Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 5

Author: F.A. Battey & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 976

USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 5
USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 5

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 learned professions should occupy a good share of the history, if all that they have done toward the development of the present social life were pos- sible to be grasped and treated of. But a slight sketch of the history of these classes of our citizens can at least be given. Of the bar, that very important factor in modern life, that " necessary evil," as some of our worthy people re- gard it, that praiseworthy band of students and advisors, as many of those out- side the bar concur with those inside in regarding the legal fraternity-of the bar little can be said except in praise. Its early members have already been mentioned. At that time a rigid requirement of examinations before admission, of which a hint is given in Mr. Howe's reminiscences, had a tendency to make the bar more exclusive than at the present day, and no doubt its members were prouder of their associations or had more reason to be, on the side of legal cult- ure than an Indiana lawyer of the present day can be, when any one can be admitted to the bar on motion. The requirements, which were really too rigid in those days, might, with great profit, be the requirements of to-day. But La Grange County has fairly ranked with the neighboring counties in the legal repute of its attorneys. Mr. John B. Howe, a gentleman of culture, and an earnest student, even in his later years, of social problems, soon took the front in the La Grange bar, and among the lawyers of the State. His argument in the Constitutional Convention, on the declaration of rights, is yet referred to as among the wisest and ablest utterances in that convention.

Ranking next with him in local repute, as a lawyer, was Andrew Ellison. He became distinguished for the pertinacity and energy with which he fought his cases, never yielding when he thought he had any footing until the case was won or the highest tribunal had decided against him. During the Regulator period, when the courts had their greatest flood of business, he was employed as the attorney for several of the indicted horse-thieves and counterfeiters, and with the whole community against him, he, with his characteristic persistence and defiance of public sentiment, fought the cases through, and got most of his clients either acquitted or released upon some technicality after conviction. The bitterness engendered during these exciting times lasted many years and marred the happiness of many. Mr. Ellison, after enjoying for many years the hon- orable position of senior member of the bar, retired from practice, as his old friend, Mr. Howe, had done, to pursue the quieter pursuit of banking.

Among others who won some notoriety, was James M. Flagg, of Lima, who was for many years at the bar, and noted for his acuteness and sharp tricks

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

with his professional brethren, and those who were unprofessional and unsophis- ticated. His practice soon reached such a stage that he was compelled to give it a new field by going further west and establishing himself at Chicago.

Joseph B. Wade, who has been from childhood a resident of the county, was admitted to the bar in 1857, and is still practicing. Robert Parrett moved to the county previous to 1860, and was gaining an enviable reputation as an attorney, when the war broke out and he fell, one of its early victims, with the rank of Major in the One Hundredth Indiana Volunteers. Joseph W. Cummings, a native of the county, was admitted a little later. He removed to Toledo, where he has taken first rank professionally and as a citizen. A. B. Kennedy was one of the ante-war attorneys and enjoyed for many years a prominent position at the bar, especially in probate matters. He died from overwork. Resolutions of respect were made by the bar at a meeting held in his memory.

Joseph D. Ferrall began practice in La Grange in 1865, and has since gained a prominent position at the bars of this and neighboring counties. W. C. Glasgow was admitted about the same time, and held for some years the position of Prosecuting Attorney, and now stands in the front rank. George A. Cutting, admitted about 1870, was winning a high position as a lawyer when he died from consumption, which had long been hampering him, in 1881. The remaining attorneys, who have prac- ticed of late years, are Abner S. Case, John P. Jones (both formerly County Clerks), Cyrus U. Wade (formerly Prosecuting Attorney), Francis D. Merritt, James S. Drake (now Prosecutor), Otis L. Ballou (now Master Commissioner), Samuel P. Bradford (now Clerk), E. T. Cosper and Edgar McClasky. Some of the attorneys of neighboring counties, who have in past years or do now prac- tice extensively at the La Grange bar, are Judge John Morris, Hon. John H. Baker, Judge W. A. Woods, Isaac E. Knisely, Augustus A. Chapin and James I. Best.

