USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Indiana : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 17
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 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
117
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
were studied, practice in oral and silent reading. with a week spont in studying the principal American authors, their lives, etc .: selections from their best works were given by S. B. MeCracken. The purpose in the arithmetic work was to give a thorough study of factoring and its applications, with a general review in arith. metic. In geography, to study the earth undor those conditions which especially make it fitted for man's habitation, and by that means to decide what conditions have aided in making the na- tions what they are. The word-study included orthoeps, and some time spent in word analysis." The model school. an attrac. tive and instructive feature of the normal. was conducted by Miss Jessie Stretch, the purpose being to give students an opportunity to observe the work in the first, second and fourth grades in primary schools. " Four lectures were given. S. H. Fursho lectured on . Three Despised Races of Mankind, and on . Sue- cess in Life.' W. A. Bell, of the School Journal, delivered a for- cible lecture on . Young America and His Sister. W. B Ever- man, on 'Yosemite.' to a large and appreciative andience."
Normal schools, which were designed to be preparatory to the county institutes, were first established in Carroll County on the 31st of July, 1876. It has been the custom to holdl a session of the hormal each year. during the months of July and August. " are so inelined. except the absence of worshipers. The tendency continue the same four weeks, and conelnde by holding an insti. . of private worship naturally is toward the outward manifestations tute for the benefit of county teachers for one week, making the : of public worship, and public worship carries with it the pro- nisual sessions for normal and the institute work five weeks. The first session of the normal was held at Camden. commencing as ' and schoolhonses. Nothing, as a rule, need prevent the presence noted above. With one exception. the normal has uniformly been . and conduct of schools or places of instruction for juveniles, ex- hold at the same place, the session of 1878 having been held at cept the absence of children to whom instruction can be imparted. Delphi. The instructors at the first session were: Houry Carter, . Without children enough in a given neighborhood to make up a Josoph Studebaker and the Superintendent. Mr. Britton. together with several lecturers from abroad. "The second session com- meneed on the 23d of July, 1877. and lasted four weeks. It was in charge of Prof. W. H. Pertich. one of the finest elocutionists and institute workers in the State, assisted by Henry Carter and Thomas H. Britton, the County Superintendent, with occasional assistance from D. D. Blakeman. of Delphi, and others."
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth sessions were held respec. . quents, we instinctively infer that the people of such a community assisted by William Hooper and Thomas H. Britton: that of life. the inevitable conclusion follows that this people was not
tively, commencing the last Monday in July. 1878. 1879. ISSO and ISSI, and continuing for four consecutive weeks, followed by sessions of the County Teachers' Institute of one week cach. The session of 1978 was conducted by George F. Bass, of Indianapolis. 170. by William Britton, of Ohio. S. B. HeCrackon, of this county, and the Superintendent. In ISSO, it was conducted by the County Superintendent and S. B. MoCracken, assisted by Bailey Martin. That of 1\\\ was conducted by S. B. MoCracken and Bailey Martin. assisted by Houry Carter, an account of which has been elsewhere given.
" During the six years the normal has been in session. it has made a steady progress. not only in attendance, but also in the method of instruction. The purpose of furnishing the teacher with the knowledge of . how to teach ' is becoming more and more fixed." as the resultant influence becomes more manifest.
CHAPTER XVI. COUNTRY SCHOOLS.
SOME OF THE EARLY TEACHERS-FIRST SCHOOLS AND THEIR METH- ops-INTRODUCTION OF IMPROVED METHODS, THE RESULTS- SCHOOL APPARATUS FURNITURE. HOUSES, ETC-THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSES IN THE COUNTY -- THE FIRST ERECTED FOR THAT PURPOSE-THE NAMES AND WORK OF PIONEER LABORERS IN THE FIELD-THE COUNTY SEMINARY. ETC.
