USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 86
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The works were rebuilt, and afterwards passed into the hands of the Chesterfield Brick Company, and is now one of Madison county's best manufacturing establishments. The Trueblood Brothers are the principal owners of the stock, and operate the factory.
They make large shipments of brick to Indianapolis and other points. Col. Roswell Hill, ex-State Treasurer of Indi- ana, was until quite recently a stockholder in these works.
REMINISCENCES-THE " MILLERITES."
We are furnished the following account of an episode in the history of our county, by Dr. William Suman, that is
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interesting, especially to the old-timers who are yet living in the community and remember the occurrence :
"There was, during the '40s, a sect known as the Miller- ites, who were quite strong in Madison county, some of whom are yet living and hold to their faith. They were always looking and predicting the end of the world. On a certain day in January, 1844, it was prophesied by these people that the last day would come. That it would commence to snow on the day before. That it would turn to oil, catch fire and the elements would melt with fervent heat and all should be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Christ, with one foot on the sea and one on the land, proclaiming that time shall be no more.
" From the circumstances which followed, one is made to believe that the subject had been pondered over by everybody in the neighborhood, which was in Union township, and occurred at the ' Auterbine' brick church, one mile west of Chesterfield.
"Everybody began to wonder if it would snow on that day, and as the time approached greater concern was plainly manifested. The day before the end every appearance of the sky, clouds, wind and the condition of the atmosphere were anxiously observed.
"When the sky became overcast with snowy lookingclouds, many times the question was asked " Will it snow?" and in this respect the prophecy proved true, for on that day snow fell to the depth of four or five inches. Now the people were amazed and began to observe among the animals on the farm to see if any strange or uneasy state among them could be seen. "The day was one unusually dark and still, and not very cold. To complete the climax on this occasion, I will relate what took place at the 'Auterbine' church on the night of that day. The Protestant Methodist church had organized a society at the home of Willliam Free, just across the river from the church. They had asked the Trustees of the ' Auterbine ' church the privilege of holding meeting in their house, which was granted. Some four weeks previous to this an appoint- ment was sent and it, by co-incidence, fell on the night of the day in which the world would end. Now this added to the day still greater concern, and everybody for miles around went to church, trudging through the snow, not knowing how soon it might turn to oil, when the conflagration would set in, thinking one place as safe as another, possibly in the church
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of God the safest. When time for services arrived the house was full, possibly four hundred people being present.
" The minister ascended the pulpit, announced the hymn : every one sang or tried to sing. With all this there was a more than ordinary solemnity. A prayer, a text, and the minister began to preach to a house full of people as still as death, pos- sibly listening to hear the first crash of the world's ending. This state of the meeting went on for about fifteen or twenty minutes when all of a sudden two windows were crushed in, and a consternation then existed that is seldom seen. Nearly everybody jumped to his feet ; women screamed and crowded to the middle of the house, many of them having been struck with the fragments of the glass ; men were dumbfounded, wait- ing, seemingly, to see if the next crash would be the end of the world. The minister called out 'Be quiet, it is a mob. I will close the meeting, sing, " When I can read my title clear to mansions in the skies."' A part of the congregation tried to help the preacher sing. The first stanza was completed, and just at the beginning of the second stanza, bang, jingle and crash came in two more windows, and each side of the pulpit where the preacher stood ; glass flying all over the house.
"The scene was now terrible ; women shrieking, some cry- ing, the men all in a turbulent state, some calling out, ' a mob! a mob!' running to the door and picking up sticks of stove wood as they hurried out. The doxology ended abruptly with no benediction.
" As soon as the men were out of the church they began to search for the cause of the trouble and discovered men's tracks in the snow by the windows which had been broken in. The tracks were followed a short distance north of the church, when Frederick Bronnenberg, now of Anderson, with Brazel- ton Noland, recognized William Griffith and Richard Godwin as the perpetrators of the joke.
" The young men were very mad when they found that they had been discovered, and at once wanted to fight and whip somebody. In less time than it takes to tell it William Griffith was biting the snow, which had not turned to oil. The only sign of oil in the snow was where William had lain, and that was mixed with his own blood.
