USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 88
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BURNED TO DEATH.
In the month of February, 1878, a little six-year-old daugh- ter of John J. Said, of Summitville, was terribly burned, from the effects of which she died a short time afterward. She, with her oldest sister, was playing around a fire when her clothing became ignited, and before it could be put out there was scarcely a spot left on her body that was not burned until the flesh peeled off. She lived in great agony for a few days, but died from the effects of her burns. Mr. and Mrs. Said had the sympathy of the entire community in their sad afflic- tion. It is said that the child was a bright little girl, and a general favorite in the community where this terrible accident occurred.
Mr. Said is now a resident of Anderson, and has been employed at different times by the Pennsylvania Glass Com- pany, as watchman.
FIRE AT SUMMITVILLE.
The hardware store of E. B. Vinson, at Summitville, was destroyed by fire on the night of the 23d of August, 1889. It was discovered about eleven o'clock and nothing could be done to check the devouring flames, which soon consumed the build- ing, and also a millinery store belonging to Mary E. Wertz, adjoining. The loss on the hardware store was $3,500, cov- ered by $2,500 insurance ; on the millinery store the loss was estimated at $400, with $300 insurance. The residence belong- ing to Mr. Vinson, the proprietor of the hardware store, was also damaged to a considerable extent. The origin of the fire.
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was unknown, but was thought to have caught from a gas jet which was left burning in the store.
A DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.
Turry, the three-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Syl- vester Jenny, was burned to death near Summitville on the 28th day of February, 1896, by having her clothing ignited while lighting the fire with some scraps of paper. She ran out of the house to where her father and mother were, but before reaching them she was enveloped in the flames and burned in a most horrible manner. An uncle of the name of Curtis Diltz was attracted to the place by her screams and hastened to her relief and taking the child in his arms carried her to the house, where her parents soon came, but too late to render her any assistance. Her little body was burned to a crisp, the flesh falling from her bones.
A physician was summoned, but no medical aid could relieve her suffering, and she died soon afterward, remaining conscious to the last moment.
The funeral was largely attended, which took place at Epworth church, the services being conducted by the Rev. J. A. Rudy. The body was interred at Mt. Pisgah cemetery.
AN OLD-TIMER KILLED.
Moses Simonson, an old resident of Madison county, was killed by being run over by a train of cars on the C. W. & M. Railroad near Summitville, while on his way home from Alexandria on the night of May 19th, 1894. He was in an intoxicated condition and had fallen asleep on the track.
Moses Simonson was one of the last of a generation that has passed away. He was one of the early settlers of the county, who in pioneer times made a greater part of the living for the family by hunting and trapping. He at one time lived in the neighborhood of Anderson, and there is not an old resident of that city who does not remember of seeing Mose Simonson on the streets with a hunting shirt on and a pack of hounds at his heels.
At a shooting match he was at home, and a good marks- man he was. "It's many a quarter of beef he has won at a shooting bee."
Simonson's besetting sin was his love for liquor, and although he drank to excess he never harmed a living soul.
No better hearted man ever lived. He would suffer him- self, in order to make others happy.
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He at one time owned a good farm in Pipe Creek town- ship, near Dundee, and while not rich was considered in com- fortable circumstances.
The rifle, the shot-pouch and long-eared hound are now things of the past in Madison county. They have given way to the steps of progress, and in a few years there will be none living who can tell of having ever seen them. Tradition alone will tell of the exploits of the noble pioneer.
The powder-horn and the bullet-moulds hanging over the cabin door, as they once did in the humble home of Moses Simonson, is a scene that many men and women, now of mature years, who have been reared in Madison county, have never beheld.
Whatever may have been the faults of Moses Simonson in his days among men,let us cover them with the mantle of char- ity, and remember him, along with the many other hardy men who lived in the wilderness of our county and helped to make its meadows bloom like the sweet fields of Eden.
A STORE BURGLARIZED.
Vinson & Hughes for several years operated a general store at Summitville. On the night of April 27, 1876, they were the victims of burglars. There was a McNeale & Urban safe in the store, which was cracked and rifled of its contents, consisting of $148 in money and some valuable papers. The robbers also took away with them twenty gallons of whiskey and many articles of merchandise.
