History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 25

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 25

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LAUGHERY BRIDGE. AURORA

HOGAN CREEK AND B. & O. BRIDGE, AURORA

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CHAPTER XXV.

CITY OF AURORA.

Aurora is one of the most beautifully situated cities on the Ohio river. A sweeping curve of the river presents one of the most picturesque views to be seen anywhere. The two Hogan creeks, North Hogan and South Hogan, join within the corporation boundaries and empty into the river in the middle of the city. The river at this point makes an abrupt bend to the south, affording a view miles in length of the broad valley of the Ohio. The rounded hills that stretch to the south, abrupt and commanding, unroll to the view the valley to the east, as far as the Miami river, like a carpet. The two Hogan valleys, smiling and fertile, winding through the hills, are a picture of pastoral loveliness not excelled in any country. In the growth of the city the hills have been climbed and many beautiful homes located where a feast to the nature lover can be obtained that is grand and beautiful.

The original plat of the city contained two hundred and six lots, six public squares. It extended from Water street to Bridgeway, and from Importing to Library street. The city was platted by the "Aurora Assocation for Internal Improvements." Jesse L. Holman was the trustee for the associ- ation and the plat was filed on the 14th of January, 1819, Mr. Holman acknowledging it before James Dill, recorder of Dearborn county, on the 30th of January, 1819. Judge Holman gave the proposed town the name of "Aurora."

The land on which the city stands was entered from the government at the land office in Cincinnati on the 18th of September, 1804, by Charles Vat- tier, at the time a citizen of Cincinnati. The association purchased the land from Mr. Vattier. The original agreement, as made by the gentlemen com- posing the association and Mr. Vattier, is worthy of being preserved and is as follows:

"Articles of agreement and association entered into this day, January 14, 1819, between Charles Vattier, of Cincinnati, in the state of Ohio, of the first part, and Jesse L. Holman, Richard Norris, Martin Cozine, Samuel Moore, Erasmus Powell, David Fisher, Jehiel Buffington and James Powell, of Indiana, Elijah Horsley, William Scandrett, Philip Craig and Ebenezer Griffing, of Kentucky, John W. Langdon, Daniel Dudley, Benjamin Mudge, Charles Farren, Watson Lewis and Jesse L. Langdon, of Ohio, parties of the

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second part, are as follows : viz : Charles Vattier, party of the first part. for and in consideration of the covenants and agreements herein and after expressed, to be performed on the part of the said parties of the second part. has this day and hereby does grant, bargain and sell to them, the said parties of the second part, nineteen-twentieths of two portions of land in Dearborn county, in the state of Indiana, situated at the mouth of Hogan creek. viz : fractional sections 32 and 33, containing 516 and 35,100 acres, more or less."

Vattier reserved that part of section 32 which lies on the upper side of the creek. The association was to pay nineteen thousand dollars for this property, payable in ten annual installments. The association held its first meeting on the 20th of January, 1819, with the members all present and Jesse L. Holman was chosen its president and Benjamin Mudge its clerk. A constitution was formed to govern it, which prc- vided that regular meetings should be held semi-annually on the second Monday in January and the second Monday in July. Jesse L. Holman was appointed the trustee of the land. The constitution was acknowledged before Charles B. Cannon, a justice of the peace in Dearborn county, on the 25th of January, 1819.

At this first meeting it was agreed that "the company proceed by them- selves or their directors to lay out a town, to build an ox saw-mill and grist- mill, a bridge across Hogan creek, a warehouse, or such other improvements as they may deem proper."

On the Ist of February, 1819, it was ordered that sealed proposals be received by the directors for the building of a bridge across Hogan creek at the end of Bridgeway street. Among the conditions that were inserted in the notice was that the proprietors of the town reserve the privilege of cross- ing the bridge free of toll, with their families included. The bridge, how- ever, did not materialize at that time and it remained for George WV. Lane to erect the first bridge several years later.

The affairs of the association were deemed of sufficient importance to make it necessary to put its agent, Richard Norris, under heavy bond for those days, and at a meeting held April 13, 1819, he was required to give bond in the sum of forty thousand dollars, and the treasurer, Philip Craig, was required to give bond to the amount of thirty thousand dollars.

LOTS ON EASY TERMS.

