USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 12
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After the bridge was washed away a ferry boat was again established there, and for many years did service, in fact, until the year 1863, when the covered bridge that stood where the present iron structure now stands, near the cemetery, was built. The covered bridge was built by an appropriation by the County Commissioners together with a fund raised by popular subscription. Many who subscribed to the fund gave
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their notes and never paid them, and for years they were car- ried in the assets of the county treasury, until finally they were certified off as bad debts, and were filed away in the Auditor's office as dim reminders of the long ago.
The ferry boat was owned at different times by many of the prominent citizens of the county. it being considered a good piece of property. Joshua Shinkle, one of the oldest living inhabitants of Madison county, at one time operated it, the Hon. Wesley Dunham, ex-mayor of Anderson, and Gerry T. Hoover, well known to all of the older residents, each had their time as ferryman.
It is related that on one occasion when a circus and menagerie was being taken across the river on the ferry boat, an elephant was brought to the water's edge, and urged to step on the boat, when he flatly refused, and broke away from his keeper and swam across ; stopping on the opposite shore he filled his trunk full of dirty water and gave the hundreds of bystanders a thorough soaking. spoiling many a new gown and Sunday bat.
This ferry freighted across the river all the hogs and cattle that came to the Anderson market for several years, when the waters were high. The covered bridge that took the place of the ferry in 1863, was swept away in 1884, and in the same year the County Commissioners let the contract to McCormick & Sweeney, who were then engaged in build- ing the court house, for the construction of the masonry, and to the Morrison Bridge company for the iron work.
The covered bridge was a place dreaded by many pedes- trians, in making their way through its long, narrow passage in the night time, and many blood-curdling tales were told about attempts at robbery. But many of them were purely imaginary. It being so close to the cemetery it was an easy mat- ter for the superstitious to work themselves up to believe that robbers, ghosts and goblins made their haunts in its dark xecesses.
MADISON COUNTY'S FIRST GRADUATES.
Away back in early times in Madison county to be a graduate from an institution of learning, was an honor enjoyed by the precious few. One who enjoyed this distinction was Looked up to by the community with eyes full of envy, and was The talk of the neighborhood, by old and young. The first to be accorded this privilege were Enoch M. Jackson and Augus- Rus M. Williams, the former the son of the late Andrew Jack-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
son, and the latter the son of Robert N. Williams, both of whom were prominent for many years in Madison county, both socially and politically. Mr. Enoch M. Jackson was the first to attend Bloomington college from this county, having entered that institution in 1845.
In the following year Mr. Augustus M. Williams was appointed as a student there by the board of commissioners at their June session, 1846. The laws governing the State educa- tional institutions provide that cach county shall have two students annually appointed whose tuition should be free.
The order appointing Mr. Williams is recorded as fol- lows : " The Board now selects Augustus M. Williams as a student in the Indiana University and grants to him the ben- efits of said college in as full and ample a manner as the laws now in force empowers them to do."
Both of these gentlemen graduated from Bloomington with high honors. Mr. Jackson has several years since deceased. He is spoken of in another place in this volume.
Mr. Williams is yet living in Anderson enjoying his old days in a cottage of his own, where all is happiness and con- tentment. He not only enjoys the honor of being one of the first graduates of the county, but he has the distinction of being the first white male child born in Anderson, where he has resided all his life. It is said that he was born in the hut in which the Indian chief Anderson had formerly resided, and whose name the city bears.
We are indebted to Mr. Williams for much information about early times and are glad to make honorable mention of him in this work.
In 1845 the Hon. Wm. C. Fleming was appointed as a student in this institution, but never availed himself of its benefits.
FIRST FOREIGN BORN CITIZEN NATURALIZED.
Thomas Carlton, a native of " Old Ireland," was the first foreign citizen to apply for naturalization papers in Madison county, which were issued to him on the 7th of July, 1839.
