USA > Indiana > Henry County > Henry County; past and present: a brief history of the county from 1821 to 1871 > Part 9
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EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURES.
The following are the principal items and amounts of "ex- traordinary " expenditures since 1861 :
Relief to soldiers' families. $21,099 01 | Bounty bonds and int .$115,153 50
Expense of military. 52,910 51 Court House, Jail, etc 179,148 63
Making a total of 368,341 65
The large amount of unusual expenditures, together with the war prices paid for nearly all the objects of ordinary ex- pense, swelled the amount to a sum that, to a Henry county citizen, seemed enormous. Just how promptly and cheerfully
STATISTICAL AND FINANCIAL.
these burdens were paid may be inferred from the fact that the total delinquency on a duplicate amounting to $218,775, was but $4,276, or a trifle less than two per cent. of the whole, and more than two-thirds of this was afterwards collected.
It is also worthy of remark that the amount of taxes car- ried over from year to year has rarely exceeded one or two per cent. of the duplicate, and to-day is only about three and one- half per cent. of the whole, a sum not much larger than the poll-tax on transient citizens, of which every community has its share.
OTHER ITEMS.
"The expense of Poor for the ten years ending the first day of June, 1870, has been $35,659 36
An average per year of. 3,565 93
Expenses of county officers for the same period ... 42,548 95 An average per year of. 4,254 83
Expense of assessing revenue for ten years, includ- ing assessing real estate.
19,870 67
An annual average of
1,957 0G
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
The Congressional Districts in which Henry county has been associated have fluctuated strangely, partly owing, no doubt, to the different ratios of representation ; and, of course, to some extent, in consequence of the shifting tide of emigra- tion; but infinitely more because of the struggle for ascendency between political parties, skill in manipulating the material in hand, so as to perpetuate the reign of the party in power, being regarded as the very acme of statesmanship.
When Elbridge Gerry, a noted Eastern politician, the patron saint of this prominent branch of politics, once manip- ulated the districts of his State so that an adept in geography would be puzzled to fix the boundaries, some one described them as "meandering," to which another remarked, " Yes, they look like they had been Gerrymandered ;" and from that dar to this " Gerrymandered " and " Gerrymandering" have been recog- nized in current literature as synonyms for political trickery.
* The expense of Poor includes part payment on an addition to the Poor Farm, while the expense of county officers refers only to pay drawn direct from the Treasury, and, of course, does not include fees.
100
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
A peep at the Indiana Congressional Districts must con vine anyone that Gerry has had plenty of imitators in the Hoosie State.
Our districts, since 1832 have been the 6th, 5th, 4th and 9tl and have been made up as follows :
Sixth District, 1832 to 1836-Allen, Randolph, Delaware Henry, Wayne, Union, Fayette, Rush, Elkhart, and Lagrange
Fifth District, 1836 to 1840-Adams, Allen, Lagrange, No ble, Fulton, Wabash, Huntington, Jay, Randolph, Grant, Dela ware, Henry, Wayne, Fayette, and Union.
Fifth District, 1840 to 1844 -- The same as above, with the addition of Stenben, Whitely, De Kalb, Blackford and Wells.
Fourth District, 1844 to 1852-Henry, Wayne, Fayette, and Union.
Fifth District, 1852 to 1868-Delaware, Henry, Randolphi Wayne, Fayette, and Union.
Ninth District, 1868-Allen, Adams, Wells, Jay, Blackford. Delaware, Randolph, and Henry.
It will be seen that from 1832 to 1840 the district was, in the widest place, nearly seventy miles, by one hundred and fifty in length, and comprised nearly 7,000 square miles. In 1840 this was suddenly reduced to about thirty-six miles in width, from north to south, by forty-two from east and west, and only com- prised 1,100 square miles and four of the twenty counties. In 1868 another change came upon us, and Henry and seven other counties compose the district, which is now about forty-two miles from east to west, and one hundred and twenty from north to south, and containing about 3,800 square miles.
VOTE OF HENRY COUNTY FOR GOVERNOR.
