USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 37
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During Colonel Berry's incumbency of the County Treas- urer's office, there came one season which was very wet. It Ibegan raining in the month of March, and kept on almost inces- ssantly until the first of June. The country was in those days but Little drained by ditches, and the surface of the ground being very flat, the water lay upon the earth in such quantities as to prevent the farmers from planting and cultivating their spring Crop of corn. It looked as if the county would be visited by a famine. Colonel Berry in the goodness of his heart took from the county funds a sufficient amount of money with which to proceed to Canada where he purchased a large quan- tity of a small kind of corn raised in that country of short Season, and speedy growth, and brought some of it home with him to distribute among the farmers of Madison county for Seed. Upon the meeting of the Board of County Commis- Sioners at a subsequent session, they refused to allow the amount expended by Colonel Berry for this purpose, or to re- imburse him for the same. The Colonel had to make good
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the amount expended which fell very heavily upon him. How- ever, public sentiment soon changed in this particular, and the people came to recognize that the Colonel was actuated by motives having reference to the public good alone. Accord- ingly the Board of Commissioners finally made a compromise with him and he was allowed the greater part of the money which he had spent.
The last piece of property that Colonel Berry owned stood on the site where the present Lovett & Robinson block stands on the north side of the public square. He sold it to them about the year 1880 for $7,000. The last building in which the Colonel did business is a very small, one-story house with a square front projecting above the comb of the roof, and is now situated south of the Big Four railroad, opposite the property of John Craighead.
Volumes could be written about Colonel Berry and the early pioneers of his day, but space forbids us dwelling any further upon this subject. There is no old-timer who has lived within the borders of Madison county for the past fifty years who does not know the subject of this sketch, and knowing him does not love him.
In the war of the Rebellion, Colonel Berry enlisted in the 34th Indiana regiment, volunteers, and served in the commis- sary department for about one year when owing to his failing health, he resigned his position and came home. He died August 17th, 1888. His funeral was attended by all his friends, by the great mass of the citizens, and was conducted under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity.
IN MEMORY OF MRS HANNAHI BERRY, A PIONEER OF MADI- SON COUNTY-A NOBLE WOMAN WHO DIED IN ANDER- SON IN 1875.
As stated in another place in this volume, it is not our intention to go into details as to the biography of the people who make up the citizenship of Madison county, but there are a few people who have lived and passed away, whom we deem it just and proper to speak of and to place in such a position that the history of their lives and good deeds shall not be forgotten. Among the many prominent women who have lived and died in Anderson none is more worthy of mention . than Hannah Berry, wife of the late Colonel Nineveh Berry, who died on the 11th day of June, 1875. She was born in Licking county, Ohio, on the 4th day of August, 1815, and
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emigrated with her parents to Madison county in the fall of 1826. Her father settled in the vicinity of Anderson, and his daughter resided with him until the 19th of March, 1833, at which time she was married to Nineveh Berry. The Colonel settled in Anderson immediately after his marriage, where he continued to reside until the time of his death. Mrs. Berry left behind her to mourn her loss, her husband and two daugh- ters, Mrs. M. C. Howland, of Indianapolis, and Mrs. Eliza- beth Clark, of Anderson, who died in this city but recently, being the wife of Alexander Clark, who yet survives her.
MRS. HANNAH BERRY.
Mrs. Berry was one of the oldest inhabitants of Madison county, having lived in Anderson and its vicinity for nearly fifty years prior to her death. She was in the county when it was a wilderness. She witnessed the improvement and prog- ress made since the organization of the county. She was well known by all the citizens of Anderson as well as nearly every household in the county. Her husband having been prominent from his boyhood, in politics and business, she thus had a splendid chance to form the acquaintance of people, to know their ways, and to become familiar with them in every respect. In her married life she was a very kind and
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affectionate wife and one of the best neighbors in the com- munity.
