USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Indiana : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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From Sundry persons. 48 35
$1.639 55
By cash paid on Commissioners' orders 399 38
Balance in treasury . $1,240 17
The November settlement was as follows:
Balance at last settlement .. $1.591 20
Since received. 469 65}
$2,(0) 854
Cash paid
1,722 721
Balance in the treasury. $ 338 13
The following exhibit presents a classified statement of the receipts and disbursements of the County Treasurer as shown by his report submitted May 31, 1850:
RECEIPTS.
La Treasury at last settlement. 2.725 04
Received since-Donation funds. 211 42
Peddlers and shows. 12 00
Estrays. 14 50
Grocery licenses.
10 00
School tax for 1848.
37 18
Ferry licenses
3 00
County revenue
5.313 60
Saninary funds. 15 00
Merchants' licenses,
130 00
Road tax for 1849 ..
1,297 32
Redemption dellaquent land. 390 72
Trust funds. 3.151 12
Total. 13.741 05
EXPENDITURES.
Paid on county orders as follows :
For public buildings. 260 98
26 00
For estrays ..
1 00
For poor farm.
12, 20
For expenses-court house
58 18
For expenses of poor.
822 91
For specific allowances.
91 46
For books and stationery
108 47
For expenses of jail.
32 17
For printing.
209 25
For wood. 42 13
For school tax.
146 48
For illegal fax refunded.
15 69
For roads and highways.
831 29
For expenses of jurors. 468 37
For Coroner's inquest. 29 25
For expenses of bailit's.
65 00
For expenses of criminals.
229 16
For county officer- salaries,
955 64
For expenses of elections. 59 00
Fer road fax.
1.216 99
For expenses of bridges.
3,555 15
For county house fund. 295 00
For redemption delinquent fand. 416 60
For trust funds. 2.609 08
Total. . $ 12,115 40
Balance remmining in treasury. 1.565 65
Tatal. .
13,741 05
May 31. 1850. MILo DIBBLE. Treasurer C. C.
For wolf scalps
168
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
The footings of the Treasurer's report filed June 1, 1855, are as follows:
Receipts-total.
$31,157 46
Expended total. 22,615 67
Balance. $ 8,541 79
Outstanding orders not redeemed. . 466 84
A like statement, filed May 31, 1858, presents the following exhibit of county finances:
Receipts-total. $48,756 01
Expenditures. 46,453 09
Balance $ 2,302 92
The Treasurer's report of the 8th of June, 1860, makes the following showing:
Total amount received.
$54,216 42
Total amount expended. 51,029 49
Balance.
$ 3,186 93
SCHOOL FUNDS.
Amount Congressional Township fund at close of last year. .
$32,151 50
Amount added from sale of school land, 1,180 00
Amount of unsold land (320 acres) 3,240 00
Total amount at date of report. $33,231 50
Common school fund at the close of last year. 6,411 29
Since added by fines and forfeitures. 35 97
By Commissioners of Sinking Fund. 5,362 09
From all other sources. 16 25
Total at this date. $11.825 60 Amount lost since 1842. 554 75
Operations in and condition of both funds:
Congressional Fund.
Common School Fund
Amount refunded within the year. $3,315 87
$ 6,454 90
Amount re-loaned within the year.
2,801 79 5,363 55
Amount interest collected within the year
1,791 36 1,117 10
Amount safely invested
3,271 42
10,734 25
Amount of fund uninvested at date .. 514 08
1,091 35
By the report of the Treasurer, filed May 31, 1865, it was shown that within the year preceding, he had received $99,976.62, and had paid out $7,7495.46, leaving a balance of $21,481.16.
A like showing is made by the Treasurer in his report sub- mitted May 31, 1870:
Balance on hand May 31, 1869. $ 62,204 62
Amount received since. 150,109 56
Total received.
$212,314 18
Total amount expended. 152,993 36
Balance.
$ 59,320 82
An abstract of the report of the Treasurer filed June 1, 1876, is as follows:
Receipts.
Disbursements.
Of State revenue.
$ 26,417 22
$ 26,417 22
Of school revenue.
43,403 12
29,678 16
Of township revenue. 72,810 16
48,607 59
Of railroad tax.
13,975 27
13,400 00
Of bridge revenue.
17,424 82
12,095 51
Of county revenuc.
33,734 66
44,325 51
Redemption of lands.
