Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical., Part 6

Author: Blanchard, Charles, 1830-1903, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : F.A. Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 982

USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 6
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 6

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The first poor farm, located two and a half miles northwest of Bowling Green, was purchased from a Mr. Blunk, at the March term of the Commis- sioners' Court, 1856, for $2,100.25. The present poor farm, lying two

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

miles southwest of Bowling Green, was purchased from James and Smith Campbell, in January, 1875, for $7,900. The contract for the present buildings was let to Slocum & Co., in December, 1875, for $10, - 857.96. These buildings were completed and occupied the following year.

COUNTY SEAT.

As already stated, the Commissioners appointed to locate the county seat met at the house of David Thomas, on Eel River, in May, 1825. Pioneer settlers of that day differ in their statements respecting the ob- servations taken by the Commissioners. One says that they viewed the uplands nearly as far west as Birch Creek; another, that their choice lay between the table-land north of the Adam Moon place and the site select. ed, while a third says that they repaired at once to the ground chosen and put down the stake. This was a beautiful and attractive site, a green, velvety lawn, high and dry, timbered with almost perfect speci- mens of walnut, poplar and sugar, and very nearly on a central line through the county from east to west. The land on which the location was made had been previously entered by two citizens of Spencer, Owen County, who had made but a partial payment to the Government. They agreed to relinquish their claims on condition that the payment made should be refunded them, and, perhaps, the added condition that certain lots should be given them in the survey of the town plat. Under the statute then existing, Daniel Chance, who lived on the Wilkinson place, west of Poland, was appointed County Agent, to procure and perfect the title (the citizens generally furnishing the means necessary), lay off the town and make disposition of the lots, which was done in the main by public sale. This sale, according to the recollection of citizens yet liv- ing, was not held until some time in the year 1827. The name Bowling Green may have been suggested from a fancied resemblance to the green plat in the city of New York, used as a bowling ground, and called the Bowling Green. It is worthy of note, in this connection, to say that the town plat, was not put to record until 1837, and the patent to the land on which the town stands bears date 1829, executed under the ad- ministration of Andrew Jackson. The survey of the plat was made probably by James Galbraith, Surveyor of Owen County. The public square having been located, Philip Hedges, of Spencer, took the con- tract to clear off the ground, in which he was assisted by the pioneers of the neighborhood. We are told, too, that the contract for the building of the first court house and jail was let to Mr. Hedges. The original court house was a two-story hewn-log building about 24x30 feet, which stood on the north side of the street, opposite the public square, east of the old hotel building on the corner. The court room was on the lower floor, the upper floor serving for the use of county officers and the jury, though no special preparation had been made for the accommodation of

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

public business. The original jail was a one-story log house on the square, just a little to the northeast of the present court house. This building was about 20x20 feet, having a floor of heavy hewn logs resting upon sills, and extending to the outer edge of the walls, which were double, with poles thrust upright between as a precaution to the safe keeping of prisoners. These rude wooden structures were occupied in the transaction of judicial and official business and the confinement of prisoners until 1838, when a contract was let to Dempsey Seybold, Sr., of Putnam County, for the building of a two-story brick court house, about 40x50 feet, on the site of the present one. At the same time, Seybold contracted the building of the County Seminary. In the sum- mer of 1838, he made the brick for these buildings on the vacant lot afterward used for school purposes, on the east side of town, and put up the seminary the same year. Preparatory to the erection of the new court house, the old jail was removed a square to the east and put on the lot occupied by the present one, adjoining the residence of Paul J. Geiger. This removal and the required repairs were made by Thomas I. Cromwell. In the re-construction of this building a stone foundation was put down, another story added, and the timbers were driven full of spikes on the inside to make the delivery of prisoners the more difficult. The new court house was built in 1839, and occupied in 1840, though not completed until some years afterward. In this house, also, the court room was below and the offices above. The partitions dividing the hall and office rooms were of wood. This house stood until the night of No- vember 30, 1851, when it was destroyed by fire, consuming all the pub- lic records and files, excepting those of the Recorder, John S. Beam, who kept his books in his tailor shop on the west side of the square. The Board of Commissioners, William L. Cromwell, William Edmonson and Daniel Dunlavy, proceeded at once to re-build, and, early the following year, awarded to William K. Houston, Samuel Miles, Joseph R. Kenne- dy and Oliver Cromwell, of Bowling Green, the contract for the building of another two story brick, about the size of the former one, at a cost of $11,000, which is now standing on the same site. This house was occu- pied the latter part of the year 1853. During the interval of two years, court was held in an upper room of the three-story frame business house on the north side of the square, until the completion of the Masonic Building, when the sessions were held in the new hall above, and all the county officers transacted their official business in the middle room be- low. On the 22d day of April, 1861, the contract was let to Wingate & Black for the building of the present jail house, for the sum of $3,750, which was completed and occupied within twelve months from the date of contract.