1825-Ray
303
1849-Wright 128:
Blackford
63
366
Cravens
115 2839
1828-Ray
479
1852-Wright 1179
Conly
68
McCarty
1527
Moore
37
584
Robinson
351 3037
1840-Bigger
1579
846
2425
Willard 1188
3674
Whitcomb.
902
Hendricks
1328
4125
Derin .
191
2233 1864-Morton
3008
1846-Marshall
1180
McDonald 1123
4131
Whitcomb
814
1994 1868-Baker 2373
1849-Matson.
1437
Hendricks
1416
3789
1856-Morton. 2486
Howard
1843-Bigger
1140
1860-Lane 2797
101
STATISTICAL AND FINANCIAL.
The population in 1830 was 6,458; in 1840, 15,128; in 1850, ,CO7; in 1860, 20,119; in 1870, 23,127.
OTE OF HENRY COUNTY FOR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
1:52-R. J. Hubbard. 267 2985
Jonathan MeCarty .
Joseph S. Buckles 847 2SS1
33-Jaunes Raridan $15
1856-David Kilgour 2448
Jonathan MeCarty .. 5:1
2015 Edmund Johnson 1190 3638
Wilson Thompson .
597
1838-David Kilgour 1956
41-Andrew Canaday. . .
Lafe Develin. 912
2868
C. B. Smith 527
1837 1860-George W. Julian 2686
Jonathan MeCarty
:13
W. A. Bickle 1023 3709
43-0. B. Smith
1966,1862-George W. Julian 1761
Charles 1I. Test 914
Edmund Johnson 1412 3203
43-C. B. Smith 1332
2174 1861-George W. Julian ... 2697
3724
47-C. B. Smith
1268
Charles H. Test
790
2064 1866-George W. Julian .. 2954
4215
49-S. W. Parker
1 141
2814,1868-Jolin P. C. Shanks .. 3377
351-S. W. Parker ...
1.139
Robert Lowry. 1510
4887
George W. JJulian 113
4178
352-S. W. Parker. 1510
William Grose
1205
Below we give the vote for President, so far as it has been possible to obtain it :-
'OTE OF HENRY COUNTY FOR PRESIDENT, FROM 1832 TO 1868.
1225
532-Clay
580
IIale
Jackson
2741
836-Harrison
712
Buchanan.
Van Buren
1652
Filmore
2726
Van Buren
1296
844-Clay
90
Polk
188
Bell
3027
S4S-Taylor
1005
Mcclellan
1057
L'ass
455 1868-Grant
1412
1559
Seymour
$52-Scott
767/1832-Pierce
456
1394 1856-Fremont
1229
840-Harrison
839 1860-Lincoln
1458
Douglass.
1005
Breckenridge
16
Birney
1115 1864-Lincoln
3432
Van Buren.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Of our beneficent system of common or free schools it is not within the limits or scope of this work to treat at lengthi. Of the matter as it concerns the county in particular a few facts are appropriate.
The broad assertion that knowledge and learning generally diffused throughout a community is essential to the preservation of a free government (see section 1, article 2, State Constitu- tion) meets with as general acceptance in Henry county, per- haps, as in any county in the State. There is certainly no part of the publie burdens more cheerfully borne than the very con-
2872 1870-John P. C. Shanks. 2863
John Colerick 1315
- Finley
842
James Brown 1027
M. L. Bundy. 1261
George W. Julian 1373
1052
3 .- James Raridan 1084
1791 1854-D. P. Holloway 2037
49
102
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
siderable tax imposed, and it is many years since we have heard so much as one individual object to this tax, which at one time was believed by many well-meaning citizens of ours as well as other communities to be wrong, in principle at least. At first large numbers in every community argued that it was wrong to tax the wealthy to educate the poor, or the man without children for the benefit of those blessed with a dozen. When the question of free schools or no free schools was submitted to our people, in 1851, in the shape of continuing a tax levied by a former legislature, the vote was elose indeed, standing : For its continuance, 1,411 ; against its continuance, 1,382-a bare ma- jority of 28.
