USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical sketches and reminiscences of Madison county, Indiana : a detailed history of the early events of the pioneer settlement of the county, and many of the happenings of recent years, as well as a complete history of each township, to which is added numerous incidents of a pleasant nature, in the way of reminiscences, and laughable occurrences > Part 22
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They sent a delegation ahead to demand of the Sheriff the surrender of the prisoners. For a time it looked as though there was going to be a real war. Colonel Nineveh Berry, a prominent citizen, accompanied by William B. Allen, ex-Sher- iff of the county, were foremost among those who desired to maintain the laws. These men went out to meet the belliger- ents. They endeavored to treat with them and to allay their excitement. The release of Runnels was agreed to and Mc- Callister said that hostilities should cease and accordingly the mob disbanded.
Since this outrage, public sentiment has not only been changed in Madison county, but everywhere throughout the land, where the flag of the United States floats to the breeze. There are now but few spots in our country where a negro or any other citizen cannot, from a public platform, indulge in free speech and proclaim his sentiments, upon any proper sub- ject without molestation.
The Hon. Frederick Douglass in after years-on at least two occasions-visited Madison county. At one time not many years prior to his death he addressed a large meeting at the fair grounds at Anderson. In private conversation he. spoke freely of the Pendleton affair and blamed no one for other than the natural dislike for the colored man at that time.
ARRESTED FOR COUNTERFEITING.
On the 28th of December, 1854, Adam Anderson, John Jones, a man of the name of Huston, and William Brown were arrested by Benham Nelson, then Sheriff of Madison county, for passing counterfeit bank bills. These parties lived on what was called the Prairie road, in Fall Creek township, near the Anderson township line, in the neighborhood of the farm now occupied by James Quinlan.
There had long been suspicions that counterfeiting was going on somewhere in the neighborhood of Pendleton, and it 48
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was with some difficulty that the officers were able to locate it, from the fact that the counterfeiters were very shrewd in the management of their operations and the circulation of their bogus money. Finally suspicion became so strong from some acts of the younger members of the gang that the offi- cers felt justified in making arrests, and calling a posse, headed by the Sheriff, proceeded to the locality to place the parties under arrest. Their crime being a violation of the United States laws, they were at once taken before Judge Sample, of Muncie, who was then United States Commissioner, and a preliminary trial was held and they were bound over to the District Court at Indianapolis on a bond of $2,000 each.
Anderson and Jones were each about sixty years of age and had lived a long time in the community, and each had raised to maturity respectable families, Huston and Brown were young men of good parentage and had enjoyed a good reputation in the community in which they lived. It was strongly hinted that some other prominent people who are yet living in and around Pendleton were also engaged in this nefarious business, but sufficient evidence was never obtained upon which to arrest them and convict them of the crime. At the trial in the court Jones and Brown were convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for a number of years, the term of which is not known to the writer.
The young men were let off without imprisonment.
BURNING OF JOSEPH O. HARDY'S BARN.
Joseph O. Hardy, of Fall Creek township, was at one time one of the wealthiest and most influential farmers of that locality, being a public-spirited, high-minded gentleman, and full of push and enterprise. He was the leader of men in his neighborhood until one misfortune after another over- took him, causing him eventually to be reduced almost to poverty. Many of the old-time citizens of the county can re- member him and the many business transactions in which he figured.
He was once the owner of the large and elegant farm now in possession of Philip Matter, about four miles south of Anderson, on the Pendleton turnpike.
On Friday night, the 6th of November, 1574, a large barn situated on that place was discovered to be on fire. The building was a structure of about 60 x 100 feet. which had been erected but a short time, and contained an immense amount of
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grain, several tons of hay, farming implements, and six head of horses, all of which were consumed. The whole interior of the barn was ablaze when first discovered, and nothing could be done to arrest the flames. The total loss on the property, was estimated to be in the neighborhood of $6,000, and the insurance amounted to only $3,000.
