USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Dekalb County, Indiana, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families > Part 22
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but had a short existence, when it was consolidated with the Dispatch, and Mr. Spake became a partner of George W. Gordon, then the publisher of the Dispatch.
Shortly after this, others saw what they thought to be an opening for a third newspaper in Auburn, and the Times was again launched with Frank Fluke and Frank Cline, brothers-in-law, as the editors and publishers. A new outfit was purchased and the two printers used what means they had to experiment on a money-making newspaper scheme, but they were compelled to retire. At this time R. H. Weamer again entered the field and took up the Times, but in only a short time he was convinced that a third paper in Auburn had no place and he moved the plant to Hudson where he published the Hudson Banner. This paper was conducted a number of years and was finally suspended when Mr. Weamer became too feeble to continue its publica- tion and unable to find anyone to take up the work. Mr. Weamer's death followed the suspension of the paper.
A BREWERS' PAPER.
Just at the time William Jennings Bryan was coming into prominence by his free silver ideas, the Silver Dawn was conceived in Waterloo. Karl Gerner, hailing from Madison, South Dakota, struck this county after having been in Owensboro, Kentucky, seeking a location for a silver paper. He launched the Silver Dawn in July, 1896, and sought subscriptions for the sum of a silver dollar. The silver dollars never increased the circulation to any extent and the publisher became restless, desired to make a disposition of the paper. He finally succeeded in leasing the paper to Lewis Barnett Fretz and Saxby McIntosh, two printers, who conducted the paper for four months, when Mr. Gerner was forced to take the paper back. During this change in management the name of the paper was changed to the Dawen.
During the local option campaign of 1909 Mr. Gerner sold the Dawn to the Indiana Brewing Association, through the agency of Hon. S. B. Flem- ing, of Fort Wayne, with Alfred Kelley as local proprietor and publisher. Then it was that Enoch Moffett came to Waterloo to take charge of the paper and, while posing as a temperance man himself as to habits, a detective em- ployed by the temperance people came to the town and incidentally "birds of a feather flock together," and the detective became so "dry" that Mr. Moffett kindly offered to take his money and go to a drug store where he could get a bottle of whisky for him. The detective consented, and after being con-
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vinced that the contents of the bottle were whisky, he labeled the bottle and dated it, with the name of the purchaser and seller. Later the bottle appeared in the grand jury room and the court did the rest.
This incident is mentioned to show the drift of the influence that the Dawn had and to explain that it was no wonder that it died in April, 1910, by "drowning," after fighting for a wet campaign.
THE ASHLEY TIMES
was started with the inception of the town of Ashley, located on the county line adjoining Steuben county, by George W. Strayer, who came along with the town boomers to make Ashley a railroad division point. Mr. Strayer conducted the paper for a number of years when his office was completely wiped out by fire in the middle of an afternoon. Without loss of time, Mr. Strayer organized the Ashley Printing Company, and resumed the publication of the Times. He continued this paper until his death which occurred in 1903, when the business was continued by his widow, who secured the services of Charles F. Kettering, who eventually leased the plant. It was running down hill and the new editor not being able to pay his rent, refused to re- linquished his lease on the paper. An action was begun in the circuit court praying for a receivership. Judge J. H. Rose appointed Herbert C. Willis, the junior editor of the Waterloo Press, to take charge of the paper as editor and receiver, continue the business, close up affairs, collect accounts, and run the paper at the same time in order that it might be put in shape to be sold at receiver's sale. This was during the summer of 1904, and in November the plant was sold, Mrs. Strayer, the widow of the late George Strayer, and one of the stock holders, bidding in the plant. The business had been worked up and the paper placed on a basis that made it self-supporting. Mrs. Strayer in turn sold the paper to J. F. Coss, who conducted the paper for some time. Later Mr. Coss sold out his paper to the Angola Herald, which tried to print an Ashley paper in Angola, and have it circulated in the DeKalb-Steuben county town. This venture was not a success, and after some litigation the sale was annulled. In the meantime, and five years ago, John L. Gillispie bought the old Hudson Banner outfit and started up another paper in Ashley under the name of the Ashley News. This he had a hard time to make pay, as two papers in Ashley (J. F. Coss going back in the newspaper business) were more than the town could support. Finally, Mr. Gillispie sold out the Ashley News to A. C. Wolf, who has since conducted the paper, and Mr. Coss van- ished from this section of the country almost simultaneously.
