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 28
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On Tuesday morning, the 2nd of September, an accident occurred to the freight train on which he had taken passage on the Indianapolis & St. Louis railroad, near the city of Greencastle, by which the train took fire. and young Clock, with the contents of the car, was burned. The fire was caused by the explosion of an oil tank which contained about one hundred barrels of kerosene. The burning oil was scattered over six adjacent cars, which were destroyed.
Mr. Brownlee's loss amounted to $2,500, which he after- wards recovered from the railroad company by a compromise.
Young Clock is supposed to have been killed by the con- cussion caused by the explosion, as it seemed that he made no effort to extricate himself. His charred remains were recov- ered from the wreck and taken to Greencastle, then shipped to Anderson, where they were taken charge of by relatives, who took them to Independence, in Boone township, for burial, where some of his relatives were also buried. He was a young man who was well liked in the community, about twenty-one years of age, and unmarried.
WILLIAM SIGLER KILLED BY A PAN HANDLE TRAIN.
William Sigler was a man well known in Madison county for many years. His familiar face was seen upon the streets of Anderson on every Saturday for nearly the third of a cen- tury. Ile was a well-to-do farmer, resided in Lafayette town- ship, and was well liked by his neighbors. He was a kind
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friend and an indulgent father and husband. Like many other people, however, he had a besetting sin, and was very fond of intoxicating drink. Ile scarcely ever visited Anderson or any other place where liquors were sold that he did not imbibe to excess. He was never boisterous, nor did he do harm to anyone while in a drunken condition.
On Sunday morning, the 21st of July, 1889, about two o'clock, his body was found on the tracks of the Pan Handle railroad about a mile and a half north of Anderson. It was horribly mutilated. William Whistler, who lived in the vicin- ity of the railroad, in North Anderson, had been to the city and was returning home, when he was suddenly confronted by a ghastly sight. He called the neighbors and they gath- ered up the remains, portions of which had been dragged along the track for a distance of twenty-five yards. Both his legs were cut off, and the body was otherwise mangled. He was identified soon after as William Sigler, and his remains, after an inquest had been held by Coroner Dr. B. F. Spann, were forwarded to his friends and relatives in Lafayette township, and buried in that neighborhood. Mr. Sigler was a cousin of the late Joseph Sigler, ex-Auditor of Madison county. Ile left a family of five children, his wife having died several years prior to this occurrence. Mr. Sigler was an honest man and never owed a neighbor or a friend anything which he did not promptly pay when it became due. It is true that he had his faults, but there were many worse men living in the com- munity than was William Sigler.
INCENDIARISM.
E. C. Hilligoss, of Lafayette township, seems to be fated, as he has had two valuable barns burned within three years past. On the night of March 3, 1895, his large and comino- dious barn was discovered to be on fire and before any- thing could be done to quench the flames it was totally de- stroyed. That the fire was the work of an incendiary there can be no doubt, as no one had been near the barn, or the straw stack where the fire originated, with a fire or light of any kind.
About dark Mr. and Mrs. Hilligoss and their son, James, did the milking and feeding and returned to the house. They saw no fire or smoke about the straw stack. The straw stack was probably thirty feet from the barn and when Mr. Redd, a neighbor, ran to their house and called to them that their
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barn was in danger of being burned, the stack was entirely enveloped in flames.
The dinner bell, which stands in the yard, was rung and it was but a short time until forty or fifty of the neighbors had gathered at the scene of the fire. They could do nothing, how- ever, as the flames had communicated with the barn, which was constructed of pine material, and was burning fiercely. . There were several horses in the barn and attention was turned to getting them out and into a place of safety, which proved no easy task, as they did not want to leave the burning struct- ure.
The barn contained between five and six hundred bushels of corn and some timothy hay, all of which was consumed.
WILLIAM A. VANMETRE TAKES HIS OWN LIFE.
William A. Van Metre was a quiet, unassuming gentle- man, who, for many years, lived in Madison county; in fact, all his life, except five years, when he resided in Sullivan, In- diana. He was a carpenter by trade and a good, industrious, sober man. He married a very respectable lady, the daughter of the late Rev. William A. Thompson, a prominent Baptist minister of this county.
