USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 19
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1852 -- W. W. Thrasher. A. T. Beckett. Daniel H. White ( until Novem-
ber ), William H. Huston. Thrasher was succeeded by Joseph Dale in December, 1852.
1853-Joseph Dale, .A. T. Beckett, William H. Huston,
1854 -- Joseph Dale, .A. T. Beckett. William H. Huston.
1855 -- Joseph Dale. A. T. Beckett, William H. Huston (until Septem- ber). John Stoops.
1856-John Stoops, .\. T. Beckett, Joseph Dale.
1857-John Stoops, Joseph Dale. A. T. Beckett (until September ), George Scott.
1858-George Scott. Joseph Dale, John Stoops (until September), Joseph M. Sutcliffe.
1859 -- Joseph M. Sutcliffe, George Scott, Joseph Dale (until Septem- ber), W. T. Hensley.
1860 -- W. T. Hensley, George Scott. Joseph M. Sutcliffe.
1861-W. T. Hensley, George Scott. Joseph M. Sutcliffe (until Sep- tember ). Raney Gillman.
1862 -- Raney Gillman, George Scott, W. T. Hensley (until December). Ephraim Jeffrey.
1863-Ephraim Jeffrey. Raney Gillman, A. T. Beckett (appointed in June in place of George Scott, deceased.)
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
1864-Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.
1865 -- Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.
1866-Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.
1867 -- Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland ( until Septem- ber), John Beck.
1868 -- John Beck, A. T. Beckett, Ephraim Jeffrey (until December), Ezra Martin.
1869-John Beck, Ezra Martin, A. T. Beckett (until September), Hiram B. Langston.
1870-Hiram B. Langston, John Beck, Ezra Martin.
1871-Hiram B. Langston, John Beck, Ezra Martin.
1872-Hiram B. Langston, Ezra Martin, John Beck (until June), William A. Holland. Langston was succeeded in November by John Spivey.
1873 -- John Spivey, William A. Holland, Ezra Martin.
1874-John Spivey, William A. Holland, and until December, Ezra Martin, when succeeded by Linville Ferguson.
1875-Willianı A. Holland. Linville Ferguson, and until September, John Spivey, when succeeded by John Sims.
1876-77-William A. Holland. John Sims, and until December, Lin- ville Ferguson, when succeeded by McHenry Saxon.
1878-McHenry Saxon, William A. Holland, and until September, John Sims, when succeeded by Samuel P. Jemison.
1879-82-William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemison, McHenry Saxon. 1883-William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemison, and until December, McHenry Saxon, when succeeded by Henry C. Rees.
1884-William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemison, Henry C. Rees. 1885-William A. Holland, Henry C. Rees, O. A. Martin.
1886 -- William A. Holland, Henry C. Rees, O. A. Martin.
1887-William A. Holland, Henry C. Rees, O. A. Martin. 1888-O. A. Martin, Henry C. Rees, Thomas J. Caldwell. 1889-O. A. Martin. Henry C. Rees. Thomas J. Caldwell. 1890 -- O. A. Martin, Thomas J. Caldwell, F. Y. Thomas. 1891-F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas. 1892-F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas. 1893-F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas. 1894-F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner. S. E. Thomas. 1895-F. Y. Thomas. D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas. 1896-F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner, E. I. Chance. 1897-F. Y. Thomas, E. I. Chance, H. L. Hurst.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
1898-F. Y. Thomas, E. 1. Chance, H. L. Hurst. 1899-F. Y. Thomas, E. 1. Chance, H. L. Hurst. 1900-F. Y. Thomas, E. 1. Chance, H. L. Hurst. 1001-F. Y. Thomas, E. I. Chance, H. L. Hurst. 1902-E. I. Chance, H. L. Hurst, W. D. Thomas. 1903-H. L. Hurst. W. D. Thomas, J. M. White. 1904-H. L. Hurst, W. D. Thomas, J. M. White.
1905 --- H. L. Hurst, W. D. Thomas, J. M. White. 1906-H. L. Hurst, W. D. Thomas, J. M. White. 1907 -- H. L. Hurst. W. D. Thomas, J. M. White. 1908-L. D. Springer. Daniel Fiant, John A. Kellum.
