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 40
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Improved Roads .- There were 262 miles of
improved roads in Jennings county built and un- der jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $156,319.64.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 64.16 miles of steam railroad operated in Jen- nings county by the B. & O. Southwestern ; Big Four ; Madison branch of the P., C., C. & St. L., and the Vernon, Greensburg & Rushville rail- roads.
Educational .- According to the report of Shepherd Whitcomb, county superintendent of Jennings county, there were eighty-three school- houses, including five high schools, in the county in 1914, employing 129 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 2,624. The ag- gregate amount paid in salaries to superintend- ents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $50,268.51. Estimated value of school property in the county was $131,873, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $26,250.
Agriculture .- There were in Jennings county in 1910 over 2,000 farms embraced in 219,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 108.7 acres. The value of all farm property was over $9,300,000, showing 79.9 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $27.56. The total value of domestic animals was over $1,000,- 000: Number of cattle 9,500,.valued at $235,000; horses 5,900, valued at $580,000; hogs 15,000, valued at $110,000; sheep 8,300, valued at $35,- 000. The estimated value of poultry was $73,000.
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JOHNSON COUNTY
FRANKLIN, SEAT OF JUSTICE
J OUINSON COUNTY is located south of Marion county, which bounds it on the north, Shelby on the east, Bartholomew and Brown on the south and Morgan on the west. The surface is comparatively level and the soil is a rich sandy lam, being covered entirely from a depth of a in fect to more than 200 feet with glacial drifts. It is distinctly an agricultural county and is known as the greatest corn producing county in the world, producing the finest quality, having
won more first prizes in national contests than any county in the Union.
Organization .- Johnson county was formally organized May 5, 1823, with Franklin as the county seat. It was named in honor of the Hon. John Johnson, one of the first judges of the Supreme Court of the State of Indiana. Franklin is the home of Franklin College, that was chartered in 1835 under the name of the In- -
diana Baptist Manual Labor Institute, and is now
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
285
one of the best equipped colleges for higher cul- ure in the State.
Franklin College was chartered in 1835 under he name of the Indiana Baptist Manual Labor institute. It was organized at a meeting of Bap- ists in Indianapolis, held in the First Baptist Church, June 5, 1834. Instructions began in the summer of 1837, and the school was opened in wooden building costing $350. While the in- lustrial element was prominent, literary and phil-
large part of this amount was given by the Gen- eral Education Board of New York City, being the third appropriation which that board has made to Franklin College. It has been admitted to the Carnegie foundation, which is a marked recognition of its standard of scholarship.
Population of Johnson county in 1890 was 19,561; in 1900 was 20,223, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 20,394, of which 140 were of white foreign birth. There
Franklin College, Franklin, Johnson County.
sophical interest, which were in mind from the beginning, soon predominated, and in 1845 the in- titution was chartered under the name of Frank- in College. In the beginning, only male students vere received. In 1842 a department for young adies was established and the college has con- inued on a co-educational basis ever since. At he outbreak of the Civil War, the students vol- inteered practically in a body and the school was losed. Because of financial difficulties, a stock company took over the school in 1872 and con- inued in charge until 1908, when the college was 'eorganized. In 1913 the college completed the argest financial campaign in its history, raising $250,000 as an additional endowment fund. A
were 5,287 families in the county and 5.203 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are nine townships in Johnson county : Blue River. Clark, Franklin, Hensley, Needham, Nineveh, Pleasant, Union and White River. The incor- porated cities and towns are Franklin, Edinburg. Greenwood and Whiteland. Franklin 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 Johnson county was $8,957,895; value of improvements was $3,352,535, and the total net value of taxables
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was $18,495,405. There were 3.524 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 320 miles of improved roads in Johnson county built and un- der jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1. 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding. $187,834.30.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 62.05 miles of steam railroad operated in John- son county by the Fairland, Franklin & Martins- ville: Indianapolis branch of the Illinois Central, and the Louisville division of the P., C., C. & St. 1 .. railroads. The Interstate Public Service Company operates 22.12 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Jesse C. Webb, county superintendent of John- son county, there were sixty-one (fifty-three now) schoolhonses, including ten high schools, in Johnson county, all eligible for commission now, seven commissioned in 1914. employing
165 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 3,578. The aggregate amount paid ir salaries to superintendents, supervisors, princi- pals and teachers was $87,882; the estimated value of school property in the county was $559,- 600, and the total amount of indebtedness, in- cluding bonds, was $174,568. We have the only vocational school (home-making and agricul- tural) located in a strictly rural district in the State.
