USA > Indiana > Bartholomew County > History of Bartholomew County, Indiana : From the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc. : Together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 34
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 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
392
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY.
colt that was among his possessions. Upon reaching Columbus he was offered by " Jack " Downing for the same colt all those town lots lying between the corner on which Joseph I. Irwin's fine block now stands and the alley next to the Odd Fellows' building, and on this property there then stood an unfinished small two-story frame house. Few articles were then named as having a fixed money value.
Early Milling :-- Not the least of the pioneer's hardships was the procuring of bread. The first settlers were required to seek supplies from other sources than from their own lands for at least one year; and the first crops, though generally very abundant, gave only partial relief, there being no mills accessible to grind the grain. Hence the necessity of grinding by hand power, and many families were poorly provided with means for doing even this. The " grater " was used by many, and in many cases the horning block was resorted to. Mills in older counties, sometimes forty miles away, were patronized.
Going to mill, says one who spoke from experience, was quite an undertaking with the pioneers. It was, perhaps, a two or three days' journey. Sometimes a pair of oxen attached to a two-wheel cart carried the farmer and his grain on his journey; but frequently he went on horseback seated on a bag of grain. This was a tedious journey, and his return was anxiously awaited by mother and chil- dren.
There are some recollections of ' going to mill' that bring with them pictures of weary watchful nights when father did not return as promised and expected, being delayed by the number of " grists " before him, or the impassable condition of the roads or traces. Those were dismal phases of pioneer life, when the darkness closed in upon the anxious mother and crying children, when the winds beat upon the rude cabin, bringing to their ears unwelcome sounds, laden with howls of starving wolves, when hunger pressed heavily upon the helpless inmates.
Soon enterprising citizens of the county began to embark in the milling business. A desired location along a stream being found, an application was made to the authorities for a writ of ad quoa damnum. This would enable millers to have adjoining land offi-
393
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
cially examined and the amount of damage, by making a dam, named. Mills were such a great public convenience that objections were seldom made to their location, and in many instances they were built and operated for months before a writ was applied for.
" The first hand-mill brought to the county was owned by Daniel Branhanı, residing some three miles northeast of Columbus. This mill was kept running constantly, day and night, customers being permitted to grind but a half bushel of grain at one time. The liberal, neighborly spirit of the times is shown by the fact that at first this mill was kept for accommodation, each one grinding his own grain and paying no toll. So tedious a process soon proved in- adequate to supply the growing demands of the community, which were promptly met by the starting of two mills in which horses supplied the motive power. One was located on Clifty Creek, in the McFall settlement; the other near the site of Depper's mill, in Harrison Township. These improved mills greatly facilitated the means of providing the community with the ' staff of life.' Soon so much was required of them that the waiting for 'our turn' became an irksome task. Following the horse-mills, came the era of water-mills. Probably the first mill of this kind in Bartholo- mew County, was built by Joseph and Thomas Cox. It was located on Haw Creek, about three miles northeast of Columbus, that stream being then of more capacity and furnishing more ample power for a mill than now. The mill ground both corn and wheat for a tenth part, and, though rude and imperfect, was looked upon as a wonder of mechanical skill and was very largely patronized. At first the bolting was done on a hand-reel, but later improve- ments relieved the customers of this labor and rendered the mill automatic in its operation. About the year 1831, Mr. Cox, in view of the failing supply of water in Haw Creek and the larger capacity of Flat Rock, decided to build a new mill on the latter stream; whereupon he put the saw-mill then attached to his mill to work to saw out lumber for the new building, and in a few months, es- tablished his mill on Flat Rock, two miles north of Columbus. The old mill then became the property of Mr. Samuel Spurgeon, who continued to run it for a period of two years.
When the volume of water became so small as to render the 8
394
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY.
mill unprofitable, it was abandoned, soon falling into decay, until in a few years nothing remained to mark the site but some stray fragments of the decayed frame.
"The Flat Rock mill engaged a large trade for fifteen years or more, till other mills, more modern and more easy of access, drew off its patronage, when it was abandoned, and the water gradually shifted its course till the old mill was left some 200 yards to the west of the river.
