USA > Indiana > Brown County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 90
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 90
USA > Indiana > Morgan County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 90
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THE FIRST PROBATE COURTS.
On the 8th of May, 1837, the first Probate Court of Brown County convened at the court house at Nashville, with Judge James McIntire on the bench. The Judge presented his commission from Gov. Noah Noble, and then opened court. There being no business, the court, after adopt- ing a scrawl as a temporary seal, adjourned until August. On the 4th of this month the court again convened, and the first act was the appoint-
686
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
ment of Alfred Young, administrator of the estate of William Rippe, deceased. Mr. Young reported on hand of the decedent's estate $608.15, besides considerable personal property reported. He was appointed guardian of the estate, and directed to order a sale of the personal prop- erty. The court then adjourned.
At the November term, 1837, there being no business, court adjourned. During vacation, letters of administration were issued to Banner and Esther Brummet, of the estate of James Brummet, deceased. The will of Stephen Robertson was also filed for record. At the February term, 1838, Banner and Esther Brummet were called to answer for the admin- istration of James Brummet's estate. They reported, under oath, the following bill for record : 3 chairs, $1; 1 horse collar and pair of hames, 432 cents ; . 1 saddle and 1 bridle, $1; 1 water pail, 432 cents ; 5 crocks, 50 cents ; 1 tin pan, 7 tin cups, 8 spoons, 1 coffee-pot, 3 lavers, and 1 set of knives and forks, $1.75: 1 bread tray and smoothing iron, 62} cents ; 1 box, 1 razor, 1 horseshoe, $1.37}; 1 bed, bedding and bedstead, $6.50 ; 1 bed and bedding, $5; 1 bedding and bed, $4; money, $4.06; 1 saddle and bridle, $2.50-total, $26.064. It being shown that James Brummet had died insolvent, it was ordered that the widow have all the property and pay no demands of the creditors of the deceased. The will of Stephen Robertson was read and admitted to probate. The court then adjourned. In August, Patterson C. Parker became Probate Judge, his commission being signed by Gov. David Wallace.
THE FIRST COMMON PLEAS COURT.
This court was established apart from the others in 1853, and the first session was held at Nashville on the 31st of January, 1853, before Judge William G. Quick. The following attorneys were sworn to practice in the court: P. C. Dunning, Daniel McClure, Fred T. Butler, George A. Buskirk and Shadrack Chandler. The next thing was the adoption of rules governing the court. The first business was the consideration of the petition for dower and partition of Jane Kelley and Zachariah Kelley vs. Nancy Hamblen et al. The next was the examination of witnesses in the case of James Fleetwood for retailing liquor without a license. He was required to appear at the next term of court. And so the busi- ness continued at length.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
The first courts were held in the residence of James Dawson. On the first Monday in February, 1837, pursuant to an order from the County Board, Banner Brummet, County Agent, let the contract of building a court house and a jail, the first to be finished according to specifications, by the first Monday in September, 1837, and the last by the 1st of November, 1837. The work on both buildings was completed within the time specified. The court house was of hewed logs, 18x24 feet, two stories high, two rooms above, two stairways, one at each end, two windows above, with twelve panes of glass each, one room below with one door, and one window with twelve panes of glass opposite to it ; fire-places in all the rooms, chinks daubed with good mortar and weatherboarded on the inside ; gable ends of building to have one window each, and to be weatherboarded. The contractor, David D. Weddel, was to receive $50
687
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
on the 1st of June, 1837, and the remainder when the building was completed. The contract of both buildings was sold at "public outcry " to the lowest responsible bidder, at Nashville, on the 7th of March, 1837, between the hours of 10 o'clock A. M. and 4 o'clock P. M. The jail built was of hewed logs, 14x14 feet, and one foot thick. There were two walls one foot apart, and each one foot thick, and the space between was filled with hewed foot-lumber, inserted perpendicularly. The logs of the walls left no space between them. The building was two stories high, seven feet between floors, floors of twelve-inch timber, window nine inches square on each side of criminals' room, heavy iron door and windows. Fifty dollars was to be paid on the jail, August 1, 1837, and the re- mainder when done. William Snyder was the jail contractor. The cost of these two buildings cannot be given, but was probably not more than $700.