The first sale of lots took place on the 28th of April, 1819, on the fol- lowing terms: "One per cent in hand; one-fifth, including the one per cent,

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in eight weeks; one-fourth of the balance every year until paid. If not paid punctually, interest to be added from the time of the contract." The town started off with a promising outlook. At the first sale the two hundred and six lots were sold, including lots that were donated to persons that had agreed to commence improvements at once.

The lots sold as low as sixty dollars, and as high as four hundred and the day's sales amounted to the princely sum, for those days, of $28,553. July II, 1820, Elias Conwell purchased the shares of Erasmus Powell and became a member of the association. Other transfers of stock were made from time to time. The company undertook to investigate the merit of the claim that salt could be found in the vicinity of where the Crescent brewery building now stands, and commenced to drill wells to determine the matter; and Hor- ace Bassett, afterwards a distinguished attorney of the state, and Elias Con- well were appointed by the company to superintend the work. The experi- ment was a failure.

In January, 1820, four lots were donated to Samuel Harris and "friends". to establish a cotton or woolen mill provided that the same be completed within four years. In January, 1820, at the same meeting, Samuel Harris was donated an entire square on condition that he would make improvements on the grounds within eighteen months equal to four substantial buildings. On the Ioth of . January, 1821, the ferries across the Ohio river and over Hogan creek were leased to Edward Fairchild for a term of two years.

Judge Holman resigned as trustee on October 24, 1822. Mr. Holman seemed to have gradually absorbed all the positions on the board of directors, for at the period of his resignation he was trustee, treasurer and director. His resignation was necessary on account of being appointed one of the three judges of the supreme court of Indiana by Gov. Jonathan Jennings, with whom he had been very closely connected in a political way ever since the anti-slavery struggles that were the leading issue when Mr. Holman first moved to Dearborn county in 1810. The thanks of the association were tendered him "For his ability, wisdom, impartiality and integrity in manage- ing the concerns of the company." The position of trustee was then given to Richard Norris and afterward to Horace Bassett and lastly to Isaiah Wing.

The following is a copy of the minutes of a meeting held on the 27th of April, 1820. It is brief and short. "Resolved, That when any member wishes to speak, he shall rise and respectfully address Mr. President. Re- solved. That when two or more rise to speak at the same time, the president shall decide which shall proceed. Adjourned to attend the sale of lots."

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In Cincinnati, the deed from Charles Vattier and his wife, Camilla. con- veying the property to the Aurora association was acknowledged before Isanc G. Burnett, at that time the mayor of Cincinnati. The Dearborn county his- tory published in 1885 says of the early sale of lots by the association that : "The lots were sold mostly on credit, and at very high prices, and for three or four years a great deal of public attention was given to the enterprise and quite a flourishing little village was built up; but at that time there was but little immigration westward, great scarcity of money, and few of the lots were paid for, and many of them forfeited to the association. Charles Vattier became the owner of a large number of the lots and most of the reserved lands, and afterwards transferred the same to William Israel, attorney in trust, and he to Buchanan, Buell and Lane, which became the property by transfer of George W. Lane about the year 1835."

In the spring of 1820 an addition to the village was recorded and in 1837 some twenty outlots were added. Additions have been made to the city from time to time to the present, among the earlier of which was one made by George W. Lane in 1844, one in 1845 by George W. Chrisman, and one in 1846 by Henry Walker.

GROUNDS FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES.

The association was mindful of the necessity of setting apart grounds for public purposes that would show the proper spirit of advancing the wel- fare of the citizens, and they provided and set off on Literary, now Fifth street, lot 208 for library purposes; two lots for a Baptist church; lot 210 for school purposes; a public square at the head of Judiciary street; lot 216 was donated to the Masonic order; lot 221 to the Methodist Episcopal church ; lot 227 for use of the Presbyterian church and lot 228 for school purposes.

The first board of select councilmen elected was Edward Fairchild, Tim- othy Brown, Elias Conwell, Abraham St. John and Ebenezer Mudge. Hor- ace Bassett was chosen the town clerk. On account of the inability of. pur- chasers to meet payments for their lots, improvements in the town moved along very slowly. Further time was granted in many cases, especially to those who were making improvements on their lots. It is claimed that one of the first houses erected in the thriving young town was built by Henry Van Middlesworth. It was finished in 1822 and occupied as a hotel and store. It was known as the "Aurora Hotel," and Van Middleworth was the landlord. The house is yet intact on the corner of Front and Second

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streets. About this time the frame house at the corner of Main and Import- ing streets and the frame part of the Eagle Hotel were built. The former was erected by Elias Conwell and the latter by Charles Vattier. On the cor- ner of Main and Second streets the first brick house is said to have been erected. It was built by Aaron Foulk, who had a store there.

