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 52
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
Population of Scott county in 1890 was 7,833; in 1900 was 8,307, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 8,323, of which fifty-three were of white foreign birth. There were 1,980 families in the county and 1,967 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are five townships in Scott county : Finley, Jennings, Johnson, Lexington and Vienna. Scottsburg is the county seat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract from the tax duplicate for 1913, the total value of lands and lots in Scott county was $1,432,700 ; value of improvements was $638,110, and the total net value of taxables was $3,626,- 590. There were 1,279 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 153 miles of improved roads in Scott county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstand- ing, $124,640.86.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 21.35 miles of steam railroad operated in Scott county by the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern ; Big Four, and the Louisville division of the P ..
C., C. & St. L. railroads. The Indianapolis & Louisville Traction Company operates 12.09 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of William S. Griffith, county superintendent of Scott county, there were forty-six schoolhouses, including three high schools, in Scott county in 1914, employing sixty-eight teachers. The aver- age daily attendance by pupils was 1,643. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintend- ents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $25,441.72. The estimated value of school prop- erty in the county was $115,500, and the amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $33,289.46.
Agriculture .- There were in Scott county in 1910 over 1,300 farms embraced in 111,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 85.3 acres. The value of all farm property was over $4,600,000. showing 97.6 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $26.90. The total value of domestic animals was over $572,- 000: Number of cattle 3,800, valued at $97,000 ; horses 3,300, valued at $317,000; hogs 6,100, valued at $44,000; sheep 2,000, valued at $9,000. The total value of poultry was $39.000.
Statue of Wm. H. English on Court-House Grounds, Scottsburg.
26
402
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
SHELBY COUNTY
SHELBYVILLE, SEAT OF JUSTICE
S YHELBY COUNTY adjoins Marion county on the southeast and contains about 408 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Han- cock, on the east by Rush and Decatur, on the south by Bartholomew and a very small section of Decatur, and on the west by Marion and Johnson. The soil is very fertile and there is practically no waste land. The county is trav- ersed by small rivers and creeks, affording fine
were 6,905 families in the county and 6,779 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are fourteen townships in Shelby county: Addison, Brandywine, Hanover, Hendricks, Jackson, Lib- erty, Marion, Moral, Noble, Shelby, Sugar Creek, Union, Van Buren and Washington. The incor- porated cities and towns are Shelbyville and Morristown. Shelbyville is the county seat.
Ford on the Brandywine. The Brandywine rises in Hancock county, flows through and empties into Blue River in Shelby county.
drainage, insuring bountiful crops of all farm products.
Organization .- Shelby. county, which was named in honor of Isaac Shelby, an officer of distinction in the Revolutionary war and in that of 1812, also Governor of Kentucky, was organ- ized April 1, 1822. It was formerly a part of Delaware county and was occupied by the Miami Indians, but vacated by them before the organi- zation of the county. Shelbyville was made the seat of justice at the organization. It is now one of the State's most important manufacturing centers, devoted largely to the manufacture of furniture.
Population of Shelby county in 1890 was 25.154: in 1900 was 26,491, and according to United States Census in 1910 was 26,802, of Which 10] were of white foreign birth. There
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 Shelby county was $12,477,000; value of improvements was $3,833,930, and the total net value of taxables was $23,646,356. There were 4,993 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 332 miles of improved roads in Shelby county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1. 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstand- ing, $243,608.20.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 58.10 miles of steam railroad operated in Shelby county by the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & West- ern ; Chicago division of the Big Four ; Fairland, Franklin & Martinsville, and the Cambridge City
403
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
branch of the P., C., C. & St. L. railroads. The Indianapolis & Cincinnati Traction Company operates 32.13 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of William Everson, the county superintendent, there were ninety-three schoolhouses, including six high schools, in the county in 1914, employ- ing 201 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 4,655. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, supervisors, prin- cipals and teachers was $112,951.71. Estimated value of school property in the county was $524,- 300, and the total amount of indebtedness, includ- ing bonds, was $167,946.