This court house answered the purpose until 1853, when arrangements were made to build a brick structure to take its place. The old log structure was sold, and for a year or more the courts were held in the Methodist Church. In the fall of 1853, the court house contract was sold to John Douglas for about $6,500. The house was com- pleted so as to be occupied by the courts in 1855, and cost when fully finished and furnished a little more than $7,000. In 1873, dur- ing a session of the Circuit Court, this building took fire and burned to the ground, involving a loss of nearly all the county records. In June, 1874, the contract of rebuilding the house on the old ruins or foundation, and a portion of the old walls, was let to McCormack & Sweeney, of Co- lumbus, for $9,000, of which $4,500. was to be paid when the building was under roof, and the remainder two years after the completion of the work, with ten per cent interest. The work was performed according to contract. The building is of brick, and is two stories high, with court- room and jury-rooms above, and county offices below. Two stairways over the main entrance on the south lead to the second story. The old jail of 1837 was used with various repairs, which were almost equivalent to a new building, until 1879, when the present hewed-log "bastile" was erected, at a cost of about $1,500. The building is two storied, is 20x12 ; four on the inside, and 8 feet 4 inches high. The old log court house is yet standing, and is used as a stable, a great depression of its former noble use.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST.
John Floyd, the first Clerk and Recorder, did not stay in the office himself, but had a deputy, named Avery Magee. The assessment roll in 1837 (spring), showed 225 polls in the county. The land taxables at this time were worth $8,150, and the personal property, $44,649.94. John S. Williams furnished the court house with twelve chairs in Septem- ber, 1837, and D. D. Weddel furnished a table. Banner Brummet's donation to the county was twenty acres of land. James Taggart was appointed Commissioner of the surplus revenue and the three per cent fund in the fall of 1837. The County Clerk's office was established in the log court house for the first, September 2, 1837. The note of $150, part of the donation to the county, was turned over to the jail contractor as a partial consideration for his work. William Snyder succeeded
688
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
James Taggart as surplus revenue and three per cent Commissioner. The last named fund was used to pay for the court house and the jail. Considerable money was paid out for wolf scalps. In August, 1839, the first bridge over Salt Creek, east of Nashville, on the Columbus & Bloom- ington road, was built by John A. Brown for $233. Henry Jackson was appointed Seminary Trustee in the fall of 1839. Banner Brummet still continued to serve as County Agent. Shadrach Chandler was appointed a student at the University at Bloomington in 1841. William Taggart became agent of the surplus revenue in 1841. In 1842, Stephen Brocken was appointed a student at the State University ; in 1843. John Arwine, Jr., same ; in 1844. Walter Hotchkiss, same; in 1845, Isaac Somsel, same ; in 1845. B. Mason, same. In 1848, D. D. Weddel became County Agent. In 1863, Sylvanus Manville was County Agent. In 1863, the county took several thousand dollars in bonds in the Colum- bus, Nashville & Bloomington Railroad, but canceled them when it was found that the road would not be built. During the winter of 1863-64, the Treasurer's office was robbed of $3,555.59 by burglars, for whom a reward of $1,000 was offered. Neither thieves nor money were recovered. In 1869, the Morgantown & Nashville Gravel Road Company came into being, among the stockholders being James S. Hester, Harvey Coleman, R. M. Dill, Isaac Knight and Thomas M. Adams. The entire length of the road was thirteen miles and sixty-seven rods, and the total estimated cost of grading the same was $17,130. It was decided to omit graveling the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh miles north of Nashville, and the re- mainder were estimated to cost $10,200. Three miles at the south end of the road had been previously graveled and two miles at the north end, but this had to be purchased. By 1869, there was subscribed $6,120 toward building the road. The benefits to adjoining lands were assessed by order of the County Board. This project was abandoned after much had been done. It was revived in 1879-the part between Nashville and George- town-when Lawson Hopper, W. D. Roberts, W. G. Quick, W. L. Cox, Isaac Chafin, Eliakim Hamblen and H. W. King asked for the right of way, which was granted. Much of the road was put in good shape and toll-gates were erected, but the collection of toll is almost wholly aban- doned at present (November, 1883).
