USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement to the present time; with Biographical Sketches and Reference to Biographies, Volume I > Part 10
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
rassed countenance the young man said, "Well, Sal, let's be going." Sal followed to the door, but turned around and with an entreating look she said: "Mr. Squire, can't you tie the knot as far as the bees- wax goes?" The squire relented and tied the knot, and sealed it with beeswax, and the happy couple mounted the horse, the bride sitting behind and clinging to her husband, feeling she had struck a good bargain.
INDIAN DEPREDATIONS
Until the Indians were finally all removed to the West in 1838 the early settlers were in constant fear of Indian depredations. They would run off with their horses and appropriate anything they could lay their hands on; would frighten the pioneers by prowling around at night giving their warwhoops; acting in a threatening manner, thoroughly frightening the inmates of the cabin, then appropriate anything out- side they could lay their hands on. When the government paid them their annuity the Indians would often get drunk and become a great source of annoyance to the pioneer, but perhaps no more so than his white brother in a similar condition in this age. Several murders, both of Indians and whites have been reported as occurring in Cass county during these drunken orgies, but exact particulars of each case are not now obtainable. Children have been stolen, but were later restored, except one, which will be reported in the history of the township where the theft occurred. The pioneers were in constant fear that the Indians would attack and massacre them or run them or their children off as prisoners, and many occurrences of this kind took place during the set- tlement of Indiana.
Col. Robt. S. Robertson in his history of the Upper Maumee Valley gives many heartrending tales of the capture of prisoners by the Indians from which we quote some incidents.
The expedition of Colonel Bouquet against the hostile Shawnees brought about the release of more than two hundred white prisoners who had been in captivity for some years.
Among the many prisoners brought into camp, husbands found their wives and parents their children, from whom they had been sepa- rated for years. Women frantic between hope and fear, were running hither and thither, looking piercingly into the face of every child. Some of the little captives shrank from their forgotten mothers and hid in terror in the blankets of the squaws that had adopted them. Some that had been taken away young had grown up, now stood utterly bewildered with conflicting emotions. A husband had found his wife; but his little boy not two years old when captured, had been torn from her and carried off, no one knew where. One day a warrior came in leading a child. At first no one seemed to know it. But soon the mother knew her offspring, and screaming with joy, folded her son in her bosom. An old woman had lost her grand-daughter, nine years before. All her other relatives had died under the scalping knife. Searching with trembling eagerness each of the captives, she at last recognized the features of her long-lost child. But the girl had for- gotten her native tongue and returned no answer and made no sign. The old woman groaned and complained bitterly that the daughter she had so often sung to sleep on her knee had forgotten her old age. Sol- diers and officers were alike overcome.
Sing, said Colonel Bouquet, who had captured this Indian tribe with their white prisoners. Sing the songs you used to sing to your daughter. As the low trembling tones began to ascend the wild girl seemed startled, then listening for a moment longer, she burst into
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a flood of tears. She was indeed the lost child, but all else had been effaced from her memory save the recollections of that sweet cradle song. The tender sensibilities were foreign, as a rule, to the Indian heart; indeed they held such emotions in contempt; but when the song of the old lady was seen, by them, to touch the captive's heart and bring her again to her mother's arms they were overcome by sympathy.
Many captive women who returned with their friends to the settle- ments soon afterward made their escape and wandered back to their Indian husbands, so great was the change that had taken place in their natures.
Only he who knows what it means to hew a home out of a forest; of what is involved in the task of replacing mighty trees with corn; only he who has watched the log house rising in the clearing and has witnessed the devotedness that gathers around the old log school house, and the pathos of a grave in the wilderness can understand how sobriety, decency, aye, devotedness, beauty and power belong to the story of those who began the mighty task of changing the wild West into the heart of a teeming continent.
In pleading for a more just estimate of the pioneer, we do but plead for a higher appreciation of the stalwart and courageous settler who preempted the Wabash valley to civilization, who planted the seed that has grown schoolhouses and churches innumerable. They were men not only of great hearts but of great heads, aye, women, too, with laughing eyes, willing hands and humble spirits.
