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 11
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ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS
As previously noted, the commissioners originally divided the county into three townships, Eel River, Wabash and St. Joseph, but at different times subsequent thereto the territory was subdivided and other town- ships were organized which will here be described, although the bounda- ries and the names of some of them were ultimately changed to conform to their present make-up, which will be noticed at the end of this article.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
MIAMI TOWNSHIP
Is composed of all that part of Cass county lying east of the lines divid- ing ranges 2 and 3 east to the western boundary of the Five Mile Reser- vation. January 3, 1831.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP
That all that part of Cass county lying west of the east line of section 16 and north of the Wabash river, form and constitute a township to be named Jefferson township. September 6, 1831.
CLAY TOWNSHIP
That all territory bounded by Eel river on the south, west by range line dividing ranges 1 and 2, on the east by range line dividing ranges 2 and 3, on the north by the county line taking in the attached part, shall form and constitute Clay township. May 7, 1832.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP
All that part of Cass county lying south of the Wabash river and west of the east line of section 16 form and constitute Clinton township. May 4, 1834.
CHIPPEWA TOWNSHIP
All that part of Cass county lying north of the lines of the purchase of 1826 shall form and constitute a new township known and designated as above. March 4, 1834.
ADAMS TOWNSHIP
All that part of Cass county commencing at the old boundary line at the section line dividing sections 23 and 24 in township 28 north, range 2 east, thence south to Eel river, thence up said river, with the meander- ings thereof, to the county line; thence north to the said boundary line; thence west to the place of beginning, shall form and constitute a new township to be known and designated by the name of Adams. May 6, 1835.
HARRISON TOWNSHIP
That all that part of Cass county lying in township 28 north, range 1 east, form and constitute a new township to be known by the name of Harrison. March 7, 1836.
BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that all that part of Cass county lying in township 28 north, range 2 east, shall form and constitute a new township to be known by the name of Bethlehem. May 7, 1836.
NOBLE TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that all that part of Cass county lying north and west of the plat of West Logan, in township 27 north, range 1 east, shall form and constitute a new township to be known and designated by the name of Noble. March 8, 1836.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
BOONE TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that all that part of Cass county lying in township 28 north, range 1 west, be organized and constitute the township of Boone. May 8, 1838.
TIPTON TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that all that part of Cass county lying south of the Wabash river, in township 26 and 27 north, range 2 east, shall form and con- stitute a new township to be known and designated by the name of Tipton. . March 3, 1840.
DEER CREEK TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that all that part of Cass county lying in township 25 north, range 1, 2, 3 east, shall form a new township to be known by the name of Deer Creek. July 26, 1842.
WILD CAT TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that all that part of the territory attached to Cass county which lies South of the line dividing townships 24 and 25 north, shall constitute a new township and it shall be known by the name of Wild Cat township. July, 1842.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
Ordered, that a new township, bearing the above name, be created, with the following boundary: Commencing where the section line dividing sections 34 and 35, township 27 north, range 1 east, strikes the Wabash river on its South bank, thence to the corner of sections 14, 15, 22 and 23 in township 26, range 1 east; thence east to the cor- ner of sections 14, 13, 23 and 24; thence south to the corner of sections 35 and 36; thence east with the township line to the corner of sections 33 and 34, township 26, range 2 east; thence north with section line to where said section line strikes the south bank of the Wabash river, in township 27, range 2 east; thence west with the meanderings of said river to the place of beginning. September 7, 1842.
The above descriptions of the outlines of the different townships are sometimes ambiguous but we give them as described in the record, with the date of organization. The legislature, however, had at different times organized new counties out of the original territory of Cass county when it was created in 1828, until 1847, when the present bound- ary of Cass county was definitely fixed and on June 9, 1847, the county was divided into fourteen townships with the boundaries fixed as they exist today, which we give as follows :
Township No. 1 is composed of Congressional township 28 north, range 1, west of the principal meridian of the state of Indiana and is known as Boone township.
Township No. 2 is composed of township 28 north, range 1 east, and is known as Harrison township.
Township No. 3 is composed of township 28 north, range 2 east, and is known as Bethlehem township.
