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 24
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At the meeting of the Court in the afternoon the jury re- turned a verdict of "guilty of manslaughter, " two years' hard labor in the penitentiary. Mr. Rairden sprang to his feet. " If the Court please, we let judgment go on the verdict and
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are ready for the case of Sawyer for killing the Indian boy at the camp." "Ready for the State." The same jury was ac- cepted by both sides-being in the box. They were immedi- ately sworn. General Noble opened for the prosecution and was followed by Charles H. Test, William R. Morris and James Rairden, with powerful speeches. The jury were re- ferred to their verdict in the previous case and their judgment warmly eulogized. This was, by arrangement, my case to close. I saw my position, and that the only point I had to meet was to draw the distinction between the two cases, so as to justify the jury in finding a verdict for manslaughter in the one case and of murder in the case before them. In law there was no difference whatever. They were both cold-blooded murders. The calico shirt of the murdered boy, stained with blood, lay upon the table. I was closing a speech of an hour. Stepping forward I took up the bloody shirt, and holding it up to the jury : "Yes, gentlemen of the jury, the cases are very different. You might find the prisoner guilty of only manslaughter in using his rifle on a grown squaw ; that was the act of a man, but this was the act of a demon. Look at this shirt, gentlemen, with the bloody stains upon it ; this was a poor, helpless boy, who was taken by the heels by this fiend in human shape, and his brains knocked out against a log! If the other case was manslaughter is not this murder?" The eyes of the jury were filled with tears. Judge Eggleston gave a clear and able charge upon the law. The jury, after an ab- sence of only a few minutes, returned a verdict of " murder in the first degree." . The prisoner was remanded and Court ad- journed.
TRIAL OF BRIDGE-SCENES AT THE EXECUTION.
The next morning the case of Bridge, Sr., for shooting a little Indian girl at the camp, was called. The prisoner en- tered with the Sheriff. He was more firm in his step and looked better than Sawyer, though a much older man. A jury was impanelled. The proof was positive. The case was argued by Mr. Morris and Mr. Rairden for the prisoner, and Sweetser and myself for the State. The charge was given by Judge Eggleston, and after a few minutes' absence, the jury returned a verdict of " murder in the first degree." The only remaining case-of the stripling, Bridge, Jr., for the murder of the other Indian boy-came on next. The trial was more brief, but the result the same-verdict of murder in the first
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degree, with a recommendation, however, to the Governor for a pardon, in consequence of his youth, in which the Court and bar joined. . The trials closed, pro forma motions for new trials were overruled, the prisoners remanded, to be brought up for sentence the next morning, and the Court adjourned. - Morning came and with it a crowded Court House. As I walked from the tavern I saw the guards approaching with Sawyer, Bridge, Sr., and Bridge, Jr., with downcast eyes and tottering steps, in their midst. The prisoners entered the court room and were seated. The Sheriff commanded silence. The prisoners rose, the tears streaming down their faces, and their groans and sighs filling the court room. I fixed my eyes upon Judge Eggleston. I had heard him pronounce sentence of death on Fuller, for the murder of Warren, and upon Fields, for the murder of Murphy. But here was a still more solemn scene. An aged father, his favorite son and his wife's brother -- all standing before him to receive sentence of death. The face of the Judge was- pale, his lips quivered, his tongue faltered, as he addressed the prisoners. The sentence of death by hanging was pronounced, but the usual utterance, " And may God have mercy on your souls," was left struggling for utterance.