With all the hardships and privations of those who went into the van of civilization, there were, however, some sources of enjoyment not realized by those who came after them. They beheld the beauties of forests in all their native grandeur, before they were marred by the hand of man. They inhaled the sweet odors from a thousand wild flowers which grew in nature's garden, as they were wafted upon the morning and evening air. They saw the numerous flocks and herds of buffalo and deer, "God's cattle upon a thousand hills," as they grazed upon virgin pasture fields of unsurpassed luxuriance, and they were charmed with the melody of the feathered songsters as their strains were poured forth from the boughs of the giant forest trees. With all their rough back-woods habits, their lack of means of mental culture, they exhibited in their lives the keeping of the great commandment, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
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We, to the pioneer with pleasure look In his Hoosier nest beside the brook, Where dense forest, his hands did clear, An honest heart, bearing good cheer.
Where father and mother strove to give You and me character worthy to live, Pushing onward, with hardships untold, With steadfast purpose, fearless and bold.
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To the honest heart in that Hoosier breast, Brought up in that homely Hoosier nest, We, of today, owe much that is grand, Much that's worth while, in this Hoosier land.
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1 CHAPTER VIII ORGANIZATION OF CASS COUNTY
LOCATING COUNTY SEAT-EARLY ACTS OF COMMISSIONERS' COURT- CREATION OF TOWNSHIPS-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-LONGCLIFF ASYLUM -JAIL-COURT HOUSE-POOR HOUSE-ORPHANS' HOME-HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS-OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY.
Cass county was named in honor of Gen. Lewis Cass, who was a resident of Michigan, but was instrumental in bringing about the various treaties with the Indians that opened up the lands in Cass and surrounding counties to white settlers. He was one of the commis- sioners on the part of the United States in negotiating these treaties. After the treaty of 1826, immigration rapidly increased, until in 1828 there was sufficient population to justify the formation of a new county, and the following enabling act was passed by the legislature:
An Act for the Formation of Cass County, Approved December 18, 1828.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: That from and after the second Monday in April, 1829, all the territory included in the following, towit: Beginning on the west boundary line of the great Miami reservation at the interesection of the township line dividing Townships 25 and 26; thence north three miles, thence west eight miles to the southwest corner of Section 15, Township 26, North of Range 1 west; thence west three miles to the range line dividing Ranges 1 and 2 west; thence north to the boundary line of the purchase of 1826; thence east with said line, about 28 miles to the boundary of the Five Mile Reservation, extending from the Wabash to the Eel river; thence crossing the Wabash to a point due east of the beginning, thence west to the place of beginning, shall form and constitute a county to be known and designated by the name and title of Cass county.
Sec. 2. The said new county shall, from and after the second Mon- day in April, 1829, enjoy all the rights, privileges and jurisdiction to which separate and independent counties appertain and belong.
Sec. 3. That Henry Restine of Montgomery Co., Erasmus Powell of Shelby Co., William Purdy of Sullivan Co., Harris Tyner of Marion Co., and Samuel George of Tippecanoe Co. are hereby appointed com- missioners for the purpose of fixing the seat of justice in said new county. The commissioners above named, or a majority of them, shall convene in the house of Gillis McBean in said new county on the sec- ond Monday in April, 1829, or as soon thereafter as a majority of said commissioners may meet and shall discharge the duties assigned them.
Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the sheriff of Cass county to notify the commissioners by written notification of their appointment on or before June 15, 1829.
Sec. 5. The circuit court and other courts of said new county shall
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be held at the Seminary in the town of Logansport or at any other place therein, until suitable accommodations can be had at the seat of justice thereof.
Sec. 6. The agent who shall be appointed to superintend the sale of lots at the county seat of the said county of Cass shall reserve ten per cent. out of all donations of said county and pay the same over to the proper person for use of a county library for said new county.
Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the qualified voters of the county of Cass at the time of electing a clerk, recorder and associate judges, to elect three justices of the peace as well as three county commission- ers according to an act approved January 30, 1824. This act to take effect and be in force from and after February 1, 1829.
