USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 38
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William Trennepohl, O. E. Trusler, W. W. Weakley, O. W. Wilkinson and William A. Young. The presentation of the charter was made to the club on the evening of March 29 by Col. J. L. Mccullough, of Marion, governor of the Indiana district, and there were present represen- tatives of Kiwanis from clubs at Indianapolis, Newcastle and Connersville to give the new club a good "send-off."
A GLIMPSE AT SOME OF THE SOCIAL CLUBS
Perhaps the oldest continuing cultural club or organ- ization in Rushville is the Ladies' Musicale, which has maintained its organization unbroken since it was estab- lished in 1886. The Ladies' Musicale at Rushville is said to have been the third such organization effected in Indiana, those taking precedence being similar organiza- tions at Indianapolis and Lafayette. Mrs. Siddie Mowers was the moving spirit in the organization of the Rushville Ladies' Musicale and was its first president. This admir- able musical society has done much to encourage the development of the musical tastes of the community and has for many years held a commanding position in the cultural activities of the city and county. Along this line mention must be made of the old Diapason Singing Society, which still maintains its organization and whose members have for many years given two appearances in May of each year, singing at Rushville on the third Sun- day of the month and at Morristown on the forth Sunday. The organization of this society dates back to a singing school conducted many years ago by Professor Tubbs, who later took the name of Chester, and who died at his home in Iowa in 1920, past eighty years of age. This society, which formerly numbered 300 members, makes a specialty of the old songs and its annual concerts attract wide attention.
It has been written that the first purely social club ever organized in Rushville was the Thimble Club, which had its first meeting at the home of the late Mrs. Isabelle
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Sexton in November, 1895. The fourteen women who constituted the initial membership of this club were Mrs. Sexton, Mrs. Will Jay, Mrs. Elizabeth Burt, Mrs. Ora Wilson, Mrs. Fred Johnson, Mrs. Harriet Plough. Mrs. F. G. Hackleman, Mrs. JJ. P. Frazee, Mrs. Will Bliss, Mrs. Lewis Sexton, Mrs. James E. Watson, Mrs. Albert Denning, Mrs. Jane Kincaid and Mrs. Harrie Jones.
In 1907 the Order of the Needle and Thread was organized at the home of Mrs. J. K. Gowdy under the leadership of Mrs. Susan MeColgin and Mrs. Meta Smith, the other initial members of the "order" having been Mrs. Fannie Havens. Mrs. Sarah Posey, Mrs. Rachel Bowen, Mrs. Lon Havens, Mrs. Laura Posey and Mrs. James Brown.
The Wi-Hub Club. the name of which suggests the presence of both wives and husbands in its membership, was organized in December, 1901. for purely social pur- poses, the weekly meeting of the club being held in rota- tion in the homes of the respective members. The initial members of this interesting organization were T. M. Green and wife, James E. Watson and wife, Robert Innis and wife, Ernest B. Thomas and wife, B. F. Miller and wife, Ned Abercrombie and wife, Dr. C. H. Parsons and wife, Dr. D. H. Dean and wife, Owen L. Carr and wife. Dr. R. F. McClanahan and wife, Samuel Abercrombie and wife. Mrs. Anna B. Cox, Fon Burt and wife, Willard T. Root and wife and Herman Miller and wife.
The Coterie was started about the year 1898 at the suggestion of Mrs. Mary Hohes, who was assisted by Mrs. Lon Link, Mrs. Clem Burt, Mrs. Theodore Aber- crombie. Mrs. George Puntenney, Mrs. Felton, Mrs. Anna Holliday, Mrs. Rich Wilson and Mrs. Frazier Johnson.
The Murdoch Reading Club was organized in 1875 and flourished late in the '80s. Miss Ruby Sexton, now Mrs. Frazier, is considered the founder of the club. The numerous printed programs preserved by one of its mem- bers indicate that the musical and literary work was of
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a high order. In 1877 the officers of the club were: President, Frank J. Hall; first vice-president, Emma Williams ; second vice-president, Ruby Sexton ; secretary, John F. Moses ; corresponding secretary, Anna Caldwell ; treasurer, Mrs. George B. Sleeth ; committee, Dr. William Pugh, India Hackleman and George C. Clark. In 1878 the membership included fifty-eight names. The earliest program obtainable is that of March 2, 1877, which shows the following numbers: Dialogue from Byron's "Cain," by Mrs. George B. Sleeth, Anna Caldwell, India Hackle- man, Eleanor Sleeth, George B. Sleeth and George C. Clark; recitation. "Drake's Address to the American Flag," Judge W. A. Cullen; music, Fanny Hackleman; select reading, Rev. T. B. McClain; a written critical review of "St. Thomas of Canterbury, or Thomas A. Becket," a dramatic poem by Aubrey de Vere, William A. Pugh; select reading, Hannah Cullen ; music, Anna Graham; select reading, Mrs. N. A. Pugh; recitation, Samuel Abercrombie ; music, Sallie Sexton. Some of the latter programs were quite interesting. One was devoted entirly to "Dickens." Another includes a scene from "Macbeth" and the soliloquy from "Hamlet."