On the 6th of July, 1878, news came to Anderson that VanMetre had taken his life by an overdose of morphine. Friends of the family hastened to his residence, where they found the following to be the facts, stated by his wife: That on the day of the suicide he had finished his day's work and appeared to be very cheerful, apparently with nothing resting on his mind. He informed his wife that he had business in Anderson. He left home about 5 o'clock in the evening and walked to the city, a distance of five miles. He was seen on the streets and conversed with by several of his acquaintances, of whom he had many. Before returning home, he purchased five grains of morphine at a drug store, and when he reached his residence, about half-past 10 o'clock, in a jesting manner informed his wife that he had taken morphine, and showed her the empty bottle. She was somewhat alarmed and was in the act of informing others, when he assured her that he was only playing a joke on her. In about thirty minutes he became drowsy and a stupor supervened, which confirmed her worst fears. She immediately gave the aların and the neigh- bors and friends gathered in, and, with some difficulty, he was aroused from the lethargy produced by the poison, but when, by
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violent agitation, he was restored partly to consciousness, he still persisted in his request not to have any alarm given. A messenger was sent for Dr. I. N. VanMetre, a brother, at Florida. The Doctor soon arrived, but in the meantime, Mrs. VanMetre, who had some idea of antidotes for poison, had given her husband two cups of strong coffee, and he had been walked around the house and through the yard to keep up his circulation. For awhile, he seemed to rally, but at 5 o'clock heavy breathing set in and continued until the cord of life was broken, and William A. VanMetre was dead. Before his death, Dr. VanMetre asked his brother why he had taken the fatal drug, but he gave no reason for the act.
He was a man of about 50 years of age and left a devoted wife to mourn his loss, and a daughter of 15 years, in feeble health, for her to care for.
To every one Mr. VanMetre was genial and kind; as a husband and father he was indulgent. Ile was a member of the Masonic fraternity, which took charge of his remains and buried them with the forms and ritual of that time-honored organization.
JOSEPH KINDLE KILLED BY A TRAIN.
Joseph Kindle, a young man about 21 years of age, while returning to his home from Anderson, on the night of July 2, 1894, was run over and killed by the north-bound passenger train on the Pan Handle railroad about midnight. The acci- dent happened at the crossing of the railroad at what is known as the old fair ground road, running worth from Anderson through Lafayette township. Kindle was in a buggy by him- self and from all appearances had fallen asleep, and did not know of the coming of the train or of the awful fate that awaited him. The train was running at a high rate of speed and the horse and buggy were knocked to a great distance from the track, the horse killed, and the vehicle torn into atoms.
Young Kindle was instantly killed, not knowing what had happened him. The engineer testified that he did not see the horse and buggy until he was right upon them, too late to stop, or even make an effort to stop.
Kindle was a sober, genteel young man and was not known to drink or have any bad habits. This fatal ride was the result of going to sleep in his buggy and perhaps while dreaming of his sweetheart, whom it is said he had called
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upon that evening, he was ushered into the presence of his Creator.
ROBBERY AT LINWOOD IN 1880. S. A. TOWELL. " THE MER - CHANT PRINCE," HAS HIS STORE LOOTED.
When the C. W. & M. railroad was built to Anderson in 1876, many little villages sprang up along the line of the new thoroughfare, among which was Linwood, which was then called " Funk's Station," named in honor of Joseph Funk. a prominent farmer of that locality. Samuel A. Towell, fire chief of Anderson, was its first merchant.
A blacksmith shop and a saw-mill, together with Mr. Towell's store made up the business establishments of the town.
Mr. Towell was postmaster and Charles M. Harriman, now of the firm of May & Harriman. of Anderson, was deputy postmaster and general clerk in the store.
In the month of July, 1880, this quiet hamlet was visited by burglars and the store was robbed of considerable of its contents, the post-office looted and a general cleaning out of the place occurred. No clue was ever obtained of the mis- creants, and who committed the first burglary in Linwood will in all probability always remain a mystery.