199 74
114 75
Show licences
30 00
30 00
Liquor
1,000 00
900 00
Total. $208,994 99
$175,568 74
Cash in treasury, June 1, 1876. $ 33,426 25
By the report of the Treasurer of Carroll County, submitted and approved by the Board June 1, 1881, the finances of the county for the year ending May 31, 1881, is shown in the ab- stract as follows:
RECEIPTS.
Balance in the Treasury of State tax, State House tax, State school tax, county revenne, bridge revenue and all other funds, June 1, 1880. .$ 61,321 62
Received during the year. . 185,304 14
Total receipts. $246,625 76
DISBURSEMENTS.
Amounts overdrawn, June 1, 1880. $ 3,018 84
Amounts disbursed during the year. 164,904 66
Total disbursements. $167,923 50
Balance on hand June 1, 1881. 79,547 93
Amounts overdrawn, June 1, 1881. 845 67
The following statement of the receipts and disbursements of the county revenue especially shows the same more in detail:
Balance on hand June 1, 1880. $20,057 95
Amount received during the year. 34,970 79
Total received. $55,028 74
Disbursed during the year. 38,570 25
Balance on hand June 1, 1881. $16,458 49
Among the disbursements of the year, $50 was for Teachers' Institute; $150 for insurance; $949 for County Superintendent; $1,859.86 for jurors; books and stationery, $1,089.12; assessing revenue for 1880, $1,783; County Commissioners' salaries, $546; county attorneys, $356.23; County Physicians, $949; court ex- penses, $1,924.95; poor asylum, $1,653.56; ditches, $1,863.86; printing and advertising, $1,045.95; county officers' salaries, $5,- 507.80; poor, $2,851.26, and county bonds, $10,000; interest on them, $2,400.
MILITARY HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
CILA PTER I. INTRODUCTION.
MILITARY HISTORY AS AN ADJUNCT OF CIVIL HISTORY-WAR THE FORERUNNER OF CIVILZATION-REVIEW OF MILITARY OPERATIONS INCIDENT TO THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS OF THIS COUNTRY-RESULTS OF THE OLD FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR -- WAR OF THE REVOLUTION-THE INDIAN WAR SUCCEEDING THE REVOLUTION-THE WAR OF 1813-COM LUSIONS.
THE military experiences of all countries are component ole- ments of their current history. Civilization has rarely. or never, been established in any portion of the world except through the agency of military power and by force of arms. It has so near- ly become a maxim that war is the great forerunner of civilization by preparing the way for its advent, that for ages the capoon has been recognized as an emblem indicating that the reign of bar- barism had been supplanted by the introduction of a higher order of government. In the countries of the Old World, and in the Now as well. cannon aud the sword have opened the way for the car of progress. Hence it is that the military features in the his- tory of the nations of the world fonas the distinguishing charne- teristic of modern and ancient history. Virgil, the great Roman poet. introduces his recital of the exploits of Encas, bis hero. with " Arma virumque cano" -- I sing of arms and run -- of Encas and those who accompanied him, armed as the advance gnard of civilization- the first ovent to which history refers as . draw his pension Mareh 4, 1831, at which time he was eighty- the founding of Rome by the Trojans. So with the founding of most cities and governments of antiquity - - their individuality was first established by the show of military power. Indeed, it is "information concerning the personal history of Mr. Nichols, just scarcely possible to peruse what is written of avy period in the where he resided here and when he died, we have now no means luistory of the ancients without encountering, in a large measure, ; of ascertaining. Among others who served their country during recitals of the warlike exploits of the people of whom the his. the period of the Revolution. the name of Jacob Olinger appears. County at an early day. The service he performed entitles him also to recognition as one of the heroes of 1776. and accordingly torian has written. Wars and changes in the forms of govern : Ho came from the State of Tennessee and settled in Carroll ments and their rulers constitute the leading themes discussed in their pages. As it was with the ancients in this regard, so it has been and is with modern historians. If, also, the fact is appli- ; his name is placed upon the roll. to the credit of this county. cable to the methods prescribed for national and State histories, it is equally so to county histories, except, perhaps, in the last instance, the military review shonkl be a little less conspicnous -- occupying simply a distinct division appropriated especially to the discussion of all matters appertaining to that department. For such a separate division of our history Carroll County can furnish abundant material.
