USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Indiana : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
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By the Auditor's report for the year ending May 31, 1876, it is shown that disbursements were made ou account of the poor asylum to the amount of $1,560.15. and for other expenses of the poor of the county the sum of $2,097.20; in the aggregate, $3,657.35. By the same authority, for the year 1877, it is shown that the expenses of the asylum were $1,440.22; in aid of other poor. $3.040,84: aggregating the sum of $4,481.06, not including the salary of the county physician. In 1878, the expenses of the asylum were $1.582.64, and the expenses of the poor generally, $3,631.58; in the aggregate, $5.214.22. For the year 1879, the disbursements were, for expenses of the poor asylum, $1.461.49, and for other poor. $3,725.77: total, $4.187.26. For 1880, the county paid for expenses of the poor asylum, $1,044.02; for the maintenance of other poor, $3.481.20; for both, $4,525.22; and, in 1881, the amount paid for the asylum was $1,653.56: and for maintenance of the poor not in the asylum, $2,851.26; all aggre- gating the stun of $4,404.82.
137
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
CHAPTER NH.
FARMING IN CARROLL COUNTY IN PHINEAS DAYS WITH ITS AP- PLANCES-A BASIS OF THE SHEATHEY-A TENDENCY TO- WARD IMPROVEMENTS -LEGISLATIVE ACTION FOR THE EX- COURAGEMENT OF ACHICULTURAL. INTEREST --- EARLY MOVE- MENTS PRELIMINARY TO ORGANIZATION-FURTHER LEGISLA- TIVE ACTION-MEETINGS OF FARMERS UNDER THE NEW BRAC- LATIONS-A SOCIETY ORGANIZED-OFFICERS-ADDRESS OF THE Ilox. H. L. ELLSWORTH --- PERMANENT ORGANIZATION -- ENCORE- AGEMENTS-COMPETITION, ETC.
IT is not necessary to discuss here the importance of agrienti are, since the experience of the ages has shown and acknowt edged that it has been and is the chief element of prosperity ist the history of all nations. In this age as in the past. in this country, as in the Old World. the entivation of the sail as the leading industry, tends most to develop the real geen of success in every community. Houve, with the fullness of its record be. fore us, it is a suficient commentary on the question of merit. to say that it underlies the permanent structure of governments everywhere, and gives character to the people who compose them. Something, however, in review of what has been and is concern- ing agriculture and agriculturists. farmers, in Carroll Conuty. cannot los out of place, because, by such means only can a sie. cessful comparison be instituted. whereby the encouragements incident to the progress in that department. during the past haif century and more. can be fully set forth, and the results utilized by the present and succeeding generations.
Here, an important consideration is the quality of the soil and its adaptibility to the cultivation of a great variety of farm prod ucts, readily convertible into money or other elements of pe enniary value, which go far to establish the prosperity of our people. At first, the means for successful enfure were few, cont- pared with the appliances of the present day. get. apparently well adapted to the wants or experiences of the period. Simple and in expensive in their character. "An obl-fashioned breaking plow. a single-shovel plow. a heavy hoc or two. a sled for hanling. nn ax for chopping and a mand and wedge for chaving the giant logs in sander, and a frow for splitting boards att as or two, or a horse, or perhaps, a team, and a rade harnes, with now and then, but very seldom, a wagon nasle up what was regarded as it very reasonable outfit for carrying on a farm in flat early day. With those rude and seanty helps, the farmers contrived to work their grounds and to care for and serve their erage. A seythe. indeed. for moving, and a sickle for reaping, were needed. and a fork -- often made from a forked lub. lad hardly everarake were employed in harvest time to move small grain crops to the wagon or the sled, to be hanled thence to the log barn or the stack. For. at that day. stacking wheat and oats ant has. wasa good enough method of disposing of those crops for security against the weather. And. as for corn, the blessed poor man's crop. that wooded no caring for. It simply stood undisturbed on the stalk matil wanted for feeding, when it was polied. Ourown upon the shd. handed to the stable and fed to the hungry horse, cattle of logs. For years, this simple mode of farming prevailed. more or less. Of course, some farmers were able to command better things from the beginning, but very many were poor, and had to do as they could -and men were contented therewith, for they raised or made nearly all that was needed for family use, which was enough. since there was no market, or next to none, and no roads to get
