USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
FIRST JEWISH WEDDING IN ANDERSON.
Prior to the year 1865 there were but very few Jewish families residing in Anderson. Besides the families of Louis Loeb and Joseph Stein, there were perhaps a half dozen Hebrews living in the city. About the year 1870 several other families moved here, and since that time they have steadily increased until at the present writing there is to be found here quite a small colony of Jewish people, many of whom are quite prominent in business and social circles.
The first event of any importance that occurred in Ander- son in Jewish circles was the wedding of Louis B. Warner to Miss Rebecca Hart, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Mr. Warner was at that time a prominent clothing merchant, being the partner in the firm of Gates & Warner, who had their store in the Doxey House building, in the room occupied at this time by J. F. Fadely & Co., as a shoe store.
Miss Hart was the daughter of wealthy and prominent parents, living at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and was at the time visiting friends in this city.
Mr. Warner, being prominent in social circles, sent out a large number of invitations to his wedding, which took place at the Odd Fellows' hall, on the 22d of February, 1873. The ceremony was performed by Rev. M. Messing, a Rabbi of the Jewish temple at Indianapolis, according to the forms pre- scribed by the Jewish church, and was delivered in the English language. The ceremony was lengthy, but beautiful and impressive. The stillness that prevailed during the whole time showed the deep interest manifested by all those present. The Odd Fellows' hall, during its construction, from some cause, had a wall cracked in the south-east corner, which caused some alarm, and some person suggested, during the ceremony, that the building was unsafe. As many of the population of Anderson as could get within the walls were present to witness the event, many crowding in who had not been invited. The ceremony, however, passed off without any accident, and the crowd quietly dispersed.
438
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
The bridesmaids were Miss S. Hart, Miss Rose Weil and Miss Sarah Baum. The groomsmen were J. Obendofer, Jacob Warner and Philip Obendofer. Immediately after the wedding the newly married couple gave a reception in the sitting room of Mckeown's Photograph Gallery, in the same building. Here they received the congratulations of their friends, and many handsome presents.
Mr. Warner, immediately after his marriage, disposed of his business interests in Anderson and removed to Watseka, Illinois, and there engaged in business.
This being the first Jewish wedding in Anderson and the ceremonies of the ritual being so impressive and so well per- formed by Rev. Mr. Messing, he gained many warm friends thereby, and it will long be remembered as one of the most pleasant affairs that has taken place in our city.
We will state further in this connection that Isaac Loeb, son of Louis Loeb, was the first Jewish child born in Madison county. He is now a resident of Chicago, practicing law at that place.
THE DEATH OF A HERMIT.
Thomas Piercy was at one time a happy, prosperous cooper, who had a shop near the Bee Line Railroad crossing on Ohio avenue. where he carried on a trade making barrels and packages for the pork packing establishment that was for many years one of Anderson's leading industries. It is stated that he did not live happily with his wife, and that they separated. Afterwards Piercy became insane and was at one time an inmate of the asylum at Indianapolis, where he re- mained for a number of years, being turned loose upon the public as a hopeless and incurable case. He had no bad or vicious habits, and although he was crazy, he never attempted to do any person or any property any harm. He wandered from place to place for years, begging his bread from door to door. He finally attached himself to a piece of woodland on the farm of Samuel Hughel, about two miles east of Anderson, where he built for himself a rude hut of logs, and in which he lived in solitude for a number of years. During the month of November, 1889, it was discovered by some passers-by that Piercy was ill and lying in filth and rags upon the ground. His hair had grown out to the length of more than a foot, and he presented a very revolting spectacle, looking more like a brute than a human being. He was removed to the county asylum, where he died a few days after being discovered. It is said
489
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
that during his residence in the woods that for many days and months he would subsist upon herbs, roots and nuts and whatever scraps he could beg at the few residences in the neighborhood. He will be remembered by many of the older citizens of Madison county who knew him while in his busy and prosperous days.
INDIAN SKELETONS UNEARTHED.
