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 48
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* On October 24, 1915, many of these horses were lost in a disastrous fire which destroyed the barns.
MARTIN COUNTY
SHOALS, SEAT OF JUSTICE
M ARTIN COUNTY is located in the south- Western part of the State, about fifty unks north of the Ohio river and forty miles 0xt of the Wabash, or western border of the Slate. The east fork of White river trav- are the county from the northeast to the
southwest. It is bounded on the north by Greene, on the east by Lawrence and Orange, on the south by Dubois and on the west by Daviess counties. Its surface is broken and hilly and the conditions render the county as a whole unsuitable for general farming, but there
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
is quite an amount of Martin county, which is bottom land, that is very fertile and produces all kinds of grain and grasses. In its original state, the county was very heavily timbered with black walnut, yellow poplar, white and red oak and other hardwoods. There is still quite an area that is heavily timbered, but the landowners, recog- nizing the agricultural possibilities, are reclaim- ing the waste lands by proper scientific methods and are establishing commercial orchards and go- ing into the production of grains and grasses on an extensive scale and into stock raising and grazing. The soil in the major portion of Martin county is freestone soil, underlaid at varying depths from six to seventy-five feet in sandstone ; also much of the lands are underlaid with a very fine grade of bituminous coal. There are many drift mines in the county and a few shaft mines. From the central portion of the county to the northern quarter there are found numerous iron deposits of red and blue hemastite. On one part, near the eastern border of the county, a company is mining a vein some forty feet in depth. The county is dotted with fine springs of pure, cold water. The renowned Trinity and Indian Mineral Springs and the famous LaSalle Springs are lo- cated here. In addition, nature has been lavish in carving out some of the most beautiful scenery that is to be found in America. "Jug Rock," which is located at the north boundary of the town of Shoals, takes its name from the resem- blance to a jug, and stands seventy-six feet high. It stands alone and causes one who views it to be impressed with wonder how this marvelous curi- osity was created. East of this rock, and within one-quarter of a mile, is what is known as "The Pinnacle," where a backbone extends out to the river's edge, affording a view to White river, 276
White River from Pinnacle Rock.
feet below. There is also "House Rock," the "Aquatic Rock," the "Cedar Cliff" and "Gor- merly Bluff," all of which are beautiful.
Organization .- Martin county, named in honor of the late Major Martin, of Newport, Ky., was formally organized February 1, 1820. Martin county holds the record for the greatest number of county seat changes. It seems that the citizens of the county were hard to satisfy. When they failed to change the location of the county seat, they did the next best thing and changed the name of the town where the county seat was located. The first town to have the honor was Hindostan. Before a court-house was built, the county seat was changed to Mount Pleasant, where it remained until May, 1844, when it was removed to Memphis, the present site of Shoals, only to be moved in the fall of the same year to Harrisonville, near the site of Trin- ity Springs. On April 30, 1845, a new location was selected at Hillsboro, changing the name to Dover Hill by a legislative act of February 11, 1848. While the county buildings were being built at Dover Hill, the county seat was established at Mount Pleasant. After the building of the Ohio & Mississippi railroad through the county in 1856, for the sixth time an agitation was started to change the county seat and on December 11, 1869, the county seat was located on the west side of White river at Memphis, which was christened the town of "West Shoals," where business was opened July 4, 1871. On April 27, 1876, the court- house was destroyed by fire, and pending the erection of new buildings, the offices were moved across the river to Shoals. A few years later, the boundaries of West Shoals were dissolved and extended to take in that territory. thus placing the county seat at Shoals.
Hindostan Falls, Martin County.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
Jug Rock, Shoals, Martin County.
Population of Martin county in 1890 was 13,973; in 1900 was 14,711, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 12,950, of which 105 were of white foreign birth. There were 2,840 families in the county and 2,791 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are nine townships in Martin county : Baker, Brown, Center, Halbert, Lost River, McCameron, Mitchelltree, Perry and Rutherford. The in- corporated cities and towns are Loogootee, Shoals and West Shoals. Shoals 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 Martin county was $1,782,770, value of improvements was $821.260 and the total net value of taxables was $4,474,544. There were 1,856 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were ninety-four miles of improved roads in Martin county built and under jurisdiction of the county commis- sioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $98,279.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 31.44 miles of steam railroad operated in Martin county by the Baltimore & Ohio & Southwestern and the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern railroads.
Educational .- According to the report of Charles O. Williams, county superintendent of Martin county, there were ninety-six school- houses, including five high schools, in Martin county in 1914, employing 115 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 2,273. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to super- intendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $44,424.57. The estimated value of school property in the county was $84,300, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $3,000. There is one parochial school at Loo- gootee.