AURORA'S FIRST MAGISTRATE.

Daniel Bartholomew was elected justice of the peace in 1822, and from the records left by him it appears that he served about eleven years. The first case was entitled "Ebenezer Lange vs. Noah and James Lambert." It was a plea of debt to recover ten dollars and was dismissed for want of prose- cution. His last entry on the docket bears the date of July 6, 1832.

This magistrate came to Aurora in 1819 or 1820, from Vermom. During a freshet in the river he landed his family at the mouth of Hogan creek in a small boat, in which they had floated from Pittsburgh. His fam- ily consisted of a wife and two daughters. One of the daughters afterward became the wife of George W. Cochran, a man who was well known by the older citizens of the town and was prominently connected with the history of Aurora. When the water receded Bartholomew continued to live in his boat which was "beached" high and dry on the bank. About a year later he built a small house on the bank of the river near where the Eagle House stood in later years. Here he lived with his family and kept a small store. After he was elected justice of the peace he used it for an office. At that time Aurora was a very small settlement.' The house built by Bartholomew and another at the corner of Second and Front streets were the only ones on the river bank.

Charles Vattier, the original landowner, was the proprietor of the ferry to convey persons across the river. The ferry was a small flatboat and a large canoe. Elijah Horsley was employed by Vattier to manage it. Hogan creek was crossed by the same means, no bridge having been built until fifteen years later, when Mr. George W. Lane, as an individual enter- prise, constructed a toll bridge across the mouth of the creek. The bridge was of great importance to the young town. Mr. Lane afterward sold it to Dearborn county and when it became unsafe the present bridge was built.

Going back to Squire Bartholomew's docket, a brief review of its con- tents may be of interest, as showing how and to whom justice was admin- istered in Aurora in early days. The following record appears on page

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four and is among the first cases entered. "State of Indiana vs. John Hiff. In a charge of abuse and insult to the wife of Ebenezer Lange; Warrant issued on February 18, 1822; the defendant came and the jury was sum- monsed, empaneled and sworn. After a proper and full investigation of all things appertaining to the charge the jury retired, and soon agreed upon a verdict of eight dollars fine for the State of Indiana. Daniel Bartholomew, justice of the peace."

On the 20th of March, 1822, for breach of peace and swearing. Thomas Longley was fined ninety-five cents. On the same date, for abuse and threat- ening his wife, who prayed surety of the peace, Thomas Dailey was found guilty and committed to jail. On May 31, 1822, Axey Wilson was tried by a jury for an assault upon a child. He was judged guilty and fined one cent. to be applied to the state of Indiana. Samuel Roof appeared on the 22nd of July, 1822, and acknowledged himself indebteded to Henry Benson in the sum of fifty cents, together with interest thereon until paid. On the 21st of August an execution was issued by order of the plaintiff, and in default of payment the body of defendant was committed to jail. Samuel Doolittle was the constable. "State of Indiana vs. Amasa Ball." This was an action of assault and battery on the body of George W. Thornton; warrant issued on September 2, 1822; returned the same day with the body present. The jury was unable to agree. To quote from the docket, "The foreman retired and the balance was discharged, and the defendant made his escape into Kentucky to those people whose countenance favored his character."

George W. Thornton then comes forward as the defendant in an assault and battery case, but no witnesses being present against him, he was dis- charged. "State of Indiana vs. Samuel Roof. The defendant was legally summonsed and empaneled as a juror, November 2, 1822, when he retired from the room after the case was submitted to the jury and was absent for some time, after which, without permission, he went home and returned not again. It is therefore considered that the State of Indiana recover judgment of the defendant in the sum of two dollars, this 2d of November, 1822.

"DANIEL BARTHOLOMEW, "Justice of Peace."

EXTRACTS FROM THE DOCKET.

On the Ist of October. 1822, James Green brought suit against Torrence Curry to recover thirty-seven and one-half cents. On the same day the claim

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was paid, and Green's receipt appears upon the docket. "Isaac Cannon vs. Jehiel Buffington. An action for neglect of duty as constable; no cause. Case dismissed at plaintiff's cost."

