USA > Indiana > Grant County > Centennial history of Grant County, Indiana, 1812 to 1912 : compiled from records of the Grant county historical society, archives of the county, data of personal interviews, and other authentic sources of local information > Part 13
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In short, when a man has conveniences so that his body is cared for easier and better, there ought to be a greater margin of energy and human interest capable of direction in helping others, in advancing the material as well as the spiritual welfare of those about him, and do the men and women of this age of peace, case and luxury do what they can toward social betterment ? This is a time of case in Zion, and by studying the pages of history the question of moral obligation arises and are the people of today discharging their obligations as did their ancestry ? The aimless life has been supplanted by definite purpose- the life of usefulness, and increased wealth has brought about increased opportunities. The domination of wealth has been characterized as the invisible government, and yet those fortunate enough to have a competency are enslaved in a way the poor know now of- must carry insurance on every servant lest when one fall down the cellar stair, suit be brought and there would be no redress. It is cheaper in the end to allow some liability company assume the risks when servant girls are prone to accident while in the employ of the magnate's family, and the old woman who said: "Blessed be nothing, " understood her- self.
When people used to have but little money they were reputed to hide it in a stocking or in the cedar chest, and who does not remember the time honored "chist" of other days? The bed clothes were there and the heirlooms of the family, and some times there was money between the folds of the best quilt, but increased prosperity offered banking oppor-
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
tunities and the story of the first bank and the first deposit have been elsewhere told in this Centennial history. The Marion National Bank succeeded the oldest banking house in the comity since Old Father Time crossed the Century mark, and the Sweetser Bank has long been known as the First National, while the Marion State Bank has had its share of patronage lor a full generation. In the boom days came the Grant Trust and Savings Company, and the Farmers' Trust and Savings Institution is a later financial stronghold in the community. The Citizens' State Bank at Fairmount, and the Fairmount State Bank, the Farmers' State Bank of Matthews, the Farmers' National Bank of Swayze, the Farmers' State Bank of Gas City, the Van Buren Bank, Upland State Bank, Citizens' Bank of Jonesboro, the Farmers' State Bank of Sweetser, and last of all, the Farmers' Trust Company of Van Buren are all depositories having a total capital stock of $957,500 with a surplus of $253,000, the entire capital and surplus amounting to $1.210,500, and in all the banking history of tirant county there has been little to destroy confidence in these institutions.
Grant county banks have always pursued a conservative policy and they stand like the Rock of Gibraltar -- financial bulwarks, although some local depositors have had times of anxiety and muertainty. Sometimes the banks have only paid out small amounts for operating expenses, but they have always tided over financial difficulties only two bank com- plications in the entire history of the county-one at Fairmount and the other at Matthews. The money stringencies that have been felt locally occurred in 1873, 1893 and in 1907, those dates well fixed in the winds of all students of ceonomies, and while there have been wildeat schemes and some have listened to swindlers to their sorrow, dollar for dollar has been the rule in Grant county banking institutions. Some urge that while the United States congress meets every year the currency question will never reach a settled basis, and while madeaps are in legislative halls it is impossible to forecast all the panies and consequent confusion The Indiana legislature only has a chance to demoralize the community every second year, while the members of congress go to Washington every winter.
Those who have sequestered funds have no love for an assessor who nnearths their accounts and places them on the tax duplicate, and just as long as private citizens and public corporations are dishonest, the wealth of Grant county will never be known to an absolute certainty. Some well-to-do families become "mighty poor" when the assessor calls for a statement from them. The valuation of the property of the public service corporations doing business in Grant county is fixed by the State board of tax commissioners and furnished the county auditor, and the assessments are based on these estimates. The amount of tax paid into The county treasury in the May installment, 1913, amounted to $397,995,- 91, and in round numbers the tax for a year amounts to $500,000. nul including street, road, sewer and other special assessments on improve- ments. While practically all of the people pay tax. the difficulty is to induce them to pay all of it. While there are few citizens who require seven figures in writing their fortunes, millionaire is not an unknown word in Grant conty history, and the difficulty of listing personal property and collecting taxes is not with the small property owner -- some forget all about some of their investments. The tax ferret has found some occupation in Grant county, and the board of review usually finds something to occupy its time when in session. While the county is a checker board in its regularity, there is very little waste land and its 267,520 broad acres are sufficient for the need of its citizens.