Mr. Towell. the first merchant, and Mr. Harriman, his clerk, have since both been prominent in the business affairs of Anderson and are yet living in the city.
THE KILLING OF WALTER STEVENS.
Walter Stevens. a son of Samuel Stevens. of Lafayette township, was killed at the Wright Shovel Works in North Anderson on the 24th of June. 1896, by the bursting of an emery wheel. The flying pieces struck him in the forehead. crushing the front part of the skull, and causing other injuries from which he died after being removed to St. Mary's hospital. Dr. S. Canby Willson and other medical attendants ad- ministered to the wounded man's needs, but in vain, as his injuries were of a fatal nature.
The young man was about twenty-one years of age and highly respected. He had been engaged in the factory but a short time when the awful accident took place. The father and mother of the victim were heartbroken, and, being well known, received the undivided sympathy of the community.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
In May of the year 1868, one of the most terrific explo- sions took place at Florida, five miles north of Anderson, that has been recorded in Madison county history. The boilers in the saw mill of Roadcap & Co. let go about 10 o'clock in the forenoon, causing death and destruction on every side. No one connected with the mill was killed, but two by-standers, customers of the mill, one by the name of Wolfe, the other Perry Moore, a nephew of Isaac Moore, of Anderson, were instantly killed. They were either in the mill or very close to it at the time it blew up. A man by the name of Hoover was also badly hurt. Solomon Muck, who is yet a prominent figure on the streets of Anderson, was one of the victims. He was thought to be fatally wounded, but pulled through and is yet alive. He will carry his scars to the grave, however. The owners of the mill are all yet alive. Henry Roadcap, the senior member of the firm. is living a retired life in North Anderson. Wallace Van Winkle is running a mill at Sin- mitville, and John Quincy Van Winkle, the junior member, who was but a youth at that time, is now Superintendent of the Big Four railroad system and living at Indianapolis.
The explosion was heard and felt in Anderson very plainly. Many supposed that a powder keg in some of the stores had exploded. It was not long, however, until messengers ar- rived for medical assistance. When the facts were made known throughout the town, hundreds of persons hastened to the scene of the accident. All sorts of stories were circulated. Reports came that the entire village was destroyed ; that Henry Roadcap and all his men were instantly killed, and great excitement prevailed. Mr. Roadcap was an old resident with a large acquaintance throughout the county. The mill was a complete wreck. Nothing was left to tell the tale. It was a wonder that any human being in reach of the flying missiles escaped being killed or badly injured. The old saw- dust pile where the mill once stood can be seen from the pass- ing trains on the Pan Handle road, and is all that is left to tell of that horrible occurrence. It was the theme of theorists and wiseacres for years as to the cause of the explosion, but, like all other boiler explosions, the mystery i- still unsolved.
DEATH OF CHARLES DAVIS.
Charles Davis, one of the oldest residents of Madison county, died in Anderson on the 29th of January, 1890. He
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
was an old soldier and was well respected in the community in which he lived. At the time of his death he was eighty- four years of age. Ile was the father of Firman Davis, of Lafayette township; John P. Davis, of Anderson, and An- drew Davis, of Elwood. Mr. Davis came to Madison county when it was but a wilderness. He came from North Caro- lina and was born in Pasquotank county, in that State. He settled among the Indians, bears and wolves of those days. He made a little home for himself in the woods and reared a large family, all of whom survive him. He was a member of the Thirty-fourth Indiana Regiment during the late war and was rewarded for his services by having a pension allowed him a few days prior to his death, but did not live long enough to enjoy it. The familiar face of " Uncle Charlie," as he was called by all who knew him, was often seen in Ander- son, he having been prominent at one time as a local poli- tician. Hle had always taken an active part in politics in Madison county for the nomination of candidates for different offices. He was a stanch Democrat.
LEVI BREWER, A VETERAN OF TWO WARS.
We present to our readers, in the person of Levi Brewer, a representative of the early-born residents of Madison county. There are but few now living in the community of his age who can boast of having been born in the wilderness of the frontier, among the wild animals and savages, which at an early day were plentiful in Madison county. He was born January 6th, 1825, two years after this was made a county, and has continually lived here ever since, except while in the ranks fighting for his country. He volunteered in the Mexi- can war in 1846, and was a member of the Ninty-ninth Indi- ana Regiment in the War of the Rebellion.
