USA > Indiana > Posey County > History and directory of Posey County [Indiana] : containing an account of the early settlement and organization of the county : also a complete list of the tax-payers, their post-office addresses and places of residence, together with a business directory of Mt. Vernon and New Harmony also biographical sketches of prominent citizens of the county > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
56
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
extremities. Until 1814 marriage licenses were obtained at Vincennes, seventy-five miles distant, and, although this fact would at this day, no doubt, be considered sufficient excuse for postponing such events indefinitely, marriage contracts were consummated very often by the pioneers. As a visit to that place could not be made only by horse- back along a winding and dangerous trail the devotion of matrimonial candidates was highly commendable, an act of faithfulness which, if practiced at this day by prospective benedicts, would doubtless in- crease a confiding faith in their inamoratas for them. It was a custom at that time, and is practiced by some now, for the women to escort the bride to bed, while the duty of leading the blushing bridegroom to the marital couch devolved upon the male attendants.
In those days, too, it was not an uncommon occurrence for the young people to attend dances barefooted, and, if the stories of those who were "society folks" in that period are to be credited, they en- joyed themselves fully as well as they who now "trip the light fantastic toe" in the whirling polka or the mazy waltz on waxed floors, to the strains of improved instruments and proficient musicians. Then a single fiddler furnished the music, and the standard of enjoyment was regulated by the amount of energy exhibited by the dancers. They danced on puncheon, instead of waxed floors, and the knees of the gentlemen were utilized as seats by the ladies. Imagine the embarrass- ment of the average swain of to-day in such a position! The ladies in those days carried their shoes in their hands to church, where they put them on, and where after the services, they took them off again. The first store in Mt. Vernon was built on the corner of Store and Water streets, by Darius North and-Roderick. The building was one of very modest proportions and the material used in its construc- tion was hewn logs, cut near what is now the corner of Main and Second streets. Jesse Y. Welborn erected and kept the first hotel in 1820, on the corner of Main and Water Streets. He afterwards built a hotel on the lot partly occupied by the First National Bank, fronting on Main Street. These buildings were also made of logs. The first Justice of the Peace was Nathan Ashworth, who was elected in 1816. He performed the duties of the office with care and kept an eye on the criminal and "civil" complications and "differences" of that time.
Squire McFaddin was the proprietor of the first ferry boat that ever crossed the Ohio river at Mt. Vernon. It was a small vessel, was propelled by hand and was built in 1813.
In 1827 Lionel J. Larkin, John Carson and Mrs. Nancy Nettelton kept the only taverns in the town. These places were the rendezvous of the village gossipers, tipplers and idlers, where, on Winter evenings, they spent the time in tippling and reciting the current rumors and incidents.
.
57
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Previous to this time, from 1820, Jesse Y. Welborn and Wm. Crabtree were the proprietors of the hotels of which the embryo village boasted, and which were the first places of "public entertainment."
At that time the principal business portion of the town was built on the present wharf, the houses all being frame and having a northern exposure. About the year 1845 a fire destroyed the greater portion of "the row." Among the buildings that escaped destruction was a large frame, for several years occupied by Darius North as a general store, which is now used as a cabinet shop by Henry Weisinger, and which for many years stood where the Masonic Hall now is.
POSTMASTERS.
The first Postmaster at Mt. Vernon was Jesse Y. Welborn, whose office was in a small building near the Southwest corner of Second and Store streets, or in the rear of the residence of G. W. Thomas, Esq. He received his appointment during the first year of President Mon- roe's administration, sometime in 1818. Darius North was his suc- cessor and "Slim" Jim McFaddin succeeded him. Scarborough Pente- cost succeeded him, under the administration of John Q. Adams. Hud- son Parke was Mr. Pentecost's successor and was appointed by Martin Van Buren. John D. Hinch, the next postmaster, received his ap- pointment under the administration of John Tyler. He was succeeded by John B. Wilson, he by Harrison O'Bannon, he by John B. Chaffin, he by Harrison O'Bannon, he by Wm. M. McArthur, he by Joseph Moore, he by Harrison O'Bannon, he by George Kincaid, he by Syl- vanus Milner, who received his appointment from U. S. Grant Novem- ber 20, 1869, and who in January, 1882, tendered his resignation to take effect on March I, following. Edward Brown was appointed as Mr. Milner's successor on January 31, 1882, by President Chester A. Arthur and will probably be the postmaster at the time this Work is issued.