" In 1822, Judge Pence built, near Taylorsville, on Driftwood, a flouring-mill, which, owing to its superior power, was enabled to run constantly, and drew a large patronage from adjoining counties. It was purchased a few years after its erection by Maj. Tannehill, in whose family it remained till 1876, when Daniel Miller became its proprietor.
"On Driftwood, at Lowell, Napoleon Arnold founded the cele- brated Lowell Mill, and did custom business for more than twelve years, when, in 1848, Amos Crane, from Corman Town, became the proprietor. Under his management it developed into a mer- chant mill, and made the only flour at that time shipped from the " county. In 1853 or 1854, Crane built a new mill, added some im- provements and greatly improved his brands of flour, which ranked high in the local and eastern markets. In 1856, Crane sold the property, and it passed through the hands of several proprietors, until, in 1858, it was purchased by Messrs. T. & J. W. Gaff. These gentlemen increased its capacity, extended its trade, and placed it in the front rank of merchant mills. It was subsequently aban- doned. There was also a custom flouring-mill on the west bank of the river at Lowell, for a period of twenty-five years, owned and operated by Anthony & Son, but has been abandoned.
" Next came the mill located in the eastern part of the county on Clifty, and then Brown's mill on the fall fork of Clifty, built as early as 1839, and running for thirty-two years. The next mill was owned and operated near Newbern, by Mr. Critser, whose father built a mill on the same site between 1836 and 1838. The Anderson mill was located three and one-half miles north of New- bern, and was one of the first water-mills on the creek, and early became very popular. The Bush mill was built in 1829, by David
395
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Keller, and was later owned by Ezra Bush; the mill early enjoyed a large patronage.
In 1835, Isaac Patterson built a custom flouring-mill on Flat Rock, just north of the old Madison road-bed, near Columbus. The location was a good one and the mill commanded a large trade, but the foundation of the dam being sandy, was constantly giving way, causing trouble and expense; the property changed hands once or twice and finally went down, about 1847, probably owing to the want of water power. In IS47 and 1848, Messrs. Bantill and Griffith extended the old mill-race to the south side of the town to a point within 100 yards of the bed of Driftwood, where they erected a flouring-mill fitted for merchant and custom work. The firm sold the property to Capt. Whitesides, who continued to run the mill until the fall of IS58, when it was destroyed by fire. A temporary custom-mill was kept up for a few years afterward at this point, when the water-power was transferred to William Carter, who founded the Hydraulic Woolen Mills near the site of the old mill. The destruction of the Whiteside mill closed the water-mill era in the immediate vicinity of Columbus. As early as 1823, Mr. Isaac Rains founded a rude mill on Flat Rock, six miles north of Columbus, at a point afterward known as Corman Town.
" At that time there was an island in the river, and between it and the east bank there was a narrow channel through which the water ran with much force and velocity. Taking two logs of suit- able size, he placed one on the island and the other on the bank parallel to the first and the current, notching them to make bear- ings for a wooden shaft, which was laid from bank to bank at right angles to the stream, and resting in the notches made in the logs. To this shaft he attached flights or paddles reaching down into the water, and moved by its flow. Simple wooden gear connected this flood-wheel with a hand-mill (the one previously mentioned as be- ing the first in the county). Rude as this mill was in its construc- tion, it did a great amount of work, and saved the neighboring set- tlers many a tiresome trip. Later it was replaced by better ap- pliances; the property fell into the hands of the Crane family, who further improved it, adding a saw-mill and wool-working machinery.
In 1846, Amos Crane employed a steam engine in grinding
.
396
BARTHOLOMEW' COUNTY.
grain, and claimed the honor of having the first steam flouring-mill in the county. In IS48, the property passed into the possession of Mr. James Corman, who operated it for several years, when it was abandoned. Other mills, and especially those of later years, are elsewhere mentioned in connection with the history of the localities in which they stand.