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THE ST. JOE NEWS
was started at St. Joe, in the southeast part of the county, several years ago by Mort E. Olds. The paper was continued under his management several years and had a very successful career for a paper in a small town. Later the paper became the property of Lloyd Yeiser, who finally disposed of the paper to the present publisher, Fred J. Leighty, who has continually improved the paper, as an independent sheet.
THE CORUNNA STAR
was one of the late projects that faded away, and after a struggling existence of about two years, Rex B. Wood, the preacher and checker player who came from Wolf Lake to this county, discontinued the paper and his subscription list was taken up by the Waterloo Press, which paper is now filling the unexpired subscriptions. The Star was independent.
THE AUBURN WEEKLY BEE.
John C. Lochner, who has conducted a job printing office in Auburn for a number of years, and at one time was connected with the Auburn Courier, thought out a plan by which a weekly newspaper could be published for fifty cents a year. He launched his paper January 1, 1911, and since that time the paper has prospered and all subscriptions are received at the nominal sum of fifty cents per annum. Politically, it is independent. Mr. Lochner has in- stalled a new Intertype machine and issues a four page paper, all home print. It is worth the price charged. One of the features of his paper is to print a list of new subscribers each week, also the names of those who pay their sub- scriptions.
CHAPTER X.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
(By A, Byron Darby, M. D.)
Some years ago the writer attended the family reunion, to which the pub- lic was invited, in honor of John Houlton, the first settler of DeKalb county. To an old lady who was among the earlier settlers, I asked the following question : "What were the greatest and most serious difficulties you had to contend with in your new home in DeKalb county in those early days?" This old lady very promptly replied : "The difficulties were most prominent in the order I mention them: The malarial fever, the doctors, the mosquitoes and the bears. But," she continued, "the bears are long since gone; our in- dustrious and progressive men have ditched and drained our low and swamp lands, so the malaria is also gone, and the mosquitoes are so scarce that they appear lonesome. The doctor we still have with us, but in such an improved type that he is no longer a dread, but, on the other hand, we feel that he is a new being, and we need him for his usefulness and skill, in both preserving our health by his advice, and restoring our health. But those first doctors- Oh my!"
We do not marvel that the doctor was, in those days, placed in the list of unwelcome pests, when we know that the principal remedies were: First, the lancet, to take from the patient all the blood he could spare and still live, hop- ing thereby to destroy the tenement of the demon disease, and force him to seek some other abode, thinking that, perhaps like of old, by some miracle, he would be submerged in the sea. Then, second, the doctor had another indispensable remedy, "The Spanish-Fly Blister," which was applied upon the same theory, indiscriminately upon adult and child. Calomel and blue-pill were the universal internal remedies for all diseases determined by the doc- tor's diagnosis, and as a placebo when the doctors were uncertain in their minds. On these three remedies the doctors anchored their hopes of success. To work out of the system the calomel and blue-pills, after they had done their savage work, gamboge, castor-oil and senna, one or all of them, were
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freely administered. If the patient survived the first course, it was soon repeated until the patient, in the opinion of the doctor, was only suffering from the remedies, which he usually did. The surgeon in those early days of frontier life, ranked with the skilled carpenter and blacksmith. In fact the former made the doctor's splints and other appliances of wood, and the latter made his operative cutlery, forceps and other implements of steel. The writer has some of these relics in his possession. Is it any wonder that the old lady at the Houlton reunion referred to above associated the doctor with the afflictions of the early days, as practice has proved the doctors of that day in the frontier section were following traditions rather than scientific investi- gation, with independent thought, both in theory and practice. If the phy- sician in those early days, with his multiplied trials to contend with, could be enthusiastic in his efforts and carry conviction with what seemed to him to be the overwhelming weight of truth, what might be his exulting joy now, since the light of intervening years of scientific progress and investigation has so changed the theory of disease and remedies since the opening of the last century ? Both medicine and surgery have made greater progress in har- mony with scientific truth in the last half century than during all previous history. Medicine, however, with its component sciences and surgery are not alone in this rapid and wonderful progress, which is world wide, but there has been a general awakening in the world of thought during this recent period, discovering and inventing the most wonderful aids to modern life. We can but marvel when we endeavor to tabulate the innumerable lists. This revolution has placed medicine, as a profession, a long way on the road of science. As nature, with its most intricate vital forces, is the superior physi- cian and first in charge of every case of human disability, the present doctor- "this new type, this new being"-is now on such friendly terms with nature that he lends rational assistance to his superior, and thereby gives most wel- come aid to the afflicted.