Agriculture .- There were in Shelby county in 1910 over 2,700 farms embraced in 251,000
acres. Average acres per farm, 93.2 acres. The value of all farm property was over $31,000,000, showing 91.6 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $98.81. The total value of domestic animals was over $2,100,- 000: Number of cattle 15,000, valued at $462,- 000; horses 12,000, valued at $1,250,000; hogs 49,000, valued at $306,000; sheep 10,000, valued at $46,000. The total value of poultry was $111,- 000.
Industrial .- According to the report of the . State Bureau of Inspection for 1912, there were twenty-two industrial establishments in Shelby- ville, which employ nearly 1,600 persons. Shelby- ville is one of the largest furniture manufactur- ing centers in Indiana.
SPENCER COUNTY
ROCKPORT, SEAT OF JUSTICE
S PENCER COUNTY, situated upon the Ohio river, reaches as far south as any other county in the State. It contains about 410 square miles, and leads all other counties in the State in the production of tobacco, and much corn is raised on the rich bottom lands along the river. In the northern part of the county are some rich beds of coal, one mine being in opera- tion in 1914 under the jurisdiction of the State mine inspector.
Organization .- Spencer county, which was first settled by Kentuckians, was organized by an act of the Legislature, which became effective February 1, 1818. It was named in honor of Captain Spier Spencer, of Harrison county, who
was killed in the battle of Tippecanoe. Rockport has been the seat of justice since the organiza- tion of the county. Spencer county has the dis- tinction of having been the home of Abraham Lincoln, and the site of his father's log cabin is still pointed out by old settlers about Lincoln City.
St. Meinrad's Abbey, Spencer county, Indi- ana, is the name of that flourishing branch of the great and venerable Benedictine Order, which some sixty years ago was transplanted from Eu- rope to America.
The name which this institution of piety and learning bears is taken from the holy man and hermit, St. Meinrad, born in the year 797, a mem-
Nancy Hanks Park and Monument, Lincoln City, Spencer County.
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
ber of the noble house of Hohenzollern (the same that to-day in the person of Emperor Will- jam Il rules m Germany ). For years he lived as a hermit a life of prayer and penance at a spot which to-day is the world-renowned place of pilgrimage in Switzerland-Maria Einsiedeln ( Our Lady of the Hermits ). There he died as a martyr in the year 861, being slain by two rob- bers, who falsely thought that the holy man had concealed in his hut rich gifts received from the pilgrims. Although aware of the impending dan- ger, he nevertheless extended to them the hospi- tality of his humble cell, thus falling a victim to his own charity.
It was by this famous Abbey of Einsiedeln in Switzerland that the Abbey of St. Meinrad in Spencer County, Indiana, was founded. In 1852 the Rev. Joseph Kundeck, of Jasper, Ind., upon the urgent request of Bishop de Saint Palais, of Vincennes, Ind., secured from Einsiedeln several Benedictine recruits for the American missions-the Rev. Bede O'Connor and the Rev. Ulrich Christin, who arrived in New York Jan- uary 31. 1853. Shortly after, more recruits were sent from the mother house, and on March 21, 1854, full possession was taken of the new Bene- clictine colony established at St. Meinrad. The Rev. Kundeck dedicated the little log cabin, held solemn celebration of high-mass in the open air, and preached to the throng that had gathered from all directions. Soon frame buildings and a church were erected; missions, together with a school (college and seminary), were begun ; and by re-enforcement of members the new settle- ment was able, in 1866, to count in its family twenty religieux, all ready to sacrifice their time, their strength and even their lives for the good cause. Many were the hardships and struggles during these years ; but in spite of all adversity, the Benedictine colony progressed so satisfac- torily that it was deemed feasible to have it ele- vated by Rome to the title of an independent Ab- bey, with all rights and privileges ; this was ef- jected on September 30, 1870. The Rev. Martin Marty, up to this time Prior, became its first Ab- bot ; but in 1880 he was appointed Bishop of all the Dakotas, where he accomplished an immense amount of good work for the Indian cause, set- dling many a difference between the Indians and the government. He died as Bishop of St. Cloud m 1890.