He appeared before the clerk of the Madison circuit court and made his application in writing, and after subscrib- ing to the following oath, was granted his first papers :
"I, Thomas Carlton, do solemnly swear that I will sup- port the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of Indiana, and forever renounce all allegiance and
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whatever, and especially to the Queen of Great Britain, so help me God."
On the 15th of August. 1840, Mr. Carlton appeared be- fore the judge of the circuit court and upon making proof of his good citizenship and obedience to the laws of his adopted country, was in open court made a full citizen of the United States of America, and went on record as being the first for- eign citizen to be naturalized in this county. Since that time thousands who have left their native land to seek a home in the land of the free, have gone through the form of being transformed into children by adoption, of the best govern- ment on earth.
A WAR MEMORY.
In the Anderson Standard of June 28th, 1864, a full ac- count is given of the presentation of a $400 watch to Colonel
MAJOR EDGAR HENDERSON.
Thomas N. Stillwell by the officers of the One Hundred and Thirtieth and One Hundred and Thirty-first regiments, Indiana Volunteers, which took place in camp at Kokomo where the Colonel was organizing troops for the service. The pres- entation specch was made by the late Hon. Edgar Hender- son, a former resident of Anderson, who was at that time a
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
captain in the army, having volunteered from Adams county. From Captain Henderson's address, we quote the following extracts : "Colonel Stilwell, the connection which for a time has so pleasantly existed between us, being soon to be severed, permit me on behalf of the officers and men of the ()ne Hundred and Thirtieth and One Hundred and Thirty-first reg- iments, as a slight token of the esteem and respect entertained by them for you as an officer and man, to present to you this watch and chain. May the shield engraved thereon ever prove a true symbol of your safety from the assaults of your foes and from the enemies of our country. May the chain ever sym- bolize the chain of friendship and affection which binds our hearts together, and may its links grow brighter and brighter as time presses on and be as pure and untarnished as the metal of which it is made, and may its stars and field of blue ever remain so.
"We go to the tented field, the field of strife and blood, doubtless some of us to our death, never to return, we trust, until this most causeless conspiracy, this most atrocious rebel- lion against the best government on earth, against the highest, purest and holiest of hopes of humanity, shall have been crushed into ungatherable atoms. We are anxious that you should go with us, but understanding and knowing that your business relations are such that you cannot, it would be worse than puerile and heartless to indulge in any unavailing re- quests. You will soon retire to the walks of private life, not always on a velvety lawn. shaven with a scythe and leveled with a roller, but often times hedged with thorns, and beset with sharp and rugged corners."
To this the Colonel responded with much feeling as fol- lows : " Officers and soldiers of the Eleventh Congressional District of Indiana : To say that I appreciate the magnificent present purchased, and just now presented by you through Captain IIenderson, in the eloquent words to which you have listened, does not do justice to my heart. Valuable as it is; beautiful as the experienced hand of art could make it, it is not for its intrinsic worth or beauty that I prize it. The re- membrance of the links of friendship that unite us, and the kindly sentiments on your part that suggested its purchase, make me profoundly thankful and affect me with feelings far more agreeable than any that could be possibly expected by the value of the gold and diamonds. I shall treasure the pres- ent through all the days to come. It shall remain an heirloom
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
in my family. I shall keep it as a remembrance of this hour ; one of the most agrecable in my life. Soldiers, you have nobly responded to the call of your country. The Eleventh Congressional District stands to-day in the front ranks of honor in Indiana, and Indiana stands out prominently as the foremost State in everything that looks to the crushing of this ungodly rebellion. There are many soldiers among you with whom I have formed a pleasant and agreeable acquaintance, and I know you are ready to sacrifice your lives, if necessary, for the Union, the constitution, and the enforcement of the laws. If I cannot go, you shall have a man more competent than I am to command you, an officer of experience, who has seen active service, and can lead you through every conflict.
COL. THOMAS N. STILWELL.