In 1869, a petition signed by over one hundred citizens was presented the County Board, asking that a two per cent donation be given to the Cincinnati & St. Louis Short Line Railroad Company, in consideration that the road should be built through the central part of the county. An election was ordered held December 11, which resulted as follows, by town- ships :
TOWNSHIPS.
For Donation.
Against Donation.
Jackson.
45
46
Washington.
259
2
Van Buren
18
201
Johnson
46
6
Hamblen.
72
64
Totals.
440
319
689
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
In accordance with this decision the tax was levied, but as the road was not built, the limited amounts paid were refunded to the tax-payers In 1876, the citizens voted " yes " to donate $7,700 to the Indianapolis & Evansville Mineral Railway, provided the line was built, and at the same time Jackson Township voted $7,500 aid, and Hamblen Township, $7,- 550 aid, for the same road, upon the same condition, but the road was not built.
COUNTY POLITICS.
The Democracy of Brown County has always been unquestionably Simon pure. From the first, the majority was comparatively great, and never fell to a doubtful depth. The results of the earlier elections can- not be given. At the gubernatorial election of 1856, O. P. Morton re- ceived 220 votes in the county, while his competitor received 773, more than three and a half times as many. The vote for Common Pleas Judge was: G. A. Buskirk (Rep.), 376; W. G. Quick (Dem.), 485. Prosecut- ing Attorney, F. T. Butler (Rep.), 202; A. D. Cunning (Dem.), 510. In 1858, the result for Representative in Congress was : James Hughes (Dem.), 548 ; W. M. Dunn (Rep.), 253; for Circuit Judge, J. W. Chap- man (Dem.), 550 ; William Harod (Rep.), 286 ; for Prosecuting Attor- ney, W. S. Mavity (Dem.), 572; G. W. Richardson (Rep.), 241. In 1860, the vote for Governor was: Thomas A. Hendricks (Dem.), 744 ; Henry S. Lane (Rep.), 296 ; Representative in Congress, W. M. Daily (Dem.), 702; W. M. Dunn (Rep.), 319; Representative in the State Legislature, Lewis Prosser (Dem.), 575; J. W. McIlvain (Rep.), 306 ; John Beck (S. Dem.), 118. In 1862, the result for Secretary of State, a strict party vote, was : William A. Peelle (Rep.), 213; James S. Athon (Dem.), 840. A majority of 627, in a total vote of 1,053, was enough for all practical purposes. Having reduced the Republican vote to such a diminutive figure, one cannot help wondering why the Democracy did not wipe it wholly out. In 1864, the vote for Governor was: Morton (Rep.), 367 ; McDonald (Dem.), 823; Circuit Judge, Chapman (Dem.), 828 ; Buskirk (Rep.), 360. Prosecuting Attorney Circuit Court, H. A. Downey (Dem.), 827; B. F. Lewis (Rep.), 360; Judge Common Pleas, O. J. Glessner (Dem.), 827 ; W. J. Manker (Rep.), 354 ; Representative in the State Legislature, John Richards (Dem.), 814; W. W. Browning (Rep.), 351. In 1864, the result for Presidential Electors was: Demo- cratic, 821 ; Republican, 288. In 1866, the vote for Secretary of State was : M. D. Morrison (Dem.), 1,025 ; Nelson Trusler (Rep.), 423; for Representative in Congress, H. W. Harrington (Dem.), 1,016; M. C. Hunter (Rep.), 430. In 1868, the result for Governor was : Thomas A. Hendricks (Dem.), 1,084; Conrad Baker (Rep.), 427 ; for Represent- ative in Congress, John W. Knightley (Dem.), 1,087 ; John Coburn (Rep.), 425 ; Presidential Electors, Democratic, 1,080 ; Republican, 458. In 1870, the result for Secretary of State was: Norman Eddy (Dem.), 974; M. F. A. Hoffman (Rep.), 346 ; Representative in Congress, Thomas Cottrell (Dem.), 978; John Coburn (Rep.), 339. In 1872, the result for Governor was: T. A. Hendricks (Dem.), 1,166; T. M. Brown (Rep.), 467; Representative in Congress, Cyrus F. McNutt (Dem.), 1,170 ; John Coburn (Rep.), 460; Presidential Electors, Democratic; 957; Republican, 462; Independent, 0. In November, 1876, the result for Presidential Electors was as follows, by townships :
.
