USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 19
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In the issue of the 17th day of September, 1863, the editor of the Standard announces the arrival of the remains of Captain Van devender, in Anderson, as follows: "The remains of the late Captain Vandevender, who fell while
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gallantly leading his men at the siege of Vicksburg, were brought to this city on Thursday, the Bd inst., and interred in the new cemetery on the Saturday following. He was a brave officer and a gallant man."
Captain Hiram Vandevender, referred to in this article, was a captain in the Eighth Indiana Regiment, being a mem- ber of the first company of soldiers organized in Anderson at the breaking out of the war of the rebellion. Ile was well and favorably known by the people of Madison county, and especially the residents of Anderson. His wife was a sister of Captain W. R. Myers and a daughter of the late Samuel Myers, of .Anderson. The first service held for the decora- tion of soldiers' graves in Anderson took place at his grave, which is marked by a handsome Italian marble slab in the cemetery north of the city. . At a meeting held for the pur- pose of forming a company of volunteers at the breaking out of the war, Vandevender was, by unanimous choice of the soldiers, made captain of the company, an account of which is given in another place in this book.
In the issue of the Standard of April 14. 1864, we find an account of the burning of a saloon in Anderson which was said to have been fired by an incendiary and came near result- ing in a conflagration of other property in the city, as follows :
" The building was occupied as a saloon by ' Irish Jimmie Smith,' and was fired in two places about 2 o'clock on Mon- day morning. It might have resulted in a very serious con- flagration in the destruction of other houses had it not been discovered by a gentleman who happened to be on the street at that hour, and who, by the assistance of a few others, suc- ceeded in extinguishing the flames before any material damage was done to the property. The building had been lately pur- chased by Mr. John Flavin. This was evidently the act of some fiend in human shape who desired to burn out that part of the city."
In the issue of August 18. 1864. an account is given of the burning of wheat belonging to two prominent farmers of Mad- ison county :
"Peter Hosier and David Harless, living near Hamilton, in this county, had all their wheat burned last week. Hosier had 400 bushels destroyed, while Harless had 600. The fire was the act of an incendiary."
In the same issue we find an account of the shooting of a man of the name of Griffy, near Anderson :
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" A man by the name of Griffy who resides some three miles from town, was very seriously wounded one day last week by being shot through the lungs by a rifle in the hands of some unknown party. Griffy was helping a neighbor thresh wheat, and was in the act of taking his seat at the table when he was shot. The crowd in attendance at the place went out and overtook Milton White about 100 yards from the house, who had a gun with him. He was taken into custody, but White denied having done the act and was released." The Milton White spoken of was the same person who was hung in Anderson on the 1st day of November. 1867, for the murder of Hoppes, a full account of which appears elsewhere.
In the issue of December 13, 1866, we find a letter from G. Dascher, proprietor of the Revere House, of Chicago, making inquiries asto one David HI. Lane, who died in that hotel on the night of the 12th of December, by being suffocated by gas. The letter was addressed to the postmaster at Ander- son as follows :
" A young man registering himself as David HI. Lane, Sullivan county, Missouri, met his death at this house last night by suffocation from gas, he having through ignorance blown out the gas light instead of turning it off. He had in his pos- session a railroad ticket for Anderson on the Chicago and Great Eastern Railroad, at which place or in its neighborhood, he told the boy who showed him to bed, that he had relatives living."
CHAPTER XXV.
A FEW PERSONAL SKETCHES OF PERSONS WHO WERE WELL KNOWN IN MADISON COUNTY IN THEIR TIME- ENOCH M. JACKSON.
Among the old-timers who have lived in Anderson none is more worthy of complimentary mention than Enoch M. Jackson, who died on the 29th of March, 1888, while filling the responsible office of Justice of the Peace.
Ile came to Madison county when four years of age with his father, Andrew Jackson, and spent the remainder of his life here. He was a man of more than ordinary sense, and well educated. He was of fine physique and polished man- ners, making many new friends and holding fast to older ones.
He was for many years in the marble business in Ander- son, and during the year of 1868 erected a handsome monu- ment dedicated to the Hamilton county soldiers by the com- missioners at Noblesville, which was unveiled on the Fourth of July in that year. Mr. Jackson delivered an address on that occasion that endeared him to the hearts of the people of Noblesville and Hamilton county. Its language is perfect. and the sentiments uttered are full of true patriotism. This piece of oratory will be remembered while its author is sleep- ing through ages yet to come. It is embodied in the reports of the Adjutant General of Indiana, and is filed in the archives of the State, where it will remain as long as time shall exist.