The following year after John Houlton had settled in Franklin township in DeKalb county, on Fish creek, September 4th, 1833, several families im- mediately followed and settled in that township. This fact from a distant view made a rosy field for the first doctor, who was William Sheldon, who settled on section two and remained about one year without much history, and was soon followed by Dr. William Pink, a native of England. He had form- erly, for a time, resided in the state of New York. He was unmarried, hav- ing had a wife and two children deceased. Doctor Pink made his home with John Fee, a brother-in-law of John Houlton. The doctor was a man of
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good manners and cultured intelligence, positive and tyrannical in his opinions. He was addicted to the use of intoxicating drinks, which too often rendered him incapable of serving his patients; but it is said that, during these periods of drinking, he had the discretion to positively refuse to give any attention to the sick. He frequently treated families with whom he would live until he had boarded out the professional claim. If the board suited him the claim was large, but if the family was not congenial, the claim was small. He died at the home of Adam Boyer, in Franklin township in 1846. Dr. Peter LaDue, of French descent, soon followed the arrival of Doctor William Pink and settled a little northeast of the center of Franklin township. He was a man of ill temper and impressed the people that he lacked sympathy. He was exacting and pedantic. In the early forties he moved to Enterprise, now Hamilton, just across the line of Franklin township, in Steuben county, and soon died from an accidental injury received when his horse fell through a bridge. In 1842 Dr. William Joice, a native of Pennsylvania, located near John Houlton on Fish creek. Doctor Joice was a man of culture, good habits and of sympathetic nature. He was conscientious in his professional duties and the pioneers all respected and even loved him. In 1848 he moved to Orland, in Steuben county, where there were additional advantages. The people of Franklin township and surrounding country regretted his departure. Doctor Joice resided in Orland until his decease.
Previous to 1840 there were no roads cut out, only in a primitive manner, simply cutting away the brush and saplings sufficiently to permit the passage of ox team and' wagon. These roads were meandering on the highest ground, avoiding swamps as much as possible, crossing swashy beaver dams. These beaver dams were all named, like buoys for the sailor. These trails took a course in the direction of some distant fort or settlement, where could be secured food and other necessities, to sustain life. Fort Wayne, Fort De- fiance and Jackson Prairie were the nearest. The St. Joseph river passing through the southeast part of the county, and emptying its waters into the Maumee at Fort Wayne, was an early channel which the settler could use for exporting and importing, by the use of pirogue or raft. From this fact, as early as 1834, settlement began along this river in DeKalb county.
Dr. Jolın Tatman located at Vienna, now Newville, in 1834 or 1835, and made his home, a portion of the time, at Orangeville, a competing embryonic city, one mile by trail, down the river from Vienna. The doctor continued in practice a number of years. Doctor Tatman was noted for haste and bluster. He always rode a white horse and was invariably on the gallop where the conditions of the trail would permit. This hustle and haste and
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the white horse made the doctor quite noted. During these years Doctor Herrick engaged in practice at Orangeville. The writer can learn but little of him; however, we learned that he met with a fatal accident. Attempting to cross the river in a boat, he lost control of it and was carried over the dam at Orangeville and was drowned. For the benefit of the lovers of the mysterious, I will say that, one of his patrons, a devoted Christian lady, had a vision two weeks previously, and had stated that the doctor would lose his life in the manner he did.
