USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 70
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A TRIPLE DROWNING.
On the 19th day of July, 1889, while a number of young men and boys were in the river bathing near the village of Hamilton, about four miles west of Anderson, at a spot known as the Mcclintock ford, Philip Hosier, aged twelve years, and a boy named Todd, the son of Samuel Todd. about nine years of age, were drowned. As the river was somewhat swollen from recent rains, the older boys refused to let the small ones go in with them for fear of an accident. The lads, however, went farther down the river, and taking off their clothing waded in. They struck a swift current, which carried them beyond their depth, and before the larger boys could help them they were drowned. Everything that could be done to rescue the drowning lads was done, and one of the older boys came near losing his life in the effort to save them. The drowning boys were soon swept out of sight. The neighbor- hood was immediately aroused, and everybody turned out and patroled the shores in the hope of finding the bodies, but with- out success. The search was continued the next day and night, and on Sunday morning hundreds of people flocked to the river to render what assistance they could. The bodies were finally recovered at a considerable distance below where they had entered the stream, on the opposite side, and taken to the respective homes of their sorrowing relatives.
Stephen Bilby, a farmer, who was one of the most tire-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
less workers in the attempt to rescue the bodies of the boys, also lost his life. He had been in the water almost constantly from early in the morning, and about noon, when some twenty or thirty feet from the shore, lost his hold of a rope that had been stretched across the river and was swept away in the swift current. He made frantic efforts to regain his hold of the rope, but the persons holding it seemed to be paralyzed by the scene, and, instead of dropping the rope down to him, pulled it away. He was considered a good swimmer and struggled hard to reach the shore, but the current was too much for him and he was dragged under and drowned. His body was found two miles below, where it had lodged against the bank. He left a wife and four children. His funeral took place from the family residence on the Tuesday follow- ing his death, and was conducted by the Red Men, of which order he was an active member.
SWAP CANDIDATES.
The old adage that "politics makes strange bedfellows," was verified in the campaign of 1882 in Madison county. In Jackson township the Democracy placed on their ticket for the office of assessor, Frank Shively. The Republicans met in convention in a few days thereafter, and placed in nomination for the same office Andrew J. Foland, and so the political fight set in. It was but a short time until, from some cause, the Republicans became lukewarm toward their candidate and doubted his sincerity, and strange to say, the Democrats thought their man was not just the "clear grit," and things got into a bad muddle. Finally, the party managers of both sides got together and concluded to trade candidates. The terms were agreed on, and the candidates both assented, the names were changed on the tickets and the " band played on." The fight was a bitter one and never let up till the last vote was in, and the polls closed. At the counting of the ballots, it was discovered that the Democrats had won the victory. Mr. Foland, the successful candidate, took the office and made a good assessor, and has remained a Democrat good and true ever since. Mr. Shively has likewise been true to his Republican associates, and has been a good citizen of his town- ship.
MRS. MARIA B. WOODWORTH.
Mrs. Maria B. Woodworth, the great evangelist, who has visited nearly every city in the union and caused great ex-
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ....
sent in religious circles, made her advent in Madison coun- the month of June, 1886, when she pitched her tents in beautiful grove along the river banks, near the village of rkinsville, where she carried on her camp meeting for sev- il weeks with great success. At that time she and her hus- ind were living together, he doing the business for the firm, nd she did the preaching. He had nothing to do with her arge tent in which she held these religious services. He took charge of the eating stands and establishments for the sale of merchandise and luxuries that was dispensed to the hungry multitude. The first Sunday of the meeting a " grand open- ing" took place, after which services were conducted in her unique and singular style. She seemed to have a wonderful influence over people who were not very strong mentally and who were naturally inclined to be very zealous in their relig- ious beliefs. She did not preach but a short time until several of her congregation were laid out in trances, as stiff as boards. This kind of procedure was carried on to such an extent that the whole western part of Madison county was worked up into a state of religious excitement. Many converts were added to her already large congregation.