Agriculture .- There were in Johnson county in 1910 over 2,000 farms embraced in 197,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 97.5 acres. The value of all farm property was over $24,000,000 showing 107.1 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $97.29. The total value of domestic animals was over $1,900,- 000: Number of cattle 16,000, valued at $512,- 000 ; horses 9,500, valued at $990,000 ; hogs 41,- 000, valued at $288,000; sheep 11,000, valued at $51,000. The total value of poultry was $82,000
KNOX COUNTY
VINCENNES, SEAT OF JUSTICE
K NOX COUNTY is located in the south- western section of the State and is bounded on the north by Sullivan and Green counties, on the east by the west fork of White river, which separates it from Daviess ; south by White river, which separates it from Pike and Gibson, and on the west by the Wabash, which separates it from the State of Illinois. It contains about 513 square miles of the richest land in the State of
Indiana and one of the products that has given Knox county fame throughout America is the famous "Decker" cantelope. Wheat is extensively grown on the upland and stock raising and fruit growing are engaged in on a large scale. Knox county is also a large producer of coal. Accord- ing to the report of the State mine inspector for, the fiscal year ending September 30, 1914, there were eight mines in operation in the county un-
St. Francis Xavier Library, Vincennes. Oldest library
Si Fiso Navier Cathedral. Parsonage and Library, Vincentes.
in the State.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
der his jurisdiction, which produced 1,576,567 tons of coal.
Organization .- Knox county, with Vincennes for its county seat, is one of the oldest historical points in the State. It has been designated "The Mother of Indiana Counties," having existence even before the territorial government. The orig- inal boundaries of Knox county embraced one- third of the present State of Indiana, extending from the Ohio river to the lakes and from the Wabash river to about the middle of the State. When Michigan and Illinois were withdrawn from Knox county it became a distinct territory. When Knox county was organized on June 30, 1790, by Winthrop Sargent, the secretary of the Northwest Territory, Vincennes became the county seat and it has so remained since. When Indiana Territory was organized May 7, 1800, it became the capital of the new territory and re- tained this honor until the capital was removed to Corydon in 1813. Knox county was named in honor of General Henry Knox, of the Revolu- tion, who was the first secretary of war.
In 1809, there were only four counties in In- diana: Knox, Clark, Dearborn and Harrison. Out of Knox county were formed in 1810, Jef- ferson and Franklin counties; in 1813, Gibson and Warrick; in 1817, Sullivan county, and in 1820, Greene county. Knox was thus reduced to its present area.
Vincennes University was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature in 1806, and was authorized under its incorporation, "for the instruction of youth in the Latin, Greek, French and English languages, mathematics, natural philosophy, ancient and modern history, moral philosophy, logic, rhetoric, and the laws of nature and nations." When Vincennes University was incorporated it was designated to receive a town- ship of land of 23,040 acres, which had been granted by Congress for a seminary of learning. After Congress had confirmed titles of pur- chasers of land from Vincennes University of parts of this township in 1816, commissioners were appointed by the State of Indiana to rent ands and turn rents into the State Treasury. This was in January, 1820, and in 1822 the Gen- eral Assembly passed an act to provide for sale of Seminary township in Gibson county. About 17,000 acres of the lands, which had originally been given to Vincennes University, were sold
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Vincennes University.
under these acts and the proceeds, amounting to more than $30,000, were turned into the State Treasury. This precipitated a struggle which lasted for nearly a century. Among other priv- ileges granted to the university was one to oper- ate a lottery, which was also the cause of much litigation. About 1874, Congress gave the uni- versity all the unclaimed and vacant lands in Knox county. This gift proved of material bene- fit, but the institution has never received enough from the public to realize the high hopes of its founders.
