USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 32
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Allen associated himself with Elisha Vance, a lawyer of Connersville, in his undertaking and they opened their bank in the building erected by the White Water Canal Company on Fourth street between Eastern and Central avenues. This building stands to the rear of the present Palace hotel and is now used as a residence. This bank issued one- and three-dollar cer- tificates signed by L. D. Allen and T. G. Stevens. J. L. Heinemann has some of these certificates bearing the date of August 23, 1854. The bank evidently did not command public confidence; at least it closed its doors within a year.
The Fayette County Bank was consolidated with the Connersville branch of the Bank of the State of Indiana in January, 1857. The directors of that institution were John Caldwell, Newton Claypool, Henry Simpson, Amos R. Edwards, Thomas J. Crisler, W. W. Frybarger and Sherman Scofield.
James Mount and William Merrill opened a bank in 1857 in the room formerly occupied by the Bank of Connersville, and for several years car- ried on a kind of bank business under the name of the Farmers Bank. .
FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
The Connersville branch of the State Bank was reorganized as the First National Bank of Connersville on February 13, 1865, with a capital stock of $100,000. The first officers were: President, B. F. Claypool; cashier, E. F. Claypool. The first board of directors consisted of J. M. Wilson, H. D. Carlisle, P. H. Roots, F. M. Roots, B. F. Claypool and E. F. Claypool. In
.346
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
1873 P. H. Roots was chosen president and Charles Mount, cashier. In 1879 P. H. Roots died and was succeeded in the presidency by his brother, F. M. Roots, and F. T. Roots, son of P. H, Roots, became vice-president. From 1873, until his death. in 1883, G. W. Uhl was assistant cashier. The business of the bank is still conducted at the old location on the northwest corner of Central avenue and Fifth street. The present brick building was erected to replace the small two-story brick structure in which the business was formerly conducted.
The present officials are : President, G. C. Florea; vice-president, T. C. Bryson ; cashier, L. K. Tingley. The directors are G. C. Florea, T. C. Bry- son, L. K. Tingley, E. D. Johnson, A .. E. Leiter, George Cain, J. E. Williams.
The following condensed statement shows the position of the bank on December 16, 1916: Cash and exchange, $210,770.04; loans, $468,924.75; United States bonds at par, $101,000; others bonds and securities, $49,171.98 ; stock in Federal Reserve Bank, $3,900; due from United States treasurer, $5,000; bank building, $70,000; furniture and vault, $1,000-Total, $909,- 766.77. Capital stock, $100,000; surplus, $30,000; undivided profits, $17.942.36 ; deposits, $661,824.41 ; circulation, $100,000-Total, $909,766.77.
THE FAYETTE NATIONAL BANK.
On November 17, 1892, the Fayette Banking Company was organized and began business in the small room at the corner of Sixth street and Central avenue, now occupied by the Grand Leader store. J. B. McFarlan, Sr., served as president, Jos. I. Little, cashier and P. H. Kensler, assistant cashier. The first board of directors consisted of J. B. McFarlan, Sr., W. W. McFar- lan, Jos. I. Little, William Newkirk and George M. Sinks.
Late in December, 1894, the company moved into the corner room of the McFarlan building just across the street from their old location, which has been occupied ever since by the institution and its successor-The Fay- ette National Bank.
The business was successful from the start, and when in 1902 the change was made to The Fayette National Bank, their deposits had grown from $12,806.52 to $301,184.48. At that time also the capital was increased from $30,000.00 to $100,000.00. The business has continued to grow steadily and solidly with the passing years, until now the deposits have reached $679,574.47.
While some of the original officers. and directors have passed away, the bank has been practically under the same management all these years-
347
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
the present president and cashier having been officially connected with the institution from the beginning.
The present officials 'of the bank are: President. P. H. Kensler; vice- president, J. E. Huston : cashier, Charles Cassel ; assistant cashier, Alton G. Trusler. The board of directors is comprised of E. W. Ansted, P. H. Kens- ler, G. W. Ansted, J. E. Huston and W. B. Ansted. The bank is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank.
The following is the statement of the condition of the Fayette National Bank at the close of business, November 17, 1916.
Resources.
Loans and discounts
$613,517.33
Overdrafts
2,876.68
United States bonds
102,000.00
Bonds, securities, etc.