On January 19, 1829, a supplemental act was passed changing and increasing the territory of Cass county. Subsequent changes were made until the boundaries of the county included the whole northern part of the state to the Michigan state line. Other changes were made from time to time, and new counties were formed from the original territory of Cass county until 1847, when the present boundary lines were fixed by statute, which are as follows:
Beginning on the west side of the great Miami Reservation line, where township line dividing Townships 24 and 25 intersects the same; thence north nine miles to the northeast corner of Section 23 in Town- ship 26, north of Range 1, east; thence west eight miles to the corner of Section 15, 16, 21, and 22 in Township 26, north of Range 1, west; thence north three miles to the southwest corner of Section 33, Town- ship 27, north of Range 1, west; thence west three miles to the south- west corner of said Township 27, north, Range 1, west; thence north twelve miles to the southwest corner of Township 28, north of Range 1, west; thence on the township line dividing Townships 28 and 29, east twenty-two miles, to the northwest corner of Section 3, Township 28, north of Range 3, east, that being the western line of Miami county ; thence south on the Miami county line twenty-four miles to a point in the Great Miami Reserve, which, when it is surveyed will be the south- west corner of Section 34, Township 25, north of Range 3, east; thence west to the place of beginning.
FIRST ELECTION HELD IN CASS COUNTY
Under the act organizing the county the first election was held on April 13, 1829, in the "Seminary," but no records are obtainable showing the number of votes cast, but the following officers were elected :. Three commissioners, towit: Chauncey Carter, James Smith, and Moses Thorp; sheriff, William Scott.
FIRST TERM OF COMMISSIONERS' COURT
was held in the Seminary, Friday, May 1, 1829, when William Scott as sheriff produces certificates showing that the three commissioners above named were duly elected: Moses Thorp for one year, James Smith for two years, and Chauncey Carter for three years; the latter, however, was not present, and did not qualify until the following August; the two former, James Smith and Moses Thorp, proceeded to transact business, of which the first order was to divide the county into three townships, towit: Eel River. Wabash and St. Joseph, the bounds of which are as follows: Eel River township constitutes all that part of Cass county lying south of the Tippecanoe river and west of the western boundary of the Five Mile Reservation. That all that
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part of the county lying south of Eel river and east of the western boundary of the Five Mile Reservation shall constitute Wabash town- ship. All that territory attached to Cass county lying north of the Tippecanoe river to the north line of the state shall form the township known as St. Joseph.
It was ordered by the board that the election in Eel township should be "holden" in the Seminary. In Wabash township, at the Treaty Grounds, and in St. Joseph township, at - house; as the country north of the Tippecanoe river was so sparsely settled no house could be designated wherein to hold an election, in fact that township seems to have been a vast wilderness, without inhabitants at that early day. John Tipton was appointed supervisor of Eel town- ship road No. 1, extending from Logansport to the brick house of Lewis Godfrey, and all hands in said township below Lewis Godfrey's brick house shall assist said supervisor in opening this road.
James Oldham was appointed supervisor for Wabash township, which included Miamisport road, extending to the mouth of the Sali- monie river. Lewis Rogers was appointed supervisor for St. Joseph township. Charles Polk was appointed the first constable of Eel town- ship. Hugh B. McKeen was appointed lister for Cass county and gave bond; and Cyrus Taber was appointed the first treasurer of Cass county.
At a special session held May 11, 1829, Peter Johnson was appointed inspector of election in Eel River township for one year, and Wm. Scott, collector of revenue for Cass county; Gillis McBean and Alex. Chamberlain, overseers of the poor; Daniel Bell and Christian Simons, fence viewers, and Alex. Chamberlain appointed superintendent of school section, Township 27, north of Range 2, east.
Various license and other fees were fixed as follows: Tavern and grocery licenses in Logansport and Miamisport (now Peru), shall be $15.00, and at Treaty Grounds, near the mouth of the Salimonie river, - $7.50; that Alex. Chamberlain shall pay a license fee of $7.50 to keep a tavern at his house on the south bank of the Wabash river.
Tavern fees were fixed as follows: For keeping a horse one night, hay and grain, 50 cents; for "victualing," per meal, 25 cents; lodging, 121/2 cents; brandy, per half pint, 50 cents; whiskey, per half pint, 25 cents.
FEES FOR FERRYING ACROSS THE RIVERS
Each Man.
61/4 cents Man and horse
25 cents
Each horse 181/4
66
Each wagon. .
50
Each ox ..
121/2
Swine .. 3
...
Sheep.