Elias Conwell and Horace Bassett were prominent and influential men in those days. Both were leading spirits in the organization and build- ing up the town. But they had their little personal misunderstanding, as it appears by the record of February 24, 1823. On that day Conwell committed an assault and battery on the person of Bassett and was arraigned for trial by jury, he was found guilty and fined two dollars and costs. Elijah Whitten in an action "for profane swearing for seven different oaths, taken before me on the 6th of March,. 1824, at Aurora, for which the said Whitten is fined one dollar for each oath."

On the 7th of June, 1824, Michael Trester brought suit against Isaac Miller, on account of the freight on one barrel of salt from Cincinnati to Aurora. Execution was issued and placed in the hands of Robert Criswell, constable. Edmund Cheeseman, for an assault upon Caleb Woodworth, con- stable, was adjudged quilty and for want of bail was committed. In a suit for forcible entry and detainer between Luke Erill, plaintiff, and Elias Conwel!, defendant, March 19, 1825, wherein it was alleged that Conwell took unlaw- ful possession of a building belonging to Erill, and in which considerable public interest was probably manifested, the court adjourned to the meeting house. "The following named persons comprised the jury: David Boardman, John B. Chisman. Noyes Canfield, Peter Carbaugh, John Vin- son, Walter Kerr, William Hancock, Jonathan Parks, David Walser, Conrad Huffman, Asa Shattuck and Stephen .J. Paine. Verdict for the plaintiff." Thomas Sparks, for swearing in open court, August 23, 1825, was fined one dollar. The defendant left the state and died, says the record, but did not satisfy the judgment.

For assault and battery, April 29, 1826, John Brown was fined three dol- lars. His fine was not paid and Robert Criswell, constable, was directed by the court to convey the defendant to the county jail for imprisonment. John Lasine, for an assault upon his wife, Sunday, October 7, 1827, was arrested on complaint of J. Wing and brought before the court in a state of intoxication. When sober he was fined one dollar. Charles Vattier, the landowner an.1 enterprising business man, found time to occasionally partake of the pleasures and pastimes of social life, as witness this: On the 8th of December, 1830, he was arraigned for assault and battery on the body of Peleg Bartlett an'1 fined three dollars and costs.

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EARLY BUSINESS DIRECTORY.

From the files of the Western Commercial, published in Aurora, in 1848, it is learned that the following persons were among the active business men of the time : Samuel Osgood, county sheriff; S. P. Tumy, stoves and tinware; Johnson Watts and Samuel Cole, administrators of the estate of Ephraim Hopping; Aurora and Laughery Turnpike Company-Johnson Watts, presi- dent, George W. Lane, secretary, John D. Haynes, treasurer; Eagle Hotel, M. Cochran, proprietor ; P. B. Vail, book store; J. Chambers & Company, dry goods; Reed & Company, drugs; B. Sylvester, dry goods; J. S. Jelley, attorney ; James D. Lindsay, administrator estate of Stephen Woods.

From the records of 1851 : W. S. Holman and John B. Vail, attorneys; H. L. Dean, dry goods.

Business men of 1852-53: N. & S. A. Leonard, dry goods; L. N. Bush, grocery ; Milton Taylor, soap and candle factory; Miller & Stockman, boots and shoes; T. S. Wallace, leather store; John Blangy, daily bus to Moores Hill; Dr. W. H. Terrill, physician; Simon Siemental & Company, bakery.

City officials of 1854: S. P. Tumy, mayor; William W. Conway, clerk; Henry A. Moran, treasurer; Thomas Wright, marshal; William Webber. Asa Shattuck, James Cummings, Francis Wymond, councilmen.

The Independent Banner, Nelson D. Folbre, editor, on April 12, 1852, had the following among its advertisers: Mansion House, J. O. Emrie, pro- prietor; Philip Held, clothing; Hurlburt & McHenry,-saw-mill; W. C. Web- ber, grocer; O. P. Cobb & Company, produce.

AURORA REMINISCENCES.

The following article is taken from the Independent Banner, in 1852, the paper then being edited by N. D. Folbre : "We are no strangers in Aurora. Our earliest recollections in life had their existence here. Our days, from our infancy, have been mostly spent in this place; and we profess to know something of its early history.

"All that territory now covered with neat houses, and known as the Fifth ward of the town, we knew when it was overspread with Indian corn, yielding annually a bountiful harvest. Beneath Chamber's store once ran a deep ravine, from the hills west of the town, and emptied into the Ohio. So deep was that ravine. that a tolerably-sized wooden bridge was thrown across it, for the benefit of the citizens and travelers. In summer we have played

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VIEW OF WEST AURORA, FROM HILLS

VIEW FROM CHEEK'S HILL. AURORA

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in its waters; in winter we have skated on its frozen surface. * Our playmates, who sported with us then, are now nearly all gone; some are in California, a few yet reside here, but most of them are dead.