Agriculture .- There were in Martin county in 1910 over 1,700 farms, embraced in 194,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 111.9 acres. The value of all farm property was over $5,500,000, showing 53.7 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $18.11. The total value of domestic animals was over $847,- 000: Number of cattle 9,700, valued at $212,000; horses 4,100, valued at $379,000; hogs 13,000, valued at $89,000; sheep 12,000, valued at $47,000. The total value of poultry was $51,000.
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
367
MIAMI COUNTY
PERU, SEAT OF JUSTICE
M IAMI COUNTY, which is located in the central part of the northern half of the State, is bounded on the north by Fulton, on the east by Wabash and Grant, on the south by How- ard and on the west by Cass and Fulton counties. It contains 384 square miles and includes, within its borders, nearly every industry known to that section of the State. The county is rich agricul- turally and the variety of its soil enables it to produce every crop which can be grown in Indi- ana. Across the southern end of the county ex- tends a broad belt of black loam, through the center run the fertile valleys of the Wabash and Mississinewa and Eel rivers. Stock raising is engaged in generally, and there are many fine breeding farms in the county.
Organization .- Miami county began its ca- reer officially March 1, 1834, and was named after the tribe of Indians who once possessed this land and the adjoining parts of the State. The
first county seat of Miami county was at Miamis- port, a town laid out in 1828. It was on the same section of land that is now occupied by Peru, a section originally set aside as a reservation for John B. Richardville, the noted Miami Indian chief. He sold the east half to William N. Hood and the western half to Joseph Holman, and the two men then laid out the town of Miamisport. They failed to agree and Hood outbid Holman and secured the location east of Miamisport, where Peru now stands. The growth of Peru was such that Miamisport was taken within its limits and it was ordered vacated June, 1841. The first court-house was burned down March 16, 1843, destroying all of the county records but those of the county commissioners. The Legislature helped to straighten out the situation with the act of December 26. 1843.
Population of Miami county in 1890 was 25,823; in 1900 was 28,344, and according to
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Peru-1. Postoffice. 2. Miami County Court-House. 3. Carnegie Library. 4. Y. M. C. A. Building.
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
United States Census of 1910 was 29.350, of which 1.245 were of white foreign birth. There were 7.339 families in the county and 7.190 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are fourteen townships in Miami county : Allen, Butler, Clay, Deer Creek, Erie, Harrison, Jack- son, Jefferson, Perry, Peru, Pipe Creek, Rich- land, Union and Washington. The incorporated cities and towns are Peru, Amboy, Bunker Hill, Converse, Macy, North Grove, Ridgeview and South Peru. Peru 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 Miami county was $7,665,740, value of improvements was $2,915,900 and the total net value of taxables was $17.444,250. There were 3,649 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 351 miles of improved roads in Miami county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstand- ing. $496,339.88.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 102.10 miles of steam railroad operated in Miami county by the Chesapeake & Ohio; Chicago & Erie : C., I. & E. by the P., C., C. & St. L .; Indi- anapolis and Michigan City division of the L. E. & W .; Logansport division of the P., C., C. & St. L .: the Butler branch of the Vandalia, and the Wabash railroads. The Fort Wayne &
Northern Indiana Traction Company, Union Traction Company of Indiana and the Winona Interurban Railway Company operate 45.75 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of E. B. Wetherow, county superintendent of Miami county, there were 107 schoolhouses, including eight high schools, in the county in 1914, em- ploying 215 teachers. The average daily attend- ance by pupils was 4,920. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $115,122.47. Esti- mated value of school property in the county was $519,600, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $109,695.
Agriculture .- There were in Miami county in 1910 over 2,300 farms, embraced in 229,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 97.2 acres. The value of all farm property was over $24,000,000, showing 86.7 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $78.46. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,300,- 000: Number of cattle 20,000, valued at $614,- 000; horses 10,000, valued at $1,200,000; hogs 54,000, valued at $329,000; sheep 15,000, valued at $67,000. The total value of poultry was $98,- 000.
Industrial .- According to the United States Census of 1910 there were thirty-one industries in Peru, furnishing employment to 692 persons. Total amount of capital employed, $1,654,050. Value of products, $1,097,156; value added by manufacture, $614,707.
MONROE COUNTY
BLOOMINGTON, SEAT OF JUSTICE
M ONROE COUNTY, the center of popu- lation of the United States, is located near the center of the southern half of the State, and is bounded on the north by Morgan and a part of Owen, on the east by Brown and Jack- son, on the south by Lawrence and on the west by Greene and Owen counties, and contains 450 square miles. It excels not only in the quarrying of limestone for building and ornamental pur- poses but also in preparing it for the market.
This stone is shipped all over the United States and Canada, and aside from Lawrence county, Monroe has no competitors in the amount of quarry products.
This county excels in its public schools, and Indiana University, which is located in Bloom- ington, is doing a work second to no other in the middle west.