The time for the execution was fixed at a distant day ; but it soon rolled round. The gallows was erected on the north bank of Fall Creek, just above the Falls, at the foot of the rising grounds you may see from the cars. The hour for the execution had come. Thousands surrounded the gallows. A Sencca chief, with his warriors, was posted near the brow of the hill. Sawyer and Bridge, Sr., ascended the scaffold to- gether, were executed in quick succession, and died without a struggle. The vast audience was in tears. The exclamation of the Senecas was interpreted-" We are satisfied." An hour expired. The bodies were taken down and laid in their coffins, when there was seen ascending the scaffold, Bridge, Jr., the last of the convicts. His step was feeble, requiring the aid of the Sheriff. The rope was adjusted. He threw his eyes around upon the audience and then down upon the cof- fins, where lay exposed the bodies of his father and uncle. From that moment his wild gaze too clearly showed that the scene had been too much for his youthful mind. Reason had partially left her throne, and he stood wildly looking at the crowd, apparently unconscious of his position. The last min- ute had come, when James Brown Ray, the Governor of the
-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
State, announced to the immense assemblage that the convict was pardoned. Never before did an audience more heartily respond, while there was a universal regret that the executive mercy had been deferred to the last moment. Thus ended the only trials where convictions of murder' were ever had, fol- lowed by the execution of white men, for killing Indians, in the United States."
The Hon. Charles H. Test, in a conversation with one of the authors of this book in 1872, while he was attending court in Anderson, related a little anecdote concerning himself in connection with these trials. He said : "I was a young man at that time and had just been married to the one of my choice, without any visible means of supporting a wife. I had a fair knowledge of the law and trusted to good luck to bring me and mine a just reward for our future support. It so happened that I was acquainted with General Noble, who had charge of the legal side of these cases for the Govern- ment, and he was a very good friend of mine. Knowing my need of a start in life, he very generously invited me into the cases, an offer I readily accepted. I took an active part in the trials and won for myself a rather enviable reputation for a young man. After the trials were over and the time came for my pay for services rendered, I was astonished beyond all expression when I was handed a cool $300 in gold and asked for a voucher for it. This was more money than I had ever had my hands on at one time; I was almost dumbfounded. I rallied in due time and put it in my old saddle-bags and started for Connersville to see my wife and spring the surprise on her. When I arrived home it was in the night, and my wife had retired. I did not care to disturb her, so I just slipped the money into the bureau drawer, the only piece of furniture we had of any value. In the morning when my wife awoke she did not disturb me. Knowing that I was tired, she let me slumber until she had the morning meal about ready. About the time she intended to call me she had occasion to go to the bureau for something, as we used it also for a cupboard. Upon pulling out the drawer she almost fainted. There she beheld what she had never seen before, $300, all in gold. Her impression must have been that I had committed the crime of robbery, for she immediately flew to my bed-side and demanded an explanation of how I came by so much yellow lucre. I told her of my good fortune, and how I had acquitted myself on the trial of the murderers; that my services were
.
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so much appreciated that this pile of yellow metal was my re- ward. The explanation was more than satisfactory to her and another link was formed in our already happy married life. This was the beginning of my long and successful career as an Indiana lawyer with all its joys and sorrows."
Judge Test grew to prominence at the bar of Indiana. He was one of the ablest advocates that Indiana ever pro- duced. He was judge of the Circuit Court in his district for many years ; was also judge of the Superior Court at Indian- apolis for one term. He died there a few years ago, leaving behind him an honorable record and a lasting memory.
Bridge, Jr., who was reprieved on the scaffold, was after- wards a resident for many years of Carroll county, living at Camden, where he reared a respectable family. He died at Delphi in June, 1876. One of his sons was for several years a member of the Board of Commissioners of Carroll county.
Fifty years ago Dr. Henry Cook, of Pendleton, exhumed the remains of one of the executed men and articulated the bones. Whether they were the bones of Bridge or Sawyer was not known.
In 1872 John Bridge, who was pardoned on the scaffold, returned to Pendleton and visited the scene of the execution of his father, and also the spot where he was buried. Bridge at one time lived in Montgomery county, Ohio.
CHAPTER LXX.
GREENE TOWNSHIP.
This township occupies the southwest corner of the coun- ty and has an area of twenty-four square miles. It is bounded on the north by Stony Creek township, on the east by Fall Creek township, on the south by Hancock county and on the west by Hamilton county. It was organized in 1826 and was among the first townships settled in the county. It is gener- ally supposed to have derived its name from the abundant verdure of its forests, although there are many who are in- clined to the opinion that it was named in honor of Nathaniel Greene of Revolutionary fame. There is no record or other re- liable information extant concerning the matter.