TEXT to the organization of religions societies and the orre 1 tion of houses of worship, the establishment of schools and the building of schoolhouses are the most satisfactory evidences of progress and improvement. and of the moral and mental status of pioneer settlers in any locality, since the presence or absence of one or both of these landmarks more accurately determine the measure of culture and characteristics of a people than can be ascertained by any other process. Circumstances, it is true, must be taken into consideration in making the estimate. Indeed, the surroundings, may be sneh as to prevent the outward show of such evidences. There is nothing. however, that need prevent private or family worship, or. generally, pubhe worship, if the people samption of a church edifice or a meeting-place. So with schools school, the safe substitute is like routines of instruction carried out at home. As soon as the number of children of the proper age is such as to justify the employment of a special teacher. first, a private room suitable for the purpose is obtained. and schools tunight therein natil the situation will warrant the erec- tion of a public schoolhouse. Therefore, the primary conditions being apparent. and the secondary following as natural conso- are provident, likely to possess the elements of good citizenship -otherwise. the opposite inference prevails.
By such a standard. if we measure the early settlers of Car- roll County, taking into consideration the experiences of pioneer withont churches, schools and schoolhouses in the beginning. nor have they been since.
At first, until after the lapse of a year or two, the number of settlers was small. and the number of children of a proper age to attend school was necessarily insufficient to make up a school; hence no school was actually formed in this county until the sun- mor and fall of 1527. Then there were children sufficient, and a school was organized. of which Miss Sarah B. Robinson, dangh- ter of the late Henry Robinson. the first settler of Carroll County. and sister of Samuel H. Robinson. Esq .. was the teacher. There I was no schoolhouse especially appropriated to that purpose, but teacher and patrons alike were equal to the emergency, and an old log cabin on Mr. Robinson's premises, and unused, was ap- propriated to that use. This building was also the first cabin created in the county, and first occupied by Mr. Robinson and his family, which facts, in this connection. it is eminently proper shonkl be transadited to future generations as worthy of especial record. The first session of this school was continued until fall, cover. ing a period of three of four months during that your. After- 33484
148
ITISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
ward, also. Miss Robinson occupied the same room in the same capacity, and among those who received instructions at her hands in that Imumble cabin. the names of Gen. Robert H. Milroy and his younger brothers, John B. and Sammel. with the children of Daniel Banun. St., Hugh Manary, Benjamin D. Angell, Aaron Dewey and Jolm Odell. are. remembered. These, and without
The first schoolhouse especially built for the purpose was a log cabin, also. situated on the lot adjoining that on which the residence of the late William Barnett now stands. For many years afterward. it was used for all purposes -- for schools. courts. singing schools. religious meetings, the mock Legislature, debat- ing societies, shows, political meetings. etc. It was an important building in its day. and well subserved the several purposes to which it was from time to time appropriated, and as such it still holds a place in the memory of not a few old citizens, who. in times past. enjoyed its privileges.
Aaron Dewey was the first "" schoolmaster." but not the first school " teacher." as is elsewhere shown. In the winter .of . 1827-28, he taught a private school in a cabin adjoining the one in which he lived at the time. on the hill near the house afterward occupied by John Marsh: and. hence, was the second of the long roll comprising the names of those who, in Carroll County, have appropriated a portion of their lives to the instruction of youth. He is said to have been a successful teacher, and from him, also. have many of our citizens received all the school instruction over enjoyed by them.
The name of the first teacher who occupied the first public school building, erected during the winter of 1828-29, cannot now be readily ascertained. nor, indeed. any of his immediate success- ors. At later datos, other log schoolhouses were erected in the immediate neighborhood of Delphi, and teachers provided. as a rule. from among the better educated people of the locality. It was usual. and was rarely otherwise, that teachers for the first schools in the neighborhood were thus provided. The employment of a professional teacher in those days was an anomaly. because teachers of that class were seklom or never found in a community where sturdy farm laborers were most in demand.
sufficient to know. however, that schoolhouses were erected and schools maintained in that, as in most other localities in Carroll County, during the periods of early settlement, before the inau- guration of the public school system of later days. Now, schools and school-teachers are not forgotten, as in the remote past.