anywhere on, and hardly any price for an article if it did happen to get to market. " The roads, indeed. were in a very primitive condition. At first. men drove through the woods, entting out brash and poles, when necesary, to admit the passage of the wagon, though at first. there were only patles or trails, for passing on foot or on horse buch. In fact. most of the locomotion was done in one or the other of these ways, more frequently on foot. although lawyers, Judges, etc. in traveling from county to county, went on horse. back And when actual roads intended for traveling by wagons began to be made it was done simply by removing some of the largest trees so as to give room for the wagon to pass; and build- inty bridges, not merely over the streams, but across swamps. also, of poles or logs. laid crosswise of the track. Sometimes earth was thrown upon the bridge this made, but ofteper, the poles or the logs were entirely bare, when the wagons would thump and bounce m passing over that wonderful highway. Occasionally a 'rail. road' was built that is. rails were taken for the road thor. in- strand of logs or poles and that was far better than the others. boratise the surface of the track was made thereby comparatively smooth and even. But the regular backwoods highways, made with logs, were simply awful!" Carroll County, in its early days. had an ample supply of just such roads, though. for the greater part. mad-roads took the palm. With sach smrounding-, the pioneer farmers plied their avocations under difientties which time, patience and perseverance only could evercome. But they toiled as with a courage that would not sold to adversky, mul dietory at length crowned their efforts. Many. doubles, who How Jako high rank among their fellow citizens. look back to the time when their fathers, perhaps themselves. weare subjected to the circastance- and emditions narrated in the foregoing review of pioneer experience.
Finally. " a desire for sanothing better and more convenient hegate to passes the people, and slowly, very slowly. changes were made The grain-calle began to replace the sickle, the wagon to cade where the sled had been; threshingon the ground of on the Barn Hour, with horses or oxen, or with the chaff piles.' was practiced westend of with the tail. Now and then, a man got a farming-mill to clean his grain with. instead of the big basket fan or the short. the leaving pounder and the band mill were Jaid ado: and. after awhile, the fax brake ceased to rattle, and the semelding knife to flash and the chives and the tew lint for got to the from the teeth of the . hackle: " the merry foot-wheel quit it's kunming, and the big spinning whool stopped its cheerful manche the portarling whack of the useful. though ungainly. loom an longer made the house to shake, and the hitherto constant " quit! wheel ' an ! ' winding blades' vesed the urchins and half grown fads and Fores no more. The old began to give place to the new, and memory now can scaredy recall those once Familiar things. and hardly even a rolig now remains of the worn out and disanded just. The proces of transformation and renewal has Fren slow and gradual. Half a conting has been gone too long to replace the queint, month and awkward old. into the sharp. the banque and the shining te. Many of the prime actors in this mighty transformation are still alive and active among us: or. if the early pioneers are gone. their children, Brought to these forest - in early infancy or tender childhood, or blushing youth. or born beneath the mighty shadow of the over arching woods. are touse the strong and vigorous men and women will pressing bravely forward in the work of improvement their hardy father- had so medbly begun.
138
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
" Not less remarkable and thorough has been the change that Is taken place in the domestic animals in use throughout this region. . Serub-stock' were the sort of cattle found in the woods and in the fields belonging to the settlers. Swine of the class called . elm-peelers' and . land-sharks' roamed through the forests around the clearings, and got fat, more or less, according to the sea- son. by rooting up the 'mast ' from underneath the bed of leaves universally clothing the surface of the ground. In carly times, herds of swine grew wild, and were the terror of persons passing alone through the forest. The settlers had to hunt swine down with dogs and shoot them as one would bears of deer. Men wonkl go out on horseback and range the woods to find the herds of swine, and. having found them and killed such as they wanted. wonld haut the dead bodies of the auinials home to be dressed and packed away in rude troughs made of huge logs hollowed out for the purpose. We have not been able to discover who has the honor of being the first to break the dull monotony of inferiority in these respects in Carroll County, and to take the lead in that grand march of improvement which was destined to sweep away the rubbish of the olden time and bring fully to pass the new and more excellent way on these essential, material things pertaining to the advantage of the people in these Western wilds, and to the pormanout improvement and thorough development of this won- drons Western land."
