USA > Indiana > Centennial history and handbook of Indiana : the story of the state from its beginning to the close of the civil war, and a general survey of progress to the present time > Part 38
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
Agriculture .- There were in Hendricks county in 1910 over 2,700 farms, embraced in 250,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 91.2 acres. The value of all farm property was over $28.000,000, showing 94.1 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $85.52. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,500,- 000: Number of cattle 18,000, valued at $660 .- 000; horses 11,000, valued at $1.100,000; hogs 74,000, valued at $490,000; sheep 20,000, valued at $94,000. The total value of poultry was $108,000.
Central Normal College, Danville, was made possible by the abandoned buildings of two of the earlier educational institutions of Hendricks county, the Hendricks County Seminary, which was opened soon after the county was organized. and the Danville Academy, which was established in 1858 by the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Central Normal College was organized in 1876 by William F. Harper and Warren Darst at La- doga, Ind., and was known as the Central
218
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
Normal > hood and Com er ial bistitute. Out- growing the accommodation- at Ladoga, the fac- ett and nearly two hundred students moved to Hamon on May 10. 1-78. The school is self- Ing wertee. mdependent of chur !. Stats or en- wwwoft off ang chiracter. During the thirty- overyear of the existence of the college it has enduroof more than 1.50. Students. J. W. Laird - messi at 010 0. A Hargrave is secretary-
Indiana Boys' School .- The constitution of 1851, art. 9, sec. 2) expressly declared Mit the State should provide houses of refuge wir the correction and reformation of juvenile offenders. The first action of the General As- sembly looking to this end was the law approved March 8. 1867, establishing "the House of Refuge for Juvenile Offenders." The institution was located on a farm nearly a mile southwest of the village of Plainfield and was occupied Janu- ary 1, 1868. Its name was changed in 1883 to the
Indiana Reform School for Boys (Laws 1883, p. 19). and twenty years later to the Indiana Boys' School (Laws 1903, p. 172). The school receives boys committed for crime from eight to sixteen years of age and for incorrigibility from ten to seventeen, no commitment being for a shorter period than until the boy attains the age of twenty-one.
One-half the cost of keeping and taking care of each boy is paid by the county from which he is committed. By rule of the institution a boy may earn his release in eighteen months from the time of his commitment. The institution has its own schools, graded like those of the public schools and also affords manual and industrial training. The law of 1903, p. 251, provides for the transfer to the State Reformatory of any inmate of the Boys' School convicted of crime who is more than seventeen years old and whose presence is detrimental to the welfare of the school.
HENRY COUNTY
NEWCASTLE, SEAT OF JUSTICE
H ENRY COUNTY is located in the second tier of counties east of Indianapolis. It is bounded on the north by Delaware, on the east by Randolph and Wayne, on the south by Fay- ette and Rush and on the west by Hancock and Madison counties. It contains 385 square miles. The face of the country is gently undulating, with many large and beautiful tracts on the east side of the county. Blue river runs from near the northeast to the southwest corner of the county and Fall creek through the north. The State's Village for Epileptics is located on a tract of 1,200 acres two miles north of New-
Organization .- The first white men who were known to locate in the territory now known as Henry county, were Daniel and Asa Heaton, who ettled in the year 1819. The county was organ- led formally June 1, 1822. It was named in honor of Patrick Henry, the patriot and orator of revolutionquy war times Newcastle has been the county du since the organization of the county In recent years it his become famous
for the production of roses, which are shipped all over the United States.