" Upon further investigation it was found that these two young men had become intoxicated in Chesterfield and said that they would make the people believe sure enough that the world was coming to an end. Their first intention was to
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shoot an old ' swivel' cannon into the church through a win- dow on the east side, where the women were sitting. They failed, however, in discharging the cannon, which caused them to break the windows. Had they been successful in dis- charging the gun it would have been a miracle if a number of women had not been killed, for those with their backs to the window were within fifteen inches of the cannon's mouth. Dr. George W. Godwin, father of Richard Godwin, at once went to see the trustees of the church and, if possible, to settle the matter. The agreement was reached that the Doctor should repair the church and that William Griffith, with Richard Godwin, should come before the minister and trustees and con- fess that they had done wrong and would do so no more.
" Some time the following May a church full of people saw William Griffith and Richard Godwin go forward to the altar and confess their error. The minister took each by the hand, forgave them in an earnest prayer urging them to be good men.
" Thus ended one of the Millerism world-ending days inci- dents which was very near a tragedy."
BRAZELTON NOLAND, AN OLD TIME CITIZEN.
Brazelton Noland was one of the earliest settlers in Union township, having entered the land on which the Poor Farm is located, in December, 1824. Being a large, vigorous, and industrious man, he soon had the heavy forests cleared away and made it one of the pleasantest spots in the county. He was the father of a large family, some of whom became prominent in politics. His son, W. W. Noland, who died a short time ago at Riverside, California, was twice elected Treasurer of Madison county. It was at the residence of Mr. Noland that the first United Brethren Church Society was organized. They built a brick house for worship in 1840, on the farm of Mr. Noland. Ile served two terms as County Commissioner, and was elected Treasurer, assuming the office in 1844. Only one person who signed the official bond of Mr. Noland is yet living, the venerable Frederick Bronnenberg. The other signers were Christopher Z. Young, John Suman, William Free, William Dilts, Dr. George Godwin, and William B. Allen. The Board of County Commissioners who accepted Mr. Noland's bond was composed of William Sparks, William W. Wilson and Thomas L. Bell, who have also passed away. The following is a copy of a report that Mr. 63
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Noland filed on the 5th day of December, 1844, with the Board of County Commissioners : " A true statement of the amount and kind of funds now remaining in my hands as Treasurer. Three hundred and fifty dollars in par funds, one hundred and forty dollars in scrip, making in all four hundred and ninety dollars. December the tenth, 1844."
"B. NOLAND, Treas ."
He served two terms, retiring from the office with credit to himself and the general respect of the public. After the expira- tion of his term of office he engaged for a short period in the dry-goods trade, after which he removed to Chesterfield, and there built, in 1853, a large steam saw and flour mill, which he operated until 1855, when he sold it and moved to Illinois, where he remained until 1865, when he again removed to Indiana. In the year 1878 he removed to Riverside, Califor- nia, where he resided until the time of his death. Mr. Noland at one time owned the farm on which the suburb of Shade- land, in Anderson, is now situated.
WONDERFUL CAREER OF A SLICK CITIZEN.
In the spring of 1861, about the time of the breaking out of the rebellion, a stranger appeared in Anderson hailing from the South. He was finely dressed and of very polished man- ners, and soon ingratiated himself into the confidence of those with whom he came in contact. He took up his abode with a prominent farmer of Union township, where he had rooms and board. He made daily visits to the city of Anderson, and gave his name as Henry V. Clinton. He will be well remembered by the older citizens. He was a finely educated man, being a graduate of Princeton College, New Jersey. He came from a good family in New Orleans. He was tall and slender, very ยท
stylish in appearance, and wore a moustache and " burnside" whiskers. He was reputed to be very wealthy, and expressed a desire to get away from the excitement of his southern home on account of the political feeling prevalent there.
