USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 45
USA > Indiana > White County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 45
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449
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
basins of barnyards or backyards, implanting seed in the blood of chil- dren, that, in after years, make their appearance in the full and sorrow- ful fruitage of permanent blood or epidermic disorders. The plowing and opening of new land are followed by a saturation of the atmosphere with malarial poison, as the decay of vegetation in the soil is rapidly in- creased; but, after a few years, when the cultivation of the soil leads to the swift destruction of such vegetation, the cause is thus removed. The drainage of wet lands is followed in a similar manner by a severe poison- ing of the atmosphere; but, after the sun and the elements have destroyed the mosses, grasses, roots and branches, a most fruitful cause of disease is removed. The citizens of Pulaski County are beginning to realize the splendid results of drainage. J. H. Falvey, the County Auditor, states, that about 200 miles of open drains have been dug in the county, and almost the whole of this has been done within the last ten or fifteen years. The total cost of this vast system of artificial water-courses, is not far from $75,000. Compared with open drainage, the underdrainage is almost reduced to naught. It remains for the future to fully develop the seventeen benefits of underdrainage specified above. But the most important point remains to be considered. Prominent physicians who have lived and practiced in the county for many years state that malarial disorders are reduced from twenty to fifty per cent from what they were thirty and forty years ago, and that the greater portion of this great re- duction has taken place within the past fifteen years. It certainly does not require any reasoning to connect the reduction of malarial ills to the destruction of malarial poison by the drainage and cultivation of the soil. The future will see still greater results in the same direction.
The Indians .- For many centuries prior to the advent of the white man, the territory embraced in what is now Pulaski County was claimed and occupied by native Americans, or Indians. All the region of country whose approximate corners are Detroit, the mouth of the Scioto River, the mouth of the Wabash River, and the southern point of Lake Michi- gan, was the property of the Twigtwees, or Miamis, until they relin- quished portions, first to other tribes, and later by cessions to the whites .* Within this vast scope of country they had lived for many generations, engaged in all the barbarous and peculiar customs of savage tribes. Here they were found as early as 1672, by French traders and mission- aries, and here they had undoubtedly lived for centuries before. But during the latter part of the last century, and the early part of the pres- ent one, as the resolute white men began to enter the domain of the In-
* At the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, Mish-e-ken-o-quah, or Little Turtle, a distinguished Miami chief, said to Gen. Wayne: "I hope you will pay attention to what I now say. * * * It is well known by all my brothers present that my forefather kindled the first fire at Detroit; thence he ex- tended his lines to the head-waters of the Scioto; thence to its mouth; thence down the Ohio to the mouth of the Wabash, and thence to Chicago, on Lake Michigan."-American State Papers, Indian Affairs, I, 570.
.
450
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
dians lying northwest of the Ohio River, the soil was slowly yielded to the stronger race, and the Eastern tribes of Indians began to enter the broad territory of the Miamis. Thus it was that eventually the major part of the Miami lands was relinquished to members of other tribes, and finally by them ceded to the whites. At the time of the appearance of the whites in Northern Indiana, from 1820 to 1840, the greater portion of the Miami lands north of the Wabash River was occupied by the Pot- tawatomies, while the former tribe occupied the country south of the Wabash. What is now Pulaski County was ceded by the Pottawatomies to the United States on the 26th of October, 1832, by a treaty held near Rochester, between Jonathan Jennings, John W. Davis and Mark Crume, Commissioners in the service of the Government, and Wah-she-o-nos, Wah-ban-she, Aub-bee-naub-bee, and other chiefs on the part of the Pot- tawatomies. The Indians did not leave for their new homes west of the Mississippi until about the year 1842, though the first detachment went in 1838 or 1839. The treaty of 1832 was not confirmed by President Jackson until 1836. Very soon after the conclusion of the treaty of 1832, white trappers, hunters and squatters began to appear in what is now Pulaski County, and erelong their rude log cabins could be seen here and there on the streams.
Creation of the County .- The following is the act creating the county of Pulaski :
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: * * * ** *
*
* *
SECTION 11. That all the territory within the following boundary shall consti- tute a county to be known by the name of Pulaski: beginning at the northwest corner of Township 31 north, Range 4 west, thence east twenty-four miles, thence south with the meridian line eighteen miles, thence west with the line dividing Townships 28 and 29 north twenty-four miles, thence north with the line dividing Ranges 4 and 5 west eighteen miles to the place of beginning.
*
*
This act to be in force from and after its passage.
Approved February 7, 1835.