Township No. 4 is composed of all that part of Congressional town- ship 26 and .27 north, range 1 west, which lies north of the Wabash river and is known as Jefferson township.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Township No. 5 is composed of all that part of township 27 north, range 1 east, which lies north of the Wabash and Eel rivers except that part of Barrons reserve between said rivers and the Wabash and Erie canal, and also except that part of Cicotts reserve and fractional section 25 in said town and range which is included in the town plat of West Logan, said township to be known by the name of Noble township.
Township No. 6 is composed of all that part of township 27 north, range 2 east, which lies north of Eel river and included in the whole of Metchineqa reserve, and is known as Clay township.
Township No. 7 is composed of all that part of township 28 north, range 3 east, which lies in Cass county except Little Charley's reserve, and is known as Adams township.
Township No. 8 is composed of all that part of township 27 north, range 3 east, which lies in the county of Cass and north of the Wabash river, all of Little Charley's reserve and the islands of the Wabash river and also that part of township 27 north, range 2 east, which lies be- tween the Wabash and Eel rivers and east of the section line dividing sections 21 and 22, 27 and 28, in the last named township and range and is known as Miami township.
Township No. 9 is composed of all that part of township 27 north, ranges 1 and 2 east, which lies between the Wabash and Eel rivers and west of section line dividing sections 21 and 22, 27 and 28, in township 27 north, range 2 east, and all that part of township 27 north, range 1 east, within the limits of the town plat of West Logan and the addi- tions thereto, also all that part of Barrons reserve in said last men- tioned township, which lies between the Wabash river and the Wabash and Erie canal, also the islands in the Wabash river adjacent to said township No. 9, and is known as Eel township.
Township No. 10 is composed of all that part of Cass county south of the Wabash river and west of section line dividing sections 34 and 35, township 27 north, range 1 east, and the section line dividing sections 2 and 3, 10 and 11, 14 and 15, township 26 north, range last aforesaid, and is known as Clinton township.
Township No. 11 is included in the following bounds, towit: Com- mencing at a point where the section line dividing sections 34 and 35, township 27 north, range 1 east, strikes the south side of the Wabash river, thence south on section line to the southwest corner of section 14, township 26 north, range 1 east; thence east to the southeast corner of said section, town and range last aforesaid; thence south on section line to the southwest corner of section 36 in the town and range last aforesaid; thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of section 34, township 26 north, range 2 east; thence north on the section line to the Wabash river; thence down said river with the meanderings thereof to the place of beginning; said township to be known as Washington.
Township No. 12 is included in the following boundary, towit: Commencing at the northeast corner of Washington township; thence south along the eastern boundary of township No. 11 to the township line dividing townships 25 and 26; thence east on said line to the eastern boundary of said county; thence north along the said eastern boundary to the Wabash river; thence down said river with the mean- derings thereof to the place of beginning; said township to be known by the name of Tipton.
Township No. 13 is included within the following boundary, towit : Commencing at the northeast corner of section 2, township 25 north, range 2 east; thence west to the northwest corner of section 1, town- Vol 1-5
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
ship 25 north, range 1 east; thence south with the section line to the township line dividing townships 24 and 25 north; thence east on said township line to the southeast corner of section 35, township 25 north, range 2 east; thence north with the section line to the place of begin- ning; said township to be known by the name of Deer Creek.
Township No. 14 is composed of all that part of Cass county south of Tipton township and east of Deer Creek and is known as Jackson township.
THE JAILS
On October 14, 1829, the board ordered the county agent, Gillis MeBean, to erect a jail on lot No. , in courthouse square, in the town of Logansport, of which the following is a partial description : Twelve feet square, of hewn logs one foot square, one story high; also a jailer's house, of round logs, sixteen feet square and one story high. On November 7 W. Gordon was allowed $22.50 for hewing jail timbers, Benj. Talbott $20.00 for raising the jail, Mahlon Clark $8.25 for haul- ing timbers for the jail and Cyrus Taber $9.75 for 78 pounds of iron for the jail, with other smaller items, made the total cost of the jail when completed amount to the "munificent" sum of $60.50.