She lived with her husband happily for forty-five years; that the ties which united them were very strong was shown on all occasions by the respect they manifested toward each other, and the watchful care bestowed on the wife by her hus- band during her long illness. Her children were strongly attached to her as no one could doubt who witnessed the con- stant presence of her daughters at her bedside night and day for several days prior to her demise. Colonel Berry was one of the first Free Masons in the county, and was always prom- inent in that order. Mrs. Berry herself was a prominent member of the Eastern Star degree. Her funeral took place on the Sabbath day and was attended by the Masonic frater- nity headed by a band of music. This was the first instance in the history of Madison county in which the Masons turned out in a body to attend the funeral of a woman. It will long be remembered by those who were then residents of Anderson as being the largest funeral that had ever occurred in the county up to that date. Thousands of people filled the court house yard in front of the residence, and the streets were jammed for many squares in every direction by people who were anxious to witness the ceremonies which took place under the direction of James A. Thompson, who delivered the address in a very solemn and impressive manner. The sermon was preached by Elder Thompson of the Christian church, of which Mrs. Berry was an honored and consistent member. The passing away of Mrs. Berry removed from Anderson one of the old land-marks of the county, and her death will long be regretted by those who enjoyed her friendship.
NOLLIE WALDEN, AN OLD-TIME RESIDENT.
It is our purpose in these pages not only to mention the good deeds of the Anglo-Saxon, but to do full justice to our colored brethren as well. In writing this book it would be improper to pass by a prominent character that once filled a place in daily life in Anderson. This was no less a personage than Nollie Walden, a colored gentleman, who for many years made Anderson his home. He was among the first, if not the very first, colored barber who did business in Ander- son. He was born in Halifax, North Carolina, in 1814. His parents were colored and enjoyed the proud distinction in those days of being free. Mr. Walden had largely the ap-
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pearance of having in his veins a mixture of Indian blood; he was not what might be termed black, but possessed a copper- colored hue, and his hair was straight like the red man's. Nor did he have the traits of the negro in other respects, for his nose and lips were like those of a white man. He was taught the trade of a painter, in which, it is said, he excelled. He was without the advantages of education, but was neverthe- less well posted on the political, religious and other questions of the day.
On attaining his majority he left North Carolina and came to Cincinnati, where he pursued his trade for some time, and from that place he went to Madison, Indiana. In 1845 he was married to Miss Susan Sizemore, of Wayne county. Shortly after his marriage he moved to Indianapolis, and thence to Anderson in 1859. He purchased the house and lot on the corner of Ninth and Jackson streets, in which he made his home. He opened a barber business in Anderson and he steadily continued in this pursuit until the day of his death, on the 24th of December, 1874.
" Uncle Nolly," as he was familiarly called by the people, Ihad many peculiarities. It was the general opinion that he was possessed of a " Mascot," as he never purchased a ticket in any kind of a lottery drawing in which he failed to secure a prize. In the year 1866 at a lottery drawing conducted by Samuel Pence in the old Union Hall in Anderson, Mr. Pence disposed of the entire outfit of a large livery stable that he then owned. Nolly was the fortunate man to win the chief prize, which was a horse, buggy and harness.
A few months later a gentleman from Wabash came to Anderson selling tickets for a lottery in which the capital prize was a residence in that city worth several thousand dollars. Mr. Walden invested a dollar and purchased one of the tickets. He laid it aside and hardly gave it a passing thought. What was his surprise when reading the news- papers a few days after the drawing took place to discover that his ticket bore the lucky number which won the house. The property was immediately deeded to Mr. Walden on sur- rendering his ticket, and he held onto the same until the day of his death.
At the date of his advent into Anderson, there were but three or four colored people in the town, Rollin Williams and family, "old Black Jess" and another family by the name of Richardson. These people constituted the sum total of the
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colored population. Mr. Walden from the day of his first appearance took the lead among the colored people, and he was at the head of all enterprises, social, religious, or political, in which his race was interested. When he died he owned property at the corner of Sixth and Jackson streets, where his widow dwelt for a long time after his decease, but sub- sequently re-marrying, she disposed of it, and moved away from Anderson.
HAMILTON, THE HORSE TAMER.