Organization .- Monroe county, named in honor of James Monroe, the fifth President of
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
the United States, was organized April 10, 1818, when it began its official existence. Bloomington has been the county seat since its organization.
Indiana University, the head of the common school system of the State, was established at Bloomington in 1820. This act was taken in ac- cordance with a provision of the first Constitu- tion of the State, which provided for a general system of education ascending in regular grada- tion from the township school to the University. The first building was erected in 1824, and its doors were opened for the reception of students that year when ten boys entered. The attendance from 1824 to 1884 varied from ten to 194. It was not until 1886 that the attendance exceeded 200. In 1885 the elective course was established and from that date the attendance rapidly in- creased. The attendance for 1915 was 2,644. Almost six thousand degrees have been con- ferred by the University.
The school was made co-educational in 1867. For many years the number of men and women has remained relatively constant at a ratio of two to one. For many years every county in the State has been represented, and a large number of students from other states and foreign coun- tries are in attendance annually.
The University consists of the College of Liberal Arts, the School of Education, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, the Graduate School and the Extension Division. In the com- bined faculties there are more than 200 members.
There are ten large buildings on the campus at Bloomington, nearly all of which are of native stone. The campus consists of 125 acres, and is recognized as one of the most beautiful in the United States. The buildings and campus are valued at one million dollars. The President of the University is William Lowe Bryan.
Population of Monroe county in 1890 was 17.673; in 1900 was 20,873, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 23,426, of which 273 were of white foreign birth. There were 5,556 families in the county and 5,373 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are twelve townships in Monroe county : Bean Blos- som. Benton, Bloomington, Clear Creek, Indian Creek, Marion, Perry, Polk, Richland, Salt Creek. Van Buren and Washington. The incor-
porated cities and towns are Bloomington, Elletts- ville, Perry City and Stinesville. Bloomington 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 Monroe county was $3,967,760, value of improvements was $3,157,060 and the total net value of taxables. was $11,016,332. There were 3,675 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 328 miles of improved roads in Monroe county built and under jurisdiction of the. county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $267,721.19.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are' 69.57 miles of steam railroad operated in Monroe county by the Bloomington Southern; Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville, and the Indianapolis branch of the Illinois Central.
Educational .- According to the report of Will- iam H. Jones, county superintendent of Monroe county, there were 110 schoolhouses, including four high schools, in Monroe county in 1914, em- ploying 191 teachers. The average daily attend- ance by pupils was 4,774. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, supervisors. principals and teachers was $94,483.27. The esti- mated value of school property in the county was $471,845, and the total amount of indebtedness. including bonds, was $140,000.
Agriculture .- There were in Monroe county in 1910 over 2,200 farms, embraced in 228,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 103.9 acres. The value of all farm property was over $7,800,000 showing 52.2 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $22.02. The total value of domestic animals was $974.000 Number of cattle 10,000, valued at $257.000 horses 5,800, valued at $506,000; hogs 13.000 valued at $91,000 ; sheep 9,000, valued at $31.000 The total value of poultry was $55,000.
Industrial .- According to the report of the State Bureau of Inspection for 1912 there were thirty industrial establishments, furnishing em- ployment to over 1,200 persons, principally em- ployed in the production of stone in its various forms. There is one large furniture factory ir Bloomington which employs nearly 400 persons
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
CRAWFORDSVILLE, SEAT OF JUSTICE
M ONTGOMERY COUNTY lies in the richest agricultural section of the State, ess than forty miles northwest from the State capital, and contains 504 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Tippecanoe, on the east y Clinton, Boone and Hendricks, on the south by Putnam and Parke and on the west by Foun- ain and Parke counties. Aside from being a great agricultural and stock raising center, the ounty has an inexhaustible supply of shale, which is manufactured into paving and fancy building brick.
Perhaps no county in the Union is more favor- bly known in the field of education than Mont- pomery county. It was the home of Caleb Mills, he founder of the great public school system of he State. It is also the home of the late General Lew Wallace and Maurice Thompson, whose omes were in Crawfordsville, which is the site f Wabash College.
Organization .- Montgomery county, named honor of General Richard Montgomery, began ts official existence March 1, 1823. Crawfords- ille has been the county seat since its organi- ation.
Wabash College .- This institution owes its rigin to a few friends of sound learning who vere the first settlers of the upper Wabash val- ey. When it was founded there were but two olleges in the State, and both in the southern art. Educated men themselves-among them raduates of Dartmouth in the east and Miami the west-the founders felt the necessity of ringing the college to the doors of the sons of ioneers here who could not afford the expense f seeking the older and more distant institu- ons.
