USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 34
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CHAPTER XLVI.
REMINISCENCES, ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
Until within the last few years there stood on the banks of Green's Branch, fronting on Eighth street in Anderson, on the thoroughfare which was known at that time as the "Straw- town road" " the One-mile House," and which was a familiar
THE ONE-MILE HOUSE.
object to nearly every old inhabitant of Madison county. In fact it was one of the landmarks in this community. This book would not be complete without taking notice of this build- ing and the many interesting incidents connected therewith. The writers could not give a better account of it than by re- producing what was said of it by the Bulletin in the year 1888, in which the editor says : "Old Anderson is fast pass- ing away and but few of the old landmarks remain to remind a person of sixty years ago of 'Andersontown.' Perhaps the oldest and most historical object of that period in history is the old one-mile house, a log cabin on the north side of West Eighth street, a mile west of the court house. At No. 546, near the site of the old cabin, now lives Mrs. Margaret Harris. She is a pleasant and intelligent old lady of seventy- three years. Her memory is bright and her description of
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
the events that occurred sixty years ago is very vivid. Her ac- count of this building is to this effect, that in the year 1826 David Harris, her husband's father, left Licking county, Ohio, and came on foot to Indiana, looking for government lands upon which to settle. He was then thirty-seven years of age, strong and full of that spirit of adventure and restlessness that once characterized the pioneers of the North-western territory. 'Andersontown' was one of his stopping places and it was here that he found such a spot as he had been looking for. All of that part of the city afterwards known as Hazlett's ad- dition, extending from the cemetery bridge to the fair grounds, was then an Indian corn field. This magnificent territory, a mile long and a half mile wide, is now covered by the Amer- ican Straw-board works and hundreds of fine residences. About three thousand Indians were living in the White river valley between . Muncietown' and . Andersontown ;' each of these places were important villages of the Delaware In- dians.
" Chief Anderson, of the Delawares, had his wigwam at the foot of the hill near where Norton's brewery now stands. Harris went west of the corn field and there found such land as pleased him. He then walked to Indianapolis where at the government land office he entered all of the lands west of where Madison avenue now is, to the old toll gate, and south from the river to West Eleventh street. This tract included the Harter farm, "Hillside," and hundreds of acres of valua- ble land. Returning from Indianapolis he camped under a honey-locust tree just north of where the one-mile house was afterwards built. A cabin stood at the spot where the gravel pit on Peter Bliven's land now is, and to this home the pioneer Harris brought his family. He lived about one year after his family removed to this place and then died. His remains were interred in the Indian burying ground on East Ninth street, and were no doubt hauled away at the time the Pan Handle company opened a gravel pit at that place.
"In 1839 his widow built the ' One-mile House.' At that time it was considered one of the finest houses in the western country. When it was ' raised ' the people from miles around were invited and hundreds were present on that occasion. Among those who were there who afterwards became promi- nent in Madison county, were the Harpolds, the Elliotts, the Shauls, Robert N. Williams and Colonel Nineveh Berry.
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Colonel Berry was master of ceremonies and saw that the work was well done.
"The house was erected for the purpose of a tavern. It was known from the settlement on the Wabash to the Alle- ghany mountains. Soon other settlers began squatting about the place. About this time John Berry built a frame house near the corner of Meridian and Eighth streets, that was con- sidered a greater one than this, but the big log house still con- tinued to be the principal stopping place for many years. The Strawtown road at that time was famous all over the nation, and was especially known to emigrants who were seeking homes in Western States. Strawtown, situated sev- eral miles west of the county line and in Hamilton county, was known further abroad than Indianapolis or any other town within five hundred miles of it. The scene along the road from early spring until late in the autumn was that of one continuous stream of covered wagons. These with two horses and two oxen hitched to them moved the pioneers to their Western homes. Nearly every team in those days stopped at this old tavern. Some of the parties not being able to partake of the hospitality and pay money for their lodging merely stopped for the purpose of watering their stock. The house continued to be a place of entertainment for travelers until about the time the railroads reached An- derson.