The farm on which this fire occurred has a history con- nected with it not enjoyed by any other piece of property in the county. It was once owned by a man of the name of James Carson, who, during the war of the Rebellion, went to the State of Arkansas, where he remained until the close of the war and for a long time thereafter. In the meantime he had sold and transferred the farm to one E. A. Russell, who formerly resided in Anderson. Mr. Russell gave notes and executed a mortgage for the same. The former owner of the property to whom Mr. Russell gave the notes not having made his appearance in Madison county before the termination of the Rebellion, action was brought through Judge W. R. Pierse and others for the purpose of having the notes and mortgage executed for the purchase of the property confisca- ted on the ground that Mr. Carson, who had gone to Arkansas, was disloyal, and not a citizen of the United States. The case was tried in the Circuit Court, and after a patient and careful hearing, it was decided that the notes and mortgage were null and void, and they were therefore canceled by order of the court. and thus Mr. Russell and his co-plaintiff's be- came the owners of this beautiful and valuable property with- out the payment of any money whatever.
The title subsequently passed into the hands of one Bailey Davis, a wealthy farmer of Fall Creek township, and subse- quently became the property of Mr. Charles L. Henry, of An- derson, who received a warranty deed under Mr. Davis for the same. During all this time, and during these transfers no demand was ever made by any one to test the validity of the title. Nor was there any such demand made until after Mr. Henry had come into possession of the property. Sometime about the year 1885 the owner of the property from whom it had been confiscated unexpectedly made his appearance in Anderson, and demanded compensation for the land, which being refused, he employed the law firm of Robinson & Lov- ett, who brought proceedings in the United States court to have the judgment of the Madison Circuit Court confiscating
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the property set aside, and repossessing the rightful owner of his land.
The case was hotly contested. The court, however, held that the plaintiff having proven that during his residence in Arkansas he had never committed a disloyal act against the United States, and that he had been true to his government, the real-estate was, therefore, decreed to him as being the law- ful and rightful owner.
This decision left Mr. Henry but one alternative, to fall back on Mr. Bailey Davis, the only responsible party from whom he held the warrant of title. In the further transaction of this matter, Mr. Bailey Davis proved that he was an excep- tionally honest and upright man, doing what but few people would have done under similar circumstances. Instead of em- ploying attorneys and going into court to defend himself, as he might have done, and thus added costs to Mr. Henry and others, he simply, after having determined the amount of the purchase money with every cent of interest on the notes reck- oned to the latest date, went down "into his jeans" and planked down nearly six thousand dollars of his hard-earned money, and paid the same over to Robinson & Lovett, the at- torneys for the lawful owner. And thus ended one of the great legal battles of this county.
But a few weeks previous to this writing this celebrated farm was again visited with a fire which destroyed the large barn recently built by C. L. Henry on the opposite side of the road from the former one. It was then owned by Mr. Philip Matter, of Marion, Ind. The structure and its contents were swept away.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
In the month of November, 1875, one of the most daring highway robberies ever committed in the county took place on the Fishersbarg pike, between Pendleton and Fishersburg, in which a man of the name of Andrews was held up and robbed of the pitiful sum of $6.
Andrews was a brother of Whitfield Andrews, who lived in the country, and had drawn $700 out of a bank at Indian- apolis, which belonged to a lady friend, for whom he was an agent, and to whom he had paid the money shortly after receiving it. When he had done this he took the evening train on the Bee Line road for the purpose of visiting friends in Madison county. He left the train at Pendleton, and after
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partaking of a lunch started to walk from there to Fishers- burg. About two miles from Pendleton, near the residence of a man of the name of Clark, he was met by two men whom he recognized as having seen at Indianapolis, and who had dogged his steps during the day. Before he scarcely had time to stop one of them struck him on the head with some kind of a weapon which felled him to the ground. After which be wa, beaten in a most terrible manner so he was rendered and when his senses returned found that both His boots ware gone. his stockings taken off and his pocket sites of theis contents. The robbers received nothing for their pains except the small sum of $6.
