USA > Indiana > Brown County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 50
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 50
USA > Indiana > Morgan County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 50
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In May, 1821, Lamb's Township, in the new purchase, was created as follows : Beginning at the old Indian boundary line, where the line of Township 10 intersects the same; thence east on the line of Town 10 until it intersects the meridian line; thence north with said line to the southeast corner of Township 13; thence west on the line between Town- ships 12 and 13 until it intersects the said boundary line; thence to the beginning. This township now composes the southwestern portion of Morgan County, and took its name from old man Lamb, who settled in Lamb's Bottom, that county, in 1819, before it was a county. At the same time this township was created, Walnut Creek Township was also erected, with the following boundaries : Beginning at the northeast corner of Lamb's Township on the meridian line; thence north on said line to the north- west corner of Township 15 north; thence west on the line dividing Townships 15 and 16 until it intersects the boundary line ; thence south- east on said boundary line until it intersects the line of Lamb's Township. This township comprised the northwestern portion of Morgan County. At this time also was created Raccoon Township, with the following bounds : All of Wabash County north of Walnut Creek Township. All this territory had been attached by the Legislature to Monroe County. Reuben Fullen was appointed Inspector for Lamb's Township, and Samuel Rogers the same for Walnut Creek Township.
On the 1st day of March, 1825, it was "ordered that a township be laid off in the northeast corner of the county, to be known by the name of Jackson, and designated by the following bounds, to wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of said county, thence west eight miles to the me- ridian line, thence south to the line dividing Townships 8 and 9, thence east eight miles to the county line, thence north on said line to the begin-
24
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380
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
ning." An election was ordered held on the last Saturday of April, 1825, at the house of Banner Brummett, for the purpose of electing a Justice of the Peace, with Elias Swift, Inspector. A three-mile strip on the west side of Brown County was then a part of Monroe County.
In May, 1825, Salt Creek Township was created, as follows: Begin- ning at the southeast corner of said county ; thence west to where the me- ridian line intersects the same; thence north on the meridian line to where the corner of Townships 8 and 9 intersect the same; thence east on the line dividing said Townships 8 and 9 to where the same intersects the county line; thence south on said line to the place of beginning. Elec- tions were ordered held at the house of Boston Bails. John Pollard and Ezekiel Hendricks were appointed Fence Viewers, and George Todd and Solomon Butcher, Overseers of the Poor, and Henry Kendall, Inspector.
In July, 1828, it was ordered that all the territory attached to Monroe County (on the east), by an act of the Legislature of 1827-28, should be attached to the townships of Salt Creek and Jackson, as follows: Begin- ning at a point on the line dividing Townships 7 and 8, Range 3 east, where the line dividing Sections 31 and 32 intersect the same; thence north to the line dividing Townships 8 and 9; thence west to the former county line of Monroe County ; thence south to the line dividing Townships 7 and 8; thence east to the place of beginning-such territory to form a part of Salt Creek Township. Also : Beginning at the northeast corner of Salt Creek Township, as above enlarged; thence north to the line di- viding Johnson and Barthlomew Counties; thence west to the northeast corner of Monroe County, thence south to the northern boundary of Salt Creek Township, thence east to the place of beginning-such territory should form a part of Jackson Township. It will be observed that the territory thus attached to Salt Creek and Jackson Townships now consti- tutes much of the western half of the present county of Brown.
In July, 1829, two new townships were erected, as follows: Wash- ington Township-Beginning at a point on the meridian line between Townships 10 and 11 north ; thence west with said line dividing Townships 10 and 11 aforesaid to the line dividing Ranges 1 and 2 west ; thence south with said line dividing Ranges 1 and 2 aforesaid to main Beanblossom Creek; thence in an eastern direction with said creek to the meridian line ; thence north with said line to the place of beginning. Richland Town- ship-Beginning at a point where the line dividing Ranges 1 and 2 west intersects the line dividing Townships 9 and 10 north; thence west with said line last mentioned to the Owen County line; thence south with said last-mentioned line to a point where the line dividing Sections. 18 and 19, in Township & north, Range 2 west, intersect the same; thence with said line last mentioned to the range line dividing Ranges 1 and 2 west ; thence with said range line to the place of beginning. The elections for Washington Township were ordered held at the house of John Scott, with Daniel Ray, Inspector. Those in Richland Township were ordered held in the house of William D. Shrevies, with James Parks, Inspector. At the January term, 1830, it was ordered "that all territory attached by legislative enactment to the county of Monroe subsequent to the orig- inal formation of townships therein be and it is hereby attached to and included and shall compose parts of the said townships in the following
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381
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
manner : By extending the boundary lines of the townships which run in a direction perpendicular to the county boundary entirely thereto, and thereby attaching to the respective townships all such territory as lies ad- joining thereto."