While making the excavation for the Mccullough-Durbin Iblock on West Eighth street, in Anderson, in the spring of 1890, Newton Burke unearthed a number of skeletons, to- gether with implements of warfare and defense. Several stone axes, stone pipes and a tomahawk were among the relics discovered by the workmen. The tomahawk was given to the Madison County Historical Society, and the others kept by Mr. Burke as relics. These human bones had perhaps been resting there for a century ; how long no one knows. They are silent witnesses of a race now extinct in these parts and their history is merely traditional, as there are only a few liv- ing who ever saw a native Indian in Madison county.
They left but little to commemorate their memories when they folded up their tents and departed, as they were a peo- ple who did not reap, mow, plow, or sow, neither did they build monuments to leave to the generations coming after them to look upon with pride and wonder.
The flints and arrow heads found here and there, and the stone battle axes picked up promiscuously in the different parts of the county, are about all that is left to tell of the once noble red man and his habitation.
BURNING OF HENDERSON'S MILLS.
About the year 1875 the Hon. James M. Dickson, ex- auditor of Madison county, erected on South Main street, An- derson, on the ground now occupied by the Hickey House, a large and elegant flouring mill, equipped with grain elevators for the purpose of handling wheat, corn, and other grains to be shipped to foreign markets.
Mr. Dickson and his son carried on the business of mill- ing, buying and shipping of grain for several years, and then the property passed into the hands of Major Edgar Hender- son, who died some years ago in Kingman, Kansas.
Mr. Henderson transacted a large and extensive business in this place until October 22d, 1881, when the structure was
-
440 HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
destroyed by fire. It was first discovered after it had bursted through the roof. Major Henderson had only a short time be- fore the fire added new machinery to the mill, and it was the impression that the fire was caused by a hot box in the third story of the building. There were but meager arrangements made by the city in those days for fighting fires, and nothing could be done to save the building from the flames.
The Major had purchased a large blood-hound of a most vicious disposition, which he was in the habit of keeping in the mill for the purpose of guarding it. On the night of the fire the dog was shut up as usual in the mill, and for this reason many people who went to the scene made no effort to save the contents because they were afraid of the dog. The animal perished along with the other contents. The loss was variously estimated at from $18,000 to $20,000.
In a short time after this destructive fire Major Hender- son sold the real estate on which the mill was situated, and it finally passed into the hands of John Hickey, its present owner, who erected a hotel and other valuable buildings on its site.
WRECKED BY GAS.
On the morning of February 12, 1895, the residence of Calvin Hedrick, at the north-west corner of Fourteenth and School streets, was wrecked by an explosion of natural gas at 6:20 o'clock in the morning.
The mystery of the accident was how five members of the family escaped without injury, save a slight bruise on the left side of Mrs. Hedrick's head.
The report and force of the explosion was like a keen clap of thunder and was heard for more than two miles distant.
Houses throughout the city felt the shock and the report awoke nearly everybody yet in bed. Over in North Anderson people ran out to see what was the matter and out by the Ar- cade file works there was a scare.
In the meantime an alarm from box 34 called out the sec- ond division of the fire department, but there was no fire to fight. A great crowd assembled about the ruins in a short time and everyone was afraid to ask how many people were killed.
Of the several gas explosions here none was more destruc- tive than that at the Hedrick home and it is the first case where the occupants were not burned or crippled or a fatality resulted.
441
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
The only explanation of the family's escape is that the frame work of the house was not very strong and yielded quickly to the force of the explosion. Had it been brick or even a larger frame building the result would certainly have been appalling.
After firemen had investigated the cause of the explosion Capt. Shinkle, of Company No. 2, was inclined to believe that a gas leak in the cellar was the origin of the accident.
The force of the explosion can better be imagined when it is known that houses shook for eight or ten squares distant. Directly opposite the explosion all the doors and windows in the residences were blown in, the locks and hinges being torn from the doors.
A half square north glass doors in the Nichol residence were shattered.
Rector McGlone's little daughter was up early and at the piano when the explosion occurred. The piano seemed to jump up and the little girl was thrown off the stool.
Windows in the High school building a square and a half north were shattered.
A glass was broken in Broady's residence, two squares east.
In the houses of the Kellums, Turners, Cadugans, all a half square north, windows were broken.
The Baptist church opposite the explosion was not dam- a ged and there was no effect on the Episcopal church a square north.