The county and township assessors keep local values in mind, and when the millennium comes they will be able to tabulate all of them.
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The honest citizen will respond to all questions asked, but the temptation to equivocate has been the undoing of others. While thirty million dol- lars is the estimated worth of Grant county property, there are those who possess government bonds and who escape taxation in other ways The public service corporations doing business in Grant county pay about one-sixth of the entire tax, and the Pennsylvania Railway Company, which is the heaviest local tax payer, is assessed on property valued at $1.973,- 985 -two lines of track, and excellent improvements. The Pullman Com- pany is appraised at $315 a mile, and has more than seventy-five miles of track. The Western Union Telegraph Company valuation is figured on a basis of $55 a mile, and the company has almost six hundred miles of line in the county. The National Express Company has more than twenty-five miles at $150 a mile, while the Adams Express Company is valued at $275 with almost seventy-seven miles, and the American, with less than twenty miles, is rated at $150, while the United States, with more than forty-eight miles, is taxed at $12 50, and since the first of Jamary, 1913, the pareels post has competed with them.
While the private telephone at $18 a year seems a high priced hixury, the companies do not operate withont expense, the state board having fixed an appraisement of $65 a mile on the holdings of the Fuited Tele- phone Company, with more than 1,700 miles of wire, and the Swayzee Co-operative Company, with 168 miles of wiring, is assessed at $35, and the Leisure Telephone Company, with fourteen miles in Green township, is assessed at $20 a mile. The Sims Co-operative Company has forty six miles of wiring, assessed at $14, and the Lafontaine Company, with thirty-three miles of line in Grant county, pays at the rate of $25 a mile on its property. The Citizens Telephone Company of Fairmount is assessed on 445 miles at $30 a mile, and the Upland Citizens Telephone Company has 160 miles of wire rated at $20, while the Landesville line has more than 170 miles at about $15 a mile. The Sweetser Rural Telephone Company has 562 miles of wire assessed at only $S, while the Converse Consolidated Company's mileage in Grant county is 125 miles with a $17 valuation. The Central Union Telephone Company's entire holdings are almost 1.128 miles rated at $35, while the American Tele- phone and Telegraph Company has almost 1,258 miles, rated at $75 a mile through Grant county. The New Long Distance Telephone Com- pany has 161 miles, rated at $15 in the county, and thus it costs money to operate modern commercial agencies- twentieth century equipment in Grant county.
The Indiana Natural Gas and Oil Company, the Marion Gas Com- pany, the Central Indiana Gas Company, the Indiana Pipe Line Company and the Ohio Off Company are all taxed in Grant county, and beside the Pennsylvania Company, which pays the heaviest fax. the ('. and O. has a valution placed at $207.965. the Big Fonr. at $273,725, the Cloverleaf, at $464,205, and the C. L. and E. Branch of the Panhandle placed at $203,635 causes considerable revenue for the county. Commer- cial interests are part of the twentieth century civilization, and the com- imity has assets it seldom takes into consideration. Transportation means nich in Grant county, and the holiday shoppers docking into Marion at the time these lines are being written mean everything to the business community. With the steam railways bringing many passen- gers, and the traction lines rendering hourly service from the four cardinal points, the trade aggregate is much increased by them. The Indiana I'nion Traction Company connects Marion with Wabash and Anderson, and opens up a market with all intermediate points, and its track and rolling stock -- all its improvements have a total valuation reaching $338,110, with the M. B. and E. rated at $$8,155 and the K. M. and W. Traction line at $106,500, and in order to meet its taxes all this capital must be operated at a profit, and every man, woman and child
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stands ready to hold stock. Indeed. many families should be sharehold- ers based on the patronage, and labor certainly gives capital credit for some investments.