1909 -- L. D. Springer, Daniel Fiant. John A. Kellum. 1910-L. D. Springer, Daniel Fiant, John \. Kellum. IQII-L. D. Springer, John A. Kellum, James F. Holland. 1912 -- L. D. Springer. John A. Kellum, W. C. Whipple. 1913 -- L. D. Springer. John A. Kellum, W. C. Whipple. 1914 -- John A. Kellum, W. C. Whipple. H. Shipley. 1915-H. Shipley. R. H. Jerman, E. W. Caldwell.
1916 -H. Shipley, R. H. Jerman, E. W. Caldwell. 1917 -- R. H. Jerman, E. W. Caldwell, Charles W. Mason.
FAYETTE COUNTY IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Fayette county had its first representation in the state Legislature in the session of 1819, the fourth regular session. This session had only ten members in the Senate and twenty-nine in the House. During the ninety- seven years which have elapsed since the county was first represented in the Legislature it has always been united with one or more counties in a sen- atorial district, and usually with one or more in a representative district. The following table shows the names of the members of the Legislature representing the districts to which Fayette county has been attached, the dates of their incumbency, and the county from which they were elected :
SENATE.
Member.
Session.
Year. Counties of District
William C. Drew 4- 5
1819-20
Fayette, Franklin
Patrick Baird
5
1820
Part of Fayette, and
Wayne and Randolph
(14)
210
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Member.
Session.
Year. Counties of District
6
1821
Lewis Johnson 7- 8- 9
1822-25
Fayette, Union
Ross Smiley
IO-II-12
1825-27
Fayette, Union
Newton Claypool
13-14-15
1828-30 Fayette, Union
James Leviston
16-17-18
1831-33 Fayette, Union
William Caldwell
19-20
1834-35
Fayette, Union
Newton Claypool 21
1836
Fayette, Union
William Watt
22-23-24
1837-39
Fayette, Union
Samuel W. Parker 25-26-27
1840-42
Fayette, Union
James Leviston 28-29-30
1843-45
Fayette, Union
Henry. Simpson
31-32-33
1846-48
Fayette, Union
John S. Reid
34-35-36
1849-51
Fayette, Union
Minor Meeker
37-38
1853-55
Fayette, Union
John Yaryan
39
1857
Fayette, Union
Thomas W. Bennett . 40
1859
Fayette, Union
Benjamin F. Claypool. . 41-43
1861-63
Fayette, Union
Thomas W. Bennett 44-45
1865-67
Fayette, Union
James Elliott .46-47
1869-71
Fayette, Union
Richard M. Haworth. . 48-49
1873-75
Fayette, Union
Milton Trussler 50-51
1877-79
Fayette, Union, Rush
Jesse J. Spann 52-53
1881-83
Fayette, Union, Rush
James N. Huston
54
1885
Fayette, Union, Rush
James N. Huston 55
1887
Fayette, Henry
William Grose 56-57
1889-91
Fayette, Henry
Leonidas P. Newby .58-59-60
1893-97
Fayette, Henry
Leonidas P. Newby .61
1899
Fayette, Henry, Union
Albert D. Ogborn . 62-63
1901-03
Fayette, Henry, Union
Edward F. Moore .64
1905
Fayette, Henry, Union
Edward E. Moore 65-66
1907-09
Fayette, Rush, Hancock
Cary Jackson
67-69
1909-15
Fayette, Rush, Hancock
Walter McConaha
.70
1917
Fayette, Rush, Hancock
HOUSE.
Oliver H. Smith
7
1822
Fayette
James Brownlee
8
1823
Fayette
Newton Claypool
9-IO-II-12
1825-27
Fayette
211
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Member.
Session.