In 1821, or about one year after the first colony of pio- neers settled along the banks of Fall creek in the township of that name, Jacob Hiday and family, consisting of his wife, four children and a grandson, emigrated from Ohio and settled within the limits of what is now Greene township. Mr. Hiday located on the south side of Lick creek where he erected a log cabin and began the work of clearing up a farm. This cabin was situated on what is known as the Thomas Hiday farm and was the first erected in the township.
Samuel Holliday was perhaps the next settler in the township. He came from Kentucky and located in the woods about a half-mile north of the present site of Alfont. Shortly after coming to the county he was elected Associate Judge and was on the bench at the trial of Hudson, Sawyer and the Bridges for the murder of the Indians in Adams township, the particulars of which are given elsewhere in these pages. Judge Holliday was a gentleman of superior scholastic attain- ments and enjoyed the entire confidence and respect of his fel- low-citizens. He had two sons, William A. and Joseph, both of whom were prominent in their day, the former as a Presby- terian minister and the latter as a soldier in the Mexican war and later as a representative in the State legislature from Blackford county, Indiana. Judge Holliday subsequently re- moved to Hamilton county, where he died in 1835.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Among the prominent early pioneers of the township were Richard Kinnaman, George Keffer, Josiah Shaul, William and John Huston, Thomas Scott, Abraham Cottrell, Andrew Shanklin, John and Charles Doty, Peter Colerick, John Cot- trell and Captain William Nicholson. The last-named gentle- man raised a company of volunteers during the Mexican war, but the war closed before they could report for duty and the men were disbanded. Captain Nicholson also commanded a company of home guards during the war of the. Rebellion and was among the first to tender his services to the State on the occasion of its invasion by the Rebel General, Morgan. Captain Nicholson erected a tannery in 1844, on what is known as the G. W. Davis farm, and was the first and only tanner in the township. William Alfont, Robert Fausset, Samuel Gib- son, James Jones and Washington W. Pettigrew also settled in the township at an early day and took an active part in clearing away the wilderness. Many of the descendants of these first settlers reside in the township and are among its first and most respected citizens.
THE FIRST ORCHARD.
The first orchard in the township was planted by Richard Kinnaman, in 1826, two years after John Rogers, Jobn T. Gunn and others had set out orchards in Fall Creek township. The trees were purchased by Mr. Kinnaman, of William Williams, of Fall Creek township. This orchard was planted on the farm afterwards known as the Saul Shoul farm. Soon after, George Keffer, Samuel Holliday, James Scott and Abrain Cottrell set out orchards on their respective farms.
Richard Kinnaman also erected and operated the first dis- tillery in the township. It was located in Section 21, near the mouth of Foster's Branch. Mr. Kinnaman did a lucrative business for several years when he disposed of the property and engaged in farming. This was the only distillery ever erected in the township, and was abandoned not long after Mr. Kinnaman retired from its management.
CHURCH SOCIETIES.
Immigration to the township was slow, but four years after the first house was built within it borders, the religiously inclined deemed it advisable and proper to organize a church society. The Methodists being in a majority took charge of the matter, and, accordingly, a society was organized in the fall
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of 1825. Meetings were held from time to time at the houses of the membership until 1848, when a place of worship was erected on the farm of Henry Manifold, which was given the name of "Mount Carmel Church." Among the first and most active members of the society were James D. Hardy, William McCarty, John Marsh and wife, and Samuel Gibson and wife.
In 1841 another society was organized at the residence of Samuel Dobson by Rev. Donaldson. This society was com- posed of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Dobson, Mr. and Mrs. An- drew Shanklin, Mr. and Mrs. Moses E. Kern, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Silver, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Goul, Mr. and Mrs. John Shaul, and Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Bolinger. The society continued to hold meetings at the house of Mr. Dobson up to 1852, when he and his family emigrated to Iowa, after which the meetings were held at the house of Andrew Shanklin until 1865. when a place of worship was built on the George A. Williamson farm. This church is known as the Pleasant Valley Methodist Episcopal church.
