USA > Indiana > Brown County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 7
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 7
USA > Indiana > Morgan County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 7
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102
The Gazette of June 19 said :
THE MILITIA.
Four companies of militia have been organized in Morgan County under the militia law at the following places : Martinsville, Morgantown, Eminence and Cen- terton. For an out of the way county, destitute of railroad and telegraphic facili- ties, that will do pretty well.
It should be remembered that these companies were militia, but early in June the Gazette joyously stated that Ambrose Cunning had been commissioned to raise a company for the war. P. S. Parks had been commissioned for the same purpose a short time before, but meeting with an accident whereby his leg was broken, he was forced to give it up. The officers of the Centerton militia company were Jacob Hess, Captain ; Thomas Grinstead, First Lieutenant; Clayton Cox, Second Lieutenant. There were sixty men in the company about the 8th of June, and the company drilled every Saturday on the Fair Ground. The men were sworn into State service June 8. The Morgantown militia company was officered as follows : J. J. Johnston, Captain ; J. R. Culbertson, First Lieutenant; John R. Fesler, Second Lieutenant ; J. K. Coffman, Orderly. Col. John Vawter swore the company, numbering fifty-two men, into the State service before June 18. On Saturday, June 22, the beautiful cer- emony of presenting the company a flag, by the ladies.of Morgantown, was enjoyed by that portion of the county.
On the last day of July, it was stated that four companies were being organized in the county for the war, to wit: The one at Martinsville, under Capt. A. D. Cunning ; one in Baker Township, commanded by
57
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Capt. James E. Burton ; the one at Morgantown, under Capt. J. J. Johnston, and the militia company at Martinsville, under Capt. A. S. Griggs, which had not yet decided to enter the United States service.
CAPT. SCOTT'S COMPANY.
This company was the only one from the county in the three months' service. It was assigned to the Seventh Regiment, and became Company K, and on the 29th of May was ordered into Western Virginia with its regiment, which was commanded by Col. Ebenezer Dumont, who had served in the Mexican war. The company participated in the action at Phillippi, being in the advance, and about six weeks later in the skirmish at Bealington, and in all the marches, reconnoissances, pursuits, etc., in- cluding the charge at Carrick's Ford, and the subsequent pursuit of the enemy. The latter part of July the regiment was ordered to Indianap- olis for muster out. On the 27th, the company of Capt. Scott reached Martinsville. On their way, they had stopped at Mooresville, where a splendid reception was given them, and where they were feasted and toasted with all the pomp and ceremony of war. As they neared Mar- tinsville, they were met by the entire town, led by the band, and such a joyous time was never before witnessed at the county seat. How noble the boys looked in their bright blue uniforms, and with what wonderful precision they moved along to the stirring sound of fife and drum. And what a glorious time they all had at the Thomas House, where an elegant and sumptuous supper had been prepared for them. Triumphal arches had been spanned over the streets, on which were the names of engage- ments participated in by the company, and over and around which were hung garlands of evergreen and summer flowers, and many a banner of red, white and blue. An eloquent welcoming address was delivered by Rev. Smith, and responded to by numerous members of the company, who gave an account of the wild scenes of active war in Virginia, and exhibited numerous trophies of their victories. But one of the company had died in the service, John McDaniel, who had died a natural death in Virginia. The festivities were carried far into the night, and were greatly enjoyed.
OTHER COMPANIES FOR THE WAR.