In May, 1830, pursuant to a petition signed by seventy- one resident citizens, the township of Perry was ordered erected. with the following boundary : Beginning at the line dividing Sections 12 and 13, Township 8 north, Range 1 west; thence west along said line to the west line of said Township 8 north, Range 1 west; thence south to the line dividing Sections 6 and 7, Township 7 north, Range 1 west; thence east on said line to the east line of the last-named township; thence north on the east- ern line of said township to the place of beginning. An election was ordered held on the 26th of May, 1830, at the house of Benjamin Kenton (the old Clearwater place), for two Justices of the Peace, Mr. Kenton to serve as Inspector. Jesse Davis and George A. Ritter were appointed Overseers of the Poor; Solomon Butcher and Finney Courtney, Fence Viewers.
In May, 1833 upon petition of Jacob Romans and others, Jackson Township was divided, and Benton Township was organized from a part thereof, as follows: Jackson to be divided into two portions by the line dividing Ranges 1 and 2 east, the eastern portion to retain the name of Jackson, and the western portion to be known as " Benton Township, in honor of Thomas H. Benton, United States Senator from Missouri." An election of a Justice of the Peace was ordered held in the new township on the last Saturday in September, 1833, at the house of John Young.
In March, 1837, in pursuance of a petition from the citizens in- terested, the County Board ordered the creation of a new township to be known as Van Buren, to comprise all and no more of Congressional Township 8 north, Range 2 west. An election of a Justice of the Peace was ordered held on the 3d of April, 1837, at the house of Conrad , who was appointed Inspector.
In September, 1849, Salt Creek Township was divided and Polk Township created, as follows : Commencing in the bed of Salt Creek on the line dividing Township 7, Range 1 west and Range 1 east; thence due south on said township line to the south county line ; thence due east to the southeast corner of the county, thence north on the county line to the Muddy Fork of Salt Creek, or where the same crosses the county line ; thence down said stream to the main Salt Creek; thence down said stream to the place of beginning. An election was ordered held in the new township at he house of John Todd, at Big Springs, with Peter Norman Inspector. Wylie Davar and Samuel Axam were appointed Fence Viewers, and Wylie Davar Constable.
TERRITORY ATTACHED TO MONROE COUNTY.
By an act of the Legislature, approved December 31, 1821, all of Monroe County lying west of White River was attached to Owen, the second section of the act reading as follows : All that part of Monroe County lying west of White River be and the same is hereby attached to Owen County, and that all suits, pleas, plaints, actions and prosecutions whatsoever, shall be conducted in the same manner as if no change had
382
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
taken place. Section 3 of this act reads as follows: So much of the New Purchase as is contained in the following boundary, to wit: Begin- ning on White River where the line dividing Townships 10 and 11 north crosses the same; thence east with said line to the corners of Sections 4 and 5, Township 10 north, Range 2 east ; thence south to the Monroe County line-shall form and constitute a part of Monroe County. It will be seen that this section attached to the county all of the present county north of the old Indian boundary, together with a strip three miles wide now a part of Brown County. By an act of the Legislature, approved January 16, 1828, the following territory was attached to Monroe County : Beginning at a point on the line dividing Townships 7 and 8, where the line dividing Sections 31 and 32 intersect the same ; thence north with the last-mentioned line to the line dividing the counties of Johnson and Bartholomew ; thence west with said line to the northeast corner of Monroe County ; thence south to the line dividing Townships 7 and 8; thence east with the last-mentioned line to the place of beginning.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The first courts assembled in the house of Abner Blair, but at the first session of the County Board a double log cabin was ordered erected on the public square without delay, to be used for court purposes until a better one was built. It was called the "temporary court house." The order was issued on the third day of the first session. The double cabins were to be 20x20 feet and 12x20 feet respectively, were to be ten feet apart with covered entry connecting the two-in fact, the two cabins and the entry were to be covered by one roof. The cabins were to be built of round logs, which were afterward to be hewed down. Each was to be ten feet high to the eaves, and each was to contain one door and one window. A few slight changes were made to this plan, but in the main the double building has been described. Samuel Elliott was the con- tractor, but the contract price cannot be stated, though it did not exceed about $400. Mr. Elliott also contracted to clear the trees from around the new court house, which he did. So rapidly was the work pushed, that the building was ready for use in August, 1818.