Mrs. Woodworth, in the following year, came to Ander- son and established herself in Ruddles' grove, east of the city, on the banks of the old hydraulic canal, where she, for several weeks, held similar meetings. Here she made many con- verts, among whom may be named, Judge William R. West and Casper Hartman, an influential farmer of Lafayette township. In the following year an organization was ef- fected, known as the Church of God, situated on South Brown street. Great excitement prevailed in Anderson dur- ing her stay, and for several years after her departure it was the subject of discussion in the beautiful temple situated at the place named. Mrs. Woodworth while here incurred the dis- pleasure of some of the newspapers, which gave her a " sound roasting," and she figured quite extensively in a suit for libel, which resulted, as nearly all suits of that description do-to the disadvantage of the party bringing the action, and little gain for the fees paid to the attorneys and officers. Mrs. Woodworth is mentioned elsewhere.
JACOB ZELLER, AN OLD CITIZEN.
All old-timers remember Jacob Zeller, who lived at Per- kinsville for many years and died there a few years since.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
He was owner and operator of the Perkinsville mills. His mill was the life of the town. Hundreds of teams came daily to his place to get their "grist" ground. Perkinsville was at that time one of the best trading points in Madison county. . It had no other particular inducement to bring people than the fact that Jacob Zeller had his flouring mills there and that he was noted far and near as an honest, jolly old miller, who made the best of flour, gave good returns and took light tolls. But the old water mills, like all of the old inventions, gave way to the modernized idea of machinery. So Jacob's mill at last became a thing of the past, began to decay and was finally destroyed by fire. But its history and the history of its owner will long remain green in the memory of those who have been its patrons.
Uncle Jake, as he was familiarly called, besides being a good miller, was a great politician, strong in Democratic faith. He was the pillar of the Democratic temple in this lo- cality. For years the party looked only to him to bring up the proper majority in his township, and he generally did it. The campaign of 1868 was a lively one in Madison county. Mr. Zeller took more interest in the election of Hon. Horatio Seymour than he ever displayed in any previ- ous election in his life. He seemed to think the entire "pres- sure" rested on him, and went to work with willing hands to do his duty.
About this time he purchased silver instruments and or- ganized the first cornet band that Perkinsville ever had. It was fitted out with uniforms, a wagon and other necessary equipments. Uncle Jake went far and near to the big rallies with his band, always riding alongside of the band wagon, giving directions and orders.
During the campaign a county rally was held at Ander- son. Thomas A. Hendricks addressed the multitude at Jack- son's grove. The people were numbered by acres. It was the largest political meeting in the history of the county. Jacob Zeller attended the meeting with his band. Before leaving Perkinsville he had his men get into their wagon, which was drawn by four elegant iron-gray horses. Mount- ing his charger, he ordered them to give three cheers for Sey- mour. "Yes, sir." "Now, poys, I tell you vat you do. You goes to Anderson to-day to elect Seymour. Yes, sir. Ven you gets to Anderson, as you go up Ryan's hill, I vants you to play 'Killpatrick's Day in the Morning.' Dat elects
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Seymour. Yes, sir ; and if you don't play dat piece, I takes dem horns from you. Yes, sir; I py dem horns myself. Dem's my horns. Yes, sir."
The trip was successfully made. When the head of the procession reached Ryan's hill (the old post-office corner) the band played "St. Patrick's Day in the Morning," after which they were halted and again ordered to give three cheers for Seymour. "Dat elects Seymour; yes, sir." Seymour was, however, badly defeated. His defeat could not possibly have hurt him worse than it did Jacob Zeller. He never got over it. He was so thoroughly wrought up to the belief that he would be elected that he could not see why he was not. This was his last active work in politics.
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CHAPTER LXXIII.
LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP.
This township is the only Congressional township in the county, being six miles square. It is bounded on the north by Pipe Creek and Monroe township; on the east by Richland township; on the south by Anderson township, and on the west by Jackson and Pipe Creek townships. The lands are high and level, and originally very wet, but through a system of drainage established in 1875, are now both dry and fertile, and as desirable for farming purposes, perhaps, as any in the county.
The township was organized by order of the Board of County Commissioners on the 9th of November, 1836, as appears from the following entry made on that day :
" Ordered by the Board that a new township be stricken off from the townships of Richland, Jackson and Pipe Creek, said new township shall include all of Congressional town- ship twenty, north of range seven, east and no more, and that all elections in said township shall be held at the house of John Haggart therein, and the said new township shall be known and designated by the name and style of Lafayette Township."