RE-LOCATION OF COUNTY SEAT.

The re-location and removal of the seat of justice from Bowling Green to a more central site on the west side of the river have been agi-

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

tated, at intervals, ever since 1837, and, perhaps, at an earlier date, when it became apparent that better facilities were necessary for the accommo- dation of the increase in population and public business. There were many prominent citizens of the county who favored re-location, some of whom lived at Bowling Green. Among the number were those who seem to have been men of a speculative turn of mind. Under the old Consti- titution, re-locations were granted and removals ordered by the State Legislature, on petition direct from the people. In 1838, when the people were elated over the prospects for navigation by means of the side-cuts and feeders tributary to the Wabash & Erie Canal, Samuel Howe Smydth, of Bowling Green, a brilliant and rising young lawyer, having real es- tate adjacent to the Feeder Dam, laid out a town on the west side of the river, which he named Anquilla, meaning Eel. This was an intended county seat. Smydth was an ambitious and energetic young man, but failing health compelled him to abandon his project. He is said to have gone to Europe to regain his health, and died there soon afterward. In July of the same year, John Osborn platted a town on the Bloomington road, less than a mile east of Ashboro, on land owned by himself, but afterward known as the Tribble farm, which he named Jonesboro, and which was also a prospective county seat. A number of lots were sold at public sale, but from some cause the project was abandoned in a very short time, and the plat vacated, notwithstanding the fact that Osborn went to the Legislature the following winter. A new court house having been built, the agitation of the question ceased for a term of years, until the burning of the court house in 1851, when the first organized and formidable demonstration was made by the re-locationists. The burning occurred on Saturday night, before the meeting of the Legislature, which, under the old Constitution, convened the first Monday in December. Oliver Cromwell and George W. Donham, re-locationists, were then the Representatives from Clay in the Lower House, with James M. Hanna, an anti-re-locationist, in the Senate. Those favoring removal went to work vigorously, and voluminous petitions were poured into the General As- sembly, praying for location at or near the center. A bill was passed by the Lower House favorable to the petitioners, but when sent to the Sen- ate, where it met the opposition of Mr. Hanna, it was defeated. Mean- while, the Board of County Commissioners, then composed of William L. Cromwell, William Edmonson and Daniel Dunlavy, met and deter- mined to rebuild on the site of the former house, notwithstanding the adoption of a joint resolution by the General Assembly to restrain the board from decisive action in the premises until the people should deter- mine the matter. Just at this time, February, 1852, A. H. L. Baker laid out the town of Bellaire, which place was intended by the proprie- tors as a rival in the re-location contest. In 1852, Daniel Dunlavy was elected to the Lower House, and Michael Combs to the Senate, to repre-

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

sent the county in the first General Assembly under the new Constitu- tion, which met in session in January, 1853. At this session, on the 14th of March, a bill was passed to re-locate the seat of justice for Clay County, providing for the appointment of a committee of five disinter- ested citizens of adjoining counties to select the site. William K. Ed- wards, William Allen, Isaac W. Denman, Burr McGrew and John John- son constituted the commission. They met at the house of George Moss, on Birch Creek, the second Monday of April following, and thence pro- ceeded on their mission, putting down the stake on the present Hyland place, a short distance south of the Bloomington road, two miles west of Birch Creek, then belonging to William Kennedy, but under contract to Joshua Modesitt. To meet this exigency and defeat removal, the anti- re-locationists brought suit in the Clay Circuit Court, the cause being entitled, "Shallum Thomas et al. versus Isaac W. Denman et al.," which was then appealed to the Supreme Court, where the act was declared un - constitutional and void. In 1857, or early in 1858, C. W. Moss laid out the town of Ashboro, although the record does not show it to have existed prior to July, 1860, and platted a public square of ten acres, donated to the county for the purpose of public buildings, on condition that it should be so appropriated within ten years. In December, 1858, a pub- lic meeting was held at Ashboro to discuss re-location to this site. But nothing formal seems to have grown out of this meeting. In 1860, pub- lic sentiment and necessity demanded a new jail, and, counter to this movement, was then inaugurated the first formal effort in favor of Ash- boro. During the following winter, the county was canvassed with peti- tions, and 1,635 signatures obtained. At a special session of the Board of Commissioners, convened March 12, 1861, to advertise for bids for the building of a new jail, the re-locationists presented the petitions, represented by Col. George D. Teter, the opposition being represented by George W. Wiltse. The petitions were withdrawn on the ground that they did not represent two-thirds of the qualified voters of the county. In February, 1871, the central re-locationists again organized a canvass of the county in favor of Ashboro, and presented their petitions at the March term, represented by R. W. Thompson, the remonstrators being represented by D. E. Williamson and others. After several days' spar- ring before the board, the petitioners again withdrew. During the sum- mer following, a movement was organized in the north part of the county in favor of Brazil, and petitions were presented at the September term, when, on the sixth day of the session, the prayer of the petitioners was granted, and an order of the board made for the removal of the seat of justice to Brazil. On the 26th of October, 1871, the three Commissioners appointed by the Governor, C. A. Allen, of Vigo; Marshal M. Moore, of Putnam; and James M. Ray, of Marion, met at the court house, Bowling Green, and appraised the county buildings at $5,300. Exceptions to the