No other action was taken by the State Legislature regarding Pulaski County, until the population had become sufficient to warrant its organi- zation, when the following special law was passed :
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana : That from and after the first Monday of May next, the county of Pulaski shall en- joy all the rights and privileges, benefits and jurisdictions which do or may proper- ly belong or appertain to separate or independent counties.
SEC. 2. That William Wardon and John Barr, of White, and David Martin, of Carroll, and James Gordon and James H. Kentner, of Cass Counties, be, and they are hereby appointed Commissioners, agreeable to an act entitled " An act fixing the seats of justice for all new counties hereafter laid off." The Commissioners aforesaid shall meet on the first Monday of May next, at the house of John Pearson
451
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
in Winnemack, in the county of Pulaski, and shall immediately proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law; and it shall be the duty of the Sheriff of White County, either in person or writing, to notify said Commissioners of their appoint- ment on or before the first Monday of April next, and for such services he shall re- ceive such compensation as the law requires.
SEC. 3. The circuit court and the Board of County Commissioners when elected under the writ of election from the executive department, shall meet at the house of Mr. Pearson, and hold their first session, and adjourn to any other place they see proper until the public buildings are erected.
SEC. 4. The board doing county business may, as soon as elected and qualified, hold special sessions not exceeding three during the first year after the organization of said county, and appoint an Assessor, and make all other necessary appointments, and do all other business that may be necessary, and take such steps to collect State and county revenue as may be necessary, any law or usage to the contrary notwith- standing.
SEC. 5. The circuit court of the county of Pulaski, shall, after the expiration of twelve months from the passage of this act, be held at the county seat of said coun- ty, or as near as a convenient house can be had for that purpose, the Friday after the courts are held in White County; and the courts in Jasper shall be held the Mon- day after the courts in Pulaski; and said county of Pulaski shall remain attached to the county of White for judicial purposes, until twelve months from the passage of this act. This act to be in force from and after its passage.
Approved February 18, 1839.
The County Before its Organization .- Previous to these enactments, however, and probably before the county had a single permanent white family within its borders, provision had been made for the administration of justice by the attachment of the territory now composing the county to other organized counties, as will be seen by the following enactment :
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana : That all the territory lying north of the county of Cass to the line dividing Townships 32 and 33 north be and the same is hereby attached to said county for judicial and repre- sentative purposes and that all the territory lying north of the county of White and of the territory attached thereto to the aforesaid line be and the same is hereby at- tached to the county of White for the same purpose. This act to be in force from and after its publication in the Indiana Journal, printed at Indianapolis.
Approved December 24, 1834.
From this, it will be seen that the eastern tier of townships in Pulaski County was attached to Cass County, and the three western tiers were attached to White County. In 1829, when Ca'ss County was organized, the Commissioners of that county ordered all the attached territory on the north to the State line organized as St. Joseph Township. As the last enactment quoted above was not approved until 1834, it is probable that the eastern tier of townships of Pulaski County was not a part of this St. Joseph Township. The eastern tier remained attached to Cass until Pu- laski was organized. Immediately after the above enactment of 1834 was passed, the Commissioners of White County attached the three tiers of townships of Pulaski County to old Union Township of the former county. of which they remained a part until September, 1837, when, by a re- organization of the townships of White County, they became a part of Monon Township. At this time, all of Pulaski County north of old Lib-
452
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
erty Township of White County was attached to such township. Thus Pulaski County remained until its organization in pursuance of the enact- ment quoted above, approved February 18, 1839.