Many small shows, circuses and other classes of amuse- ments are going through the country, as they always have .since the organization of civilized society, but none ever struck Anderson that made the hit that Hamilton, the horse tamer, did with his spotted pony and small caravan of trained horses. He visited this place in the summer of 1866. He traveled something like a circus, with accoutrements of simi- lar character. He pitched his tent on the vacant ground, or " commons," just south of Twelfth street on Meridian, where James McKeown's houses now stand. He stayed there about two weeks, giving exhibitions twice a day of his skill in hand- ling wild and vicious horses. He would take any horse brought to him, no matter how wild or unmanageable, and in less than no time he would have him following him around like a pet dog. He would hitch up an unbroken horse, and in a short time would drive him through the streets without a bridle. He gave lessons in the art of horse taming. Nearly every young man in Madison county at that time became a horse tamer, but did not follow it up long, soon tiring of the fun, finally dropping back to the old way of training their colts by main strength and pure awkwardness. IIamilton made money like dirt and spent it with a lavish hand .. He had a pretty wife to whom he was fondly devoted. Nothing was too good or too rich for her. She was several years his junior and he seemed to think she was the only woman there was in this wide, wide world. She sported diamonds and costly jewels, and had everything that money could buy. The Professor himself was rather vain of his personal appearance ; he wore a large diamond and carried a gold-headed cane. He was coming up from Richmond on the Pan Handle train one .morn- ing with his family, his wife occupying a seat in front of him. It was a very warm day and the cars were crowded. Mrs. Hamilton tried to raise the window. to. let in fresh air. She
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could not get the window up. The Professor tried it, but it would not move. He took his cane and smashed the window pane out, and resumed his seat, talking to a friend as if noth- ing had happened. The conductor soon arrived on the scene, accosting him :
"Sir, that will cost you a five-dollar note."
"All right. Here's your money," giving him a ten-dollar - bill:
The conductor began to fumble around for the change.
"Never mind the change. I'll take another one," and, taking his cane, he punched out another light and went on with the conversation with his friend. It was a great adver- tisement for him. It was no time until the whole train load of people knew of the occurrence and were all talking of Professor Hamilton, the great horse trainer. While at Rich- mond he bought and gave away to the poor of the city one hundred cords of wood. It was but "bread cast upon the water to return many days hence." He did an enormous business in Richmond, Cambridge City and other towns in that locality.
His wonderful trick pony that he had in Anderson will long be remembered. Many is the boy who has tumbled over his head. As far as the pony could hear Hamilton's voice he would obey his commands.
A boy would be placed on the pony's back and started off at a full gallop. Getting a square or two off, the Professor would say, "Whoa!" The pony would stop as quick as if shot, but the boy would go on, alighting several feet in front of him. No person on earth could cause the pony to change its position or move until Hamilton gave the command. If he commanded the pony to back, it would back all the way to him. If he said roll back, roll back it was. If he said lie down, it would lie down and stay there until it was com- manded to get up. There have been many imitators of Ham- ilton, but there never was but one Hamilton. His way of doing business and gaining the confidence and respect of the people was a gift to him not enjoyed by any of his imitators. He would go into a strange town, and in twenty-four hours every one in town would know and like him. His mode of handling the horse was perfect, and, if practiced by people, would be of great benefit to both man and beast. Whilst he subdued the animal, he made it love him, and it soon loved to do his will. The Professor was a "Michigan Yankee." He
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is now supposed to be dead, or at least he has not been heard of in this country for a long while.
HOW JOHN SALYERS GOT HIS PENSION.
An odd character of thirty years ago was Uncle Johnny Salyers. He was a veteran of the war of 1812, and was a constant applicant for a pension for years, without avail. He had Thomas A. Hendricks, T. N. Stilwell, William S. Hol- man and all of the prominent men of the times to try his case. None could succeed. Finally he made up a collection among the people, went to Washington and in person applied to the pension office, told his plain, simple story, and was granted a pension, which he drew until his death. This was during the time that Colonel T. N. Stilwell represented this district in Congress. The department officials had quite a time " kid- ding" Uncle John. One of them asked him if Stilwell was the smartest man in his district and the best timber for Con- gress. "No," he said, " we have lots of smarter men than Stilwell, but they are all busy teaching school." There was no one who enjoyed the joke more than Tom Stilwell, who often related it in his lifetime.