Fire Chief Towell's residence, a square east, was well s In aken and the chief thought his own house had gone up.
CHAPTER L.
THE DISCOVERY OF NATURAL GAS AND ITS EFFECTS UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MADISON COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST-IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
THE FIRST GAS WELL AT ANDERSON, MARCH 31, 1887.
The excitement caused by the discovery of natural gas in the surrounding towns of Kokomo, Marion, Noblesville and other localities, caused the Anderson people to awaken from their lethargy. After considerable discussion, pro and con, had been indulged in by the leading citizens of the town, in reference to the formation of a company for the purpose of exploring for the fluid which has made Anderson so famous, a company was finally organized. A meeting was held in the court house on Tuesday evening. January 25, 1887, at which a stock organization with a capital of $20,000 was effected. A board of directors was elected as follows : Colonel Milton
448
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
S. Robinson, Wm. Crim, Harry Brelsford, James W. Sans- berry, Sr., H. J. Daniels, E. P. Schlater and J. L. Kilgore.
Among the many objects set forth in the articles of as- sociation, Article No. 2 reads as follows : "The object of the formation of this company shall be for the purpose of sinking or constructing one or more gas wells by drilling, or otherwise, with a view to the discovery of natural gas, or other products of the earth, and the furnishing of a supply of the same for all purposes to which it may be adapted or util- ized. The term of existence of the corporation shall be for fifty years."
The initiatory steps to the organization of this company were taken on the 17th of January, 1887, and articles of asso- ciation were signed by the following named gentlemen : La- fayette J. Barr, G. D. Searle, C. K. Mccullough, Thomas Mccullough, Harry Brelsford, R. P. Grimes, George C. For- rey, E. P. Schlater, Nichol & Makepeace, J. F. Wild, A. B. Buck, E. T. Brickley, James Wellington, Peter Fromlet, Har- rison Canaday, Joseph Schwabacher, Patrick Skehan, George Matthews, J. F. Brandon, Samuel Kiser, W. T. Durbin, I. E. May, J. A. Munchof, Sansberry & Sansberry, N. C. McCul- lough, William Crim, Milton S. Robinson, John H. Terhune, J. L. Kilgore, Thomas M. Norton, L. D. Adams, Thomas J. McMahan, A. J. Brunt, W. L. Maynard, B. L. Bing, W. A. Kittenger, H. J. Daniels, F. W. Makepeace and II. J. Bron- nenberg.
The above list comprises the names of the citizens who were at that time residents of the sleepy country town of Anderson, who had the courage to go down into their pockets and risk the uncertainty of the development of the product for which they were hunting, and to them is due much of the honor of starting Anderson upon its career of wealth and prosperity. After much discussion as to the proper place to sirk a well, the matter was brought to " a head " by Mr. John Hickey, who kindly offered to donate the ground upon which to drill the first gas well. This was at a point imme- diately south of the Midland Railway station near Meridian street. In a few days after the organization of the Board had been effected, a contract was made with Mr. John Porter to drill the well, and he immediately set about his work. The progress of the drilling was watched patiently by the people ; daily measurements were taken and announced through the press of the depth to which the drill had penetrated, and
444
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
finally on Wednesday morning, March 31, 1887, the stock- holders of the company and the people of Anderson were re- joiced to hear from Mr. Porter that he had succeeded in striking a gushing gas well. The drill in its descent had passed through 180 feet of drift, 200 feet of Niagara limestone, 512 feet of Hudson river shale, and then immediately entered Trenton rock for a distance of several feet, the total depth of the well being 847 feet.