'Previous to the appointment of Mr. Welborn, the inhabitants of the Southern part of the County got some by the river but the most of their mail-matter at New Harmony, which was on the Louisville, Ky., and Shawneetown, Ills., route, established in the year 1812. A man by the name of John Williams was awarded the contract for carrying the first mail, which he did on horseback, the time being limited to two weeks in making the round trip. The mail-matter received in those days was limited to a few letters, and frequently the postmaster carried it in his hat for the convenience of the public. The rates of postage were very high, letters of ordinary weight costing from twenty- five cents to one dollar. The first daily mail route by stages between Mt. Vernon and Evansville was established April 1, 1857. The
58
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
"ancient mariner," forced from the track in 1871 by the railway, was frequently the cause of disappointment by reason of delays, though the rattling of its wheels as it was rapidly driven to the post-office, was a sound that was listened for by the residents, under ordinary circum- stances, with quite a degree of anxiety. In the year 1852 a semi- weekly mail route was established between Mt. Vernon and Princeton, Wm. T. Hall, contractor. This was continued until 1855, when that part of the route between New Harmony and Mt. Vernon was abandoned.
On June 10, 1825, the seat of justice was removed from Springfield to Mt. Vernon, where a very ordinary brick building was constructed, and which was occupied until 1876, when it was torn down and the County officials took possession of the edifice that now adorns the city, a description of which will be found under the heading of "Courts of the County." The total valuation of real and personal property in Mt. Vernon in 1830, as returned by Wm. E. Stewart, County Assessor, amounted to $19,637. The expenses of performing the duty of assess - ment amounted to $127 20, "which made an average tax," as the Assessor stated in his report to the Board of Commssioners, "on each $100 of the valuation of sixty-five cents, or very nearly that amount."
BANKS.
The history of the United States and in the still briefer history of Indiana numerous events of importance in banking have occurred. Very few systems of banking have been successful, while a majority of them have proven disastrous. Although failures of banks cause no little astonishment to the people of the country, yet in the days of the "wild cat" system it was a matter of great wonder if a. week passed without many suspensions. The question of "inflation" and "con- traction " have agitated the public mind, while "paper currency " and " specie payment" have been subjects of discussion during the period which has intervened since the organization of that branch of business. As time advances the advantages of experience may contribute to the growth of a perfect system, and when this end is realized a confidence productive of happiness will be felt. In the meantime the depositor will be uneasy so long as his money and securities are in the hands of his banker, and fearful that the truth of the proverb, "Fortune's wings are ever ready for flight," will be verified.
"In the year 1814, the General Assembly of Indiana Territory, acting with what seemed to be the will of the people," says Dillon, "granted charters to two banking institutions. The Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Indiana, at Madison, was incorporated by an act approved on the 6th of September. The charter extended, in time,
59
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
to the first of January. 1835; and it declared that the property of the corporation, including the capital stock, should not exceed the sum of $750,000. An act incorporating the Bank of Vincennes was approved on the roth of September. The capital stock of this institution was fixed at the sum of $500,000; and the charter vested in the stock- holders the privilege of banking, on certain conditions, until October Ist, 1835." It was in the year 1833 when George S. Green, a brilliant lawyer, and who at that time was a member of the Legislature, wrote to parties at Mt. Vernon that a State Bank could be established in that town if the necessary funds could be secured. With that end in view subscription papers were started, but the capitalists of that time would nét, either from fear or parsimony, contribute anything to such a fund, and the enterprise failed. The people were without a bank until 1854, when George E. Booker and A. S. Curtis founded the first bank, a private institution, which, in 1857, was sold to William J. Lowry, Richard Barter, Nelson G. Nettelton, John A. Mann and Seth M. Leavenworth. The capital of the bank was $14,000. This bank was sold, in 1864, to John B. Gardiner, Wm. J. Lowry and N. G. Nettel- ton, when it ceased to exist. On the 5th of April, 1864, the First National Bank was incorporated, with a cash capital of $50,000, which, on September 5, 1865, was increased to $100,000, its present capital. The stockholders in the bank at its inception were: John B. Gardiner, S. M. Leavenworth, S. S. Dryden, John R. Evertson. James Cawson, M. A. Wier, Wm. M. McArthur, John A. Mann, Charles Leunig, James F. Welborn, Aaron Lichtenberger, Richard Barter, Milton Black, A. G. Crutchfield and John M. Lockwood. The officers of the institution, at the date of its organization, were: John B. Gardiner, President, and Seth M. Leavenworth, Cashier. The present officers are: John M. Lockwood, President; Asa C. Williams, Vice-President ; John B. Gardiner, Cashier, and E. W. Rosenkrans, Assistant Cashier .: Enoch R., Dewitt C. and Lawrence James established the Exchange Bank in 1856, which collapsed in 1863.