Our people are so well satisfied that the diffusion of know- ledge renders them safer in person and property, and that it is cheaper to educate thon to take care of criminals and paupers, that it is safe to predict that free schools would be sustained to- day by a vote of ten to one. The principle lying at the founda- tion of our common school law is gratuitous instruction to every pupil, rich and poor alike; and while the means provided are far too limited to meet all the wants of the community, they carry inestimable blessings with them, so far as they go.
In 1852 the Superintendent of Publie Instruction, who seemed enthusiastic in the work, looked fondly forward to the day when the people of the State would raise, by the various methods provided by law, two dollars per child, in order that schools might be sustained all the year round. At that time the revenue from the various funds only amounted 35 cents per child. By the last report of the Superintendent it will be seen that the total amount of common school funds held in trust in this county is $45,483 62, at 7 per cent., on which the interest, or [$3,187 85, is available as a tuition fund. To this is to be added the school tax of $19,413 55, which, making allowance for probable delinqueney, gives an available tuition fund of over $20,000 for the county, or about three dollars to each child of a suitable age to go to school.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
The following statement of various items connected with
103
STATISTICAL AND FINANCIAL.
the common school interests of the county will serve to illus- trate the growth of the system within twenty years :
1853
1856
1860
1870
*Number of children.
7,416
7,054
7,622
7,046
Number attending school . .
3,246
4,076
5,305
5,751
Number of school houses ..
51
98
106
103
Number of male teachers ..
96
91
93
Number of female teachers.
2
22
42
Average pay of males. . . . .
$22 50
$29 53
$27 00
$55 40
Average pay of females ...
$12 50
$20 83
$21 20
$38 60
Length of school, in days ..
52
50
School fund distributed .
$5,933
$6,573
$5,954
$15,454
Value of school property ..
$96,295
Tax for building purposes. .
.
$13,074
$9,742
The following named gentlemen, and perhaps one or two others, have served the county as School or County Exam- iners :
J. S. Ferris,
T. B. Redding,
W. M. Watkins.
S. T. Powell,
Isaac Kinley,
H. M. Shockley,
R. B. Abbott,
Thomas Rogers,
D. Newby.
CHURCHES IN THE COUNTY.
The following statistics are taken in part from the census report. The social statistics of the county taken by the United States Marshal for 1870 not having yet been made public, and a number of persons on whom we have called for information having failed to respond, the statistics for 1870 are only esti- mated :
Number.
Accommodation. Value of Property.
1860| 1870
1860
1870
1860
1870
Baptist.
2
3
1,100
1,500
$2,300
$4,000
Christian
4
11
1,400
4,000
2,400
25,000
Friends
9
11
3,950
5,000
8,500
15,000
Lutheran
3
1
S00
400
2,500
4,000
Methodists
19
24
7,070
8,500
18,800
35,000
Presbyterians
4
1,200
1,500
2,700
17,500
Universalits
1
500
400
New Light
3
1,000
1.200
42
57
16,020
21,900
37,600
101.700
.
1
DENOMINATIONS.
The estimated value of the property for both dates is prob- ably too low. The other figures are believed to be nearly cor-
* All children between five and twenty-one years were enumerated until 1860, after which only those between 6 and 21 were enumerated.
104
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
reet. The church accommodation of the county, it will be seen, nearly equals the entire population. In addition to those named above, we believe the "Tumkers," or German Baptists, have one or more congregations in the county ; So with the Wesleyans, while the Spiritualists have two good halls and quite a number of adherents.
STOCK AND GRAIN.
The following table gives, by townships, a few of the lead- ing agricultural products of the county, as reported to the cen- sus marshals in June last. The Indian corn and wheat was of course the crop of 1869, neither of which was a fair average for the ten years past. Most of the items were taken from the manuscript on file in the Clerk's office, and some mistakes of a trivial character may have ocenrred, as there was no oppor- tunity for verifying the result-a re-count.
TOWNSHIPS.
Horses and mules.
Milch Cows.
Other Cattle.
Sheep.
Swine.
Wheat
Corn.