The following is his address :
" We have met upon this our nation's birthday for the purpose of unveiling and presenting to the citizens of Hamil- ton county this beautiful monument. It is proper that such a presentation should take place upon such a day. Our memo- ries revert to the days of 1776, when our forefathers in solemn council assembled and declared that the colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent.
" The generations which succeeded them have given every evidence of the same spirit of patriotism which imbued their hearts, and have erected monument after monument in mem-
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ory of their fallen heroes. So it is with us in our day. An unnatural and cruel war has passed away. In its cause many have fallen, and many hearthstones are desolate; many sons, brothers and husbands have fought their last fight, and have ' given the imperishable crown to victory.
" Their names and their memories are engraved as indeli- bly upon our hearts as they are engraved upon this stone. We need no better evidence of the spirit of reverence for our brave and gallant soldiers than is exhibited by the generous liber- ality of your County Commissioners in the purchase and erec- tion of this marble shaft, draped so appropriately with the banners of our country, the Stars and Stripes. Upon its sum- mit is perched the American eagle, emblem of freedom, invit- ing the oppressed of every land to shelter under its wide- spread wings.
"In erecting this monument your commissioners simply did their duty. Those boys had the promise, when they left their homes, that they would be remembered. How nobly has Hamilton county responded, in having engraved hereon, not only the names of her dead, but of her living heroes, who fought on many a bloody battle-field with Spartan zeal, that they might retrieve, in part, for the loss of their fellow com- rades, and prove to us that a republican form of government was a success, and to the world a guarantee of universal free- dom.
"And, in conclusion, we now present and commit to your hands and keeping, through Governor Baker, this monument. Upon its smooth and polished tablets are engraved the names of Hamilton county's gallant defenders. May the names of our fallen ones ever be in our remembrance. May the hand of charity and of friendship be ever extended to the heart- stricken loved ones upon earth. May this beautiful monument ever call to our minds, that love of country and that heart-felt patriotism of ever true American is a noble defender. And may the glory and renown of America prove as imperish- able as this graven stone."
Moses Maynard, the oldest man who ever lived in Madi- son county and, perhaps, in the state of Indiana, was for many years a resident of Monroe township, and died at the home of his son, Barnabas Maynard, on the 15th of June, 1874. Ile was born September 23, 1763, near Hillsboro, .N. C., and had reached the extreme age of 103 years at the time of his death. His life was an eventful one as he was
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
the only man known to the people of this section of the country, who could say that he voted for George Washington for president of the United States. Mr.'Maynard claimed to have voted at every Presidential election since the time that George Washington ran for his first term down to the time of Horace Greeley in 1872, and in his latter days he persistently contended that Horace Greeley was elected to fill the presi- dential chair. He related many interesting circumstances when in a friendly conversation. He remembered the British soldiers whipping his father in an unmerciful manner in a corn field during the Revolutionary war, where his father was en- gaged in gathering corn, because he would not disclose the whereabouts of a brother, who was in hiding from the British
MOSES MAYNARD. THE OLDEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED IN MADISON COUNTY. DIED AT 108 YEARS OF AGE.
Tories. He had another brother who was taken by the British soldiers, and who never returned. He was a man who always drank more or less, from his boyhood to old age, and was a striking example of the theory that some advocate, that good whisky properly used is a benefit rather than an injury to the human family. During his residence in Madison county, it was not an uncommon sight to see him galloping along the road toward Alexandria to replenish the family jug, which he al- ways kept about his premises. In religion he was a Baptist, and was a prominent member of that church. He was the father of eleven children in Madison county. The immediate descend- ants of this old man are very numerous. An uncle of Moses Maynard was a volunteer soldier in the Revolutionary war
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
from North Carolina. In speaking of the customs of his old Carolina home, he stated that there were no wagons in that country, and in " toting " their tobacco to market, the people took hoop poles and lashed their tobacco hogsheads to them, and then hitched their horses to them, and rolled them a distance of fifty miles. Until a year prior to his death Mr. Maynard raised his own tobacco, and did many chores about the house of his son, where he lived. Only one picture of this old man is in existence. It is a tin type taken a short time before his death, from which the accompanying illustra- tion is taken.