Year. Counties of District
Marks Crume
13-14-15-16
17-18-19
1828-34 Fayette
Philip Mason 20
1835
Fayette
Caleb B. Smith
.21
1836
Fayette
Wilson Thompson
.22
1837 Fayette
John Willey
23
1838
Fayette
Matthew R. Hull .2.4
1839
Fayette
Caleb B. Smith 25
1840
Fayette
Wilson Thompson 26
1841
Fayette
Newton Claypool 27
1842
Fayette
Samuel \V. Parker 28
1843
Fayette
Samuel Little 29
1844
Fayette
William Stewart
30-31
1845-46
Fayette
Samuel Little 32
1847
Fayette
Thomas D. Hankins 33
1848
Fayette
Charles M. Stone
34-35
1849-50
Fayette
John V. Lindsey
36
1851
Fayette
Archibald F. Martin
37
1853
Fayette
Nelson Trusler
.38
1855
Fayette
Charles M. Stone .39
1857
Fayette
George W. Treadway . . 40
1859
Fayette, Union
Richard M. Haworth .4I
1869
Fayette, Union
Russell B. Perry 43
1863 Fayette, Union
Gilbert Trusler 44
1865 Fayette, Union
Richard N. Elliott
64-65
1905-07
Fayette, Union
Woodson W. Thrasher . .45
1867
Fayette, Union
B. F. Williams
46-47
1869-71
Fayette, Union
Warner H. Broddus 48
1873
Fayette, Union
Milton Trusler
49
1875
Fayette, Union
James P. Kennedy 50
1877
Fayette, Union
Joseph W. Conaway .51
1879
Fayette, Union
James N .. Huston
52-53
R. M. Haworth
54
1885
Fayette, Henry
William Grose
55
1887
Fayette, Henry
Jefferson H. Claypool. . 56-57
1889-91 Fayette, Wayne
A. C. Lindemuth 58
1893 Fayette, Wayne
James M. McIntosh 59
1895 Fayette, Wayne
Francis T. Roots 60-61
1897-99
Fayette, Wayne
1881-83
Fayette, Union
212
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Member.
Session.
Year.
Counties of District
Roscoe E. Kirkham . 62-63
1901-03
Fayette, Wayne
Richard N. Elliott
64-65
1905-07
Fayette, Wayne
Alonzo M. Gardner
. 66-67
1909-II
Fayette, Wayne
Earl Crawford
68
1913
Fayette, Wayne
James K. Mason
.69-70
1915-17
Fayette, Wayne
CONGRESSMEN FROM FAYETTE COUNTY.
Fayette county can claim six congressmen who have been elected from the county: Oliver H. Smith, Jonathan McCarty, Caleb B. Smith, Samuel W. Parker, Jeremiah M. Wilson and Finly H. Gray. At least two other congressmen lived for a short time in the county, viz., Andrew Kennedy and Samuel C. Sample.
When Fayette county was organized in 1819 Indiana was represented hy only one congressman, William Hendricks, and it was not until after the congressional apportionment of 1821 that the state was first divided into districts. The first apportionment gave the state three congressmen and placed Fayette county in the third district with the counties of Randolph, Franklin, Dearborn, Wayne, Switzerland, Ripley and Delaware. John Test, of Brookville, was the first congressman of the new district and served two terms ( 1823-27), being followed by Oliver H. Smith for one term ( 1827- 20). Test was then elected for another term, giving way in 1831 to Jona- than McCarty, who served three consecutive terms ( 1831-37). During his second term the state was allotted seven congressmen (act of January I, 1833). the act attaching Fayette to the newly created fifth district, which included the counties of Fayette, Union, Wayne, Henry, Delaware, Grant, Randolph, Huntington, Allen and Lagrange.
McCarty was followed in 1837 by James Rariden, of Wayne county, who maintained his seat through two terms ( 1837-41). Andrew Kennedy succeeded Rariden in 1841 and represented the fifth district one term, the apportionment of February 8, 1842, taking his county, Delaware, out of the fifth and placing it in the newly organized tenth district, leaving Fayette in the fourth with the counties of Henry, Union and Wayne. In the fall of 1842 the third congressman from Fayette county was elected, Caleb B. Smith, and he served three terms ( 1843-49). George W. Julian, of Wayne county, represented the district the next two years, being followed by Samuel W. Parker, of Connersville, in 1851 for two terms.
During Parker's first term the state was redistricted for congressional purposes with the act of February 9, 1852, Fayette being placed in the fifth
213
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
with the counties of Henry, Union, Wayne, Delaware and Randolph. David P. Holloway followed Parker in 1855 for one term and David Kilgore, the "Delaware Chief" of Delaware county, served the next two terms ( 1857-61). The next five terms ( 1861-71) saw George W. Julian as the congressman from the district. During his term the act of February 20, 1867, reorgan- ized the congressional districts of the state and placed Fayette county again in the fourth, along with the counties of Shelby, Rush, Franklin, Union, Wayne and Hancock.
Jeremiah M. Wilson, the fourth congressman to be elected from Fay- ette county, followed Julian in 1871 for two terms. The act of December 22, 1872, again rearranged the congressional districts. Fayette county being put back into the fifth district with Dearborn, Franklin, Union, Wayne and Randolph. This was the first apportionment which gave the state-thirteen congressmen, the same number which it has since been allotted.