I remember when a banner was presented by me to the gal- lant Thirty-fourth regiment, with which I was then connected. Under the folds of that flag whose inspiration was onward, the members of that gallant regiment fought, and would not forsake it until it should wave over all the land. That ban- ner has returned to this State, torn, pierced with the shot of the enemy, its original beauty gone, but beautiful still, with the stars and stripes thereon, and the remembrance of the con- flicts through which it has passed. The brave boys of that regiment have nobly adhered to their oaths. As Indianians
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
we have a glorious part in the history of the war ; no soldiers stand higher than do those of this State. Again, soldiers, accept my heartfelt thanks for your handsome and valuable present."
Shortly after this presentation, Colonel Stilwell returned ` to his home where he engaged in private business. although alive to the interests of the soldiers in the field. In the fall of that year he was nominated by the Republicans of the Eleventh Indiana district, and elected as a member of Con- gress against the IIon. J. F. McDowell, of Marion, Indiana, an account of which is given in another part of this book.
Captain Henderson, who made the presentation speech, became a leading citizen of Anderson after the war was over. He was prominent in its business affairs, and, in 1876, was elected to the legislature and served acceptably for one term. Later on he removed to Kingman, Kansas, where he engaged in the banking business, and there died. IIis remains were brought to Anderson, and interred in the cemetery north of the river. Ilis family at this writing are residents of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
THE OLD LOG SCHOOL HOUSE.
None but those who have attended school in the old log school house can appreciate the many pleasures that cluster around its memory.
The district schools of Madison county of fifty years ago were taught in rude cabins, built by the pioneers in the neigh- borhoods in a manner to best suit the convenience of the few pupils of the times. Some of the happiest moments of the lives of the country boys and girls were spent in these primi- tive structures.
The school house was often at a distance of one or two miles from the home of the pupil. The wading through the deep snow and the crossing of the little brook on the foot log by the country lads and lassies, were pleasures pure and unal- loyed. The rustling of the leaves of the stately maple that shed its foliage in the pathway to the school house will never again be heard by those who so joyfully kicked and romped in the woodland on their journey to school. In the beautiful month of October, when " Indian summer" was at its height of splendor, who ever heard a sweeter sound than the rattle of the leaves beneath the feet of the country maiden on her way to school?
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Who ever breathed a purer air than the autumn breath, when " the frost was on the pumpkin vine," as through the woods the scholars romped and played, sometimes too long, making a tardy mark against themselves for their fun?
The furniture was of the rudest kind, being composed of slabs made of logs split in two and one side smoothed off for the scholars to sit upon. These clumsy seats were set upon legs driven into the slabs where holes were bored into them. The seats had no backs against which to lean or to rest the weary pupil as he conned over his lesson. The teacher was generally the " smartest" man in the neighborhood, regardless of his education, and must be thoroughly competent, physic- ally, to whip the biggest boy in school. The brightest scholar at that time scarcely ever got beyond the " single rule of three," or, as we now term it, simple proportion.
THE OLD LOG SCHOOL HOUSE.
The great occasion of the country school came on Christ- mas day, or the day previous. On that day the large scholars presented to the teacher a petition, asking him to treat on Christmas day. This, of course. he refused to do, being a part of the play.
On the next morning when the teacher came to school he found himself locked out, and the big boys in command of the premises. The small scholars were almost scared to death by the threats of the teacher to annihilate the whole crowd as soon as he gained admission ; but this was understood by the larger ones, and after repeated efforts of the teacher to gain an entrance, all to no purpose, he would start in a threatening manner to leave the grounds. And there is where the fun set
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
in. No sooner would he start than the entire gang of big boys were on his trail, and such running was never witnessed in any other conte-t. If the teacher happened to be a swift runner, it often took a half day to overhaul him, and when he was captured he was taken to the brook and sometimes thrown in before he would sign the agreement to treat. But it was always expected that the treat would be forthcoming at a proper time. And after the captive had succumbed, and all of the arrangements made, a grand time was had, in which all partook of a feast of striped candy, apples and hard cider.
None but those who have participated in one of these affairs can fully appreciate the pleasure they gave. It is safe to say that anybody who ever did take part in one, now looks back to it with pleasurable emotions.