Almost all the early regiments contained men from Morgan County. The second company to enter the service was commanded by Capt. Jacob Hess, and was raised and organized at Centerton and vicinity. They were mustered into the service July 24, and were given a public farewell meeting by their friends just before their departure for Indianapolis. A committee, consisting of Misses Jennie Major, Mary McCracken, Eliza Manker and others had been appointed to secure donations of money to procure a flag for the company. They reported that $55.66 had been received, of which all but $15.66 had been used in purchasing material, etc. The magnificent silk flag, which had been made by the fair hands of the committee, was presented to the company with appropriate cere- mony. The men became Company K, of the Twenty-first Regiment, three years' service. Company B of the same regiment, which was organized at Gosport, contained about twenty men from the county. July and August saw lively times in the county. Lieut. T. F. Orner and W. J
58
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Manker began to recruit men to fill up the old company of Capt. Scott for the three years' service. Capt. Griggs was steadily enlisting men at Martinsville, and Capt. Burton was doing likewise in Baker Township and vicinity. Capt. Wellman was raising a company in the northern part of the county. Capt. Cunning was also at work at Martinsville and vicinity. War meetings were held everywhere as a stimulus to obtain volunteers. Eloquent speakers and thrilling martial bands would stir up the blood, and beautiful ladies with bewitching smiles would pass round the fatal enlistment roll. The whole county was alive with military prep- arations. Late in July, the citizens of Gregg Township and vicinity or- ganized a company of home guards, consisting wholly of old men exempt from military service, being over forty-five years of age. The company numbered forty-two. One-half of Company E, Twenty-sixth Regiment, was raised in the northern part of the county, and finally mustered into the service August 30. It was raised largely by Capt. Lewis Manker. On the 19th of August, Capt. J. J. Johnston's company left for Indian- apolis, but was not mustered in until September 12. It became Com- pany G of the Twenty-seventh Regiment, three years' service. On the 7th of September, Capt. Johnston was commissioned Surgeon of the regi- ment, and John R. Fesler succeeded him in command of Company G. The men raised in the northern part of the county by Capt. Wellman and others became Company A, of the Thirty-third Regiment. They were mustered into the service at Indianapolis September 16. In the latter part of August, when they left the county, a number of disloyal citizens in the vicinity of Hall felled trees across the road over which they would have to march, built fences across the same, tore up bridges. etc., to ob- struct their march and testify of the ill-will of such citizens. Company C of this regiment was wholly from the county. This was the successor of Capt. Scott's old company. It was thought that W. J. Manker would be Captain, but as he was appointed Major of the same regiment, Charles Day succeeded him as commander of Company C. About half of Com- pany E, of the Thirty-third, was raised in the county by W. A. Whitson, Dr. Whitaker and others. The greater portion of Company H, of the Thirty-third, was also from Morgan County, the remainder being from Gosport. This was the company of Capt. Burton. Company C was mustered in on the 16th of September, Company E on the 21st of Sep- tember, and Company H on the 16th of September. There were thus in the Thirty-third Regiment at the time of muster-in about three and a half companies from Morgan County. Several had left the county and joined other regiments.
ENTHUSIASTIC WAR MEETINGS.
On the 24th of August, a very large Union war meeting was held at Martinsville to raise volunteers for the war. A large crowd assembled to listen to the speeches and to participate in the event. The orators were S. H. Buskirk, Rev. Harned, Rev. Lester, P. M. Blankenship, J. E. Burton, W. J. Manker, P. S. Parks and others. The greatest mili- tary fervor and loyalty prevailed. Many volunteers were secured for the companies then being organized. This was but a sample of the meetings held throughout the county. When the company raised largely by W.
59
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
J. Manker and commanded by Capt. Charles Day left Martinsville, the ceremony of presenting the boys with the same silk banner which Capt. Scott's company in the three months' service had carried through the campaign in Western Virginia, was enjoyed amid imposing ceremonies. The banner had been bought by Capt. Scott for that purpose, and the presentation speech was delivered by O. R. Daugherty, and responded to by Capt. Day. Both speeches were loyal, eloquent, and a credit to the citizens and the company. No sooner was the company ready than the boys were loaded into twenty or more wagons, and conveyed amid the rattle of drums and the cheers of the populace to the State capital. This was true of all the companies and recruits, as the county had no railroad then running. It was the most stirring time the county ever saw, before or since, as the patriotic impulse was fresh then in the breasts of all, and extreme partisan bitterness had not yet crept in with its disloyal madness and delirium. The Gazette of September 18 said :
Morgan County has raised and sent out eight companies to aid in putting down the rebellion. The Captains and the regiments to which they belong are as follows: Capt. Hess, of the Twenty-first; Capt. Lewis Manker, of the Twenty-sixth; Capt. Johnston, of the Twenty-seventh; and Capts. T. J. Wellman, Charles Day, J. E. Burton and Whitson, of the Thirty-third; also Capt. Scott, of the Seventh, in the three months' service. In addition to this, our county has a large number of men distributed in the various Indiana regiments, some in the zouaves, others in artillery companies, etc. Two of our companies are in active service, that of Capt. Hess in Maryland, and that of Capt. Louis Manker in Missouri. The remaining companies, except that of Capt. Scott, are in camp at Indianapolis.
