History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 23

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123

USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 23

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An article in the paper is a criticism of the report of the shipments on Whitewater canal as compared with the report of shipments on the twenty- two miles of railway, just completed from Madison out to Jennings county. The editor of the Beacon was Milton Gregg. "It appears by the message of Governor Wallace that the tolls collected on the Madison railroad for the six months it has been in operation amount to $8,470, and that the tolls col- lected on the Whitewater canal for the same time amount to only $620, and on the Wabash and Erie canal $4,248. Now we would like to know how it happens that there is such a great disparity in the proceeds of these works. Can it be possible that there has been, within the last six months, twice the amount of goods and produce transported on the twenty-two miles of railroad which has been completed, than there has been on the entire length of the Wabash and Erie and Whitewater canals combined? Does the poor and sparsely settled county of Jennings ship off more produce than the rich and populous valleys of the Wabash and Whitewater? We hope Mr. Lane, the vigilant chairman of the Committee on Canals and Internal Improvements, will call for a bill of particulars. Let us know the nature and the amount of

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the shipments which enter into the account. and whether the tolls have arisen from the legitimate business of the country, or otherwise. All may be fair in the matter, but we confess, to our imperfect vision, it looks very much like a tub thrown out to the whale."

In the same paper E. G. Brown, as master of the steamer "Indiana," announces that the boat will make regular trips between Rising Sun and Cincinnati, leaving the former place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Beacon announces that the agents of the boat line are Luke Evil at Wilmington, Daniel Bartholomew at Aurora, Craft & Lynn at Rising Sun, Lewis Mason at Hartford, Thomas Guion at Guionville, Jacob C. Egleston at Dillsboro, Mark McCracken at Manchester, William S. Ward at York Ridge. George H. Dunn and Philip Spooner announce that they are prac- ticing law with an office over the Lawrenceburg Insurance Company, corner of High and Short streets. J. Meyer & Company advertise that they are doing stone cutting and engraving on the corner of High and Walnut streets, opposite the Jesse Hunt Hotel. County Treasurer William G. Monroe adver- tises four hundred and eighty-four shares of the capital stock of the Branch of the State Bank of Indiana at Lawrenceburg, for sale on account of the non-payment of taxes.

GROWTH AS A TRADING POINT.

The census of 1830 gave Lawrenceburg a population of eight hundred and ninety-five; the census of 1840 found one thousand four hundred and fifty, and the town was full of enterprise and business. In 1846 the town was incorporated as a city under an act "granting the citizens of Madison and Lawrenceburg a City Charter." The first election was held at Lawrenceburg on April 6, 1846. The city grew and the census of 1850 showed a population of two thousand six hundred and fifty-one.

During the decade between 1840 and 1850 the business of the place had grown rapidly. Pikes had been constructed which added to the com- mercial life of the town. The broad highway leading out towards Ripley county had been macadamized as far as Manchester during this period. . A stage line was operated regularly between this city and Greensburg, and from there the traveler could continue on to Indianapolis and to other points. The merchants were ready to purchase from the farmers of the interior country anything that was offered and pay for it in good money. This stimulated trade and the state road was thronged with farm wagons loaded with wheat

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and other products for the Lawrenceburg market. These wagons would return carrying salt, sugar, molasses and many other articles needed in the household. A few years back men could be yet found as far west as Green- castle, Lebanon and Danville who had driven their teams to Lawrenceburg with wagons loaded with wheat, where it would be disposed of; and returning would bring home articles necessary in the household economy.

This extensive business brought considerable money to the city and in- creased its growth and fame. Many of the houses now standing were built during this decade and perhaps the most of them in the early part of this ten years. Some of the business men who were prominent during this period were George Tousey, C. G. W. Comegys, John Gray, Craft & Company, Lemly & Dunn, Wymond & Ferris, Hauck & Wedelstadt, J. Gysie & Com- pany, R. & A. Parry, L. B. Lewis, James S. Heath and John Ferris & Com- pany. The attorneys at that time were George H. Dunn, Amos Lane, Philip L. Spooner, John Ryman, Daniel S. Majors, Abram Brower, David Macy, W. S. Holman, James T. Brown, James H. Lane, James S. Jelley, and Theo- dore Gazlay. The physicians were Ezra Ferris, Jeremiah H. Brower, Elisha Morgan, Myron H. Harding, E. P. Bond, Milo Black and William Starm.