Population of Henry county in 1890 was 23,879; in 1900 was 25,088, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 29,758, of which 465 were of white foreign birth. There were 7,661 families in the county and 7,422 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are thirteen townships in Henry county: Blue River, Dudley, Franklin, Fall Creek, Greensboro, Harrison, Henry, Jefferson, Liberty, Prairie, Spiceland, Stony Creek and Wayne. The incor- porated cities and towns are Newcastle, Blounts- ville, Cadiz, Dunreith, Greensboro, Kennard, Knightstown, Lewisville, Middletown, Moore- land, Mt. Summit, Shirley, Spiceland, Straughn and Sulphur Springs. Newcastle is the county scat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913, the total value of lands and lots in Henry county
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
269
was $11,806,480, value of improvements was $4,305,570 and the total net value of taxables was $24,922,890. There were 4,794 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 280 miles of improved roads in Henry county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners Janu- ary 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds out- standing, $86,978.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 108.29 miles of steam railroad operated in Henry county by the C. & O .; C., W. & M .; Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville ; Big Four, and the Indi- anapolis and Richmond divisions and the Cam- bridge City branch of the P., C., C. & St. L. railroads. The Indianapolis, Newcastle & East- ern Traction Company, T. H., I. & E. Traction Company, and the Union Traction Company of Indiana operate 56.11 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Harry B. Roberts, county superintendent of Henry county, there were sixty-seven school- houses, including thirteen high schools, in Henry county in 1914, employing 218 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 1,007. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to super- intendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $120,477.31. The estimated value of school property in the county was $532,600, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $294,548.
Agriculture .- There were in Henry county in 1910 over 2,500 farms, embraced in 244,000
acres. Average acres per farm, 94.9 acres. The value of all farm property was over $27,000,000, showing 90.8 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $82.86. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,600,- 000: Number of cattle 18,000, valued at $580,- 000; horses 12,000, valued at $1,300,000; hogs 86,000, valued at $540,000; sheep 19,000, valued at $89,000. The total value of poultry was $101,000.
Industrial .- There were over twenty-five in- dustries in Newcastle that furnish employment to more than 1,500 persons, according to the re- port of the State Bureau of Inspection for 1912. Automobiles, furniture and pianos are the lead- ing products.
The Indiana Village for Epileptics was authorized by an act approved March 6, 1905, and a 1,245-acre site near Newcastle was pur- chased one year later. The purpose of the in- stitution is "the scientific treatment, education. employment and custody of epileptics," all epi- leptics having a legal settlement in the State to be considered admissible. With what was left from the original appropriation of $150,000. after the site was purchased, two small cottages were erected and the first patient was received September 16, 1907. Five cottages have been erected and others are in process of construction.
Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home .- The Indiana Soldiers' and Seamans' Home for the maintenance of sick and disabled soldiers and seamen, their widows and orphans, was author- ized by an act approved March 11, 1867. It was
The Indiana Village for Epileptics, Henry County.
TESNELL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
mommy opened Jime 35, 1867, of the Home for Disabled Solchers, previously established at Knightstown by a private corporation. On the morning of December 25, 1871. fire destroyed that part of the institution occupied by the sol- liers and they were moved to the National Mili- Mary Home at Dayton, Ohio. The orphans were left in full possession of the home until the Leg- islature of 1879 provided for the care of the iceble minded children therein. The two classes of inmates were maintained in the home until 1887. when the institution was reorganized as the
Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, and the feeble-minded children were moved to new quar- ters. The home has twice been destroyed by fire -September 8, 1877, and July 21, 1886. It is lo- cated in Rush county, two miles south of Knights- town. As now maintained it is open to children under the age of sixteen years whose fathers were soldiers or sailors in the army or navy of the United States in the civil war or the war with Spain or the war in the Philippine Islands. Educational, religious and industrial training is given.
HOWARD COUNTY
KOKOMO, SEAT OF JUSTICE
H OWARD COUNTY is located in the cen- ter of the northern half of the State, fifty miles north of Indianapolis. It is bounded on the north by Cass and Miami, on the east by Grant, on the south by Tipton and Clinton and on the west by Carroll counties, and contains approxi- mately 300 square miles of rich farm land. It is pre-eminently an agricultural county. It is trav- erved by the Wildcat river, which forms a most excellent natural outlet for the many little streams that empty into it.
