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 28
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In 1827 John Odell, David Adamson. Eli Ephraim, Silas and Reuben Overman settled in Center. In 1829 Thomas Knight located on what. was later the Jesse Small farm; Isaac Elliott on the site now ocenpied by the Soldiers' Home; John Thomas, Caleb Morris, Jesse Bogue and Richard Jones became identified with Center. (Note-In order to an- derstand much of the foregoing, the reader will have to think of the surrounding country as it was prior to the discovery of natural gas in 1887, which revolutionized farm history. ) In 1830 came Nathan, son of David Branson, Henley and Sammel Thomas, Solomon and Benjamin Knight.
The location of the county seat in 1831 was an incentive for an in- crease in migration hither. Prominent among those who entered land in the township at an early date were Abraham Murray, Murray Wood- worth, Jesse Thomas. Henley James, James Coulter, James Griffin with his sons, Martin and Robert, Seth Burson, Joshua Small, Jesse Embree, William Jones. Joseph Ratliff, Jonas Wolf and Alexander Frazier.
The first religions meeting in the township was held at the home of Eli Overman in the summer of 1828, by the Friends. For a while after this the meetings were held in the cabin of Thomas Knight. In the fall of 1828 the Friends built a small log house on the John Ballinger farm, This was the first meeting house built in the township, and was known as the "Mississinewa church." In 1834 the Friends again changed their place of worship, this time to a neat, comfortable house built on the Eli Overman farm.
In 1828, in a little log cabin, (near the present Pennsylvania railway station ) on the Small farm William James taught the first school held in the township. The Quaker church on the Ballinger farm was ocen-
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pied for a while as a schoolhouse. In 1830 a school was opened in a cabin on the Martin Boots farm, and Elijah Thomas was teacher. In the fall of 1827, Nathan Branson built a log cabin on the present site of the Spencer house. The immortal Shakespeare, the myriad-minded, tells us :
"There is a history in all men's lives, Figuring the nature of the time diseased, The which observed, a man may prophesy. With a near aim of the main chance of things As yet to come to life, which in their seeds, And weak beginnings, lie intreasured."
In the spring of the year 1827, on the banks of the Mississinewa, was built a small log cabin. This was the seed in which "intreasured" lay the Marvelous Marion of today. Under an act of the legislature approved February 10, 1831, Charles W. Ewing, William Edwards and William Hunt were authorized to locate the county seat. In selecting the location the commissioners had in view the following places, namely : the farm of William Hiatt near Jonesboro, the Beatty farm now part of the Soldiers' Home, and the land owned by Boots and Branson. The commissioners agreed to locate the town on the farm of the person donating the most land. The land of Boots and Branson joined and each agreed to give thirty aeres, reserving lots Nos. 1 and 8 in each block. Their proposition was accepted by the commissioners, and the site selected was named Marion in honor of the Revolutionary general, Francis Marion.
The original plat of Marion consisted of thirty-nine blocks, from the river on the north to Seventh street on the south: from the alley vast of Branson street on the east to the alley west of Boots street on the west, and since that time more than fifty additions have been made, the most important of which are: Oppy's in 1838; Connor's in 1838; Boots' southwest addition, 1839; Nathan Branson's in 1840; Turner's in 1842; David MeKinney's in 1855; F. S. MeKimey's in 1867: Me- Clure's, Swayzee's, Bradford's, White's, Tibbits', Sweetser's, Willeuts and Tharp's and many smaller ones in later years. The board of com- missioners met in special session at the house of Riley Marshall. Sep- tomber 24, 1831. for the purpose of establishing terms for the sale of lots.
The terms were as follows: Lots to be sold by publie outery and to the highest bidder. The county agent was ordered to advertise the sale of lots in the Indianapolis Journal ; Pottawatamit and Miami Times of Logansport, and the newspapers published at Richmond. Lots fronting or cornering on the publie square were not to sell for less than $50, all lots fronting on Adams. Washington, Jefferson and Madison streets were to sell for not less than $10, and all others for $35 and $15, accord- ing to location.
