USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Bloomington > Historic treasures: true tales of deeds with interesting data in the life of Bloomington, Indiana University and Monroe County--written in simple language and about real people, with other important things and illustrations > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
"A great deal of excitement was manifested as people soon gathered to discuss the strange incident. The doctors found upon examination of the body, that a sudden attack of heart trouble was responsible for the man's death.
"I feel that this story should be straightened out, because so much of the old happenings of Bloomington are being forgotten as mere hearsay, merely because no one will take the trouble to look up the facts.
Grandfather a Pioneer.
"My grandfather, William Alexan- der, was one of the old pioneer set- tlers in Bloomington, and built the old log house that stood at what is now Eighth and Grant street, where the old brick Alexander homestead was later erected (it stands, although re- modeled into a modern apartment).
"William D. Alexander was my father, and I remember of hearing him tell many exciting and interesting tales of his boyhood days in and around what is now Bloomington.
Played With Indians.
"Father used to tell of playing with the Indians when he was a boy-they would play up and down Spanker's branch ( what we know as "The River Jordan" at the present time) day after day. The Indian children were quite friendly at that time.
"I do wish you could have talked with my husband, Squire William Adams, who was 84 years of age when
he passed away. He was considered one of the best-informed men of Bloomington, on the old history of the town and Monroe county.
"My grandfather ran a tannery in the pioneer days of the county, and my father was a stock buyer and quite well known over the county. My
mother's name was Elizabeth Shirley before her marriage to my father.
Memory Is Good.
"I remember the old, old Indiana College campus well __ there was a great main building, the one that burned down in 1853, and two smaller brick buildings, one on the northwest corner of the old campus which faced the south, long-wise, and the other situated at the southeast corner of the grounds and faced east broad-wise; the latter was destroyed by fire, as was the big building, but not at the same time. The first mentioned small building was used as a sort of mu- seum, for I remember of going there to see the 'funny-lookng' things, as we children put it.
"My father took our family to Mis- souri when I was a girl where I was first married to Wm. Ring and during the war of the rebellion, my first hus- band lost his life. We lived in what was then a wild west part of Missouri, and were in the thick of the gorrilla warfare, which was carried on so ex- tensively in that state.
Had Three Soldier Husbands.
"I have been the wife, and am now the widow of three men who were soldiers of the Union army in that great Civil War, and I am proud of each one's record while in the service of his country.
"At a National Encampment of G. A. R., a number of years ago, which I attended with my late husband, Wil- liam Adams, who was a charter mem- ber of the Slocum Post, of Blooming- ton, I attended the Woman's Relief Corps National meeting. When the question was asked that all women present who had been married when
the war of rebellion broke out I was the only one present to stand up.
"I understand that Mrs. Molly Stuart of Bloomington had the same experience only last year- I know she is also entitled to that honor, as she is about my age, or a little older-I did not go to the National Encamp- ment this year or last year, or we both would have stood up when that question was asked."
With the exception of that part of her life spent in the West in early years, Mrs. Adams has lived in Bloomington all her life. She is still in active health, and, at 80 years, she takes great delight in working about her house and yard.
PARADE A MILE LONG FEATURED JULY 4, 1865
Boys in Blue Honored by Procession Representing All Townships
in County.
The most significant Fourth of July parade in Bloomington's history took place in 1865 in honor of the boys in blue who had just returned from the war. General Jacob B. Lowe was pre- sident of the day; Major Mulkey was marshal, assisted by Colonel McCrea and Captain Cookerly.
Early in the morning of this sultry day wagons and carriages loaded with country folk began arriving through dusty streets. Many townships orga- nized processions, with martial music and banners.
The parade was formed on and near the public square, and the march to the College Campus (the old site of Indiana University) was begun in the following order:
1. The Bloomington Silver Band. 2. Officers of the Day, orator, reader, chaplain and distinguished guests. 3. Soldiers of the war of 1812. 4. Thir- teen small girls dressed in white, with badges, representing the thirteen ori- ginal states. 5. Soldiers of the late war (the Civil war). 6. The Goddess
109
Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
of Liberty, bearing the national flag, and thirty-six young ladies, dressed in white, representing all the states of the Union. 7. Citizens generally, men, women and children.
The reception speech, one of unus- ual fervor and eloquence, was deliv- ered by the Rev. S. T. Gillett, and was
Soldiers' Monument at Rose Hill Cemetery.
responded to by Colonel N. C. Hunter, of the 82nd Regiment. The latter gave several graphic descriptions of experiences on the battle field, espe- cially on that of bloody Chickmauga, where over one-half of his regiment fell, killed or wounded. The addresses
were short, being followed by that of Colonel W. C. L. Taylor, of the 20th Regiment, who was orator of the day.
