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 83
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Those who remember Jacob Newburger say he was heavy set, short of stature, and always alert for bargains. He was a pack peddler when
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
he made his advent at New Cumberland, later coming on horseback and finally in a wagon nutil he had established a frontier patronage. It is said the old man never turned around unless he made a dollar in the transaction. Men of strong personality always acquire similar reputa tions, and it is said he thought he saw future possibilities and finally located in the town, although the outside world never found him there. The railroad never came until Now Cumberland became Matthews, and now none of the Newburger family live there. The old landmark, the Newburger store has been demolished, and only the modern Nowburger residence remains to remind any one of the once prominent family. While the old man was beset with frontier difficulties, he was a man of sterling character and able to cope with them. He kept everything in a general store from a kettle for boiling sugar water to a log chain or silk dress pattern, and for years he hauled all his stock from Cincinnati, but when the canal reached Wabash In used that ronte for shipment. water transportation being cheaper, although it was a long bant from Wabash.
The story goes that, forced to spend a Sunday at New Cumberland, this wandering merchant liked the place, while another narrative is that his horse became sick and he was stranded there. He stopped with the Sanders family when in that locality, and a man who knew him said : "Oll Jake was not a bad man for the times. He trusted everybody till they could sell their hogs, and in the meantime he always looked out for himself," and the result was that he acemimulated a great deal of excellent farm land in Grant, Delaware and Blackford counties terri- tory contiguous to New Cumberland. The Newburger estate was pos- sessed of 1,200 acres of excellent farm land in that vicinity. His pumeer difficulties were of the most formidable kind, and he was forced to mas- ter a new language. He would say to customers: "Last might was a very cold day," and when tiling was first introduced as an economic question, its efficacy not yet fully demonstrated in reclaiming waste, Mr. Newburger foresaw a difficulty, saving the "rabbits would run the farmers' dogs into the ditches." "There were lots of jokes " cracked" about the old man, and one who knew him declared there were a bun- dred good stories about him. While no one remembered when she came all remembered Gudel Newburger as a typical Jewess- just the help- meet he needed in frontier business adventures.
While Jacob Newburger used to stay with "Old Billy Sanders," he later kept a public house himself, and his wife was known for her hospitality. They were the right family in the community did many a turn for others. Three sons and three daughters were their family, and all their children were given educational advantages. Although gone from their native town, they are well known citizens. Like the Quaker, the Jew is sometimes possessed of too much character for all of it to be good. Some one related of this pioneer that oner when cap- sized in a boat in crossing the Mississinewa he was resened by a bystander, who swam ont to him, and when his wife brought the brandy he drank and gave it back to her, answering those who protested because he did not give the man who saved his life a drink, that he was "not allowed to sell it and he would not give it away." The man who rescued him assured him that if he were back in the river he would stay there -- but that may be like other stories-not typical of the Jew as a citizen. While the old man always "drove a good, tight bargain." there are citizens who do him the honor of saying he was upright in his transac- tions. Because of his strong traits of character, Jacob Newburger will be quoted as long as anybody lives who knew him-he so impressed him- self upon the community. When he died his body was taken to Wabash, where there is a Jewish cemetery. No Jew has ever been buried in
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Grant county, although the Reformed Jews have considered the ques- tion of buying ground in the Marion cemetery. There is no local synagogue, although there are visiting Rabbis, and tirant county Jews are buried at Wabash, Cincinnati or at their old home places where burial plots have been consecrated to their use as a race. Some well known families are represented in the Jewish cemetery at Wabash - a burial plot at the west edge of the lown.
While pack peddlers are still seen in Marion, the first one to enter a business carver here was Jacob Baer, and he came early in the 'Ils there being no exact record extant, but he died in 1863, on the lot now occupied by the Blumenthal store. He had prospered in business, and his wife was a sister to the late Morris Blumenthal, who came to Marion when he died and took charge of the store, finally owning it. For forty years he wandered in the wilderness and was known to the entire shop- ping public. For fifty years the Blumenthal store has had continuons existence on the same business lot where it was located in the begin ning the name unchanged in half a century. His death occurred Decent ber 21. 1893. While Mr. Blumenthal bved he enjoyed the confidence of a wide circle of business acquaintances, and his burial place is the Jewish cemetery at Wabash. "A more accommodating merchant never lived in Marion than Blumenthal, " said S. T. Baldwin, a man who spent many years in his service. "and there never was a better man to work for not if a man were sick or unfortunate." and after a season of faithful service in the carpet room. Mr. Blumenthal said to him : " You go home to your father for two weeks," and when he returned he received his Y'all wages although browned by the sun in the harvest field. Everybody called him " Blum, " and when he died he was missed in the commonmity.