From 1833 to 1842 was really the primeval age of the medical profession in DeKalb county. The doctors labored under the most trying circumstances, it being difficult to obtain their own supplies or those for the comfort of the sick. There were no roads and they were often scantily clothed and fed. One thing, however, they always had a bountiful supply of fresh air.
From 1837 to 1842 the emigration into the county was large, and home- seekers had located in all parts of the county. The county was organized, state roads laid out, and the leading ones partly opened. The first of these roads in the main followed the early trails. The settlers were rapidly cutting away the timber, letting the sun-rays directly upon the undrained soil, and its numerous sags holding water which disappeared only by evaporation. This increased the mosquitoes and malarial fevers, which made additional demands for doctors in various parts of the county. The following named doctors found a field for busy work over the entire county : Dr. Solomon Stough, a native of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, who located on Fish creek, in Troy township, in 1845, where he continued his extensive practice, ac- cumulating means to secure two hundred acres of excellent land, which he highly improved until it was considered the best farm in Troy township. In the early sixties he moved to Waterloo. He enjoyed an extensive practice for nearly sixty years. His death was accidental, he having been struck by a Lake Shore train at a street crossing in the night.
Dr. Jonas Emanuel, a native of Ohio, located at Spencerville in 1843. The doctor had an extensive practice and for many years was the only physi- cian in that section of the county. He was a man of energy, and was atten- tive to business, and financially was a success.
Dr. William H. Madden, a native of Ohio, located at Norristown, in Wilmington township; the name was changed from Norristown to Jarvis and finally to Butler, its present name. The doctor enjoyed an extensive practice and had the confidence of all who knew him. He was kind and indulgent and never oppressed his patrons by his professional charges. He once said to the
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writer, "I have had much more joy out of my efforts, and their results, in relieving the sufferings of humanity than I ever have had from the money my profession has made for me." Age and infirmities compelled him to retire from practice, but he never lost his interest in the profession. He was especially unselfish and kind to his competitors, and his long and faithful friends mourn the decease of a good man.
Dr. James Milligan, a native of Pennsylvania, located at Butler in 1853, where he followed his profession for five years. The doctor was firm in his convictions and energetic, but lacked devotion to his profession. He bought a fine farm in Troy township, to which he retired, where he enjoyed a happy life to a good old age. The doctor had frequent periods of disgust with the practice ; and at one time said to the writer while living on his farm: "When I plant and sow for a crop of grain, I expect to reap a bountiful har- vest, but in medicine a doctor is always sowing to the wind, and he is for- tunate if he does not reap a whirlwind." I replied: "Doctor, you no doubt love agriculture, and you study nature, and the laws governing it. You per- fectly prepare the soil, you carefully select the seed, you sow and plant in the season, you skilfully till and cultivate the crops, and you are blessed with a bountiful harvest. Would not a like study of nature in dealing with the human body, becoming familiar with the normal and abnormal conditions, and the functions of the organs, making yourself equally as familiar with the chemistry and specific action of remedies, and administered with like care you exercise in planting and sowing your seeds, would you not obtain fully as satisfactory results?" He replied: "That is all bosh." The doctor had an extensive practice through the country of that region, notwithstanding his dislike for his profession. He was never known to ride his horses off a walk. He would say to any one, asking him to hurry: "If the patient is going to die, they will die anyway; and there is no use of killing a horse."
Dr. Noyce Coats, a native of Pennsylvania, matured his boyhood days in Wilmington township, near Butler. He took a course of lectures in Michigan University, and was appointed surgeon in the Federal army during the war of the Rebellion. He was a man of fine culture, companionable and sympathetic. He died in 1877, mourned by all who knew him.