Mr. Andrews was so injured that he could scarcely stand. and after almost superhuman efforts he succeeded in reaching the residence of Harvey Gwinn, in Stoney Creek township. Mr. Gwinn conveyed him to his residence and then took him to the home of Alfred Gates, just across the line in Hamilton county, Mr. Gates being a cousin of Andrews. The wounded man remained for several days at the residence of his relative in a critical condition, but finally recovered and returned to his home. He had no doubt but that his assailants had been present in the bank at Indianapolis when he drew the money. and that they had shadowed him to this point, where they intended to kill him and then rob him. No clue to the rob- bers was ever obtained or their whereabouts made known.
FOUND DEAD IN BED.
On the 28th of June, 1868, J. W. Pavey, of Fall Creek township, suddenly and without warning gave up the race of life, being found dead in his bed. He had been in his usual good health and early in the morning got up to do some chores as was his custom, and after doing his work he re- turned to his sleeping chamber and retired again.
The members of the family, in due time. got up and break- fast was prepared at the usual hour. Mr. Pavey was called for his meal, but did not respond. In a short time he was called again, with no response, when the family became alarmed and on going to his room were horrified to find him cold in death.
Mr. Pavey was one of the early settlers of that neighbor-
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hood then known as the " Beaver Dam " locality and was highly respected.
His funeral was largely attended and his memory is vet fresh in the minds of the older people of that locality.
SUICIDE OF J. L. HENSLEY.
J. L. Hensley was a prominent farmer, who lived about three miles north of Pendleton, and was a brother of the late Doctor Hensley, of this county. On Thursday, the 21st day of January, 1885, he took his own life by hanging. On the morning of his death, a neighbor, William Sisson, visited his home, and chatted with him upon various subjects. Mr. Sis- son did not notice anything peculiar in his manner or words and was very much surprised a few hours later to be inforined of his death. The deceased was a man of a very kind dispo- sition, and lived at peace with his family and neighbors. He was a veteran of the Mexican war, and had also served in the 69th Indiana Regiment in the War of the Rebellion. His body was found hanging in a corn-crib, to the end of a rope which he had used for the purpose.
Mr. Hensley was born in Virginia in the year 1821, and was about 64 years of age at the time of his death. During the war he distinguished himself as a good soldier, and at the battle of Pittsburg Landing was, for meritorious service, pro- moted to be First Lieutenant in the company in which he en- listed. He was a charter member of Sam Henry Post, G. A. R., of Pendleton, and was buried by that organization with all the honors of war. He left a wife, six children and one brother to mourn their loss.
SUICIDE OF DR. HENSLEY.
Dr. William Hensley, of Fall Creek township, wasa well- known personage in Madison county for a great number of years. He lived at Pendleton for a long time, and was an agent for a life insurance company. He had in his earlier days prepared himself for the practice of medicine at Conners- ville, Indiana, but for some cause abandoned it. He never practiced after he located in Madison county. Ile was a farmer at the time of his death, and lived on a piece of land which he owned north-east of Pendleton. He was of a very jovial disposition, a fluent talker and a good story-teller, and was the last person any one would think who harbored the idea of self-destruction.
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On Saturday morning, the 28th of February, 1888, he arose about 6 o'clock to start the fire as usual, and before any of the family was aware of his intentions he took a loaded shotgun and blew out his brains. His death was simultaneous with the discharge of the gun. The load entered below his right jaw and blew off the top of his head. It mutilated his face and head in a terrible manner. No special cause could be assigned for this rash act other than despondency, caused by the failure of his crops and financial troubles. He was a man about sixty-five years of age and lived with his third wife. He was a native of Virginia. He left a wife and six children, two of whom were married. He was a brother of J. T. Hens- ley, whose suicide is given above.
DROWNING OF CHARLES HAINES.
Charles Haines, a young man about twenty years of age, a son of Abner Haines, who resided about four miles south of Pendleton, was drowned in White river on the 12th of August, 1887, six miles west of Anderson. He with several others were spreading their seines in the river for the purpose of catching fish, when young Haines attempted to swim across a small whirlpool where the water was quite deep. The cur- rent proved too strong for him, and he was carried down and drowned in the presence of twenty men, who stood around apparently dumb from fright. Gideon Knopp, a young man of the neighborhood where the occurrence took place, made an effort to rescue Haines when he came to the surface for the first time, but he received a blow on the head from the drown- ing man that stunned him.