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CHAPTER XLIX.
FIRES, ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN ANDERSON TOWNSHIP.
LIVERY STABLE DESTROYED BY FIRE.
One of the most disastrous fires that ever occurred in An- derson was on the night of October 31, 1885, when flames were seen to be issuing from the livery stables owned by Hunt & Pence, on East Ninth street, on the spot where the livery stables of Wm. Merrick now stand, opposite the Doxey hotel. The origin of the fire was enveloped in mystery. The barn was a double structure, the front building being of brick, and joined to it in the rear was a two-story frame. It was owned and occupied by Richard J. Hunt and G. W. Pence, and operated as a livery and sale stable and breeding barn.
The fire was first noticed in the mow of the frame build- ing at about 12 o'clock at night. Sixteen horses, eighteen buggies and carriages, two hearses, twenty tons of hay, three tons of straw, 600 bushels of oats, and 200 bushels of corn, thirty-six sets of single harness, seven sets of double harness, thirty robes and much other personal property, were in the building at the time of its destruction, entailing a loss of over $10,000.
Among the horses that perished was the noted stallion, " Viceroy," which was very valuable. He came at one time near being rescued and had almost gained the front door, when, in his excitement, he suddenly whirled around and ran back into the stable, and in a moment fell dead from suffoca- tion. He was one of the best horses that was ever owned in Madison county, having been brought here by the late Judge Winburn R. Pierse and W. H. H. l'enisten, who after having him trained for several years transferred him to Richard J. Hunt and George Ross. "American Boy," a famous pacer, yet living and owned by Mr. Hunt, was also an occupant of the building at the time, but fortunately was rescued without injury.
The terrible outcry made by the imprisoned animals was 28
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piteous and doleful, and to hear them rear and plunge about in their stalls in their frantic efforts to escape until they were enveloped in the flames, and then became silent one by one, was agonizing in the extreme.
Of the sixteen horses, fourteen belonged to Mr. Hunt and Mr. Pence ; one to William McMullen, driver for the United States Express Co., and one to Mrs. Theodore Zion.
The two hearses that were destroyed belonged to Mr. Stephen Markt, the Anderson undertaker, who had purchased them but a short time previously at a cost of $1,500. Neither of them was insured. Of the buggies burned one was the property of J. W. Pence and the other of Hon. Howell D. Thompson.
The building belonged to Hunt & Pence and the loss upon it was nearly covered by insurance. The people living along the line of the street moved their furniture and household goods in anticipation of the effects of the fire, but the flames were prevented from extending by the high roof of an adjoin- ing building.
BURNING OF DR. WM. A. HUNT'S RESIDENCE.
The frame residence of Dr. William A. Hunt, situated on South Jackson street, was destroyed by fire on the 31st of January, 1887. The fire caught from a defective flue and had gained considerable headway when discovered. Only a por- tion of the household goods were saved. Considerable furni- ture, clothing and other property were destroyed. It occurred on a severely cold night and there was a heavy snow on the ground. This was the first fire in which Anderson's new fire department was called to battle with the flames, and several serious mistakes were made by the " fire laddies " in getting their paraphernalia together. One of the most serious was : They attached their hose to a hydrant a considerable distance from the building, and before being quite ready the stream was turned on by some one with such force that it bursted. This mishap gave the fire quite a headway before the hose could be repaired, but as it was, the firemen made a brave fight and saved a portion of the building. The loss to Dr. Hunt was $1,500, which was fully covered by insurance. The firemen suffered from the intense cold, many of them being drenched with water, which immediately turned into ice upon their persons. They received the congratulations of the peo- ple of Anderson who were present to witness the display made
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by the new department. The few mistakes that were made were overlooked, and they were given credit for saving thou- sands of dollars' worth of property in the adjoining buildings, which would most certainly have been destroyed had it not been for their untiring work. Dr. Hunt never rebuilt his residence, but removed to North Main street, where he died not very long after this occurrence. Dr. Volney Hunt, his oldest son, now occupies a handsome residence on the ground on which this fire took place, and is one of Anderson's best and most influential citizens.