22,675.00
Stocks in Federal Reserve Bank
4,200.00
Furniture and fixtures
2,000.00
Due from United States treasurer
5,000.00
Cash and due from banks
174,022.06
$926,291.07
Liabilities.
Capital stock paid in
$100,000.00
Surplus
40,000.00
Undivided profits
8,016.60
Circulation
98,700.00
Deposits
679,574.47
$926,291.07
Growth in deposits: November, 1912, $584,754.54; November, 1913, $590,716.58; November, 1914, $592,700.29; November, 1915, $629,957.39; November, 1916, $679,574.47.
FARMERS AND MERCHANTS TRUST COMPANY.
The Farmers and Merchants Trust Company, Connersville, was organ- ized on April 5, 1902, with a capital stock of $100,000. The first officers of the company were: President, F. T. Roots; vice-president, E. W. Ansted; cashier, B. F. Thiebaud; secretary and treasurer, B. F: Thiebaud. The first
348
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
directors were: F. T. Roots, E. W. Ansted, Julius Turkenoph, U. H. Rothschilds. L. T. Bower, B. F. Thiebaud and F. R. Beeson.
The present officials are: E. W. Ansted, president ; F. B. Ansted, vice- president ; B. F. Thieband, cashier; F. M. Tatman, assistant cashier; B. F. Thiebaud, secretary and treasurer. The.directors are E. W. Ansted, A. A. Ansted, M. Holberg, James McCann, R. T. Huston, F. B. Ansted and B. F. Thiebaud.
The following is the report of the condition of the Farmers and Mer- chants Trust Company, at Connersville, at the close of its business on Novem- ber 17, 1916:
Resources.
Loans and discounts
$684,799.79
Overdrafts
1,202.79
Bonds and securities
21,338.71
Furniture and fixtures
1,000.00
Real estate
9,574.00
Due from Banks and Trust Companies
$95, 112.16
Cash on hand
34,572.44
Cash items
2,947.69
132,632.29
Total Resources
$850,547.58
Liabilities.
Capital stock-paid in
$100,000.00
Surplus
30,000.00
Undivided profits
20,000.00
Exchange, discounts and interest
5,503.91
Demand deposits
$490,440.80
Demand certificates
166,702.87
657,143.67
Notes, etc., rediscounted
37,900.00
. .
Total Liabilities
$850,547.58
THE CENTRAL STATE BANK.
The Central State Bank at Connersville was organized on March 9, 1907, with a capital stock of $60,000. The first officials were: President, W. W. McFarlan; vice-president, A. E. Barrows; cashier, Frederic I. Bar- rows; assistant cashier, H. M .. McFarlan.
349
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
The present officers are: President, Alex Edwards; vice-presidents, E. M. Michener, F. I. Barrows ; cashier. A. H. Rieman. The board of directors is comprised-of Alex Edwards, E. M. Michener, F. I. Barrows, A. H. Rie- man, J. R. Mountain, B. M. Barrows, C. I. Showalter and George Manlove. The bank owns the building on the corner of Central avenue and Seventh street. By the early part of 1917 the deposits were over $300,000.
The following is the report of the condition of the Central State Bank at Connersville, at the close of business on November 17, 1916:
Resources.
Loans and discounts
$172,128.91
Overdrafts
690.27
Other bonds and securities
41,690.00
Furniture and fixtures
3,425.00
Other real estate
41,600.00
Due from Banks and Trust Companies
$35,399.39
Cash on hand
12,575.88
Cash items
3.915.44 51,890.7I
Total resources
$310,824.89
Liabilities.
Capital stock-paid in
$ 60,000.00
Surplus
5,250.00
Undivided profits
2,429.91
Demand deposits
$198,473.99
Time certificates
23,665.74
Certified checks
1,005.25
223, 144.98
Bills payable
20,000.00
Total liabilities
$310,824.89
FAYETTE SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION.
The Fayette Savings and Loan Association, of Connersville, was organ- ized in May, 1887. During the thirty years it has been in operation it has been the means of assisting hundreds of its members to build and own homes of their own, and has. thus- contributed in no_ small. measure to the general prospecity of the community. The association now has a subscribed capital
350
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
stock of $1,495,000 and cash assets, about $700,000. A statistical summary of its condition at the time its last report was made shows the following: Total membership, 1,338; investing members, 842; borrowing members, 496; amount of capital stock subscribed and in force, $1,472,500; value of shares when matured, $100; rate of interest, 6 per cent. The present officers are as follow : President, John T. Lair ; vice-president, Richard G. Wait ; secretary, F. I. Barrows : treasurer, E. M. Michener ; assistant secretaries, Caroline Bar- rows Dixon, Arthur Dixon; other directors, Fred C. Neal, Charles I. Showalter, Charles Monyhon.