The Rushville Social Club, the leading organization of its sort in the city and recognized as one of the most substantial clubs in this section of Indiana, came into being at a meeting called for the evening of March 13, 1896, when a number of the leading men of Rushville got together to talk over the plan of organizing a club which would provide a home where friends could meet in a social way and where the wives and families of members also might find entertainment. The project was favored and an organization at once effected. Claude Cambern was elected first president of the Social Club and the other initial members were George Aultman, Guy Abercrombie, Will Bliss, Theodore W. Betker, Frank Buell, John G. Beale, Alfred Blacklidge, Earl Churchill, Ed Crosby, Thomas Dill, Gale Foley, William Frazee, Charles Fra-
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zee, Hugh Fleehart, L. D. Guffin, W. E. Havens, Homer Havens, William J. Henley, Thomas Havens, William A. Jones, Harrie Jones, Curt B. Lore, Bert Mullin, Charles A. Mauzy, Ernest Neutzenhelzer, Earl H. Payne, Edwin B. Pugh, Harry Patton, Alfonso L. Riggs, Theodore H. Reed, Rich Reed, Ben L. Smith, Donald L. Smith, Gates Sexton, Dr. John C. Sexton, Rudolph F. Scudder, Charles Spritz, J. L. Stone, Will M. Sparks, Lowell M. Spurrier. Will C. Smith, JJones Stiles, A. L. Stewart, Robert L. Tompkins, Cyrus E. Trees, Jess Vance, Frank Wilson, Rich J. Wilson, James E. Watson and Cliff Winship. The club prospered from the beginning and has long been a useful force in the social life of the city. When old Melodeon Hall was abandoned as a theater the club took over the hall and remodeled the rooms, furnished them in fitting fashion and has very attractive and com- fortable quarters. The club at present numbers seventy- one members and its officers are as follows: President, Jack Knecht: first vice-president, Guy Gordon: second vice-president, Willard Amos: secretary, Chase Mauzy ; treasurer, R. F. Scudder. An officer of the club declares that the chief cause of the success of the Social Club is that neither drinking nor gambling has been permitted in the club rooms during all the years of the club's progress.
The Monday Cirele was organized in the fall of 1892 through the efforts of Mrs. J. C. Sexton, Mrs. Jennie Innis, Mrs. Minnie Abercrombie, Mrs. Sallie Parsons and others, the club having about twenty "charter" members, whose object was the systematic study of literature and current events. The first officers of this club were as follows: President, Miss India Hackleman ; vice-presi- dent. Mrs. Annie Moses, and secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Hattie Felton.
One of the most interesting of the cultural clubs in Rushville is the Shakespeare Club, which was organized on October 27, 1909, by Florence R. Wagner, Anna M.
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Overman, Helen U. Mc Vitt, Anna L. Bohannon, Edith Caldwell, Anna O. Marlott, Hannah Lois Fritter and Nina M. Ford, whose object in thus associating themselves was the attainment of a higher literary culture. During the first year the following were added to the member- ship: Georgia Wyatt, Kathryn Petry, Eleanor Sleeth, Lena C. Buell and Jeanne Bishop. For the first five years of the club's progress the programs were confined to the works of Shakespeare and after that were opened to take in the modern drama, short story analysis and the like. During the year 1918-19 the club was favored by a series of lectures by William E. Jenkins, of the Indiana University extension department, on modern authors and their writings. The present roster of the Shakespeare Club follows : Henrietta Coleman, president; Belle Gregg, vice-president; Ruth Spivey Ray, secretary and treasurer; Kathryn Petry, executive chairman; Mary Lewis Thomas, Lena Buell, Hannah Lois Fritter, Mary A. Sleeth, Eleanor B. Sleeth, Jessie E. Gary, Blanche Abercrombie, Bertha Smullen, Edessa Innis, Hazel Ball, Edith Caldwell Brown, Edna Smith, Anna L. Bohannon and Wilhelmina Young.