Wayne
68:
437
1,179
936
3,095
52,494
93.880
spiceland
533
350
780
1,640
2,624
40,976
93.230
Franklin
624
385
754
1,344
2.068
48.103
96,540
Dudley
659
411
1,022
87
3.268
41,649
90.765
Liberty
636
5-16
740
918
2.798
65,933
108,553
Henry
551
375
607
1,426
2,278
35,901
S3,935
Greensboro
333
276
550
1,064
2,502
30,678
75,680
Harrison
494
468
597
1,470
2,642 2,210
51.632
96,883
Jefferson
483
336
425
1,065
1,963
37,289
52,325
Prairie
722
493
920
1.876
3,437
63,500
111,853
Stony Creek
413
267
553
1,050
1,337
31,737
41,860
Blue River
432
297
413
1,061
1.663
38,631
74.567
1840 AND 1870-THE CONTRAST.
Population
1840. 15,128
1870.
Farms
2,211
Dwellings
4,524
Manufacturing Establishments
31
196
Hands employed
57
472
Capital invested.
$62,000
$460,170
Products of Factories.
$36,300
$774,376
Bushels of Wheat.
78,234
592,017
Bushels of Indian Corn
624,543
1,131,083
Horses and Mules
4,302
7,071
Cattle
10,340
14,183
Milch Cows.
5,017
Other Cattle.
9,166
53,494
111,010
Fall Creek
502
396
629
1,672
23,127
105
TURNPIKES.
Sheep
9,674
16,400
Swine
29,497
31,467
Grist Mills
9
22
Saw Mills
14
25
Dry Goods and Grocery Stores
17
85
Capital invested
$30,250 Est'd $200,000
TURNPIKES.
- -0 -
Prior to the year 1850 no great advancement had been made throughout the county in the way of internal improvements. The National or Henry County Turnpike was in process of construction, and the necessity for better roads was greatly felt by the people of the county.
In 1852 the General Assembly passed an act authorizing the construction of plank, McAdamized. and gravel roads. By this law extensive powers were conferred on companies complying with its provisions, and under it, with certain amendments made, a number of good pikes were constructed, ramifying in all directions, and connecting the remotest parts of the county with the seat of justice.
. In 1865 the General Assembly passed an act to enable County Commissioners to organize turnpike companies, when persons representing three-fifths of the real estate within cer- tain prescribed limits petition for the same, and to levy a tax for constructing a road, and to provide for the same to be free. By this law only the land within three-fourths of a mile of the proposed route was affected, and upon the report of a commis- sion to survey and estimate the cost of construction, the Auditor was required to enter a tax upon said lands according to its value, as shown by the books in his office, and without any refer- ence to the benefits to be derived from the same, one-third to be collected annually, and in the same manner as other taxes, and it might happen that lands the most remote would be most heavily taxed. This law, however, was but an experiment, and but little attempt was made to work under it.
11
100
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
The following companies, however, effected an organization, viz: The Blountville and Circleville, Blountsville and Morris- town, Flatrock and Bentonville, Fairview and Lewisville. The first-named was soon abandoned by the general con-ent of the interested parties. Further partienlars will be found in a. tabu- lar statement near the end of this chapter. But one of the roads begun under the law of 1865, we believe, was completed under that law.
The law of 1865 was objectionable in many of its features and impracticable in its operations, but appears to have prepared the way for the law of 1867. This authorized the assessment of all lands within one and a half miles on either side. and within the same distance of the terminus, when the subscription to such route amounts to not less than $500 per mile, and is not sufficient for the completion of the same. These assessments were required to be made by three disinterested free-holders, who were required to estimate the benefits likely to accrue to each partieular tract of land. Under this law a number of roads were organized, and the tax placed upon the duplicate of 1867 with the State and county tax.
On one or two pikes, however, parties felt aggrieved, and a test case was made before Judge Buckles, of the Circuit Court, who decided that the assessments had not been legally made, for several reasons, among which were, that they had failed to. view the lands as required, and that all the lands within the limits prescribed had not been listed.