ACCOUNTS OF EARLY LIFE IN VILLAGE OF STANFORD
Late in the thirties, Jesse Tarking- ton laid out the little village of Stan- ford, in Van Buren township, Monroe county, Indiana, and soon after James Crane established a store there in about 1839. Kembel, Klein & Co., are said also to have established a store in the village about 1842.
Zachariah Catron opened a store about 1845, and kept a general stock worth about $2,000. Sylvester Dory started in business about the same time.
Nicholas Dillinger and Victor Dory formed a partnership in 1848, and be- gan a general merchandies business under the firm name of Dillinger & Dory. Sylvester Dory and Zachariah Carton were still in business and in the next year (1849) Odell & Walker began business in the village.
Population 150 in 1852.
Elmore Walker established a store, and in 1852 Dudley & Adams and Street, Cox & Sons started in business about the same time. There were four general stores, two or three black- smith shops, a saw mill and about 150 inhabitants in the village at this time.
In about 1883 the population was probably 200, and A. J. Ritchey, F. M. Holder & Co., had general stores. Carmichael & Fields, Young & Smith and Baker Bros., as well as Sparks Bros., were in business in Stanford. The village had a tri-weekly mail serv- ice from Bloomington at this time, and Drs. Cook and Gaston sold drugs, and James Gaston was postmaster. Joseph Green was the village black- smith.
COMPANY H, 195TH REGIMENT, INDIANA VOLUN- TEERS, REPRESENTED MONROE COUNTY IN SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
History of Bloomington's Sons During the Conflict of 1898-Names of Officers and Men as Shown in State Records -- Many Citizens May Recall Stirring Times of the Generation at the Century's Close in Reading Accounts.
The fact that Monroe county's boys who volunteered for service at the call of the United States for volun- teers to fight Spain, in 1898, never were taken into actual battle against the enemy does not in any sense di- minish the honor one must feel for these brave soldiers, who offered their lives to their country.
We feel, at this time that due re-
spect must be shown the volunteers of 1898, for their effort, and without just such men America could never have so completely whipped the enemy in such quick and business-like style. The following sketch is quite self-ex- planatory to the younger generation.
Declaration of War with Spain.
An act declaring that war existed between the United States of America
WE'VE DRUNK FROM
THE SAME CANTEEN
(By Miles O'Reilly)
There are bonds of all sorts in this world of ours,
Fetters of friendship and ties of flowers, And true lovers' knots, I ween.
The boys and girls are bound by a kiss,
But there's never a bond, old friend, like this :
We have drunk from the same canteen.
CHORUS. The same canteen, my . soldier friend, The same canteen,
There's never a bond like this :
We have drunk from the same canteen.
It was sometimes water and sometimes milk. Sometimes applejack : fine as silk ;
But whatever the tipple has been,
We shared it together in bane or in bliss, And I warm to you, friend, when I think of this :
We have drunk from the same canteen.
We've shared our blankets and tents together. And marched and fought, in all kinds of weather ;
And hungry and full we've been ;
Had days of battle and days of rest,
But this memory I cling to and love the best :
We have drunk from the same canteen.
For when wounded I lay on the outer slope, With my blood flowing fast, and but little hope
On which my faint spirit might lean ; O! then I remember you crawled to my side, And bleeding so fast, it seemed both must have died.
We have drunk from the same canteen.
and the Kingdom of Spain.
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Uni- ted States of America in Congress assembled; First, That war be, and the same is hereby declared to exist, and that war has existed since the twenty-first day of April, Anno-Dom- ini eighteen hundred and ninety-eight including said day, between the Uni- ted States of America and the King- dom of Spain.
"Second, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, directed and empowered to use the en- tire land and naval forces of the Uni- ted States, and to call into the actual service of the United States, the mili- tia of the several states, to such an extent as may be necessary to carry this act into effect.
"Approved, April 25, 1898."
At 6:15 p.m., on April 25, the fol- lowing telegram was received from the Secretary of War:
"Washington, D. C., April 25, 1898. "To the Governor of Indiana, India- napolis, Ind .:
"The number of troops from your State under the call of the President dated April 23, 1898, will be four (4) regiments of infantry and two (2) light batteries of artillery. It is the wish of he President that the regi- ments of the National Guard or State militia shall be used as far as their members will permit, for the reasons that they are armed and drilled. Please wire as early as possible what equipments, ammunition, arms, blan- kets, tents, etc., you will require.
"Please also state when troops will be ready for muster into United States service. Details to follow by mail.