The noise of the blowing of the safe aroused Mrs. A. S. Dobson, who was sleeping in an adjoining building, but being timid was afraid to make any stir, so the burglars worked at will without molestation and made good their escape. No one ever knew who the perpetrators of the deed were. They were evidently professionals, as their work was done in a neat and handsome manner.
BARN BURNED.
A large frame barn owned by William F. Hughes, one and one-half miles west of Summitville, was destroyed by fire on Monday, the 9th of August, 1880, together with all the contents, including two horses, wagons, buggies and several tons of hay, two hundred bushels of wheat, two hundred bushels of corn, his farm implements, several sets of harness and other articles of value. The contents were partially cov-
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ered by insurance to the amount of $500, but there was no insurance on the building. It was evidently the act of an incendiary, but who the guilty party was has never been ascertained.
The loss fell very heavily on Mr. Hughes. He had the sympathy of the entire community. Mr. Hughes was a prom- inent farmer, having held the honorable position of Township Trustee, and being prominent in business circles in that com- munity. He has long since passed away, but a number of his family are still residing in Madison county, one son being engaged in the grocery business in Anderson at this writing.
KILLING OF SOLOMON PARSONS.
On Monday, the 28th of April, 1890, the body of Solo- mon Parsons was found on the right-of-way along the C., W. & M. Railway track half a mile north of Summitville, his right leg and side being fearfully bruised, and with a deep cut in his head. Life was extinct when he was discovered. A small boy who happened to be standing near by saw the accident and gave the alarm. Neighbors came and conveyed his remains to his home which was only a short distance from the scene. Dr. Armington, Coroner of the county, was noti- fied and held an inquest. The facts elicited were that Par- sons, who was an old man about eighty-two years of age, had gone up the railroad in search of a cow and evidently having not heard the approaching train was run down and killed. John Torrence, the engineer in charge of the engine, testified that he knew nothing about the matter until he had reached Anderson, when he was apprised of the accident by telegram. He insisted that he saw no one on the track and seemed greatly surprised when informed that his engine had killed a man at Summitville. It was a very singular circumstance that he did not discover Mr. Parsons, who was walking before the engine. The Coroner returned a verdict of acci- dental killing without laying any blame on the company.
A YOUNG WOMAN BURNED TO DEATH.
Miss Sallie Mittong, a young woman about nineteen years of age, who was employed as nurse in the family of Mr. George Reeder, about three and a half miles east of Summitville, was burned to death on Friday, February 28, 1879. She had been at a social gathering during the evening,and about 10 o'clock,
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on returning home, took a position in front of the fireplace for the purpose of reading.
Becoming drowsy, it is supposed, she fell asleep, and while in that condition her clothing caught fire. Upon awakening, she ran into the yard, and finally extinguished the flames by rolling in the mud and water. No one was present in the house at the time but Mrs. Reeder, who, being sick, was unable to help her. The agonizing cries of the unfortunate girl eventually attracted the neighbors, who kindly cared for her.
While assisting her into the house some of the burned flesh actually dropped from her body. She lived only fifteen hours after the accident, during which time she endured great agony. Her remains were buried at Summitville on the following Sun- day.
DISASTROUS FIRE.
On the 27th of March, 1885, a destructive fire visited the town of Summitville, burning the business room occupied by R. A. Menefee & Co. and Aquilla Moore, together with the office of Dr. Judd Swallow. The fire originated in the east end of Moore's store, at 8 o'clock in the morning, and in a few minutes the flames had reached Dr. Swallow's office, which stood just across the alley, and also Menefee's drug store. The flames spread so rapidly that within an hour from the time the alarm was given the three buildings were in ashes. It was by good management and hard work that further progress of the fire up the street was checked and that further damage was averted. The loss to Mr. Moore was about $4,000, par- tially insured. Menefee's building and stock of drugs, valued at $2,500, were insured for $1,600. It is supposed that the fire was the work of an incendiary, but no clew was ever found that would lead to the conviction of the guilty party. Dr. Swallow has since died. Mr. Menefee and Mr. Moore are yet residents of Summitville, being prominent in business affairs.
KILLING OF SARAH DAWSON BY NANCY SWOPE.