During the first term of the circuit court in 1831 Nathan Branson was allowed the sum of $14.60 for cash paid Sammuel Woodworth for services as surveyor in laying out the town of Marion. David Bran- son was allowed the munificent sum of $3 for boarding the surveying party, which consisted of five men. The town of Marion was incorpor- ated in 1838, and fifty years later secured its city charter. The records have been lost or destroyed, and consequently nothing could be learned of the organization of the town.
The first merchant of Marion was John Chapman, aud his store room, sixteen by twenty feet and built of round logs and poles, stood on the site now occupied by the 1. O. O. F. temple at the corner of Third and
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Boots streets. This store room, in impressive contrast to the majestic emporiums of today, was neither plastered nor ceiled, the cracks between the logs being daubed with elay and the whole covered with elapboards. The counter and shelves were of rude construction, the entire cost not exceeding $50. The stock invoiced $500, and was regarded by the admiring citizens to be absolutely colossal. The formal opening of this store occurred in 1828. Another carly merchant was John Il. Baird, who built a log store house at Second and Washington streets. This was in 1830. The following year Baird built a frame store house on the same lot, the first frame building erceted within the present limits of Marion.
In 1832 Sammel MeChire, Sr., built the first frame dwelling. On May 26, 1834, Samuel MeClure, Jr., having rented this house of his father, occupied part as a dwelling and part as a store room. The next merchant was Bedsall, who in 1835 built a small frame house on the northeast corner of the square, the site now occupied by the When Cloth-
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GRANT COUNTY COURT HOUSE, MARION
ing Store, in which he kept store. For many years this was the oldest business house in Marion. The first tavern of Marion was kept by Riley Marshall. Colonel John Wall presided over the second tavern, and Dr. Trask the third. Other early tavern keepers were Abraham Oppy. Stephen Long, Nathan MeClure, Binoni Reynolds and Oliver Goldthait.
A ginseng factory which stood on Boots creek was one of the most important early industries. The roots of the ginseng plant were collected and refined. John Wall and fliram Weeks were the pioneer tamers who supplied the settlers with leather for their boots and shoes. In 1854 the Marion conneil was composed as follows: First ward. Andrew Diltx: second ward, Thomas A. Neat; third ward, 11. .. Lenox ; fourth ward. J. A. Stretch ; fifth ward, Joseph Hodges. ( Editor's note-At this point when reading her paper the historian credited the following courthouse mention to " Rolinda," in the Greater Marion edition of The Chronicle. issued March 2, of that year, which was tunely information at her com- mand. )
At the beginning of the twentieth century there were still a number of citizens lingering here who boasted of having paid taxes in three different courthouses in Grant county, and history relates that on May
E
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8, 1833, the contract for the first one was let by the county commis- sioners, the specifications calling for a small frame building two stories high with the court room on the first floor, with a judge's stand raised two feet above the floor and a place for three judges. James Trimble secured the contract for $681, work to begin immediately, with $100 as a first payment and the remainder in two equal annual installments. At the time it was believed that this structure would last the county many years-twenty-six by twenty-two feet, its dimensions-but in May, 1837, a new courthouse was ordered. The old one was bought by the Butlers, members of the direct Family still living in Marion, and it was moved to the site of the Telephone block where the "Greater Marion" edition of The Chronicle was printed, and here it stood for many years, known as the Whitehall hotel, but in time it went the way of all the world.
The first courthouse stood on a natural mound covered with mag- nificent forest trees, but trees were not so much prized then as now, and when the onward march of civilization rendered a larger building neers sary, many were used in the manufacture of the brick from which the second edifice was built. Doctor Trask secured the contrast for building the second courthouse, employed Joseph Roberts to burn the brick, then sold ont to George Webster, a pioneer bnikler, who later completed it at. a cost of $5,000, and while it was standing there were still many of the original forest trees around it. The prehistorie mound was gone, and that is sufficient explanation of the statement that the courthouse Jawn was once the site of a brick yard. The civic spirit had not yet man- ifested itself in Grant county.