"Many instances in this locality of interest to old settlers are related. The earliest settlers of the county remember with a shudder the blackened stake that stood just back of where Bliven's gravel pit was. This stake was used by the Indians as a post to which prisoners were burned. A year before Mr. Harris came to White river a French trader who killed an Indian squaw was captured and burned alive at this stake. The ground around it had been tramped and beaten until it looked like a circus ring. When some of the oldest Indians would get sufficient fire water in them to loosen their tongues they told that many captives, both white and red, had been burned at this stake. But little is said about the matter now; but if the reader will ask any one who lives in that vicinity, he will say that when Indian summer comes and the nights are crisp and pleasant, that the ghost of this Frenchman, who was burned alive at the stake, appears. It is said to have been seen flitting around on many occasions, one leg being burned off above the ankle, and the fierce
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
flashes from his eyes, and the blue flames can be seen issuing from his nostrils. For many years superstitious old women and small children in that locality could scarcely be induced to leave their door steps after dark during Indian summer. In 1828 the Stover family came from Pennsylvania and entered what is now known as the Forrey land, north of White river. It was Margaret Stover who, at the age of seventeen years, was married to John Harris, and who is the author of the reminiscenses given in relation to this old hotel. "One of the diseases incident to the country at the time the Harris family settled here was 'milk-sickness,' which was prevalent in the country for many years, and many peo- ple died from it. No cause for this peculiar malady was ever discovered, but as the country became clear of its heavy forest and was put into cultivation, the disease disappeared. "A one-story log school house at one time stood in this neighborhood, near where the third district school building is now located, and in which Bartholomew Williams, the father of R. N. Williams and the grandfather of A. D. and Gus. Williams, was the teacher, and also the late Colonel Nineveh Berry taught a few terms of winter school in that building.
" When about fifteen years of age, John Harris and another young lad went about fifteen miles down the river to a mill. Darkness overtook them on their return home. The blazed trail through the woods was lost and the wolves began snapping and running around about them. The boys tied their horses to a tree near where the village of Hamilton now stands, where they gathered a lot of brush and started a fire and remained up all night fighting off the ravenous beasts with fire brands.
" Mrs. Harris also related a few historical facts not directly connected with the 'One-mile House,' but of much interest in relation to Anderson of that day. She said this city was named after the famous old chief, Anderson, the same as was Muncie named after the Muncie Indians and Kokomo named after a Miami chief. Anderson was an old man when the whites first came to the banks of White river."
AN OLD LANDMARK IN THE CITY OF ANDERSON.
Prior to the year 1880 there stood at the corner of Eighth and Main streets on the site of the present structure owned by John W. Lovett, and which is now being remodeled, one of Anderson's old landmarks and which was at the same time, a
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
monument to the thrift and enterprise of one of its former wealthy citizens. It was a two-story brick building with business rooms on the first floor and offices above. It was erected by Alfred Makepeace in 1843, being the second brick building erected upon the public square. In it Mr. Makepeace carried on for several years a general merchandising business such as dry goods, groceries, hardware, and other articles which he exchanged for butter, coon skins, ginseng and various other country products .. There was but very little business done then in purely cash transactions. His business extended into every part of the county. There was no railroad into Ander- son for many years after the building of this house. The people came a long distance to trade with Mr. Makepeace, and his store was a general rendezvous for all classes. The build- ing stood at the edge of a grove of trees in which there was a burial ground of the Delaware Indians extending as far north as Martin Gruenewald's residence. This ground is now partly occupied by the present modern residences of Major Doxey, and Thomas Norton.
Mr. Makepeace was one of the shrewdest traders and business men of Anderson. He sold his goods to his customers on any length of time they might request, and at the end of the year he took their notes for any balance appearing against them adding thereto interest. He amassed a snug fortune in his business venture. In the year 1876 he died, leaving to his heirs considerable real estate in different parts of the city. He was the father of Captain A. I. Makepeace who yet resides in Anderson, and H. B. Makepeace, at present township trus- tee for Center township, at Indianapolis. There were several other brothers and sisters whose names are not at present re- membered by the writers.