It should be remembered that two of these companies had been only partly raised in Morgan County, but enough had left for the war in other regiments to raise the number up to about the figures of the editor. This was certainly an excellent showing, for which the county may be justly proud. But the work was scarcely over with the above companies before Capts. Scott and Cunning and Lieut. Orner began raising more volunteers to form a new company. They were assisted by P. S. Parks, Capt. Hayward and others. Owing to a political controversy in the county, Mr. Parks, about the middle of October, challenged A. B. Con- duitt, J. C. Henderson, O. R. Daugherty and H. T. Craig to stump the county for volunteers, each man to pay his own expenses. For some reason the challenge was not accepted. Thirty-five men had been secured by the middle of November. This company was designed for the Fifty- ninth Regiment which was being rendezvoused at Gosport. The enlist- ment of the regiment continued slowly during the winter months. In February, 1862, various public meetings were held in the county, indors- ing the action of the United States Senate in expelling Jesse D. Bright from that body for disloyalty, etc. On the 11th of February, 1862, the Fifty-ninth Regiment was mustered into the service. About half of Com- pany B was from Morgan County, and nearly as many more men were scattered through other companies, notably Company I.
But little effort was made during the first half of the year 1862 to raise volunteers for the war. The county had filled her quota under all calls, and had a surplus to her credit. During these months, the county in order to systematize future enlistments of men, elected the following County Military Committee: W. B. Taylor, Washington Township; James Pratt, Jackson ; John Williams, Green; Cyrus Whetzell, Harri- 4
60
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
son ; Allen Hecklin, Madison ; V. Butterfield, Clay ; John Thornburg, Brown ; Uriah Ballard, Monroe; Isaac Ratliff, Adams ; G. W. Wellman, Gregg ; Philip Hodges, Ray ; Jefferson Farr, Baker.
THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1862.
Extensive preparations had been made to celebrate Independence Day, and early in the morning the crowd began to arrive. Long processions of wagons, carriages and dust-begrimed pedestrians came trooping in under the command of a Marshal, led by one or more bands of martial music, and gaily decorated with bright flowers and national colors, and ornamented with the beautiful holiday apparel of summer. By 9 o'clock in the morning, the streets of the county seat were surging with the rest- less waves of patriotic humanity, while above the Babel of tongues arose the shrill sound of many fifes and the deep roll of many drums. The omnipresent small boy was out en masse, with all his torturing sounds and doleful cries, filling the bright morning with din and smoke. A huge flag pole had been erected near the square, from which a magnificent banner waved proudly in the sunny sky. Several wagons drawn by four horses came in from the country, loaded with young ladies dressed in white and decorated with red and blue, and ornamented with wreaths of roses and sweet smiles. At 10 o'clock all the fragments were united into one grand procession, more than a mile in length, and were marched out to Mitchell's Grove, where the ceremonies of the day were to be observed. Prayer was offered by Benjamin Sweet, and the Declaration of Independence read by A. S. Griggs. A chosen chorus of singers rendered selections of patriotic music for the occasion. O. R. Daugherty, the orator of the forenoon, delivered an eloquent address forty minutes in length. His closing words were : "The war is not being waged upon the part of the Government for the purpose of conquest or subjugation, or the overthrow of or interference with the established institutions of any of the States, but to suppress and put down a wicked and causeless rebellion, defend and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution, and preserve the Union as established by our patriot fathers, with all the dignity, equality and rights of the several States unimpaired, and that when these objects are fully accomplished, and not before, the war should cease." A bounteous picnic dinner was then spread out under the green foliage, and partaken of by all present. Soldiers were present in military dress, at home on furlough from the field of war, and were lion- ized by young and old, and toasted in many a glass of lemonade or bev- erage of greater strength. In the afternoon the assemblage was addressed by Dr. J. J. Wright and P. S. Parks, both of whom delivered speeches of unusual loyalty and power. At their conclusion the audience dispersed to their homes, except the young people, who remained to dance the hours of the night away. The day was long remembered.
