USA > Indiana > Henry County > Henry County; past and present: a brief history of the county from 1821 to 1871 > Part 10
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HULDAN WICKERSHAM, a daughter of the old anti-slavery veteran, Caleb Wickersham, wrote many able articles on the topics of the day, especially in behalf of freedom for the slave. She at one time conducted a correspondence with the noted
111
THE LITERATURE OF THE COUNTY.
Elizabeth Pease that awakened much interest among her anti- slavery associates. She died many years since, in the vigor of early youth, while that which she had accomplished was but the promise of what might have been in the future.
WILLIAM EDGERTON has long been widely known to a cer- tain class of readers as an able essayist and original thinker, especially on controversial and theological subjects. His style is characterized by logical force, depth, and earnestness, rather than by ornament ; and his essays must always command the serious attention of thoughtful people. His popularity wonkl have been greater, though his usefulness might have been less, had he not taken upon himself the thankless job of stirring up certain theological dry bones.
SARAHI EDGERTON, sister of Wm. Edgerton, has also pro- dneed many articles of decided merit.
NANCY KINLEY, the first wife of Major Kinley, wrote verses full of the inspiration born of a loving heart and generous dis- position. An early grave closed the music of a harp that might have been attuned to higher song.
ISAAC KINLEY, who won the rank of Major in the late war, has perhaps performed more thorough and masterly literary labor than any other man claimed as a citizen of the county. Some of our readers will recollect a lecture he once delivered on the force of the English language, in which, when he came to treat of the strong points in Shakespeare, Scott, and Byron, the hearer was carried along as by a master-hand. Of course all his anditors did not thus enter into the spirit of the composition, which was without any effort after elocutionary effect. He has written a few fine poems and many essays and short articles of rare merit. Among his poems, "Astrea " and "I forgive " are still deservedly popular. In the summer and autumn of 1869 he, in company with his wife, visited Europe and reported the results of their tour in a series of most enjoyable letters to Julian's Radical. "The Beech Tree," the only Henry county magazine, although it died on Mr. Kinley's hands several years ago, has lett a host of pleasant memories, and doubtless, if again revived, would be much better sustained. It is to be hoped Mr. Kinley will see fit to embrace the best of his poems, sketches, and memories in book form for the gratification of his numerons
.
112
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT
friends. In Mr. Kinley's capacity as legislator and one of our early anti-slavery politicians, he has made speeches worthy of preservation, but want of space forbids further notice.
JEHU T. ELLIOTT, whose long and successful career at the bar and on the bench has proven him one of our most vig- orous thinkers, and although writing but little outside of a few political articles, he deserves mention as a man of generous self-culture.
MISS JOSIE V. HICKMAN has for some years past been a frequent contributor to some of the newspapers and maga- zines of the country. She writes essays, stories, and poems with equal facility, and has been connected with Mrs. Bland in con- ducting the Ladies' Own Magazine, at Indianapolis, for some time past. This magazine announced, nearly a year ago, that Miss Hickman had a volume of poems in course of preparation.
CLARKSON DAVIS, for several years Principal of Spiceland High School, is one of the best essayists and lecturers in the State. There is a charm about his writings that renders them exceedingly popular. Like Major Kinley, a tour through some of the European States has furnished the theme for many pleas- ant lectures. Our people may well hope to see and hear more from his pen.
THOMAS R. STANFORD is one of those men whom it is not well to forget, in going back to the past. He served our people faithfully for many years, though we do not now remember but a single literary effort from his pen-a farewell to his constit- uents, written at the close of a long and useful career.
MRS. BELL STANFORD used to contribute verses to the Courier that betrayed a kind heart and considerable taste.
C. D. MORGAN, Esq., in addition to his reputation as tem- perance lecturer, lawyer, and banker, has produced a few good addresses on literary and historical subjects. Mrs. C. D. Mor- gan is also, we believe, the author of a capital burlesque on the love-sick stories that craze the brains of many modern misses.
MR. E. E. PARKER, once of the county, has published, in Arthur's Home Magazine and other papers and periodicals, a number of poems exhibiting a high order of poetic talent.
JOSHEA H. MELLETT and JAMES BROWN, though making little pretensions to literature, lave each won a lucrative prac-
113
THE LITERATURE OF THE COUNTY.
tice at the bar, and several of our younger practitioners are following in their wake. Without a good degree of literary ability of a certain kind, success in this field is scarcely attain- able.