The first settler in the township was Henry Ry, who came with his family from North Carolina in 1831, and loca- ted in the extreme south-east corner of the township on a spot of ground now included in "North Anderson." He was soon followed by Reuben Junk and James Baily, of Ross county, Ohio, who located near him. In the spring of 1832, John Croan moved his family from Anderson township, where they had previously settled, and located in Section 35. In the fall of the same year, George Murstard and J. B. Pennisten, of Ross county, Ohio, settled in the township, and in the spring of 1834, Reed Wilson, of Wayne county, Indiana, and Jordan Ooten, of Ohio, moved in and settled, the former on what is known as the " Pierce farm," and the latter on the " Stanley farm." These pioneers were followed, in 1835, by
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
William Lower, James Finney, John Maggart, Isaac Jones, Samuel Fetty and David Gooding. The last named was from Kentucky, and boasted that he had been one of Colonel Johnson's Aids-de-Camp at the battle of the Thames, where that gallant officer was wounded by the Shawnee chief, Te- cumseh. In 1836, James Hollingsworth settled in the town- ship, and between that date and 1840, was followed by the following pioneers : Matthew Taylor, James Weir, Samuel Moore, Daniel Sigler, Lewis and George Baily, Nathaniel G. Lewis, Henry Purgett, John Clock, Samuel Dehority, Zail and George Rains, Thomas G. Clark, Joseph Van Matre, Washington Trotter, Joseph Stover, John Burke, Robert and Samuel Gooding, John Ridgeway, George Hilligoss, Sr., Francis Colburn and James Closser. These and others who emigrated to the township before and shortly after its organi- zation, with the exception of James Hollingsworth, have gone the way of the earth. Many of their descendants, how- ever, are living in this and other townships in the county.
THE TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED.
The organization of this township occurred in the fall of 1836. James Hollingsworth, who is frequently mentioned in these pages, took an active interest in the preliminary work of organizing the township. He suggested its name and cir- .culated a petition asking that the territory which it now com- prises might be set apart from Richland township, to which it was then attached, as a Congressional township. The names signed to the petition were: James Hollingsworth, John B. Pennisten, John Croan, Isaac Jones, Reuben Junk, Henry Ry, George Moore, Jordan Ooten, George Mustard, William Lower, John Maggart, George Rains, Enos Mustard, Reed Wilson, James Finney, David Gooding and Samuel Fetty-constituting the entire voting population of the terri- tory which it was proposed to organize as a new township. This petition was presented to the Board of Commissioners in December, 1836, and granted, and on the 17th of January fol- lowing, an election was held for the purpose of selecting township officers. This election was held at the house of John Maggart, situated near the center of the township, and resulted in the selection of John Maggart as Justice of the Peace, and Enos Mustard as Clerk. James Hollingsworth was Inspector at the election and his hat was utilized as a ballot-box.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
EARLY EVENTS.
The first white child born in the township was Annis, daughter of John and Sarah Croan. This event occurred in 1884.
The first death in the township was that of Reuben Junk, who died in 1835.
The first marriage solemnized was that of James Hollings- . worth and Miss Elizabeth Shinkle. This event took place on the 19th of March, 1836. The second marriage was that of Mills Elliott and Miss Nancy Mustard during the summer of the same year. Miss Mustard was a sister of William Mus- tard, one of the oldest residents of Anderson.
The first orchard was planted by George Mustard, who purchased the trees of Dempsy Wilson, of Anderson township.
The first schoolhouse was built on what is now known as the Patrick Ryan farm and the first school teacher was John Pennisten. " Uncle " Joshua Shinkle, now living at Ander- son at the advanced age of eighty-one years, is doubtless the only living person who attended this school.
The first road surveyed through the township was the Logansport and New Castle State road, which was subse- quently donated by the State Legislature to the P. C. & St. L. Railroad as a right of way, with the stipulation that the com- pany should construct a good wagon-road parallel with the State road and in proximity thereto, which stipulation was afterward ignored.
The first mill erected in the township was built by George Millspaugh and James Stevenson, on the Patrick Ryan farm in 1851. It was a steam saw-mill and after being operated a few years was moved to another locality.