The First Election .- During the spring of 1839, George P. Terry, then living at what is now Winamac, was appointed a Sheriff by Gov. Wallace to organize the county of Pulaski. Mr. Terry ordered an elec- tion of three County Commissioners, two Associate Judges and one County Clerk and Recorder, to be held on the 13th of May, 1839, and so far as known the polls were opened in no other place in the county ex- cept Winamac. The following is the result of this election : Associate Judges, Elijah T. Oliver, 38; Andrew Keys, 29; Joseph Conkling, 8; County Commissioners, John A. Davis, 24; Peter W. Demoss, 22; Jesse Coppock, 20; Moses Holmes, 14; Clerk and Recorder (one man), John Pearson, 19; Joshua Lindsey, 8; Alexander Patterson, 7. The officers of this election were, Clerks, David Harris and William Wall; Judges, Joseph Smith and Jesse Conn; Inspector, David Klinger. Unfortunately the names of the voters at this first election in the county cannot be given. Before this election was held, the commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the county seat, William Wardon, John Barr, David Martin, James Gordon and James H. Kentner, met, took the oath to faithfully comply with the law, before Joshua Lindsey, Justice of the Peace, performed the duties enjoined upon them by law, and made the following report of their proceedings :
The undersigned Commissioners, appointed by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, to locate the seat of justice of Pulaski County, met at the house of John Pearson, in the town of Winamac, on Monday, the 6th day of May, 1839, and after being duly sworn according to law, proceeded as follows, to wit: We have selected the town of Winamac as the seat of justice of Pulaski County, the court house to be on the court house square as designated on the plat of said town. We have further received of William Polk and John Pearson, proprietors of said town, as a donation, the public square as designated on the town plat. Also an acre of ground [on which] to build a public seminary, on the north of Madison street and opposite Lots 121 and 168, being 280 feet on said street, and running at right angles back for quantity. Also, two acres of ground at some suitable point adjacent to the town for a public graveyard. Also, we [they] will further agree to donate for the purpose of a court house for said county Lot 33, on which is a good hewed-log house, erected 18x26 feet, for the term of four years from this date, after which it is to be considered the property of the proprietors, their heirs or assigns. Also, one note of $1,575, and payable in three years with interest from date. Also, one note of the same date and amount, payable in four years from date, with inter- est as aforesaid note of three years. Also, the sum of $125 to be paid at the first session of the Commissioners' Court. Given under our hands and seals this 8th day of May, 1839.
JOHN BARR, JAMES GORDON, DAVID MARTIN, WILLIAM WARDON, J. H. KENTNER, Locating Commissioners.
APY
7
dra Brown DECEASED.
455
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
The bond of William Polk and John Pearson specified the following property donated to the county : The public square for county buildings ; Lot 159 for a schoolhouse; one acre of land for a county seminary north of Madison street, opposite Lots 121 and 168; two acres for a public graveyard on the southwest corner of the east half of the northeast quar- ter of Section 14, Town 30, Range 2 west, and donate Lot 33 with the house thereon for the term of four years to be used for court purposes. The three years' note for $1,575 donated to the county was signed by William Polk, John Pearson, John Harrison and George P. Terry. This note was dated May 8, 1839. Another note for the same amount, and for the same purpose, but having four years to run, was made on the same day, by the same four parties. The one for $125 due at the first session of the Commissioners was signed by William Polk and John Pearson.
The Board of Commissioners .- At the first meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the county of Pulaski, held at the house of John Pear- son in Winamac, the place fixed by law for holding courts, on the 27th of May, 1839, pursuant to law, present John A. Davis, Peter W. Demoss and Jesse Coppock, Commissioners elect of the county. Each Commis- sioner produced his certificate of election from the organizing Sheriff, duly sworn to, and was permitted to take his seat with the board. At the election of the 13th of May, 1839, John A. Davis had been elected Commissioner for the long term-three years; Peter Demoss for two years, and Jesse Coppock for one year. The first act of the Commis- sioners on this, their first meeting, was to lay off the county into three Commissioners' districts as follows : No. 1. To begin at the northeast corner of the county ; thence south to the south line of Township 31, Range 1 west; thence running west with the township line to the western line of the county. No. 2. To begin at the northeast corner of Town- ship 30, Range 1 west ; thence south to the southeast corner of said town- ship; thence west with the township line to the western boundary of the county. No. 3. To begin at the northeast corner of Township 29, thence running south to the corner of said township; thence west with the south line of said county to the western boundary of the county. It was then ordered that the county be laid off into the following civil townships : All that portion of Pulaski County lying east of the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4, and north of the line dividing Townships 30 and 31, to be known as Tippecanoe Township. All that portion of the county in Township 30 and Ranges 1, 2 and 3, to be known as Monroe Township. All that portion of the county in Township 29 and Ranges 1, 2 and 3, to be known as Beaver Township. All that portion of the county lying west of the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4, to be known as White Post Township. It was ordered that an election be held in Tippecanoe Township at the house
27
456
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
of Eli Demoss, with Jesse Justice, Inspector ; in Monroe Township at the house of John Pearson, with David Klinger, Inspector ; in Beaver Township at the house of Asa Inman, with Moses L. Washburn, Inspec- tor ; in White Post Township at the house of Mrs. Cowan, with Lewis Dowson, Inspector. It does not appear that the day of election in these townships was fixed at this time. At this time, the report of the Locating Commissioners quoted above was received by the county board.