During this decade of 1840 to 1850 the Methodist Episcopal church was erected at a cost of ten thousand dollars and other improvements were made about the town. The seat of justice for the county, which in 1835 had been re- moved to Wilmington, was again located at Lawrenceburg. Its incorporation as a city, among the few cities of that period in the state, gave the place quite a prestige; and the volume of business increasing with the improvement of the highways, the new era of prosperity began to take on an air of permanence, until many of the citizens were convinced that the place would be the metrop- olis of.the state. Its mercantile business grew with its commerce; steamboats and flatboats carried the produce of the farmers to the lower river markets. The city became a rendezvous for men following the river. The Mexican War period was during this decade and Lawrenceburg was prominent in recruiting and equipping several companies for that struggle. It furnished the officers for several companies and a number of the regimental officers besides privates and non-commissioned officers. The discovery of gold in California found many of those who had seen service in Mexico ready to go to that far-away country in search of fortunes.

During this period the flood of 1847 visited the Ohio valley, causing much loss to the people, and Lawrenceburg was inundated. However, the city recovered from it with apparently little trouble, and business was only temporarily suspended.

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COMING OF THE RAILWAY.

In the period from 1850 to 1860 the railway came to the city. It was during that period that both the Ohio & Mississippi and the Lawrenceburg & Indianapolis railways were built. The latter was largely built by Lawrence- burg capital and Lawrenceburg energy. George H. Dunn, who had been the father of the earlier attempt to construct a railway, revived the project, and very early in the fifties succeeded in completing it through to Indianap- olis. Thus Lawrenceburg bade goodby to its stage lines, its caravans of live stock and long trains of produce. At first, with the advent of the railways, it was thought that the city would grow by leaps and bounds, and it would command the trade of the interior of the state, but before the decade ended it became evident to the far-seeing merchants and business men that the railways would be the means of building up, in a commercial way, only the centers of trade, and that the smaller towns would contribute.

Accordingly, business men who were dealing largely with the country planned to get out of business here and remove to the larger centers of trade and distribution. Year by year the country trade was cut off from the city by reason of the changes in lines of communication and business. The city has been prosperous, but its business has ceased to be largely a mercantile one, and it has gradually become a manufacturing center. The merchant of today no longer expects to deal with a customer who has spent from a day to a week on the road with his load of produce, and who in return for the money received for his produce will purchase supplies that will perhaps fill a wagon. The country trade is limited to the immediate vicinity of the city, within a radius of some ten to twenty miles, owing to the direction. People living farther out soon found a market on the railway nearer home and the business that had formerly come to Lawrenceburg was transferred to nearer towns.

Yet with the coming of factories and the development of the nearby country, the little city continued to show a growth and an increase in business. In 1870 the population had increased to three thousand one hundred and fifty-nine, and in 1880 to four thousand six hundred and fifty-four. During the decade from 1880 to 1890 the city suffered three disastrous floods, which caused the citizens immense loss. The water in the flood of 1884 reached a heiglit never before known. and many of the factories and business men never fully recovered from the losses entailed. By 1890 the population of the city had increased to four thousand two hundred and eighty, and in 1900 it

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was four thousand three hundred and twenty-six. In 1910 the census showed a population of three thousand nine hundred and thirty. The business of the city has somewhat slackened, but still shows great vigor. The great flood of 1913 caused a loss of an incalculable amount, but the manufactories are rapidly recovering and a few years will doubtless bring the city back to its old-time vigor.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

For many years Lawrenceburg had no fire department, depending on the vigilance and willingness of her citizens to rally to the assistance of the town when a fire occurred. . For years it was the pride of the town to be able to say that very citizen was an active member of the volunteer bucket brigade. It had been at all times vigilant and ever ready to respond when an alarm was given. The bravery and heroism of this patriotic unorganized brigade was admirable, but it was found by the great fire of July 4, 1866, when property estimated at a value of sixty thousand dollars was destroyed, and the fire on the corner of Short and High streets in the spring of 1882, that it was necessary to find more efficient means of fighting fire. Accord- ingly a fire department was organized and equipped with two companies and two fire engines. The companies were for years organized on a volunteer basis, with an exemption of five hundred dollars on their property for taxes. This fire department continued for thirty years and the company was dis- solved in 1910 and a new company organized that is alert and ready to go at a moment's notice when duty calls.