The German Baptists, or Dunkards, also have a church organization in the township and in 1872 erected a house of worship on the farm of David Richards generally known as the Beach Grove Church, although it is equally as well known as the Frey Church from the fact that Enoch Frey officiated for many years after the church was erected as assistant preacher. The church had a membership of seventy-five per- sons in 1880, but on account of deaths and removals the con- gregation at this time is not so large.
BURIAL GROUNDS.
In 1857 William A. Williamson donated the land on which is situated Pleasant Valley Cemetery. The first inter- ment in this burial ground was a young daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Ford, who died on the 30th of March, 1858.
Beach Grove Cemetery is situated on the two acres of ground purchased by the German Baptists of David Richards for a church site and burial ground. The first interment here was that of Washington Pettigrew in 1872. In 1862 James Jones donated for burial purposes the small tract of land known as Mount Carmel Cemetery. The first burial in this cemetery was that of George Clayton, a private soldier in the Second Indiana Cavalry, who died while at home on fur- lough. He was buried in July, 1862, with military honors.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The first school house in Greene township was erected by subscription in 1829 on the farm or tract of land belonging to James Jones. The house was constructed of round logs or poles and was supplied with slab benches for seats. John Wilson was the first pedagogue to teach in this building-a three-months term in the winter of 1829. This school house was used until 1837 when the second building was erected on section twenty-five. This building was somewhat more pre- tentious than the first school house, being constructed of hewed logs. John Lewark taught the first school in this building in the winter of 1837, and was the second school teacher in the township. A neat frame building now occupies the site where the log structure stood.
At this time there are seven schoolhouses in the township, but one more than was required a quarter of a century ago. In 1874 six teachers were necessary to conduct the schools and at this time eight are required. In 1874 there were 328 chil- dren of legal school age in the township. This year ( 1896) the report of the County School Superintendent to the Superin- tendent of Public Instruction of the State shows that the total number of children of school age is 454, of which number 256 are males and 198 females, and all white.
POPULATION.
The population of the township in 1850 was 754 ; in 1860 it was 709; in 1870 it was 954; in 1880 it was 976 and in 1890 it was 1008. It will be observed from these figures that the growth of population in the township has not been so rapid as in other townships in the county.
OTHER STATISTICS.
The total amount of taxables in the township, including the corporation of Ingalls, for 1896. is $619.780. The total acreage is 15,360, of which 14,915 acres are taxable. The total value of lands, according to the assessment of 1896, is $381,319; value of improvements, $62,670; value of personal property, $104,386.
ALFONT.
Previous to 1851, the town of Alfont was a mere hamlet. there being but three or four log houses in the vicinity of its
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
present location. It derives its name from William Alfont, one of the early settlers of Greene township and for several years after the completion of the Bellefountaine Railroad con- siderable business in the way of buying and shipping grain, , produce and other commodities was transacted here. Shortly after the completion of the railroad, however, the town of Fortville, two miles west of Alfont, sprang into prominence as a trading point and the latter place entered upon a decline from which it has never recovered. Lick creek runs near the town on the east and north and at an early day (1835) a saw mill was erected here by William Alfont, the water of the stream being utilized in running the mill. It was burned in 1847, but was soon after replaced by a steam mill which was successfully operated for many years.
Among the early inhabitants of the town were Nathaniel Blackburn, William Snodgrass, William Molden, C. P. Miller. Mr. Molden was the first merchant, railroad agent and post- master. William Cottrell and John Ross were the first black- smiths and a Mr. Lyman, the first shoemaker.
INGALLS.
On the 5th of June, 1893, the land upon which Ingalls is situated was platted by the Ingalls Land Company, of which J. H. Clark was President. The town is situated a half mile east of Alfont on the Big Four road, and was named in honor of the President of that road, M. E. Ingalls. Immediately after the town site had been platted Potter Bros. erected a large factory known as the Zinc Works. This factory em- ploys a large number of hands. In 1895 Mr. Henry Wagner and others built a glass factory for the manufacture of bottles and glass jars, which also gives employment to a number of operatives. The Big Four Railway Company built a hand- some depot soon after the town was laid out and several busi- ness houses were erected, giving the place a prosperous ap- pearance. At the March term of the Commissioners' Court, 1896, a petition was presented to the Board asking that the town be incorporated. The petition was granted, and on the 7th of April, 1896, an election was held for the purpose of deter- mining whether or not the place should become a corporation. Henry Swain, John Manifold and Silas Baker acted as in- spectors at this election. The total number of votes cast was sixty-five, of which sixty-one were in favor of incorporation and four against the proposition. On the Ist of May town
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officers were elected as follows : Marshal, Chance Stewart ; Clerk, J. H. Lail ; Treasurer, J. M. Manifold. Town Coun- cil - J. C. Manifold, George Laws and William Potter. School Board - J. S. Cummins, William Russell and John Hubbart.