Population of Knox county in 1890 was 28 .- 044 ; in 1900 was 32,746, and according to United States Census in 1910 was 39,183, of which 1.398 were of white foreign birth. There were 9,140 families in the county and 8,882 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are ten townships in Knox county : Busseron, Decker, Harrison, Johnson, Palmyra, Steen, Vigo, Vin- cennes, Washington and Widner. The incor-
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
Hogy en General William Henry Harrison. Vincennes.
porated cities and towns are Vincennes, Bicknell, Monroe City, Oaktown and Sandborn. Vincennes 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 Knox county was $11.712,760 ; value of improvements was $6,219,- 510, and the total net value of taxables was $26,- 527,625. There were 7,083 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 543 miles of improved roads in Knox county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1. 1915. AAmount of gravel road bonds outstand- ing, $838,040.83.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 78.61 miles of steam railroad operated in Knox county by the B. & O. Southwestern ; Big Four ; Evansville division of the Chicago & Eastern
Illinois, and the Vincennes division of the Van- dalia railroads. The Vincennes Traction Com- pany operates 7.61 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Edgar N. Haskins, superintendent of Knox county, there were eighty-nine schoolhouses, in- cluding eleven high schools, in the county in 1914, employing 290 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 7,516. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, super- visors, principals and teachers was $165,468.83. Estimated value of school property in the county was $851,228, and the total amount of indebted- ness, including bonds, was $289,300.
Agriculture .- There were in Knox county in 1910 over 2,700 farms embraced in 300,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 111.7 acres. The value of all farm property was over $27,000,000, show- ing 105.1 per cent. increase over 1900. The aver- age value of land per acre was $70.42. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,300,000: Number of cattle 17,000, valued at $490,000; horses 10,000, valued at $1,000,000 ; hogs 57,000, valued at $370,000; sheep 9,900, valued at $39,- 000. The total value of poultry, $99,000.
Industrial .- According to the United States Census of 1910, there were eighty-four industries in Vincennes, furnishing employment to 1,461 persons. Total amount of capital employed, $3,560,444. Value of products, $4,232,574 ; value added by manufacture, $1,817,323.
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
WARSAW, SEAT OF JUSTICE
K KOSCIUSKO COUNTY is located in the northern part of the State and is bounded on the north by Elkhart, on the cast by Noble and Whitley, on the south by Wabash and Fulton and on the west by Marshall and Fulton counties. It contains 567 square miles and is dotted with thirty-seven beautiful lakes, famous among which are Wawasce, Winona and Tippecanoe. Among the natural resources of the county are the vet marl deposits. The farms are among the best in the northern part of the State.
Organization .- Kosciusko county was organ.
ized June 1, 1837, and was named after General Kosciusko, the Polish soldier and patriot who had served in the American army in the war of the Revolution. Warsaw was chosen as the first county seat of Kosciusko county, although the courts were held at Leesburg in 1836, and the latter place for several years was the most pop- ulous of the two. Leesburg was the only other place considered when the commissioners made their selection in 1836.
Winona College, Winona Lake-Jonathan Rigdon, president from the beginning-opened
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In Quiet Cherry Creek, at Winona, Kosciusko County.
Among the Lily Pads, at Winona Lake, Kosciusko County.
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Aquatic Sports at Winona Lake.
The Auditorium at Winona Lake.
The Beach at Kosciusko_ Lodge_ Winona
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
in the fall of 1908 as a normal school for the training of teachers. Became a college in 1909, offering in addition to the academic or college preparatory course a full four-year liberal arts course leading to a diploma and the degree of Bachelor of Arts. These departments are main- tained to the present time and have constantly grown.