OF MR. B. S. PARKER, Whose many essays, sketches, and poems, published, as they have been, from East to West, we shall not speak at length. He is still amongst us and still writ- ing as opportunity offers, and undoubtedly wields the readiest pen of any writer in the county. The close friendship known to have existed between him and the writer of this book for years renders it difficult to speak of his varied and extensive labors in sneh terms as their merits deserve without, perhaps, having somewhat set down to the score of friendship and par- tiality, but the writer of the following needs no encomiums from us:
"So upward through darkness and sorrow.
Through pleasures that halo the night,
We grow, till we reach the to-morrow; Expand, till we enter the light."
ALBERT HODSON, the young and enthusiastic tourist whose letters from the high-ways and by-ways of Europe to The Republican, during the past and present years, are attract- ing much attention, is a writer of much promise. He has the elements of a most successful tourist, and the rare faculty of not only seeing all that he passes, but of giving most apt and vivid. pen-pictures of what he does see.
L. R. WOODS, for some time a Henry county boy, is prov- ing himself a first-class correspondent, as his frequent letters to the county papers attest.
NATHAN NEWBY, one of the faculty of the State Normal School, born and reared in the county, is the author of many creditable articles, that have appeared in print from time to time, on seientific and familiar topics.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, a noted minister of the "Christian " denomination, was bred, if not born, in the county, and has, for a number of years, been largely engaged in literary labors, mainly in the realins of denominational and controversial theo !- ogy. He began his career, we believe, at Milton, Wayne county, by publishing a small serial, entitled the Western Reformer. This was soon merged into a paper owned by Alexander Hall.
114
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
called the Proclamation, and this was soon connected with the Christian Age, owned by D. S. Burnett, and published at Cin- cinnati. Burnett was soon bought out, and the name changed to the Christian Review, under which name it is still edited by Mr. Franklin.
ADOLPHUS ROGERS, the accomodating Deputy Treasurer of the county, is a young man of most excellent literary attain- ments. He occasionally furnishes articles for the county papers. To him we are indebted for a great portion of the article on turnpikes.
JOHN C. TENS, now residing at Carthage, Mo., was long known in this eounty as one well posted in literary matters, and, although seldom appearing in print, had few superiors in stich literary productions as grace a literary society.
REV. M. MAMIN, presiding elder for the M. E. Church, is a resolute " defender of the faith" and literary man of fine attain- ments. His field of labor has been almost exclusively of a denominational character.
JAMES G. BURK, one of our " gallant dead," was a literary man of some taste and the editor and publisher of a book of several hundred pages, entitled, "First Quarrels in Married Life."
DR. JJOEL REED, almost the first Henry county physician, was a frequent contributor to the county papers in former years. He was a man of good alility, and the generous good- ness of his heart impressed itself upon his composition.
BENJAMIN WRIGLEY, onee an editor of the Courier, had a rare faculty of imitation of some of the choice songs of the language, and was the author of a few meritorious poems. He believed that people in general knew nothing; lacked faith in himself and every body and so run his paper down to naught and left the county.
HANNAH MARIA PARKER, of Wayne township, wrote sev- eral meritorious poems in blank verse. One entitled "The Exile of Scio," telling the woes of a noble Greek banished from his native land, gave evidence of a mind of more than ordinary poctie insight.
115
THE LITERATURE OF THE COUNTY.
PROF. ELIJAH EVAN EDWARDS flitted into our county once and rested the soles of his feet at New Castle a few months, but this fact hardly gives us the right to claim that gifted bird of song as a Henry county man.
DORA J. GILBERT, (afterward Williams,) when at college and a few years afterward produced some articles that at- tracted considerable attention on account of their promise of future excellence, but death closed her career before the full scope of her abilities were indicated.
MRS. JENNIE G. KINLEY, though scarcely to be claimed a Henry county writer, is the author of articles in prose and verse of rare merit. Her notes on European travel, published in the School Journal, cannot fail to please everyone.
The Misses EDWARDS, Elizabeth and Mary Jane produced before the local literary societies essays of considerable merit, some of which found their way into print, and may yet be seen in old and well thumed serap-books.
EZRA SPENCER, of Greensboro, has been for several years recognized as a pleasant writer of sketches and essays, and a general advocate of temperance and moral reform.
But our waning space forbids more than a " bare mention " of many who are more or less known in literary fields, like
WM. HAUGHTON, an eminent minister of the Society of Friends, and a lecturer on scientific and kindred topics of no mean repute; or of
S. S. BENNETT, the " Learned Blacksmith," efficient Auditor, preacher, and most forcible lecturer and orator in the county.