While Mr. Blumenthal came in 1863 David Marks came in 1867. and it was not long until there was a Jewish community and the local Jeus have maintained strict Jewish society. L. S Marks, of the Blum enthal store, came to Marion in 1877, and the Prins, Lyons, Sohn. Bloch, Butshann. Levy and Maas families came soon afterward, and all of them have been in active business relation with the community. The Orthodox clews came later, and there are perhaps as many of them as of the Reformed Jews, but they hold themselves aloof socially more than the older Jews in the community. While the Reformed dows have con formed to American customs in a measure, the Orthodox families sup port a Rabbi, who performs many offices for them, the slaughter of fowls bring among his duties, but special Jewish days are no longer observed by the Reformed Jews of the community. There are "wailing places" still, but such ceremonies no longer interfere with the business exactions. and amalgamation explains the change that has come to part of the Jewish population. Local Jews own real estate, although it used to be said they would not buy property hecanse of an unfulfilled prophecy in the Obl Testament that the Jews of the world would again assemble in Jerusalem. For many years the Blumenthal and Prins families ocel- pied a Washington street double house, rented property, and because they were then more prominent than any others in Marion, the story was told that they would again go back to Jerusalem, although they may never have heard it themselves.
In fact, Mr. Blumenthal built a commodions home on Branson street and occupied it himself. But the money was worth more to him in the business he condneted, and the property was sold. While he lived the family occupied rented property, although now the Blumenthal family lives in its own property, as do many other Jewish families, and some of them have acquired considerable farm land as well as city realty. The Jew eliminated from Grant county would mean the loss Yol 1-37
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of splendid citizenship and business aeumen, although the Je wish popula tion is much smaller than would be estimated by the average citizen. Where there is no business they create it, and yet amalgamation dws not eradicate their cardinal principles, does not wholly assimilate them with society. The pack peddler has been submerged and the Hebrews merebant is in the ascendeney.
LXXXIV. NAMES IN THE DIRECTORY From the Marion Chronicle
When the 1912 county directory was placed on the market some one with a penchant for puns produced the Following rather interesting sketch. The directory reports an increase of population in one year amounting to 2.128 names, and that there are fewer empty houses in down than when last reported.
The following chpping is of interest and information :
" There are many interesting things to be learned from an exammina- tion of the pages of the new directory. The Smiths have decidedly the best of it in the matter of common names, there being one hundred and sixty Smiths, one hundred clones, with a goodly number of Whites. Browns, Blacks, Blues, Greens, Grays, Goldens and Vermillions. Biblical names also occur with frequency, there being several Cams. Abels. Adams, Davids, Abrahams, Sampsons, Shepherds and a few Christians.
The names of men distinguished in politics, both past and present, are to be found. Grants, Shermans, Harrisons, Wilsons, Bryans, Hayes. Kern, Marshall, Knox, Lee, MeKinley and Morton appear in generous mubers, while one would almost think America was to be turned into a monarchy from the great array of Kings, Dukes, Marquis and Popes. The scenery of Marion and Grant county is not neglected, and an abundance of Parks, Fountains, Forts. Dales, Hills, Dells, Geisers, Glenns, James, Marshes. Brooks, Ponds, Pooley, Rivers, Bridges and Groves are noted through the pages of the book. There are Banks, Shores, while the animal kingdom is represented by Badgers, Bahrs, Beavers, Campbells, Coons, Foxes, Lyons, Monks, Seals and Wolf's, Lambs and Kidds are also included in this variety.
The hunters may find Crane, Crowe, Hawks, days, Martins, Pid- prons, Robbins. Swallo and Swans. While Marion is not a "dead" town, the directory shows there are Coffins and Graves in great ummbers. The seasons are represented by Winter, Summoner. Falls, den Moons, Freeses, Storms, Snows and lees. There are Basses, Pike. Herring. Pickerell, Sal mon and Trout. The directions North, South, East and West are rep- resented, while Marion has got a Cook and a Peary. There are twenty eight Mills, with eleven Millers, with Milliners, Carpenters, Bakers, Cooks, Farmers, Fishers, Gardners. Masons, Painters. Plumbers, Sail ors, Brewers and Weavers.