Organization .- Howard county was formally organized May 1, 1844, under the name of Rich- ardville county, which was nearly all within the old Miami Reserve. It was this fact which led the Legislature to name the new county in honor of Richardville, a Miami chief and successor of Little Turtle. This sentiment did not prevail for any length of time, and on December 28, 1846, the Legislature passed its first and only act changing the name of a county in Indiana, and it was rechristened "Howard" in honor of Filghian A. Howard, a noted Indiana states- man of that period. Kokomo, the county seat of Howard county, is located on the site of an In- than village of the same name and was first set- the in the amuni of 1814. According to the United States Census of 1910 it has a population of over 17,000, with seventy two manufacturing o tabh Inmente, furnishing employment to more th : 2,200 wage earners. It is particularly dis- ting hed at bemg the home of the first automo-
bile made in America, work on which was com- menced in 1893 by Elwood Haynes. For want of a better name it was called "The Horseless Carriage," and on July 4, 1894, Mr. Haynes made a successful trial trip on the streets of Kokomo, running at a speed of about eight miles an hour.
Population of Howard county in 1890 was 26,186; in 1900 was 28,575, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 33,177, of which 993 were of white foreign birth. There were 8,266 families in the county and 8,056 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are eleven townships in Howard county: Center, Clay, Ervin, Harrison, Honey Creek, Howard, Jackson, Liberty, Monroe, Taylor and Union. The incorporated cities and towns are Kokomo and Greentown. Kokomo is the county seat of Howard county.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913, the total value of lands and lots in Howard county was $9,436,985, value of improvements was $5,266,560 and the total net value of taxables was $23,079,110. There were 6,272 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 518 miles of improved roads in Howard county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $862,745.50.
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
271
Educational .- According to the report of Albert F. Hietson, county superintendent of Howard county, there were sixty-seven school- houses, including five high schools, in Howard county in 1914, employing 203 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 5,925. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to super- intendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $116,900.95. Estimated value of school property in the county was $761,050, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $272,287.
Agriculture .- There were in Howard county in 1910 over 2,400 farms, embraced in 184,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 74.8 acres. The value of all farm property was over $26,000,000, showing 117.4 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $108.22. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,100,-
000: Number of cattle 15,000, valued at $470,- 000; horses 10,000, valued at $1,200,000; hogs 71,000, valued at $420,000; sheep 11,000, valued at $52,000. The total value of poultry was $90,000.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 51.79 miles of steam railroads operated in How- ard county by the Lake Erie & Western; P., C., C. & St. L .; Richmond division of the P., C., C. & St. L., and the Toledo, St. Louis & Western railroads. Indiana Railways & Light Company and the Union Traction Company of Indiana operate 51.08 miles of electric line in the county.
Industrial .- According to the United States Census of 1910 there were seventy-two industries in Kokomo, furnishing employment to 2,366 per- sons ; total amount of capital employed, $3,921,- 141 ; value of products, $5,451,441 ; value added by manufacture, $2,469,526.
4
2
E
3
4
-
Kokomo-1. Hotel Francis. 2. City Building. 3. Postoffice. 4. City Library.
272
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
HUNTINGTON COUNTY
HUNTINGTON, SEAT OF JUSTICE
H UNTINGTON COUNTY is located in the northeastern part of the State and is bounded on the north by Whitley, on the east by Allen and Wells, on the south by Grant and Wells and on the west by Wabash counties. It contains about 384 square miles. The soil is a Dicial deposit, with the exception of the river villeys, which are a sedimentary deposit. The Wabash river flows west across the county, di- viding it into two almost equal portions. What is known as Little river joins it west of the cen- ter of the county. Another small river, the Sala-
Public Library, Huntington.
monie, cuts off a small portion of the southwest corner of the county and joins the Wabash river soon after leaving Huntington county. Because of the fertility of the soil farming, fruit growing and stock raising are chief occupations of the people.