The body was recovered almost immediately after it sank to the bottom, but life was extinct, and all efforts at resuscita- tion were without avail. The remains were taken to the home of his parents, and his funeral occurred at the neighbor- ing cemetery a few days afterwards.
BURNING OF A BARN.
On Christmas morning, 1884, a large barn situated in the rear of Todd & Taylor's store in Pendleton, was discovered to be on fire, the flames bursting through the roof. In a few moments the entire building with its contents was destroyed. The building had been erected for a livery barn and belonged to Eliza Taylor and was occupied at the time by George Hol- lowell, a butcher. It contained five valuable horses belonging
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
to him and one belonging to Clinton Mowery, three buggies, three sleighs, three meat wagons and a large quantity of hay and feed, all of which were" destroyed. Great efforts were made to save the horses, but the fire drove back everyone who attempted to go near. Otto Lackey made heroic efforts to rescue the animals, but was so overcome by heat that he was taken away from the place in an unconscious condition. The building stood in the center of a square and was surrounded by other buildings, two of which nearly touched it, but a heavy snow on the roofs saved them from destruction. There was no insurance either on the building or its contents.
BURNING OF A HOUSE ON THE OLD "JUNCTION FARM."
In the month of February, 1885, a large two-story house that stood upon what was known as the " Junction Farm," two and one-half miles south-west of Pendleton, was destroyed by fire. It had been built by Mr. John Hussey, of Indianap- olis, about a year or so previous and was occupied by William Tyler, a tenant. A portion of the household goods was saved, principally from the lower rooms in the building. The house and contents were insured, but not sufficiently to cover the loss. The fire started in the kitchen but its origin is unknown. Tyler and his family were left without shelter but were taken care of by kind neighbors, who went to their relief.
FATALLY SCALDED.
On the 28th of August, 1891, Mrs. Peter Coverdale, living three miles north of Pendleton, while scalding a chicken left a pan of boiling water on the ground near where her two-year- old daughter was playing. The mother's attention was called away for a moment and the little one fell over and submerged one of its arms in the boiling water, from the effects of which she took lock jaw and died on the morning of August 31.
BURNING OF THE CATARACT WILLS.
What was once known as the Cataract Mills at Pendle- ton, situated at the Falls of Fall Creek, was on the 13th of July, 1882. destroyed by fire. This mill was one of the land- marks in that locality, having been built many years ago. For a long time it was run as a flouring mill in connection with a large woolen mill. It was at one time considered one of the most valuable pieces of property in Madison county,
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before steam and other modern appliances were in use. In those days it was a money-making institution.
For a long period it was the property of the Irish estate and was owned and operated by Samuel D. Irish, who was the father of Volney B. and James Irish, now residents of Anderson. The fire was discovered about 10 o'clock in the morning ; it was in the upper part of the mill and did not manifest itself until it had attained such proportions as to be beyond control. In a short time the building and its contents were in ashes.
It was owned at the time of its destruction by Colonel Parker and a gentleman of the name of Potts, who had only a short time previous to the fire been engaged in overhauling it and making repairs, thus making one of the most complete mills in the county. The loss was estimated to be fully $15,- 000, and was covered by insurance. Colonel Parker, one of the owners, was at one time a resident of Indianapolis, and had served two terms as Sheriff of Marion county. The mill was afterwards rebuilt and is at present standing on the old site near the Falls, but it has never been considered since the day of the fire a financial success.
POISONED BY DRINKING LEMONADE.
In the month of August, 1881, Mr. Thomas M. Carter and family, who resided in the south part of Fall Creek town- ship, while attending an old settlers' picnic near Greenfield, were poisoned by drinking lemonade.