When bonds are offered there are local buyers who bid on them, the most recent buyer being George Webster, Jr., who bought $30,000 worth of flood bonds in 1913, the ammal payment being $4,000 until the bonds are discharged. There was brisk competition on account of the higher rate offered by Grant county. There were other local bidders. but Mr. Webster offered the best bargain to the county. Later - early in 1914 Col. J. L. MeCulloch purchased $50,000 worth of loral bonds. Whenever there have been local bonds on the market outside buyer, have always been ready to take them. While there is urgent demand for a new constitutional convention from many sources in Indiana, oule of the most urgent needs is a revision of taxation methods. Grant county recently furnished a member of the Indiana board of tax com- missioners, and E. Il. Wolcott enters a plea for a law that will be more equitable and fair, as well as effective and up-to-date on a subject. Under the present system property is assessed and taxed on de same uniform basis without reference to its class, white a law taxing property at its own individual value would be a stroke of wise legislation. The crying need is for a law that will uncover sequestored property, and thus secure the revenue due the county from it.
"it is notorionsly true, " said Mr. Wolcott, "that while every schedule of personal property should be sworn to under oath. this in very many cases is omitted entirely and by many it is completely ignored, or is sworn to without intent or understanding that it is at oath, and that it constitutes perjury to swear falsely.
the chief difficulties with the system of assessing property is that in
One of
many instances assessors try to Favor their home localities by making low assessments. A township assessor is elected by the people of his township, and he feels that he mmist favor them with low appraisements instead of placing true values on property." The assessor should be an appointive officer, divorced from all local obligations and conditions -- a man capable of passing a competitive civil service examination. and whose responsibility should be to the state board of taxation alone. Such is the trend of argument as Indianans are considering a con- stiftional state convention. When taxation officers become appointive and under civil service regulations, they will be free from all outside influences and obligations. They would then hold office during good behaviour and be free to enforce the laws fearlessly and without restraint. I'nder the present system there is no uniformity of values in different Indiana counties, and tax rates vary as much as market quotations. Sequestered and intangible property are the two difficulties under exist- ing Indiana laws. but in 1912 the amount placed on the tax duplicates in the state was $10,237,570, and since Grant conuly has an active board of review, no doubt some of that money was unearthed in this locality.
There should be economy in the handling of public money, and an honest administration of expenditures, and the student of economics will tind taxation a fascinating study. What goes with the tax money ? How are public schools maintained in Indiana, the foremost educational state in the Union? What is done with unfortunates who cannot take care of themselves? Who would want to take a blind, deaf, dumb, or feeble minded person into his own home and care for him rather than pay his assessment at the office of the county treasurer? There are benevolent institutions in the county and in the state, and the taxpayer supports them. The wealth of Grant county is not all in houses and lands, but in its institutions and its citizenship. When misfortune over- takes one all feel it, and there is a community of interests that knows no dollar sign when there is need of assistance. "Gold and silver have
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I none, but such as I have give I unto thee," expresses the sentiment of some while others respond to financial requirements most cheerfully. Finance seems to take care of itself and wealth is properly adjusted local conditions.
X. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
By Palmer R. Edgerton
In this chapter it will be our purpose to review briefly the various agricultural societies that have existed in the county, setting forth the object of their organization, their subsequent history and final outcome. To gather data for this it has been necessary to consult the available records and depend in no small way on the memory of those living today who had an active part in the earlier agricultural affairs of the county. The results of our investigation has revealed the name of eleven dis- triet organizations that have figured in our agricultural history. They are: The Smith-Frazier Fair (1843), The Grant County Agricultural Society (1853), Grant County Farmers' Grange (1872). Tri-County Fair (1875), The Fairmont Fair ( 1884, The Grant County Farmers' Association (1884), Grant County Farmer's Institute ( 1887), Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association (F. M. B. A.) (1889), Grant County Farm- er's Mutual Fire Insurance Company (1891), Swayzee Fair (1992). Van Buren Driving Association (1902), Northern Indiana Poultry Association ( 19)1). Out of this family of eleven there are at present only tive surviving members but these, let it be said, are all reasonably hale and enjoying a fair degree of prosperity. They are: Grant County Farm- er's Institute, The Marion and Fairmount Fair Association, the Grant County Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Company and the Northern Indiana Poultry Association.