The lock to this jail was a ponderous, home-made affair, with a clumsy iron key nearly a foot long, which is carefully preserved in the archives of the Cass County Historical Society.
As the population increased it soon became manifest that a larger and more substantial jail was necessary and on July 5, 1832, the board "ordered that a jail for the county of Cass, in the town of Logansport, be built of the following dimensions: Twenty by thirty-eight feet square, two stories high and each story eight feet in the clear; first story of good hewn rock, front walls two feet thick, the balance equally strong. Three apartments: Criminal, fourteen feet square; middle, 8x14 feet; for female criminals, 8x14 feet."
Proposals were to be received on July 21 following, but the record does not show any bids received and on January 14, 1833, another effort was made and the following plan submitted: "Hewn timber one foot thick and so long as to make the house 14x27 feet in the clear; partition in center of hewn timber; under and upper floors to be laid with hewn timber, one foot thick, edges straightened and corners com- pletely dovetailed." Roof to be good poplar shingles and the gables to be sided with good yellow poplar weather-boarding. The door to the criminal room was two feet square and placed in the center of the ceiling, this being the only way of ingress and egress by means of a ladder let down by the jailer.
On March 5, 1833, the contract for building this jail as per specifi- cations was let to Thomas Richardson, father of Allen and Wm. . Rich- ardson, for the sum of $394.50. The building was completed the fol- lowing summer, substantially as the specifications required and the work accepted.
At the December term, 1836, the board ordered that the jail be repaired and strengthened by nailing boards over the outside of the criminal room and inside of the debtor's room. At that time the laws permitted imprisonment for debts and two rooms were fitted up in the jail, one the stronger for criminals and the other for debtors.
This hewed log jail continued to be used until about 1842 or 1844, when the court house was completed and jail cells were fitted up in the basement of that building. As time progressed these jail cells became inadequate to meet the increased demands for a prison and in 1870 the present jail with the sheriff's residence, made of brick, stone and
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HISTORY' OF CASS COUNTY
iron, was erected and completed in the fall of that year at a total cost of $40,011.17. David D. Dykeman was the contractor. Some additions and improvements have since been made until the Cass county jail is one of the best in the state.
COURT HOUSE
The second public building erected by the county was an office for the clerk, recorder and commissioners. The records do not show the plan of the building, but it was a one story brick building that stood near the southeast corner of the present court house.
Sealed proposals were received for the erection of this building on May 12, 1831, which were as follows:
Samuel Ward
.$ 950.00
William Scott
1,297.00
Craddock and Collins
924.87
Horney and Anderson 1,287.87
Turner and Campbell 896.00
Turner and Campbell being the lowest bidders, the contract was awarded to them, with Jordan Vigus and Hiram Todd as sureties for the faithful performance of the work which was to be completed by Decem- ber, 1831, but the records show that the first meeting of the commission- ers' court met in the chark's office March 10, 1833. This was a small brick structure of two rooms, simply for clerk and recorder's offices and meeting of the commissioners' court, but contained no hall or audi- ence room and did not accommodate the circuit and other courts which continued to hold their sessions in the Old Seminary Presbyterian church on Broadway, between Fifth and Sixth streets, and later in the Metho- dist church that stood at No. 212 and 214 Sixth street, until the stone court house was completed in 1842 to 1844.
At a special session of the board of commissioners on May 14, 1839, the clerk was ordered to give notice for sealed proposals for the erection of a court house in Logansport according to the plans submitted by Joseph Willis and the record shows that Laselle & Dillon were allowed $3.00 for advertising in the "Telegraph", the proposals to build a court house. Prior to this on May 6, 1836, Mr. Willis was allowed $30.00 for making and drawing the plans for a courthouse. Accord- ingly, on June 15, 1839, notice having been given, the bids were opened by the board and the contract awarded to Joseph Willis for the sum of $13,190.