There was a large crowd in attendance, and the pumps on the grounds having given out, Mr. Carter resorted to a de- coction of lemonade to quench his thirst, and also had his wife partake of the same. When they left the grounds they went to Greenfield to take supper with some friends, intending to drive home in the evening. They were not long in the house when Mr. Carter complained of feeling very sick, and by the time supper was ready he was too ill to partake thereof. A physician was immediately called, but Mr. Carter continued to grow worse until about midnight, when he died. Carter was well known in the community in which he lived, having been reared on a farm near where he had his home. At the time of his death he was a prominent member of the Methodist church and a superintendent of the Menden Sunday school. He was also a member of the Odd Fellows. His remains were buried on the Sunday following his death. His funeral
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was attended by a large concourse of people. He left a wife and one child to survive him. Mrs. Carter had taken a small portion of the lemonade, but it did not affect her as it did her husband.
LOUIS EPPARD'S BARN BURNED.
On Sunday morning, March 23, 1890, the barn of Louis Eppard, in Fall Creek township, was burned, with several horses and his grain, hay and farming implements, entailing a loss to the amount of $2,000, with no insurance.
The barn was supposed to have been fired by an incen- diary, but no evidence was obtained that would lead to the apprehension of the guilty party.
KILLED BY A TRAIN.
J. M. Kinnaman, a farmer residing near Pendleton, visited Anderson on the 13th of October, 1884, to attend a Republican rally, and had with him his son Claude, a boy about sixteen years of age. After the ceremonies of the day were over young Kinnaman, in company with some friends, went to the Bee Line Railroad station to board a train going out at 12:30 at night to his home, and at the crossing of Jackson street, in Anderson, in attempting to get on the train he was accidentally killed. All of his companions suc- ceeded in getting on board, and he in some manner was thrown under the train with fatal results. His absence was not noticed by his friends, who went on their way home un- conscious of what had befallen him. His remains were dis- covered lying beside the railroad track a short distance from where the accident occurred. Dr. B. F. Spann, then Coroner of Madison county, was notified, and had the remains taken to Markt's undertaking establishment, where they were prepared for burial. The relatives were at once notified. The boy's father arrived in the city early next morning and took charge of his body and removed it to Pendleton, after which it was interred in the Falls Cemetery. The body was frightfully mutilated.
A HORRIBLE CASUALTY.
On the 6th of September, 1890, the last day of the last county fair held on the old fair ground, on West Eighth street, one of the most distressing accidents occurred on the Bee Line Railroad, four miles south-west of Anderson, that has ever taken place in this county, in which Emmet Locke and
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John Eastman were instantly killed while crossing the rail- road at what is known as the " Gowl Crossing," between Anderson and Pendleton. Locke was a colored man in the employ of the " When" clothing store of Indianapolis, and Eastman was his guest, enjoying a ride home from the fair. The " When" advertising wagon drawn by four horses had started to Pendleton in charge of Emmet Locke. It was the intention to drive from there to Springfield, Ohio, and adver- tise the " When " firm at the fair.
Fred Bloomer, the advertising agent, concluded to go to Indianapolis by rail, so he left the wagon in charge of Locke and got on the train.
Before the wagon started for Pendleton John Eastman, a plasterer, who lived at Huntsville; and who had been at Anderson attending the fair, obtained Locke's consent to ride with him to Pendleton. They left Anderson about 3 o'clock. There appears to have been no eye witness to the horrible affair. Locke had evidently driven the horses across the track at the crossing, not being aware of the near approach of the train. It suddenly came upon them, and the horses, becoming frightened, turned around instead of going forward. The wagon had, by this time, got half way across the track, and the engine, which was running along at a lightning speed, struck it before its unfortunate occupants were aware of their danger.
The wagon was dashed into a thousand pieces and Locke and Eastman were instantly killed.
The former was horribly mangled, and his head was com- pletely severed from his body. Eastman's body was picked up on the west side of the track, with a horrible hole in the fore part of his head. He was not mutilated to any extent. Poor Locke's body was in a dozen pieces.
Bloomer was on the train, and after it was stopped it ran back to the scene of the accident, when he jumped off and was horrified at the sight and the thought of what a narrow escape he had made from an awful death.
The remains of the unfortunates were placed on boards and taken to Pendleton and Coroner Armington notified. As there was no witness to the affair his investigation was neces- sarily brief. He collected the remains of Locke and sewed them together, and they were sent to his friends at Indi- anapolis. Those of Eastman were turned over to Trustee Cook and buried in the Falls Cemetery.
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