In addition to the college preparatory depart- ment and the school of liberal arts, Winona Col- lege now maintains a school of education fully accredited by the State Board of Education for classes A, B and C ; a school of domestic science offering a two-year course in sewing, cooking and household arts ; a school of business offering courses in all commercial subjects, and a school of music offering courses in voice, violin, piano and piano tuning.
The Winona College Summer School has grown to be one of the strongest and largest in the United States, enrolling from 600 to 1,000 students every summer. In this summer school, in addition to the regular courses named above, special work is offered for primary teachers, drawing and music supervisors and teachers of agriculture and manual training.
The Winona College laboratories in physics, chemistry and biology are well equipped and the domestic science kitchens are among the very best in the country.
The Winona College of Agriculture, organ- ized in 1906, is the outgrowth of the Winona Agricultural Institute, established in 1902. The parent institution specified a combined academic and agricultural course of four years. The in- stitution received hearty support, but with the advent of the agricultural high schools it was felt that a larger field of usefulness awaited it. In 1906 the academic branches were eliminated and the title of the college changed to what it now bears, and a two years' course, consisting wholly of agricultural subjects, was substituted. The institution stands for a thoroughly practical course, based on scientific principles, which may be used in the daily routine of farm life and all of the nonessentials which have been associated with traditional college and university curricula have been avoided. The institution does not ill any way desire to duplicate or supplement either the work of the State agricultural colleges or agricultural high schools.
Winona College.
Population of Kosciusko county in 1890 was 28,645 ; in 1900 was 29,109, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 27,936, of which 555 were of white foreign birth. There were 7,312 families in the county and 7,206 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are seventeen townships in Kosciusko county: Clay, Edna, Franklin, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Monroe, Plain, Prairie, Scott, Seward, Tippecanoe, Turkey Lake, Van Buren, Wash- ington and Wayne. The incorporated cities and towns are Warsaw, Claypool, Etna Green, Lees- burg, Mentone, Milford, Pierceton, Silver Lake and Syracuse. Warsaw 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 Kosciusko county was $10,430,580, value of improvements was $3,- 917,240 and the total net value of taxables was $23,414,880. There were 4,378 polls in the county.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 94.60 miles of steam railroad operated in Kos- ciusko county by the Baltimore & Ohio & Chi- cago; Cincinnati, Wabash & Michigan; New
Winona College of Agriculture.
CENTENNIAL THSTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
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Wawasee Lake.
Kosciusko County.
Wawasee Inn.
York, Chicago and St. Louis; Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago : Syracuse & Milford, and the Butler branch of the Vandalia railroads. The Winona Interurban Railway Company and the Winona & Warsaw operate 34.10 miles of elec- tric lines in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were sixteen miles of improved roads in Kosciusko county built and under jurisdiction of the county commis- sioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $12,728.
Educational .- According to the report of Edson B. Sarber, county superintendent of Kos- cinsko county, there were 124 schoolhouses, in- cluding sixteen high schools, in Kosciusko county in 1914, employing 221 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 5,461. The ag-
gregate amount paid in salaries to superintend- ents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $114,343.96. The estimated value of school property in the county was $535,000, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $1.591.65.
Agriculture .- There were in Kosciusko county in 1910 over 3,300 farms, embraced in 316,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 94.2 acres. The value of all farm property was over $28,000,000, showing 88.1 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $63.54. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,800,- 000: Number of cattle 23,000, valued at $685,- 000; horses 12,000, valued at $1,600,000; hogs 50,000, valued at $340,000; sheep 35,000, valued at $159,000. The value of poultry was $143,000.