When the second temple of justice was completed it was considered an architectural triumph-the order of arrangement was reversed, and the courtroom was in the second story. This building served the needs of the growing county for more than forty years, but the necessity for a more convenient place to transact the county's business, and a safer repository for the records which had been accumulating for half a cen- tury, rendered it necessary to build again. The first courthouse, de- seribed by a pioneer who used to attend church in the courtroom as a "ramshackle, " was removed as a whole while the second one was torn down and the bricks were rebuilt in the "Sizemore" property on Boots street. The first action toward the present courthouse was taken by the county commissioners in 1880, when an architect was employed to draw up the specifications and superintend its ercetion. E. E. Meyers was paid $6,700 for his services in this capacity. The contract was sold to the Hinsdale Doyle Granite Company and W. D. Richardson. The total cost of the building, including ten years' interest on bonds that were issued, amounted to $212,775.75, and aside from the fact that no clock surmounts the dome, the architectural features of Grant county's temple of justice are not yet antiquated, although it is now a quarter of century since it was built.
June 1, 1881, was the day on which the corner stone was Jaid, and the tablet bears the following inscription: "Erected by order of the board of county commissioners, 1880. N. D. Holman, B. F. Stevens and A. C. Jay, county commissioners," and the names of the contractors and the architeet are on this panel. On the other face it reads: "JJ. W. Stout, auditor: J. P. Campbell, treasurer; A. M. Baldwin, recorder; J. H. Zalm, clerk; A. E. Eyestone, sheriff; A. A. Hamilton, coroner; G. 1. Oshorn, county superintendent, and Steele & St. John, county attor- neys," and yet "county tombstone" does not accurately describe this cornerstone, since a number of men then part of the county organiza- tion are still actively interested in private pursuit in the county. It was a great day in Marion when this cornerstone was laid, and when the
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next courthouse is built the chronicler of the past will find munch inter- esting data deposited there. It was built for the future -- but the second one was, and it lasted less than half a century. After applying the square, the level and the plumb, the master of ceremonies that day said : "Gentlemen, we have laid the corner stone of this temple of justice ae- cording to the customs of our ancient craft. . It will be in keeping with the progress of art, an ornament to the county you represent, and a monument to the liberality, culture and refinement of her citizens," and the late ex-lieutenant Governor Will Cumback, who was long a familiar character in the state and in Grant county, added : " The court- house is one of the milestones on the highway of civilization. The courthouse is an important factor in the problem of Innan affairs. It is not only the protector of the right of individual citizens, but to some extent it is the guardian of the peace of society."
[ Editor's note-While the historian from Conter dealt at length with Marion churches, it is thought best at the beginning of this second century in local history to handle that feature in a different way, and her reference to them is purposely omitted. | So much of Center west of the Mississinewa river is occupied by the city of Marion. that the present day agriculture is all across the river except a very few farms in the vicinity of the Soldiers' Home, and all the rural churches -- Griffin Chapel, Howe, MeKinney or Lugar Creek, and Locust Chapel are in the eastern part of the township. While there are few farms there are four township schools west of the river, and the last year ten teachers were employed-three at Mississinewa, three at the Evans school. two near the Normal college and two colored teachers in the school at West- ern avenue, some of the pupils coming from Franklin. There are four schools east of the river.
The physical resources of Center are not different from other town- ships except that there is perhaps more grazing land, and that a great deal of it is underlaid with gravel. When natural gas and oil territory was being developed. Center proved profitable enough, many farms yielding small fortunes, and dairy farming has been found profitable in the township. There is considerable waste land along the river, and dairying is the best method of utilizing it. While there are some social centers in the rural community, Marion is so nearby that many families find it convenient to attend school and church in town, and many sub- urban residents find employment in the city.
In sunnning up the Center historian said: "I am consumed with amazement when I revert to the then as compared with the now. I am reminded that
"The years have linings just as goblets do; The old year is the lining of the new, Filled with the music of precious memories, The golden was doth line the silver is."