In October, 1818, preparations were made to build a county jail. Roderick Rawlins was authorized to draft the plan. It was to be built of oak timber a foot thick, was to stand north of the court house, was to be 30x20 feet, was to have a dungeon and a criminal's room, and a jailer's room was to be built on the east side. Roderick Rawlins took the con- tract. The building as described was soon completed. John Woodward built a stray-pen for the town, and was paid $23 for the job. James Smith made a set of chairs for the court house. Joel Woodward, John Mercer and others dug a well on the public square. Early in 1819, a contract was called for to inclose the public square with a substantial fence, but the work was postponed.
In February, 1819, preparations were made to build a permanent and substantial court house. The plan prepared by William Low stated that the building was to be of brick with a stone foundation, was to be two stories high, and was to be forty-five feet long, east and west and forty feet wide, north and south. In May, 1819, Robert Stafford took the
383
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
contract, but as he could not give security at the price of his bond-$20,- 000-the contract was re-let to John Ketchum for $7,965. The work was begun in June, and in August the first installment of $1,000 was paid the contractor. It was at this time that posts and railings were erected around the temporary court house. Samuel Harryman was one of the brick-makers for the new court house. In February, 1820, Raw- lins, County Treasurer, donated certain commissions due him on receipts from the sale of town lots, provided such donation was used in the pur- chase of a public clock for the temporary court house. His offer was accepted. In 1820, David Teauge finished clearing the timber from the public square for $24. In February, 1820, some important changes were made in the plan of the new court house. At this time, the county jail was reported finished, but a committee appointed to examine the work found that the debtors' room was incomplete, and David H. Max- well was employed to remedy the work. So the old jail had a debtors' room, and that, too, in Bloomington, only sixty years ago! Well, no wonder; one could be happily utilized now, when men refuse or neglect to pay for their county histories. Enos Blair was the first jailer. In Au- gust, 1821, Mr. Ketchum was paid $4,000 on his court house contract. At this time, the rough work of the building had been completed. David Armstrong was hired to build a " cubola " (as the county clerk wrote it) on the building. For the three years prior to December, 1822, the clerk's office was in the house of Jacob B. Lowe. He was ordered paid $60 for the rent. It was a long time before the court house was fully completed. Just why, cannot be certainly stated, but probably because the county board paid the contractor before the work was completed, whereupon he permitted the work to languish. In 1824, Edward Borland was paid $352.70 for extra woodwork on the building, and David Arm- strong $1,505.20. Benjamin Neeld was also paid $24, and others, $81. Mr. Ketchum was not paid his full contract price. The building was not fully completed, outside and inside, until 1826. It cost about $8,300. The board had great trouble about a "Franklin rod," which they consid- ered necessary for the safety of the building. Austin Seward was hired to paint the building a bright red, and then pencil it with white, and to have the work completed before September, 1826. In 1825, Samuel Dunning took the contract to build a combined clerk's office and county library room, which he did before November. Seward painted it. The public square was fenced at this time. Z. Williams.did the wood work on the clerk's office. Ewing & Montgomery did the plastering. In May, 1826, the building was occupied. Mr. Z. Williams was delivered the key to the court house, and instructed to keep it locked, permitting it to be occupied only by the courts, County Commissioners, taking of depositions, Fourth of July celebrations, elections, "when any person shall want admittance for the purpose of acquiring architectural knowl- edge, and in the discretion of the keeper to any preacher of the Gospel." When the building was fully completed, it was turned over with all its architectural excellence to the county board. And it was a fine building for that day, and Bloomington was one of the most promising towns in the State. In March, 1827, the citizens petitioned the County Board as follows: " To the Honorable Board of Justices of Monroe County: The
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384
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
undersigned petitioners respectfully represent that they conceive that the honor of our county and the future interest and importance of Blooming- ton, which now ranks among the best villages in the State, imperiously requires that the court house should be surrounded by a permanent in- closure, which would add to the convenience and beauty of our public square, and at the same time hold forth a powerful inducement to the cit- izens of the town to make corresponding improvements in the streets and alleys." Then followed a long suggestion as to how the fence should be built-of brick, with a stone foundation. The prayer of the petitioners was granted by the County Board. The petitioners were Thomas Graham, William Alexander, Edward Borland, John Hight, George Henry, James Whitcomb, Edmund Wayman, Granville Ward, Richard Hardesty, Will- iam S. Wright, James Slocumb, Robinson Farmer, George H. Johnson, Frederick Butler, Jacob Harsh, John S. Barnes, "and others." William Bannister and John Robinson did the work on the inclosure. John Ketchum, the contractor of the court house, was not fully settled with until 1828 or 1829. In 1856-58, the court house was remodeled, the work being done under the contract of John F. Rogers, who built the two brick wings at a cost of about $7,000. A few other alterations have been made in the building, otherwise it is the same that was erected over sixty years ago, and is apparently as solid and substantial as the day it was completed.