690
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
TOWNSHIPS.
Tilden and Hendricks, Democratic.
Hayes and Wheeler, Republican.
Cooper and Cary, Independent.
Hamblen.
305
102
17
Jackson.
232
124
42
Washington
359
129
12
Van Buren
279
119
8
Johnson
79
14
30
Totals
1,254
488
109
In 1878, the result for Secretary of State was: John G. Shanklin (Dem.), 1,166 ; Isaac S. Moore (Rep.), 378; Henley James (Ind.) 137. In November, 1880, the result for Presidential Electors was as follows, by townships :
TOWNSHIPS.
Hancock and English, Democratic
Garfield and Arthur, Republican.
Weaver and Chambers, Independent.
Hamblen
356
106
7
Jackson ..
286
162
25
Washington.
461
159
5
Van Buren ..
344
133
4
Johnson.
129
39
1
Totals
1,576
599
42
In November, 1882, the result for Secretary of State was : W. R. Myers (Dem.), 1,217 ; E. R. Hawn (Rep.), 555; H. Z. Leonard (Ind.), 91.
THE COUNTY PAUPERS.
The first record of a pauper claim against the county was made in the spring of 1837, by Ambrose Cobb, who was allowed $6.97, or 40 cents per week, for caring for some poor person from November 2, 1836, to March 6, 1837. After this, claims were constantly allowed on audit from the Overseers of the Poor, under whose direction the townships cared for their poor and helpless. Many or most of the early claims were set- tled in the townships, and were not presented to the County Board at all. Jane Sconce was a pauper who was cared for by the county for more than twenty years. She was regularly "farmed out " annually to the lowest bidder. . She first came to public notice in 1846, when William Gillaspy was allowed $6.65 for providing her with necessary wants for a few months. The pauper claims allowed in 1846-47 amounted to $89.75; in 1847-48 to $231.14 ; in 1848-49 to $194.49 ; in 1855-56 to $483.73; in 1857-58 to $488.35; in 1861-62 to $553.29 ; in 1863-64 to $529.11; in 1864-65 to $762.49; in 1865-66 to $968.14; in 1869-70 to $546.40; in 1875-76 to $769.45; in 1879-80 to 908.84. In 1859, the County Board took steps to purchase a poor-farm, but after viewing several loca- tions and counting the cost the project was abandoned. In March, 1869, the County Board purchased 244 acres of land, adjoining Nashville on the east, of Thomas M. Adams, for $5,000, in two equal installments ; the first, April 25, 1870, and the second April 25,1871, the payments to be in county bonds bearing six per cent interest. William Waltman con-
691
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
tracted to erect a frame poor-house, 30x60 feet, for $1,474. The house was completed in 1870, and cost about $1,600. James Taggart was the first Superintendent. He received the use of the farm, and $3,085 for caring for the poor for three years. In 1872, Caleb Ferguson became Superintendent for $675 per year and the use of the farm. He was suc- ceeded, in 1877, by B. R. Kelley, for $277.50 per year and the use of the farm. Thomas J. Taggart became Superintendent in 1879, and Am- brose Fraker in 1883-the latter for $400 per year. The number of in- mates ranges from eight to fifteen.
THE COUNTY SEMINARY.
All the early fines, penalties, forfeitures, etc., were paid into a fund for the foundation and maintenance of a county seminary. Henry Jackson was the first Trustee. On the 1st of February, 1840, he reported the receipts up to that time to be $80.25. A year later the amount was $127.48, and in December, 1843, was $342.67. In 1853, when the fund was transferred to the common school fund, it amounted to $515.90.
THE COUNTY LIBRARY.