Of the Indian wars, whose effects have in the past been made manifest, in this portion of the Northwest, sufficient bas already been related in the " Poriod of Indian Wars." to which referener is made for the information sought.
Those Indian wars, however, extended into and became im- portant factors, in the struggle for independence, on the part of the colonies against Great Britain, and as such wrought an influ- ence on the future of those colonies and of the territory subso quently under their jurisdiction, the result of which, we, as the lineal descendants of those colonists enjoy to day That some of
the patriots who participated in the memorable conflicts which were instrumental in transmitting to their posterity the rich in- heritaner thus inuring to their descendants, became in their latter days residents of Carroll County and enjoyed the privileges of pioneer life in our midst, is true, but the whole number of them and their names are now scarcely attainable. Of those whose names have been placed upon the pension roll for services per- formed in the war of the Revolution, and who were designated as the residents of Carroll County, the following were found thereon : in 1834, to wit: James Shaw, a private soklier of the Virginia ; line, whose name was so placed on the pension roll on the 14th of June, 1820, but whose pension began to run on the 24th of : August. 1819, when the pensioner was seventy-seven years old. Prior to bis residence in Carroll County, he was a citizen of Gal- latin County. Ky., and transferred thence to this county. His annual allowance was $96, and the aggregate sinn received prior to 1SB-4 was $1,395.09. His ago at the latter date was ninety-one years, and his name was placed on the pension list pursuant to the provisions of an act of Congress passed and approved March 18. 1818. In what part of the county he lived during his sojourn ; here, and the date of his death we have not been able to learn. nor who his descendants wore. The name of Willibe Nichols, who was a private of the Virginia Militia, and whose name was placed on the pension roll October 3, 1833, but commenced to five years old, and a resident of this county. His annual allow- ance was $38,33, and in 1834 he had drawn $114.99. Further
These three veterans, and without doubt others, whose names and "histories we have been nuable to trace, belong now to the military record of Carroll County. That the widows of some of the heroes who hazarded their lives in the struggle for independence subse- quently bocane residents hore, is also certain. Among these we note the name of Mrs. Abigail Huston, widow of James Huston, formerly of Mifflin County. Penn., and a soldier of the Revolu tion. This lady was the mother of Mrs. Gen. Samuel Milroy, an : oarly resident of this county, and the grandmother of Gen. Robert Huston Miiroy, whose name is as familiar as a household word in the military history of the country. She died in this county, at the residence of her son-in-law, on the 6th of Septem. ber, 1837. She was born about the year 1750, in Lancaster County, Penn,, near the ancient village of Columbia. Before the commencement of the Revolutionary period, however, she, with her father, moved to Mifflin County, in that State, where she long resided, and became a wife, and the mother of a numerous
170
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
family. Her husband died there, also, in 1789. After his death, " her children emigrating to the West, she accompanied them to Kentucky, where she resided many years, from whence she came to Indiana for the purpose of being with her children, who had, most of them, left the former Stato." At the time of her death, she was aged eighty-seven years and eight months. "In the period of her life, she had witnessed this country rising from the condition of feeble colonies, struggling against Indian depreda- tions (the mangled victims of whose numerous battles it was her fate often to behold before she arrived at woman's years), until the country became a mighty nation; and, although her earthly existence has terminated eight hundred miles west of the place of her nativity (at that time the frontier), population and civiliza- tion now extend far beyond." With these names we close the Revolutionacy branch of our military history.
THE WAR OF 1812.
The period of military strife known as the war of 1812, prior to the gigantic rebellion of 1861 to 1865, called the "Last War" had its origin, probably, in the almost continued warfare with the various hostile Indian tribes of the Northwest, which succeeded, or rather, was in existence, during the progress of the Revolu- tionary struggle-in which the British soldiery were aiders and abettors.
True, the war of 1812, as a distinct period of hostilities between this country and Great Britain, commenced with the declar- ation of war by the Congress of the United States, on the 18th of June, 1812, the prelude to which, however, was an embargo laid by the President of the United States on the recommendation of Congress, on the 3d of April preceding, upon all vessels within the jurisdiction of this Goverment. It will be remembered that for many years anterior, during and subsequent to the war of the Revolution, the Governments of Great Britain and France, ex- tending to their dependencies in North America, were engaged in almost continuous acts of hostility. These acts of hostility were, in a measure, stimulated by the opposite Indian policies of the two countries, the methods of which, as we have seen, effected the relations of the Indian tribes of this country with our people, inducing them to take sides with one or the other of these nations, with whom they claimed alliance, respectively.