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
The first religious society organized in the township was composed of five members, as follows : James Hollingsworth and wife, William Lower and wife and Mrs. George Mustard. In the fall of 1836 these good people met at the house of Will- iam Lower and organized themselves into a class which grew in numbers until 1855, when the membership erected a church where Florida is now situated. This building still stands and is known as the Methodist Episcopal Church. The trustees have always permitted other religious denominations to hold religious services here whenever it is not occupied. Among
814 HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
the ministers who have preached here may be mentioned D. F. Strite, John Leach, J. W. Bradshaw, Barton Bradbury and John R. Tansey - pioneers in the Methodist ministry in this .county.
In 1869 a number of members of the Christian Church organized a society under the leadership of Elder Jonathan Dipboye. Meetings were held at various places in the town- ship, but principally in Elm Grove schoolhouse, until 1872, when the society erected a place of worship on the farm of .G. D. Thompson.
Besides these churches the Newlights have a place of worship north of Linwood, known as the " Olivet " church. On the west side of the township is located Beach Grove church. This church was built by the United Brethren.
SCHOOLS.
The schools of the township are fully up to the standard maintained in other townships. The school enumeration for the present year shows the number of children of legal school age to be 694, of which 378 are males and 321 females. There are twelve schoolhouses and twelve teachers.
STATISTICAL.
The population of the township in 1850 was 694; in 1860 it was 1,000; in 1870 it was 1,452; in 1880 it was 1,626, and in 1890 it was 1,614. Since the last census was taken, how- ever, the population has increased to a considerable extent. owing to the location of a number of factories and other enter- prises in the township.
The value of the lands of the township, as shown by the tax duplicate, is $651,716; value of lands and improvements, $734,380; total value of taxables, $974,465.
TOWNS.
Soon after the completion of the P. C. & St. L. Railway through the township in 1856, a grain warehouse was built at a point one mile and a half northwest of the present site of Florida, that was known for many years as " Keller's Station," John Keller being the owner of all the land in that immediate vicinity. A general store was also established here but there was not sufficient trade to maintain it and the proprietor dis- posed of his stock of goods and quit the business. The ware- house was also a failure and trains in the course of time ceased
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
to stop there. Nothing at this time remains to indicate that there ever was a place called "Keller's Station ."
FLORIDA.
This village is situated six miles north-west of Anderson on the P. C. C. & St. L. Railway and within a few rods of the center of the county. It was originally called "Clark's Sta- tion," in honor of Hon. Thomas G. Clark, on whose land it was located in 1856. The first merchant in the village was Henry Hendrick. He was succeeded by Enos Mustard who was also the second postmaster of the place, George Craighead being the first person to hold that office. The first physician was Thomas B. Forkner. Other physicians who have prac- ticed here are Dr. J. S. Guisinger and Dr. I. N. Van- Matre, the latter being the only physician in that vicinity at the present time. Drs. John W. and William A. Hunt were residents of the township for many years and had an extensive practice, not only in Lafayette, but adjoining townships. The only Methodist church in the township is located here. A large amount of tiling was manufactured here during the '70s and'80s, by Rains & Guisinger, but the demand for the product of the factory declined with the thorough ditching and draining of the wet lands of the township during that period and the property was converted into a factory for the manufacture of brick. It is now owned by the Thomas brothers.
LINWOOD.
This village was originally known as " Funk's Station," but the name was subsequently changed to Linwood. In 1887 John C. May platted an addition to the village which was fol- lowed by others, but no regular plat of the place has ever been filed for record. Linwood is situated on the Michigan division of the C. C. C. & St. L. (Big Four) and is six miles north of Anderson. The business interests of the place at the present time are represented by Given & Bruce, general mer- chandise, and Charles Hartman, drugs.
The first postmaster of the place was Samuel A. Towell. The present incumbent of that office is E. M. Riggs, who also owns and operates a sawmill and lumber yard.
PROMINENT CITIZENS.