Mr. Brewer enjoys the proud distinction of being the only survivor of the Mexican war living in Madison county. He needs no introduction as an " old-timer." Levi has been here so long that the memory of man runneth not to the contrary. He is an old soldier, not with a wooden leg, however, as his pedal extremities are in a first-class condition. He can walk a distance of ter wout as quickly as a Midland passen- ger train would take it. Levi helped to storm the ramparts of Chipultepec, batter down the walls of Montezuma, and take the City of Mexico as his crowning victory.
He went with Colonel N. Berry and many other brave
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men, to a foreign land to make another country respect our laws and bow to the American flag. Levi has never cared to obtain riches, but rather to have a good time. He drowns all his sorrows, if he ever has any, in the flowing bowl. In all
LEVI BREWER.
this wide world, there is not a man who can -tand up and say that Levi Brewer ever did him a wrong. If he has ever done any wrong, it is to himself and no one else. Not long ago,
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the government of the United States became generous enough to acknowledge the services of the old veterans of the Mexican war, and granted the few survivors who yet remain. a pension of eight dollars a month each. This amount is payable quar- terly in sums of $24. At the end of every three months Levi gets his allowance and there is where the fun sets in. Hilarity doesn't spell it. He stays in Anderson from the time he gets his pension until it is well-nigh gone, telling Mexican war stories and seeing the sights with the boys. On one pension day Levi came to town; as usual he got jolly. There was a company at the Doxey Theatre playing " Uncle Hiram." " Uncle Hiram" was the personification of an old farmer just come to town. Levi came bustling into the theatre unan- nounced, walking down the aisle with his hat on, which was of an old, broad-brimmed fashion, crawled up into a box seat and squared himself for a good laugh.
Something on the stage took his fancy and he let go in one of his immense bass laughs. He brought down the house and nearly broke up the show. " Uncle Hiram" caught on to him from the stage and became so tickled at Levi's manners and make-up that he nearly forgot his lines. Levi had to be squelched before the show could proceed.
Several years ago. Levi attended a camp meeting at the Holston camp-meeting grounds. Brother MeKeg was there doing the preaching : he was getting in his best licks in one of his " powerful " sermons. He took his text in the way-back part of the Bible, where the hell part is the hottest, and sailed in. The Rev. McKeg is an orator of no mean ability, gener- ally commanding attention ; this time was no exception. He had pictured out before him an imaginary man, a sinner. pro- posing to convict him of the high crime of sin in all its phases and consign him to everlasting doom. He stood his man up in the midst of the vast crowd and poured hot shot into him with all his zeal and might ; the perspiration poured off of him in great. drops, his hearers were breathless and speechless- perfectly carried away. Levi Brewer was one of his audience; the seats were all taken. Levi was standing up in their midst over six feet tall. He had listened to every word with the closest attention from beginning to end. When the preacher sat down, wiping his face. Levi took a long breath and ex- claimed :
" Well, I-God, I guess they'll hang him."
The old brethren around him, after their first recovery
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
from the shock, could not help laughing at Levi's expression. They all felt as Levi did-that the imaginary man had been convicted and that hanging and hell were none too good for him. With all of Levi's raking around and having a good time, never working hard or worrying his brain about how to- morrow will be provided for, he has always kept a roof over his head and a comfortable place to stay in. What else could he have if he were worth a million ?
When Levi heard that President Johnson had appointed Tom Stilwell as United States minister to Venezuela, he re- marked that " South America must be devilish hard up for preachin'."
THE HON. GEORGE W. HARRIS.
The Hon. George W. Harris was one of the men who settled in this county when the woods were unbroken and people who lived within two or three miles of each other were considered near neighbors.
