USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 9
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
It was in 1863 that the Loyal American made its appear- ance as the organ of the Republican party. H. J. Brown was the editor and publisher until 1865, when he was ap- pointed postmaster at Anderson. The paper was published for a while by John C. Hanson, but soon ceased publication after Mr. Brown retired from its mangement. In the mean- time the Standard was purchased by Mr. Fleming T. Luse in 1866. Mr. Luse was a Democrat, but too independent to suit the leaders of his party in the county, and some time (1867) after purchasing the paper certain democratic politi- cians and business men organized a stock company and founded the Anderson Plain Dealer, which soon became recognized as the organ of the Democratic party in the county. The editorial department was in charge of Edwin P. Schlater and " Billy " Cook. In 1868. the stockholders sold out their interests in the paper to Messrs. Thompson & Myers, who controlled it until the succeeding year, when it passed into the hands of G. D. Farrar, who managed it for a year and a half, when Hon. William C. Fleming became pro- prietor. Upon assuming control of the paper Mr. Fleming changed its name to that of the Anderson Democrat. The business of editing and publishing a paper was not congenial to Mr. Fleming's taste, however, and in the course of a few months he disposed of the property to Charles Zahm, who in the following year (1873) sold the entire plant to M. Y. Tod- isman. Mr. Todisman had in the meantime purchased the Standard of Mr. Luse, and now united the subscription lists of both papers and continued as sole editor and proprietor of the Democrat until early in 1877, when he disposed of a one- half interest in the office to W. M. Croan. This partnership lasted until November of that year, when Mr. Todisman dis- posed of his interest to William R. Brownlee. This firm added many modern improvements to the mechanical depart- ment of the paper, which together with well-selected news matter contributed from various sources each week soon won for it greater patronage and popularity than it had ever before enjoyed. The Democrat was the first paper in the county printed by steam, that agency being introduced by the pro- prietors as a motive power in January, 1879. In 1884 H. J. Bronnenberg bought the plant. R. C. and Sumner Glasco became interested in the paper, and it was published by them until the spring of 1886, when W. C. Fleming again took charge of it. A few months after Mr. Fleming took charge
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
of the editorial and business management, Mr. Bronnenberg, who owned the paper, sold an interest to Captain Hilligoss. The latter gentleman had control of the paper until sometime in 1887, when it was purchased by W. R. Myers. Shortly after taking possession of the Democrat, Mr. Myers sold Dale J. Crittenberger a third interest, and subsequently another third interest was disposed of to James J. Netterville. Messrs. Crittenberger & Netterville afterwards bought out Mr. Myers' interest. Mr. Crittenberger had entire control of the edito. rial department and business management, and the paper pros- pered as it never did before in its history. In March, 1889, the Daily Democrat was launched upon the sea of journalism by Messrs. Crittenberger & Netterville, and both papers were published by them regularly every day and week until April. 1893. when they disposed of the plant to a stock company composed of J. I'. Campbell, W. C. and H. R. Bone. The latter disposed of his stock to Manson U. Johnson in the spring of 1895, and that gentleman has since been the nomi- nal editor of both the Daily and Weekly Democrat. Both editions have a large circulation which will doubtless increase with the growth of population in the county. The plant as a whole, is the most complete in the county, its facilities for doing superior work in its job department being unexcelled, perhaps, in central Indiana.
The Anderson Herald was founded by John O. Hardesty in 1868 and is the oldest Republican paper in the county. Dur- ing Mr. Hardesty's connection with the paper it was known as the " Red Hot" Herald for the reason that the editor in each issue fired more or less " red hot" shot into the Demo- cratic party and its leaders, that party being at that time largely in the majority in the county. Mr. Hardesty was the sole proprietor until November, 1872. when Stephen Metcalf purchased a half interest in the paper. In August, 1873, he purchased the remaining half interest and Mr. Hardesty retired from the paper. The Herald was originally an eight-column paper but after Mr. Metcalf became sole proprietor he pur- chased a new press and enlarged the paper to a nine-column folio. Other valuable improvements were made to the office and for a number of years it was considered the most valuable property of its kind in this part of the state. In the spring of of 1876 Mr. Metcalf disposed of a half interest to W. M. Kinnard, and in May, 1878, Caleb H. Kinnard took charge of the paper and published it until 1881, when Mr. Metcalf and 7
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
George Mckeown took charge of it. In 1885 the proprie- tors were Mr. Metcalf and Charles H. Ewing, Mr. Mckeown having retired. In April, 1888, the paper passed into the hands of A. A. Small, and in the fall of the same year he sold out to H. G. Doggett. It was but a short time until the latter sold the office to the Chase brothers, and they in turn sold it to J. H. Lewis, who subsequently disposed of it to J. Q. Donnel, Mr. Donnel was a scholarly writer but. was given to criticis- ing his party and its leaders so freely that the prominent Republicans in the county become dissatisfied with his manage- ment of the paper and in 1895 he found it to his interest to dispose of it to W. B. Campbell, who is now sole proprietor. Several attempts were made to start a daily edition of the Herald, but without success until April, 1887, when the pub- lication of the present daily was begun. The daily was originally an evening paper, however, but was changed to a morning edition shortly after Mr. Donnel purchased the plant. The paper has a large circulation and for a party organ is more independent than the average of such papers.