During his younger days, when the British were firing on Lexington and Bunker Ilill. he was an observer of some of the tragic scenes of the Revolution. Thomas Paine's produc- tions, "The Crisis," "Common Sense" and "Rights of Man," were read to Mr. Maynard fresh from the hands that wrote them. The wife of Moses Maynard was Sarah Green- street. During the Revolutionary war she is said to have subsisted, together with her mother, one whole week on boiled beans and poke leaves, it being the only means of support, as they were compelled to hide in ambush to avoid the British cavalry. Mr. Maynard is undoubtedly the only man who ever lived in Madison county who had the pleasure of meet- ing in person the immortal Washington, also Jefferson and Franklin. William Maynard, the father of Moses, was a shoe - maker by trade, and this was the means of his traveling from one section of the country to another. Moses Maynard eventually, after his marriage, landed in Kentucky, near the Big Sandy river, and lived there until he was twenty-eight years old, when he came to Madison county and entered for himself eighty acres of land on the Little Kilbuck, on what is now known as the Benjamin Walker farm. He also entered forty acres for his eldest son James, the last mentioned tract being known as the McKowen farm, on the Alexandria pike, one mile north of Prosperity. The memory of this old man was very acute, and after passing a period of lassitude when he was about ninety-five years old, his perceptive facilities became quite active. He could recite many daring instances of his early life. For several years prior to his death he was quite childish, but was not considered a burden by his son and estimable daughter-in-law, who took care of him. He had the notoriety of being the oldest man in the common- wealth of Indiana, and when he died the news of the decease
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spread throughout the land. The Louisville Courier- Journal gave quite an account of the event, written by Miss Laura Ream, who visited him during the trial of John E. Corwin, in the winter of 1874. Miss Ream was at that time corre- spondent for the Louisville Courier- Journal, and while in attendance at the trial she was made acquainted with Mr. Maynard through Lee M. Trees, a prominent merchant of Anderson at one time, who conveyed her to the Maynard residence, where she held quite an interview with the old gen- tleman and the family with whom he resided, which resulted in a long communication to the paper. in which a complete history of Mr. Maynard from the time of his birth to the day of the interview appeared.
DEATH OF CAPT. R. M. HARRIMAN.
In the year 1867, Capt. R. M. Harriman, of Anderson, with his father-in-law, J. R. Ilsley, together with a man of the name of Folsom, engaged in the manufacture of excelsior. a product of bass-wood and other soft timber which was cut up and used for packing purposes, and also for making mat- tresses. The business was carried on on north Main street on the ground now occupied by the plainng mill of C. E. Springer & Co. These gentlemen did a very successful busi- ness for several years. but Capt. Harriman was a seafaring man, and could not content himself with the plodding ways of the " land-lubber": therefore, about the year 1869, he and his estimable wife took their departure for the sea, and he again embarked in his old occupation, that of commanding a vessel. He was master of the American brig Alberti, until the 25th of January, 1873, when he lost his life while at his post of duty.
While at sea off Lizard's Point, in a storm, Captain Ilarriman's vessel was run down by an Italian bark, and in his efforts to save his crew and cargo, was so severely injured that he died within an hour after the occurrence.
Captain Harriman had ordered the life-boats lowered, and picking his wife up in his arms, started to take her to a place of safety to transfer her to the Italian vessel, which stood close beside the Alberti. At this time a quick surge of the Italian bark caused her to strike the Alberti with such force as to nearly bury her in the sea, knocking the captain against the rigging, mortally wounding him, and for a time disabling Mrs. Harriman. At this juncture the Italian vessel cleared
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
away from them and left them to the mercies of the sea. The mate, Edward Kelly, at once took command of the crippled vessel and safely landed her in Plymouth harbor. Besides the loss of Captain Harriman, a sailor was for some time missing, but it afterward was ascertained that he had gotten aboard the Italian bark in the scramble and was not long afterward landed in the harbor to join his associates. Mrs. Harriman has lived in Anderson ever since this occurrence, and was, on the 18th of May. 1879, married to the HIon. D. W. Wood, with whom she is now living at their pleasant home on west Ninth street, in Anderson. A claim for damages was afterward paid by the Italian vessel. The Alberti was bound for Berbice when the accident overtook her.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
THE TRADES I'NIONS OF MADISON COUNTY.