Besides these, we might mention a host of " locals" and re- porters whose talents are being called into active play by the requirements of the publie press. Of these we will merely mention JJOHN W. SHOCKLEY, of Blue River township; FLEM. RATCLIFF, of Dunreith : O. H. BOGUE, of Dudley ; OLL NIXON and J. B. ANTRIM, of Spiceland ; and a host of others of more or less celebrity, whose bright and shining lights have been partially hidden by the thin veil of a nom de plume.
Of the present county editors it is not our purpose to speak. They are still on the war path, and they must " fight it out on that line."
116
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
And thus ends the chapter, while many as noted as some mentioned may have been omitted, for the reason that they have been unknown to us, or we cannot now think of their names. Perhaps at some not very distant day some one will take hold of the matter and make a much better showing for the county than it has been possible for us to do.
COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
-
Printing is styled " The art preservative of all arts;" but a little research after copies of the earlier newspapers of this county has led to the conclusion that newspapers, however po- tent as chroniclers of passing events, pass away almost as rap- idly as the events themselves. To find sufficient data for giving the name and politics of the newspapers of the county-when they were founded, how long each lived, and by whom edited and published, was supposed to be quite an easy task, while the effort has shown it to be one of the most difficult we have had to perform. Where certainty was expected, only guesses and conjectures were met with.
THE FIRST PAPER.
The first newspaper of the county was issued at Knights- town as early as 1831 or 1832. - GRANT, editor, and JOHN MITCHELL, foreman of the office. Grant was succeeded by JAMES SILVERS, and he by J. T. LANGDON, each for a short time. The name of this paper is variously reported by those who remember it well, as the Knightstown Banner, Knightstown Sun, and Indiana Sun. The weight of the testimony we be- lieve to be in favor of its having been called the Knightstown Sun, although this would necessitate its having been suspended for several years, or for several considerable periods, as the Sun was only in its third year in 1839.
THE INDIANA SUN.
Leaving the debatable question as to what the first paper was christened, we find that T. D. CLARKSON either founded the
117
COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
Sun, or revived the old paper. The fact that the list of letters remaining in the post office at Knightstown was advertised in the Richmond Palladium in 1835, is pretty good evidence that this county was without a paper at the time. About the first of the year 1839 - HANNUM and J. W. GRUBBS purchased the Sun for $600, seemingly a large sum at the time. Before the purchase money was all paid, Hannum left unceremoniously for parts unknown, leaving J. W. Grubbs in possession of the field. On the 10th of June, 1841, Mr. Grubbs changed the name to Indiana Courier, and about the first of December fol- lowing removed with it to New Castle, " solely for the conven- ience of the people of Henry county." He continued its pub- lication until about the middle of the year 1846, when he sold to C. V. Duggins.
About the first of January, 1850, Mr. Duggins died, and the Courier was published by his executor, Mr. JAMES COM- STOCK, until in March. 1850, when JJ. W. Grubbs again became proprietor. GEORGE W. LENNARD purchased the office in Jan- uary, 1853, and, after a few months, found a partner in COLEMAN ROGERS, who assisted in conducting the paper the balance of the year. NATION & ELLISON became its proprietors in January, 1854, with H. C. GRUBBS as editor-in-chief, and D. NATION "local." Mr. Grubbs, however, soon retired and D. Nation was promoted.
BENJAMIN WRIGLEY purchased the office before the close of the year 1854, and took in as partner a Mr. LYLE; but before the close of the year 1855 they disposed of the office to CHAS. E. HARWOOD and T. B. REDDING, Who conducted it for about one year, and turned it over to E. B. MARTINDALE, Who also seems soon to have tired of it, and sold out to I. S. DRAKE early in 1857. In 1859 Mr. Drake secured as partner WALTON P. GOODE, who became sole proprietor about a year afterward, and continued alone in the business till November, 1862, when the office was sold to E. PLEAS, who conducted the paper until the first of March, 1869, a period of six years and four months, when it was sold to M. E. PLEAS and H. H. HOOVER. This firm continued the publication of the paper until the 13th of May, 1870, when M. E. PLEAS sold his interest to A. G. WILcox, who, in connection with Mr. Hoover, continued its publication until
119
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
som > tim> in January, 1871, when Mr. Hoover sold his interest TO CALVIN R. Scorr, which is the last of the changes we have to chronicle in the drum dis persone of that paper. Var space is too limitel for mich moore thin a catalogue of the changes in managers.