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FIRST LICENSE TO RUN A STORE
At a special session of the commissioners on June 9, 1829, licenses were granted to Dr. Hiram Todd and Alex. McAllister to retail groceries. At a special session held July 25 in the Seminary, Chauncey Carter pre- sented his certificate of election as a member of the board of commis- sioners, qualified, and entered upon his duties as commissioner. At this session the board selected from the poll books, submitted by the clerk, the first grand and petit jurors to serve at the November term of the circuit court.
(For names of the jurors, see chapter on "Bench and Bar.")
Cyrus Taber was granted a license to vend and retail merchandise
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(fees, $10.00). Walker, Carter & Co., W. G. and Geo. W. Ewing were also licensed as retail merchants.
Gillis McBean and Alexander Chamberlain were appointed over- seers of the poor. On August 12 the board of commissioners met at the house of Gillis McBean.
John Scott was appointed inspector of flour, beef and pork for Cass county, took oath and gave bond.
First money ordered paid by the board was to John B. Durett, $7.00 for a seal, and $3.00 for a record book. Hugh B. McKeen was licensed to run a ferry opposite his residence on Eel river below General Tipton's mill; fees, $2.00 per year. A public ferry was established across the Wabash river from John Tipton's landing, adjoining the northwest corner of the Great Miami reservation, and that a license be granted John Tipton to keep the same open. Gillis McBean was appointed agent for the county, services to begin as soon as the seat of justice is located.
At this session the board received the report of the commissioners who were appointed by the legislature to locate the seat of justice.
The report is as follows :
To the Board of County Commissioners of Cass County, Ind :-
The undersigned three commissioners appointed by an act of the legislature to locate the seat of justice of Cass county met at the house of Gillis McBean in the town of Logansport on Monday, the 10th day of August, 1829, and selected the town of Logansport as the seat of justice of Cass county, the court house to be on Court Square as de- signed on the plat of said town.
We further received of Chauncey Carter, the proprietor of said town, as a donation, a bond drawn in favor of the county commission- ers of said county for a deed in fee simple for town lots in the said town of Logansport as designed on the plat of said town by Nos. 61, 63, 64, 82, 83, 85, 90, 91, 99, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108 and 23; also a note drawn in favor of Gillis McBean, agent for said county of Cass or his successors in office by the said Chauncey Carter, for $530.00 payable the 20th of September, 1829.
Given under our hands and seals this the 12th day of August, A. D. 1829.
(Signed) HENRY KESTINE, ERASMUS POWELL, HARRIS TYNER.
The report received and the county agent, Gillis McBean, is ordered to pay Henry Kestine $21.00 for 7 days' services, Erasmus Powell $39.00 for 13 days' services and Harris Tyner $33.00 for 11 days' serv- ices as commissioners to locate seat of justice.
SALE OF LOTS
The commissioners advertised that the above mentioned lots would be sold at public sale on Friday succeeding the third Monday in No- vember, 1829, and fixed the price of the lots as follows: Lots numbered 61, 64, 85 and 106 not less than $65 each. Nos. 82, 90, 99, 102, 104, 105 and 107 shall sell for not less than $75 each, and Nos. 83 and 100 at $100 each.
On October 14, 1829, the commissioners met in the hotel of Thorp and Wilson and ordered that an election be "holden" at the house of Gillis McBean on October 24, 1829. A license was granted to Lambert Bonean to keep a ferry across the Wabash and Eel rivers and a log jail was ordered to be erected, which will be described in another place. At the November term of court the report of Cyrus Taber, county
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treasurer, for the previous six months, was received, this being the first treasurer's report ever made in the county. The report shows that $61.44 had been received, mostly derived from licenses issued and the expend- itures for the same period was $54.69, leaving a balance in the treasury of $6.75. The report of Gillis McBean, the county agent, was also sub- mitted, towit: Received from Chauncey Carter $530. Expenditures $143.75, leaving a balance of $386.25.
The forests of the county were infested with wolves that were very destructive to the pioneers' sheep, pigs, chickens, etc., and at the Janu- ary term, 1830, the commissioners offered a premium of one dollar for every wolf scalp presented to the clerk; and the first premium under this order was paid to Joshua Shields on January 4, 1830, $4 for four wolf scalps.