William S. Holman, of Dearborn county, followed Wilson in 1875 for one term, giving way to Thomas M. Browne in 1877. Browne served the district longer than any other congressman, being in congress continuously from 1877 to 1891. During his long congressional career two changes were made in the district, but his county, Randolph, remained in the district with Fayette. The act of March 20, 1879, made Fayette a part of the sixth dis- trict. where it has since remained, although a number of different counties have been in the district. The act of 1879 united the counties of Fayette, Delaware, Randolph, Henry, Wayne and Rush in the sixth; no changes were made in the composition of the district with the acts of March 6, 1885, or March 6, 1891.
Browne was followed in 1891 by Henry U. Johnson, of Wayne county, who served four consecutive terms ( 1891-99). The act of March 9, 1895, took Randolph and Delaware out of the sixth district, and . reconstituted it to consist of the counties of Fayette, Henry, Wayne, Rush, Hancock, Shelby. Union and Franklin.
James E. Watson, of Rush county, served five consecutive terms ( 1899; 1909), being succeeded in 1909 by William O. Barnard, of Henry county, The act of March 5, 1901, attached Decatur county to the sixth district, but the act of March 6, 1911, detached it, leaving the district as it was in 1895 and as at present constituted.
Barnard served only one term ( 1909-11), his successor being Finly H. Gray, of Fayette. county. Gray represented the district three terms ( 1911- 17), being defeated for re-election by Daniel W. Comstock, of Wayne county. Comstock began his term of two years on March 4, 1917.
CHAPTER VII.
TOWNSHIPS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
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COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.
Columbia township, one of the five townships organized by the county commissioners on February 8, 1819, originally included all of its present limits, more than half of Jackson and all but the two northern tiers of sec- tions of Orange township. Its limits as defined originally were as follows: "Beginning at the southeast corner of section 33 in township 13, range 13; thence west along the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette to the western boundary of the county of Fayette; thence north along said county line five miles; thence along a direct line east to the northwest corner of section 8, in township 13, range 12; thence east along the line dividing sections 8 and 9 in township 13, range 13; thence south along the line divid- ing said sections 8 and 9, to the southwest corner of section 16, township and range last aforesaid; thence east to the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette; thence south along the said line to the place of beginning."
When Jackson township was organized by the commissioners at their August, 1820, session it was made to embrace all that part of Columbia township east of White Water. Two years later, February 18, 1822, Orange township was organized by the commissioners, leaving Columbia township with its present limits.
All of the recent township falls within the Twelve-mile Purchase of 1809, except a small portion of sections 18 and 7, in the northwestern part of the township. All of the seventeen sections and six fractional sections of land in the township lie in township 13, range 12.
The first land entries were recorded in 1811, eleven settlers having entered upon land during that year. A complete list of the land entries of the township, designated by sections, is as follows:
Section 7 ( fractions)-Sold in 1817, 1830 and 1832 to S. Todd, Will- iam C. Drew. Thomas Hibbs and John G. Gray.
215
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Section 8-Sold in 1814 and 1817 to Benjamin McCarty, Samuel Logan, Samuel Newhouse and Cale Smith.
Section 9 -- Sold in 1812 and 1814 to Benjamin McCarty, R. Marshall. Section 10-Sold in 1813 to John Knox, James Hamilton, James New- house and Christopher Ladd.
Section 11-Sold in 1813 to W. S. Hand and Benjamin Sailor (one- half section.)
Section 14-Sold in 1811 to Nicholas Reagen and William Eagen (one- half - section. )
Section 15-Sold in 1812, 1813, 1814 and 1815 to Morgan Vardiman, William Helm, William Conner and Benjamin Sailor.
Section 16-Reserved for school purposes.
Section 17-Sold in 1814, 1817, 1832-1835 to James Buchanan, Gale Hamilton, H. N. Burgoyne, W. C. Plummer and James Conwell.
Section 18 -- Sold in 1814 to Charles Hardy ( fractional).
Section 19-Sold in 1818 and 1820-1835 to Wilson Waddams, Charles Hardy, Benjamin F. Utter, James Conwell, George Klum, John G. Gray, John Ronald, John Combs, H. N. Burgoyne and William Jacobs.