The act creating the county provided that ten per cent of the pro- ceeds of the sales of public lots at the county seat, should be used to found and maintain a county library. In 1840, the fund amounted to $177.60}. Soon after this, the first books were bought. In 1846, Will- iam Ganla was Librarian, and R. P. Manville, Treasurer. Several hun- dred volumes had been bought by this time. The fund came in slowly and in small amounts, and the library was correspondingly small. In the fifties, the McClure bequest gave to the workingmen a small library of choice reading matter. The old libraries are not kept up in these days of newspapers and cheap books.
ORIGIN OF SCHOOL FUNDS.
The common school fund was started in February, 1837, by the dis- tribution to the counties of the State of certain moneys which had accu- mulated and were known as the surplus revenue. Brown County re- ceived :
Surplus revenue (1836).
$2,125.60
Bank tax.
.211.23
Saline.
183.24
Sinking fund. 2,519.04
County Seminary fund (1853). .515.90
Total fines, penalties, forfeitures, etc., up to 1853. 287.62
Fines and penalties from 1856 to 1866 inclusive
.494.88
Sinking fund (1870-3). 3,428.50
Fines and penalties from 1866 to 1876 inclusive .. .2,259.22
Fines and penalties from 1876 to 1883, inclusive. 1,613.36
Total
$13,636.59
The Congressional fund has arisen from the sale of sixteenth sections and other lands specially reserved for the purpose. This fund furnished about the first money for the public schools and was a godsend to the early settlers. The condition of the school lands of the county in March 1845, was as follows :
692
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
Acres Sold.
Amount of Sale.
Cash receipts of Sale.
Acres Unsold.
Township 9 north, Range 4 east
120
150
62
Township 8 north, Range 3 east
160
200
50
Township 10 north, Range 3 east
640
720
180
Township 9 north, Range 3 east ..
640
Township 10 north, Range 2 east.
640
Township 10 north, Range 4 east
640
Township 9 north, Range 2 east
640
Township 8 north, Range 2 east
640
Township 8 north, Range 4 east
640
The following table shows the number of children in the congressional townships and the dividend in March, 1851 :
No. Children.
Dividend.
Township 9, Range 3.
246
56.60
Township 7, Range 3.
41
Township 8, Range 3
157
16.18
Township 8, Range 4
114
Township 9, Range 4
301
17.53
Township 10, Range 4
140
122.60
Township 10, Range 2.
314
36.00
Township 10, Range 3.
523
44.40
Township 10, Range 4 (Bartholomew County).
177
By 1866 the sales were as follows :
Township containing the Sixteenth Section.
Acres Sold.
Proceeds.
Township 8 north, Range 2 east ..
427₺
$534.37
Township 8 north, Range 3 east ..
560
700.00
Township 8 north, Range 4 east.
640
1260.00
Township 9 north, Range 2 east ..
560
784.80
Township 9 north, Range 3 east ..
600
1432.40
Township 9 north, Range 4 east ..
520
650.00
Township 10 north, Range 2 east
640
1000.00
Township 10 north, Range 3 east.
640
820.00
Township 10 north, Range 4 east.
640
2057.55
Total
5227₺
$9239.12
From 1866 to 1876 the fund increased by further sales to $9,755.37, and from 1876 to 1883, to $10,497.39. These two funds, amounting in all to $24,133.98 in 1883, are loaned out and the interest distributed to the townships. The Congressional school fund of the western townships of Bartholomew County is managed by Brown County. The following school statistics are for the year 1871 :
TOWNSHIPS.
Number of Children.
Congression- al Revenue.
Common School Revenue.
Total Tuition Revenue.
Hamblen.
758
$33.48
$394.16
$427.64
Jackson
728
51.81
378.56
430.37
Washington
943
31.25
490.36
521.61
Van Buren
753
33.55
391.56
425.11
Johnson
273
17.61
141.96
159.57
Totals
3,455
$167.70
$1,769.60
$1,964.30
-
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
The following church statistics for Brown County were prepared in 1881 :
MEMBERSHIP.
DENOMINA- TIONS.
Churches.
Buildings.
Male.
Female.
Total.
Admitted
during
the Year.
Value of Church
Ministers' Sala-
Other Expenses.
Charitable Con-
Number of Sun-
Pupils of Sunday
A verage Attend-
ance on Public Service.