In 1867, S. M. Leavenworth, Joseph F. Welborn, Charles A. Parke and Edward T. Sullivan organized and composed the Mt. Vernon Banking Company, a private enterprise, with a cash capital of $40, 000. All the original members, excepting Charles A. Parke, have since withdrawn, and the company is now composed of Charles A. Parke, Eugene F., Horace P., Alfred D. and Wm. H. Owen, capital, $40,000. By a destructive fire, October 19, 1880, (which consumed all the buildings fronting on the West side of Main street between First and Second streets, save a three-story brick on the corner of Second and Main streets) this company lost their building, but which, through their pluck and energy, was replaced and ready for occupancy by the 12th of February, following.
60
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
The town in 1824 contained one hundred inhabitants and for a time made considerable progress, but its incorporation did not occur until 1846. A petition, signed by the residents of the place, was pre -. sented to the Board of County Commissioners, composed of Jesse Nash, Peter Smith and Milton Black, at the September term of that Court, 1846, praying that body, "for the better regulation of the police and general improvement" of the place, to order an election of trustees and to perform such other acts necessary for the lawful incorporation of the town. The election was held on Thursday, October 1, 1846, when Thomas F. Prosser, Noble Craig, Fieldon N. Mills, Walter F. Larkin, and Thomas Newman were elected. There were seventy-two votes polled at this election, and it is probable that the population of the town did not much exceed 350 souls, as an estimate of five persons to every vote would show. In February, 1851, the population of the town was 1300, by which it will be seen the growth of the place was quite rapid. The officers of the first town board were, Thomas New- man, President; Thomas F. Prosser, Clerk; S. M. Leavenworth, Treasurer and Whipple White, Marshal.
The election to decide the question of incorporating Mt. Vernon as a city was held on the 7th of December, 1865, the vote being 219 for and 130 against the proposition. The first election of officers occurred on December 27, 1865, and the successful candidates were: Wm. Nettelton, Mayor; Wm. H. Whitworth, Clerk; Wm. F. Stiehl, As- sessor; Edward S. Hayes, Marshal, and Adam Lichtenberger, Trea- surer. The first Board of Council was composed of Wm. M. McArthur, and Antone Haas, First ward; Joseo Gregory and John Pfeffer, Second ward, and Edward Brown and Henry Groenland, Third ward. First ward embraced all that part of the city lying East of Main and South of Fourth streets; Second ward included all that part lying North of Fourth street, and Third ward occupied all that area lying West of Main and South of Fourth streets. Wm. Harrow, at the first meeting of the Council, was appointed City Attorney, but he refused for private reasons to serve, and Wm. P. Edson was elected to fill that position.
MAYORS OF MT. VERNON.
(The Mayoralty term and the terms of all other officers are two years.)
Wm. Nettelton, from January, 1866, to May, 1866 ; Otto Scheffer, from May, 1866, to May, 1867; Jonathan H. Burlison, from May, 1867, to May, 1868, (elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of Otto Scheffer); Wm. P. Edson, from May, 1868 to October, 1869, (resigned); Jonathan Burlison," from October, 1868, to May, 1872 ; U. G. Damron, from May, 1872, to May, 1874; J. H. Burlison, from
61
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
May, 1874, to May, 1878; Oliver C. Terry, from May, 1878, to May, 1880; John B. Gardiner, from May, 1880, to the present time.
TREASURERS OF MT. VERNON.
Adam Lichtenberger, from January, 1866, to May, 1866; James B. Campbell, from May, 1866, to May, 1868; Oliver C. Terry, from May, 1868, to May, 1878; Wm. F. Burtis, from May, 1878, to the present time.
CLERKS OF MT. VERNON.
Wm. H. Whitworth, from January, 1866 to May, 1868; David King, from May, 1868, to May, 1870; Wm. Wimpelberg, from May, 1870, to May, 1878; Van B. Jolley, from May, 1878, to the present time.
MARSHALS OF MT. VERNON.
Edward S. Hayes, from January, 1866, to May, 1868; Jacob Pi- per, from May, 1868, to May, 1870; Edward S. Hayes, from May, 1870, to May, 1878; Michael Mussleman, from May, 1878, to May, 1880, and Edward S. Hayes, from May, 1880 to the present time.
ASSESSORS OF MT. VERNON.
Wm. F. Stiehl, from January, 1866, to May, 1866; Wm. H. Strit- ter, from May, 1866, to May 1870; James F. Ferguson, from May, 1870, to May, 1872; Wm. F. Stritter, from May, 1872, to May, 1876; Elwood Smith, from May, 1876, to May, 1878; Wm. F. Strit- ter, from May, 1878, to May, 1880-since which time the assessment of the township assessors is used, thereby rendering the office of no further necessity.