The change that has been wrought in the processes of farming in times past, and in the implements used by the successful bus- bandman, in the cultivation of his grounds, in gathering and tak- ing care of his crops and preparing them for the market, is the result. in part. at least, of legislative encouragement: more, per- . haps, from the application of science in the analysis of soils and the improvement of their productive qualities, a knowledge of which transmitted through the agency of papers devoted to that subject, embodying the experiences of the better informed: and. in a much larger measure, from home competition and the award of premiums for the most successful of the various crops. Logis- lative attention was early directed to the subject, and expectation was more than realized in the effect produced in the popular mind. by eliciting and suggesting inquiry concerning the probable ad. vantages likely to accrue to the provident farmer.
An act was passed by our State Legislature, and approved by the Governor, on the 22d of January. 1529. authorizing "twenty or more citizens of any county, who should see proper to meet at their county seat *
* to organize themselves and become an agricultural society, with corporate and politie powers." Un der the provisions of this act. but little was accomplished, except so far as it had a tendency to direct. attention to the importance of the issnes sooner or later to be met in the experiences of hus- I.uent advantages over others already in use. and of encouraging a bandmien generally. At a later date. at the session of 1833-34, something in the way of encouragement was proposed. and pro- duced better results. In this county, considerable discussion was had. and some efforts were made toward organization. A few ag- ricultural journals found their way into the hands of our fariners. and were read with increased interest. Subsequently, further legislative action was had in the light of what had been accom- plished in the way of improvements in culture and mechanical appliances, and the result commanded very general attention among the most interested.
SOCIETIES ORGANIZED.
It was not, however, until the passage and approval of the act of February 14, 1851, " for the encouragement: of agriculture,"
that much in the way of organization was accomplished. Pursu- aut to the provisions of that act, a State Board of Agriculture was formed, of which the Governor, Joseph A. Wright, was Pres- ident, and John B. Dillon. Secretary. On the 4th of June, 1851, this board issued a circular, which was distributed in all the conuties of the State, setting forth the purposes for which the board was organized, and suggesting the organization of district and county societies, as a means directed to the accomplishment of the purposes contemplated in the preparation and passage of the law above referred to. In this county, the Delphi Journal, of August 28, 1851, contained au editorial suggestion. directing public opinion to the propriety of immediate organization under the regulations presented by the State Board. Subsequently, no- tice was published in the county papers, requesting farmers and others interested: to meet at the court house in Delphi, on Satur- day, September 20, 1551, to consider the question of organizing a county society, for the advancement of agricultural interests. and to tako such steps as the situation seemed to demand. . A meeting was accordingly held on the day indicated. in which a very respectable member of the farmers of Carroll County partici- pated with comunendable zeal. Of this meeting, Aaron Gregg was appointed Chairman, and John B. Mifroy, Secretary. The result of this meeting was a series of resolutions expressive of the . prevailing sentiment. The first of the series declared the confi- denee of the meeting in the expediency and the highly-beneficial effects of a well-organized and permanent society. A committee, consisting of Isaac Jackson. Robert H. Milroy and Andrew H. Evans, was appointed to prepare a suitable constitution and by. laws for the government of such a society, with nstructions to report, the samo at a meeting called to perfect the organization, on the HIth of October following. At the time appointed, a meet- ing was held at the court house, when the committee before ap- pointed for the purpose reported a constitution and by-laws for the government of the proposed society, which, being duly con- sidored, were unanimously adopted, after which'a large mimber of farmers and others present, enrolled their names as members of the society. The proamble and constitution' embraced a brief review of the advantages to be derived from the united efforts of the farmers and mechanics of the county in introducing, compar- ing and testing the relative merits of labor-saving machinery, becoming familiar with popular methodsof conducting the affairs of the farm and work-shop. improving stock. and thereby of ele- vating the standard of civil worth. " For the accomplishment of which regular and stated meetings are to be instituted, as a means in their own hands of inviting competition for premiums on arti- cles and methods possessing in themselves peculiar and poruin- spirit of emulation in whatever may have a tendency to enhance the value and quality of their respective commodities. the result of individual or mutual exertion. Believing. also, that through this medium a source of knowledge may be presented, which can- not fail of enriching their minds with the fruits of experience, by encouraging a free current of co-operative sentiment to flow throughout the length and breadth of the land.