The office of Prosecuting Attorney, in the districts of which this county has been a part, has been filled by members of the La Grange bar, as follows : By Joseph D. Ferrall, from 1866 to 1868; Wesley C. Glasgow, from 1873 to 1877 ; Cyrus U. Wade, from 1877 to 1879; James S. Drake, from 1879 to the pres- ent, his second term expiring 1883.

In the first settlement of a new country, the physician is a first necessity. And there are always among the pioneer physicians those who have a real or imaginary ability to treat successfully all cases that may fall under their care. The habits of the pioneers being simple, and having plenty of food, fresh air, keeping good hours, with exercise in abundance, the diseases are also of sim- ple character, yielding, generally, readily to the most ordinary remedies. Tu- bercular diseases, now so common in our county, were unknown for ten years after the first settlement. Some of the early settlers report that intermittent fevers were unknown to them for some five years, and were only developed after considerable quantities of land were broken up. Dr. Hill was the first in the

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

county who claimed to be a physician. He came in with the immigrants of 1828 or 1829. The Doctor professed to be a "regular " in practice, but having con- fidence in the flora of the woods, he confined himself to the simple remedies that he found in abundance around him. He is said to have filled his saddle-bags with roots and herbs without a cent of expenditure ; to have traversed the coun- try between St. Joseph in Michigan, and Fort Wayne, Ind., staying with the sick whenever he found them until they recovered or died. Quinine, or the preparations of Peruvian bark, he never used, depending upon the use of the bark of dogwood and ironwood to break the intermittents, and he claimed that the ague broken by these remedies was less apt to return than when treated by quinine and the Peruvian barks. His cathartic and alterative calico-root grew on the edges of the marshes, and wild turnip, and blood-root, his specific for pneumonia, were found abundant in the woods. He claimed to have never bled his pneumonia cases, and that he scarcely ever lost a case. This happy result, in this class of cases, if true, was just the reverse of that resulting from the bleeding and reducing remedies then in vogue among the regular practitioners. Obstetrical practice was confined to certain old ladies, and as tedious and pro- tracted labors in hearty and robust persons leading an active life were rare, they had little or no trouble. One of these old ladies reported that, in a protracted labor occurring in the family of one of the first settlers, Dr. Hill was sent for, and after many weary hours had passed, he concluded that artificial means were necessary to save the mother, and attempted to perforate the skull of the child, but failing, went off to a neighboring house to prepare a more efficient instru- ment. While he was gone, nature rallied to her task, and when the Doctor returned, he found the child ushered into the world all right, except that its scalp hung in shreds from the effects of his attempts at perforation. The old gentleman was amazed, and remarked that that boy was the hardest-headed lit- tle devil he ever saw, for he had not strength enough to perforate its skull. The boy survived and the unobliterated scars were seen by living physicians in his manhood.

Dr. J. T. Hobbs came about 1830, and Dr. Hill relinquished the field to him. He at once took nearly the whole practice in this and the adjoining counties. The Doctor was a native of Maryland, a graduate of Bowdoin in Maine, and a real gentleman. His wife was an intelligent woman of strong character, and materially assisted him in laying the foundation of a large fort- une. The Doctor was elected the first Clerk of the county, the office of which was then at Lima. His wife attended mainly to the duties of the office, leaving him free to attend to his practice and his other growing interests. She bore him two children, the oldest of which died some ten or twelve years ago. The younger daughter still survives, and is the wife of Dr. S. H. Bassinger, another pioneer physician. Dr. Hobbs' health failing him, he left the county about 1850, moved to Mount Vernon, Ohio, and subsequently to Sandusky, where he died a few years since, leaving a large fortune, the executors of which

