways, which have all been promptly met, and the educational facilities steadily enlarged where any advancement could be made.
In 1802 Congress granted lands and a charter to the people residing at Vincennes, for the erection and maintenance of a semi- nary of learning; and five years thereafter an act incorporating the Vincennes University asked the Legislature to appoint a Board of Trustees and empower them to sell a town- ship of land in Gibson County, granted by Congress for the benefit of the university. The sale of the land was slow and the pro- ceeds small; the members of the board were apathetic, and failing to meet, the institution fell out of existence and out of memory.
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