Organization .- The organization of Hunting- toly county became effective December 2, 1834. It was named in honor of Samuel Huntington, a delegate in the Continental Congress from Con- Detticut and one of the signers of the Declara- tion of Independence. The name was proposed In Captain I has Murray, then a member of the Legislature. Huntington was selected as the seat of go the at the time of the organization and Gyere Digtog was the proprietor and Captain Murray among the first settlers.
Population of Huntington county in 1890 was
27,644; in 1900 was 28,901, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 28,982, of which 735 were of white foreign birth. There were 7,399 families in the county and 7,290 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are twelve townships in Huntington county : Clear Creek, Dallas, Huntington, Jackson, Jefferson, Lancaster, Polk, Rock Creek, Salamonie, Union, Warren and Wayne. The incorporated cities and towns are Huntington, Andrews, College Park, Markle, Mt. Etna, Roanoke and Warren. Huntington is the county seat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913, the total value of lands and lots in Huntington county was $9,700,000, value of improvements was $4,119,270 and the total net value of taxables was $21,741,080. There were 4,904 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 383 miles of improved roads in Huntington county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $456,774.42.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 56.62 miles of steam railroad operated in Hunt- ington county by the Chicago & Erie; Cincinnati. Bluffton & Chicago; Toledo, St. Louis & West- ern, and the Wabash railroads. The Fort Wayne & Northern Indiana Traction Company and the Marion, Bluffton & Eastern Traction Company operate 59.61 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Clifford Funderburg, county superintendent of Huntington county, there were 111 schoolhouses, including twelve high schools, in the county in 1914, employing 222 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 5,273. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, super- visors, principals and teachers was $126,860.13. Estimated value of school property in the county was $487,313, and the total amount of indebted- ness, including bonds, was $81,851.87.
273
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
Agriculture .- There were in Huntington county in 1910 over 2,600 farins, embraced in 234,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 89.5 acres. The value of all farm property was over $24,000,000, showing 112.9 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $72.66. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,200,000: Number of cattle 19,000, valued at $500,000; horses 10,000, valued at $1,100,000; hogs 61,000, valued at $370,000; sheep 22,000, valued at $11,000. The total value of poultry was $107,000.
Industrial .- According to the United States Census of 1910 there were thirty-three industries in Huntington, furnishing employment to 1,575 persons. Total amount of capital employed, $1,301,621 ; value of products, $2,227,558; value added by manufacture, $1,097,361.
Huntington City Free Library .- The first organization of a library for Huntington oc- curred in the year 1874. It was called the Pub- lic School Library Association. The yearly mem-
bership fee was $2. The Central School building gave space for the books constituting the library, which in a short time possessed over 1,200 vol- umes, many of which had belonged to the famous Mechanics' and Working Men's Library, estab- lished by William McClure, who founded the New Harmony Library. A number of these books, bound in sheepskin, and bearing on the cover the words, "Mechanics' and Working Men's Library," may still be seen in the present library.
In 1889 the library was reorganized under State laws, making it a free library, thus reach- ing more people. In January, 1902, the school board formally accepted Mr. Andrew Carnegie's offering of $25,000 for the erection of a library building and donated the site. This building as it now stands, represents the sum of about $29,- 000. This includes recent additions and improve- ments. The building was first open to the pub- lic February 21, 1903. The library contains about 24.000 volumes.
JACKSON COUNTY
BROWNSTOWN, SEAT OF JUSTICE
J
ACKSON COUNTY is located in the south
central part of the State and is bounded on the north by Brown and Bartholomew, on the east by Jennings, on the south by Scott and Washington and on the west by Lawrence and Monroe counties. A range of hills passes through the county from northeast to southwest and there is another range of hills or knolls in the north- west part of the county, but the face of the country for the most part is level or gently un- dulating. The bottoms along the different streams are very large and fertile, and they oc- cupy about one-half of the whole county. In the northeast corner of the county, in the bed of White river, is a solitary boulder of granite weighing several tons. No other rock of any kind is found in the vicinity. In the same neigh- borhood is a large mound 200 yards in circum- ference at the base, and it was upon this spot in 1812 that a party of Indians held a council to decide whether they should retreat or fight. A party of thirty men, under General Tipton, was
then in close pursuit on their trail. They re- tired to what is now known as Tipton's Island, where General Tipton engaged them, and which practically ended the Indian warfare in Indiana territory.