He had not been in this locality very long before he gained the confidence of Mr. Berryman Shafer, the farmer alluded to above, and at whose house he made his home. His intimacy with the Shafer family resulted in his courting and marrying the eldest daughter. In the spring after this event, he and his young wife removed to Anderson and boarded among some of the best families in the city. He made many trips south dur- ing his residence in Anderson, ostensibly to visit his relatives.
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Upon his return from these trips he would exhibit large sums of money which he claimed had been given him by friends at his old home. In the spring of 1862 his father-in-law, Mr. Shafer, became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the office of Sheriff of Madison county. Mr. Clinton took charge of his campaign and spent many thousand dollars in his behalf. It is a fact that Mr. Clinton introduced into Madison county the first money campaign that ever took place for nom- inations, and educated the people in that line to such an extent that for many years it became an absolute necessity in making a successful race. This campaign placed him in close relation with many of the leaders in the Democratic party, notably with William W. Noland, who was at that time Treasurer of Madison county. He succeeded so very thoroughly in gaining the confidence of Mr. Noland that he and his wife were taken into the Noland family as confidants. During his stay with them he made many valuable and handsome presents to the Noland family, among which was a very fine silver set. His visits to the south took place as often as once or twice a month ; upon his return each time he made Mr. Noland's office a place of deposit for his money and at times deposited as much as $15,000.00, taking Mr. Noland's receipt for the same. On one of these occasions it was noticed a few days after he had made a large deposit that a package containing $4,000 was missing from the treasury safe and suspicion pointed strongly towards Mr. Clinton, and it is said that he made the shortage good. When Mr. Noland retired from the treasurer's office he came out short in the sum of $17,000. It has always been believed by Mr. Noland's friends that the money was taken by Mr. Clinton, although no positive proof was ever introduced on the subject, nor did Mr. Noland openly accuse him of the same. Clinton was mixed up in many different crimes, prominent among which was one in Rochester, New York, in the year 1867, where a gang of robbers and burglars was organized. Prominent among this gang were George Wilkes, the famous forger ; Philip Hargreave, Joe Randall, and Joe Chapman, who are now serving life sentences in Smyrnia, Turkey. George and Loftus Brotherton, McCay and Charles Moore were also in the band. The Brotherton brothers were placed in prison in Sacramento afterward for the term of twelve years. Peter Burns, of Philadelphia, had to pay several thous- and dollars at one time on account of the men having obtained money on forged checks on the Philadelphia bank.
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Clinton's wife clung to him through her earnest love and fidelity, having followed him all over the Union and in many foreign countries. She finally left him, obtained a divorce, and is now the wife of a prominent farmer in Delaware county. Clinton was arrested for negotiating a stolen bond, and it is said his friends bribed the prosecuting attorney and he was released on straw bail. After the organization of the band a plan was devised for robbing a bank in Sacramento, and Clinton was the one selected to do the job. On his way to that city he forged a check at a Danville, Ill., bank for $3,000, and secured the money upon it. In a few weeks after- wards the famous bank robbery of that year was accomplished and over $100,000 was secured. The whole party left the town for the Isthmus of Panama by way of a Pacific steamer. Mrs. Clinton, upon receiving a cipher dispatch from her hus- band, proceeded to New York and there took a steamer for Aspinwall, Panama, where she met him. Their plans were to get off on a vessel for France or South America, and to get away before a draft that he had forged could be protested and returned, and before the news of the California robbery arrived. This draft was cashed by a commercial agent at Panama, but the party missed the vessel they desired to get on and before they could get away the draft came back, dishonored. All the parties escaped, however, but Clinton and his wife. In the trunk of the latter was found packages of funds and bonds taken from the bank at San Francisco, and $2,000 in gold which she claimed as her own private funds, but which were confiscated. Clinton was tried, convicted and sentenced for two years on the chain-gang, but soon escaped and walked to Aspinwall, where he boarded a vessel for Maitland, Mexico, and there he boarded another vessel which came over to Flor- ida. Ile soon tried to make a "raise" by forging another draft, but he was caught in the act and locked up. Informa- tion of his whereabouts reached Danville, Ill., and a detective by the name of Rittenhouse was sent after him armed with a requisition. He secured his prisoner and started with him and got as far as north-western Ohio on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, when during a temporary absence of the detective from his seat, Clinton opened the window and made a desperate leap for liberty. The night was dark and the train was flying at full speed. Fortunately Clinton fell in a swamp of marshy ground and thus saved him from instant death. He was too severely stunned to get up. The train