The specifications called for a building 50x70 feet, built of cut native stone, with two stories and a basement, the latter to be fitted up for a jail with cells for criminals and debtors. The work to be completed December 30, 1841. Later there were some changes and the contract price was increased to $14,666.80. The work dragged along and it became manifest that the contractor could not complete the building in the time specified and his contract was annulled on January 8, 1841, he receiving $4,063.75 for the materials furnished and the work he had done up to that time and the board advertised for bids for the com- pletion of the building and at the March term, 1841, the board let the contract to Job B. Eldridge, Thomas J. Cummings and Isaac Clary for the completion of the work for the sum of $11,598, but the contract was not entered of record until June 10, 1841.
The contract stipulated that the building should be completed by December 1, 1842, but there were further delays and the court house
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
was not fully completed until December, 1844, but it was enclosed and the circuit court met there in the fall of 1842 and the record shows that the books of the clerk and recorder were removed from their old office into the new courthouse March 9, 1843, and Joseph Douglass was allowed fifty cents for a half cord of wood for the court house.
A cupola and bell tower with a spire surmounted by a ball and seals emblematic of justice, with other extras, brought the total cost up to $16,392.86, exclusive of interest paid on the bonds, which were issued for part payment and were to run ten years with ten per cent interest.
This first court house erected in Cass county was then considered one of the handsomest and best in the state, but in time it became too small to meet the immense accumulation of business that the increased
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COURT HOUSE, LOGANSPORT
population demanded and in 1887 it was necessary to increase the capacity or build a new court house.
PRESENT COURT HOUSE
Previous to rebuilding the present court house there was much dis- cussion as to the advisability of tearing down the old and erecting an entirely new building and the commissioners had concluded to do so and would have carried out their plans had it not been for the attorneys who recognized the fact that the old court room had remarkably good acoustic properties, unsurpassed by any court room or auditorium in the state. This fact led the lawyers to urge the county board not to tear down the old court house but build to it, which plan finally prevailed and the old original building in 1840 was allowed to stand and a front, with wings, was constructed, giving the county our present commodi- ous and handsome court house.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
John S. Mckean of Chicago was the architect who drew the plans and superintended the construction of the new court house.
On June 22, 1887, the commissioners opened the sealed proposals, having previously advertised for bids, and awarded the contract to John Medland and John E. Barnes for the sum of $37,500, but changes and extras brought the total cost up to about $40,000. The work pro- gressed rapidly and was pushed to completion in the spring of 1888.
POOR HOUSE
From the first organization of the county in 1829 we find the com- missioner's court records show a constant and increasing allowance to various persons for boarding, clothing and other aids to the poor and afflicted of the county, proving the adage that "ye have the poor always with you." These constant drains on the county treasury became more frequent and in increasing amounts until it was thought to be, not only more economical, but also more desirable from every standpoint to pro- vide a public asylum for the increased numbers of the unfortunate peo- ple of the county. Accordingly, on March 6, 1846, steps were taken to purchase a farm and erect a "Poor House" and the county board closed a contract with Henry H. Helm for ninety acres of land in the south part of the southeast quarter of section 17, township 27 north, range 2 east, situated about three miles northeast of Logansport in Clay town- ship. The consideration was the sum of $1,350. On March 21, 1846, a contract was let to Curtis Long for a suitable frame building. The con- tract price was $800 and the building was to be completed by the follow- ing August and at once occupied and from that day to the present time the county has had an asylum wherein can be comfortably maintained her unfortunate poor and at less expense than before.
The first "Poor House" was a plain, unpretentious affair, but ample to accommodate the small number of paupers at that time, but in the course of time, although some additions had been made, yet it became inadequate to meet the demands of increasing numbers and on March 3, 1874, bids were received for the erection of a new and larger build- ing to be constructed of brick. The contract was awarded to R. D. Stevens and Bros. for the sum of $12,584 for the completion of the work. The building is heated by steam and is fitted up with baths and modern conveniences. Separate departments for different classes of in- mates are provided and furnished with special reference to the condition and character of the occupants. The location is healthy and salubrious and no county in the state has an asylum with finer or more pleasant surroundings than has the Cass county infirmary. The farm gives employment to those inmates who are physically able to work, and when well managed by a competent overseer is a source of revenue to the county. The average number of inmates for some years past is about 45 to 50. The present superintendent is J. W. McLain, who receives a salary of $600 and his wife acts as matron for which she receives $100 and in addition thereto the county furnishes their subsistence.