Methodist
15
12
600
750
1350
150
$ 8,375
$2,000 $1,000
$650 40
70
500
800
Presbyterian ..
2
2
48
60
108
20
2,000
400
1,000
12
100
150
Baptist,
7
4
300
334
634
10
2,000
1,000
175
200
27
250
600
United Brethren ...
1
1
20
25
45
10
500
100
25
10
6
50
80
Christian
10
8
450
500
50
5,000
1,200
200
300
45
400
650
New Lights ..
2
2
35
45
950 80
15
1,000
200
50
20
12
75
100
Totals
37
29
1,453
1,714
3,167
255
$18,875 $4,900| $2,450
$1,220
172
1,375
2,380
OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
In pursuance of a notice for the old settlers of Brown County to meet at Georgetown and make arrangements for a re-union, the following persons assembled August 28, 1877 : D. B. Adams, Calvin Moser, A. S. Ander- son, William Marcum, Lawson Hopper, Alfred Williams, David Crouch, John McDonald, Thomas Waltman, Sen., George Heines, Milton Fleener and Howard Arwine. On motion D. B. Adams was made Chairman and W. M. Waltman, Secretary. It was then decided to hold the first re-union at Georgetown on the 22d of September, 1877, and invite Judge Hester, Alfred Williams and William Mason to address the multitude. Gov. J. D. Williams and Hon. D. W. Voorhees also received an invitation to be present. William M. Waltman was selected to deliver the address of welcome to the old settlers. On motion a committee of three from each township was appointed to record the names of all persons living therein who had been in the county thirty years or more and to bring the list to the first re-union to be read and recorded. These committees were as follows : Hamblen Township-W. G. Watson, W. P. Taggart and Joshua Metheney. Jackson Township-A. S. Anderson, Milton Fleener and William M. Waltman. Washington Township -- David Crouch, Alfred Will- iams and Lewis Rogers. Van Buren Township-J. A. Mckinney, John Noblett and J. T. Ping. Johnson Township-James Sexton, Wart Elkins and Thomas Madgett. Various committees and officers were appointed to introduce everything to make the occasion enjoyable. A beautiful cane was promised the man who had lived in the county longest and was over sixty years of age ; and a hickory rocking chair to the lady longest in the county and over fifty years of age. All were asked to bring old and interesting relics. On the 22d of September, 1877, an enormous crowd gathered at Georgetown, coming from all points of the compass. The exercises were opened with music by the Nashville Cornet Band and prayer by Rev. Benjamin Woods. Mr. Waltman, in an appropriate manner, made the welcoming address. The committee to award the cane and chair were Judge Hester, W. G. Watson, John Richards, Hiram - - and Enoch Sexton. Hon. Alfred Williams was elected permanent President of the society and W. M. Waltman, Secretary. The cane was awarded to Edward David, who was ninety-two years old and had lived in the county sixty-four years, and the chair to Margaret Graham, who was eighty years old and had lived in the county sixty-three years. The old gen-
tributions.
day School
Teachers.
Schools.
...
693
Property.
ries.
694
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.
tleman, as if but forty years old instead of ninety-two, exhibited his activity and appreciation of the gift after the fashion of ye olden time by dancing a jig to the tumultuous applause of the large crowd. A fine dinner was enjoyed and the day was passed in narrating incidents of pioneer times, which by all means ought to have been recorded. Old- fashioned speeches, full of rude eloquence and strength, were delivered by many old settlers present. Cornelius McCoy was dressed in hunter's suit and armed with rifle, tomahawk and knife. The following record was made :
Age in 1877.
Years in the County.
Edward David
.92
64
Enoch Sexton ..
.64
36
Green Graham.
89
63
Enoch Hampton
67
60
Jesse Hamblen
.65
57
Alfred Smith.
.80
40
Thompson Henry.
77
36
John Richards.
69
47
William Marcum
73
43
James Keaton
75
37
Christopher Long.
80
42
Christopher Stump.
86
50
James Terhune.
77
50
Jacob Stephens
78
30
Thomas Waltman
71
40
John Prosser
80
40
Levi Dubois
.65
37
Mrs. John Hoover.
73
56
Mrs. Mary Marcum.
67
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