The occupants of the building after Makepeace left it, was the firm of Crim & Hazlett who there began a dry goods busi- ness, Mr. Crim afterwards organizing the Exchange Bank, the immediate predecessor of the National Exchange Bank, which is now doing business at the corner of Ninth and Main streets. Mr. Hazlett was at various times engaged in general merchan- dising, the buying of grain, and in manufacturing. He was twice elected mayor of the city, and finally ended his days at Riverside, California, only a few years ago. Crim & Hazlett disposed of their stock of goods to a fim styling themselves, Cook & Rhodes, whose whereabouts are now unknown.
Near the close of the war, John F. Eglin and Joseph
CVUNII, INDIANA.
Sharp engaged in the grocery trade in the lower room of the building and did a thriving business. Eglin subsequently re- moved to Toledo, Ohio, and engaged in the produce and com- mission business. Joseph Sharp is still a resident of Anderson, and is at present the proprietor of the Columbia Hotel.
Samuel A. Towell, ex-chief of the Anderson fire depart- ment, for a short time also ran a grocery in this place, and was succeeded by Sparks & Branham, who remained there until 1876, when they retired. Mr. Sparks who was a very prominent business man in Anderson in his day, died only a few years since.
Mr. Branham, the junior member of the firm was the fa- ther-in-law of Dr. George F. Chittenden, at whose residence he died about ten years ago.
In the second story of this venerable pile was, for many years, located the Anderson Standard, which was published at one time by J. Fenwick Henry. He was a fluent writer, but a man of many eccentricities, who will be well remembered by the older citizens of Anderson.
E. V. Long, late Judge of the United States District Court at Las Vegas, New Mexico, was once the editor and publisher of the Standard while it was being printed in this building.
C. E. Jones who published a paper in 1845 and 1846 in this place, was succeeded by Dr. Mendenhall, who published a weekly paper there for several years. In 1856 Thomas W. Cook took charge of the Democratic Standard, and published it up to some time in the sixties, when it passed into the hands of Charles I. Barker, who subsequently disposed of it to William E. Cook, who published it for about two years and then sold it to Fleming T. Luse, present editor of the Craw- fordsville Review. Thomas W. Cook is now a preacher in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is laboring under the firm belief that he is Jesus Christ.
In 1882 John W. Lovett bought this old piece of prop- erty from the heirs of Alfred Makepeace. Mr. Lovett had it torn away and replaced with a new structure. Thus the old Democratic headquarters passed away. The building now standing there is, at this writing, being remodeled, and, will be, when completed. one of the handsomest in Anderson.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
IN HONOR OF DR. HENRY WYMAN.
In mentioning the physicians who practiced medicine in Madison county, the name of Dr. Henry Wyman appears among many others in another place in this volume. He was one of the early physicians, as stated already, perhaps the first regular physician who practiced medicine in this com- munity. He resided for many years in Anderson and then re- moved to Blissfield, Mich., which he made his home until a few years ago, when he died.
In the month of June, 1887, Dr. Wyman returned to An- derson to visit the scenes of his early life, and to mingle among his early associates and spend a few pleasant days with them. On this occasion the physicians of Anderson gave him a banquet at the Doxey House, which took place on the evening of the 22d of June in that year. The banquet was a very fine affair. When the eatables had all been dis- posed of, the gathering resolved itself into an evening devoted to reminiscences and speech-making. Many jokes and stories were told concerning the history of Anderson in its primitive days. Although many of the guests were infirm and feeble from age, the spirit of the occasion was bright and buoyant, and the evening was one of rare social enjoyment. Dr. William Suman presided at the table and acted in the capac- ity of toast-master. The toast of the evening was proposed by Dr. William A. Hunt, " Our honored guest, the first physician of Anderson." In announcing this toast Dr. Hunt spoke very feelingly, and among other things said, "That he re- membered in his boyhood days when Dr. Wyman was spoken of as THE physician of Anderson and of Madison county. There was a Dr. Ruddle who came here before or after Dr. Wyman, but I believe it can be safely said that our present guest is the first doctor who practiced in Anderson. He came from New York in 1831, sojourning for a while in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, thence to Clarke county, Ohio, and thence to Richmond, Indiana, where he studied medicine with Dr. Warner, one of the most eminent physicians in his day. We had other physicians here at the time he located with us, but none north of White river possessing any medical education."