So it was that in the fall of 1832 a meeting vas held in Crawfordsville, at which "it was re- jolved unanimously that such an institution be stablished, at first a classical and English high chool, rising into a college as soon as the wants f the country demand." Trustees were chosen, frame building was erected-which still stands -and in December, 1833, the first classes were
formed under the direction of the Reverend Caleb Mills, a graduate of Dartmouth and An- dover Theological Seminary. He was known as the father of the "Public School System of In- diana.'
It was first chartered as "Wabash Manual Labor College and Teachers' Seminary," and in 1838 it conferred the degree of A. B. on two men, and since that time has turned out its quota of full-fledged graduates annually, with the ex- ception of one year, 1841. The manual labor fea- ture seems never to have been carried out fully, perhaps for want of suitable equipment. Very soon Wabash was offering the regular curricu- lum, which was the standard among colleges.
Many of the professors have served long terms, John Lyle Campbell having been a mem- ber of the faculty fifty-five years, from 1849 to 1904.
Wabash is one of the few western colleges which does not admit women, and its list of graduates numbers more than 1,200, which is only a small fraction of those who have studied here one, two or three years. Among its alumni are Vice-President Marshall and Judge Ander- son, and among those no longer living were Judge . William Allen Woods, John A. Finch, John May- nard Butler and General John Coburn. Among its nongraduates were General Lew Wallace. E. R. S. Canby and Bayless W. Hanna.
From the first Wabash has been a Christian college without being under the control of any denomination. George L. Mackintosh, an alum- nus of the college, is the president.
Population of Montgomery county in 1890 was 28,025; in 1900 was 29,388, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 29,296, of which 333 were of white foreign birth. There were 7,685 families in the county and 7.445 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are eleven townships in Montgomery county : Brown, Clark, Coal Creek, Franklin, Madison, Ripley. Scott, Sugar Creek, Union, Walnut and Wayne. The incorporated cities and towns are Craw-
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
forsale, Mamo, Darlington, Ladoga, Linden, Newmarket. Non Richmond, New Ross, Wave- land. Warnetown and Wingate. Crawfordsville is the county seat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- AAccording 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 Montgomery county was $13.363,669, value of improvements was $4,753.145 and the total net value of taxa- bles was $28,090.155. There were 4.969 polls m the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 520 miles of improved roads in Montgomery county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1. 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding. $793,857.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 119.21 miles of steam railroad operated in Mont- gomery county by the Central Indiana Railway Company : Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville ; Western division of the Peoria & Eastern ; To- ledo, St. Louis & Western, and the Michigan division of the Vandalia railroads. The Terre
Haute, Indianapolis & Eastern Traction Com pany operates 24.63 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report o Karl C. James, county superintendent of Mont gomery county, there were fifty schoolhouses including thirteen high schools, in Montgomery county in 1914, employing 193 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 3,880 The aggregate amount paid in salaries to super intendents, supervisors, principals and teacher: was $132,771.55. Estimated value of schoo property in the county was $833,900, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds was $362,991.94.
Agriculture .- There were in Montgomery county in 1910 over 2,800 farms, embraced il 307,000 acres. Average acres per farm. 109.6 acres. The value of all farm property was ove $34,000,000, showing 92.9 per cent. increase ove 1900. The average value of land per acre wa $87.45. The total value of domestic animali was $2,800,000: Number of cattle 18,000, valued at $596,000; horses 13.000, valued at $1,300,000|
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Wabash College and Campus, Crawfordsville.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
ogs 100,000, valued at $621,000; sheep 30,000, valued at $139,000. The total value of poultry vas $119,000.
Industrial .- According to the report of the
State Bureau of Inspection for 1912 there were twenty-five industrial establishments, furnishing employment to 700 persons. Its largest industry is engaged in making wire, nails and tanks.
MORGAN COUNTY
. MARTINSVILLE, SEAT OF JUSTICE
M ORGAN COUNTY, which lies directly southeast and adjoining Marion county, s bounded on the north by Hendricks and Ma- ion, on the east by Johnson, on the south by Brown and Monroe and on the west by Owen nd Putnam counties. It contains 453 square niles and is in the valley of the west fork of White river. Morgan county is an agricultural, ich, fertile body of highly cultivated soil. The only natural resources are fine sandstone and ard brick shale that is being manufactured into ard paving brick, and its wonderful hardwoods -- oak, yellow poplar and black walnut timber ---
and the sugar camps so common to the carly settlers of Indiana. After the discovery of nat- utral gas in eastern Indiana, the citizens of Mar- tinsville, now familiarly known as the "Artesian City" of medicated waters, bored a well 700 feet deep, which produced a flowing well. This has been followed by many others, and several sana- toriums have been erected, where thousands of afflicted people come to partake of the waters and get relief for their ailments.
Organization .- Morgan county, which was named in honor of General Daniel Morgan, began its official existence February 15, 1822, and Mar-
Pioneer Well on a Farm in Morgan County. This type of well is rapidly disappearing.
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