This was the beginning of Anderson's greatness. The people went wild with excitement. It was heralded through- out the country in the daily reports of the newspapers, and the dispatches of the Associated Press, and in all the leading dailies of the United States, and it was but a short time before people from all points of the compass began to flock to Anderson, some as sight-seers and some as capitalists, who were looking for a place in which to invest their money. For weeks a pipe was attached to the well through which the gas was allowed to flow without hindrance, being ignited and sending the flames 100 feet into the air, and at the same time making a noise like the running of a heavy railroad train. This attracted strangers and passers by, whose attention was called to the town from the fact of its being designated as a natural gas town. The people for fully one month after this find were seemingly unconscious of the great benefit that might be derived by placing the gas under control so as to use it in their houses. At last sentiment began to crystalize in the minds of the leading business men, and steps were taken to place the fluid in such shape that it could be used for the benefit of the citizens and manufacturers. On the fol- lowing 24th of May, a meeting was called at the court house for the purpose of organizing a Board of Trade. George Nichol was called to the chair, and E. E. Hendee acted as secretary. A letter was read from a Connecticut manufacturer in the line of augurs, bits and shovels, who desired to locate in the Indiana gas belt, and who wanted to know what inducements were being offered by the citizens of Anderson in that direc- tion. This was the first inquiry made about the location of a manufacturing establishment.
A committee was formed to formulate by-laws, rules and articles of association, and after due deliberation reported such articles and code of by-laws, which were adopted. On the following Tuesday evening another meeting of the Board was held at the law office of Chipman & Chipman. It was attended
445
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
by George Nichol, H. J. Bronnenberg, J. W. Lovett, J. L. Kilgore, I. N. Hoover, Harrison Canaday, Chas. L. Henry, Jas. Wellington, W. S. Diven, and Samuel M. Hodson. Geo. Nichol was unanimously chosen president of the board, and M. A. Chipman secretary. At this meeting a proposal from a glass manufacturer was received and discussed informally, but no action was taken in the matter.
This appeared to be the end of all united efforts toward locating manufacturing establishments until late in the fall, when communication was opened between the Board of Trade and the Fowler Nut and Bolt Works of Buffalo, N. Y., which resulted in that establishment removing its plant to this city. This was the first establishment in Anderson to utilize natural gas for the purposes of manufacturing. Immediately thereafter the Union Strawboard Company, through negotiations with the Board of Trade, located its extensive plant on the Hazlett farm north of the city. This was soon followed by the An- derson Flint Bottle Company, of Butler, Pennsylvania. The American Wire Nail Company, of Covington, Ky., and the Knife & Bar Works of Dayton, Ohio. Following these many other large and extensive plants were built up in different parts of the city, the names of which are given in detail in another place in this volume.
Prominent among those who stood in the front and who did the most toward bringing these industries to this locality were George Nichol, the Hon. Chas. L. Henry, Hon. Jno. W. Lovett, James Wellington, J. L. Kilgore, Henry J. Bronnen- berg, Milton S. Robinson, L. M. Cox and Stephen Metcalf. The first donation of land for manufacturing purposes was made by James W. Sansberry, Sr., Thomas J. McMahan and John W. Lovett, who owned the ground upon which the Fowler Bolt Works were located. They not only donated the site but a gas well also as an inducement for its establishment here.
The newspapers of Anderson, the Bulletin, the Herald, and Democrat, it must not be forgotten, did heroic work in their columns to induce manufacturers and other people to locate in the city, as is plainly evident by a perusal of their columns published in those days.
Anderson, being the chief city in Madison county, was an inviting field for capitalists, who were anxious to put in mains for the purpose of supplying fuel to the people for domestic
446
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
use. The first parties to make a proposition to the City Council in order to procure a franchise, was a company of Elwood financiers together with one or two persons living in Anderson. Gustave Cramer, Patrick O'Brian and H. C. Cal- loway, of Elwood, together with Frank A. Vogt and Rev. F. C. Weichmann, of Anderson, presented a petition to the City Council, on Monday, the 24th of January, 1887, asking for an exclusive franchise of the streets for a term of ten years, with the privilege of piping the city with natural gas. As an induce- ment to the City Council to grant their charter, they proposed to furnish the school houses, churches and all the public build- ings free fuel for the entire period for which their franchise ran, provided the gas would hold out during that time. There was quite an opposition to this scheme on the part of the lead- ing business men of Anderson, prominent among whom were William Crim, Col. M. S. Robinson, N. C. Mccullough, Thomas J. McMahan, H. J. Daniels, John W. Lovett, J. W. Sansberry, Sr., LaFayette J. Burr, E. P. Schlater and W. T. Durbin, who attended the meeting of the Council on that oc- casion and made a fight against the granting of the charter. The Council was called to order by the Hon. J. F. McClure, the Mayor, and the petition was read after which Dr. Jonas Stewart, a member from the Second ward, took the floor in opposition to the granting of the charter and made the effort of his life. Several members of the Council favored the pro- position, and after a thorough debate on the subject, and con- sidering the opposition of the business men, on a vote being taken, the measure was lost, and thus Anderson was saved from a corporation getting its clutches upon the fuel lying be- neath its streets. And to Dr. Jonas Stewart the honor of the defeat of the scheme is due.