Organization .- Jackson county, which was named in honor of General Andrew Jackson, hero of the battle of New Orleans, was organ- ized in 1816. It was the fourteenth county to be organized in the Territory of Indiana and was formed from Washington and Jefferson counties, the legislative act having been passed December 18, 1815. The first county seat of Jackson was established at Vallonia June, 1816, and the first courts were held in the shade of the old fort in the village. It remained here but for a short time, as the commissioners in November, 1816, decided to establish the seat of justice at Browns- town, where it has since remained.
Population of Jackson county in 1890 was 24.139: in 1900 was 26,633, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 24,727, of
18
274
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
which 570 were of white foreign birth. There were 5,927 families in the county and 5,822 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are eleven townships in Jackson county: Browns- town, Carr. Driftwood, Grassy Fork. Hamilton. Jackson, Owen, Redding. Salt Creek, Vernon and Washington. The incorporated cities and towns are Seymour, Brownstown and Crothers- ville. Brownstown is the county seat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913, the total value of lands and lots in Jackson county was $6,684,440. value of improvements was $2,780,900 and the total net value of taxables was $15.167,640. There were 3.846 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 577 miles of improved roads in Jackson county built and under jurisdiction of the county commsisioners January 1. 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding. $204,572.83.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 81.57 miles of steam railroad operated in Jackson county by the B. & O. Southwestern ; Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern ; Westport branch of the C., T. II. & S. E., and the Louisville divi-
sion of the P., C., C. & St. L. railroads. The Brownstown & Ewing Street Railway Company, Indianapolis & Louisville Traction Company, and the Interstate Public Service Company operate 22.96 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Jeremiah E. Payne, county superintendent of Jackson county, there were 103 schoolhouses, in- cluding eleven high schools, in Jackson county in 1914, employing 179 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 4,359.2. The ag- gregate amount paid in salaries to superintend- ents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $62,578.72. The estimated value of school prop- erty in the county was $265,465, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $164,800.
Agriculture .- There were in Jackson county in 1910 over 2,700 farms, embraced in 290,000. acres. Average acres per farm, 106 acres. The value of all farm property was over $17,000,000, showing 89.5 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $44.44. The total value of domestic animals was over $1,500,- 000: Number of cattle 11,000, valued at $314,- 000; horses 6,500, valued at $650,000; hogs 23,000, valued at $160,000; sheep 5,900, valued at $21,000. The value of poultry was $87,000.
JASPER COUNTY
RENSSELAER, SEAT OF JUSTICE
J ASPER COUNTY is located in the north- west part of the State and is bounded on the north by the Kankakee river, which separates it from Lake and Porter counties, on the east by Starke, Pulaski and White, on the south by Ben- ton and on the west by Newton counties. The county contains about 575 square miles and the principal resources of the county are agriculture and stock raising.
Organization .- It was the Legislature of 1838 that made Jasper county possible. Its for- mal organization taking place on March 15, 1838, when its territory included all of the present county of Newton and most of Benton. The first county seat was located at Parish Grove, thirty
miles south of the present seat of justice and five miles southwest of Fowler, the county seat of Benton. This was chosen because it was near the center of population and for the additional reason that it is one of the few high and dry spots in the county. At the first meeting of the commis- sioners it was decided to change the county seat to the cabin of George W. Spitler, in what is now Iroquois township, Newton county, he having been elected county clerk and refusing to serve unless this was done. This temporary arrange- ment was upset by the legislative act of January 29, 1839, which appointed commissioners to ex- amine the counties of Jasper and Newton and see whether they should be consolidated. The State
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.