In 1837, the County Board concluded to build a new jail and ap- pointed John Bowland, F. T. Butler, William S. Wright, Samuel Hardesty, Joseph Baugh and John W. Lee, a committee to remove the old jail and build on the same lot a new one. The contract was awarded to Hardesty, Graham & Chapman, but the contract price cannot be given. The construction seems to have been delayed somewhat, from what cause cannot be stated. The building was a strong brick structure and cost in the whole about $5,000. It was not fully completed until early in the forties. There was talk of building another jail as early as 1856, but nothing definite was done until 1869, when bids were called for for a combined jail and Sheriff's residence. The following bids were received.
George Finley & Co., all the stone work. 6,998.
J. L. Farman, cut stone, all the stone work. 6,387.
C. A. Nichols, rubble and cut-stone work .. 10,071.
A. C. Halstead, cut stone work. 5,500.
The proposal of Finley & Co. being considere:l the best was accepted. Adams & Denton bid in the brick work for $4,000. James Small was appointed superintendent of the work. The prison was to be 34x41 feet ; the residence 20x44 feet, and the kitchen and guard room 14x33 feet, stone foundation and walls of brick. The building was constructed according to contract, and is yet in use.
COUNTY POLITICS.
Unfortunately, owing to the fact that the election returns were not preserved in the office of the County Clerk, the details of the early elec- tions in the county cannot be given. One thing is certain, however, that the county was uniformly Democratic. If any innovation was made in this rule by any other party, such fact is no longer remembered. Reference is made to the ticket in general. It was no doubt occasionally
385
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
the case that a rival candidate on an opposing party ticket sometimes stepped in by reason of some local sentiment or prejudice. But the Democratic ticket as a whole was invariably elected. But little attention was paid to national political questions until the memorable Presidential campaign of 1840. Indiana came forward with her idol, William Henry Harrison, and the new West united forces and means to elect him. An important feature of the election was the newly born prejudice existing between the eastern and western portions of the country. The log cabins and hard cider of "Injiana " were the butt for Eastern ridicule, but the friends of Mr. Harrison accepting the terms conducted the campaign with a rush that was never before known in the history of the nation. At every political gathering of the Whigs barrels of hard cider and miniature log cabins were the battle cries. Gen. Harrison's military record was the pride of his friends, and another battle cry was "Tippeca- noe and Tyler too."
A famous political song of that campaign, set to the air of " Rosin the Bow," was sung on all occasions. One verse was as follows :
"And if we get any ways thirsty, I'll tell you what we can all do; We'll bring down a keg of hard cider And drink to 'Old Tippecanoe.' "
Huge canoes were hauled around on wagons at the political meetings to advertise the claims of Gen. Harrison to the suffrages of the people. The campaign in Monroe County was quite spirited, and meetings were held everywhere. The result of this election can be given of only three townships, as follows :
NOVEMBER, 1840.
DEMOCRATIC. Van Buren and Johnson 587
WHIG. Harrison and Tyler. 541
Bloomington.
Salt Creek.
11
0
Bean Blossom
117
50
Totals.
715
591
Although this is only a partial vote of the county, it illustrates the Democratic strength, and may be taken as a measure in degree of the full vote. Mr. Harrison was triumphantly elected and the East was for the first time compelled to bow to the wild West. The county of Monroe did not cut much of a figure in the general result, but she fully established her claims to an unfailing Democratic majority. Slavery began to attract national attention about this time. Anti-slavery or- ganizations sprang up in various portions of the North, and the struggle for an increase or a decrease of slave territory began to assume violence as the territories clamored for admission into the Union. As the Presi- dential campaign of 1844 approached, it became apparent that Texas, which had gained her independence of Mexico a few years before, would apply for admission into the Union. The South was gratified, as that meant an increase of slave territory ; but on the other hand the North deter- mined if possible to prevent the admission of the territory in order to limit the domain of slavery. The Democcats put forward James K. Polk, and the Whigs, Henry Clay. Considerable activity was developed
386
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
in Monroe County during the campaign. The result of the election was as follows :
NOVEMBER, 1844.
DEMOCRATIC. Polk
WHIG. Clay and
Bean Blossom
141
28
Richland.
117
66
Van Buren.
12
17
Indian Creek.
146
41
Clear Creek.