Two Copps and two Crooks adorn the pages of the directory, together with several Whislers, one Deakin, three Elders, tive Parsons and a few Priests. One Bachelor only is to be found since leap year has passed. Among the Woods are to be encountered Maples, Ash, Burch, Cherry, Crabtree, Lime and Mulberry. The pugilists are represented by the Corbetts, Sullivans, Dempseys, Gans, Hogins, Jeffries, Johnsons, Jack- sons, Kelleys, MeCoys, MeFarlands, Mahers and others. Marion is a "dry" town ordinarily, but the directory shows a great array of Wines, Beers, Ginns and Fizzs. From a standpoint of food there is plenty of Ham, Bacon, Coffee, Barley, Lemons, Cherries, Berrys and Mulberrys. There is a Calendar at the Farmers' Trust Company, two Clothiers, a
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
few Coats and one Button. The canvassers found several Bloomers, Jumpers, Boots and other articles of wearing apparel.
Among the other odd sounding names are Coal, Meadow. Good, Pasters, Creeks, Moss, Bush, Rose, Budds, Waltz, Golf, Cady. Link, Beards, Dollars, Nickels, Hatchett, Nails, Halls, Glass, Buckles, Barnes, leatherman, Butter. Cobbs. Combs, Cotton, Davenport, Dolls, Feathers, Whiteheads, Whitenecks, Nose. Flaggs and Tuckers. A les of the "jaw breakers" are Deironimas, Anglicks, Arthurhadtz, Bevelhymer, Bournique, Cottispion, Delchambre, Diffendorfer, Hippensteel, Kalbs kof's. Selatanleffel, Stirnitzki. Sachteleben, & Dutch Billy and Schultheis. Among the Polish colony in West Marion are to be found Stapinkus. Kontoff, Noreuss and Joe Thompson,
Because of its unusual suggestiveness in the study of nomenclature, the clipping finds a place in history. There are many names in the county, however, not enumerated by the paragrapher who deals in poems did not lend Themselves to his purpose.
LXXXV. GOD'S ACRE COUNTY CEMETERIES
While the proverbial si feel of earth is all the realty some folks over expect to veempy hardly possession after they attain it, others are cremated and escape the long wait in the grave. While in West minister Abbey the graves are on top of each other, that condition will hardly prevail in Grant county before cremation becomes more popu Jar, or the many burying grounds are filled with people. Two Marion physicians, W. R. Francis and D. E. Mattison. Mrs. Marietta Egbert Ross and Anderson Houston, have bequeathed that their bodies he cremated, and it is reported that Mrs. Hope Ross Yates, a former Marion woman who died in Buffalo, requested the same. Mrs. Marietta Egbert Ross was cremated at Indianapolis. While many are buried far away, and some may have been consigned to watery graves, the vast majority will claim their allotted space - the "six feet of earth that makes us all of one size."
Grave yard ghouls or body snatchers have never operated in Grant county, although early day stories were told of the will of the wisp dancing on tombstones, and children were afraid to pass cemeteries in darkness. While "quiet neighborhood" describes the situation, a sen sitive child never forgets such a story. It is said that the Branson family graveyard on the bank of the Mississinewa along Cemetery boulevard in Marion is the oldest burial poot in the county, some one having been buried there before there was a grave in the Boots come lety, now occupied as school property. The Friends' cemetery at the entrance to the Marion I. O. O. F. cemetery was nest, and Back Creek cemetery was opened soon after the county was organized. It was only a small clearing in the wilderness when the first body was interred there, and for many years the graves were without markers until people had forgotten the lowly beds of their relatives.
Because it so aptly describes this old Back Creek cemetery, the following poem from the pen of Mark Baldwin, which appeared in The American Friend, April 18, 1907, is reprodured :
Old, uncared for, most forgotten, Overgrown with weeds and grass, Scarcely noticed, little thought of, By the people as they pass,
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
Is an ancient Quaker graveyard. With its stones in quaint array, Sculptured o'er with hopes eternal, Of the resurrection day.
Yet beneath this sod are resting. Folded in eternal sleep. Men who toiled that we might prosper, Men who sowed that we might reap. Their glory not in martial deeds --- Quiet, simple lives they led. They built their faith on peaceful creeds, Not on ruins of the dead.