CITY JUDGES.
Jonathan H. Burlison, from April 17, 1868, to October 1, 1869, when the order creating the office was rescinded, and which has never been revived, the duties of the office being imposed upon the Mayor.
The city tax duplicate for 1881, shows the total value of city lots to be $281,610; value of improvements on same, $366,090; value of lots and improvements, $647,700; value of personal property, $426,- 230, making a total valuation of the taxables of $1,078,930, on which taxes are paid as follows : Total poll tax, $466; dog, $128 ; general
62
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
purposes, $9,668 06; railroad sinking fund, $1,075 73; interest on railroad bonds, $4,296 04; interest on school bonds, $15; total amount of taxes, $15,651 91.
The bonded indebtedness of the city for the same year, according to the report of Wm. Burtis, Treasurer, was $52,480, and the levy of taxes on each $roo valuation was $1 40.
ADDITIONS AND ENLARGEMENTS.
John Wagner's original part of Mt. Vernon was laid off March II, 1816. It included the territory bounded by Mill, Water, Mulberry and Fourth streets. On October 5, 1833, Darius North petitioned the County Board of Justices to vacate this addition, and an order was drawn by that body grantiug the prayer of the petitioner.
Aaron William's original part of Mt. Vernon, laid off March 23, 1816, was bounded by Walnut, Store, Water and third streets, including the public square.
M. F. Green's part of Mt. Vernon was laid off June 4, 1841, and enlarged May 10, 1851, which embraced the territory bounded by Main, Store, Seventh and Ninth streets.
John Given's part (resurvey) was laid off in 1840, and extended from Water to Second and from Chestnut to Pearl streets.
Jesse Y. Welborn's part, laid off May 10, 1819, included the wharf and that territory bounded by Mill Creek, on the West, Fifth street on the North, and Walnut street, on the East, and Water street on the South. On November 26, 1822, an addition to this part was made by Mr. Welborn, which embraced the blocks between Walnut, Mulberry, Water and Sixth streets. On the 29th of June, 1826, another addition was made by him, including the blocks between Walnut, Mulberry, Sixth and Eighth streets.
With the exception of those parts laid off by John Givens and M. F. Green, these parcels of land were in the tract purchased by Aaron Williams, on July 1, 1817, of Gen. Harrison, for the sum of $500.
The tract contained 185 acres, and it lay East of Mill Creek. As will be seen, John Wagner and Aaron Williams had laid off their parts before the transfer of the property had been made to the latter gentleman, and this fact occasioned some dispute as to the right of ownership. In the course of a few years, after satisfactory settlement had been made between the parties, the land belonging to Aaron Williams, 72 72 acres, was sold to eight persons named below, for $3, 500, and between the parties a resurvey in 1819 was inaugurated by this com- pany of land owners, which was styled the "Mt. Vernon Company," who decided that that part of the town lying East of Mill Creek, West of Mulberry, South of Eighth and North of Water streets, should be
63
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
designated as "Williams," by which name it is now known. The Mt. Vernon Company was composed of Jesse Y. Welborn, John Burlison, Aaron Burlison, Matthew Williams, Wm. Crabtree, Samuel Gill, (who came to the county in 1807, from. Kentucky, and was the first to en- ter land on Indian Creek,) Aaron Bacon and Thomas E. Casseberry, who donated the block to the County on which the Capitol of Posey now stands, but there is no instrument of writing in existence that can establish the fact. It is a matter of tradition only. At a meeting of the Board of Justices, held at Springfield, Thursday, May 10, 1825, Richard Daniel, of Knox County, and James Stewart and James Smith, of Gibson County, Commissioners, appointed under an act of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, approved February 12, 1826, to locate the seat of justice of Posey County, presented the fol- lowing report, as the result of their labors :
"We, the undersigned, beg leave to report that, on having met at Springfield, Monday, May 2, 1825, agreeable to law, and being duly sworn to discharge the duties assigned us as Commissioners, proceeded to examine into the situation of the said County of Posey, and on finding donations could be procured, which, in our opinion, would be sufficient to defray the expense of erecting good and sufficient build- ings suitable for said County in a more advantageous situation for the interest of the people of said County, have procured said donations to be made, and thereupon have and do relocate the seat of justice of said County of Posey, in the town of Mt. Vernon, on the elegant situation known and designated on the plat of said town by the name of the public square. [SIGNED,] JAMES SMITH, JAMES STEWART, RICHARD DANIEL."