Section 20-Sold in 1813, 1814 and 1832 to John Bridges, Elijah Stevens, Wilson Waddams.
Section 21-Sold in 1814. 1829-1834 to James Wiley, Wilson Wad- dams, James Conwell, and Isaac Limpus.
Section 22-Sold in 1811, 1813 and 1814 to Charles Scott, R. Russell, Reuben Conner and John Conner.
Section 23 -- Sold in 1811, 1812 to William Helm, Gabriel Ginn.
Section 27-Sold in 1811, 1813, 1814, 1818, 1831 to John Grist, Allen Crisler, William Conner, William Wherrett.
Section 28 -- Sold in 1811, 1812, 1816 to Moses Martin, Enoch Limpus and Elijah Allen.
Section 29-Sold in 1813, 1816, 1831-1834 to Jonathan Gillam, Enoch Hills, Lewis Bishop, Cornelius Rinerson and Rinerd Rinerson.
Section 30-Sold in 1815. 1832-1836 to Robert Glidwell, Charles Stevens, Benjamin Tharpe, Job Waltz and James Conwell.
Section 31 -- Sold in 1826-1836 to James Moore, Charles Melond, James Linville. Charles Morrow and S. Resum.
Section 32-Sold in 1832-1836 to Rinerd Rinerson, Moses Harrell, John J. Shaw, F. A. Conwell. James Wells, Jr.
Section 33-Sold in 1811, 1818, 1819 and 1831 to Edward Webb,
216
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Enoch Limpus, Horatio Mason, James Conwell, Henry Vandalson, Hugh Reed and Isaac Thomas.
Section 34-Sold in 1811, 1812 to Elijah Limpus, M. Huston, H. J. Byram, Hugh Reed and John Richardson.
One of the first things to be noticed in connection with the settlement of the township is that nearly all of the land entries made in 1811 were - along the water courses. William Eagen is thought by many of the pioneers to have heen the earliest settler in this township. With only a few excep- tions, nearly all of the early settlers came from Kentucky. Among the num- ber were William Helm, Edward Webb, John Conner, Allen Crisler, Joshua Crigler; Vincent Cooper and Michael Hackleman. From Virginia came Abraham Bays, Charles Scott, Jonathan, David and James Newhouse, Isaac, Enoch, Levi, Elijah and Jonathan Limpus ..
Philip and Horatio Mason, with their wives, settled on Garrison creek in 1819. They emigrated from Herkimer county, New York, in the spring of 1816, going by sleigh to some point on the Allegheny river, thence to Cincinnati by raft and to the vicinity of Laurel by wagon. Samuel Jenks, a brother-in-law of Philip Mason, was a resident of that vicinity and with him Philip stopped and shared their cabin until January, 1817, when he removed to a cabin that stood near Garrison creek.
In 1819, Joshua Heizer, a native of Virginia and a soldier of the War of 1812, settled in the township, as also did Reuben Conner, from Kentucky.
AN OLD RESIDENCE.
During the early part of the century Judge Webb constructed what was considered to be the most substantial cabin of that day in that settlement. The cabin occupied a site on the fertile bottom land along White Water river, a situation commanding a beautiful view. It was of the second class of pioneer cabins, constructed of hewed logs, two stories high and the build- ing being eighteen by twenty-eight feet in size. On the north end of the building was a large chimney, constructed of stone of various sizes, built on the outside of the house. Two doors from without opened into the house, one on either side. Below on either side was a window, though of different sizes, and on the east side of the second door were two half or garret windows. Within the house were three apartments, one above and two below, each floor being provided with one fireplace, large below and small on the second floor.
Just below Nulltown, and not far from the old graveyard, was the old
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TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
Top row, left to right: Willard Robinson, William Carson, Amon Young, Quincy Price, William Maze, Claude Trusler, County Superintendent. Bottom row, Frank Hackleman, William Frank, Lafayette Moore, Richard Rowe.
217
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
blockhouse built by the settlement for the protection against the Indians during the War of 1812.
MILLS AND DISTILLERIES.
The industries during the early days were confined mostly to mills and distilleries. The first mill in the township is thought to have been a saw-mill erected by Allen Crisler and which stood at the north end of the village of Alpine. Doctor Mason became the owner of the mill in 1816 and operated a flour-mill in connection. A still-house and a hemp-inill were added, all four being operated under the general management of Colonel Crisler, until a change in the course of the river destroyed the power and then all went out of use.