Prior to 1887 such a thing as a trade's union was unknown in Madison county. The discovery of natural gas brought to our borders many manufacturing establishments since which time the trades have formed unions in every town and city where there are factories.
We give the names of the same and the executive officers under the proper heads.
By these organizations the wages of workmen are kept at a living price and a fraternal feeling engendered among men that is calculated to elevate the human family.
MADISON COUNTY FEDERATION OF LABOR.
President, Geo. Cookson ; vice-president, A. T. Dyc ; secretary, Louis Fuller.
ANDERSON.
Window Glass Workers .- Master workman, George l'er- kins ; secretary, Gilbert Aitken.
Barbers .- President, Jacob Fischer ; vice-president, I. A. Davis ; secretary, C. A. Salman.
Carpenters .- President, Francis L. Eads ; vice-president. William Baker ; secretary, Elias Bidwell.
Flint Glass Workers .- President, Oliver Bryer; vice- president, Pollard Ihmsen ; secretary, Wm. Beck.
Amalgamated Association of I. S. & T. P. W. of .1 .- President, Thomas K. Thomas ; vice-president, John J. Jones: secretary. John Chappell.
Tailors' Union .- President, Charles Mc Mahon : vice- president, Geo. Hoffner : secretary, Nora Collins.
Bricklayers' I'mion .- President, Wm. Kelley ; vice-presi- dent, Geo. Grahi ; secretary, Grant Campion.
Retail Clerks' U'nion .- President, Louis Fuller : vice- president, Wm. R. Cooper ; secretary, Earl Birkebile. .
File Workers' I'nion .- President, A. Loomis ; vice-presi- dent, Joseph Keltner ; secretary, John Elistone.
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Iron Moulders .- President, Mike Howard ; vice-presi- dent, Eli Maxwell ; secretary, Richard Shaw.
Cigar-makers .- President, A. F. Behrman ; vice-presi- dent, John M. Toolen ; secretary, Arch Powell.
Typographical Union .- President, E. E. Goss; vice- president, Leroy Thompson ; secretary, R. N. Mattox.
Wire Drawers .- President, Wm. Beverly ; vice-presi- dent, J. J. King ; secretary, Wm. Ossenberg.
ELWOOD.
Trades Assembly .- President, M. W. Conway ; vice- president, Frank Gratehouse : secretary, Frank Keyser.
Window Glass Workers .-- Master workman, Albert Williams ; preceptor, J. Streiffuss.
Flint Glass Workers .- No. 50, President, Thos. Mc- Govern ; vice-president, Louis Steckler: secretary, Fritz Bernard.
No. 75, President, J. G. Hand ; vice-president, Samuel Reed ; secretary, Andrew Fracelton.
No. 114, President, C. Kavanaugh ; vice-president. II. A. Bruce ; secretary, Geo. Kizer.
Tin Plate Workers .-- President, David Lloyd ; vice- presi- dent, Frank Zonh ; secretary, Richard Burns.
Tailors .- President, L. M. Weying ; vice-president, W. E. Behymer ; secretary. A. P'. Petty.
Carpenters .- President, J. C. Kincaid ; vice-president, J. W. Stoner ; secretary, F. W. Smith.
Typographical Union .- President, John Larkin ; vice- president, George A. Hencke ; secretary, Rob. Yelvington.
('lerks' I'nion .- President, Emereth Luse: vice-president, Frank Greathouse ; secretary. W. G. Records.
ALEXANDRIA.
Trades Assembly .- President, J. E. Carr; vice presi- dent, Nick Griffith ; secretary, H. R. McAAbee.
Flint Glass Workers .- President, James E. Carr ; vice- president, Theo. Ring ; secretary, Sebastian Feiser.
Retail Clerks .- President, E. B. Rogers ; vice-president, Lulu Ilupp; secretary, Delia Moore.
Carpenters' Union .-- President, Wm. Myers; vice-presi- dent, John Good ; secretary, Elmer Sutton.
SUMMITVILLE TRADES UNIONS.
Preceptory, Z. . 1. 300 -Master workman, Charles Ruf- fing ; secretary, Thomas Gray ; preceptor, Mr. Springer.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Dr. John O. Cook, of Pendleton came to that place from Virginia in 1881. He had already read medicine in his native State, and then spent one year in its practice in Tennessee, at the conclusion of which time he came to this State, locating at Pendleton, and here he spent the remainder of his days. He was a brilliant man, a fair physician, although less proficient in his profession than his brother, Dr. Ward Cook. Dr. John Cook was one of the most genial and companionable of men. His conversation was very lucid and instructive. At times he figured in debating societies. He could make a good tem- perance speech and did not shrink from showing his ability on a political rostrum among the leading men of his time. He breathed his last at Pendleton several years ago.