LA GRANGE COUNTY JAIL

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

are Mr. S. K. Ruick and Henry L. Taylor, of this county. Among the medi- cal pioneers was Dr. James Chapman, still remembered by some as wandering around on an old pony in a saddle with rope girth and rope stirrup straps, and the inevitable saddle-bags. The Doctor was a native of Connecticut, and claimed to be a regular physician, was a stanch Presbyterian, and was down on all innovations in medicine or theology. At that time, there was a man who practiced as a Thompsonian, and was to Dr. Chapman a great eye-sore. The latter used to relate many anecdotes of the collisions between calomel and jalap vs. No. 6. The Doctor broke down mentally, gave up the practice of · medicine, but carried around with him religious books and tracts, pitied but respected by all. A commission was appointed to take measures for the pro- tection of his property. He said it was a commission "de enquirendo lunatico," and that they brought him in insane on all points except theology and medicine.

Dr. J. Bolton Smith came to Lima in 1832. He was a gentleman of the Old School, wore the ruffled linen in fashion in the early part of the century, and preserved the dignity of the profession. For a time before he left, he gave up his profession of medicine and took up the practice of law. An anecdote is told of him that he acted as Justice of the Peace in the trial of a case, and, as it was of some importance, he called Squire Littlefield to assist him in the case. The oath he administered the witnesses was after this form : "In the presence of God and of Edmund Littlefield you do solemnly swear to tell the truth," etc. The Doctor finally went to St. Louis, where he died of cholera in 1842. At the same time he was at Lima, there was there another Dr. Smith, who, making much pretension to phrenology, was distinguished from the other Smith, as Dr. Bump Smith. Both Smiths were students of Dr. Duncomb, of Canada, whose daughter the Dr. Bump Smith married.

Dr. Francis Jewett came to the county in 1834. He died in Lima in 1857. Dr. Weeks practiced in Lima from 1835 to 1837. He is now a physi- cian in Chicago, and has considerable reputation in the profession. Then fol- lowed Dr. Palmer in 1838, whose favorite remark was that he had saved many a patient even after he had a predilection to pick the clothing. He left in 1848. Dr. Parry came in 1839, and practiced in Lima for ten years, and then moved to California with the first emigration. When last heard from, he was still living there. Dr. Fox was at Lima from 1836 to 1842, when he moved to Wisconsin, where he stands high in his profession, and has made a handsome competence. Dr. Holbrook came in 1842, stood well professionally, had many and warm friends, but soon wearying with the hardships of his ride, he moved to California. He now resides at San Francisco, where he has a fine reputa- tion. Dr. Thompson took Dr. Holbrook's practice in 1850, married in the Kinney family at Lima, practiced sixteen years, and then went to Missouri, and was for some time surgeon and physician to the State Prison in that State. Dr. George Fletcher followed Dr. Thompson at Lima, and was the principal physi- cian there from that time until he gave up the active duties of his profession, and moved to Iowa some five years since. C

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

Dr. Pritchard settled at Lexington in 1843; he practiced there four years, and died of pneumonia in 1847. He was followed by Dr. Reupert in 1848. He entered the service in the war of the rebellion as Assistant Surgeon of the Thirtieth Indiana Volunteers, and died in hospital at Nashville, Tenn.

The first physician at La Grange was Dr. Brown, who settled there in 1842. He was a cousin of the celebrated John Brown, of Harper's Ferry notoriety, a gentleman and Christian, and highly esteemed by the whole com- munity. He died of malignant erysipelas at the Haw Patch in 1852. Dr. Butler, a brother-in-law of Dr. Brown, succeeded to his practice. He was a man of great perseverance, a warm friend and a bitter enemy, and especially to slavery and its advocates. He died of consumption in 1854. Dr. J. P. Niman, still practicing at La Grange, was invited by Dr. Butler to a partner- ship and assisted him and succeeded him in his practice. Dr. Thompson came to La Grange in 1856, and was there during the epidemic of dysentery that prevailed that year so extensively that hardly a family escaped, and from which there were a large number of deaths.