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During the major part of this period, the French were in alliance with the people of the United States, which gave sem- blance to the idea, on the part of the British nation, that this Government was privately giving aid and assistance to their enemies-the French. As the outgrowth of that idea, "the British Government, in January, 1807, issued an order in council, forbidding all the coasting trade with France, on penalty of con- demnation." . Inasmuch as it was difficult to distinguish between the English and Americans, on board vessels suspected of being engaged in this ' contraband trade with France, the British claimed the right to capture and impress into their service all persons supposed to be' so engaged, and proceeded to execute the orders aforesaid; and, among others, impressed a number of our citizens. This proceeding was the occasion of the embargo laid upon British vessels, and the proclamation of the President order- ing all armed British vessels to leave the waters of the United States, and not to again enter them until proper satisfaction was given for the result. This proper satisfaction not having been accorded by the British Government, hostilities were declared by the United States against Great Britain, on the 18th of June, 1812, which was officially terminated by the treaty of Ghent, on
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the 24th day of December, 1814, and practically also closed the Indian war.
Of course, so far as this county is concerned, the war itself was passed long before this region was occupied by white settlers. Still, in this locality and in the vicinity adjacent, the war, during its continuance, was a fearful calamity and a source of danger and terror to the not very distant settlements on the Lower Wa- bash, and farther away to the southward and eastward. These forests, like those of older pioncer districts, were the habitations of hostile bands of desperate savages, whose towns and villages, large and small, stood within, or, at most, but a few miles beyond the limits of what is now Carroll County, and their trails trav- ersed this territory, leading to and from those places of rendezvous not very remote. Incidents of this period are yet within the recollection of a scanty few who were participants in them. The number of those who took part in the transactions referred to is necessarily small in this county, as in every other county of the great Northwest. That some yet remain and more have passed to the life beyond at some time in its history were residents of Carroll County. Touching the individual history of any who took part in that second war for independence, only isolated sketches can at this late day be obtained.
Of the inany present and former residents of this county who took part in the defense of their country against the British and Indians, either in the expeditions against the Indians especially, or the combined forces of both, we have been able to ascertain the names of the following, with something of their personal history and the service performed: Col. Ziba Holt, JJames Blake, Samuel Milroy, Richard Chabert, Lewis Johnson, William Hughes, Andrew Wood, .George T. Wallace, Rouben Thayer, Sr., Richard Sibbitt, George Malcom, Moses Colton. in addition to many others, whose services, as well as their names, are not now readily obtainable.
Col. Holt was born on the 25th of August, 1769, in the town of Hampton, Windham Co., Conn. At the age of twenty-one years, he, with some others, started on an expedition to Kentucky, making the journey in sleighs. Subsequently, he purchased a tract of 100 acres of land on the hill opposite to Madison, Ind. made a deadening on it and set up a blacksmith-shop. In the fall of 1814, he left Kentucky as Captain of a volunteer company, to take part in the defense of New Orleans.' : The troops of his command took passage on a flat-boat for the place of their desti- nation, reaching that point on the 4th of January, 1815, a few days before the battle. On the night preceding. thielengagement, the Kentucky troops were ordered to cross the river to prevent the British from landing. Soon after reaching the point to which they had been sent, they saw the enemy approaching, and, in consequence of the superior numbers of troops of the British, he, with his command, was compelled to fall back and make a stand at some old saw-mills in the vicinity. Having done this and maintained their ground for a time, further retreat became neces- sary, when, on the 9th, they re-crossed the river. During the action on the right bank of the river, Capt. Holt never got sight of his superior officer, Gen. Morgan, from which and other cir- cumstances he was impressed with the belief that the. General played the part of a coward. The Kentucky troops remained on the battle-field until the 18th of March, when they were ordered to Camp Washington, seven miles back of Natchez, where Capt. Holt was directed to take charge of the sick. When that service had been performed, he returned home, landing there in July. Upon his return, the Governor of Kentucky appointed him a
171
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
Major in the State militia. Afterward he was appointed Lieu- tenant Colonel, then Colonel, and finally, Brigadier General; this last commission, however. he refused to accept. He commanded the Fifty-first Regiment of Kentneby militia for many years and for more than thirty years, he was an officer of the militia in that State. He became a resident citizen of Carroll County in August, 1829, and continued to reside here during the remainder of his life, which terminated on the 6th of May, 1860, at the ad- vanced age of nearly ninety-one years.