To take these various societies in the consecutive order of their inception, it will be necessary for us to go back as far as 1843. This particular year had proven a very successful one for the pioneers and two progressive publie-spirited farmers, Jacob M. Smith who then lived over the "forty-foot pitch," where S. R. Fankboner now lives, and Nathan W. Frazier, who owned the present Philip Matter farm, decided to hold a fair. Accordingly in the fall they hauled rails from the Smith farm to enclose the grounds and slabs for building live stock sheds were obtained at the Seerist mill on Boots creek and from the Zellar's mill on Lugar creek. This primitive fair was held on Frank- lin street (now Fourth) just west of Boots errek. No premiums were offered, exhibitors being content with the honor of winning. R. B. Boxell, of Van Buren is authority for the above information. Though Grant county at that time was sparsely settled, yet, those living within reach loyally attended this early fair and contributed to the success by showing cattle, horses and hogs. No sheep or poultry were exhibited. In the spring of 1814 Mr. Smith hanled the rails that had been used to enelose the grounds across Boots creek, where he owned some lots and feneed them and grew potatoes and since he and Mr. Frazier had taken the initiative and also shared the expense they took the slabs or mill stuff home with them. There was no other fair held for ten years, but in the spring and summer of 1853 the necessity for an agricultural society begun to be telt among the farmers and business men of Grant county and on August 13th of that year this feeling took tangible form in the calling of a meeting and the organization of the Grant County Agricultural Society. Its officers were Nathan W. Frazier, president ; Robt. Beatty, vice president ; Z. Reynolds, treasurer, Iredell
t
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
Jackson, secretary and director. Isaac Anderson, Robert Lenfesty, Alexander Dun, Oliver MeGuire, Jacob M. Smith, Nathan Small, Jona- than Kelley, Dr. P. Rigdon, John Fankboner, Daniel Dwiggins, David Wall, Isaac Roush, Hopkins Richardson and Joseph Morgan. The original constitution was signed by seventy-eight persons, and one year later the membership had grown to one hundred and fifty-six. Thus was laid the foundation of the Marion Fair Association.
The first fair was held October 21st, 1853, on White hill, near the present location of the high school building. For an entrance a gap was laid down in the rail fence and an iron wood pole served the pur- pose of gate. However, the society the following year made some improvements by building a picket fence front and fitting up perma- nently the fairgrounds for future exhibitions. In the way of premiums $1.00 was offered for best pair of matched horses, and Nathan W. Pra- zier won the $3.00 premium for the best farm in Grant county.
The second fair was bekl on the 26th and 27th of October. 1854, and was attended by two thousand people who seemed to take deep interest
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DRAFT STALLIONS
in the exhibition, especially when it is considered that the fair had been postponed on account of the sickness (probably ague ) and which had not subsided very much up to the time of the fair. The treasurer's report of the fair of 1851 was cash received $101.50, expenses $333.05, balance $68,54. The premium fist awarded amounted to $128.00. (Jolin 1. Thompson recalls, as a barefoot boy of ten years, riding behind his Tather on a good horse that was shown at this l'air. Comparing the expenses of these early fairs with those of the present day they seem small, yet it can be said, truthfully, that these carlier fairs were real agricultural meetings, organized for the purpose of helping the farmer and stimulating agricultural enterprise.
John Ratliff, in writing of the early fairs in the Atlas of 1877 says : " The good effects of the Agricultural Society are everywhere manifest in the fine specimens of hogs, sheep, cattle and horses to be found in the county. A few years ago a well-bred animal was almost unknown, but it has been a pleasure in traveling about over the county to ser several fine herds of pure bred cattle, with many other specimens of well bred stock of various kinds." Rural telephones, daily papers and the like we're unknown, and the farmer and his family took advantage of the opportunity the fair afforded of not only seeing the pumpkins and live
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stock on exhibition, but also seeing friends and neighbors. How much have we lost of this old friendly interest and conviviality. Side shows and fakirs did not flourish at this early day, and the fair was a whole- some place for young and old. Can we say as much of the modern organization ? We fear that from a helpful farmers' meeting it has grown into a carnival of unrighteousness, making it at once disgusting and repulsive to the better classes. At the last county fair lot m Marion, in July, 1913, the exhibition of live stock was represented by two draft horses, one team of mules, one herd of beef and dairy cattle and a few hogs. And the premiums won by this wonderful "livestock outlay, " at the time of this writing have not been paid in full. At the same fair an interested observer made the following comment: "1 have gone carefully over the grounds and have found by actual count seventy-two sideshows, games of chance, Jakirs, palmists, etc. It is greatly to be hoped that publie sentiment will demand in the near future a 'cleaner bill' for our county fairs, and a return to the days of live stock and pumpkins shows, if you please, even at the sacrifice of gate receipts."