The Sheldons, four brothers, and all practitioners of medicine, commenced their practice at Union Mills (now Mongo); B. F. and William Sheldon came there in 1838. In 1840, Franklin Sheldon moved to South Bend, where he died next year. The other three brothers did nearly the entire practice in the east part of the county for some twelve or fifteen years; William died in 1854 or 1855 of diarrhea contracted while on a journey through Mexico; Franklin is also dead. They were all men of ability and character.

For the foregoing items in respect to the medical profession, we are indebted to Dr. George H. Dayton, of Lima, who settled at Ontario in 1846, then a prosperous and lively place with great prospects. The Doctor is a native of New Jersey ; was educated at the University of New York, three years in the Literary Department, and studied medicine under the celebrated Dr. Val -. entine Mott, and afterward graduated in the Medical Department of the uni- versity. He has for many years stood at the head of his profession in the county, and is more consulted in difficult cases than any other.

Many physicians whose names cannot now be recalled have come and gone. Among those who, in later years, became permanent residents and « acquired more general acquaintance are Dr. Abner Lewis, of Haw Patch, who had an extensive practice in that part of the county, and afterward at La Grange. He served one term in the State Senate, and subsequently moved to Iowa, where he still resides. Dr. J. H. Dancer, of South Milford, was for many years, and is yet, the principal practitioner in the southeastern part of the county. Dr. A. M. Spaulding, of Applemanburg, has held a like share of the practice in Springfield Township. In the northwestern part of the county, Drs. Toms & Grubs have, for a number of years, held the principal practice. A number of physicians have been located at Wolcottville. Dr. Leonard Barber was one of the earliest, if not the first, practitioner there, and, until

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

his death in 1875, was the leading physician in the southern part of the county

Dr. E. M. Speed located at La Grange in April, 1856, and had an exten- sive practice. He was appointed Assistant Surgeon of the Forty-fourth Regi- ment Indiana Volunteers in July, 1864, and immediately after his arrival to the command at Chattanooga, Tenn., was taken sick, when he was carried to the Officers' Hospital on Lookout Mountain, where he died a few weeks after. Dr. Francis P. Griffith came to La Grange in May, 1858, and was associated for some time with Dr. Speed in practice. He was elected Representative to the Legislature in 1862 and in 1864, and has held several responsible clerkships at Washington, and was Census Supervisor for the northeastern counties of the State in 1880. He is still in practice.

Dr. E. G. White came to the place in 1857 ; has had, and yet has, an exten- sive practice. He served some two years as Acting Assistant Surgeon United States Volunteers, in the Nashville hospitals, during the war. He has been for some twelve or thirteen years pension examiner for the Government. Dr. J. H. Rerick came to the place in 1859; entered the service in 1861, as Assistant Surgeon of the Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, at the organization of the regiment ; was promoted Surgeon, and served with the command until its muster out September, 1865. At the close of the war, he and Dr. White were associated together in practice. In 1867, he bought the La Grange Standard, and entered the editorial profession ; was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court in 1860, and in 1864, serving eight years. He is still proprietor of the Standard, and devoting his attention exclusively to the printing business. Dr. James Mil- ler practiced at La Grange a number of years, and was Assistant Surgeon in the Thirtieth Indiana Volunteer Regiment a short time. He moved to Iowa about 1879. Dr. A. Cutting moved to the town in 1864, from Ohio, and has frequently been employed as consulting physician. The present physicians at La Grange in active practice not above mentioned are Dr. William Short, Dr. John Short, Dr. H. M. Casebeer, Dr. Charles H. Niman, son of Dr. J. P. Niman, and Dr. Engle. Dr. Newton G. Eno practiced a few years at Lima ; was Assistant Surgeon of the Eighty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, from January, 1863, to November, 1864, when he resigned. He is now a resident of Iowa, and still in practice. Dr. William Hughes came from Ohio to Lima in 1870, and has an extensive practice there. Dr. C. D. Goodrich also settled there a few years since, and is in practice.