With this elevation to the title and rank of an Abbey, a period of great activity set in for the institution under the leadership of Abbot Marty. In 1872 the corner-stone of the new Abbey build- ing was laid, and in 1874 the community aban- doned their old frame buildings and occupied their new stately edifice constructed of sandstone from its own quarry. The successor of Abbot Marty was Abbot Fintan (1880-1898), under whose administration the large and spacious col- lege building of stone was erected; he also founded a new Benedictine colony at St. Bene- dict's in the State of Arkansas, and one at St. Joseph's in the State of Louisiana.
Affairs had thus made marked progress at St. Meinrad. Its missions, as well as college and seminary, were in a flourishing condition; the institution enjoyed a great increase of members not only in the community, but also in all depart- ments of the student body ; when of a sudden, on September 2, 1887, at the noon hour, a terrific disaster fell upon the Abbey, bringing gloom and desolation with it. On that day the Abbey build- ings, church, library, college, seminary and all workshops were destroyed by fire. What had taken many years of labor and self-sacrifice to build up, an unexpected conflagration of an hour or two turned into a waste of smoldering ruins. The community immediately set to work for the reconstruction of the new Abbey build- ings, and on the second anniversary day of the fire, September 2, 1889, the new Abbey was ready for occupancy.
In 1898, after the death of Abbot Fintan, the third incumbent of the abbatial chair was elected, the choice falling upon the rector of the semi- nary-Reverend Athanasius Schmitt, O. S. B. His chief aim was to erect a church large enough to accommodate choir members, priests, clerics, brothers, students of the college, philosophers, theologians and a large number of lay people. This church is a huge structure of solid stone masonry built in the pure Romanesque style of architecture, 200 feet long by 72 feet wide, with two beautiful towers containing a chime of six bells. These towers are covered with copper shingles, whilst the roofing of the church proper is of slate. The magnificent art glass windows were imported from Munich, Germany. The high altar, a unique, gorgeous structure of Italian marble and fire-gilt bronze, hails likewise from
405
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
the art studios of Germany and Italy. Beneath the chancel there is a crypt containing four dif- ferent grottoes ; these grottoes are built of natural stone obtained from a cave in Ohio. The church contains fourteen altars, with baptismal chapel and a chapel of Our Lady near the entrance. The mammoth double organ is an instrument of fifty- five registers and 3,015 pipes.
After completion of the beautiful church a new four-story library 125 feet by 30 feet and a
brethren, to-wit : carpenters, blacksmiths, wagon- makers, gardeners, butchers, shoemakers, tailors, bookbinders, cooks, electricians, tinners, mechan- ics, painters, scientists, musicians, etc., and is again proof, as in past centuries, that such set- tlements become centers of industry, art, science. learning and piety, all of which naturally will exercise an influence upon its surroundings.
St. Meinrad's College, which was first opened for the education of young men on January 1.
0
St. Meinrad Abbey, St. Meinrad, Spencer County.
new seminary 200 feet by 40 feet, five stories high, built entirely of sandstone ( from the mon- astery's own quarry), reinforced concrete and with tile roofs were added; also a reinforced concrete water tank, containing 500,000 gallons of water for supply and fire protection purposes was erected.
The membership of the Abbey at present is as follows: Priests, fifty-five; clerics, twelve : lay-brothers, forty ; students of the college, 120; of the seminary, seventy; besides workingmen and employes, averaging about 300 all in all.
A Benedictine family is an industrious colony in itself, with agricultural facilities and practi- cally all kinds of trades represented in the lay-
1857, has developed since its establishment into an institution with three distinct departments and faculties : St. Meinrad's Seminary, St. Mein- rad's College, and Jasper College. The three de- partments of this institution are conducted by the Fathers of the Benedictine Order, and are con- nected with the Abbey of St. Meinrad : the first two ( for ecclesiastical students) at St. Meinrad. Ind .. the last named (for secular students) at Jasper, Ind. All three departments were incor- porated in the year 1890 under the title of "St. Meinrad's AAbbey." subject to the laws of incor- poration of the State of Indiana, and empowered to confer Collegiate degrees.