The Dramatic Club was organized in the fall of 1916, the first play produced by the club being presented on the evening of October 15 of that year in the high school auditorium. Following are the members of the original cast : Louise Poe, Mrs. Francis Moor, Katherine Wooden, Gladys Bebout, Esther Black, Naomi Craig, Alma Green, C. E. Parke, Norman Reid, Mary Louise Bliss, Katherine Hogsett, Denning Havens, Dorothy Thomas, Myrtle Foulon, Mary Williams, Mary Harrold.' Hannah Morris, Dorothy Sparks, Josephine Kelly, Leah Flint, Lester Coons, Harry Schmalzel, Tom Saunders, Robert Vredenburg, Dwight VanOsdol, Francis Moor, Frances Frazee, Acsah Retherford, Duanne Reed and A. J. Beriault.
The Wednesday Evening Club was organized in Jan- 31
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mary. 1895, for the purpose of promoting the literary culture of its members and to encourage a taste for the study of the great questions of the present time as well as those of past times. The original members of this club were W. C. Barnhart, G. A. Beattie, E. H. Butler, G. W. Brann, W. S. Campbell, U. D. Cole. W. H. French. C. H. Gilbert. David Graham, T. M. Green, F. G. Hackleman, J. H. McNeill, Douglas Morris, J. F. Moses. J. C. Sexton, A. F. Stewart. C. W. Tinsley, J. A. Titsworth and J. E. Watson.
The Calumet Club, organized in October, 1893, had as its object the weekly meeting of its members for the purpose of social improvement and the extension of their literary knowledge. The first officers of the club were as follows: President, Fanny Gowdy; vice-president, Nina Conde, secretary, Elizabeth Gilbert ; treasurer, Mate Power, the other members being Mary Brann, Dorothy Cole, Mame Gilbert, Erema Smith, Bertha Carmichael. Bertha Helm, lola Young, Jennie Osborne, Bertha Eubank, Lena Buell, Capitola Guffin, Leona Spurrier, Frances Moffett, Winnie Moffett. Mrs. Marian Mauzy Jones, Cora Hertzer Stewart, Myrtella Frazee Bonner, Margaret Guffin Parry, Ruby Riley Dixon and Pearl Hornaday Krider.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, for many years a beneficent influence upon the social life of Rushville and throughout the county, was organized at a meeting held at the Methodist Episcopal church at Rushville on April 21, 1888, by Mrs. Louise M. Thompson, of Greensburg, one of the state organizers of the union, with twenty-six members. to which six more were shortly added. The labors of the local union covered a wide field and included the maintenance for a while of an industrial school in the west end of the town. When this could be sustained no longer the union called the attention of the proper authorities to the need of a school building in that part of the town.
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SOME HINTS ON THE SOCIAL LIFE OF OTHER DAYS
Something has been said in previous chapters re- garding the social life of a pioneer community and how the people of the formative community found an outlet for their social expression. "Parties" of one sort and another, corn huskings, spelling matches, debating socie- ties, singing schools and similar diversions gave plenty of opportunity for the exercise of the social spirit, while dances and frolics were no doubt enjoyed with greater zest than are similar social affairs of the present day. The picnics, of which each community had at least one each summer, were perhaps the chief attractions and were looked forward to with pleasant anticipation. Some of these attracted attendance from widely separated com- munities, as will be seen by the following from the Rush- ville Republican of July 29, 1857: "The picnic on last Friday was a great affair. We doubt very much if there has ever been anything to compare with it in eastern Indiana. The day was fine and the crowd immense. The dancing commenced at the grove at about 12 o'clock and continued on till 5, when they adjourned to meet again at Odd Fellow hall at 8 o'clock. The hall was crowded at an early hour by the handsomest bevy of ladies and the best looking set of gentlemen ever before gathered beneath (sic) its walls. Hines' inimitable quadrille band fur- nished music for the occasion and the company 'tripped it on the light fantastic toe' until the 'wee sma' hours ayent the twal' admonished them that it was time to re- tire .... We saw representatives present from Conners- ville, Laurel, Harrison, Cincinnati, Greensburg, Milroy, Andersonville. Fayetteville, Knightstown, Shelbyville, Edinburg and Madison. . . Our folks feel under many obli- gations to them and will try and return the compliment at some future time." The annual coming of the circus also was an event. In the spring of 1860 the papers car- ried advertisements of the coming of Antonio Bros. Cir-
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cus on May 17. Church festivals, even as now, were at- tractive forms of social diversion then. In the fall of 1857 announcement was made of a "Grand Festival" to be given by the ladies of the M. E. church at Odd Fellow hall on the evening of November 24, an elaborate meal being promised as well as a program of literary and mu- sical numbers. On May 9, 1860, the following announce- ment: "Pic-Nic-The young folks of Richland intend having a grand Pic-Nic and quadrille party on the 19th inst. The party will be held in a beautiful grove on Joseph Gosnell's farm one-half mile south of Richland. Good music and dancing." On February 2, 1855, a story was carried announcing the organization of the Young People's Literary Association of Noble township, the statement being made that Noble was the only township in the county that had such an organization. The society was organized at a meeting which was opened by prayer by the Rev. C. Morrow, and the motto adopted was "On- ward." The object of this society was "the intellectual, moral and social culture of those for whom they labored." On April 15, 1857, under the heading "Debate," it was announced that "quite an interesting debate is to take place in the court house on the 16th of next month. The subject is: 'That slavery is not compatible with the Christian religion.' Dr. Simpson and Drury Holt will take the affirmative, while Revs. John Kiplinger and Henry Haywood will take the negative." Kidd's Ama- teur Club was presenting plays at Rushville in the win- ter of 1860-61. A newspaper story of March 27. 