The excitement at Anderson growing out of the discovery of natural gas, was caught up by other towns and villages throughout the county, and on the 14th of February, 1887, a company was organized at Pendleton and funds to defray the expenses of boring for natural gas were raised and a stock company was organized. The following prominent citizens of Pendleton were chosen directors of this company : B. F. Amien, J. R. Clark, Dr. O. W. Brownback, W. G. Campbell, W. H. Lewis, and J. W. Zeublin. This company was known as the Pendleton Natural Gas and Oil Company, and was capitalized at $15,000. They immediately contracted for the drilling of a well, and in a short time thereafter were success-
447
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
ful in finding an abundant flow of gas, which has since been utilized in that place.
A gas company was also formed at Summitville about the same time. Alexandria was the place at which gas was first discovered, in Madison county, and it was also there that the first gas company was organized. A full and detailed account of these matters will be found in the history of the different townships in the county, in another part of this work.
.M. A. Chipman, the first secretary of the Anderson Board of Trade, was very active in his efforts to attract the attention of capitalists and manufacturers to the gas fields. Much is due to his energy in the initiative steps of locating manufac- tories in this county. He was succeeded by Stephen Metcalf, and later by A. A. Small, who did valuable service in the good work, John F. McClure being treasurer and a valiant worker.
Hon. Charles L. Henry was the "head center " of all. He took the lead in donating ground and procuring subsidies. He had in his office at the time Stephen Metcalf, now editor of the Anderson Herald, who was an untiring worker for Anderson, and devoted much time and good service to the cause.
The Board of Trade was composed of men who worked day and night for Madison county's growing greatness without compensation, and at the same time going deep into their pockets as individuals to help the cause along.
Mr. George Nichol was the continuous President of this organization, and to his sound sense and good business judg- ment is largely due its grand achievements as a promoter of enterprise.
The Hon. John H. Terhune, James Wellington, John L. Forkner, H. J. Bronnenberg, W. S. Diven, John W. Lovett, S. M. Keltner, John F. McClure, Stephen Metcalf, Isaac D. Bosworth, C. L. Henry, were nightly attendants at the meet- ings of the board, and at midnight on more than one occasion factories have been " signed up and located " when the un- suspecting public was asleep and surprises sprung upon it the following morning by a vigilant press.
In the month of May, 1887, a new impetus was given the gas excitement by the opening of an immense well known as " Vesuvius," in the Mccullough park, at the east end of Eighth street. This was the largest well in the gas belt and was the wonder of the nineteenth century. It was visited by
.
448
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
thousands of people from all parts of the United States. The railroads ran excursions from all directions to witness the wonder. A continuous blaze of fire was kept pouring out a volt me into White river, making a seething foam of fire and water, accompanied by a roaring noise equal to Niagara, for months.
Enough gas was wasted at this well to have run the fac- tories of Anderson for more than two years.
After the development of the last named monster well, which was the private enterprise of Neal C. Mccullough, the problem of the abundant supply of natural gas was solved and eapital began to pour in, and town lots began to take a boom. Lots that had previously been a drug in the market at two and three hundred dollars, at once commanded from five hundred to a thousand. But little progress was made then, however, in building until late in the fall, when the first fac- tory located ; when the building craze took possession of the people and every idle or surplus dollar was invested in lots and residences to rent, and many new and handsome business blocks began to spring up.
The Standard Oil Company sent representatives to the scene and a brisk trade was opened up in leasing lands for gas and oil.
No effort was made to utilize the gas for domestic pur- poses until the summer had been well advanced, when C. T. Doxey who had in the meantime purchased the stock of the original holders in the company that made the exploration for gas, combined his interests with N. C. Mccullough, who owned the artificial gas plant, and formed a company to pipe the city for domestic use.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.