As rapidly as new settlements were extended into other portions doubt many others, during the perod of their juvenility, received, . of the county, the conditions precedent being apparent, the same then and there. their first experiences in school life, and to the instructions of that estimable lady, in that cabin of nnhewn logs, can many of them look back with the full assurance that from that fountain they imbibed their first lessons in a life of usefulness. This first teacher of youth in Carroll County has her reward in the quiet remembrance of her surviving pupils. spirit that actuated the settlers at an earlier date moved the peo- ple elsewhere to utilize the means at hand for the education of their children. In Burlington Township. the first settlements were made in 1829, though the settlers were not very numerons until a later period. However, the first schoolhouse was probably not erected until the year 1834 -- a log one, of course. Whether private schools were taught at an earlier date is uncertain. Who the teachers were, if any, in that vicinity. we are not informed, nor. whether there were any schools prior to the date when the first schoolhouse was built. "
In Tippecanoe Township, the first building erected especially for school purposes was the Pleasant Run Schoolhouse, a neat. hewed-log structure, built about the year 1836. or prior to that date. It was used and occupied pretty regularly, at least one term each year being tanght therein. After having been used for some fifteen or sixteen years. it took fire and was burned to the ground on the. 3d day of January. 1851. Soon after, a frame bailding was erected on the site of the old log schoolhouse, with which many interesting reminiscences are connected in the days of its prosperity.
Pursuant to the provisions of an act of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, approved January 27. 1837, to incorpor- ate the Carroll County Seminary, William George. James H. Stew- art, Samuel Grimes. James P. Dugan. James B. Larimer, Lowis Jolison, George C. Saunderson. Isam Adkins. John Lennon, Will- iam Wyatt, Daniel F. Vandeventer. James MeCully, Hugh Gra- ham. William Hauce, Samuel Moore, William Alldridge and Thomas Stirlen, were appointed Trustees, three of whom were for the town of Delphi, and one for each of the several civil town- ships of the county. Immediately succeeding the appointment. of these gentlemen, notice was given that on the 17th of June, 1837, a meeting of the board would be held at the court house for the purpose of deliberating upon and making arrangements for the immediate erection of a county seminary building. One of the primary considerations for the carly meeting of the board and the determination of the question of erecting such an edifice, was the proposed donation of a considerable sum by Dr. Samuel Grimes in case the work was commenced within one year from the date of the proposition. The consideration was an important one; which, to become a' ailable, required the fulfillment of the condi- notice, and the necessary preliminary action taken toward the commencement of said building. Upon examination of the accu- mulated funds in the hands of the County Treasurer liable to bo : appropriated to such nse. they were found to be insufficient for the purpose, and steps were immediately taken to make up the deficiency by voluntary subscriptions. In that way, a sum of money was procured, which, with the sum already on hand and promised was deemed to be sufficient to warrant further proceed- ings on the part of the Trustees. To meet in part the necessary demands. the Board of County Commissioners, at their November session, 1837, directed the County Treasurer to pay over to the treasury of the Carroll County Seminary, of the funds in his hands liable to be so appropriated to that purpose, the sum of $300,
Outside of what is now Deer Creek Township, the first schools and schoolhouses in the county were, probably. in the Paint Creek and Bachelors' Run settlements. within the present geographical limits of Jackson Township. It is stated upon good anthority. tions precedent. The meeting was held in pursuance of said that, abont the year 1831, a respectable hewed-log house was con- . structed on Paint Creek, and used for the double purpose of a meeting-house for the Paint Creek Baptist Church, and for a schoolhouse, also. Not far from the same period. the patrons of the neighborhood erected a building on Bachelors' Run. known as the Mount Pleasant Schoolhouse, especially for school purposes. It was constructed of hewed logs, and had a great fire-place in one end of the building, with a'" cat and clay " chimney- as most buildings of the period were constructed. But. as in most other instances in the history of early school work as practiced in new countries, chiefly on the private plan, no records having been kept, the names of teachers and pupils, with details of proceedings. are lost in the traditions of the past-are not remembered. It is
149
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
and charge the samo to account of said seminary. Subsequently the work was commenced, and progrossed with tolerable rapidity for a time, but occasional delays, induced by a want of money. tended to protract the time of completion to an indefinite length. At the March session, 1838, the Board of Commissioners took further action in the premises in the way of granting additional aid as a means of promoting the enterprise. The contract appears to have been awarded to Thomas C. Hughes, carpenter and build- er, for the orection and completion of the building, and the movement of the County Commissioners was to place the evi- doncos of indebtedness under their control in favor of the county seminary fund, in the hands of the contractor. The order of the Commissioners was to direct the County Treasurer to pay to the Treasurer of the seminary fund $300, to enable him to pay the contractor that sum, " provided that said Hughes take the notes in said Treasurer's hands given by individuals toward the amount of their contract, for doing the carpenter work on the county som- inary, except a fifty-dollar note on Finley." Thus the work went on, but so gradually that the building was little more than cov- ered and inclosed at the end of the year 1838, for that, about the latter period and subsequent thereto, the managers of the "Del- phi Thespian Society" proposed to donate their net earnings to the inside finishing of the edifice, that it mnight the sooner be util- ized for the purposes contemplated in its erection. Tho build- ing was of brick, two stories high, and of octagonal form, and, while it was never finished in strict accordance with the plans proposed for its construction, it was used as the principal school house of the place for many years, both the lower rooms being occupied for school purposes by some of the best teachers who have engaged here as instructors of youth, and a very large pro- portion of the children then resident here received not only their rudimentary, but a comparatively thorough, education within its walls. It was finally destroyed by fire, some time in the year 1848. The real estate afterward went into the common-school fund.