A Dr. Richmond was one of the early physicians of Pen- dleton, of whose history, however, very little is known.
The first physician to locate in Anderson was Dr. Birt, who came to this town in 1827. He practiced medicine in the village, and also taught school. He was a small man, and was lame. His stay lasted but two years and then he removed to Illinois. Ilis office was on East Anderson street, now Eighth.
The next physician to locate here was Dr. Pegg, who came in 1828. Of him but little is known as he remained only two years, and then emigrated to some distant part of our common country.
In 1830, Dr. Ruddle, a cousin of Milton Ruddle, living east of the city, established himself here in the practice of medicine. He remained for seven years and then removed to Broad Ripple, in Marion county.
One of the best known and ablest of them all was Dr. Henry Wyman, who was well posted in the science of medi- cine and was a very successful practitioner. He built himself a large frame residence, which was situated where the Robin- son & Lovett block now stands on the north side of the public square. It was known for a long time as the Berry property, and was once owned and occupied by Col. Nineveh Berry. Dr. Wyman, after a successful practice of many years in Anderson removed to Blissfield, Michigan, where he died. In his day the practice of dosing a patient with calomel, and bleeding him was much the fashion.
Along up to the year 1855 the fever and ague was a very prevalent disease in these regions, and the amount of quinine used for mastering this evil was something enormous. As the
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
country was cleared up and ditches were constructed, the stagnant surface water disappeared, and as the decaying veg- etation was buried under the earth, the ague also gave way and its accompanying fever was a thing of the past.
Of the other old-time physicians of the county, Dr. Spence was located at Alexandria in the year 1889. After remaining there four or five years, he removed to Jonesboro, Grant county, and died there in 1845.
One of the first doctors to follow Dr. Spence was Dr. Cyrus Westerfield, whose practice in that town was also of short duration, and who subsequently moved to Illinois where he is yet living.
Dr. J. W. Perry, but recently deceased, resided three miles northeast of Alexandria, where he had a good practice. llis arrival was in 1840. At the time of his death he was the oldest practitioner in that section of the county, and was a prominent member of the Madison County Medical Associa- tion."
Three other physicians also located at Alexandria shortly after Dr. Perry's advent. They were Dr. Joseph Pugh, who died in 1895, Dr. S. B. Harriman, who ended his last days in Richmond, Indiana, a few years since, and Dr. Leonard Har- wiman, his brother, who passed away in Sterling. Kansas, five years ago.
Dr. Braxton Baker, who had a thriving practice for many years in Alexandria, subsequently removed to Indianapolis, Where he is now spending his closing days in ease and retire- Inent.
Numbers of other physicians settled in different parts of the county, one of whom was Dr. Henry, of Chesterfield. who settled there in 1828, and Dr. Godwin of the same Place, whose arrival dates from 1837. Dr. Davis arrived in 1 847.
At New Columbus, Dr. Horne located in 1840; Dr. Hil- Greth, in 1842, and Dr. Bear, in 1844. In 1840, Dr. Doug- I ass came to Perkinsville, and lived there for a number of Years, and was succeeded by Drs. J. M. Garretson and Charles . Branch. Dr. Garretson continued in Perkinsville until his death, and Dr. Branch is now a resident of Anderson. Dr. James M. Garretson, who studied medicine in the office of his father, is now a practicing physician in Perkinsville.
The old-time physicians, unlike their brethren of the pres- ent age. were generally able politicians, and it was no uncom- 15
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mon thing for some of them to present themselves as candi- dates for the high and lucrative positions within the gift of the voters of the county. The practice of medicine called the doctors out among the people, and, if they were disposed to be good, sociable fellows, they generally won the confidence of the public.
Among the early representatives in the General Assembly of the State of Indiana was Dr. John Cook, of Pendleton. He was succeeded in a few years in that body by Dr. Henry Wy- man, who made for himself a very good record, and was one of the ablest representatives that Madison county ever sent to that body. Later on Dr. John Hunt and Dr. T. Ryan also became members of the Legislature.
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