1861. stated that this club "gave a second entertainment on last Monday evening." Particular note was made of "the extraordinary ability of some of the players." It also was noted that the play. "the Peoples Lawyer." was much improved over its first presentation and that "The Lottery Ticket" was very droll. The "beautiful scenery and excellent costumes, the large attendance and the sound financial condition of the club" also were noted.
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On October 23, 1861, there was mention of the meeting of the Literary Society of Fairview Academy, at which the subject of "States' Rights" was debated. About that time there was a moot United States Senate at Rushville. On January 1, 1862, it was announced that the first ses- sion of the moot senate "closed on last Monday evening and the second session commences on next Monday eve- ning." The object of this moot senate was to discuss the affairs of the nation. In the fall of that some year, a story relating to this debating club gave the subject of debate as "The Government is justifiable in confiscating the property of rebels in arms against its authority." In March, 1862, under the head of "Union Literary So- ciety" it was announced that "this institution is now in a healthy condition, and promises to be of much benefit to its members. Great interest is manifested in the discus- sions and other literary exercises and good order, har- mony and friendly courtesy characterize its meetings. The meetings are held on Monday evening at the office of George W. Sloan, Esq." In January, 1865, a story was carried concerning the meeting of the Rushville Literary. Society at the court house, at which Elder G. Campbell lectured on "Proper Recreation." The society discussed pro and con the question. "Affirmed, That foreigners should reside in the United States seven years before exercising the right of the elective franchise," it being noted that Messrs. Clark, Sexton, Cassady and others took part in the debate. For the next meeting the sub- ject announced was "Affirmed, That the existence and attributes of the Deity can be deduced from the light of nature," Hendricks to take the affirmative and Camp- bell the negative. The society's announcement a few weeks later stated that George B. Sleeth would lecture on "The Elements of American Character;" William Cassa- dy would lecture on "Development of Literary Talent," and the subject, "Are theaters more beneficial than injurious ?" would be debated. In January, 1866, in an
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announcement concerning the Young Men's Temperance and Literary Society, the membership of which had sworn to abstain from the use of alcoholic drinks. the paper made the comment that the society was much needed in the community. In January, 1869, announce- ment was made of the revival of Kidd's Amateur Club and the presentation of "The People's Lawyer," "The Golden Farmer" and "Toodles." On January 6. 1870, it was announced that "the Lecture Association of Rush- ville will meet again next Friday evening, on which occa- sion the Chinese question will again be discussed." Of course, as an accessory to community diversion, the town rarely was without a cornet band, and it is recalled that there were some very good ones from time to time. In August, 1871, it was announced that the articles of asso- ciation of the Rushville Cornet Band had been filed and recorded. the band being under the leadership of Col. Ed Wolfe. In September, 1872, a graceful little item set out that "every one praised the excellent music furnished by the Carthage Cornet Band last Tuesday. This band has been organized a little over a year, and is under the lead- ership of Charles Nixon and C. W. Overman. It ranks favorably with any band in this section of the state." In the following month it was announced that "the officers of the lecture association organized in Rushville during the summer for the purpose of providing instructive en- tertainments during the winter months have made pro- visions for a course of seven lectures and also a concert by the Hutchinson Family. Lecturers engaged: George Francis Train, Elihu Burritt, Miss Lillian Edgarton, B. F. Taylor, R. E. Hoyt, 'Fat Contributor,' and Robert L. Collier." The organization of an association of old settlers of the county in the summer of 1869 was main- tained for many years, and the meetings of the old set- tlers each year were made occasions for a general out- pouring of the people, the papers giving these annual gatherings much space. The county fair also, of course,
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during the period of its activity was an occasion of much social diversion taken part in by all the people of the county, and then the street fair came on in its turn to give an outlet for a certain degree of social exuberance.