Political Campaigns .- An extended political history of the county, containing a narration, in detail, of the important events growing out of political opinion, and a sketch of the growth and development, the change and decay of parties, could not be ad- visedly undertaken in the limits necessarily fixed to the treatment of the subject in this connection. It is designed here only to pre- sent an idea of the methods employed by the early settlers in their political work. The turbulent state of society common to a new country is fruitful of many deplorable practices; and perhaps no- where are these more manifest than in the warmly contested cam- paigns. Here the demoralizing effects of a too free use of whisky are most apparent. On the other hand, the patriotic zeal and the sturdy independence of character evinced in the maintenance of the sovereigns' most sacred rights challenge admiration, and are worthy of perpetuation. To show the political cast of the county and the increase of the vote, a statement embracing facts relative to every Presidential campaign from the formation of the county to the present, is elsewhere given. In the first campaign after the organi- zation of the county, that of 1824, when the county was still new and local industrial interests were paramount, there were no party divisions except on local issues; but in 1828, when the canvass of Jackson and Adams was well commenced, party lines began to be drawn, though not so earnestly and closely as in after years. In that year one of the leading questions was that of a tariff for pro- tection against free trade; but this issue did not greatly disturb the voters of Bartholomew County; they then knew little and cared less about it. Jackson's fine record being in his favor and his general style suiting the rough and tumble people of the new States of the West, he was victorious.
As the campaign advanced the excitement grew intense, the en- thusiasm showing itself in public gatherings, pole raisings and dem-
397
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
onstrations of a similar character, at all of which the ever-ready barrel of liquor played an important part. Dr. Lawson Abbett, who came to the county in the summer of 1828, from Henry County, Ky., riding all the way on horseback behind his brother, John B. Abbett, a tailor to whom he was apprenticed, once told to Gen. Terrell an anecdote connected with this campaign, and from the latter's notes the story is here told. Willis Miles, a young man about twenty years of age, a cousin to Dr. Abbett, was also apprenticed to John B. Abbett. The Abbetts were ardent Demo- crats. Miles and the Terrells were Whigs - Clay men. At the Presidential election John M. Gwin gave a barrel of whisky to treat the Jacksonites. Lawson was selected to deal it out to the faithful only. It was drawn out of the barrel in a bucket and then dispensed to the thirsty in tin cups. No Adams or Clay man could get a drop of it, but their friends provided for them also, and as a result all got drunk, even including young Abbett himself. A Jackson flag pole was erected in the public square; the flag, nailed to the pole, was of white muslin, sewed together at Abbett's tailor shop by Lawson, and bore the name of Andrew Jackson painted in large black letters. It was rumored during the day that the Adams men had determined to cut the pole down and destroy the flag that night. Indeed, during the day, as a precautionary measure, guards were stationed about the pole and the whisky barrel to keep the opposition from carrying out their plan of destroying the pole and flag and capturing the whisky.
To make assurance doubly sure (the Jackson men feeling in- capacitated for night guard duty) thought it prudent to lower the pole and preserve the flag from any possibility of capture. With the aid of poles and ropes, and the strong arms of the stalwart Democrats, the pole was gradually lowered to the ground. It was then twilight, and in the excitement and confusion incident to the work, young Willis Miles slipped in and snatching the flag, stripped it from the pole and ran away with it with all his speed. The Democrats flew after him, and would have killed him undoubtedly if he had been caught. John McKinney was in the lead of the pursuing party, and while he could not catch the fleeing culprit, he managed to grasp a flipping corner of the flag, and recovered it
398
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY.
amid the uproarious cheers of his infuriated friends. Miles escaped and hid. The enraged Democrats hunted for him "high and low," but fortunately for his scalp, did not find him.
Dr. Abbett said the events of that day, and the humiliation and degradation he felt for the part he took, and especially his own in- toxication, disgusted him with the Democracy, and (also influenced by the arguments and persuasions of Miles, who was a brilliant young fellow) he made up his mind to quit the intemperate and rowdy party, as he believed it then to be. He joined the Whigs and stuck, and became a life-long temperance man.
The fights between politicians over differences of opinion were often quite serious. Perhaps none more bloody ever occurred than that between Newton C. Jones and Joseph Mckinney in 1828. The former was the Adams candidate for Representative to the Legislature; the latter the Jackson candidate for County Clerk. Newton Jones was the keeper of a tavern and so was his brother Jack Jones. At the former's house the latter had some dispute with Tamp Mckinney, and knocked him down. Jo Mckinney heard a highly colored account of the affair from some bystander and at once proceeded to the Jones tavern and commenced heaping abuse on its landlord. Several who had witnessed the previous affray called out that it was Jack Jones who had knocked Tamp Mckinney down, but the irate braggart declared that Newt Jones was the bully of the house and the man he was after. Whereupon the fight commenced between the two stalwarts, both powerful men of faultless courage, and skilled in pugilism. Soon the floor was stained with blood; the walls and even the ceiling were blotched with it. They fought desperately for forty-five minutes and were not separated until they were so exhausted that they lay on the floor facing one another and occasionally striking out, but neither being able to mount the prostrate form of his foe. Jones received the greater damage. They were both elected to the offices for which they were candidates, but Jones died before the Legislature assembled. It was thought by many that his death was occasioned by the dreadful pounding he had suffered; and many years later Mckinney said that he had received permanent injuries in the fight.