RENEWED ENLISTMENT OF VOLUNTEERS.
On the 2d of July, 1862, came the call for 300,000 men, and the county made immediate preparations to fill her quota. Ezra Olleman, A. D. Cunning and Samuel Harryman were commissioned to procure volunteers under the call, and immediately began active work. On one
61
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
occasion in the Gazette office, in order to induce married men to volunteer, a subscription of $235 was raised in one evening for the wives and families of such men. By the last days of July, A. D. Cunning reported that he had secured fifty volunteers. These men were designed for the Seventieth Regiment, and were paid $10 each of county bounty by the Board of Commissioners. Lewis Manker began enlisting men for the Seventy- ninth Regiment. War meetings were again held in all portions of the county. On the 4th of August came another call for 300,000 men, and , the efforts to raise volunteers multiplied. About forty men from : Adamns Township entered a company that was raised at Stilesville. The men recruited by Olleman entered the Seventieth Regiment. A small squad of men (about thirty), raised by Lieut. Sylvanus Barnard, entered the Fourth Cavalry (Seventy-seventh Regiment.) About thirty-five men were raised by John E. Greer, in the northern part of the county mostly, and were assigned to the Fifth Cavalry. About one-third of Company B, of the Seventy-ninth Regiment was raised by Capt. Lewis Manker, and all, or nearly so, of Company H of the same regiment, was from Morgan County, the Captain being Sanford C. Pruitt. These men were largely secured by Judge Griggs and Justice Killian. Great pressure was brought to bear upon the county by threats of the approaching draft, and the interest equaled that of July and August, 1861. Capt. Samuel F. Rooker raised an entire company at Mooresville, which entered the Twelfth Infantry, one year's service. They were presented a beautiful flag upon their de- parture.
THE WAR MEETING OF AUGUST 2.
On this day one of the largest crowds ever in Martinsville, assembled to listen to the speech of Judge Hughs. Early in the morning the citizens of the town had erected a tall flag-pole from which a magnificent banner thirty feet in length was suspended by Mrs. Col. Scott, Miss An- na Deitz, Miss Maria Mitchell, Miss Lou Gwinn, Mrs. Kennedy and Miss Anna Barnard. As this beautiful banner caught the breeze and unfurled its rich colors in the morning sun, the assembled crowd burst into a chorus of tumultuous cheers at the grand spectacle. Perry Blan- kenship mounted a dry goods box and eulogized the banner as an emblem of the national life and honor. He was followed by Williamson Terrell and others. Several thousand people were present. At 10 o'clock, the procession was marched gayly to Mitchell's Grove, where stands and seats had been prepared. As Judge Hughs had not appeared, the crowd was addressed by O. R. Daugherty and Rev. Smith. Both speakers were listened to with close attention. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon Judge Hughs appeared, and delivered a fiery speech of one hour's duration, that was listened to by the large crowd and applauded to the echo. The en- thusiasm during the day ran to fever heat. All were filled with the mili- tary spirit of the hour, and enjoyed all features of the occasion with the keenest relish. The issue of the Gazette August 9, said:
The military fever never ran so high in this county as it does at the present time.