Rush county's observance of the Indiana state cen- tennial in the week of October 9, 1916, was one of the most interesting of the many county celebrations held during that year. In Rush county this celebration took the form of a homecoming and fall festival, which attracted the attention of many from distant points, who came back for the week to renew the acquaintances of other days, and to revisit the scenes made sacred by the recollections of childhood. The celebration was held at the county seat, and the merchants of Rushville participated actively in the observance, doing everything possible to contribute to the success of the affair and to help out the gala fea- tures of the festival. A call was made upon all the people of the county to bring in such relics of pioneer days as might be found in the old homes of the county, and the response to this call was general. A careful list of these articles, which were displayed in the show windows up and down Main street, was kept and a perusal of that list reveals a wealth of pioneer relics in this county probably not exceeded by any other county in the state. Among these relics was a moldboard plow, from the old Arnold farm, which was used in the fields of this county in pio- neer days and which is said to antedate anything of the sort treasured in the Smithsonian Institute at Washing- ton. Among the relics of another day brought to light on this occasion perhaps none had a greater antiquity than a copy of Sir Richard Baker's "Chronicles of the Kings of England," from the time of the Roman occupa- tion to the reign of Charles I, which is owned by Frank A. Wallace, of Rushville. The book has always been in the Wallace family, the tradition being that it was presented by the author to a Wallace kinsman upon publication, and Mr. Wallace naturally prizes the quaint old volume
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beyond price. believing it to be one of the possibly very few copies of these chronicles in the United States. The "Chronicles of the Kings of England" was long esteemed and quoted on all matters of English history by the country gentry. Addison makes his model squire, Sir Roger de Coverly, refer to it frequently. Notwithstand- ing its reputation, however, among that class, the book had no lack of errors and is now all but forgotten. Its author was made high sheriff of Oxfordshire about 1620, but he was soon after thrown into Fleet Prison for debt, which his wife's family had contracted. but for which he had become responsible. There he wrote his "Chron- icles." first published in 1641, besides several pious works of less note. He died in prison in great poverty in 1645. The state centennial week was marked by numerous at- tractive social diversions, which, all in all, it is declared, contributed toward making of the celebration the most successful and most enjoyable county meeting ever held in this county.
The first street fair in Rushville was opened on July 25. 1899, and was a pronounced success, opening the way for many successive entertainments of a similar charac- ter, the last of these being the May festival or "Mer- chants' Booster Week" given there during the week of May 16-21. 1921, under the auspices of the Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias of that city. In 1890 a news- paper item referred to "shooting matches" being on the boom, though it is not at all unlikely that much better scores were made during the days back in the '30s and '40s when the countryside would gather at the "musters" for military drill and training in shooting. On January 1, 1890, notice was given of the organization of a debating society at Gings Station, and in the same month there was an interesting item relating to the "Kenning Dra- matie Company, an organization of Jackson township young folks who have been furnishing the people of the Kenning school house neighborhood with some solid en-
EAST CHOGE DIER BLUE RIVER RELATION IND.
Henry Henley Public Library, Carthage, Indiana
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tertainment." This dramatic company's specialty was "a popular five-act temperance drama, 'The Social Glass.' " In March, 1900, it was announced that "a num- ber of citizens who recognize the importance of higher education along the lines of political science have for- mulated a plan for an Economic League, similar to those of the larger cities of the East and West. They will meet and discuss such questions as trusts, national expansion, Government ownership, direct legislation and other top- ics of vital interest, the object being a higher ideal of citizenship." On May 2, 1902, there was quite a story about a "pronouncing match" held at the Main street Christian Church, which had attracted a good deal of attention. The opposing sides in this contest were cap- tained respectively by Ernest B. Thomas, with thirteen persons on his side and F. R. McClannahan, with four- teen on his side. The Rev. W. W. Sniff and County Su-
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