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FIRST COUNTY PHYSICIAN
Prior to 1845 the county paid different physicians regular fees for attending the poor but on March 5 of that year, 1845, the board entered into a contract with Dr. Uriah Farquhar to attend the poor of the county for a stipulated amount, the sum being $50.00, he being the first regularly employed county doctor. The following year Dr. F. O. Miller bid in the county practice for the munificent sum of $35.00 and from that day to
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this it has been the practice to employ a county physician for a stipulated annual fee. At present the Cass County Medical Society has the contract to attend the inmates of the county house and jail for an annual fee of $300.00 and each member of the society attends two weeks, making no charge and the salary is thrown into the society's treasury to meet the expenses of the local medical organization.
The following is the annual expense for the poor for the years named: 1860, $3,671.09; 1870, $8,372.20; 1880, $14,624,23; 1890, not reported; 1900, $5,451.14; 1910, $3,750.69.
ORPHANS' HOME
About 1875 some of the charitable women of Logansport, realizing that there were many orphan children and some who were not orphans, who were not receiving such training and instructions as a Christian community demands, took measure to supply this demand. The move- ment met with emphatic approval and under the leadership of Mrs. Minnie Griffith a temporary organization was perfected with Mrs. M. M. Post as president. The following were some of the other prominent charter members: Mrs. D. D. Dykeman, Mrs. Thos. H. Wilson, Mrs. Jane Landis and Mrs. Harriet Tomlinson. On February 1, 1878, a per- manent organization was perfected and articles of incorporation pre- pared and filed with the secretary of state of which the following is a part :
"We, the undersigned residents of the city of Logansport, do hereby associate ourselves for the purpose of organizing and maintaining a benevolent and charitable association for the care, support, discipline and education of orphans and poor children within Cass county, Indi- ana, and to establish and maintain a 'Home' for the furtherance of the aforesaid objects of said association.
"The corporate name of this association shall be 'The Orphans' Home Association.'
"The corporate seal of this association shall be the impression of . the words, 'The Orphans' Home Association of Cass County, Ind.,' in the form of a circle, within which circle shall be the words 'Feed My Lambs.'
"Any one may become a member by subscribing to its articles and paying the sum of $3.00 annually towards its support.'
"There shall be each year 12 directors elected in whom shall be reposed the care and management of the affairs of the association and its property and finances. These directors shall have no power to bor- row money on the credit of the association or its property by mortgage or otherwise, for the payment of money, but in other respects shall have full power to contract for and transact the business of the association.
"Of these directors, one shall be elected President, two Vice-Presi- dents, a Treasurer and a Secretary, and said directors shall meet monthly on the first Wednesday of each month. The directors shall elect the above named officers at the first annual meeting after the election of said directors.
"There shall be no sectarian or religious discrimination in the man- agement of the association."
The association first opened rooms for the reception of children in the second story over 207-209 Sixth street, with Minnie Griffith as matron and three or four children under her care. About a year later the old Judge Stuart home on Wheatland avenue was secured and Julia and Mary Faucett were put in charge and they successfully conducted the home with increasing inmates a few years when the quarters were
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
moved to the south side of Melbourne avenue west of Heath street, which place was occupied until the present quarters were secured.
Under an act of the legislature passed about this time, which pro- vided that the county commissioners may establish an orphans' home in the several counties, the board of commissioners purchased the Lewis Chamberlain brick residence, situated on the north side, on Pleasant Hill street. The purchase was made October 18, 1882, for a consideration of $2,500. The building, a substantial brick structure, was improved at an additional cost of $500 and occupied at once. Additions and improve- ments have been made from time to time and thoroughly modernized, heated by steam, connections made with the west side sewer, until the present orphans' home is a sanitary and up-to-date building, and situ- ated as it is, on the hill, one hundred and fifty feet above the river, with its salubrious surroundings, overlooking the city and valley of the Wabash and Eel rivers, there is not a finer, better equipped and more healthful home in the state. The additions and improvements made dur- ing the year 1903 totaled an outlay of $7,236.
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