Western

Isaac M. Comptoir

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

ruling of the board were filed by the remonstrators, and an appeal taken to the Circuit Court, and afterward to the Supreme Court. But, uni- formly, the action of the board was sustained by the higher courts. On the 25th day of January, 1877, the new building at Brazil having been completed, the records were removed from the old court house at Bowl-' ing Green. The new court house was first contracted by Noah T. Keasy, then transferred to John G. Ackelmire and John Andrew, and constructed at a cost of $13,300. The new jail was built in 1878, by William Dreu- sicke, at a cost of $7,900

THE PRESS.

Journalism in Clay County covers a period of thirty-six years, dating from the publication of the first paper, but a period of only thirty years of regular and continuous publication.

The first paper published in the county was the Indiana Globe, which was a small folio sheet issued at Bowling Green in 1847, by Samuel Kridlebach. There is no file of the Globe in the county archives, nor can a copy of it be found elsewhere. Its history exists only in the mem- ory of our old citizens. From the information obtained respecting it, it is safe to say that the period of its publication was but short-not so long as six months.

The Eel River Propeller was established at Bowling Green August, 1853, published and edited by Samuel K. Christie. The first issue was made August 27, Saturday. On the 21st of September, following, pub- lication day was changed to Wednesday. The Propeller was a five- column folio, neutral in politics, devoted to education, news, agriculture, markets, manufactures and arts, but more particularly to the interests of Clay County. Mr. Christie continued the publication of the Propeller until December of the same year, when he sold the office to James M. Oliver.

The Clay County Advocate succeeded the Propeller, James M. Oliver, publisher, John Osborne, editor. The Advocate was a five-column folio, published Wednesdays; independent in all things, neutral in nothing. The publication of the Advocate, under the management' and labors of Oliver & Osborne, was continued about eighteen months, when the office was transferred to Thomas Dillon. .

The Clay County Citizen, published and edited by Thomas Dillon, made its first appearance August 11, 1855. The Citizen was the same size as the Advocate, published Saturdays; devoted to everything that is inter- esting and instructive. The Citizen was an improvement on its prede- cessors, but Mr. Dillon's health proved too delicate for the task he had undertaken. On the 3d of November of the same year, J. Hambleton, of the Bowling Green Institute, took editorial charge of the Citizen, Dillon continuing publisher. On the 23d of November, 1855, Dillon died. Hambleton continued the Citizen, as requested by Mr. Dillon,

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

until May 31, 1856, when the office was sold to James M. Oliver, who removed to Brazil.

The Brazil Weekly News, published by James M. Oliver, and edited by J. Hambleton, was first issued June 12, 1856. The News was the size of its predecessor; motto, "Our God and our Country; " issued Thursdays. August 7, Hambleton retired, and Oliver became both pub- lisher and editor. About the first of September of the same year, A. T. Lansing bought the News office and assumed control, but continued Oliver as editor until January 15, 1857. Under Lansing's management, the News was independent in all things, neutral in nothing. July 2, 1857, the News was enlarged to a six-column folio, and continued until the middle of November following, when the office was sold to Daniel W. Lusk, who removed it to Bowling Green.