The school house was not supplied with glass windows to
OUT
IN
admit the light of day, but a log was cut out of the side, and a piece of greased paper was pasted over the opening, which served for that purpose.
It was against the rules for more than one scholar to be out of the house at one time, during the hours of study. It was impossible for the teacher to at all times keep his eye on the door, so he had a large paddle made, which he hung by the side of the door, on one side of this was in large letters, gener- ally made with a piece of " kiel," "OUT," on the reverse side was the word " IN." Each scholar was required to turn the paddle when going out, and on returning, to turn it back again. Sometimes when two mischievous boys wanted to have some fun. one would go out and turn the paddle entirely over, and after the teacher was engaged and had time to forget who was
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
out, the other would go out and join his partner. This meant an awful whipping if caught and the boys well knew it. To get a whipping at school then was a thing long to be remem- bered by the recipient. A large hickory switch as big as an ox "gad" was the instrument used, and the offending one was drawn up in front of the whole school and a frightful ex- ample was made of him, as he stood up and received from fifty to one hundred lashes. Many of the large boys prepared themselves for the whipping (as they were chastised for the most minor offense). They would sometimes, when they had transgressed the rules, and were expecting to be punished, place sheepskins under their coats which would serve to pro- tect their persons from the severe blows.
The Friday afternoon spelling bees of the country schools were a feature that the present day pedagogues might with profit imitate. The whole school resolved itself into a spelling match, having a captain on each side who chose alternately from the scholars until all the pupils were taken, then the teacher "gave out " to them and the contest was kept up un- til late in the afternoon, when the exercises were closed by reading " compositions " and speaking pieces.
Dialogues, declamations, essays and stump speeches were the order of the day. The quarrel of Brutus and Cassius, and the speech of Patrick Henry before the Virginia convention, were favorite pieces selected for these occasions. " Ben Bat- tle was a soldier bold," was also often rehearsed with much gusto by the young Cicero of the old log school house times. Mark Antony's oration over the dead body of Cæsar was left for the big boy who aspired to fame and future greatness, and many who afterward became great in oratory made their first attempt by delivering this address.
The last day of school will never be forgotten by the old- timers. The term was generally wound up by giving an " ex- hibition," in which the whole school, and sometimes the scholars of neighboring districts, took part. These affairs made an impression upon the minds of those who participated in them, that it would be impossible to forget. The last day was a day of parting, with some forever; with others only until the next winter, when school again took up.
With all the joyous sports and exercises of the last day of school where is the boy or girl of the old days who has not moistened the pillow with the tears of regret upon retiring upon the night of the last day of school?
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
REAPING HOOK, CRADLE AND BINDER.
There are a few yet living in Madison county who remem- ber the days of the reaping hook, but precious few who ever used one of them to gather a crop of growing grain. It has been nearly three-quarters of a century since they were in general use. In the early settlement of the country, the area of land sown in wheat was quite small as the country was but little cleared, and only a small patch of wheat was cultivated, corn being the principal grain for food for man and beast.
THE REAPING HOOK.
When the time came to harvest the grain, the farmer did not go forth in his field with a handsome reaper, followed by scores of men binding the sheaves as they fell from the machine, but in a quiet manner proceeded with his wife, sons and daughters, and with reaping hooks gathered the waving grain by hand.
The larger farmer, who had considerable of cleared land, generally invited his neighbors to assist him, and it was made
THE GRAIN CRADLE.
the occasion of a grand " frolic." A little of the pure and "unadulterated product of the still " was always on hand, as it was thought at that time that the harvest could not be prop- erly gathered without it.
At night after the work was done, sometimes the festiv- ities were wound up with a dance on the old puncheon floor. The music being furnished by one of the neighborhood boys on a " fiddle," the most popular airs being " the Money Musk," " the Devil's Dream " and " the Arkansaw Traveler."
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
The hardships of the day were entirely forgotten in the merry dance and obliterated by the swelling notes of the music, and the dance went on until the dawn of morning. There is no doubt as to the enjoyment in those good old times, as there is not one living who ever participated in one of those occasions who does not grow eloquent in recounting the many blissful moments thus spent.