In 1873 the fair was moved to the vicinity of the sand pike and Twenty-second street, and remained there two years. At this place there was a third mile circular track and "Jot" Beatty's black paring mare was the sensation of the times when she stepped a mile in four minutes. In 1875 the fair was taken across the river to what is now Goldthwait park ; here the society owned thirty-eight acres and the l'air was held in this place until 1886, when the ground was soll. The next move was to East Thirty-eighth street, which is the present location of the fair. The officers of the Marion Fair Association for the year 1913 were as follows: John A. Bowman, president; E. F. Ferree, see- Tetary : Gro. W. Cravens, treasurer and David E. Harris, superintendent.
The Grange first became active in Grant county in 1872, at which time Henley James, state organizer for that seriety took up the work of organizing the county, Practically every township had from iwo to three local granges and these sent delegates to the county grange, which met once a month in Marion. During a period of probably ten years the Grange was more or less active and did some work that really laid the foundation for better things to follow. In Jefferson township the Grangers erected a ball in which to hold their meetings. This hall was used for the floral hall in connection with the Grange fair and was later used as a public schoolhouse. Mrs. Nora Goodykoontz, of Liberty town- ship, remembers teaching two terms of school in this building. This Grange fair was organized in 1875 and was called on account of its peculiar location, the "Tri-County Fair," being in the corner of the county where Blackford, Delaware and Grant come together. The annual meetings were held in the Milhollen woods, two miles rast of Matthews or New Cumberland, and exerted a splendid influence for good on the community. This fair stands out as one of the real "farmer fairs" of the county. It was well patronized, and drew its exhibits from all parts of Grant and the adjoining connties of Delaware and Blackford. In 1885 the lease the Grangers held on their fair grounds expired, and unable to renew the same the fair was laid down. During the ten years of its existence, however, the interest was good and the enterprise stands out as a compliment to the activity and good work of the early Grangers of the county.
The Fairmount Fair Association was twenty-nine years old in Sup. . tember, 1913, having been launched upon the public in September. 1584. The organization was incorporated under the name of " The Fairmount Joint Stock Agricultural Association," and its officers were: Enoch Bealls, president ; W. C. Winslow, secretary ; Levi Scott, treasurer ; M. S. Friend, superintendent and Phil Davis, marshal. The ground to be
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
used by the association was leased from Dr. AAlpheus Henley and con- sisted of the thirty aeres now occupied by the society in the southeast- ern portion of the town of Fairmount. Meetings under this organiza- tion were held annually up until 1904, when a reorganization was effected and the name changed to the Fairmount Fair Association. The officers elected at this time were: Dr. J. W. Patterson, president ; Xen 11. Edwards, seeretary ; John Flanagan, treasurer and Gilbert LaRue, superintendent. These men were instrumental in giving new life and an impetus to the association which resulted in some excellent meet- ings. The Fairmount Fair Association, it seems to the writer, has possibilities of development that cannot be questioned. Located in the Very center of the county's best agricultural and livestock raising see tion, its officers should take every legitimate step to make it a helpful educational event for the farmer and his family. As a means to this end we would suggest to eliminate the "midway" with its palmists and fakirs, side shows and "Coney Island effects," and give us more corn and potatoes, apples and canned fruit. colts and calves to look at and admire. Instead of building spacious barns for the housing, care and training of the light harness horse (already doomed by the automobile) spend some money on accommodation for the draft horse ( the horse with a future ), the beef and dairy cows, the sheep and hogs. Turn the liberal purses usually given to the race horse men into a premium list for a livestock show, and see the good that will result to the community from such a departure. The officers of the Fairmount Fair Association for 1913 were: Dr. Glen Henley, president; Forrest Miller, secretary; John Flanagan, treasurer and Cyrus Pemberton, superintendent.
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