The following are the names of those who have served the county in an official capacity from this township : John
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Hunt, State Senator from Madison and Hancock counties from 1850 to 1858, also Treasurer of Madison county from 1860 to 1862; Thomas G. Clark, Representative from 1857 to 1858; William A. Thompson, Representative from 1858 to 1861; George W. Harris, Representative from 1875 to 1877; W. A. Thompson, Commissioner from 1868 to 1865; John L. Jones from 1884 to 1887; Wallace W. Vandyke, Sheriff from 1892 to 1894.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS-A SUICIDE.
On the 17th of October, 1867, a young man of the name of Combs committed suicide in Lafayette township by blow- ing his brains out with a pistol. It seems that he had been mixed up in a love affair, and in a fit of despondency borrowed a pistol from a friend, and started to the village of Florida, and when near that place fired a ball into his head, killing himself almost instantly.
Combs was well known to many of the inhabitants of the community in which the occurrence took place who will recall to memory the sad event. After the holding of an inquest by the Coroner, the remains were interred in a neighboring cemetery.
KILLED BY A BUZZ SAW.
On the 26th of September, 1882, Henry Dangerfield, of Linwood, while running a buzz saw, was accidentally thrown upon one of the saws in the mill and literally cut to pieces. The saw cut into his right side, severing the body from shoulder to shoulder, leaving him hanging together, as it were, by only a small piece of flesh near the back bone.
He was in the act of handling a heavy slab of timber when the accident occurred. By some means he lost his bal- ance and was thrown upon the saw. The poor man contin- ued to live on in great agony until about 10 o'clock that night, when death came to his relief. He was a married man and left a wife and several children in very moderate circumstances. His funeral was largely attended by the people in the vicinity.
BURNING OF ISAAC OSBURN'S BARN.
Isaac Osburn was an old and highly-respected citizen of Lafayette township, who resided there for many years, and who died only a short time prior to this writing. He had on his place a large frame barn that was destroyed by fire on the 22nd of April, 1886, about 10 o'clock at night. It was filled
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
with grain, wheat, and farming implements, all of which were burned. It also contained a fine stallion, which was so badly burned that he fell dead while they were leading him from the stable. The loss of the barn and contents was estimated to have been about $2,800, with an insurance of $1,600. The fire was of incendiary origin and was supposed to have been the work of a lot of tramps who had been camping along the line of the Pan Handle Railway in the vicinity of the conflagration.
A NOTED CRIMINAL.
In the month of December, 1884, James F. Melson was arrested on the charge of counterfeiting and manufacturing bogus money. He was born and reared in Lafayette township, and from bis boyhood was said to be bad. Prior to this time he had served five terms in the State prison, but for this offense he was promoted to a place in a United States prison. At one time he had been out of the penitentiary but thirty days,. and during that period he succeeded in carrying off the entire contents of a dry-goods store in a country town. His fifth term of imprisonment was completed on the 16th of August,. 1884, and his last sentence began on the 28th of November,. having been out only three months. Mr. Melson was a notori- ous character and was known to be such. He had no blood -. thirsty instincts. He was of a very kind disposition and' while he was committing a theft he would not be guilty of injuring anyone in carrying out his designs. Melson is still living, and was in Anderson but a few days prior to this writing.
BURNING OF A BARN.
Mrs. Robert Cripe, a widow living a mile and a half north-west of Linwood, had her barn and its contents entirely destroyed by fire on the 14th of April, 1887. The barn con- tained 400 bushels of corn, a large quantity of hay, farming implements, two buggies, a spring wagon and other valuable property. After the fire was discovered the roof of the building had been burned away and was falling in, so that nothing could be done to arrest the progress of the flames. The loss of Mrs. Cripe was estimated to be $2,000. There were four horses that were burned, one of which belonged to John Davis and the other three were the property of Mrs. Cripe. There was but little doubt that the building was set on fire by some unknown person. No clue was ever obtained as to the guilty party. 62
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
J. W. RILEY'S BARN BURNED.
On Monday, the 18th of July, 1887, the barn on the farm of J. W. Riley, of Lafayette township, was destroyed, to- gether with its contents, consisting of a large quantity of hay, five hundred bushels of corn, a buggy, set of harness, and all his agricultural implements, consisting of plows, harrows, reapers, mowers and self-binders. The loss was estimated to be about $2,000, with $1,500 insurance.
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