In 1880 George Winter started a weekly paper known as the Anderson Review. Mr. Winter was a practical printer and one of the best in the country, but had no idea of manage- ment. The paper struggled along until 1883, when George Ross and Thomas P'. Harris bought a controlling interest and conducted it in the interest of the Democratic party. Shortly after Ross and Harris assumed the management of the paper, Hon. W. S. Diven purchased an interest, and had charge of the editorial department until 1884, when it was consolidated with the Anderson Democrat, the paper being issued for a time under the name of the Review-Democrat.
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Mr. Winter subsequently embarked in a number of news- paper ventures, publishing at one time a daily called the Evening Star, at another the Daily Review, and for several months in 1887 a weekly called the Saturday News. This paper was also absorbed by the Anderson Democrat, and Win- ter went to Washington, D. C., where he had received an appointment in the Government printing office. But few men were better acquainted with the art of printing, and if he had possessed ability in other respects commensurate with his opportunities he would have been eminently successful, no doubt, in the arena of provincial journalism. He died of con- >umption at Washington in 1889.
In 1885 Messrs. Dory Biddle, James Knight and Charles
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
R. Cravens organized the Bulletin Printing . Company, and issued the first number of the Daily Evening Bulletin on March 23d of that year. The paper started out on an inde- pendent basis and has been " hewing to the line " ever since regardless of the consequences. The Bulletin was a success from the first issue and for many years occupied the daily field alone in the county. Special mention of this paper is made elsewhere.
The Pendleton Register was the first paper published at Pendleton. It was established in 1870 by T. B. Deem. The office was purchased by C. B. Caddy in 1878 and the name of the paper was changed to the Pendleton Republican, under which it is now issued by. the editor and proprietor, D. W. Barnett, Mr. Caddy having disposed of his interest in the property.
In April, 1896, Robert E. Maranville issued the first num- ber of the Pendleton Record. The paper is devoted princi- . paily to the interests of farmers and stock raisers.
In the early spring of 1877 the first newspaper published in the north part of the county made its appearance at Elwood under the name of the Elwood Review, George Winter, editor and proprietor. The paper had a brief existence, and in 1880 Roy Hannah, Allen Wilson and S. T. Legg formed a stock company and established the Elwood Free Press. Roy Han- nah was installed as editor and manager. The paper was published for several years and changed ownership a number of times, Jesse Mellett being one of the proprietors. W. E. Plackard and Minor Nuzum also owned and published the paper at one time. In the meantime L .. Il. Emmons started a paper named the Review. This paper was purchased by A. W. Ross in 1888 and published until January. 1889, when A. J. Behymer bought both papers and consolidated them under the name of the Elwood Free Press. The paper subsequently changed ownership, M. H. Geyer & Son purchasing the prop- erty. They also sold to Jesse Mellett, who in 1893 began the publication of the Daily Free Press. The property is now owned and managed by W. F. Vanarsdel. The Free Press is a bright, newsy paper, and enjoys its share of public patronage.
The bright future of Elwood attracted other enterprising newspaper men to the place, and on the 19th of March, 1891, a new daily, the Elwood Leader, was established by W. J. Spruce. On the 14th of the following November the Elwood
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Daily Call was established by E. E. Fornshell. The Leader and Call were consolidated February 1, 1894, and has since been published as a Republican paper under the name of the Call-Icader. Messrs. Fornshell and Bruce are practical news- paper men and have succeeded in making their paper one of the best and most influential in the county.