Subsequent campaigns up to that of 1840, though quite spirited,
.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
399
were without remarkable characteristics. There was a general political awakening, however, in 1840, party lines were more. closely drawn than ever before, and that campaign was memorable in all parts of the country. Its history, as connected with this locality, is gleaned from the notes of General Terrell. None who witnessed them ever forgot the log cabin raisings, the mass conven- tions, the hard cider jubilees, the Tippecanoe clubs, the banners and canoes, the caricatures of the Van Buren dynasty and all the paraphenalia of that eventful period. Glee clubs chanted the history of General Harrison's life, and multitudes joined in the chorus and hooted at his opponent. The one was sung into office -the other laughed out of it. Log cabins were erected, for political purposes solely, out of buckeye - a soft, white wood, plentiful and easily cut. If the sap was " up" the logs would sprout after be- ing laid in the walls and thus gave quite a romantic and picturesque appearance to the domicile. Clubs were started in every town, mass meetings were held everywhere, and everybody for miles away attended them, with traveling workshops, banners, canoes, stump-speakers, and satirical caricatures without number. Every- thing was Tippecanoe - handkerchiefs, badges, medals, song books, almanacs, bands of music, and shaving soap. The election was paramount to all other interests. The welkin rang with shouts for " Harrison and Reform," politicial sermons were preached in every neighborhood daily; processions were formed by night to arouse some weary candidate to make a speech to them. People thought it a little matter to go from Columbus to Madison, Indian- apolis, and even to the Tippecanoe battle ground, on horseback or in wagons, to attend political gatherings. Such was their enthusi- asm. The same spirit was everywhere manifest. A mass con- vention was held at Columbus, addressed by Joseph L. White, then a candidate for Congress, to which delegations with banners, glee clubs and bands of music came from Madison, Vernon, Rock- ford and elsewhere. At one time 40,000 people gathered on the historic battle ground of Tippecanoe, and then the enthusiasm grew to· white heat. Many went from Columbus. Col. John Vawter, of Jennings County, said that to the immense throng, eat- ables of every description were as free as air. The day was
-
400
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY.
beautiful; only a fleck of cloud in the sky, representing, as the Colonel said; New Hampshire. Solon Robinson had a small print- ing press then on wheels and busied himself printing songs and dis- tributing them to the people. Canoes, full-rigged schooners, and . every device suggestive of the sentiments over which , ablic opinion enthused, were there in great numbers. Stirring addresses were made, and the patriotic fire in every brcast was fanned into an al- most consuming flame.
One afternoon, a short time before the election, Col. R. B. White, then keeping the tavern on the corner of Walnut and Jack- son streets, announced to the good citizens of the Tippecanoe and Tyler stamp, that an informal meeting of the "Tippecanoe Club" would be held at his hotel instanter. In a short time a crowd was collected; the Colonel presided at his bar and served his friends . . with a collation of his best liquors, all free and for the love of vic- tory and Whiggery. Sam Smith was then always on hand, and always ready to make a speech. He mounted the stairway and made a few remarks pertinent to the occasion. Williamson Terrell, then in political life, happened along at this juncture, dropped in, and be- ing solicited, in his usual felicitous style spoke for a short time upon the policy of the Whigs, and the advantages which would accrue to the country by placing a Whig administration in power. He concluded by calling on R. L. Howell, who was present, to take the stand. Mr. Howell, who was a staunch Whig, editor of the Advocate, full of humor, energetic and always battling manfully for the cause, commenced by announcing that he would merely give an exhortation, the gentlemen who had preceded him having suffi- ciently explained the policy and advantages of the Whigs. He spoke a short time and concluded by giving the following invitation :
" If there is any person here who has been groping his way in times past through the dark and murky mazes of Locofocoism - who is conscious of his being a stranger to the true faith, who de- sires to associate himself with the true friends of his country, let him arise and shake off the shackles that bind him as a hanger-on to the Locofoco regiment, come forward, give us his hand, and join the glorious Whig army, regenerate himself and behold for once the light of truth as it is in Whiggery. The doors of the party
101
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
are now opened." Contrary to the expectations of all present, his exhortation induced one George Bovard to come forward and ac- cept the proffered redemption by giving his hand to the speaker. The applause which followed was deafening, and lasted for several minutes. When it subsided Howell, who had meanwhile been shaking his convert cordially by the hand, bid him be seated, and slapping him familiarly on the shoulder, pronounced the following: " In the name of Whiggery, I now pronounce you free and clear from all stain or taint of Locofocoism, and henceforth a member of the true, great and glorious Whig party of the United States of America." Then turning to the audience: " Brothers, give him thy right hand of fellowship." This was done with a right hearty good will - when the meeting adjourned with nine deafening cheers. Thus, here is an instance of a man regularly changing his political creed.