CHAPTER XVIL THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.
EARLY AGITATION OF THE SUBJECT-ORGANIZATION AS A MORE EFFECTIVE METHOD-THE OLD WASHINGTONIANS-THE SONS OF TEMPERANCE -- WORK OF THE ORDER IN CARROLL COUNTY -DIVISIONS INSTITUTED-THE GOOD TEMPLARS-SOMETHING OF WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED-THE MURPHY MOVEMENT- ETC.
A T the time when Carroll County began to be populated, and for a long period antecedent thereto, the use of intoxicating liquors as a boverage was rather the rule than the exception in the regulations of society. Drinking was a custom that had come down from preceding genorations with the sanction of the masses -- indeod, the church, at least some of the branches of it, rovog- nized, even encouraged, the continuance of the custom as essential to the maintenance of good order and propriety. With this early custom, however, the phase of drunkenness seldom manifesting itself was less common and less reprehensible, viewed in the light of its effect upon the victims of indulgence, than at prosent. Then, tho choice liquors of the day were found in almost overy side-board or cupboard, the presence of which was doomed and observed as the only medium through which a visitor could be received into good society, according to the accepted interpreta- tion of the times. This method of interpretation was only modi
fied by the agitation consequent upon the abuse of the liberty under the privileges of which the freqnont use of intoxicants ob- tained. Moral suasion, so called, embodied the chiof element of the agitation, and was calenlated to induce a recognition of the question in comparison with the moral obligations of each indi- vidual to every other with whom he or she might come in contact in the drama of life. At first, the agitators consisted of those persons in whom the moral idea predominated, whose stock in trade was the reprehensible feature of the excessive nso of intoxi- eating liquors as a beverage, without considering the matter in any other light than as a violation of the moral law.
These agitators often acquired notoriety as "religious zealots," self-constituted committees, charged with the important functions of assisting in the reconstruction of individual and public economy. In many instances these functions were faith- Inlly performed with results worthy of the effort expended; in others, however, the influences for good was seareely perceptible, and among others, upon whom theso influences were brought to bear-persons not given to the recognition of the rights of others as paramount to their own, the effect was, not unfrequently, to miduce greater excesses as an exhibition of stubbornness in the maintenance of the boasted privilege of "personal liberty," to do as he pleased. Persons of this latter class were not unfre- quently met with in the earlier periods, oven at the present day like examples were found who lose their personal liberty in their disability to exercise even the right to be sober.
At a later period, the representatives of religious organizations wero clothed with the prerogatives of presenting in the name of the church, the arguments illustrative of the religious view of tomperance and of forming societies for the more effective pro- mulgation of the doctrines of moral reform, temperance being made a specialty. Some of the church organizations sauctioned and even encouraged the formation of temperance societies as anxiliary instrumentalities for the inducement to membership in the church itself All these agencies and others were brought into requisition in furthering these legitimate objects of reform, and unitedly they produced a change in public opinion concerning the great question in issuc.