"Remember the old grist-mill which stood on the bank of South Hogan creek, about fifty yards to the right of the walnut tree at the head of Third street; saw the oxen when they tramped the wheel that turned the mill, and the miller when he took his toll. Recollect when Hogan creek at its mouth was sixty feet deep (when the Ohio was low) and the old Frenchman, Vat- tier, when he kept the ferry across it, and took his 'eleven-penny bit.' In those days this

'Town was all covered over With bramble and clover,'

and some dog fennel and a few James-town (Jimpson) weeds. Oh! those were brave old days.

"At a still earlier date, about the year 1828, when four years of age, we attended school, held in a log cabin which stood on what was then a grassy common, between Fourth and Fifth streets, west of Squire Harris' dwelling. This was also used as a place of worship for Methodists, a sect at that time few in number. Twenty-five or thirty frame and log houses composed the village. A few years later the brick house on the corner of Second and Main, occupied by O. P. Cobb as a dwelling, was built by Aaron Foulk. In the east part of it he resided and used the other part for a drygoods store. This house was considered a vast improvement to the town, and was univer- sally styled as the 'big brick.' Above the door of the store room was posted a sign of dark green ground with yellow letters which read 'A. Foulk's New Store,' much to the delight of the good people of the neighborhood. In 1835, where our office now stands, there stood a frame house, occupied by Daniel Bartholomew, Esq. (deceased), as a drug and drygoods store. The squire was one of the oldest inhabitants, and filled the various posts as merchant, magistrate and doctor-there being no regular physician in the village. His storehouse was destroyed by fire. The day it was burned we were in school, taught by one Gauf Wilson, who will be remembered by all who were so unlucky as to have been his pupils, for his peculiar propensity for applying the birchen rod. A fire those days in town was a remarkeble event, and the school was dismissed and the teacher and scholars hastened, en masse, to the scene of disaster, where all the villagers, old and young. male and female. had assembled to render their aid to the sufferer.

(18)

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"At that time there were few steamers plying upon our beautiful Ohio. Some of them were hard-looking crafts, compared with the splendid boats of the present day. When a passenger wished to take passage, if in the night, the boat was brought to shore by the discharge of a rifle or other small gun. Freights and passage were dear, and many of the people of the village pre- ferred traveling on the old 'Fearnot,' a keel-boat, greatly celebrated as a fast traveler, making one trip every two weeks to Cincinnati, freighted, generally with barrels, hoop-poles and staves; and returning, brought goods of all kinds for our small shopkeepers and the neighboring villages. This unparalled speed was eclipsed, however, by a smaller keel boat under command of a gen- tleman who was determined to outdo time itself, and a brag trip to Cin- cinnati (including taking on and discharging freight) was consequently made in eight days. Thereafter, when this swift craft came in sight of our port and blew its famous boat horn, the villagers assembled to the river bank to greet her and hear the latest news.

"The year 1836, almost seventeen years since, was a great era in the history of Aurora-a newspaper was established in the town. It was called the Indiana Signal, and was owned by George W. Lane and several others. It was edited by S. C. Hastings, now a supreme judge in California. The Signal was devoted to the election of Martin Van Buren to the presi- dency. John. K. Wilcox, who yet resides here, had the control of the mechan- ical department; in that office, under his direction, we set our first type. William Webber was also an apprentice in the office and many a boyish fracas had we there together. The office was in the upper story of the house now occupied by Judge Kumel as a tavern, on Main street near the creek. But the Signal was short lived. It rendered all its strength to Van Buren's election, for which purpose it was established, and shortly after that event its Democratic fires ceased to burn. A paper printed with the same type and press, called the Dearborn Democrat, was established shortly after the decease of the Signal by one J. C. Whitilsey, but died in a very short time for lack of support. In the latter part of 1838 or early in 1839, a newspaper entitled the Dearborn County Democrat, was started in town, in the room we now occupy, by Alexander E. Glenn. The paper was Democratic and advocated in 1840 the re-election of Van Buren. The election of General Harrison was too much for Mr. Glenn, and his paper shortly after that event went by the board.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 25

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

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