At the September term, 1840, the record reads: "In order to en- courage the raising of sheep and hogs a premium of $2 will be paid for every full grown wolf killed within Cass county," and in June, 1845, S. Martindale was allowed $10 for wolf scalps.
The treasurer, Cyrus Taber, made his final report for two months ending January 4, 1830, showing he had received $2, making a total of $8.75 in the treasury. Mr. Taber resigned and Jordan Vigus was ap- pointed in his stead. At the same time Anthony Gamblane was allowed $16 for services of himself and horse in carrying the senatorial election returns to Winchester; and Moses Scott was allowed $8 for conveying election returns of representative to Ft. Wayne. Certainly quite a con- trast in methods of travel between then and now. Dr. Hiram Todd was allowed $11 for medicines and services to the poor, this being the first allowance for medical aid to the poor.
J. B. Turner was appointed superintendent of sections of school lands in the county. J. B. Richardville and Job B. Eldridge were licensed to vend merchandise.
FIRST ROAD PETITION
At the August session of the board the first petition for a road was presented by Jordan Vigus. The following description of the proposed road appears of record: Commencing one and a half miles south of the Wabash river on the Michigan road and running through the town of Logansport and to terminate on the west bank of Eel river. The viewers were Wm. Scott, Silas Atchison and Daniel Bell. At this time the Michigan road had been ordered by the legislature, but had not been opened up. The second road petitioned for in November, 1830: "To run from opposite the town of Logansport on Eel river over the near- est and best ground to the east end of Samuel Ward's lane on the six- teenth section."
Ordered that John Scott be allowed $3 for advertising sale of lots in the Pottawattamie and Miami Times. That John Tipton be appointed supervisor of roads on the south side of the Wabash river between his residence and Carroll county.
FIRST TAX LEVY
At the May term, 1830, the first regular tax levy was made as follows: Each poll, 50 cents; each horse, 50 cents; each ox, 25 cents; each four-wheel carriage, 50 cents; each brass clock, 50 cents; each gold watch, $1, and each silver watch, 25 cents. A capital of $1,000 invested in merchandise be taxed $10, and $5 for each additional $1,000. Ordered that B. H. Scott be allowed $3.50 for use of the Canal Mansion House
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for probate court, commissioners' court and grand jury October term, 1830.
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COMMISSIONERS' DISTRICTS
Previous to 1831 the commissioners were chosen by the whole county and did not represent any particular part of the county, but at the May term of that year the county was divided into districts as follows: That Miami and Wabash townships shall constitute the First Commis- sioners' District; and that the territory lying east of a line drawn due north and south through the county at the mouth of Eel river and east to Miami township shall constitute the Second District; and all that territory lying west of said line shall constitute the Third District.
A pound or enclosure 80x40 feet was ordered constructed on the jail lot, the fence to be made of heavy posts and 12-foot boards and that Samuel Ward shall be superintendent thereof. Wm. Scott was ap- pointed commissioner of the three per cent fund in January, 1832. Of the $500 of the three per cent fund allotted to Cass county for the year 1833, $250 was ordered expended for building and repair of bridges between Logansport and the county line west and the same amount to the county line east. Later Cyrus Taber was appointed commissioner of this three per cent fund and Thomas J. Wilson succeeded Mr. Taber. The legislature made appropriations to this fund for many years and it was used for the construction of bridges and building and grading roads. Thomas J. Wilson makes a report for the four years ending April, 1841, showing the whole amount of principal in the hands of the commissioners to be $6,963.20. Of this amount $557.05 had been loaned, the remainder expended.
Gillis McBean makes the following complete report of receipts and disbursements for the entire time of his incumbency as county agent :
Received from sale of lots $ 750.75
Chauncey Carter note
530.00
Total
$2,280.75
Expenditures 2,095.93
Balance $184.82
Ordered, that each person selling wooden clocks shall pay a license fee of $8.00.
The clerk of the board was ordered to purchase certain weights and measures as follows: A measure one foot long; a measure of thirty- six inches; a half bushel measure, containing 1,075.85 cubic inches; a gallon measure and a set of weights commonly called avoirdupois. Said weights and measures to be kept in the office of the county clerk.
David Patrick was allowed $6.00 for making a coffin for a pauper. What kind of a coffin could you buy today for this sum ?
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