"R. A. ALGER, "Secretary of War."
As soon as the above message was received there was issued by Gover-
110
Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
nor James A. Mount the following proclamation to the people of the State of Indiana:
Gov. Mount Issues Call. "To the People of Indiana:
"Whereas, In the progress of events, war has been inaugurated be- tween the government of the United Sates and the government of Spain, and
"Whereas, The President of the Uni- ted States, in pursuance of an act of Congress, has issued a proclamation calling for 125,000 volunteers, of which number four regiments, ap- proximating 1,000 men each, and two batteries, have been apportioned to the State of Indiana.
"Now, therefore, I, James A. Mount, Governor of Indiana, acting on the authority vested in me by the Consti- tution, do hereby call for the enlist- ment and mustering into the United States service of the number of men above stated who are qualified for military duty.
"In conformity with this call the In- diana National Guard is hereby direc- ted and commanded to report without delay to Brigadier-General McKee, at the Fair Grounds of the State Board of Agriculture, near Indianapolis, a designated camp, where they will be mobilized and mustered into the ser- vice of the United States government, in accordance with the provisions of the proclamation issued by the Presi- dent.
"All vacancies that exist or may occur in regiments, companies or bat- teries will be immediately filled by the acceptance of volunteers to the limit of the State's quota, as desig- nated by the authorities of the Federal government.
"Inasmuch as the number of men who are at this time tendering their service is far in excess of require- ments, I deem it timely to announce in this connection that there will be no compulsion upon any member of the Indiana National Guard whose business affairs would be jeopardized or whose domestic relations would subject his family to inconvenience and hardship, will be permitted to stand aside honorably and without prejudice.
"In Witness Whereof I have hereinto set my hand and caused to be affixed the great seal of the State, at the city of Indianapolis. this twenty-fifth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, the eighty-second year of the State, and of the indepen- dence of the United States the one hundred and twentv-second.
"JAMES A. MOUNT. "By the Governor, "WILLIAM D. OWEN, "Secretary of State."
Procamaion of Pres. Mckinley.
On May 25 another proclamation was issued by President William Mc- Kinley through Secretary of State, William R. Day, calling for 75,000 additional volunteers, in which call Indiana was asked to furnish two ex- tra companies of infantry and a new regiment of infantry.
The destruction of the Spanish fleet at Santiago on July 3, 1898, followed by the surrender of all the Spanish troops in and about Santiago, and the
occupation of Porto Rico, virtually ended the war, and on July 2, Spain made overtures of peace to the United States government.
159th Indiana Volunteers.
Bloomington and Monroe county were found well prepared when the government issued its call for volun- teers, as the local company of militia had been organized since May 20, 1891, and was assigned as Company H, 1st Regiment, Indiana National Guard, which became the 159th Regi- men Indiana Volunteers when mus- tered into Federal service, as the numbering of regiments for this war was taken up where they were left off at the close of the war of 1861-64.
Although Bloomington and Monroe county furnished this competent com- pany, fully equipped and well drilled, the town and county was also repre- sented in the field, staff and non-com- missioned staff officers of the 159th, which regiment was organized June 12, 1882, as the 1st Veteran Regiment, Indiana Legion. Bloomington men who served as officers of the 159th were:
Major Theodore J. Louden; Charles L. Rawles, battalion adjutant; Bert A. Cole. sergeant major; Robert H. Campbell, quartermaster sergeant.
Bloomington's Company H.
Company H, of Bloomington, Mon- roe county, Indiana, was mustered into Federal service for war against Spain, April 26, 1898, and mustered out of Federal service November 23, 1898. The roll is a follows: .
William M. Louden, captain; Will- iam Hutchings, first lieutenant; Ed- gar A. Binford, second lieutenant; Newton A. Jeffries, first sergeant un- til Aug. 18; Harry J. Feltus, appoint- ed first sergeant Aug. 29, 1898, to fill the place which Jeffries had filled; John Misner, quartermaster sergeant; sergeants. Samuel Webb, Charles E. Rhorer, Calawav E. Mefford, Wilburn O. Peterson, Bert Cole; corporals, Harry J. Feltus (later appointed ser- geant. then first sergeant), Winnie A. Sutphin, Parley A. Miller, Walter E. Edmondson, Dudley O. McGovney, Charles G. Strong: musicians, Joseph A. Neill, Robert T. Berry; artificer. William B. Allen; wagoner, Robert J. Lane (later appointed artificer).
List of Privates.