As the country opened out and farms became possessed of wider fields, the demands for better facilities for harvesting the grain became manifest, and the inventive genius of man began to plan, and in his fertile brain conceived and brought forth the grain cradle, which was the implement of the har- vest field for many years, in fact, it was the only means of gathering the wheat until in the year 1849 or 1850, when it gave way to the reaping machine.
The cultivation of wheat was largely increased by the in- troduction of the grain cradle, and the harvest time became one of the most important seasons of the year. People were more sociable and attentive to the wants of each other than now, and the neighborhoods flocked together in harvest time and helped their neighbors gather their grain. Sometimes as many as a dozen men with a cradle each, would be at work on onc farm. The cradlers cach had a man or boy to follow with a rake, whose duty it was to bunch the fallen wheat into sheaves ready for binding, which was done by a man in the rear. The shockers who followed the cradling party, the boy who carried the sheaves and one to carry water and whisky. made up the party at one of these harvesting bees. The women made as much stir about the affair as did the men. They congregated together at the homes of the neighbors and assisted in preparing the meals for the harvest hands, and en- joyed it as much as the present day women do the assisting of . each other at the "swell" receptions. An ordinary cradler could cut four acres of grain in a day, and experts could do much more. There was a great rivalry between the cradlers as to their ability, and many matches were made in the fields.
When McCormick invented the reaper he put an end to these merry scenes in the harvest fields, and a new era dawned upon the people. and harvest was made a comparatively casy task as compared with the days of the cradle and the reaping hook. The self-binder soon followed to further lighten the burden, which was soon followed by the machine to bunch the sheaves ready for the shock, which has made the harvest field
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
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a place nearer to a scene of pleasure than of labor. What the next fifty years may develop is beyond even conjecture. It may be that in the near future the people of the United States may witness the bearded grain felled and prepared for the granary with machines propelled by electricity. Whatever may come to pass, there is one thing that is a certainty, the people will never get back to the simplicity of manners, and good fellowship that was extant in the days of the reaping . hook.
.
TOOL BOX
CIM JOHNSTON HARVESTER CO.
THE SELF BINDING REAPING MACHINE.
The halcyon days of our grandmother, when that good , old soul used to go into the flax patch and pull the growing weed from the ground and carry it to the quaint old log barn, and after drying the stems, prepare it for the " break," while her husband was tilling the little patch that he had opened in the forest, for a farm, is long ago passed into oblivion. There are just a few here and there who ever saw such a scene. There are precious few of the old-time women now living in Madison county, who propelled the spinning wheel, or used the " scutching " knife in the preparation of the flax for cloth- ing with which to cover her little " brood." The process of utilizing the flax is almost a lost art to the people of this com- munity. Many of the present day do not even know how our grandmothers used to toil in the work of providing covering for the bodies of their children, as well as making with her own hands, the clothing for the beds on which they slept.
The flax was pulled when matured, and thoroughly dried, sometimes by a fire, and when in a proper state was " broken "
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
,
1
THE OLD SPINNING WHEEL.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
and then " scutched " with a "scutching " knife made of wood, until all of the shives were taken out of it, leaving the lint ready for the wheel.
It was then spun into threads ready for the loom, by which it was woven into cloth.
The good old pioneer women, many of them besides rear- ing a family of a dozen children and attending to all of their household duties, took the flax from its native state in the ground and went through the entire process of converting it into cloth and from that stage into clothing, making the gar- ments for her entire household. It was also true of all wool- ens, which she took from the sheep's back and followed it through the different processes until it was converted into . clothing, and blankets for the beds. Mothers and daughters .. of to-day know but little of the work and toil of the pioncers. The preparation for the afternoon reception, the worry about the six o'clock dinner, is nothing to be compared with the anxiety and labor connected with the carly settlers' wives and daughters in the preparation of the raiment for the family, which had to be taken from the ground in the raw material and worked into manufactured articles.
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