In 1892 the Alexandria Record was established at Alex- andria by Moore & Myers for the ostensible purpose of " boom- ing " that thriving little city. They afterward disposed of the property to T. J. Arnold, who in the course of time sold to Tomlinson & Wallingford. In 1893 Harry E. Manor bought the paper and converted it into a Republican journal. Weekly and daily editions are issued, and the paper is in a prosperous condition.
The Alexandria P'ress, weekly and semi-weekly, was es- tablished at Alexandria September 25, 1893, by C. F. and C. HI. Meyer. The Press is Democratic in politics, but enjoys the confidence of its patrons of all parties. It is issued on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. It is in a prosperous condition, and is gradually extending its sphere of influence.
On November 22. 1895, George B. Mickler established the Gas Belt News at Alexandria. The paper is non-political and devoted solely to promoting the welfare and prosperity of Alexandria and vicinity. This it does ably and faithfully, and deserves well not only of the citizens of Alexandria but of the north part of the county. The paper makes its appearance each week on Friday.
(The Summitville W'are is mentioned in the general his- tory of Van Buren township.)
The Frankton Leader was established in 1890 by E. A. Kemp, who is the editor and proprietor.
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CHAPTER XVII.
OUR MILITARY HISTORY-THE PART TAKEN BY MADISON COUNTY IN TWO WARS-THE SOLDIERS OF 1846-8 AND 1860-5, WITH SOMETHING OF THEIR CAMPAIGNS.
The history of the heroes of Madison county, as well as of the State and Nation, who participated in the Mexican war and in the greater war of the rebellion, has been written time and again and will endure as long as time shall last. Nothing that the authors of this work could say would add to the lustre of their names or achievements. Both have been pre- served in the archives of the Republic and will be perpetu- ated forever by the American people, in song and story, in stone and bronze. It is not the purpose, therefore, of the authors to give a detailed history of the services of Madison county's soldiery, but a general account, together with such local matters relating to the subject as are considered of suffi- cient importance to remember in a work of this character.
Previous to 1847, the county had no military history, but upon the breaking out of the Mexican war a number of patri- otic citizens who had heard the thrilling story of Crockett and the Alamo, availed themselves of the first opportunity to offer their services to the government. This opportunity occurred early in May, 1847, after the second call for volunteers had
. been made by President James K. Polk. Captain John M. Wallace, of Marion, Grant county, organized a company at that place, which was composed of residents of both Grant and Madison counties. There may have been, and probably were, volunteers from this county under the first call of the President, but there is no means at this time of ascertaining either their names or number.
The company organized by Captain Wallace marched from Marion to Anderson and thence to Indianapolis. From there the company went by rail (at that time the only railroad in the State) to Madison, where it embarked on a steamer for Jeffersonville, at which place it went into camp, and on the 31st of May, was mustered into the service of the United
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
States as Company A, and assigned to the Fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel Willis A. Gorman.
The regiment left Jeffersonville for New Orleans by steamer the following month and went from there to Brazos Santiago, near the mouth of the Rio Grande. After marching to a point 160 miles up that river and remaining several weeks, it returned to Brazos, and on the 19th of September, sailed with the brigade to which it was attached, for Vera Cruz. The Fourth belonged to General Lane's brigade and participated in some of the severest skirmishes of the war. In December, 1847, it joined the main army under General Scott, in the city of Mexico, where it remained until peace was de- clared, leaving there for Vera Cruz on the 1st of June, 1848, and arriving at Madison, Indiana, on the 20th of July, where it was mustered out of the service. Of the men who volun- teered from Madison county in this war, the following list is given :
Nineveh Berry, commissary ; Joseph Hunt, corporal ; Reuben Stephenson, Levi Brewer, Jacob Booser, William Col- lis, John Hicks, Solomon Harpold, Alexander Greenlee, James Moore, Samuel Moore, Isaac Rheubart, David Vanasdell, Ben- jamin Moore, Jacob Spucher, Thomas Dillon and John Ded -. man, the last two dying in Mexico of disease. Levi Brewer, who is still living. is mentioned elsewhere in these pages.