Charles O. Alltop, George M. An- derson, Joshua D. Badlev, Samuel C. Binkley. Dwight Caldwell, Edgar H. Campbell. Samuel P. Cardwell, Ule Clark (later appointed wagoner), Wil- iam H. Colegrove (later appointed corporal), Melvin Creech, James H. Cullen (later corporal), Fred Demar- cus, William R. Dickson. William B. Dunn (later corporal), Charles Dou- thitt, Morton East, Raymond H. Eller, Lewis Everly, Martin L. Finley. Char- les T. Frye. Romie C. Goss, William Gillaspy, Alfred B. Goodbody (trans- ferred to Hospital corps).
Isaac Goodman, Charles E. Guthrie, John Hedrick. Charles Hanson, Alva Hickman. William Hodges, Eber E. Infield, Charles I. Kerr. George Knis- sel (appointed cook), James H. Lake, (transferred to Hospital corps), John P. Langely, George Lyne, John Mc- Cabe, Frank H. Masters, Winston
Menzies (discharged July 6 and com- missioned captain in 161st Ind. Vols.), Clarence W. Miller (appointed musi- cian), Reverdy J. Miller (appointed corporal, later transferred to Co. I, 161st).
Oscar E. Moore, John W. Payne, Frank Pauley (dishonorably dis- charged Sept. 18, 1898), August Pe- terson, Allan Pierson, Alfred Pruitt, Rodolphus, Wesley M. Ray (trans- ferred to Co. D, 161st), Lewis O. Rush, William Shaw, Karl Slageter (trans- ferred to Co. M, 161st), Bert Sparks, Everet Sparks (appointed corporal), William G. Sparks, George Sullivan, Edward D. Talbott, Gerald Talbott (transferred to Co. H, 161st), Fran- cis E. Van Dyke, James M. Vint, Em- mett O. Wampler, Jesse M. Webb (ap- pointed corporal). These men were the original formation of the company on April 26, 1898.
Recruits for Company.
Charles W. Brownscombe (appoin- ted musician, later transferred to Co. D, 161st), Edward Burns, Frank Clin- ton, Alphonsus L. Carrico, Scott Da- vis, William Z. Delap, Charles H. Drake, John H. Fedder (later trans- ferred to Co. H, 161st), Emmet Gil- laspy, Newton Goodman, Henry R. Hawkins, Samuel P. Howard, Orrin C. Jones, Patrick H. Kerr (later ap- pointed corporal.
Elmer Litz, Henry G. Lotridge (transferred to Co. L, 161st), Chris- topher C. Meadows, Michael H. Mes- sick, John W. Magennis, James E. Ma- gennis, Wilbur Ryman, Arthur E. Sager, Mark M. Sanderson, Moses Stump, Benjamin R. Smith, Ward A. Siebenthal, Harry Sthair (transferred to Co. D, 161st), Frank P. Woodward, Walter G. Young.
These recruits were all signed up in the month of June, 1898. The whole company was mustered out on November 23, 1898.
Colored Volunteers.
In July, 1898, when the government ordered two colored companies raised at Indianapolis, a number of Bloom- ington colored men went to the State capital and enlisted in Company B, Colored, whom we are able to give at this time as follows:
Willis O. Tyler, corporal; Samuel T. Evans, corporal; privates, Charles W. Bradley (deserted Oct. 26 ,1898), Richard Halford, Charles R. Dunham, William H. Eagleson. These men were not mustered out of service until January 20, 1899.
Actions of Regiment.
The 169th Regiment Indiana Vol- unteers was formed of the 1st Regi- ment of Infantry, Indiana National Guard, and was composed of compa- nies from Vincennes (2), Terre Haute, New Albany, Washington, Evansville (2), Roachdale and Madison, Browns- town, Bloomington, Greencastle, and Princeton, Indiana.
The regiment arrived at Camp Mount, April 26, 1898, under orders from the Governor, for the purpose of being mustered into the service of the United States. The same care was used in the physical examination of this regiment as obtained in the other regiments, and they were mus- tered into the volunteer service of the
111
Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
United States on May 12, 1898. The regiment left Camp Mount on May 22, and arrived at Camp R. A. Alger, Dunn Loring, Virginia, on May 24. It broke camp at Camp Alger on August 3, and marched by easy stages to Thoroughfare Gap, Virginia, a distance of forty-nine miles. Left Thoroughfare Gap on August 28, and moved by rail to Camp Meade, near Middletown, Pennsylvania, where they arrived on August 29.
Under orders for muster out of the regiment, they left Camp Meade on September 11, arrived at Camp Mount on September 13, and on the date of September 18, the regiment was furloughed for thirty days, which was extended to include November 10 by telegraphic instructions from the War Department.
The 159th Regiment was finally mustered out and discharged on No- vember 23, 1898.