Continuing in this strain, Dr. Hunt gave an interesting account of the practice of medicine in early days, and gave the names of those who represented the medical profession at that period.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
In response to Dr. Hunt's address, Dr. Wyman made a very happy speech in which he said : " What can I say that will be of interest to you ? Can I say that I came here when Anderson was in hazel brush ? When I first arrived here, there were about sixty people, old and young, living in nine families. Among them I only know of Addison D. Williams and Augustus Williams who were citizens at that time and who are still living. The country north of White river had just been opened for settlement. Between here and Alexan- dria there were six log huts that formed the homes of as many settlers. In that part of the county only the townships of Pipe Creek and Richland had been organized. There was a grist-mill located about one mile north of Anderson that made pretentions to grinding corn. They had a granite rock there cut out so as to break the grains into two or three pieces, and this formed the corn meal, the chief article of diet. A smaller mill was located on White river, between Strawtown and Perkinsville, and these two mills were the only institutions of the kind in the county."
"Anderson Forty Years Ago," was the subject of the toast proposed by Mayor Hazlett, who gave a brief synopsis of the appearance of Anderson as a town in those times, and dwelt upon the peculiarities of some of the people. " Judge Eggleston, of Madison, Indiana," he said, " then pre- sided over the court at this place. On one occasion his deci- sion in some matter was overruled by the Associate Justices, and he became so enraged that he left the court room forget- ting his hat, and it was stated, too, that he forgot his horse, and started for Richmond on foot. Some of the attorneys Started after him and had considerable trouble to induce him to return to continue the session of the court. At that time there were three judges, one the President of the Court and t wo Associate Judges, and in cases arising before the court, the Associate Judges would occasionally decide against the pres- i dent and overrule his decisions."
Samuel Myers, who was also present at the banquet. responded to this toast in a very happy strain, causing much mirth and laughter.
The exercises of the evening were closed by all present joining in singing the doxology. after which Rev. W. HI. Ziegler, pastor of the Presbyterian church, pronounced the benediction just as the bell in the court house tolled the hour
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of midnight, and thus ended one of the notable events in the history of Anderson.
As a historical fact it may be stated that Dr. Wy- man came to Anderson in May, 1832, and at once took a leading part in the affairs of the county, being a man of abil- ity and integrity. In 1837 and 1838, he represented Madi- son county in the state legislature. He was also identi- fied with the Pioneer Press. In 1835, he was editor of the Western Telegraph, and so continued for a long time, besides attending to the large and lucrative practice of his profession.
STABBING OF HENRY VINYARD.
A serious stabbing affray occurred in Anderson on the 18th of December, 1866, in which Henry Vinyard, a once well-known character in Anderson, came near losing his life. The occurrence took place in front of a saloon occu- pied by John Morrow, on South Main street, very near the place now occupied by Michael Costello, between Ninth and Tenth streets. Mr. Vinyard received three stabs in the right breast, one of which entered the lung. His assailant was a man of the name of McClintock, whose home at that time was at Wabash, to which place he had just returned from California. McClintock was reported by those who knew him, as being a rather dangerous and desperate man to en- counter in a battle. Vinyard, while not at heart a bad man, was rather bluff in his manner, especially to people of under- stature, and to those whom he thought he could bully-rag and bluff. Both parties had been drinking quite freely a few hours before the affray, and they had had a quarrel during that time and separated without coming to blows. Then meeting again in the saloon, words passed between them, and Vinyard, in a frenzied way, drew a pistol and fired a ball, missing McClintock, but entering the south wall of the saloon. Both men then engaged in a scuffle, and fell out of the saloon to the pavement, and while lying there Vinyard re- ceived the stabs from the knife in the hands of Mcclintock. Immediately on recovering his feet, Vinyard started in search of a physician, staggering along as far as the barber shop, which at that time was owned by James Lucas, situated on the ground floor now occupied by Philip Brehm's saloon, on South Main street, where he fell to the ground from loss of blood. Physicians were summoned who applied restora- tives and dressed the wounds. He was taken to the Ross
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House, where he was confined to his bed several weeks, but finally recovered. McClintock was arrested, and on a preliminary hearing was admitted to bail in the sum of $200, to appear in the Circuit court at the next term to an- swer to the charge of "assault and battery with intent to kill." He immediately gave bail and was set at liberty. Vin- yard having been the aggressor, McClintock was held to be justifiable in his act, and was never incarcerated for the crime,
A KIT OF COUNTERFEITER'S TOOLS.