At a very early day a saw-mill was built at Nulltown by Thomas Silvey. who sold it to Null brothers. . After they became the owners they added a very small grist-mill and then, after Crisler's mill went out of operation, they built a large flouring- and grist-mill. which was not in operation many years, the canal and hydraulic destroying the power.
About 1844 a grist-mill was built at Alpine by Thomas Crisler, James and John Limpus. In 1863 the mill was purchased by Thomas and A. N. Bruner, who operated the same for many years.
During the period of early settlement several men operated copper stills, among whom were William Helm, on Garrison creek, and John Con- ner. Wilson Waddams also operated a corn cracker in connection with his still.
A saw- and grist-mill was erected by H. N. Burgoyne about 1833 in section 19. on the south fork of Garrison's creek. The mill changed owners many times and finally Nathan Lewis and brother became the proprietors. After operating the mill about two years, they built a new saw-mill:
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The first school house built in the township was near the Franklin church, just below Nulltown, erected in 1815. The first school teacher seems to have been Gabriel Ginn. \ few years later a school was conducted in an old cabin about a mile southwest of Alpine by Mark Whitacre. Robert Helm and a lady by the name of Klum also taught in the same community. About 1821 a log school house was built one mile west of Alpine and among the first teachers were Daniel MeIntyre and Dr. Philip Mason.
218
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Probably the first school in the northern part of the township was held in the little log house that stood on the farm of Hinkson Halstead. John Ronald was the first teacher.
COLUMBIA.
This little village of Columbia, located north of the center of Columbia township. has a history not uncommon to the other villages of the county. At one time it served well its purpose as a local commercial and trading center. "The little hamlet was laid out on land belonging to Isaac Limpus and James Buchanan and was surveyed by Isaac Fowler, June 15, 1832. An addition was made to the original plat in 1849 by a man by the name of Martin.
The first man to build a house in the village was Isaac Limpus, and in it he conducted an inn. He was also the first postmaster, the postoffice hav- ing been established on February 16. 1833. For several years following he conducted a grocery and saloon. In 1835, John Hardy was granted a license as a merchant, a privilege which was renewed for several years. Later mer- chants were George Scott, David Smith and George Logan.
In 1843 the hamlet had two general stores kept by George Scott and Horatio and John Hardy ; one shoe-shop and postoffice combined, by Will- iam Wherrett; one blacksmith shop, by Joseph Little ; a general repair shop, by D. O. Darby ; one wagon shop, by Louis Black. What was once a lively commercial center has long since fallen into decay, and at the present time the little hamlet consists of a Methodist church, one store conducted by Will Larmore, and a few houses.
It is doubtful if any postoffice in the county has been served by as many postmasters as has Columbia. Following is the list with their period of service: Isaac Limpus, 1833-1837; William Wherrett, 1837-1850; George W. Logan, 1850-1851; Caleb B. Clements, 1851-1852: Lafayette Mount, 1852-1854: Daniel O. Darby. 1854- Jannary 9, 1861 (discontinued ) ; . John D. Darby, February 1, 1861 (re-established), to November 14, 1861 ; Benedict Hutchinson, 1861-1863: John W. Thomas, 1863-1864; George W. Tucker, 1864-1865 : John I. Thomas, February 21, 1865- December 5, 1865; John S. Perrett, 1865-1866; George W. Tucker, 1866-1867; Benedict Hutch- inson, 1867-1874; John Perin, 1874-1875: John H. Sterett, 1875-1877: David S. Alzeno, 1877-1880; Samuel E. Perin. 1880-1883: Sarah Ronar, April 12, 1883- December 27. 1883: John Z. Perin, 1883-1900; Mrs. Mary Wiles, 1900-1904, when the office was discontinued.
219
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
As Macaulay has depicted ancient Rome in all of its fullness, so has William H. Tate preserved for all generations a graphic description of the little village of Columbia as outlined in the following poem :
THE VILLAGE OF COLUMBIA.
June fifteenth eighteen hundred and thirty-two, Ike Fowler, with his compass true, Ran lines across and through, Upon the lands then rather new, Of Isaac Limpus and James Buchanan, too.
Ike Limpus.then quite young and- stout. Within the new town thus laid out. Built the first house thereabout And changed it to an inn throughout To shelter travelers from the storms without.
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