The chief of the fire department is Drewry Northern; assistant, Peter Endress. The officers of Fire Company No. I are: Captain, William G. A. Schneider; first lieutenant, Philip E. Jackson; second lieutenant, John M. Fichter; surgeon, Edward J. Emmert. As an organization it also has for president, Emil Kestner; vice-president, Isaac Cappel; secretary, William Kaffenberg; assistant secretary, Oliver Fowler; treasurer, Adam Vesemmeier. The officers of Fire Company No. 2 are: President, Henry M. Poollman ; vice-president, Henry A. Menke; secretary, John Beinkamp; treasurer, Jacob Spanagel; captain, William J. Sicking; first lieutenant, Frank Schindler ; first engineer, Frank Sedler; second engineer, John Beinkamp.

DIRECTORY OF 1860.

The business men of Lawrenceburg during the decade from 1850 to 1860 were partly as follow: B. T. W. S. Anderson, boarding house keeper ; Leon

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Adler & Company, merchant tailors; Henry Adler, dry goods; George Huschart, marble and freestone works; George W. Moore, dry goods; Helfer & Woodward, carriage manutactory; John Wymond, grocer and commission merchant; J. P. Ulrey, dentist ; T. & C. Gazlay, attorneys-at-law; Gaffs & Marshall, millers and distillers; Alexander Beckman, commission merchant and wharfboat proprietor ; Farmers' Hotel, George Meyer, proprietor, corner Main and Third streets; Adam Kastner, baker; Ludlow & Tate. sash factory; C. H. W. Werneke, cigar factory; Lewis & Moore, dry goods; D. S. Barck- dell, cooperage; Metcalf & Fagan, lumber; Henry R. Helmuth, dry goods; A. Bookwalter, editor of the Register; Henry Godert, boots and shoes ; Ferris & Abbott, drugs; Orville & Origen Thomson, editors of the Hoosier State; Piatt & Reid, attorneys; Amos Bolander, proprietor of Bolander House; George W. Ferguson, house and sign painter; J. P. Chew, insurance; John Ferris, insurance: David E. Sparks, insurance; Mrs. T. E. Dunn, ambrotype artist; James T. Brown, attorney; Spooner & Schwartz, attorneys; Philip L. Spooner, attorney ; George D. Tate, carpenter; E. G. Burkam, president of the Branch Bank of the State of Indiana; C. B. Burkam, cashier; George Brod- beck, confectioner ; George P. Buell, produce dealer ; Chapman & Son, grocers; William E. Craft, notary public: Philip Dexheimer, blacksmith; George S. Duncan, Ohio & Mississippi ticket agent; George B. Fitch, proprietor of Fitch House; M. H. Harding, physician ; Jacob Gysie, grocer; Nichols Har- bold, boots and shoes; John Isherwood, news depot and carrier; John G. Kennedy, bank teller; Henry Kirsch, cigars and tobacco; Lewis & Eichel- berger, millers; Thomas J. Lucas, watches and jewelry ; Joseph McGranahan, grocer; Daniel S. Major, attorney; Mathias Miller, coal dealer; Joseph Mooney, clothier; R. H. Parry, dry goods; Frank Riddell, postmaster ; George Preston, carpenter; Robert Rodgers, livery; Hugh F. Smith, grocer; Norval Sparks, grocer; William Tate, Jr., physician; Omer Tousey, land dealer : Charles Walters, physician.

OLD LANDMARKS.

The first brick house built in Lawrenceburg is thought to have been erec- ted by Dr. Jabez Percival. The building was the old two-story, heavy-walled dwelling house that stood some twenty-five years ago back of the Methodist Episcopal church at the foot of Vine street. It was a well-built, deep-win- dowed, well-lighted brick, with a third story that was used for some years by Lodge No. 4. Free and Accepted Masons, for their meeting place. After

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the Percival family had all departed from Lawrenceburg. it fell into other hands and was a tenement house until the Methodist congregation purchased it and tore it down. The walls were nearly three feet in thickness and it had the appearance of being erected for defense. The building was thought to have been erected about 1806.