As the property was owned in that year by the company referred to, the natural inference would be that the public square was a gift to the County from them. With the view of transferring the County- seat from Springfield to Mt. Vernon, the Representative from this County, Jesse R. Craig, introduced a bill at the Legislature which was in session in 1824-5 for the relief of persons owning lots in Spring- field who might sustain losses in the depreciation of real estate by the consequent removal of the seat of justice. On May 7, 1827, nearly two years after Mt. Vernon became the county seat, James Black, Urban Marrs and John Graddy were appointed Commissioners to assess the damages accruing from the removal. The reported amount of damages was $1,313, which was paid to the several lot owners by the County Treasurer.
In the year 1849 David T. Kimball laid off that part of Mt. Vernon known as Bellville, and subsequently an addition was made by him
64
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
that embraced the territory extending from section line 9 to Fourth street, thence West to the line between sections 8 and 9, thence South to Third street, thence East to Maple street, thence to Sycamore street.
Robert Dale Owen, November 21, 1836, laid off that part of Mt. Vernon which included the area of land beginning at Sycamore and Walnut streets and running to Water, thence to Mulberry, thence North to Fourth, thence East to East street, thence along Section line between sections 8 and 9 to the Ohio river, thence along the river to place of beginning. His addition in January, 1874, included the block between Canal, Locust, Sycamore and Ohio streets.
James & Hovey's enlargement was laid off April 26, 1850, which, with an addition of March 9, 1851, embraced all lots lying between Sixth and Ninth streets and Mill Creek and Store street.
Wm. C. Saunder's enlargement, laid off March 15, 1851, included all lots between the line dividing sections 8 and 9, from the West end of Bluff to Water street, thence East 363 feet.
Wm. W. Welborn's enlargement was laid off June 7, 1853, and was bounded by Second, Third, Pearl and Munchhoff streets.
Wm. J. Lowry's addition of May 25, 1851, included the block be- tween Mill and Store, Eighth and Ninth Streets.
E. T. Sullivan's part of January 3, 1851, was the block bounded by Fourth, Fifth, Mulberry and Locust streets.
Joh A. Mann, May, 1869, laid off blocks between Wolflin, Barter, First and Second streets.
Munchhoff and Wolflin's Enlargement of April 22, 1866, comprised the four blocks lying between Water, Second, Munchhoff and Pearl streets.
N. G. Nettelton's enlargement of August, 1869, was bounded by Pearl, Nettelton, Second and Fourth streets.
Wm. Nettelton's enlargement of May 6, 1868, included four and one-half blocks West of Wolflin and the block between Second, Fourth and Nettelton streets.
Wm. P. Edson's subdivision of October 17, 1871, included nine lots in Kimball's part.
John A. Mann's addition to Wm. Nettelton's enlargement embraced twenty-six lots lying between Second and Third streets and East of the line dividing sections 7 and 8.
John M. Barter's enlargement of April 26, 1868, included the half block lying on Walnut, between Eighth and Tenth streets.
Charles Leunig's enlargement of August 17, 1871, embraced four acres North of Eleventh and West of Main streets.
Benjamin Lowenhaupt's additional enlargement of 1880, was one acre between Mulberry, Locust, Fourth and Fifth streets.
On December 14, 1852, Wm. J. Lowry's enlargement included all the lots between Eleventh, Mill, Main and Eighth streets.
65
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Lowry and Larkin's enlargement of April, 1860, included lots bounded by Third, Sixth and Munchhoff streets and Mill Creek.
Company's (consolidated) enlargement, of February 16, and Au- gust 12, 1866, and of February 28, 1868, embraced all lots East of Walnut, in section 5 and North of section 8.
Mann and Barter's enlargement of February 1, 1870, (re-survey) included all blocks between Eleventh street, Lincoln avenue, Locust and Canal streets.
School enlargement of September 21, 1869, included blocks between Locust, Canal, Fourth and Fifth streets.
Mann and Barter's enlargement of May, 1869, embraced lots be- tween First, Second, Wolflin and Barter streets.
Joseph F. Welborn's enlargement consisted of one-half block lying between Fifth, Sixth, Canal and Mulberry streets.
CHURCHES.
The first minister of whom we have any account was the Rev. Samuel Jones, a Baptist. Services, previous to the erection of a church building, were held at private houses. In the year 1814, a small log house for purposes of divine worship was built on the land which is now known as Templeton's graveyard. In those days wolves were numerous and dangerous, and, as a protection to their lives, worshipers found it necessary to take their guns to church with them. When the small brick building on the corner of Main and Sixth streets was built (1828) the services of all denominations were held at that place and in the Court House until 1840, when the Christian Church was erected on the North side of Fifth, between Main and Walnut
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.