The county has always made ample provision for its paupers. A farm was first bought north of La Grange for the asylum, but this not proving a desira- ble location, it was sold, and 160 acres, three miles south of La Grange, were purchased, and suitable, though plain and inexpensive, buildings were crected. Here the poor, dependent on the county for support, are sent and cared for, except in those cases where temporary aid is needed, and can be given at home by the several Township Trustees. In February, 1871, there died Dr. David

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

Rogers, one of the first settlers of Clearspring Township, an eccentric old man and bachelor, who at one time had an extensive practice as a physician. In his will, made in 1868, he bequeathed all his real estate in the county "to the Commissioners of the County of La Grange and their successors in office in trust forever, for the use and benefit of the orphan poor and for other destitute persons of said county." The heirs of Dr. Rogers contested the will, basing their claim on the indefiniteness of the bequest, and carried their case to the Supreme Court, where the will was finally sustained. No special disposition is made of this fund, as yet, by the Commissioners.

The following valuable statistics are thought to be of sufficient public inter- est to warrant their appearance in the history of the county :

VOTE OF THE COUNTY AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

1836-Van Buren, Democrat, 150; Harrison, Whig, 128; Democratic majority, 22. 1840-Harrison, Whig, 391; Van Buren, Democratic, 225; Whig majority, 166. 1844-Clay, Whig, 598; Polk, Democrat, 457; Birney, Abolitionist, 38; Whig majority, 103. 1848-Cass, Democrat, 636; Taylor, Whig, 629 ; Van Buren, Free Soil, 114; Democratic plurality, 7. 1852- Scott, Whig, 667; Pierce, Democrat, 667 ; Hall, Free Soil, 117; tie between principal parties. 1856-Fremont, Republican, 1,406 ; Buchanan, Democrat, 640; Fillmore, American, 6; Republican majority, 760. 1860-Lincoln. Republican, 1,695; Fusion (Democratic), 775; Republican majority, 920. 1864-Lincoln, Republican, 1,583 ; McClellan, Democrat, 796; Republican majority, 787. 1868-Grant, Republican, 1,945; Seymour, Democrat, 1,076 ; Republican majority, 869. 1872-Grant, Republican, 1,863; Greeley, Lib- eral, 830; Republican majority, 1,033. 1876-Hayes, Republican, 2,205 ; Tilden, Democrat, 1,256 ; Peter Cooper, National, 63; Republican plurality, 949; Republican majority, 886. 1880-Garfield, Republican, 2,367 ; Hancock, Democrat, 1,393; Weaver, National, 116; Republican, majority, 858; Republican plurality, 974.

The vote by townships at this election was as follows :

GARFIELD.

HANCOCK.

WEAVER.

Van Buren.

102

Newbury

153

108

...

Eden

128

139

...

Clearspring.

208

150

Clay

181

142

Lima

248

Greenfield

175

Bloomfield

456

230

Johnson

252

123

Milford

154

200

Springfield

220

Total

2,367

1,393

116

The vote for Governor at the October election the same year was: Por- ter, Republican, 2,307; Landers, Democrat, 1,374 ; Gregg, National, 129.

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

The Legislative act, authorizing the organization of La Grange County, was approved by the Governor of the State February 2, 1832, and the first election of county officers occurred in August of the same year. The first term of court convened October 22, 1832, the officers of which were-Charles H. Test (now Judge of the Criminal Court at Indianapolis), Judge; Luther Newton and Ephraim Seeley, Associate Judges; Joshua T. Hobbs, Clerk ; Nehemiah Coldren, Sheriff; Joshua Harding, Coronor. The County officers since the first organization of the county, so far as we can trace, have been as follows :

Probate Judges .- Elias B. Smith and William S. Prentiss.

Associate Judges .- Ephraim Seeley and Luther Newton, 1832; Thomas J. Spaulding and Samuel Westcott, 1839; Joshua T. Hobbs and Amos Davis, 1844.