In dwelling upon the growth of Marion the historian is prone to treat it as if it had arrived at its acme, forgetting that every chronicler has done the same, and been belittled by later progress. An historian writing in 1870, when the population of Marion had reached 4.100, exults thus: "Fifty years ago when Marion was a hamlet the country round about was truly a wilderness. Now with the population uni- bering 4.100 she assumes the aspect of a populous city. The memory is at fault when it attempts to keep pare with this rapid progression. Well may we rejoice in a result so glorious!" The enthusiasm of the historian quoted compels a smile as one looks back upon it, and the writer of today is likely to forget that his own observations will be no less
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amusing to the writers who come later. We have only indicated the ascending steps, leaps and bounds by which our fair city has advanced. Onward and upward she climbs. On the shining height the point which was her goal yesterday is her starting place today, and tomorrow will be far behind her, a mer, study for her future historian.
[ Editor's note -- While the religious and material development of Center has been omitted from the foregoing chronicles of the township because they are to be handled independently, it is in simple justice to the historian to say that the lapse of only five years has witnessed the realization of much of her prophecy-A Glimpse into the Future, or Greater Marion in 1992, five hundred years after the discovery of America, having been presented in connection with the township history. ] My Dear Friend-Believing that you will be interested in hearing of the many changes that have taken place since you wrote of Marion -- that was in the year 1907 if I mistake not, I send you this. Perhaps you knew that I have lived abroad for many years, returning to the city of my birth that I may be present to enjoy the festivities incident to the five hundredth anniversary of an event made memorable by that
MARION STREET SCENE, FIFTH AND WASHINGTON
intrepid Genoese navigator, Columbus. Consequently we shall enjoy the numerous innovations together.
Before alighting from our aerial car, the general mode of trans- portation at present, our attention was directed to the territory occu pied by Greater Marion. This embraces all the domain within a radius of six miles from the courthouse, including Jonesboro, Jalapa. Rosch- burg, etc. The hangar where we alighted. I learned later, is connected with the Spencer house, a famous hostelry eight stories high. This hangar, where our airship was cared for, corresponding to a garage with reference to antomobiles, covers about one-half of the hotel roof and the remainder is an artistically arranged roof garden much Tre- quented by the people of the city. The Mississinewa, an imposing eight story building of great architectural beauty, occupies the north- east corner of the square formerly the site of the Dexheimer photograph gallery, and you will be glad to know that a substantial ten story busi- ness block has been built on the southwest corner of the square. I think the former site of a fruit stand and frequently spoken of as the Beshort corner. Every building on the square has developed lofty aspirations. and has climbed heavenward. roof gardens being the rule and not the exception.
Of the thousand and one innovations which I have noted. the one
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which has pleased me in the superlative degree is the immaculate con- dition of the public square. No need to ask if you recall its former plight-no one could forget it -- the filthy hitchrack stable, that disease breeder so extremely offensive to sensitive offactories, the detestation of every refined citizen, and the amazement of every visitor. Hercules found no more difficulty cleansing the Aegean stable of the accumula- tions of ten thousand years than did the federated club woman of Marion when she determined to remove the stable from around the square, but when a woman, a Marion woman, a club woman thousands strong-when this composite woman wills she wins. Witness the fra- grant, cleanly aspect of the square! At the suggestion of this same intrepid, composite elub woman the city conneil had erected near the square a commodious building fitted with all the conveniences of a modern stable where Grant county horses are welcomed as guests of the city without money and without price.
This change for the better sanitation of the entire community which appealed so strongly to me had, it seems, been effected about the year 1920. Progress, truly, thy name is woman! I was told that several years ago the City Fathers offered rewards to the boys and girls of Marion for the best kept lawns and the most attractive back yards. The result is pleasing in the highest degree. Such wealth of blossom is rarely seen this side of the Flowery Kingdom. Flowers-flowers and vines everywhere! What could be a sweeter covering for the multitudes of objeets unsightly ! Significant of the appreciation of the youth of Marion are the many and inviting playgrounds provided by the city for the children. These playgrounds equipped with all of the con- trivances dear to the heart of boy or girl are presided over by a man or woman whose play days are not so far behind him that he has for- gotten the delight of the game. Aye, verily, the children of Marion comprehend the wild joy of living!