The Clay County Weekly Democrat, published by Lusk, appeared De- cember 11; George W. Wiltse, editor, C. M. Thompson, local editor. The following week, C. M. Thompson bought the office and became pub- lisher, Wiltse continuing editor. The Democrat was a six-column paper, devoted to Democracy-the imperishable principle of progress; its achieve- ments are registered in the institutions of freedom. On the first of October. 1858, Wiltse retired, and was succeeded by A. T. Lansing, Thompson continuing local editor. December 10 of the same year, the Democrat was enlarged to seven columns. On the 1st of June, 1859, Lansing's connection with the paper ceased, and Thompson associated with him Thomas J. Gray and N. L. Willard, Gray as principal and Willard as local editor. Gray, Willard & Thompson enlarged to eight columns, published Thursdays; a national Democratic newspaper, devoted to polities, commerce, home and foreign news, education, choice litera- ture, wit and humor, progress and improvement. Near the close of 1859, C. M. Thompson became sole proprietor of the Democrat office, and sold it to Wheeler, Carter & Co., who established the first Republican paper in the county. T. J. Gray then bought a new outfit and re-established the Democrat, with John C. Major as local editor. The new Democrat was a seven-column paper, published Wednesdays, with the significant motto, " The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legiti- mately, by the grace of God .- Jefferson." Under the new management, the Democrat made its appearance in February, 1860. June 13, 1860, J. C. Major was succeeded by "Nip-up," who was succeeded by Thomas M. Robertson in August following.

The Weekly Hoosier Patriot, by Wheeler, Carter & Co., was first issued at Bowling Green, January 31, 1860; W. W. Carter, editor, and Enos Miles, local. The Patriot was an eight-column paper, issued Thurs- days, Republican in politics. As the local canvass of 1860 did not re- sult favorably to the Patriot and its party, its publication was discon- tinued October 11 of the same year.

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

On the 8th of March, 1861, T. J. Gray sold to A. T. Lansing and re- tired from the Democrat. Lansing became principal editor and T. M. Robertson continued local. The Democrat was continued a seven-column folio, but publication day was changed to Friday. On the 27th of Sep- tember, 1861, Lansing sold to C. M. Thompson and enlisted in the United States service. Thompson continued the publication of the Dem- ocrat until October 1, 1862, when the office was again transferred to Lan- sing. The motto of the Democrat under Thompson's management- " Equal Rights to All; Exclusive Privileges to None" -- was changed to " The Union, The Constitution, The Laws -- Our National Triune. It can be perpetuated only by the preservation and success of the National Demo- cratic Party." The Democrat was continued by Lansing until January 1, 1865, when it was changed to the Aurora Borealis, which, was the same size as its predecessor, issued Wednesday. On the 1st of October following, the Aurora Borealis was temporarily suspended for the purpose of enlarg- ing the sheet to eight columns, and re-appeared on the 25th of the same month. TheAurora continued uninterruptedly in the enlarged form until the 14th of July, 1869, when the office was sold to Samuel B. Riley.

The Bowling Green Constitution, under the management and edito- rial charge of Mr. Riley, appeared July 29. The Constitution was a seven-column folio, published Thursdays; Motto-" The Constitution makes the Union, and there is no Union outside of the Constitution. "On the 1st of January, 1870, the Bowling Green Constitution was changed to the Old Constitution. On the 1st of April, 1870, Riley sold the office to William Travis, who continued the Constitution until July 28, following.

The Democratic Archives took the place of the Constitution July 28, and was published until July, 1873, when it was changed to Weekly Archives, and publication day changed from Thursday to Saturday; Motto -- " Better Newspapers without a Government than a Government without Newspapers." At the expiration of four years, Mr. Travis sold the office to P. T. Luther and A. J. Montgomery, and retired.

The Clay County Weekly Herald, published by Luther & Montgom- ery and edited by C. M. Leek, made its first appearance March 26, 1874. The Herald was continued a seven-column folio, same size as Archives, but publication day was changed from Saturday to Thursday. Under the management of Luther & Montgomery, the circulation of the Herald was increased from 400 to 1,000, which was publicly announced and ap- propriately celebrated on the 4th day of July following.

The Brazil Intelligencer was started at Brazil in 1858, edited and published by William J. and H. Hollingsworth. The Intelligencer had only an editorial office at home, the composition and press work having been executed at Terre Haute. It was a seven-column folio, independ- ent, issued weekly. The Intelligencer was short-lived, having had an ex-

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

istence of a few months only. No copy of the paper is on file in the county archives.

The Independent, by Thomas H. Serrin & Co., edited by Serrin & Oliver, was established at Brazil in 1860. The first issue dated Decem- ber 20. The Independent was a seven-column paper, devoted to gen- eral news, literature, agriculture, religion, and commerce, etc., etc. The Independent office, in material and outfit, was the Hoosier Patriot office, which Serrin & Co. purchased at Bowling Green and removed to Brazil. On the 4th of July, 1861, the Independent was discontinued.