One of the bloodiest tragedies in the history of Madison county occurred on the 21st of July, 1887, in which two women were the actors, one of them being a colored women. Nancy Swope, during an altercation between herself and Sarah Dawson, a colored woman, plunged a butcher knife into the body of Mrs. Dawson, causing almost instant death.
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About a year before this event, Mrs. Swope, accompanied by her little child, had gone to Summitville and had taken employment at a hotel as a domestic. Mrs. Dawson was also employed at the same house in the capacity of washer-woman. These two females did not get along together very amicably. For some time prior to the killing, Mrs. Dawson alleged that Mrs. Swope had circulated slanderous reports against a Miss Cartwright, a daughter of the proprietor of the hotel. On the evening of the tragedy, the colored woman, as was her custom, took the washing she had finished to the hotel, and while there became involved in a quarrel with Mrs. Swope, who was in the kitchen, ironing. Mrs. Dawson had started to leave the place, when Mrs. Swope, who was almost beside herself with rage, hurled an iron which she had in her hand at Mrs. Dawson, but without effect. Then Mrs. Swope, still white with rage, grasped a large butcher knife that lay on the table and started for the colored woman, overtaking her near the door, when she plunged it with deadly effect into the body of her victim. The weapon penetrated the abdomen and caused the death of Mrs. Dawson in a very few minutes. A boarder at the hotel entered the room just as the fatal thrust was made, and, springing forward, threw Mrs. Swope to one side of the room, and then helped the injured woman into an adjoining hall.
Immediately after the commission of the crime, Mrs. Swope left the hotel and went to the residence of 'Squire Fenimore, where she remained until she went to the Ander- son jail. Here she was incarcerated to await the result of the Coroner's investigation and the action of the grand jury. Mrs. Dawson had come from Tennessee to Summitville five years previously. She was a hard working woman, and was generally respected by the people. Her remains were interred in Vinson cemetery after the Coroner's inquest.
In an interview with Mrs. Swope at the jail by an Ander- son reporter she said in justification of the act that the negress had been circulating stories about her, damaging to her char- acter, and also about Miss Cartwright. She also stated that the woman had come in where she was working and began to abuse her, and finally threatened to do her bodily harm.
An affidavit was filed by Constable W. R. Blake, of Anderson township, before William Roach, a Justice of the Peace, charging Mrs. Swope with murder. A preliminary examination was held and the prisoner was bound over to the
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Circuit Court to answer any indictment that might be brought against her by the grand jury. Judge Richard Lake acted as her counsel.
She was remanded to jail, where she was detained for a considerable time. In the trial of her case a disagreement by the jury resulted, and she was subsequently acquitted at the March term, 1888. She died near the scene of the tragedy about two years afterwards.
YOUTHFUL DEPRAVITY.
On the 21st of September, 1885, a large barn belonging to Joshua Vinson, a few miles west of Summitville, was destroyed by fire. It was evident from the first that it was of incendiary origin, but no clew to the party committing the deed was obtained until several days afterward, when a lad about twelve years old, who lived with Mr. Vin- son, inadvertently dropped the remark that he " would not have to go to that barn any more." Acting upon the theory that the boy had fired the building, Vinson accused him of it, and he, being pressed, finally admitted his guilt. He was placed under arrest and was lodged in the Madison county jail. He was quite small in statue, and evidently not a bad boy at heart. Upon being questioned upon the subject he fully admitted that he had set fire to the barn, but said in justification of his act that he was mad at Mr. Vinson for making him follow a wheat drill when he had a sore foot and could not walk. He further said that Mr. Vinson had sent him to the barn for an oil can and then sent him back again for something else, and then again ; that in all he had made three trips, and that he then concluded to just set fire to the barn.
At the time of this occurrence the young man had been living with the Vinson family for three years ; his mother was dead, and his father had remarried and gone to North Caro- lina. The lad was convicted, but was let off with a light sentence. The loss on Vinson's barn was about $1,500, with but small insurance.
FOUND DEAD IN A BUGGY.
Near the town of Summitville, on the 22d day of May, 1895, William Snelling was discovered at the roadside, dead in a buggy by some passer-by, and it was supposed that a murder had been committed. The Coroner was notified and
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an investigation was held, at which it was found that Snelling had been to Summitville on that day and had been drinking heavily, and had started home, and had in some manner fallen forward out of his buggy, lighting upon the horse, which had kicked him in such a manner as to cause his death. No one saw the occurrence and it was only conjecture as to how it happened.