In view of this decision the assessments on other roads were considered illegal, and no great effort was made by the compa- nies to have the tax collected ; but the Commissioners were pe- titioned to have the Assessors brought back and make their assessments in conformity with the law.
The Blue River Turnpike, of Prairie township, was an ex- ception. The first installment of about $3,000, being mostly paid in, was deemed sufficient, and the second and third install- ments were never placed on the duplicate.
The amount of turnpike tax collected for 1867 on assess- ments declared illegal was $16,074 04, out of a total of $27,221 93 on the duplicate.
During the year 1867, while Major Grubbs was Treasurer,
107
TURNPIKES
no part of the gravel road tax collected was paid over to the officers of the several companies, but remained a part of the balance in the Treasury, Jime 1, 1868.
All the roads of 1867, except the one mentioned above, were. re-assessed in 1868, and the tax again placed on the duplicate. At first the assessment were placed on the same duplicate with other taxes; but in 1868, by order of the Auditor of State, they were placed on a separate duplicate. Below will be found an interesting tabular statement :
UNDER THE LAW OF 1865.
Miles Taxlevied
Blonntsville and Morristown
Q1. 4,4
$4,687 27
Flatrock and Bentonville
11,478 91
Fairview and Lewisville
122
2,790 33.
UNDER THE LAW OF 1867.
Miles Tax levied
Beech Grove Union
21,
$1.312 99
Duck Creek and Southern
2.622 12
Flat Rock Valley
8,172 12
Greensboro and New Castle Junction
4.928 37
Franklin Junction.
4
5,046 54
Flatrock and Symon's Creek
9,417 38
Northern Junction
13,332 57
Hillsboro and Franklin
8,317 00-
Northwestern
6
13,324 05.
New Castle and Flatrock
9 411
5.397 86
Union and Blue River Southern ..
6
8,453 88
Sugar Creek
2
723 12
Sulphur Springs and Cadiz
531
8,215 38
Sulphur Springs and Western
412
7,197 43
Knightstown and Middletown
10
16,100 04
Northwestern Extension.
31.
6.458 46
Middletown and Daleville
1,277 67
PUT ON DUPLICATE IN 1869 UNDER THE LAW OF 1869.
Miles Tax leived
Dunreith gravel road.
115
$635 43
Middletown and Rango Line
23
3,153 69
Blountville and Smithfield
1
1,052 00
Blountsville.
434
6,075 50
Blountsville and Windsor
114
1,507 00
Prairie, G. E., and Franklin
83%
11,574 00
Blountsville and Millville Extension
612
9,072 00
Blountsville Extension
412
6,629 : 0
DUPLICATE OF 1870, LAW OF 1869.
Miles Tax levied
Rush and Henry County Road.
3 5,965 68
Old State Road.
412
5,354 0 )
OTHER TURNPIKES.
The above table only refers to such turnpikes as here built under what is donominated the Gravel Road Laws. The fol-
10,723 CT
New Castle and Muncie
2,243 61
108
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
lowing is nearly a complete list with the length of the other gravel roads of the county or parts of roads in the county :
MILES 20
Henry County Turnpike (National Road).
Knightstown & Warrington
7
Knightstown & Greensboro
7
Ogden & Rushville
1
Independent Turnpike
21/2
New Castle & Spiceland
10
Union Turnpike
4
Lewisville & Flatrock
3
Hopewell & Flatrock.
6
New L'astle & Dublin
12
Northern & Branches
14
New Castle & C'adiz.
Cadiz & Western
Greensboro & Cadiz.
5 3
Spiceland & Greensboro.
31
Mechanicsburg & Middleton.
412 5
sulphur spring & Muncie
2%
sulphur spring & Summit.
21/2
Greensboro & Western
Greensboro & Grant City.
4 3
It is proper to state that in a few instances we are not quite sure of having given the exact name of the road, but may have given, instead, that of the points connected, and it is also proba- ble that all the pikes have not been named at all, since branches and junctions or connecting links are being constructed so rapidly as to render it next to impossible to keep pace with them. In some road districts the plan of grading and graveling a small portion of the common roads each year is being adopted insomuch that in a few years free, well constructed pikes will form quite an important feature of our road system. Henry county may well boast of her net work of turnpikes ramifying every part of the county, unsurpassed as they are in extent of excellence by any county in the State.