The doctrine that to the victors belong the spoils was then in vogue, and upon the inauguration of President Harrison, the rush for office at Washington was something hitherto unseen. Horace Greeley spoke of it as " the great scramble of the swell mob of coon minstrels and cider-suckers." At Columbus, John C. Hub- bard was the life and soul of the Whig party. The speeches were made by Jonathan McCarty, R. L. Howell, S. W. Smith, W. Ter- rell, Joseph L. White, Governor Bigger and others, but Hubbard gave the use of his room to the Tippecanoe Club, furnished whisky, bought a drum, was the leader in getting up the great demonstrations, and inducing the attendance of delegations from other remote towns, and in many ways helped along the cause. With a canoe, such as was always seen at those assemblies, and with drums and fiddles, he headed a delegation that went to Edin- burgh to hear Herod and Peaslee debate. There was a sudden rise in Flat Rock; Hubbard's carriage was swamped, and he nar- rowly escaped drowning. When the party's success became gen- erally known, everyone supposed that Hubbard's zealous efforts would be rewarded by an appointment as Postmaster, the office be- ing chiefly desirable to draw trade to his store. William Mounts was, however, appointed, and the disappointment of Hubbard was ill-concealed. In 1844, he joined the Democrats, and acted as
402
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY.
Marshal at many of their big barbecues and political parades. In 1843, there was a Democratic triumph in the election of James Whitcomb as Governor, on party grounds; since which time the county has given Democratic majorities at all Presidential elections.
The Democrats profited by the brilliant Whig campaign of IS40, and worked up much enthusiasm in 1844 by the use of appropriate songs, roosters, polk stalks, farmers' barbecues, processions, and speakings. The Whigs continued the winning policy of their last struggle and prepared for a sharp conflict. They depended largely on coons to arouse enthusiasm. Both parties felt confident of carrying the county, and the vote, when counted, showed it to be very close. Thorough county and township organization was effected by both parties; by the Democrats on Christmas day, of 1843, and by the Whigs on the following New Year's day. From that time on until the polls were closed the clash of the contending arms was seldom silenced. The Whigs announced their unabated hostility. to Van Buren's "Sub Treasury system" and " Standing Army project," and their steadfast and abiding adherence to the policy of a protective tariff and a sound currency. The Democrats declared the " self-styled ' Modern Whig' party" to be identical with the old Hartford Convention Federalists, and referred to " Federal Whig humbuggery," charging Whigs with voting for the " pageant of coon skins, hard cider, and banners" in the previous campaign instead of for Harrison and his principles. Both parties planned huge barbecues. William S. Pitcher, of Louisville, was the Democratic orator, and in the procession a Dorr banner painted by W. W. Frybarger, of Connersville, was borne aloft by the en- thusiastic Dick Carter, who kept turning it about that all eyes might behold it. At the Whig barbecue there was a large and enthusiastic crowd, but their ardor was a little cooled by the dis- appointment due to the non-arrival of expected speakers. Hon. William Herod became the orator of the day, and with that power which characterized all his public speeches, addressed the people. Hickory and ash poles, some as much as 150 feet in length, were raised by the different enthusiasts. But at length the election came and resulted in dejection to the Whigs.
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.