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was stopped at once and backed to the place where he had jumped off. He was taken handcuffed to Danville, but the man upon whom he had committed the forgery, being an uncle of Mrs. Clinton, declined to prosecute him. He was afterwards arrested in Cincinnati for swindling a liquor firm out of a considerable sum of money, but his friends secured his liberation. From here he went to Philadelphia, where he was arrested on the charge of stealing a valise. In this trans- action Clinton made the grandest mistake of his life. He was supposed to have shadowed a man who was said to have in his valise a large sum of bonds, and in getting off of the train Clinton snatched the valise in which he supposed the valu- ables were, and through a mistake he got hold of the wrong one, which contained an ordinary suit of clothes. Upon this charge he was incarcerated eighteen months in the Moyamen- sing prison, Philadelphia, and after the expiration of his term went to Baltimore, where he renewed his acquaintance with his former pals. They rented a room on the ground floor adjoining a national bank and opened a real estate office. A large map was hung on the wall next to the side of the safe of the bank and a high obstruction was erected in front to con- ceal the debris they took at night out of the wall behind the map.
One Sunday night they got to the safe and pried out one side of it, the lock was displaced, thereby giving them admis- sion to the vaults, from which they purloined about $70,000 in currency and a large amount of securities, with which they made their escape. The bank officials upon entering the room found the safe door unlocked, but thought nothing of it at first as there was no outward indication of robbery. It was almost noon before they discovered that they had been the victims of a theft. This robbery was traced to Clinton, and he was again placed under arrest, but by some means. got off without being imprisoned, the supposition being that he and his friends had refunded a large portion of the money upon a compromise for his release.
He was also at one time incarcerated in Sing Sing for some offense, but after having served a few months, through the influence of some friends a pardon was granted him by Governor Samuel J. Tilden. He was at that time known under the alias of Robert Clark. Tilden, in his comments upon the case in his report to the New York Legislature, stated that "Clark " had been granted a pardon, he being
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represented as an erring and unfortunate, but really very worthy sort of person, whose pardon was recommended by Governor Letcher, and that Clark had a chance, if liberated, of becoming connected with one of the most influential news- papers of the South.
It is supposed that nearly all the letters of recommenda- tion, and many of the petitions, sent to Governor Tilden, were the handiwork of Clinton.
We are indebted to the Bulletin for an article appearing in its columns several years ago for the facts contained in this statement. Mr. Clinton is said now to be a resident of Wash- ington City. For many years he held the position of guard in one of the departments of the Capitol, and is, seemingly, thoroughly reformed. Whatever may be said of Mr. Clinton, there is no gainsaying the fact that he knew how to be a gentleman, for no more courteous, dignified or clever man'ever lived in Madison county than he, and many of his charitable deeds to the poor who needed assistance will long be remem- bered by many of those who were the recipients of such favors.
DAVID B. SIMMS, ONCE CORONER.
David B. Simms, of Union township, late deceased, is on the list of old-timers. He was not a resident of Madison county all his life, but came from " in yonder " so long ago that he was always considered by the old settlers as one of their number. He was a son-in-law of old Uncle Billy Johns, who died a few years ago, near Chesterfield. Mr. Simms was a jolly, good fellow, large and portly, making rather a good appearance among men. He was one of Madison county's best and most prosperous farmers, which occupation he fol- lowed all his life, save a very short period which was diverted to politics. His political career was as brief as it was brilliant. David was naturally a Democrat, and always stood by the guns of that party in a fight, with one exception. In 1874 the Granger party came up like a mushroom in the night, bloomed like a big sunflower for a day, folded up its leaves and died in the twinkling of an eye.