Clerks .- Joshua T. Hobbs, 1832-38; William M. Holmes, 1838-45; Delavin Martin, 1845-46; James B. Howe, 1846-53; John P. Jones, 1853- 61; Abner S. Case, 1861-68; Eugene V. Case (appointment), 1868-69; John H. Rerick, 1869-77; Samuel P. Bradford, 1877.

Sheriffs .- Daniel Harding, 1832-35; John Brown, 1835-37; William Phelps, 1837; Peter L. Mason, 1837-39; Frederick Hamilton, 1839-43; James Rawles, 1843-47; John Briscoe, 1847-49; William Hopkins, 1849- 53; Gabriel McEntyre, 1853-55; Zopher L. Scidmore, 1855-57; William Cummings, 1857-61; William Selby, 1861-65; John S. Merritt, 1865-67; James M. Marks, 1867-72; Thomas C. Betts, 1872-76; Nelson Stacy, 1876- 80; Edwin Temple, 1880.

Auditors .- Peter L. Mason, 1841-45; Simon W. Cutler, 1845-52 ; Hugh Hamilton, 1852-57; L. N. Beers, 1857-58; Peter N. Wilcox, 1858- 66; Isaiah Piatt, 1866-74; Samuel Shepardson, 1874.

Treasurers .- Thomas Gale, 1832-37; Jonathan Woodruff, 1837-44; Samuel Bartlett, 1844-53; Elijah W. Weir, 1853-57; Parley R. Cady, 1857- 61; John W. Welch, 1861-65; Jacob Newman, 1865-69; Samuel Shepard- son, 1869-73; Samuel G. Hoff, 1873-77; John E. Anderson, 1877-81; John M. Preston, 1881.

Recorders .- David St. Clair, 1832-37; J. T. Hobbs, 1837-43; John Kromer, 1843-55; Ozias Wright, 1855-56; Abner S. Case, 1856-60; Henry Nichols, 1860-68; John C. Gurnea, 1868-72; John P. Jones, 1872-80; Eugene V. Case, 1880.

Commissioners .- Jacob Vandevanter, 1832; Edmond Littlefield, 1832; Arthur Barrows, 1832; Isaac Gage, 1833; J. F. Rice, 1833 ; Arthur Barrows, 1834 ; Jesse Champlin, 1834; David Smith, 1834; William S. Prentiss, 1834; Palmer Grannis, 1835; James McConnell, 1836; L. M. Dewey, 1837; Shel- don Martin, 1837; Philo Taylor, 1838; Ira Hill, 1839; Palmer Grannis, 1840; Robert Hume, 1840; Benjamin Jones, 1840-45; Abram Rowe, 1841-44; Samuel Corey, 1843-46; Nehemiah Coldren, 1844-50 ; Jacob T. Grove,

HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.

1845-57 ; Timothy Field, 1846-49 ; Sidney Keith, 1848-52; Hiram Taylor, 1850-56 ; Andrew Ellison, 1851-53; Samuel Hudson, 1852-58; Hezekiah Davis, 1853-60; Orvin Kent, 1856-59; James Smith, 1858-76; A. J. At- wood, 1859-65 ; William Seaborn, 1860-66; Hiram Smith, 1866-67; R. P. Herbert, 1867; Hezekiah Davis, 1867-79; Almon Dickenson, 1868-75 ; A. Blackmun, 1875; George W. Edgcomb, 1876, Elias Wight, 1879.

School Examiners .- County School Examiners were first appointed under the act of 1861. From June, 1861, the office was held by J. H. Danseur, George Marks, - Hemenway, and Prof. R. Patch. Under the new school law of 1865 :

Prof. R. Patch, 1865-67; Rev. A. Fitz Randolph, 1868-69 ; Rev. Will- iam Cathcart, 1869-70 ; S. D. Crane, 1870-71; A. Bayliss, 1871-73.

The duties of the office were materially enlarged by the Legislature of 1872-73, and the title changed to County Superintendent.

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Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 5

Author: F.A. Battey & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co. Number of Pages: 976

Author: F.A. Battey & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 976