LAGRANGE COUNTY
LAGRANGE, SEAT OF JUSTICE
AGRANGE COUNTY is located in the an area from Cass lake, with twenty-eight acres, northern tier of counties bordering on the to Oliver lake, which is the largest, with an area of 548 acres. Located at Stroh, in Milford township, is one of the largest cement plants in the United States, which draws its raw material from the almost inexhaustible bed of marl near the plant. There are other large marl deposits in the county. Located at Howe is the famous "I lowe School" for boys, which was established in memory of John Badlam Howe. State of Michigan and is bounded on the east by Steuben, on the south by Noble and on the west by Elkhart counties. lis 336 square miles of area are mequaled in fertility, as an unusually efficient state of drainage has converted thousands of its acres of lowlands and marshes into highly productive farms. Within the borders of La- grange lies the famous "Hawpatch" and "Eng- Ich Prairie" country Numerous lakes dot its ul ture, twenty one of which are listed in the to pot of the Commissioner of Fisheries and Late for the Ir al year of 1914, which cover
Organization .- April 1, 1832, witnessed the formal organization of Lagrange county. The first county seat of Lagrange was located at the site of the old Indian village of Mongoquinong,
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293
which afterward was changed to Lima, and re- mained the county seat for more than ten years. As the county grew, in order to have the seat of justice nearer the center of population, by an act of the Legislature of February 13, 1840, the commissioners selected the town of Lagrange, which had been platted June 18, 1836. The new court-house was completed December 5, 1843, and the transfer of the record occurred the fol- lowing year.
Howe School (for boys), Howe, Ind., was established in memory of John Badlam Howe, who died January 22, 1883. He provided in his will for the establishment of a training school for candidates for holy orders and made other bequests for church purposes, which suggested to the minds of Bishop Knickerbacker and Mrs. Howe the idea of establishing the school in Lima. Ind. Mr. Howe bequeathed to the bishop of Indiana $10,000, the interest of which was to be used for the education of young men for the ministry of the church. He also left his resi- dence to the diocese for such use as the diocese directed. After some legal complication had been adjusted through the Lagrange Circuit Court, Bishop Knickerbacker decided in co-operation
with Mrs. Howe and Mr. James Howe to con- centrate these bequests in the establishment of the Howe Grammar School. The late Mrs. Frances M. Howe, widow of John B. Howe, gave her former residence, with four acres of land, and Bishop Knickerbacker purchased with his own private means a mansion and six acres of land opposite. The late James B. Howe, brother of Mr. Howe, and the people of Lima made some subscriptions for the purpose of opening the school, which was opened in Septem- ber, 1884, with two pupils. Since then the school has received many generous bequests. In the summer of 1895 the management of the school was entirely changed under the direction of the present bishop of the diocese. The Right Rev- erend John Hazen White, D. D., shortly after his consecration, asked the present rector, the Reverend John H. Mckenzie, who was maintain- ing a private school at Lake Maxinkuckee, to con- sider a plan to unite the two schools. This cul- minated in uniting them under the name of Howe School. The school is one of the best equipped in the State and is making steady and substantial progress, preserving the ideals of its benefactors and founders.
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HOWE SCHOOL HOWE, INDIANA
BLAKE HALL
MCKENZIE HAL
SCHOOL
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Population of Lagrange county in 1890 was 15,615; in 1900 was 15,284, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 15,148, of which 336 were of white foreign birth. There were 3,879 families in the county and 3,802 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are cleven townships in Lagrange county : Bloom- field. Clay, Clear Spring, Eden, Greenfield, John- son. Emma, Milford, Newbury, Springfield and Van Buren. The incorporated cities and towns are Lagrange and Wolcottville. Lagrange 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 Lagrange county was $6,940.265. value of improvements was $1,923.530 and the total net value of taxables was $12.219,740. . There were 2,284 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were no improved roads in Lagrange county and no road bond in- debtedness.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 65.64 miles of steam railroad operated in La- grange county by the Grand Rapids & Indiana ;
Montpelier & Chicago; St. Joseph Valley, and the Sturgis, Goshen & St. Louis railroads. The St. Joseph Valley Traction Company operates 13.16 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Frederick G. Smeltzly, superintendent of La- grange county, there were eighty-three school- houses, including six high schools, in the county in 1914, employing 135 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 2,911. The ag- gregate amount paid in salaries to superintend- ents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $66,892.39. Estimated value of school property in the county was $334,182, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $94,000.
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