In the month of July, 1880, while tearing away the old building that for many years occupied the corner of Ninth and Main streets in Anderson, known as the United States Hotel, the workmen in removing the foundation walls un- earthed a full kit of counterfeiter's tools and crucibles, such as are used in the manufacture of spurious coin. The articles were also accompanied by some portions of block tin and other metals in which antimony formed a part. The crucibles were of a material very much like fire-clay and were similar to ordinary cups, holding perhaps a third of a pint. Before the old brick building had been erected a frame had stood on the ground and was used for the carrying on of various kinds of business, but it is not known whether these articles had been there before the old United States Hotel building had been erected.
Dr. M. A. Bird, of Anderson, for many years a practic- ing dentist, has had possession of two of these relics. In all probability the molds for making the money were some place in the neighborhood described, and could have been found. The oldest settlers of the town could not imagine who could have made use of these articles or placed them in this hiding place. It was a matter of common remark for a number of years that counterfeit money had been made in Madison County by a number of the then leading and most prominent Citizens, but no direct evidence was ever obtained against them whereby conviction could have been made. The bogus money made by them was evidently taken out of the county and placed in distant localities, as but little of it had found its way into circulation in Anderson.
BURGLARY OF THE POST-OFFICE.
On Tuesday night, June 30, 1883, the post-office at An- derson was burglarized. Mr. Stephen Metcalf was the post-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
master at this time, and he had his office on the west side of the square in the room now occupied by Mr. August Biest. The safe was blown open, and the contents were removed. Much other damage was done. The furniture of the office was considerably injured. The front part of the room was used by A. H. Jefferson as a candy and confectionery store. An entrance was effected through the basement by forcing the lock of a trap door which was in the floor.
In their haste in looting the safe, many registered letters were dropped upon the floor, where they lay covered up by some papers, and were overlooked, as was some money in the cash-box under the delivery window. In order to deaden the sound of their work the handle of a broom was broken off, and drawn through the bushy part of the broom, around which a towel was wound, and it was then tied around the safe. With all this precaution, however, the noise of the explosion . was heard by George Daich, who lived in the adjoining house, and who was aroused in consequence thereof. He thought it was some one splitting wood in the back yard, and paid but little attention to it. The burglary was committed between 1 and 3 o'clock in the morning. It was generally thought that the crime had been done by " local talent," but no clue was ever obtained as to the guilty parties. The tools used were obtained from the blacksmith shop of Thomas A. Loftus on North Main street. The only occupant of the room at the time of the robbery, was " Grant," a large dog owned by Postmaster Metcalf, which, it seems, made but little resist- ance or noise while the robbery was being accomplished. It was believed that he was drugged by the burglars, as he was usually on the alert when anything wrong was going on.
The loss by this robbery was estimated to be $1,000. No private letters were disturbed, nor was anything of value to private parties touched.
ACCIDENTALLY KILLED.
A sad accident occurred at the farm of Thomas Harme- son, about three and a half miles south of Anderson, on the 15th of June, 1883, in which George Harmeson, his son, was accidentally killed by the discharge of a gun. The young man had taken the gun in the morning to spend a day hunting. His father, being busy upon the farm hauling wood, requested the boy to accompany him to the woods to help. The gun was taken and after the wagon was loaded the boy spent his
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