Dr. Hiram Jones located in Uniontown, now the first ward of Waterloo, in 1850. He was noted for his tall and angular physique, the colonial cut of his clothing, and he always wore a high silk hat. He was social and congenial and was fond of society; was fond of anecdotes and stories, and his were made richi by his nasal voice. He was an old bachelor
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and especially fond of the company of young ladies. He frequently boasted that no tricks could be successfully perpetrated on him. One winter's evening, after a drifting snow, he invited two jolly and very popular young ladies to accompany him to a spelling school at a distant school house. The roads were badly drifted with snow. While at the spelling contest the boys re- moved the bolts which held the box of his sleigh to the running gear, and when he started for home, with the young ladies, the first drift they reached the sleigh was dumped into the snow, and old "John," the horse, went home with the sleigh. The doctor never heard the last of this trip, and he deeply felt the humiliation, but said: "It was the most chilling and perplexing case in all my professional career." He retired from practice during the early sixties, married a Miss Johnson, of Steuben county, Indiana, who had in- herited her father's estate, and they migrated to Missouri, where snow drifts were seldom known.
Dr. Isaac John Hornberger, a contemporary with Dr. Hiram Jones at Waterloo, was retiring in his manner, but had the confidence of the people. He was conservatively liberal in his views and sympathetic. In the early sixties his health failed, and he retired from practice, dying about the time of the close of the war of the Rebellion.
Dr. William Benier, a native of Ohio, located as a young physician in Salem Center, Steuben county, in 1848. Having had a very large patronage from the northern half of DeKalb county, in 1862 he located in Waterloo, DeKalb county. He made the treatment of chronic diseases a specialty. The doctor had a wide and deserving reputation ; he had a superior knowledge of therapeutics, had an analytical mind, was quick of perception, and seldom was in error in any detail of his diagnosis. He had the gift of memory to the extent that he could relate in detail every remedy he had used and its effect in every case in his fifty years' practice. He died in Waterloo at the age of eighty years.
The physicians at Auburn during the primitive period of DeKalb county were Doctors Ross, Haynes, Cooper, Prichard, Oliver and Roe; in addition to these, prior to 1856, were Doctors J. H. Ford, W. B. Dancer, Hendricks and J. N. Chamberlain; all of these four men had more than ordinary ability ; they were energetic, quick of perception and exercised superior judgment in their profession. Their everyday lives were convincing proof of their un- selfish interest in humanity. Each one of them was always ready to lend un- selfish counsel and aid to the younger members of the profession. They have passed to their reward, but they still live in history as deserving noblemen.
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From 1842 to 1856 closes what might be termed the middle age of the settling of DeKalb county and its development. In 1856 the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Air Line railroad was completed through the center of the county, causing the building of the thriving towns of Butler, Waterloo and Corunna. The Fort Wayne branch of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, through the center north and south, which passes through Summit, Waterloo, Auburn, Auburn Junction, St. Johns and New Era, quickly fol- lowed these railroads. The Eel River, now Vandalia railroad, was built from Butler to Logansport, passing through the city of Auburn, running from northeast to southwest through the county. The Baltimore & Ohio, built through the southern tier of townships, which caused the building of the town of St. Joe on the east in Concord township, and the village of Concord, Auburn Junction, and the city of Garrett, where are located the division and shops of the Baltimore & Ohio. The Wabash enters the county in Troy township, near the village of Artic, passing through the cities of Butler, St. Joe and Spencerville. The construction of these railroads caused the building of new towns and rapidly increased the growth of the older ones. From this wonderful development and increase of population, we can readily see that from 1856 to the present constitutes the modern age of DeKalb county in every respect. In this period the doctors have located in every inviting field. They have been mostly young men fresh from colleges and universities, ener- getic and intelligent.
THE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
The question of a medical society had for a long time been suggested and urged during personal interviews and professional councils of the doctors as they chanced to meet throughout the county.
In 1882 the doctors most interested in the advancement of the profession met in Auburn to organize a medical society. There was but one question which arose touching upon the laws and rules that should govern the society which called out discussion. This was whether a woman who had the accom- plishment of M. D. should be received into the society. During the discussion one grave and influential doctor arose somewhat agitated and said: "Mr. President : I think no one of us would be injured by the civilizing influence of women; unless you have lost all love for your mother and your wife, if you have one, I can see no earthly reason why women should not be allowed to become medical men in this society." This created an outburst of laughter, and there were no further objections. By unanimous consent women who were medical doctors were admitted.
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