A dream realized. If the citizens of Greater Marion have one achieve ment of which they are more proud than of any other, it is their mag- nificent boulevard which extends From Matter Park following the Mississinewa river on both sides to the Soldiers' Home. Bordering this boulevard are all of the forest trees that are indigenons to the Hoosier state. Can you imagine the effeet ? Not alone for their intrinsic beauty are those noble seions of the forest the joy of the entire community, but for their utility as well. For years forestry has been a feature 'in the school curriculum, consequently every child from the tiny first year to the stalwart senior is personally acquainted with his native trees. You remember the Island -- formerly the repository of tin cans and kindred refuse? Island park is now reached from both sides of the river by skeleton bridges very airy and effective. On the island of the long ago one sees the wild flowers -- every species to be found in the state. Truly 'tis a thing of beauty and the greater part of the year a joy to behold. Permit me to say, parenthetically, that the Mississinewa is not a filthy sewer as you might infer from what you remember, but a majestic stream of which the citizens are justly proud.
Greater Marion and progress are synonyms, progress writ large. Refresh your memory by recalling the churches, schools, library, con- servatories of music, everything that stands in a community for ad- vaneement and culture as you knew these in 1907, in Marion, then mul- tiply the conditions by one thousand, and you will have a somewhat faint idea of the development that the years have brought to your native city. Adieu.
[ Editor's note. Returning to things mundane, Center has so many conflicting interests, since the Temple of Justice and the manntacturing -
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1
and commercial industries center in Marion, that the work of the town- ship historian will be shared by others.]
XXXI. FAIRMOUNT TOWNSHIP IN HISTORY
By Edgar M. Baldwin*
It is not definitely known when the first white man set foot upon the soil of Fairmount township. Until about 1823, according to the best authority obtainable, the Indian was the sole inhabitant of Grant county.
It may be stated, however, for the meditation of thoughtful people, that James Marquette, the famous Jesuit missionary, visited the north- ern part of Indiana about the year 1672; that within the same decade Joliet, the noted French explorer, and LaSalle, with his band of adven- turons spirits, passed through the region of the Kankakee swamps.
While it may be true that stragglers from these various expeditions ventured into this part of Indiana, there appears to be no recognized authority bold enough to assert, as a matter of fact, that any of these sturdy pathfinders penetrated the dense forests which in the seventeenth century covered this township.
In the fall of 1826, about the month of September, t Rohert MuCor- mick came from Fayette county, Indiana.
On August 15, 1829, he entered land and built his cabin soon after at the crossing of the Fort Wayne, Muneie and Indianapolis state road, on the farm later owned by d. and M. E. Wilson, one-half mile south of Wilson's Ford.
McCormick moved his family to their new home in October, 1829. His cabin became known far and near as MeCormick's Tavern, and as the state road in those days was the principal highway through this section of Indiana, the tavern enjoyed a good trade.
It was at this hospitable inn that David and Naney Lewis,# parents of the late William G. Lewis, stopped over night when they came to Grant county, on November 18, 1834. This family came from Franklin county, Indiana. Their household goods were loaded in a two-horse wagon and drawn by two bob-tailed horses owned by a man named Johnson. They were seven days on the road, the same distance now being covered in as many hours. The route was by way of Connersville and Muncie. An accident befehl the Lewis family as they were travel- ing along the road between Muncie and Granville that caused a delay of one day. An axletree broke, and it was necessary to make a new one before they could proceed. The wagon broke down close by the cabin of a man named Wilson. Wilson had an old black sow. A bear had
* This article is based upon a paper originally prepared by the writer and read by him before members of the Grant County Historical Society at a meeting held in the assembly room of Carnegie Library, Marion, Indiana, Saturday, September 28, 1907. New matter has been added to the production, which was revised by the author on March 18, 1913.
t This information is supplied by Mrs. Gabriele Havens, daughter of James HI. Clark, whose family were neighbors and intimate friends of the MeCormicks. At the time this matter is being prepared Mrs. Havens is living, at the age of 93 years, Tho official records show that while MeCormick entered land on August 15, 1529, two years before the county was organized, and three years after his arrival, the explanation is made that there was no need to keep records, since settlers in that day were few and far between. The discrepancy in the dates, therefore, is accounted for. MeCormick simply deferred the task of going to Ft. Wayne to enter his land. # David Lewis was related to Colonel Davy Crockett, and Naucy Lewis, Ins wife, was blood kin to Colonel Daniel Boone.
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