THE LITERATURE OF THE COUNTY.
That Henry county has little to boast of in the way of lit- erary excellence 's most true. Her honor lies more in the aver- agre intelligence of her citizens than in any cases of exceptional
7 3
Spiceland & Blueriver
Cadiz & Mechanic-burg
109
THE LITERATURE OF THE COUNTY.
merit. But it must not be inferred from this that we are desti- tute of men and women of refined taste and good literary capa- bilities. Such is not the fact. The great success of local liter- ary societies, especially before the war, and the avidity with which the people in many localities seek after the best publica- tions that flow from the press, and their eagerness to hear the best lecturers and speakers, prove them to be appreciative and cultivated in a high degree.
It is not to be presumed, cither, that so old a county as this has not produced its literary aspirants and amateurs, and, like almost every other community in the United States, the efforts of our orators, essayists, and bardlings began with the first newspaper, and have never ceased, except when the county would be left for a short time without one of these literary ex- ponents.
The names of those who have conducted the various county newspapers appear in another place, so that it is not necessary to catalogue them here. Of these, Alfred J. Cotton, for a brief time connected with the New Castle Banner in 1836, made some pretense to literature in other fields, and but a few years since he published in the Courier, and almost every other local paper . in the State, a poem of considerable length, addressed "To a Snow Bird." The rhyme had little merit aside from showing the genial poetic spirit and warm-heartedness of the old man. His autobiography, published in 1858, contains most of his poetic effusions, but will be remembered by our citizens. a num- ber of whom have copies, more for the most refreshing egotism peeping out from every page than for any other merit. The author introduces the work with a likeness of himself and lady, and charmingly discourses about the intellectuality of his own physiognomy and the grace and charms of his lady. He appears to have had a horror of being forgotten, and would not be surprised if rising generations should yet be taught that the " Man in the moon " was Judge Cotton. He signed himself The Rev. Judge Alfred Johnson Cotton.
WALTER EDGERTON, of Spiceland, in his earlier days and the early days of the anti-slavery movement, wrote articles of great force for the anti-slavery papers, and some for papers that were not anti-slavery. These latter were often of so much
110
HENRY COUNTY; PAST AND PRESENT.
force as to be denied publication. He has also, from time to time, contributed many articles of note on doctrinal and seien- tific topies to the religious and other papers of the day, and is the author of a work of several hundred pages, giving a " His- tory of the Separation" in the Society of Friends on account of the anti-slavery movement. He also edited, we believe, "The Journal of Charles Osborn," a distinguished minister of the Society.
JOHN W. GRUBBS, now of Richmond, for a dozen years connected with the press of this county, commenced his career when very young, but, from long continuance and perse- verance, gained a reputation as one of the most skillful and caustic political editors of the State. We presume that his "situation " in the wholesale house of Howard & Grubbs is more lucrative, if not more congenial.
ISAAC PARKER, a man a few years Mr. Grubbs' senior, some times contributed to the Indiana Sun, and wrote political letters of a local character for the Indianapolis Journal, which attracted much comment. A poem of his, written for the Sun in 1840, is distinctly remembered. It was entitled "Johnson's Sukey," and was intended as a burlesque on Colonel Richard M. John- son, for having (as the Whigs asserted) a black wife, Johnson leing then the Democratic candidate for Vice President. A handsome reward would be paid for a copy of that old rhyme.
M. L. BUNDY, of New Castle, has, for more than twenty years, been what might be termed a literary amateur, writing letters for the press and articles on numerous topics of interest with more than ordinary ease and grace. Though he might have won greater distinction had he labored more with his pen, it is doubtful whether it would have yieldled him such returns of golden gains as he has received from other pursuits.
RUSSELL B. ABBOTT, at one time Principal of the New Castle Academy, is a man of fine culture, who has written much excellent prose, some of which deserves to live after its author shall have mouldered into dust.
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