There was never any system in vogue at Back creek, and family lots were not available until about the time people quit using the come tery - funerals rarely occurring there now and limited to pioneer fam
AMOX CHAPEL
KNOX CHAPEL. CEMETERY
ilies long associated with its burial privileges, other cemeteries Were established and conducted differently, family lots being sold and whole families finding final resting places together. There are several hun- dred graves in the old part of Back Creek cemetery that are marked with quarry stones placed there at the instigation of Northern Quarterly Meeting of Friends many years ago, the identity of those buried there being lost entirely. Rolinda had an uncle, Lewis Whitson, buried there, and when it came to marking the grave it was never located and for years the stone lay with others at the long since abandoned cemetery at the south edge of Jonesboro, and is now on the Whitson lot in the Jonesboro 1. O. O. F. cemetery. It is said that in the resurrection the marking of the grave will be of little moment. While the grave is in the old Back Creek cemetery, the stone never marked it.
In all about 2,400 Imrials have ocenrred at Back Creek, but many have been removed to other cemeteries. The foreword in "A Tale of the Mississinewa" reads: "In a country church yard not far From the Mississinewa river are two small tombstones marking the graves of David M. V. and Verlinda Jay Whitson, and in lieu of a more imposing
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
shaft in marble or granite to mark the place of their last sloep, I hereby commemorate their names. the names of both, in the name Rolinda Davidson." While they lived Back Creek was the only bury ing ground thought of by them, and as long as it is sacred to that pur- pose the writer does not want them disturbed. While they are in the same cemetery, there is one grave between them, and while the writer's Father and mother both die buried there, his step mother and half brother also found a resting place in the same God's Aere. although not close to the other graves. On the stone marking the grave of her son, the name " Asenath Whitson," occurs in connection with the name ".D. M. V. Whitson." while on the stone marking her own grave is the Hame SAAsenath Baldwin,Y wife of Quincy Baldwin, and a stranger would be unable to reconcile the statements. Speaking of the mother " Verlinda, " the step-mother "Asenath." one time said that when she met her in the next world she would greet her as mother of chil dren she had ministered to on earth, and they would be friends.
Another coincidence in this old Back Creek cemetery is in evidence . on the stones marking the graves of the first and second wives of Heze kinh Miller, both of whom died young-just one day between their respective ages. "Susannah" is the writer's aum and lies best to his mother, the two being sisters, while half a dozen graves away is "Dor inda, " the inscription on one stone reading: "Susannah, aged 23 years, 11 months and 21 days," while on the other: " Dorinda. aged 23 years, 11 months and 22 days," is the record. the markers exactly alike and yet as time went by Hezekiah Miller was married a third time, and when he died his body was laid in the Marion cemetery, although Back Greek was the only place he would have considered when Susannah and Dorinda were buried there. While so many hay been removed from the Back Creek cemetery those enumerated will all remain there, and seeing some of the names on the grave stones always bring a flood of memories. There are family names on the grave stones now almost extinct, and once they were prominent in the community. One forgets the families of the past until he roads their names in imperishable granite.
In the old days at June Quarterly Meeting of Friends at Back Creek people used to wander in the cemetery, visiting all those now half forgotten graves, and unless they were marked immediately, one who stood at the open graves of relatives was soon mable to locate them. families not being buried together. There were seedling apple trees in the old church yard. and children used to eat the fruit Later there was a question, "Who ate Roger Williams?" in the teacher's examination list. the answer being: "Those who ate apples from the tree growing out of his grave," and the writer was always glad he never ate any of those seedling apples, although children cried for them every year at quarterly meeting. The reader is familiar with other cemeteries, no doubt, and like the one at Back Creek some other com- teries have reverted to the custody of the township, there being no fund arising from which to care for them. The living owe it to the dead to care for the lowly mounds, and yet relatives and friends are sometimes far removed from such an opportunity. There are many neglected cemeteries, and scattered about are others that are veritable beauty spots-every care being given them.