FOUND DEAD IN BED.
On the morning of April 26, 1893, the citizens of Sum- mitville were thrown into a state of excitement by the find- ing of the dead body of James Wood, a cripple, who was in the employ of S. C. Cowgill's tile factory. He had both legs off and was therefore a confirmed cripple, but not wholly inca- pacitated from labor, and had employment in the factory at light work such as he was able to perform. From the use of opiates to kill the pain he often suffered, he became a con- firmed victim of the morphine habit, and it is supposed that the use of this drug caused his death. He lived at Pendleton.
DEATH OF AN OLD CITIZEN.
No citizen of Madison county ever died who left behind him a more lasting memory than that of Isaac U. Cox, of Van Buren township. His death took place at his home on the 6th of June, 1881. Mr. Cox was above the average farmer in the county as to enterprise and in a general knowl- edge of the business of the country. He was looked up to as an encyclopædia of information by his less fortunate neigh- bors by whom he was surrounded. He was at one time quite a prominent politician in the Democratic ranks, and on sev- eral occasions aspired to the office of County Treasurer, but was never successful in receiving enough votes to gain the nomination.
He was born in Tennessee in December, 1821, and came to Union county, Indiana, in 1839, and from thence to Hunts- ville, in this county, in 1845. In the year 1845 he was mar- ried to Mary C. Smith, who survived him and lived for some time after his death. In 1849 he purchased a tract of land, on which he was living at the time of his death, about seven miles north-east of Alexandria. Mr. Cox was scrupulously honest in all his dealings with his fellow-man. He was a very kind father, and was particularly devoted to his wife. There was no more hospitable home in Madison county than that of Isaac U. Cox. No person from Anderson, or, indeed,
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from any part of the county, ever visited the home of Mr. Cox who was not generously welcomed. He and his wife were both genial, hospitable people, and it was a real pleas- ure for them to entertain friends at their home. Mr. Cox's death was long lamented, and his memory will long be green in the recollections of the old citizens of Madison county.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The first election held in the township occurred Novem- ber 1, 1887, at the house of Hiram Palmer. It is related that Samuel Fenimore and Hiram Palmer were opposing candi- dates for the office of Justice of the Peace. Each candidate had his " wires" in proper order and thought that he had things "fixed," or at least Mr. Fenimore did. The voting population of the township at that early day did not exceed ten or fifteen voters, so that it required but a few votes to elect, and consequently not so much effort on the part of can- didates as at present. On the morning of the election Mr. Fenimore, with three of his friends, appeared at the polls and cast their votes for Fenimore. They lingered around the polls until it was nearly time for them to close, and, as Pal- mer and his friends had not made their appearance, they were congratulating themselves over their success. But just before the hour fixed by law for the closing of the polls Palmer and his " force," consisting of four voters besides himself, emerged from the brush and voted for Palmer, much to the chagrin of Fenimore and his following. Palmer was elected by one vote, and re-elected subsequently a number of times.
The first Trustee of the township was George Moore.
The first saw mill in the township was built and operated by Moore. Wellington & Harold.
The first postmaster in the township was John Kelsey. The first blacksmith was Jasper Webb.
The first druggist was J. D. Marsh in 1874.
The first shoemaker was R. Snelling. · -
PROMINENT CITIZENS.
Among the prominent citizens of the township who have been specially honored by the people of the county is Calvin H. Allen, at this time a resident of the city of Anderson. Mr. Allen was elected Auditor of the county on the Democratic ticket in 1890, and served one term. In 1894 James M. Hund- ley was elected Joint Representative for the counties of Madi-
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son, Tipton and Clinton, and served one term. A sketch of Mr. Hundley will be found elsewhere.
JAMES M. HUNDLEY.