THE CIVIL WAR, OR WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Fort Sumter was fired on by the Confederates on the 12th day of April, 1861, and on the 16th of the same month Governor O. P. Morton issued a call to the people of Indi- ana for volunteers to fill the quota of the State under the call of the President for 75,000 troops. The call of the gov- ernor was received with patriotic outbursts of enthusiasm throughout the state and the day following a public meeting was held in the court house at Anderson for the purpose of enlisting volunteers for the war. Patriotic speeches were made by Dr. Townsend Ryan, who was afterwards appointed to a colonelcy in the army, T. N. Stilwell, who also received a commission as colonel of a regiment afterwards, Ralph N. Clark and others. The war spirit was rampant and a com- pany of 100 stalwart men was soon organized. The men were all young and a large majority of them above the average size. The idea prevailed at the time that only men of large mus-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
cular development could endure the privations and hardships incident to war. This idea was soon dispelled, however, as it was discovered that small men or men of medium size made equally as good. if not better soldiers, than the men of larger mould. It is recalled by the writer that a company from Logansport passed through Anderson in April, 1861, not one of whom was less than six feet in height, and large in pro- portion.
The evening after the public meeting the volunteers as- sembled at the Methodist church and organized by electing Hiram T. Vandevender, captain, and a full complement of officers. The company left immediately for-Indianapolis, and went into camp at a place east of the city, called Camp Mc- Clellan. On the 22d of April it was mustered into the three- months service, and assigned to the Eighth Indiana Volunteer infantry, as Company "G." The regiment remained in camp until June, when it was ordered to Clarksburg, Va. From there. the regiment went to Buckhannon, Va., and on the 11th of July participated in the battle of Rich Mountain. Com- pany ( lost but one man-Joseph Beck, of Chesterfield. This was the only engagement the Company participated in during its three-months service. After remaining in camp at Bev- erly until the 24th of July, the regiment was ordered back to Indianapolis, where it was mustered out of the service August 6th, 1861, and the men returned to their homes.
The regiment was reorganized, and many of the men who composed it during the three-months service, re-enlisted for " three years, or during the war." This much of the history of Company G is given for the reason that it was the first company to leave Madison county. The muster rolls in the war department at Washington show that 139 officers and men from Madison county belonged to the Eighth Indiana.
Captain Vandevender was mortally wounded in front of Vicksburg. and died May 23, 1863. He was a chivalrous sol- dier, and was greatly respected by his men. His remains now repose beneath a marble tablet in the Anderson cemetery.
From the day the first company left Anderson to take part in the defense of the government there was almost a con- tinuous stream of volunteers flowing out of Madison county into the army. Every vocation in life represented within Inner borders contributed men to the ranks of the grand army t hat was fighting for the preservation of the Union. They Imarched away to the inspiring music of the fife and drum
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
from field and forge, hamlet and town, many of them to die upon the field, in the hospital and in prison without hope or desire of a greater reward than the high renown of the patriot who gives up his life in defense of his country. Many of them had not reached their majority, more were of middle age, while not a few had passed the meridian of life. But all were patriots; their county and State were proud of them, and generations yet unborn will commemorate their deeds and honor their memory.
As nearly as can be ascertained Madison county furnished 1,500 volunteers during the war, for which she received credit. A few citizens of the county enlisted in companies organized in other counties and states, and they are credited to the local- ities where they enlisted. The county was represented in the following regimental organizations: The Eighth (one company), Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth (one company), Six- teenth (one company), Seventeenth (this regiment bore on its muster rolls the names of 140 citizens of Madison county), Nineteenth (one company), Twentieth, Thirty-fourth (two companies), Thirty-ninth, or Eighth Cavalry, Forty-seventh (one company), Fifty-second, Fifty-eighth, Fifty-ninth, Six- ty-ninth, Seventy-fifth (one company), Eighty-fourth, Eighty- ninth (one company), Ninetieth, or Fifth Calvary, Ninety- ninth, and One Hundred and First (one company), One Hun- dred and Thirtieth (one company) Indiana regiments. These organizations all belonged to the three-years service. The county was also represented in the following organizations : ()ne Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana (100-days service), One Hundred and Thirty-sixth (100-days service), One Hundred and Fortieth (one-year service), One Hundred and Forty- second (one-year service), One Hundred and Forty-seventh (one-year service), One Hundred and Forty-ninth (one-year service), One Hundred and Fity-third (one-year service), One Hundred and Fifty-fourth (one-year service), One Hundred and Fifty-fifth (one-year service), Twenty-eighth regiment (United States colored troops). The muster rolls of the Sec- ond Indiana Battery-Light Artillery-and Eighteenth Bat- tery-Light Artillery-show that Madison county was largely represented in those organizations.