Among the many Democrats who strayed away in that year and followed the new party, was David B. Simms ; glib with his tongue and naturally a little slick in his ways, he soon became a "leader." The county convention came on and Simms was placed on the ticket for the high and responsible position of Coroner. The Democrats had previously met in
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convention and placed W. W. Jackson on their ticket for this position.
The Republicans met soon afterward, and made no nom- ination, but indorsed David B. Simms and ordered his name to be placed on their ticket. This gave him double advantage over his opponent, and after a long struggle the votes, when counted, showed Simms to be the winner. He was the only one on either the Republican or Granger ticket who was elected. Soon after the election was over the Democrats concluded they would have a ratification meeting to properly ratify the grand triumph over the two other foes in the field. The time was set, the band engaged, bonfires were built, a store box was placed in front of where the National Exchange bank is now located for the speakers. All was in readiness, and the fun soon began. Colonel Pierse gave the crowd one of his most powerful and interesting addresses. Colonel W. C. Fleming for an hour held the audience in dilating upon the grand victory. Gus McCallister preached the funeral sermon of the Republican party, as only Gus could do. David B. Simms was present, and although it was not exactly his " funeral" he was glad to be "in it." His Democracy was stirred up by the oratory of his old comrade and friend who had just spoken. Stephen Metcalf, who was then editor of the Anderson Herald, the Republican organ, was in the crowd. He thought it would be a good joke to get Simms up to make a speech, supposing, of course, that as he was elected in oppo- sition to the Democratic ticket, he would give the Democrats the devil and cause a rupture in the meeting. He urged Simms up to mount the box. Finally a time presented itself and Simms got up. His head towering away above the crowd, his long, flowing whiskers dangling in the wind, he sailed in. Stephen drew closer to the box to catch the words of oratory as they escaped from the speaker's lips. He didn't stay long. Simms took his text back in 1854, the time of the "bornin'" of the Republican party, giving the party and all its acts from that time up to date the devil. He spoke until the bonfires went out, the crowd wearied and Metcalf was home in bed. The band chimed in with a tune occasionally to shut him off, but a brass band was no place beside Simms' voice. He could be heard above everything.
When he subsided he was wringing wet with perspira- tion, and his face was as red as a turkey gobbler's wattle. During Simms' incumbency as Coroner, John W. McCallis-
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ter, the Sheriff, died. By virtue of his office Simms became Sheriff until another could be chosen. It was in the times when the Sheriff's office was a " snap," there being many large foreclosures and sheriff's sales, the Sheriff being allowed five per cent. on all sales. The deceased had many sales adver- tised before his death that the Coroner and ex-officio Sheriff had to complete, thereby entitling him to the per cent.
The day of sale came around. Simms knew about as much about what he was to get for his services as a ten-year- old boy. He got one of the Deputy Sheriffs under the deceased Sheriff to help him out. The sales were made, and the returns properly filed with the Clerk. His assistant, coming into the Clerk's office, handed Mr. Simms the magnificent sum of $65.00.
" What is this for? "
"Your fees."
" Fees! What do you mean, young man? "
" Why, your fees for making those sales."
" See here, young man ; I want you to understand that I will have no crooked business about this matter. I am an hon- est man and won't stand any robbery in this business."
" Well, sir ; that is your legitimate fees for your services to-day."
" Great God! You don't tell me ; $65.00 for a half day's work."
From that moment forward, as long as David B. Simms lived, he was a candidate for Sheriff, but died before he reached the goal of his ambition.
WILLIAM JOHNS, AN OLD-TIMER.
William Johns, late of, Union township, was one of the old-timers who helped to make Madison county. He came here in an early day, locating in the neighborhood where he died in 1888. He was one of the men who lived for all life was worth. He came as nearly having a good time every day in the year as any man who ever lived in Madison county. He was an extraordinarily good story-teller, and always kept a lot of good " yarns " on hand.
It was his custom to come to town every Saturday to do his family trading and learn a new joke to take home with him. He was originally an old line Whig, until the formation of the Republican party, when he switched off and became a Demo- crat.
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