Miscellaneous Items .- At this first meeting of the County Commis- sioners, the Sheriff of White County was paid $8 for notifying the Locating Commissioners to fix the seat of justice of Pulaski County. Comfort Olds was appointed Three Per Cent Commissioner. Michael Munson was appointed Assessor. A tax of 50 cents was levied on each $100 valua- tion for county purposes, and a poll tax of 50 cents. Peter Quigley was appointed County Treasurer. The Sheriff was ordered to post notices that an election would be held in each of the townships June 15, 1839, for one Justice of the Peace, one Constable, one Supervisor of Roads, two Overseers of the Poor and two Fence Viewers. John C. Waldo was appointed County Agent, and Isaac Olds, County Surveyor. The first road was ordered established in August, 1839, at a special session, and extended from the Rochester & Monticello State road, Section 3, Town- ship 29, Range 2, to intersect the State road extending from Winamac to Monticello, ending at the northeast corner of Section 34, Township 30, Range 2. Moses L. Washburn was appointed Viewer. On the 6th of August, the 3 per cent Commissioner reported on hand $865.75. Of this, $300 was ordered expended on the Chicago State road, east of Winamac. In October, 1839, Michael Monson was appointed County Collector.
The Squatters .- Considerable land in the county was occupied pre- vious to the sale of the public lands. (See Chapter I, White County history, for dates of sales.) Quite a number of families had come into the county prior to its organization, and had "squatted " upon tracts of land which they expected to purchase as soon as the market was opened, or before. As the time approached for the sale, it became apparent that shrewd, unscrupulous speculators were on the lookout, ready, like hawks, to pounce down upon the unsuspecting " squatters," and secure the farms which, in many cases, had been subjected to quite an extensive state of cultivation, before the latter were aware of their peril. This induced many to prove up their " claims " before the public sale of the land. In this manner they founded their title, and blocked the heartless game of the speculators. A number of the first tracts of land entered in the county will be seen in the following table :
457
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
PURCHASERS.
SECTION.
TOWNSHIP.
RANGE.
ACRES.
DATE OF ENTRY.
LOCATION.
Runion Compton
2
29
1
155.89
Aug. 20, 1838.
N. W. 4.
Runion Compton
2
29
1
80
Aug. 20, 1838.
S. ¿ N. E. 4.
John Fisher .
3
29
1
320
Aug. 20, 1838.
S. J.
John Deisher
7
29
1
162.41
Aug. 20, 1838.
N. W. 4.
Dudley Madden.
25
29
1
80
Aug. 20, 1838.
W. ¿ S. W. ł.
Joseph S. McNutt
33
29
1
640
Aug. 20, 1838.
All W. ¿ S. E. ¿ and W.{N. E. }.
Nathaniel Benjamin
34
29
1
160
Aug. 20, 1838. )
S. w. f.
Nathaniel Benjamin
34
29
1
160
Aug. 20, 1838. 5
N. W. 4.
Jolın H. Thompson.
34
29
1
80
Aug. 20, 1838.
E. ¿ S. E. }.
Josiah C. White
35
29
1
80
Aug. 20, 1838.
E. Į N. E. }.
Josiah C. White
35
29
1
80
Aug. 20, 1838.
W. ¿ N. E. 4.
Josiah C. White
36
29
1
320
Aug. 20, 1838.
W. J.
Josiah C. White
36
29
1
160
Aug. 20, 1838.
S. E. Į.
Josiah C. White . .
36
29
1
160
Sept.
3, 1838.
N. E. Į.
John H. Thompson
35
29
1
80
Sept.
3, 1838.
W. ¿ S. W. 4.
Joseph T. Wallace
32
29
1
160
Sept.
5, 1838.
SE. ¿ S. W. } and
W. ¿ S. W. 4.
1
160
Aug. 20, 1838.
John H. Thompson ..
34
29
1
In addition to these, the following men entered land in 1838 : James Higginbotham, John Nerhood, James Lemon, Samuel C. Sample, Ira Brown, Elisha Hall, Samuel Burson, George Heater, Robert R. Dickey, Elias Weiker, William Fisher, William J. Walker, John Reeder, James Lemon, Jr., David Fisher, Noah S. Larose, Moses L. Washburn, Mercer Brown, Joseph Smith, Benjamin Grant, William Craig, Robert Scott, William Murphey, Isaac Coppock, William M. Sherrard, John Dowl, Samuel Collins, George Stump, Bethsheba Cowan and Strother Moore. The following additional men entered land in 1839 : Thomas J. Falcon, George Shull, Peter Nichols, Jacob Nichols, George Wood, Mrs. Louisa Wood, John Hollenbeck, Samuel McFadden, Henry Worley, William McConnel, Thomas Buck, Henry Tomlinson, John Harman, James Pierce, Robert Quigley, Elijah T. Oliver, Peter Blue, James G. McKin- ley, John Tilman, Sr., William Rogers, Andrew Tilman, Daniel D. Gemberling, Martin R. Tilman, Lawrence Cunningham, Archibald Ham- mel, Jacob Ruff, George Wollenburg, Jonas Good, Samuel Decker, Jo- seph Felker, Daniel McCanfil, Amos Benfer, Daniel March and William Rhonemus. In 1839, 129 tracts of land were entered; in 1840, 27 only, and in 1841, 175.