MINUTE MEN.
The raid of Gen. John H. Morgan, of the Confederate army, into Indiana, in July, 1863, with a small force, was the
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
occasion of a call for troops by Gov. Morton, and within forty- eight hours after the call was made, 65,000 men tendered their services to the governor. Madison county promptly responded along with her sister counties in the State, and four companies . were raised to assist in repelling the invaders. One of these companies was assigned to the One Hundred and Fourth regi- ment and the other three to the One Hundred and Tenth regi- ment. As Morgan did not remain in the State any longer than his force could ride from the point where they entered to the Ohio line, the services of the minute men from this county were not needed and they were accordingly mustered out-the three companies belonging to the One Hundred and Tenth regiment, at Indianapolis, on the 15th of July, or three days after they had been mustered into service, and the com- pany belonging to the One Hundred and Fourth regiment, at Greensburg, on the 18th of July.
At the time of this raid great excitement prevailed throughout Indiana, and especially in the central portion of of the State, as it was feared that the State capital was the ob- jective point of the incursion. The excitement at Indianapolis for several days was intense and all kinds of war-like rumors could be heard on every hand. The streets were thronged with excited and fear-stricken people for two days and nights, and it was freely asserted by a few old soldiers, who happened to be in the city at the time, on furlough, that Morgan could have easily captured the city with fifty of his men, so great was the demoralization of the raw troops and people generally.
To write a history of the campaigns of the various organ- izations with which the volunteers of Madison county were identified, would not only be a labor of supererogation, but would exceed the limits designed by the authors for this work. The story has been told better than we are able to tell it. It is our province to state, however, that the soldiers of Madison county participated in nearly every great battle of the war. They were at the Wilderness, Antietum, Cold Harbor, Chick- amauga, Look Out Mountain, Ressacca, Vicksburg. Gettys- burg and with Sherman on his " march to the sea." Many of them never returned and are sleeping in unknown graves. Of this number is Major Isaac M. May, of the Nineteenth Indi- ana, who was killed at Gainesville, Va .. on the 28th of August, 1862. Every effort was made by his widow and friends to recover his remains, but in vain. He fell early in the engage- ment, and was buried by Seth Peden of his home company,
.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
and a soldier belonging to a Wisconsin regiment. Both these men were killed soon after, and with them died all knowledge as to the spot where the Major's remains were buried.
This gallant officer had all the instincts of a great soldier. Ile was a strict disciplinarian and gave much time to the study of military tactics, a thorough knowledge of which he re- garded as absolutely essential to the proper discharge of his duties as an officer. He had great respect for his men and and they in return loved and honored him, not only as a brave and faithful officer, but as a friend. His untimely death was sincerely mourned wherever he was known, and particularly at Anderson, where he had always been held in the highest respect as a citizen. When the Grand Army Post was organ- ized at Anderson there was but one expression with ref- erence to a name for the organization and that was Major May. This Post is one of the largest and most important in the State, and is appropriately mentioned elsewhere in this history.
Major Samuel Henry was another gallant soldier of Mad- son county, whose untimely death was the cause of much sin- cere regret and sorrow. He had risen to the rank of Major from that of First Lieutenant of Company B, Eighty ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and the possibilities of the future appeared bright to him and his friends, when he, along with two other officers of the regiment, was shot to death by guer- rillas on the 1st of November, 1864, near a small village called Grunton in the State of Missouri. The men had become sep- arated from their command, which was marching to Lexing- ton, Mo., and had just left a house where they had been sup- plied with dinner, when they were confronted by three men . dressed in the Federal uniform, and ordered to hold up their hands. The officers were unarmed excepting Major Henry, who perhaps had on his sword and one pistol. After search- ing the men for fire arms, they were ordered to mount their horses. They were then taken back a short distance into a woods where they were murdered and robbed. Their remains were found by people living in the vicinity and taken to Lex- ington where they were identified by officers of the army. Colonel Wolf, commanding the Third brigade, ordered the bodies decently interred in metallic caskets, knowing that friends would want them removed. The remains of Major Henry were soon after taken up and brought back to his native village, Pendleton, and laid to rest in the cemetery at that
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