While there are no publie receiving vaults in the county, a few families have provided private vaults and there is one above ground in the Jonesboro cemetery. The Horner grave and the Seahorn vanlt mark that cemetery, while in the Marion cemetery are the Marshall. Norman, Hutchinson, Gould, Willeuts and Burrier family vaults, and
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many who bury their dead in the Time honored way have created costly monments to their memory. It is the last mark of respect save the care of the lowly monnd, and many plant hardy shrubbery or deck the graves with ent flowers. Some silent sleepers are never forgotten by their friends. The old time custom of a funeral service in the church adjoining the burial plot was sacred. and beautiful, the lifeless clay not being placed in a hearse years ago it was a neighbor's spring wagon, after the service, but tender and loving hands carried it from the door to the grave, while the bereaved friends followed, and half the dread was thus removed from the ordeal, while nowadays the long ride to the cemetery is the final chapter in a life history.
There was a sacred beauty about old time funerals, the pall bearers chosen friends of the family and oftentimes relatives performing the last sad service. In some families relatives even prepared the body for burial. the undertaker not being there until the day of the funeral, and the family grief was always mitigated by those last sad duties. Those who have followed friends to city centerles where single graves were purchased and the spot designated thereafter by number, under. stand the beauty and sacredness of a country God's Aere where one does not require the services of a guide in locating the lowly mound again. There are always fired feet awaiting the rest that is promised in the grave, and those who remember funeral, along in the 'SOs and '90% will recall the obituary notices sent out by so many families, and the tolling of the church bell the number of strokes indicating the number of years, and usually everybody know who was seriously sick in the conommity.
In describing New England burial customs Alive Morse Karle writes: "In smaller settlements some out of the way spol was chosen for a connuon burial-place, in barren pasture or on lonely hillside," and Whittier's lines :
"Our vales are sweet with fern and rose, Our hills are maple crowned, But not from them our fathers chose The village burial ground. The dreariest spot in all the land To Death they set apart ; With seanty grace from Nature's hand And none from that of Art."
in a measure applies in Grant county. Mrs. Earle was writing of New England, but her words are true to some local conditions: "To the natural loneliness of the country burial place and to its inevitable sadness, is now too frequently added the gloomy and depressing rvi dence of human neglect. Briers and weeds grow in fangled thickets over the forgotten graves," but some Grant county cemeteries are in an entirely different class-are the pride of those interested in them. Another writer adds, graphically : "Truly our fathers find their graves in our short memories, and sadly show us how we may be buried in our survivors," and there is truth in the suggestion.
"In many communities each family had its own burying place in some corner of the home farm, sometimes at the foot of garden or orchard," and in an early day that custom prevailed with local fam- ilies, as the Renbarger, Dunn, Null, Griffin, Prickett, Skinner, Paxton, Johnson, Whiteneek, Connor, Galbraith, Hendricks, Curtis or Oatess. Rowland and no doubt many other secluded spots the writer has never noticed-places that the plow will never disturb, and yet comparatively
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
no attention is given the burial plots. There are two potter's fields in the county, and while the one in Mill will be protected as long as the county farm is operated there, the old one in Franklin should In designated, although no one knows the names of the number of these awaiting the judgment day where the pampers were formerly consigned to Mother Earth. There are other free graves in the county, and the debt of the living is not wholly discharged to the dead until all name less graves are in some way pointed ont to the passerby.
While some Grant county families hury outside of the county, as at Vernon, others bury in this county as at Converse, and many who die here are taken to distant spots for interment, others dying i dis tant lands directing that their final resting place be "at home," and thus a love of nativity manifests itself to the end. The recognized cemeteries of the county are : Marion 1. 0. 0. F. and Friends, adjoining . Jonesboro and Riverside, adjoining; Park cemetery, Knox Chapel, Point Isabel, Jefferson, Shiloh, Olive Branch. Watson, Cory. Old Bethel, Indian Village, Maple Grove or Raypholtz: Farrville or Laver ich ; Van Buren, Harmony, New Cumberland, Tinkle. Atkinson. I'mon Chapel, Morris Chapel, Back Creek, Deer Creek, Oak Ridge. Oak Chapel, Lugar Creek or Mckinney, the deed to the Mckinley cemetery being signed by that pioncer doctor, William MeKinney, who had to be propped up in his bed to write his name, because when he died soon after he desired to be laid near where he had lived so long -the present Ferguson farm; Walnut Creek, Thailkall, Converse, Fletcher Chapel. Burson. Normal or Slash ; Rigdon of Independence; Lee or St. Joseph. and while some are cheerless enough, some communities have as much pride in their neighborhood burial plot as in their own door yards at home.
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