While the subject of this sketch is not a pioneer of the county, he may, on account of his long residence, be classed among the old-timers. Mr. Hundley was born in Clinton county, Ohio, July 6, 1848, and came with his parents to Grant county, Indiana, in 1852, where he resided until 1863, when he enlisted in the army. During his absence his father
JAMES M. HUNDLEY.
moved to Van Buren township, this county, and located. James served his country faithfully until July, 1865, when he was discharged, and, not being of age, returned to the home of his father, thus becoming a resident of Madison county. He was educated in the common schools of the county, with the exception of two terms in the high schools of Anderson and Marion. After leaving school he engaged in teaching in Van Buren and Monroe townships for a number of years. His efforts in this vocation were earnest and painstaking and highly
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satisfactory both to pupils and patrons. While teaching he devoted much of his spare time to the study of the law, and on the 17th of March, 1883, was admitted to the Madison county bar, since which time he has been actively engaged in the practice.
Through the partiality of his fellow-citizens Mr. Hund- ley has held a number of local offices and in 1894 was elected Representative to the State Legislature from the district com- posed of the counties of Madison, Tipton and Clinton, serving one term with credit to himself and his constituency. He has always taken an active interest in politics and is prominent in local affairs generally. Although an ardent Republican, he is not offensive in expressing his views of measures or men. He is unostentatious both in manner and method, but firm in his beliefs, whatever they may be, and always ready to defend them. Whatever of success he has achieved in life he attributes to his mother, who induced him to attend school and take a course of study, although limited, after his return from the army. He takes pride in the fact that he has seen his town- ship and county make such rapid strides in the arts of peace -has seen the wilderness disappear and the waste places become the abodes of industry and learning. No native con- templates the present proud position of the county with greater satisfaction than he, and no one is more enthusiastic over the possibilities of its future.
Mr. Hundley is a resident of Summitville, where he has an office and attend's to the duties of his profession. These duties frequently require his presence at the county seat, par- ticularly during the sessions of the courts, where he is held in the highest esteem, not only by the members of the bar, but by all who know him.
Mr. Hundley was married October 21, 1874, to Miss Sarah F. Fenimore, a member of one of the most prominent and highly respected pioneer families of the county.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
LIST OF COUNTY OFFICIALS.
SENATORS.
Owing to the proportions this work has assumed the names only of citizens of the county who have served as Sen- ators and Representatives in the State Legislature are given. From 1828 to 1835 Madison county was represented in the Senate by citizens residing in other counties comprising the Senatorial district of which it was a part. The names of Madison county citizens who have been elected to the Senate are as follows : Thomas Bell, Andrew Jackson, Dr. John Hunt, Andrew Jackson (again), Hervey Craven, M. S. Robinson, R. II. Cree, Charles T. Doxey, Charles L. Henry, A. E. Harlan, Lafe Johnson.
Madison county by an act of the Legislature of 1896-7 was made a district by itself, and is now entitled to one Sen- ator and one Joint Senator, also two Representatives and one Joint Representative.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Thomas Bell, John HI. Cook, Ilenry Wyman, Willis G. Atherton, Thomas McCallister, John Davis, R. N. Williams, Evan Ellis, William Young, Townsend Ryan, William Crim, Andrew Shanklin, W. C. Fleming, Thomas King, Thomas G. Clark, Thomas N. Stilwell, W. A. Thompson, John Hayes, Richard Lake, D. E. Croan, Frederick Black, J. F. Mock, Dr. G. F. Chittenden (joint representative), J.W. Sansberry, Dr. T. N. Jones, J. O. Hardesty (joint representative), G. W. Harris, Edgar Henderson, J. T. Smith (joint representa- tive), Dr. Stanley W. Edwins, H. P. Shaffer, Dr. C. N. Branch, Sr., Frank P. Foster, A. J. Behymer (joint repre- sentative), J. M. Farlow, James M. Hundley (joint repre- sentative), J. H. Terhune, E. E. Fornshell,
CLERKS.
The following in their order have been clerks of the county : Moses Cox, William Curtis, Ansel Richmond, R. N. Williams, Andrew Jackson, James Hazlett, P. II. Lemon, Joseph Peden, W. C. Fleming, T. J. Fleming, R. H. IIan -- nah, Jesse L. Henry, C. A. Henderson, J. J. Netterville, Edmund Johnson.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
AUDITORS.
Moses Cox, William Curtis, Ansel Richmond, R. N. Williams, Andrew Jackson, Joseph Howard, J. W. Wester- field, W. H. Merchon, Joseph Sigler, J. M. Dickson, George Nichol, John L. Forkner, J. E. Canaday, Calvin II. Allen, W. N. Heath.
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