The "Washingtonian" movement was, perhaps, the first regularly organized effort designed to suppress the use of intoxi- eints as a beverage, even tomperately, claiming that indulgence, even to a limtied extent, was dangerous, especially to those whose appetites had a craving for such excitants which, when gratified, exercised an unyielling control over the victim, notwithstanding the dictates of a inatury judgment to the contrary. These organi- zations spread over the entire community and became a mighty power in the land, in the face of the most formidable opposition. Through its agency a great reforin was wrought and the public mind was thoroughly immmed with the spirit that actuated the movement. Leading men and women made common cause with ibe prive movers, and, by example and influence, exerting them- selves to their utmost in the interest of sobriety. Societies were organized in town and country. Lecturers were in the field cul- tivating all available ground and accomplished munch, oftentimes availing themselves of the confusions of the "reformed " as argamenis too potent to bo gainsayed. The "reformed " also were made valuable auxiliaries in inducing others far gano in intemper- ance, by a comparison of experiences in the sin with the means of reformation and the beneficial results of total abstinence. The existence of branches of this society in Carroll County is a well- romembered fact, but the record of their operations and the activo
150
" HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
agents engaged in them cannot now be accurately. recalled ;; This ; draft a constitution and select a name. This they did, giving to movement had its origin at Baltimore, Md , and was the outgrowth .. . the association. the name of the " Washington Temperance So- of the labors of Dr. George B. Cheever, of., Salem, Mass., and ciety," in honor of the father of his country, and were conse- quently known as "Washingtonians." others designed to concentrate an effort for the common good of all who indulged their appetites for strong drink.
The following details are copied from" "Our First Century,". and give a fair and accurate outline of the circumstances incident to the organization of this first temperance society or order.
It appears that six individuals who were in the habit of asso- ciating together, were seated, as usual, on Friday evening, April 2, 1840, in Chase's tavern, in Liberty street, Baltimore, where they were accustomed to meet almost every evening, for the pur- pose of enjoying mutually all the benefits and conveniences which that establishment and each other's society could possibly afford. These were William K. Mitchell, tailor; Jolin F. Hoss, carpenter; David Anderson, blacksmith; George Steers, blacksmith: James McCurley, coach-maker, and Archibald Campbell, silver-plater. A clergyman who was preaching in the city at that time had given
public notice that on that evening he would deliver a discourse on | of the public was attracted, so that a class was reached which other-
the subject of temperance. Upon this lecture the conversation of the six comrades presently turned, whereupon it was agreed that four of them should go and hear it and report accordingly. So. after the sermon they returned and conversed on its merits for some time, when one of the companions remarked: 'After all, temperance is a good thing.' 'Oh,' said the host, 'they are all a parcel of hypocrites.' 'Oh. yes," replied MeCurley. 'I'll be bound for you; it's your interest to cry them down, anyhow. I tell you what, boys, let's form a society and make Bill Mitchell, President.' 'Agreed!' cried they. The idea seemed to take wonderfully, and the more they talked and laughed over the idea the more they were pleased with it.
After parting that night, they did not all meet again until Sunday, when they took a stroll, and, between walking and treat- ing, they managed to arrange the whole matter to their entire satisfaction. It was agreed that one of them should draw up a pledge, and that the whole party should sign it the next day. Accordingly, on Monday morning, Mitchell wrote the following society for our mutual benefit, and to guard against a pernicious practice, which is injurious to our health, standing and families, do pledge ourselves as gentlemen, that we will not drink any spirituous or malt liquors, wine or cider."
pledge: "We whose names are annexed, desirous of forming a drunkenness to the rostrum of impassioned eloquence in advocacy
He went with this about 9 o'clock to Anderson's house, and found him still in bed, sick from the effect of his Sunday advent- ures. He arose, however, dressed himself, and, after hearing the pledge read, went down to his shop with his friends for pen and ink, and there did himself the honor of being the first man to sign. After obtaining the names of the remaining four, the worthy President finished this noble achievement by adding his own. On the evening of that day, they met at the residence of one of their number and duly formed themselves into a society with the usual officers Little did these six associates know of the fame and achievements they were molding.
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.