The Gazette of August 16, said :
War meetings are all the rage now, and Morgan County is not behind the times. We defy any other county in this or any other State to get up
62
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
more war meetings, or larger or more enthusiastic meetings, than we can in Old Morgan. The county is in one blaze of excitement, meetings are held in almost every neighborhood, and here in Martinsville for the last two weeks it has been almost one continual meeting. It had been rather quiet for a day or two, when on Friday morning Perry Blankenship came marching into town at the head of a procession consisting of about thirty wagons and about fifty horse- men. Mr. Blankenship made a stirring and eloquent speech to a large crowd in the afternoon, and obtained several recruits for his company.
The same issue contained the following :
Since the new call for 300,000 volunteers, this county has sent to camp three full companies, which are officered as follows: First-Barclay Johnson, Captain; W. E. Tansey, First Lieutenant; S. K. Harryman, Second Lieutenant. Second-A. D. Cunning, Captain; William Hardenbrook, First Lieutenant; Willis Record, Second Lieutenant. "Third-S. M. Rooker, Captain; T. N. Peoples, First Lieutenant; Caleb Day, Second Lieutenant. Two companies more are organizing, and will be ready to go into camp next week. In addition to this, the county has furnished forty re- cruits for the cavalry regiment, and seventy-five for the infantry companies in ad- jacent counties, making an aggregate of over 600 men under the late volunteer levy. Morgan more than fills the bill. Her actual quota is about 150 men. For the three months' service, the county furnished about two companies, and!for the three years' service seven companies. Add to this those who have enlisted singly and in squads in various regiments, and we can safely say that Morgan County has furnished 1,500 men for the suppression of the rebellion. Our voting population is 3,000. If any county can beat us, " trot it out."
THE DRAFT OF OCTOBER 6, 1862.
This draft took place, not because the State was behind with her quotas, or because the counties were behind, but was designed to compel disloyal or indolent townships to do their share in furnishing men for the war. Morgan County had furnished more than her quota, but as three townships-Jackson, Green and Madison -- were behind, the draft oc- curred on the date above given. This draft was based upon the following statement, which was made out on the 19th of September, 1862: Total militia, 2,224; total volunteers, 1,232; total exempts, 435; total con- scientiously opposed to bearing arms, 93; total volunteers in the service, 1,188 ; total subject.to draft, 1,696. The draft, or conscript officers, of the county were as follows : W. R. Harrison (who was himself drafted in 1864), Commissioner; James Maxwell, Jr., Marshal; Benjamin D. Blackstone, Surgeon. The draft took place on the date stated in the court house, and was quiet and uneventful. In Jackson, twelve were drafted ; in Green seven, and in Madison six. All the draftod reported, and were taken to Indianapolis and assigned to some regiment. Just before this draft, the following table was published in the Gazette, though whether it is official cannot be stated :
63
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
TOWNSHIPS.
Number between 18 and 45.
Number Exempted.
Subject to Draft.
Number of Volunteers. Discharged.
Number In the Volunteers Service and Dead.
Baker
51
12
39
58
3
55
Washington.
330
44
291
180
15
165
Jackson.
217
33
179
68
2
66
Green.
215
50
168
72
.
72
Harrison
66
15
54
26
1
25
Madison
158
24
134
55
Q
53
Clay
142
23
119
115
7
108
Brown
182
41
138
110
4
106
Monroe
271
53
217
118
5
113
Gregg
127
40
87
87
1
86
Jefferson
93
21
70
81
2
79
Ray
165
29
136
150
1
149
Adams
208
50
157
103
1
102
Total
2225
436
1789
1223
44
1179
This table must not be regarded as free from errors, though it illus- trates about the situation of the county.
ENLISTMENTS DURING THE WINTER OF 1862-63.