" The government of the society will be conducted by a Presi- dont, Vice President. Secretary. Treasurer, and one Director from each civil township of the county, who, in the performance of the respective duties assigned them, shall constitute a Board of Di- rectors, for.the general management of the affairs of the society, which will consist in the preservation of order, recording and pre- serving abstracts of the Treasurer's reports; statements of success-
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
heretofore unthought of. In connection with other things of in- torest, he showed specimens of flax cotton, a material composed wholly of flax, yet which has all the whiteness and softness of
ful contributors for premiums on crops and other improvements; with a detail of the mode of tillage, embracing the niodes of cult- ure, or the principles involved, which result in the improvements prosented, and upon which a premium may be awarded. for the : texture seen in the finest article of cotton, and, at same time pos- specific purpose of preserving them for future reference and im- sessing the strength and firmness of the best flax-linen goods, which was a result of an application of the principles of chemis- try." . This address was so replete with facts of vast moment to the agriculturist, and with apt illustrations of the experiences of himself and others, ou the theme of disenssion. that a report. pf it was prepared and published in a succeeding issue of the Del phi Journal, from which the following items are extracted: provement; the advancement of the society by an exhibition of its prospects at different periods and under different circumstan- ces, together with the addresses delivered on agricultural subjects, the principal productions of the county and their amounts the average yield pgr,, acre of the various crops -- the current prices which they bear in, market, with many other matters, which, if
properly considered and fully carried out, cannot fail of resulting . : "It is with joy that. I meet you thus, not as aspirants for pub- in permanent advantage to the community, as well as to individ- . lic favor discussing questions of political policy: not for the con- ual members of the society." sideration of matters of a judicial nature, but as an assemblage, a
Under the provisions of the constitution, an election for tem --: meeting of the farmers for deliberation upon subjects connected porary officers of the society thus organized, was held, with the , with their peculiar occupation, touching the interest which they
following result: Thomas. Thompson, President: William Hance, feel in the prosperity of agriculture. I rejoice to meet you: to mingle in the unity of sentiment, which has called this meeting and indneed the formation of a society having for its objects the uncovering and presentation of those evidences of progress which are exhibited in the improvements and discoveries in the applica- tion of philosophical principles to the production of the fruits of the farm; to talk with you of the many important things that Vice President; Isaac Jackson. Secretary; Thomas Stirlon, Treas =: urer; R. H. Milroy, for Deer Creek; Richard Sibbitt, for Tippe- canoe; Mordecai N. Ellis, for Jefferson; J. Guthrie, for Rock Creek; Stephen Paden, for Jackson; Simeon Wilson, for Carroll- ton; Alexander Murphy, for Clay; Sylvester Quinn, for Burling- ton; Esquire Wyatt, for Domocrat; John Crowell, for Adams; Preston Culvert, for Madison; William Dillon, for Washington, I have come to my knowledge in relation to the advantages gained and Jonathan Barnett, for Monroe Township, Directors.
These Directors were requested to act in their respective town- , class who are entitled to the honor of being the observers of the ships as a committee to canvass for members of the society. Editors of the respective papers were requested to publish pro- ceedings and make editorial mention of the same from time to time. The meeting then adjourned to meet on the second Mon- day of November. 1851.
In the meantime, an invitation had been sent to Hon. Henry L. Ellsworth, at La Fayette, a member of the State Board of Agri- : is independent. His capital stock is invested in the soil, which culture, and formerly Commissioner of Patents, to visit and ad- dress the society on the occasion of its next meeting. The fol lowing letter indicates his acceptance of the invitation:
LA FAYETTE, October 30. 1851.