" WHEN BLOCK " DEMOLISHED.
On the morning of the 5th of March, 1895, one of the most teriffic explosions of natural gas took place in Anderson that ever visited any community. The "When Block," owned by John H. Terhune was wiped from the face of the earth, with scarcely anything left to tell where it once stood.
The cause of the explosion will never be known. There are several theories advanced concerning it, however, the most popular being the belief that the store was on fire and that a broken gas connection had emptied sufficient gas into the building to complete the wreck. That the building was on fire before the explosion occurred there can be little doubt. The doors of the store room, which were blown from their hinges across the street into the court house yard, were charred in a manner that indicated as much. Besides this, Mrs. McKee, the wife of D. D. McKee, whose photograph gallery was in the building just north of the When, and who occupied rooms there, happened to be up at the time and dis- covered that the store was on fire before the explosion took place. She saw the fire and had started into an adjoining room to arouse her mother when the explosion occurred.
The explosion tore out the entire east wall of the building and the front end ; a portion of the second floor was still in position when the fire department got on the scene.
Almost at the same instant that the explosion occurred flames leaped into the air, and just as the water was turned upon the debris the front of the building fell into the street zand the roof and second story collapsed.
A man who was stopping at the Doxey hotel and saw the disaster gave the following account of it : " First came the sound of the explosion, then a crash of glass that seemed to extend all around the public square. I raised my window and
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looked out. A huge cloud of white smoke that seemed mountain high was rolling up from where the big block had stood and a scene of awful desolation was presented. The whole front and roof of the building, extending half way back, had been blown away. About ten minutes later another crash occurred and the remainder of the wall had tumbled down." Mr. Sherwood took occasion to pay a high compli- ment to the fire department. He said : " The firemen worked energetically. The department had but four lines of hose, but did great work and were entitled to much credit." The chief did valiant service in saving the adjoining buildings from ruin. It was due to the efficiency and hard work of the de- partment that the adjoining block was left standing.
The Terhune block was occupied by the When Clothing Company, with a $35,000 stock ; Prather & Son with a $10,- 000 stock of boots and shoes; C. C. Hadley with a $7,000 stock of drugs and fixtures. The loss of Prather & Son, and the When store was total, as absolutely nothing was saved. Mr. Hadley saved some of his stock.
Up stairs the block was occupied by Dr. Jonas Stewart, the insurance firm of Cheney, McCormick & Langell, the law firms of Lake & Shuman, Frank P. Foster, Frank Mathews, Carver & Ballard, E. C. O'Crowley, abstracter. No insur- ance was carried by the attorneys, and the loss on books and papers amounted to $2,000. Messrs. Foster and Mathews had just purchased over five hundred dollars' worth of new books, and they were not insured. The When carried $10,- 000 ; Prather & Son, $5,000, and Hadley, $4,000.
The loss on the building was total, as it was a complete wreck. The building was erected in 1888 at a cost of $20,000. There was but $4.000 insurance on the building.
It was known to a good many that Mr. Guy Ballard and Mr. Frank Mathews, both of whom had offices in the ill-fated building, had formerly roomed there at night, and the startling rumor was soon abroad to the effect that both young men were in the building at the time of the explosion and were buried in the ruins. Fortunately neither of the gentlemen was in the building, and their early appearance on the streets allayed all fears of their friends and placed an effectual quietus on the rumor concerning their fate.
The Hon. John H. Terhune, the owner of the building, was, at the time. in Indianapolis attending to his duties as a legislator. Upon hearing of the loss he had sustained. he
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cooly telegraphed a friend to at once have the wreck cleared away and prepare for a new edifice, to be erected on the site of the ruins. As soon as his duties would allow him he came home and commenced the building of the handsome block that now adorns the corner of Main and Eighth streets, where the old one stood.
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