The Sun, which was the forerunner of the Courier (the vol- ume ant number of the former being for some time retained in the latter), was what is termed a five-column paper, 21 by 32 inches in dimensions, the columns being about one-third wider than at present. For several years after the change of name, the size was but little changed, though treated to an occasional new dre-s. In 1850 the columns were reduced in width about one-half an inch, so as to admit of six columns to the page, and in 1851 it was enlarged to a 21 by 36 sheet, -even columns to the page. and in 1858 again enlarged to 22 by 33, but in war times (May, 1$6!), it was reduced in size, by Mr. Goode, to six columns, and a sheet 22 by 32. At the end of the year 1863 it wa- again enlarged, by E. Pleas, to seven columns, or a sheet 24 by 36, and further enlarged, three years later, and made an eight-column paper, and while owned by Wilcox & Hoover it was still further enlarged and made a nine-column paper.
The polities both of the Sun and Courier were Whig so long a- that party remained to be battled for. Soon after the demise of that party the paper seemed to have Know-Nothing procliv- ities; but upon the organization of the Republican party it esponsed the cause of Republicanism.
NEW CASTLE BANNER.
The first paper at the county seat was established in the latter part of the year 1835, or early in 1836, and christened the Ver Castle Banner, J. B. SWAYZE publisher, and Rev. ALFRED JOHNSON COTTON, editor. The third number was not issued until March 31, 1836, at which time they say :
We have the pleasure to state that, notwithstanding we issued our first number of the Banner without a subscription list, we issue the third with a list rising 300. We confidently anticipate 500 ere long.
Notwithstanding these brilliant prospects, it only reached its twenty-sixth number by the 20th of October, and was sus- pended soon afterward. Mr. Swayze started a paper at Hagers- town, Indiana, and Mr. Cotton shut up his house and went to Dearborn county, and " stood a poll " for Judge and was elected.
119
COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
The Banner professed to be in lependent in politics, and to give the good from a'l sides, while the editor and publisher both voted the Democratie tieket.
THE DEMOCRATIC BANNER.
The next attempt at a Democratic paper in this county was made by J. FENWICK HENRY, about the first of August, 1851. It was started as a six-column sheet, 21 by 30, and was orna- mented by a wonderfully imposing wood cut head. In about eighteen months, the erratic J. F. H. sold the concern to NEL- SON ABBOTT, who enlarged it to a seven-column paper, 24 by 36, but soon changed the name to " New Castle Banner," re- dneing the size to six-column page and 22 by 32 sheet. It was conducted with considerable vigor. In 1854, a literary page was conducted under the nom de plume of De Wit Mullinix. real name not now remembered, though we believe the same writer was employed on a Cincinnati magazine, the department under his charge being regarded by some as equal to the Knick- erbocker Papers. The Banner was issued as a small semi-weekly for some time, but its demise, which occurred about 1855, Was probably hastened by the stand taken on the Nebraska question. The Baltimore platform and resistance to anti-slavery agitation appears to have been its " pole star."
HENRY COUNTY TIMES.
In September, 1865, R. F. BROWN, for some time publisher of a paper in Connersvile, Ind., removed his office to New Cas- tle, and commenced the publication of a seven-column sheet, styled the Henry County Times, the first number of which was dated October 13, 1865. At the end of a month, he removed his office to Knightstown, and the fourth number appeared as the Henry County Weekly Times. At the end of about five months, Brown "pulled up stakes " and went to Western Illinois, and, a few weeks later, to Lamar, Missouri, in search of a more appre- ciative community.
THE HENRY COUNTY INDEPENDENT.
This paper was started at New Castle, in April, 1867, by HOOVER & SHOPP, and, after reaching the twenty-fourth num- ber, was sold to a joint stock company of Democrats, by whom it was managed for five weeks, when it was placed under the control of LEONARD H. MILLER, who changed the name to
120
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES,
about the 1st of JJannary, 1868. Miller continued the paper until some time in April, when he became so badly demoralized that the company procured the services of a Mr. S. S. DARLING, of Hamilton, O., who was a young man of more promise than performance. He changed the name of the paper to
THE NEW CASTLE EXAMINER,
and ran on quite lively till some time in August, when an ex- amination showed that he too had decamped, and an arrange- ment was made with L. L. DALE, Esq., to conduct the paper.
In May following, Mr. Dale removed the office to Cam- bridge City. to fill a vacaney caused by the sale of the Demo- cratie organ at that place to the Republicans. The name was changed to Democratic Times, and after being published there for about five months, the office was again established at New Castle, and in December last sold to L. E. BUNDY and WM. Jouxsox, the present proprietors.