The Home Weekly was the next paper published at Brazil. In 1864, A. Wright bought the old Independent office, which he used for some time for jobbing purposes, and in 1865 commenced the publication of the Home Weekly, a seven-column folio, weekly, with a "patent inside." The Home Weekly was Republican in politics. It was afterward changed to Independent Home Weekly. In June, 1868, Mr. Wright sold the Weekly office to T. J. Gray, who merged it into the Manufacturer and Miner office. No copies of the Home Weekly are on file in the county archives.

The Manufacturer and Miner was established at Brazil, July, 1867, Thomas J. Gray, editor and publisher, with E. M. B. Hooker, associate, who was succeeded by J. B. F. Taylor. In 1869, Gray was succeeded by the firm of Ainsworth & Gray. In 1870, the Miner Publishing Com- pany was organized, composed of C. W. Ainsworth, Thomas J. Gray, A. D. Cotton, B. F. Masten, Reese P. English and John McDowell, with a capital stock of $6,000. Two years later, Mr. Ainsworth became the owner of the office, under whose proprietorship Isaac S. Herr, and after- ward Will P. Blair had editorial charge of the paper. Up to this time, the Manufacturer and Miner was a seven-column folio sheet. Republi- can in politics, but devoted mainly to the manufacturing and mining in- terests of the county. On the 1st of April, 1873, Riley & Cassell be- came proprietors, Cassell, editor, when the paper was changed to a five- column quarto, and in August following to a six-column quarto, inde- pendent in politics, Cassell retiring and S. R. Riley becoming sole pro- prietor. Subsequently, Riley changed the title of the paper to the Bra- zil Miner. Excepting a suspension of a couple of months in the fall of 1878, the paper has been published regularly from the time of its first issue, and at this time is generaliy credited with having the largest cir- culation in the county.

On the 24th of May, 1863, Herr, Gray & Farle made the first issue of the Saturday Evening Echo, at Brazil-a seven-column folio, Repub- lican in politics, Isaac Herr, editor, D. G.Earle, associate-which was a continuation of the Saturday Evening Echo, published by the same firm at Evansville, of which seven numbers had been issued at that place. On the 1st of October of the same year, the title was changed to Brazil

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Weekly Echo, issued Thursdays, and enlarged to eight columns. In the same month, Gray sold his interest to Herr & Earle. On the 12th of February, 1874, Herr & Earle sold the Echo to T. J. Gray, who con- tinued the paper the same size and politics. In January, 1875, the Clay Publishing Association bought the Echo and made it a Democratic party organ. In January, 1877, the office was transferred to George W. Deighan, who assumed entire control of the paper as the organ of the Democratic party, and named it the Western Mirror, which suspended publication in February or March, 1881. In the spring of 1881, A. F. Bridges bought the press and material of the Mirror office, and began the publication of the Brazil Register, April 28, a seven-column folio, Republican in politics, issued Thursdays, changed to a five-column quarto, September 9 following, and to a six-column quarto January 19, 1882. In April, 1880, Lansing & Lusk established the Argus Magnet, at Bra- zil, a seven-column folio, Democratic in politics, which was changed to a six-column quarto February 15, 1881, and named the Democrat. On the 30th of May, 1872, the Clay County Enterprise made its appearance at Knightsville, Nathan C. Martin and Riley Runyan, publishers and editors, a seven-column folio, Republican in politics, issued Thursdays, devoted to the local interests of Clay County. In August of the same year, the Enterprise was transferred to the Watsons, with N. C. Martin editor. On the 20th of February, 1873, Luther Wolfe became publish- er, and on the 12th of June following took full control. September 30, 1875, the Enterprise was removed to Brazil, and on the 5th of January, 1881, enlarged to eight columns, devoted to the manufacturing, mining and agricultural interests of Clay County, The Aurora Borealis was re- sumed by A. T. Lansing, at Bowling Green, July 5, 1871, seven-column folio, Democratic, issued Wednesdays, devoted to social and political re- form. On the Ist of October following, the Aurora was removed to Knightsville. In March, 1872, Lansing sold a half interest to Truman S. White, who assumed control of the business interests of the paper. The latter part of the same year the Aurora was discontinued.

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Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical., Part 6

Author: Blanchard, Charles, 1830-1903, ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : F.A. Battey & Co. Number of Pages: 982

Author: Blanchard, Charles, 1830-1903, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : F.A. Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 982