48
49
Salt Creek
32
4
Benton
32
1
Washington
56
32
Bloomington
534
483
Totals.
1,118 397
The result of no other Presidential election can be given until 1856, at which time the New Republican party appeared. The campaign in this county was very warm. The result was :
NOVEMBER, 1856.
DEMOCRATIC. Buchanan and Breckinridge.
REPUBLICAN. Fremont and Dayton.
AMERICAN. Fillmore and Donalson.
Bloomington.
203
134
79
Bean Blossom
144
25
36
Benton
81
22
10
Clear Creek.
127
27
41
Indian Creek
154
9
15
Marion ..
35
20
0
Perry
86
90
50
Polk ..
69
6
12
Richland.
74
46
94
Salt Creek
84
5
5
Van Buren.
56
61
37
Washington
78
53
13
Totals.
1,191
498
392
During the next four years, people even in the North were almost on the brink of open war. In 1858, the South began to make preparations to leave the Union. The result in 1860 presented the following singu- larly broken appearance :
NOVEMBER, 1860.
NORTHERN DEMOCRACY. Douglas and Johnson.
SOUTHERN DEMOCRACY. Breckinridge and
REPUBLICAN.
AMERICAN.
Bean Blossom
136
17
55
6
Richland
36
17
163
25
Benton.
62
12
36
2
Washington
63
21
79
0
Bloomington.
109
84
316
19
Van Buren
21
36
129
1
Marion.
30
11
24
0
Indian Creek.
102
32
46
0
Polk
36
10
28
1
Perry.
27
54
199
4
Salt Creek.
3
65
14
1
Clear Creek
91
36
109
5
Totals
716
395
1,198
64
Bell and Everett.
Lane.
Lincoln and Hamlin.
721
Polk's Majority.
and Dallas
Frelinghuysen.
387
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
This was a remarkable election. The noticeable feature is the very heavy vote for the ticket of the Southern wing of the Democracy. The Democratic party of the county was "all broke up." The large vote polled for the Breckinridge Electors from the county Democracy shows the sympathy existing for the South. The Gubernational vote in the county the same fall (1860) was : Henry S. Lane (Rep.), 1,195; Thomas A. Hendricks (Dem.), 1,168. The vote for Governor in 1856 had been : Oliver P. Morton (Rep.), 801; A. P. Willard (Dem.), 1,133. The Democratic majority was broken down between 1856 and 1860, but it rallied again during the war. In 1858, the vote for Representative in Congress was, James Hughes (Dem.), 964; W. M. Dunn (Rep.), 1,075. The vote for Secretary of State in 1862 was : W. A. Peelle (Rep.), 1,021; J. S. Athon (Dem.), 1,333. It will be seen from this that the Democracy of the county had recovered herself, but by 1864 the Repub- licans began to creep up again, the vote for Governor being: Morton (Rep.), 1,224; McDonald (Dem.), 1,220. The Presidential vote was as follows :
NOVEMBER, 1864.
DEMOCRATIC. McClellan and Pendleton.
REPUBLICAN. Lincoln and Johnson.
Bean Blossom.
175
57
Richland ..
54
195
Indian Creek.
136
38
Salt Creek.
98
6
Clear Creek.
141
79
Van Buren.
48
124
Washington
93
67
Benton.
96
35
Perry
99
211
Polk
78
27
Marion
42
17
Bloomington
150
346
Totals
1,210
1,202
In 1866, the county became Republican by a majority which the De- mocracy has failed to wholly extinguish with but one or two exceptions up to the present. In that year, the vote for Representative in Congress was : M. C. Hunter (Rep.), 1,589; H. W. Harrington (Dem.), 1,379. The result for Governor in 1868 was: Conrad Baker (Rep.), 1,484; Thomas A. Hendricks (Dem.), 1,402. The result for President the same year was : Grant and Colfax (Rep.), 1,496 ; Seymour and Blair (Dem.), 1,369. In 1870, the county again went slightly Democratic, as will be seen from the following : For Secretary of State, Norman Eddy (Dem.), 1,462; M. F. A. Hoffman (Rep.), 1,457. Representative in Congress, Voorhees (Dem.), 1,471; Dunn (Rep.), 1,442. The result for Governor in 1872 was as follows: T. A. Hendricks (Dem.), 1,527; Thomas M. Brown (Rep.), 1,689. The Republicans again rolled up a small majority. The result for Representative in Congress in 1872 was as follows: Hunter (Rep.), 1,723 ; Voorhies (Dem.), 1,485. The re- sult in the county of the Presidential contest of 1872 was as follows :
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