PROMINENT CITIZENS.
Among the prominent citizens of the township who have been honored by their fellow-citizens in the county with of- ficial positions are Samuel Holliday, Associate Judge from 1823 to 1831; Andrew Shanklin, Representative from 1851 to 1853; Samuel Shaul, County Commissioner from 1832 to 1834 ; Isaac W. Jones, County Commissioner, from 1867 to 1869.
KILLING OF MICHAEL LAVIN.
Near the village of Alfont an accident occurred on the Bee Line Railroad in July, 1872, among the laborers on the section between that place and Fortville. They were return- ing from their day's work on three hand-cars, and when near the station the rear car ran against the one in front of it, pro- ducing a concussion sufficient to throw three of the men off the car. They fell upon the track and were run over by the rear car. A young man of the name of Clayter had his foot badly crushed. The section boss was bruised in a bad man- ner, but nothing serious resulted. The third of the party, Mr. Lavin, suffered a compound fracture of the left thigh, with a laceration of the muscular parts, and also a small frac- ture of the right limb. The injured man was taken to Fort- ville and an engine immediately sent to Pendleton for med- ical aid. Dr. Ward Cook hastened to the scene, and after an examination of Lavin it was decided that, in order to save his life, amputation of his left leg was necessary. After consid- erable time for meditation, Lavin agreed to undergo the oper- ation, with the understanding that his brother should be present.
On the following Saturday his brother came, but refused to allow the operation to be performed. The Doctor then dressed the limb and he was taken to his home at Winchester, where he lingered for a few days and died from the effects of the wounds. There is but little doubt had Lavin undergone the operation of having his leg amputated that he would have ultimately recovered.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
A DISTRESSING SUICIDE.
James Carson Davis, a young man about twenty years of age, a brother of Columbus Davis, with whom he lived, about seven and a half miles west of Pendleton, committed suicide on the 13th of February, 1873, the facts of which are about as follows : On the day previous to the occurrence Columbus Davis and his wife went away in the evening to stay all night with relatives, leaving in his house three chil- dren and Phillip Stanford, a school teacher, who was board- ing there, and a Miss Main, a servant girl, who had care of the house in their absence. Young Davis also stayed with them. During the evening it was noticed that young Davis was in an irritable state of mind, but nothing was thought of it at the time. About 9 o'clock they retired for the night, Miss Main taking the children into an adjoining room, and Stanford going upstairs to his sleeping apartments, while Davis remained down stairs to fasten the doors, In a short time Davis went up stairs, got his revolver, and said to Stanford that he was going to shoot a dog. He returned to the sitting-room, and one of the children looking in saw him seated in the rocking chair, with his feet upon a stool and the pistol lying on his lap. The child told Miss Main what she had seen, who immediately started into the room and asked him to put away the weapon, as she was afraid of it. Before she scarcely had time to reach the door the report was heard, and she ran back.
Stanford came down stairs and found young Davis lying upon the floor in the agonies of death. The neighbors were called in and Columbus Davis was sent for. The Coroner of the county was notified and held an inquest, as provided by law. There was no cause known to any of the family why he should have committed the rash act, other than some little financial troubles he had while in Kansas a short time previously. He stated on several occasions that he had bor- rowed $30 from his father, but had never been able to return it. His father had written him several letters about it, asking him to pay the money back. It seems that in brooding over the affair his mind became temporarily unbalanced, and in a fit of insanity he resorted to the desperate means of self-de- struction to extricate him from his troubles.
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