The residence now occupied by Louis Schusterman and owned by Conrad Stumpf, on the north side of High street, next door to the Dr. WV. D. H. Hun- ter residence, is probably the oldest brick house now standing and probably the oldest house of any description in the city. The Farmers & Mechanics Bank occupied it for a banking house in 1817, and it had probably then been erected for several years. The corner portion of the Grand Hotel. High and Walnut streets, was erected by Jesse Hunt in 1819 and has been occupied as a hotel ever since. It is claimed that it was the first three-story brick house built in the state of Indiana, which may probably be true. It was considered at the time as a wonder, and it was a common remark of the people, "What in the world is Jesse Hunt going to do with them rooms away up there?"

The brick house on the corner of Main and Third streets belonging to John A. Bobrink, county treasurer, is said to have been erected in 1820. It has been occupied as a place of business ever since it was built, and is still in a good state of preservation.

What is called the Tousey house, now belonging to the Lawrenceburg Roller Mills Company, was erected about 1820, by Capt. Samuel C. Vance. It was claimed to be, for many years, the finest residence on the Ohio river between Cincinnati and Louisville. The visitor in looking through its spacious rooms and critically examining its front walls, will be impressed with the justice of this claim. The ceilings are high and the walls thick. The hall stairway is a wonder for modern mechanics, with its spiral staircase reaching from the cellar to the garret. The front is massive, for those days, with freestone steps and arched doorway. It was the home of the Vances until the death of the Captain in 1828. Afterward Doctor Pinckard used it as a college. Dr. T. B. Pinckard married Catherine Vance, daughter of Captain Vance, and was a practicing physician and a druggist. He was also a man of considerable culture, and after Captain Vance's death he undertook to promote a college in the residence. It was called "Washington Agricultural School," and he advertised that with the site of the college building was some twenty-five acres of land which he proposed to make into a botanical garden where the students could study agriculture at first hand in a practical way. He carried on the school for several years and as administrator of the Vance estate sold the property to Omer Tousey.

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The old frame house back of the Methodist church on New street was occupied by Amos Lane as a residence in his palmy days, and was probably built early in the last century. His law office was on High street next door to the Methodist Episcopal church, and the front of it up to the first story is the same frame that composed the office.

THE TOWN COUNCIL.

It is recorded that on the first of April, 1833, pursuant to an official call, the qualified voters of the town of Lawrenceburg met at the tavern of Jesse Hunt for the purpose of electing a president of the town board and five members of the town council. Fifty-six of the qualified voters of the town were present and voted, electing David V. Culley president of the council, and George Tousey, John Shook, Thomas Palmer, John Saltmarsh and James W. Hunter councilmen. These held their offices for a term of one year and were elected to succeed Arthur St. Clair Vance, president ; Thomas Palmer, John Saltmarsh, D. V. Culley and Jabez Percival council- men. At that time Charles Spooner, grandfather of Ex-Senator John C. Spooner, of Wisconsin, was clerk of the board and remained in that position for several years afterward. David V. Culley was president of the board until April, 1837; he was followed by Green Sparks, who served until No- vember, 1837, when he resigned and was succeeded by William Brown, who in turn was succeeded by Philip L. Spooner, who served until April, 1839.

Isaac Dunn was president of the board of the town council following Spooner from April, 1839, until April, 1840, and was succeeded by William Steele, who served until April, 1843, when he gave up the presidency to Jeremiah Crosby, who served until April, 1846. At that time the town was granted a city charter and David Macy was elected its first mayor. Mr. Macy served as mayor until April, 1849, when he gave up the position to Sidney L. Sandford, who was mayor until July, 1850, when he resigned and was succeeded by Jabez S. Ferris, who served until July, 1852, and was followed by Jeremiah Crosby, who served until July, 1855. Joseph McGrana- han served from 1855 to May, 1856, and was followed by James H. Swope until May, 1857, who was succeeded by John Schwartz, who served the city from May, 1857, to May. 1861 ; he was succeeded by Francis Riddell, who served until October, 1861, when the place was declared vacant, Mr. Riddell having gone into the army.