GENTLEMEN -- Your kind letter of the 20th is received. It will give me great pleasure to meet agricultural friends on the 10th of November at. Delphi. I am always happy to confer with practical farmers-there is much that is cheering and interesting to us all. Providence designed agriculture as the chief occupation of man in his short pilgrimage on earth, and has eminently blessed their profession. Hoping to see you soon. I remain-sin." cerely,
After the address, the society was called again to order, for the purpose of electing officers for the coming year. The result HENRY . L. ELLSWORTH. To Isaac Jackson. R. II. Mitroy and .A. Ii. Beaux, Committer. was as follows: Thomas Thompson, President: Williamni Hance, Vice President: Isaac Jackson, Secretary, and - Thomas Stirlen. On Monday afternoon, November 10, pursuant to adjournment, a meeting of the farmers of Old Carroll, and others favorable to their interests, assembled at the court honse for the purpose of effecting the permanent organization of a county agricultural society. The meeting was called to order by the President, after Treasurer. The townships represented elected the following Di- rectors: Thomas Ferrier, Deer Creek: Mordecai N. Ellis. Jeffer- son ; Stephen- Paden, Jackson ; Richard Sibbitt, Tippecanoe : John Crowell, Adams; John Guthrie, Rock Creek: A. G. Hanna. Monroe-leaving the townships unrepresented to select their which the objects of the meeting were made known by R. H. ' Directors at such time in the future as they were represented in Milroy, Esq , who, also, as a member of the Committee of Invita-, the society :. A committee was appointed also, with instructions tion, introduced Hon. H, L. Ellsworth to the meeting, as the w to prepare and report, at a subsequent meeting; a code of by- laws speaker for the occasion. . Mr. Ellsworth, then, ". in an address of for the regulation of business. Such a meeting was called for some fifty minutes, ilhistrated, in the most happy manner, the . the third Saturday in Jannary. 1852. In dne time, the Commit practical advantages arising from a system of agriculture based tee on By-Laws reported, the code reported being accepted, efforts wore directed toward seenring the names of members and the fur- therange of the objects of the association, as expressed in the pre- amble to the constitution, and the resolutions adopted at the meet- ings held in advance of the organization. 'Some of the results of these early proceedings will be 'exhibited in the succeeding chapters. upon scientific principles, by presenting a series of important and interesting facts connected with his own experience and the expo. rience of others who had. sufficient confidence in the utility of science, as connected with the farming interest, to embrace its policy, which fairly and fully exhibited that agriculturaltruth is being continually developed. simplified, and applied in a degree
..
to the masses, from those who cultivate the soil. We are the only original disposition made of man by the Creator. In the garden of Eden we were commanded to make our living by the sweat of the brow; hence, there is a dignity in labor which belongs not to the idler, the professor, nor to the merchant, but to the farmer. Take the young agriculturist; he settles down in the full posses- sion of all the enjoyments of sober life, happy, free, because he yields her abundance to supply him with the necessaries of life and provide a competency to meet his coming wants, withont the risk attending other classes of citizens in their efforts at inde- pendence. * There is no profession attended with so * : many blessings as the agricultorist. He is subjected to few or none of those canses of uncertainty so general among the profes- sions."
140
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
CHAPTER XIII. SOCIETIES AND FAIRS.
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS-PREPARATIONS FOR AN EXHIBITION OF FARM PRODUCTS-THE FIRST FAIR- - AWARD OF PREMIUMS- EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL WORK-OTHER FAIRS AND WHAT CAME OF THEM-CHANGES IN THE ORGANIZA- TION-PERIODS OF INACTIVITY FOLLOWED BY REVIVALS OF IN- PEREST-ADDRESSES ON AGRICULTURAL SUBJECTS BY REV. E W. WRIGHT AND OTHERS-GENERALITIES.
FOLLOWING the proceedings had by the Carroll County Ag- ricultural Society, during the fall of 1851. the winter of 1851-52. and the spring and summer succeeding, in the processes . of organization and preparation for work, special efforts were directed toward the realization of the anticipated benefits to be . best five acres of wheat: Enoch Stansel. $2. for the best swine:
derived from an exhibition of the best results of farm-labor and the competition for premiums on superior productions. Early in the year 1852, it was given out that a fair would be hokl in the county some time during the succeeding fall, and a united effort. was put forth to make the movement a success, and thus deter. mine the question whether beneficial results were likely to follow. and whether improvements in agricultural economy would be in- anced thereby. Meetings of the society were held in advance, unid definite lines of procedure were prescribed in the meantime. Some time in advance of the time contemplated for holding the fair, a meeting of the Board of Directors was held, at which the following resolutions were presented and adopted:
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