Population of Spencer county in 1890 was
406
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
22,060: in 1900 was 22,407, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 20,676, of which 527 were of white foreign birth. There were 4,819 families in the county and 4,700 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are nine townships in Spencer county : Carter, Clay, Grass, Hammond, Harrison, Huff, Jackson, Luce and Ohio. The incorporated cities and towns are Rockport, Chrisney, Dale, Gentryville, Grand- view and St. Meinrad. Rockport 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 Spencer county was $4,358,750; value of improvements was $1,541,760, and the total net value of taxables was $8,105,790. There were 3,005 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were forty-two miles of improved roads in Spencer county built and under jurisdiction of the county commission- ers January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $81,483.50.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 41.52 miles of steam railroad operated in Spen- cer county by the Southern Railroad Company. The Evansville Railways Company operates 21.77 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Joseph W. Strassell, county superintendent of Spencer county, there were 111 schoolhouses, in- cluding seven high schools, in Spencer county in
1914, employing 182 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 3,001 ; elementary high schools, 315. The aggregate amount paid in sal- aries to superintendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $74,655. The estimated value of school property in the county was $179,835, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $38,662. Spencer county has just be- gun to consolidate her district schools. Seven wagons are used to transport the children. In! Luce township there remain but five district schools out of twenty-three. Three consolidated graded buildings have been erected in their stead. It has increased the general school effi- ciency and reduced the cost per capita from $22 to $14.
Agriculture .- There were in Spencer county in 1910 over 2,800 farms embraced in 236,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 83.3 acres. The value of all farm property was over $13,000,000, showing 103.8 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $38.59. The total value of domestic animals was over $1,270,- 000: Number of cattle 10,000, valued at $208,- 000; horses 7,400, valued at $677,000 ; hogs 18,- 000, valued at $112,000; sheep 3,000, valued at $9,900. The value of poultry was estimated to be $65,000.
Industrial .- According to the report of the State Bureau of Inspection for 1912, there were eight industrial establishments in Rockport, which employ nearly 200 persons. The leading industries are the manufacture of tile and pearl buttons.
STARKE COUNTY
KNOX, SEAT OF JUSTICE
S TARKE COUNTY is located in the north- ern part of the State, west of the dividing line from north to south, and contains about 320 square miles. It is bounded on the north and northwest by Laporte and St. Joseph, on the east by Marshall, on the south by Pulaski, and on the west by Jasper counties. Up to the time of its organization it was situated mostly in the marshes of Kankakee and was at that time not supposed to have any particular value except
for stock raising. In the late '90s, a system of dredge ditches were established and every year since that time more and more of the lowlands have been brought under cultivation. Prior to that time, only the highlands were tilled and no one even suspected the value of the black soil that lay between the sand hills, beneath from one to four feet of water. Fully one-third of the county surface is covered with a deposit of muck from one to ten feet deep. On it can be grown
407
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
any kind of a crop, the most valuable one, how- ever, being onions, $1,800 of which it is said have been sold off of one acre of this muck land.
Organization .- Starke county, named in honor of General John Starke, the victor in the battle of Bennington, was organized by an act of the Legislature of January 15, 1844, but the organization was not made effective until Janu- ary 15, 1850. The locating commissioners estab- lished the county seat on April 1, 1850, at the present site of Knox. There was no town there at the time, but the site was chosen because of its central location. There are a number of beanti- ful lakes in the county. The best known and one of the largest lakes in Indiana is Bass lake, which
was $8,271,910. There were 1,729 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 288 miles of improved roads in Starke county built and un- der jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. AAmount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $283,711.44.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 99.36 miles of steam railroad operated in Starke county by the Chesapeake & Ohio; Chicago & Erie ; Michigan City division of the C., I. & L .; Kankakee division of the Chicago, Indiana & Southern; New York, Chicago & St. Louis: Lo- gansport division of the P., C., C. & St. L., and the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroads.