Following Mayor Riddell the council elected John F. Richards to fill the

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unexpired term and then he was elected continuously until May, 1869, when James H. Swope succeeded him, serving two years, until May, 1871. Mayor Swope was succeeded by Richards, who served for two years, giving way in May, 1873, to Johann J. Hauck, who served three terms, until May, 1879, when he in turn was succeeded by George M. Roberts, who was mayor for six years, until May, 1885, giving way in turn to William H. O'Brien, who was mayor until 1894, when he was succeeded by Thomas Winegardner, who served four years, until 1898. In 1898 William H. O'Brien was again called to the position and was mayor until 1902, giving way to Charles J. Lang, who served until May, 1904, when he in turn gave up the position to Edwin M. Lee, who resigned in September and by virtue of the state law, Joseph F. Frazer, city clerk, was made the mayor. Mr. Frazer served until September, 1906, when he was succeeded by Estal G. Bielby, who was mayor until Jan- uary 1, 1910, and was succeeded by Leonard Axby, who served until Jan- uary I, 1914, when he gave way to Estal G. Bielby, who is now mayor.

The city has had some very able men at the head of its government, and its citizens may well be proud of the list herewith given. As the city grows older and the state laws relative to city affairs become more strict, the amount of legislation transacted in council sessions grows more and more lengthy and of greater importance.

When the town government was first installed it was the custom, and perhaps the law, to issue a call for an election signed by the president of the board for an election some certain evening. The meeting would be much after the fashion of the political caucus of the present day, or the Massachu- setts town meeting. They would assemble and a chairman would be selected : the candidates placed in nomination and balloted for. In the meeting of April 1. 1833. it was stated that the meeting was legally called and fifty-six qualified voters were present and the result was as stated that D. V. Culley was duly elected president of the board to serve for one year. This method seemed to have continued up to the time the town was given a charter as a city. when the office of mayor was filled by an election the same as it is today.

In 1830 John McPike was the president of the town council and under date of March 17 of that year he advertised, in the capacity of president. for bids for the construction of a wharf for the embryo city. said wharf to be between Walnut and Short streets. John P. Dunn also advertised. as the clerk of the town, that there would be an election held on the evening of the first Monday in April. at the house of Jesse Dann. for the purpose of electing a president of the council and five select councilmen.

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DONATION TO THE RAILROAD COMPANY.

In 1835, when the railway fever was strong, and George H. Dunn was endeavoring to secure money sufficient to finance the road, a meeting was called which was attended by a number of representative citizens, at which meeting a resolution was unanimously adopted that the town council be re- quested to appropriate the sum of three thousand three hundred and fifty dol- lars, which was to be donated to the railway company with the understanding that it was to be used altogether within the corporation limits in construct- ing fills and culverts. It was met by the usual counter, which was in the shape of a petition urging the town officials not to donate a cent until it was clearly understood that the engineer had made a survey and the estimate of the cost filed. This was also signed by a number of representative citizens, thus showing that the business of "knocking" was abroad in Lawrenceburg even at that early day.

The select council and its president voted the three thousand three hun- dred and fifty dollars in stock at their next meeting, with the proviso that it be used in construction work within the town corporation. At the meeting of council that ratified the action of the railway meeting, the following per- sons were present and endorsed the action of the council: Asa Smith, Edward Hunt, J. H. Brower, William Tate, T. L. Percival, Isaac Protzman, J. P. Dunn, D. Springer, William Brown, Omer Tousey, Philip L. Spooner, Walter Armstrong, James Salmon, George Cable, J. Rees, John Wymond, Morgan Welsh, David Guard. James Jones, Isaac Dunn, John Binegar, John Salt- marsh, George W. Lane, John Ferris, George Tousey, Jacob P. Dunn, Arthur St. Clair Vance, George H. Dunn and Ezra Ferris; twenty-nine in all. The monied men of the town and many of the wealthy farmers of the vicinity were heartily in favor of building the road, and if it had not been for the stringent financial situation that came on shortly after the contracts were let at several points, the road would have been completed at that time-some fourteen years previous to its final completion. What would have resulted in Dearborn county, by having a railway to enter the rich farming country in central In- diana, in the way of trade and commercial activity, is hard to decide at this length of time since it was attempted.

At the time that George H. Dunn and others were agitating the proposi- tion of building a railway from Lawrenceburg to Indianapolis, the railway business was in its infancy. There were only three or four railways in the United States and they were short ones. No one even dreamed of the great

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 23

Author: Archibald Shaw Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1123

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123