James Blake, at one time a temporary resident of Carroll County, was born in York County, Penn., March 3, 1791. Early in life he came Westward, driving a six-horse team from Phila- delphia to Pittsburgh. Thus engaged, he passed several yem's, from 1812 to 1818. While the war was going on and the British army was threatening Baltimore, ho volunteered in Capt. Bishler's company, and took part in the defense of that city, remaining there until the danger had passed at that point-a period of about three months, when the troops were disbanded. Afterward, he went to the city of Washington with his team, and hauled oue of the pieces of heavy artillery from that place to Perth Amboy, N. J., consuming about three weeks in the journey.
In the latter part of July, 1821, he settled at Indianapolis, Ind., and afterward made that place his home. In after years he was actively engaged in the ginseng business, and, for a time, was a resident of Carroll County. He died a few years since, honored and respected by all who knew him.
Gen. Samuel Milroy, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this volume, was born on the 14th of August, 1780, in Mifflin County, Penn. In 1809, he settled in Nelson County, Ky., and remained there several years, during which time, in the month of September, 1812, the Indians attacked and destroyed a settlement in Scott County, Indiana Territory, killing twenty-four persons, including men, women and children. The effect of this news was to create throughout Kentucky intense excitement. Companies of mounted volunteers were raised hastily and sent forward to the scene of disaster. One of those companies was raised by Mr. Milroy, in his own county, and, pushing their way into the enemy's country, they reached the scene of the massacre in abont four days after its occurrence, the distance being near one hun- dred miles. His, with the other volunteer companies from his State, swolled the number to about 350 men. In addition to these, several companies formed in the surrounding counties, coustituted a very respectable army of about 500 men. The ruins were still smoking and the mangled bodies of the slaughtered victims scattered in ghastly array near the ruins or partially con- sumed in their midst. Revenge was strongly marked on every countenance and a fixed determination, to terribly chastise the perpetrators of the inhuman outrage. Although a council of war was held, it failed in adopting any specific measures for the relief of the beleaguered settlers, and many of the companies disbanded. In this contingency, Capt. Milroy, with what volunteers he could induce to accompany him, determined to follow the murderous gang, and, if possible, overtake and punish them. The attempt, however, was abortive, and he was compelled to give up the pur- snit.
In 1816, he was commissioned as Major by Gov. Posey; a Colonel by Gov. Jennings, in 1817, and subsequently, by the same ! ing the facts as to the extent and character of that service, we officer, a Brigadier General, in 1819.
Richard Chabert, of French parentage, a native of Vincennes, while comparatively young, was frequently engaged in short expeditions against the vicinity of the Old Post. His military
career, however, was brief, though he was more or less frequently a participant in the transactions with the Indians. From this county he removed to Logansport, where he died about the year 1834.
Lewis Johnson, a native of Kentucky, and a near relative of Hon. Richard M. Johnson, of Tecumseh notoriety, did service in the numerous expeditions against the British and Indians sent fortlı by the State of Kentucky in defense of the frontier settle- ments of Indiana and adjacent Territories. He came to Indiana Territory at a very early day, and resided for many years in Fay- ette County, in this State, removing thence to Carroll County, in 1830, remaining here from that time forward until his final removal to Cass County, some twenty-five years since, where he died not loug after at an advanced age.
William Hughes, one among the early settlers of this county, was born in Winchester, Va., on the 28th of April, 1790. At a very early age he removed thence, with his father, to Clark County, Ky .: afterward, to Clark County, Ohio, and from thence, a few years later, he returned to Kentucky, and subsequently, he went to Adams County, Ohio. In 1814. during the existence of the war with Great Britain, he entered the military service and was on duty for a period of six months. While thus engaged, lie was stationed, a portion of the time, at Upper Sandusky, and was there when the battle of Lower Sandusky was fought, when Col. George Croghan achieved such a signal victory against a force so vastly superior in point of numbers and experience to his own.
He moved to Madison County, Ind., in a portton of the Terri- tory then recently purchased from the Delaware Indians, about the year 1820. Having moved to and remained temporarily at several different points in this State and elsewhere, he finally set- tled in Carroll County, in February, 1827, and has since been a resident here, enjoying a ripe old age surrounded with all the essential comforts of life.
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