WHIP-SAW ENABLES PIONEER WOODSMAN OF COUNTY TO FURNISH LUMBER FOR HOME -JAMES S. GENTRY STURDY CITIZEN
Away back, through the years of modern invention, to the time when a man's worth was judged by the amount of physical energy he was capable of putting forth, we come to the days of the whipsaw. In apply- ing their strength and endurance in the use of this saw, two men could probably turn out 400 feet of rough lumber in a twelve-hour day. Al- though this device may seem crude to us now, we must remember that the whip-saw was a great time-saver over the process of hueing logs to desired shapes.
The old James S. Gentry home- stead, which was erected in 1837, in Bean Blossom township by this pioneer settler, was a lasting example of the work that could be done with the whip-saw. Mr. Gentry, in 1883, proud- ly told of having sawed the lumber
for this structure with his own hands from logs.
Sturdy Pioneer.
This man was of the truely sturdy, enduring frontier type, which was so essential in the clearing and cultivation of that then wild growth of native timber which covered all of Monroe county. He told of having worked with a whip-saw for a month at a stretch, in the early times, for 50 cents a day, and considered this good pay. In more than forty years James S. Gentry had not lost three days from his occupation through personal illness.
'From the early days down to the building of the New Albany Railroad through Monroe county in about 1852, this pioneer woodsman built rafts of native timber at old Mt. Tabor, and in the spring floods, transported this
timber to the outside markets, which proved a profitable enterprise in that early day. He gave much credit to his life in the outdoors for his wonderful health.
In later years he took up stock-rais- ing and farming with added intensity, and through the years kept adding to the original eighty-acre tract of land he had entered about 1838 or 1837, until he had completed a good farm of 253 acres all cultivated and furnished with correct out-buildings for his purposes.
Born in 1813.
James S. Gentry was born January 9, 1813, in the State of Kentucky, and was the second of three children born to Elijah and Elizabeth (Ware) Gen- try, natives of Tennessee and Vir- ginia, and of Scotch and Irish origin, respectively. The parents brought James S. Gentry as a boy to Indiana in 1816, and settled in Harrison coun- ty, and the boy got to attend school in Indiana about eleven months, where he learned to read and cipher.
The father died about 1817, and the mother and children moved, first to Lost River, Orange County, in 1822, and then to Morgan county, Indiana; then James S., becoming a mature youth, entered the land we have men- tioned. On February 8, 1838, James S. Gentry married Eliza Campbell, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Gra- ham) Campbell, pioner settlers of the county, who came to the county in 1818. Mrs. Campbell, the mother of the bride, was awarded a silver medal on August 9, 1883, for having been the oldest settler represented at the Old
INDIANA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS ABOUT 1899.
112
Historic Treasures, Compiled by Forest M. "Pop" Hall
Settlers' meeting, held in the county.
The following children were born to bless this union: William C., Lemuel K., Norman J., Mary J., (Cosner),
Joseph P., James M., David D., and Thomas H., two of these sons, William C., and Lemuel K., Gentry served in the Northern army during the Civil War.
IRON WAS MINED IN MONROE COUNTY AT ONE TIME IN EARLY DAYS-FOUNDRY DID BIG BUSINESS
Virginia Iron Works Was Heaviest Tax Payer-Shipped Product by Wagon to
River Ports-Incorporated for $20,000 in 1839-Finally Abandoned Through Outside Causes.
It may surprise some of the young- er residents of Bloomington and Mon- roe County, Indiana, to learn that at one time the county gave promise of becoming a great industrial center, as Gary, with its steel and iron interests has now become.
How many today know that away back in 1839 crude iron was mined from the hills in Indian Creek town- ship of Monroe county ?
Who can tell, if we ask, about the big (considered "big" in that decade) iron foundry established by Randolph Ross ?
It may surprise many persons to know that this man mined crude iron ore which contained about 20 per cent of good iron, from the side of a hill in Section 7, Indian Creek Township.
The story of this "promising" in- dustry, as we have been able to piece together is as follows:
The Virginia Iron Works.
In the way of industry, the most notable of any effort up to the pres- ent, in Indian Creek township was the establishment of an iron furnace about 1839, by Randolph Ross, a Virginian, who had been engaged in the same occupation in his native state. He erected buildings necessary for the en- action of his business in the north- east quarter of Section 7, which lies in the northwestern part of the town- ship.
Mr. Ross brought with him several experienced men from Virginia, and began mining crude iron ore from the side of the hill situated in that sec- tion. The ore seemed to be of good paying quality and plenty for all de- mand, assaying about 20 per cent good iron.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.