During the winter of 1862-63 but little was done to raise volunteers. William Gurley recruited a small squad for Rabb's Battery (the Second) in February and March, 1863. In May and June, Capts. Burton and Seaton and Lieut. Day recruited thirty or forty men for the Thirty-third Regiment. On the 15th of June came the call for 100,000 men for six months, and an entire company was raised in the northwestern part of the county and assigned to the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment. The men became Company C, with A. T. Wellman, Captain; James Pugh, First Lieutenant ; William McGinnis, Second Lieutenant. At an immense war meeting, held at Martinsville May 21, quite a number of recruits was raised for various regiments. About the same time, meet- ings of a similar character were held at Mooresville, Monrovia, Eminence, Morgantown, Paragon and elsewhere, large crowds being present. Capt. Johnston, Dr. Wright and other speakers entertained the audiences. Much disloyalty was manifested in the county at this time, an account of which will be found elsewhere. In July, J. G. Mitchell recruited a squad for the Seventh Cavalry. Several other recruiting officers were at work about the same time, among them being Capts. Wellman (mentioned above) and Goodhue, who obtained men for the six months' service.
GEN. MORGAN'S RAID.
At no time during the progress of the war were the people in the southern half of Indiana so thoroughly roused as they were when John Morgan invaded the State in July, 1863, and the excitement in Morgan County was fully up to the fever of the hour. Men who were opposed to the continuance of the war were no sooner apprised of the invasion than they immediately tendered their services to repel or capture the daring enemy. Seven full companies were organized in an incredibly short space of time, and four of them-one of cavalry and three of infantry-marched rapidly to the State Capital and offered their services to the Governor.
64
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
One of the companies raised at Martinsville, was commanded by Capt. Sylvanus Barnard. The company raised in Jefferson Township was com- manded by Capt. William Nicholson, and the one in Ray by Capt. Joseph Bradley. Capt. Joel Matthews, who raised a company in Brown, did not leave the county with his company. None of the companies saw any ac- tive service in pursuit of Morgan, and all soon returned. Morgan's raid did much to quiet the partisan asperities which had been troubling the county in no small degree. About this time a company of old men, called the "Silver Grays," was organized at the county seat as a home guard.
THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1863.
The day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and the firing of guns and anvils. Soon after sunrise, gay processions of country people began to arrive, and at 9 o'clock the county seat was alive with a swarming, noisy multitude. It was stated that there were 3,000 people in town on this eventful day. At about 10 o'clock, Capt. Hayward and Henry Sims, Marshals of the Day, formed the crowd into a procession around the pub- lic square, and the march to Mitchell's Grove was commenced. Prayer was offered by Rev. S. B. Sutton, and the Declaration of Independence was read by Dr. Tarleton. Choice patriotic music was furnished by Mrs. H. B. Johnson, Mrs. T. B. Mitchell, Miss Lou Gwinn, Miss Nannie Litten, Mrs. P. S. Parks, Mrs. J. C. Sampson, T. J. Sloan, How Parks, George Townsend and W. R. Shepard. A small squad of soldiers was present in military dress. The first speaker was C. F. McNutt, who was followed by Dr. J. J. Wright. A beautiful ode, written for the occasion by Mrs. Paul Dumer, was read by W. R. Shepard, and was greatly admired by the assemblage. A magnificent dinner was spread out in the grove, and eaten with epicu- rean appetite. The event of the day was the parade of a company of about forty " Raging Tads." They appeared about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, dressed in the most frightful attire which their imaginations and means could suggest and procure, and ornamented in a manner to "make the angels weep." They marched around like a war party of Comanches, ut- tering direful yells which curdled the blood, and cutting capers of sufficient apishness to put to shame a modern Congressman or a professional politi- cian. A troop of the young scions of the town followed them in high glee, counterfeiting their diabolical buffoonery in an ecstasy of childish bliss. The parade was enjoyed by all. In the evening a brilliant social was held at Park & Hites' Hall, and at Military Hall on the west side of the public square. Both halls were beautifully decorated with flowers and sprays of evergreen. In Military Hall, a large steel engraving of Wash- ington was suspended, around and over which bright garlands and loyal colors were wreathed. The evening was one of the most enjoyable and brilliant ever witnessed in the county seat. Celebrations of the day were held elsewhere in the county, but as no account was published the rec- ord cannot be given in these pages.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.