-
Views of Bass Lake, Starke County.
lies in the southern part of the county and has an area of over 1,600 acres. The early sur- veyors called it Cedar lake and it was known by this name for many years.
Population of Starke county in 1890 was 7,339; in 1900 was 10,431, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 10,567, of which 1,484 were of white foreign birth. There were 2,481 families in the county and 2,460 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are nine townships in Starke county: California, Center, Davis, Jackson, North Bend, Oregon. Railroad, Washington and Wayne. The incor- porated cities and towns are Hamlet, Knox and North Judson. Knox 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 Starke county was $2,429,885; value of improvements was $907,660, and the total net value of taxables
Educational .- According to the report of Carroll W. Cannon, county superintendent of Starke county, there were fifty-five schoolhouses, including six high schools, in the county in 1914. employing 101 teachers. The average daily at- tendance by pupils was 2,395. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, super- visors, principals and teachers was $51.874.02. Estimated value of school property in the county was $178,500, and the total amount of indebted- ness, including bonds, was $47,650.
Agriculture .- There were in Starke county in 1910 over 1,300 farms embraced in 158.000 aeres. Average acres per farm, 114.3 acres. The value of all farm property was over $8,900,000, showing 64.1 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $40.64. The total value of domestic animals was over $751,- 000: Number of cattle 9,300, valued at $232,000; horses 4,300, valued at $432,000; hogs 8,000. valued at $63,000: sheep 1,400, valued at $7,100. The total value of poultry was $40,000.
CENTENNIAL HISTORY AND HANDBOOK OF INDIANA
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
SOUTH BEND, SEAT OF JUSTICE
S T. JOSEPHI COUNTY, which is situated in the northern part of the State, is bounded on the north by the State of Michigan, on the east by Elkhart, on the south by Marshall and Starke and on the west by Laporte counties. This county is at the division of the waters flow- ing into the St. Lawrence river and the Gulf of Mexico. It contains 477 square miles, and the soil is well adapted for the cultivation of crops of all kinds and the raising of fruit.
Organization .- St. Joseph county was organ- ized January 29, 1830, the organization becom-
High School, South Bend.
ing effective April 1, 1830. The first county seat was located on a farm owned by William Brook- field a few miles southwest of South Bend, in German township. However, it is known that the first board of justices met at the house of Alexis Coquillard, at South Bend, and the courts were also held in his house. Judge Timothy A. How- ard, in his history of St. Joseph county, says : "Theoretically, the county seat was for a time on the farm owned by William Brookfield, at the town laid out by him at the portage of the St Joseph river. This town was called St. Jo- seph. Though named as the first county seat, it Was never more than a town on paper. The lo- ation of the county seat at St. Joseph on May 21. 1830, was made by the commissioners under section 3 of the act for the formation of St. Joseph and Elkhart counties." By an act of Feb- mary 1. 1831, five commissioners were named to
relocate the county seat, which was done Sep- tember 7, 1831, when South Bend was chosen as the seat of justice.
The county owns and maintains one of the best county asylums in the State. The court- house is also a modern substantial building cost- ing $184,246. The largest manufacturers of farm tools, wagons, plows, windmills, gas engines, au- tomobiles and watches are located in St. Joseph county. Within the county are numerous springs, lakes and streams that are popular as summer re- sorts.
Public Library, South Bend.
South Bend, the county seat, is the intersecting point of six railroads and the terminal point of three steam railroads and two interurbans. Ac- cording to the United States Census of 1910, it was the fourth largest city in the State, with a population of 53,684. South Bend maintains thir- teen public parks and playgrounds with a total area of 204 acres for park purposes. The city has its own water plant, the water being taken from deep artesian wells and furnished free to seventeen public schools, nine private and paro- chial schools, and for other public purposes. On July 25, 1911, the city adopted a free public mar- ket, which is kept open three days each week at the city's expense.
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.