He was a large, raw-boned man and " as stout as an ox." At a log-rolling or a barn-raising he was the center of attrac- tion. Ilis wonderful strength was the pride of his neighbors as well as himself. The man who could hold up the opposite end of a hand-spike when George had hold of it was a man in all the word implied. George lived in a day when fighting was more common among the people than now. To call a man a liar meant the first blow, and the man who gave the lie expected the next moment to be hit in the mouth. George was very peaceful, and never picked a quarrel with anyone, but to insult him meant war, and he was never whipped. His genial disposition and general store of good sense made him a leader among the men of his day.
Although with little or no education he had a wonderful flow of language, and was ready in debate. In the old-fash- ioned schoolhouse debating societies he was right at home; he could cope with the best of them and always came out on the winning side.
His prominence among the common people won for him many places of honor. When George started after an office he appealed to the farmer and mechanic, the brawn and mus- cle' of the country, and his appeals were not in vain.
In 1873 the Granger excitement ran quite high in Madi- son county, as well as in other localities in Indiana, and cut quite a figure in politics. In the early part of that year it looked like the Grangers were going to sweep the land. No
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one but a farmer was thought of by either party as a candi- date, especially for a legislative office. In April of that year the Democrats held their county convention, and, casting about for a man to lead the party to victory, Mr. Harris was thought to be the man. He was accordingly nominated for Representative. Mr. Harris accepted, and promised the con- vention that no effort of his should be left undone to land the party in the majority.
His speech in accepting the honor will long be remem- bered by those who heard it. It was repeated by the opposi- tion press nearly every week until the polls closed, but George got there just the same. It was during the time of the " Bax- ter Liquor Law," against which Mr. Harris took issue, and also a law that required the appraisement of real estate every two years, which entailed much expense on the people. Mr. Harris, in addressing the convention, pledged himself to wipe these laws from our code, and although his language was crude, it took with his constituency.
The people had confidence in Mr. Harris' simple honesty and he was elected by a handsome majority. It must be said to his credit, too, that he labored in the halls of the Legisla- ture for the passage of every measure advocated by him on the " stump" and accomplished much in that direction. Through Mr. Harris' efforts à law was passed that is still in force, com- pelling attorneys to purchase their own stationery for use in the courts. Whether or not the lawyers pay any attention to this law the writer does not know, but nevertheless it is a law.
Mr. Harris was Deputy Marshal of Anderson in 1870. which position he filled in a satisfactory manner.
In making his canvass for the Legislature; in 1874, he drove a large stallion hitched to an open buggy, a "black- snake" wagon whip thrown over his shoulder, presenting a very picturesque appearance as he traveled over the "cordu- roy" roads. He told his friends when he started out that he was " going north to set the woods a-fire," that he did not intend to sleep until victory was achieved. and he kept his word.
In the House of Representatives Mr. Harris was well re- spected. The HIon. David Turpie, now United States Senator from Indiana, formed a warm attachment for him and assisted him in many ways. Mr. Turpie was at that time Speaker of the House. He admired Mr. Harris for his simplicity and sterling honesty.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
A truer man never lived than George Harris ; he loved a friend and went to extremes to show his loyalty to those he liked. To an enemy he was charitable but always managed to get even some'place along the road.
The memory of Mr. Harris will linger in this community as long as the old-timer lives. The ranks of those who made up the citizenship of his day are fast fading away.
One of the great pleasures of this work is to speak of the old-time people and to perpetuate their memories. The men of the George Harris type are in the great minority now ; there are a few here and there, but year by year they are giv- ing away to new comers and new ideas of life.
CHAPTER LXXIV.
MONROE TOWNSHIP.
This township was named in honor of the fifth President of the United States, and is the largest in the county, its area being fifty-one square miles. It was organized January, 1836, by the following order of the Board of Commissioners :
" On petition filed, it is ordered that the following de- scribed territory be stricken from Richland township, to-wit. : Commencing on the county line where the township line di- viding township 20 and 21, north, crosses the same, running thence north with the county line to the north-east corner of Madison county, thence west with the north line of said county to the north-east corner of Pipe Creek township, thence south with the east line to the place of beginning, and that said ter- ritory so stricken off be organized into a separate township to be known and designated by the name of. Monroe town- ship. All elections are ordered to be held at the residence of Micajah Chamness until otherwise ordered."
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