THE KNIGHTSTOWN BANNER,
Now in the fifth year, has started at Knightstown in the spring of' 1867 by JOHN A. DEEM, who continues to conduct it. It was at first a small sheet, but has been enlarged from time to time and is now quarto in form and printed on a sheet 25 by 36 inches, and seems to be well sustained by the citizens of Knight-town and vicinity. In polities it has been radically Republican.
THE CITY CHRONICLE,
Also published at Knightstown, was originated by J. C. RID- DELL early in the year 1870. It is a fair-sized sheet but has been so irregularly in its appearance as to leave us in doubt as to its permanance.
·
THE HENRY COUNTY REPUBLICAN.
This is a nine colunm paper 26 x 42 inches in size. Its pub- Jieation was commenced Angust 4, 1870, by E. and M. E. Pleas. Although there were already four papers published in the county, the Republican still in its first year has attained to more than an average circulation. In polities it is radically Repub- lican.
THE KNIGHTSTOWN CITIZEN.
Started in 1858 or 9, we believe, by T. D. CLARKSON, and
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BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES. 121
afterward conducted by Will C. Morean, and then by A. M. Woodin was discontinued about the latter part of 1861. It was a fair-sized sheet, Republican in politics. Not being in posses- sion of a copy or any very definite information about it, the notice must be correspondingly brief.
THE BEECH TREE.
This was a 32 page literary magazine, conducted by Isaac Kinley, and started, we believe, in 1858. It was discontinued after a few months for want of a sufficiently generous support such as its merits really demanded.
THE WESTERN RURALIST,
An agricultural magazine, published at Knightstown in 1865. by John A. Deem. It was only published a few months when Mr. Deem went to Plainfield, Indiana, and engaged in the pub- lication of a weekly paper.
ADVERTISING SHEETS.
In addition to the regular newspapers of the county, sev- eral little papers intended chiefly as advertising sheets with enough reading only to make them go, have from time to time been projected. Such were the Knightstown Trade Journal of 1867, M. H. Chappell Publisher, and The Henry County Adver- tiser, recently issued by J. B. Martindale.
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
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The organizations known as "benevolent societies" form too important a feature of our " domestic institutions" to be over-looked, although want of room compels us to pass from the subject with little more than a notice of the strength, and date of the organization of eachi lodge.
MASONS.
The oldest Masonic organization in the county is that of Knightstown, which, from the following table it will be seen was formed near thirty years ago.
19
122
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
NAME AND NO. OF LODGE, AND TIME OF MEETING.
F. and A. M.
Golden Rule (Knightstown), No. 16
1844
114
Lewisville, No. 72
1848
37
New Castle, No. 91, Saturday on or after full moon
1850
80
Greensboro, No. 175, Friday on or before full moon .
1855
41
Middletown, No. 271, Saturday on or before full moon
1861
52
Cadiz, No. 277
1862
49
Cadiz. No. 277, reorganized
1870
29
Blountville, No. 331. Sat. on or before full moon
1567
43
Mechanicsburg, No. 392. Sat. on or after full moon
1869
27
HI. H. Winslow, No. 27. (col'di. first Friday in month Chapter.
1869
12
Knightstown, No. 33
1$56
84
New Castle, No. 50, Saturday after full moon
1864
65
Criptie (Knight-town,) No. 29 .
1864
50
Wm. Hacker (Knightstown), No. 9
1866
53
ODD FELLOWS.
This brotherhood is the most numerous fraternity in the county, and "Fidelity Lodge," at New Castle, takes precedenee in point of age, as will be seen by the table below :
NAME AND NO. OF LODGE, AND TIME OF MEETING.
I. O. O. F.
Date of organiza tion.
Present strength.
Fidelity (New Castle). No. 59 Saturday
1848
84
Fall Creek (Middletown), No. 97, Tuesday
1851
63
Knightstown. No. 99, Tuesday
1×51
123
Wildey ( Lewisville). No. 191, Thursday
1857
40
Ogden, No. 202. Saturday .
1858
45
Cadiz, No. 237, Saturday
1860
33
Greensboro, No. 247. Saturday
1865
51
Sulphur Springs, No. 249, Saturday
1865
31
Spiceland, No. 266, Friday.
1866
40
Blountsville, No. 395. Saturday
1868
38
Mechanicsburg, No. 327, Thursday
1869
21
Dunreith, No. 341, Wednesday
1870
41
Encampments.
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