The Circuit Court .- The first term of the Pulaski County Circuit Court was begun on the 24th of April, 1840, the court assembling first in the house of John Pearson, but immediately adjourning to the school- house. Hon. Isaac Naylor, President Judge, was present, as was also Elijah T. Oliver, one of the two Associate Judges. E. A. Hannegan, Samuel C. Wilson, Hiram Allen and Thomas M. Thompson were sworn in as lawyers, Wilson acting as Prosecuting Attorney. The Grand
458
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
Jurors were Moses L. Washburn, Foreman, Tilghman Hackett, John Shoe, Joseph Conkling, Asa Inman, Moses R. Holmes, Elijah Justice, Oliver B. Hayden, Peter W. DeMoss, Andrew Farmer, Joseph T. Wal- lace, Joseph Wason, David T. Woods, John Reeder, John Davenport, Moses Cleveland, Jesse Conn and Joseph Smith. The Petit Jurors were Robert White, John A. Davis, William W. Curtis, John Reese, James Ballinger, William C. Coppock, John C. Waldo, John Dowl, Jacob Phipps, William Fisher, Lewis Dawson, Michael Munson, George Stump, Elisha Hall, Eli Demoss, Comfort Olds, David Fisher, Andrew Hamil- ton, Robert White, Jr., Jacob Replogle, John Nitcher, Jesse Justice, Hampton W. Hornbeck and Jesse Coppock. One appealed case, John A. Davis vs. George P. Terry, was brought before the court, and judg- ment rendered for the plaintiff. The Grand Jury returned an indict- ment against Benjamin Ganson for retailing spirituous liquors without a license. At the October (1840) term of the Circuit Court, held in the schoolhouse, Judge Naylor was present ; also E. T. Oliver and Andrew Keys, Associate Judges, and S. C. Wilson, Prosecuting Attorney. In the case of the State vs. Benjamin Ganson, the defendant pleaded guilty, whereupon he was fined $2, which amount went into the County Semi- nary fund. The grand jury returned the following indictments : The State vs. Andrew Keys ; assault and battery. The State vs. J. T. Wal- lace; assault and battery. The State vs. Joseph Conkling; assault and battery. The State vs. Allen Whitson and James Murphy ; assault and battery. Among the early practitioners of law in the county were Daniel D. Pratt, J. W. Wright, H. P. Biddle, W. Z. Stuart, W. S. Palmer, G. W. Blakemore, D. M. Dunn, T. A. Weakley, C. D. Hatha- way, E. A. Hannegan, G. S. Adams, J. Turpie, L. Chamberlain, H. H. Evans and J. W. Eldridge.
County and State Roads .- The County Commissioners, as rapidly as the funds would allow, began to view, lay out and complete roads in all directions. Several State roads, extending across the county, had been commenced before the county was organized; these were pushed as speedily as possible to completion. What was known as the three per cent fund had been provided by the State for the purpose of building roads. A Commissioner was appointed, and required to expend this fund under the orders of the County Commissioners. Something like $250 was thus due the county annually. Before the county was organ- ized, Lewis Dawson, then a resident, had been appointed Three Per Cent Commissioner by the Board of White County. This was in 1838. During the summer of this year, under his superintendency, George Stump built in the western part of the county what became well known as the "Stump Bridge." The Logansport & Winamac road was one of
459
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
the first, having been commenced in 1837. In 1838, Congress estab- lished a postal route from Logansport via Winamac, Sherwood's Ferry on the Kankakee, Valparaiso to City West, in Porter County, on Lake Michigan ; also one from Monticello via White Post to Winamac. At the time Lewis Dawson was appointed Three Per Cent Commissioner for Pulaski County, there was due the county from that fund the sum of $4,000. This was almost a godsend. The La Fayette & Michigan City State road was one of the first to reach the county. From this early time, on through the years until the present, the county records are filled with hundreds of roads viewed, laid out and built, at a cost in the aggre- gate of hundreds of thousands of dollars. From a beginning of one or two State roads running along over a picked location on the higher lands, there is now a perfect spider-web of well-graded and well-bridged high- ways, some of which are almost as solid as graveled turnpikes. There is much more work and expense of a similar character for the future to develop.
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