GERMAN BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION.
The German Building and Loan Association of Connersville was incor- porated on April 20, 1902, with an authorized capital stock of $500,000. The first officers were as follow: President, D. W. Andre; secretary, John Rembusch; treasurer, F. R. Beeson. Its condition at the time of its last report is shown in the following summary: Total membership, 460; invest- ing members, 310: borrowing members, 150; amount of capital stock sub- scribed and in force, $211,400; par value of shares when matured, $250; rate of interest, 8 per cent ; total shares of stock in force, 2,1'14. The pres- ent officers of the association are as follow: President, James E. Pattee; secretary, William Frank; treasurer, James McCann; attorney, G. Edwin Johnson.
HOME LOAN ASSOCIATION.
The Home Loan Association of Connersville was incorporated on Decem- ber 20, 1902, with an authorized capital stock of $1,000,000. The first officers were as follow: President, J. B. McFarlan; secretary, John Payne; treasurer, W. H. Bertsch; attorney, Finly H. Gray. The last report of the association shows the following: Total membership, 1,397; investing mem- bers, 1,061 ; borrowing members, 336; amount of capital stock subscribed and in force, $1,070,200; par value of share when matured, $100; rate of interest, 6 24/100 per cent. The present officers are as follow: President, W. T. Edwards; secretary, S. O. McKennan ; treasurer, R. C. McKennan ; attorney, W. E. Ochiltree.
CHAPTER XIV.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
The first schools of Fayette county were either voluntary schools taught by some public-spirited pioneer or else what was known as a subscription school. Public schools supported by a state fund did not come into exist- ence until after the adoption of the Constitution of 1852. The educational history of Fayette county before that time was not dissimilar to that of other counties in the state. As early as 1818 the Legislature of the state made provision for a seminary fund in the various counties of the state. This was made necessary because the first constitution of the state, which was, in a measure, based on the Ordinance of 1787, provided that every sixteenth section of land in the state should be set aside for school purposes. This land was to be sold or, if a purchaser was not to be found, it was to be rented and the proceeds from the sale or rent were to be used for the main- tenance of schools. Unfortunately, the price of land in Fayette county was very low, and the result was there was not a sufficiently large sum derived from this source for school purposes. In addition to the proceeds of school sections, the money from fines, forfeitures and money collected from win- ners in gambling, when the loser was not. . on hand to-claim. it, was placed in the school fund. In the early days of the history of the state lotteries were a common thing, and, strange as it may seem, the first university in Indiana-the University of Vincennes-was put on a sound financial basis by a lottery scheme, which was authorized by the territorial Legislature.
Since there was but little public money for school purposes, it was not possible to get teachers without offering them additional compensation. Hence for a period of about thirty-five years, Fayette county had what was known as subscription schools. Usually the patrons of a school district would build a rude log school house and some itinerant pedagogue would be selected -to "conduct-school" for periods varying from two to six months. The rates of tuition were very low, and the average compensation of the early teachers seldom amounted to more than twenty dollars a month. The usual rate of tuition was from seventy-five cents to one dollar a quarter, and
352
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
the masters were frequently paid in wheat at thirty-seven and one-half cents a bushel, or corn at eight or ten cents a bushel.
The teachers were nearly always men, for the reason that in those days physical prowess was as essential to success in a schoolroom'as a well disci- plined brain. No truer picture of early school days in Indiana has ever been drawn than may be found in Eggleston's "Hoosier School Master." The qualifications of the early school teachers were very limited, and as late as 1831 the Legislature of Indiana went on record to the effect that "the English language, writing and arithmetic" should constitute the qualifica- tions for a teacher in the schools of the state. These are the "three Rs" of our forefathers and they passed their examination in "readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic" before a trustee who very frequently was unable to read or write. There, were many cases where no examinations were given, this being especially the case with those teachers who derived all of their compensation from subscriptions.
1:15.
THE EARLY SCHOOL HOUSE DESCRIBED.
This article would not be complete without a description of one of these early log school houses. "By the law of 1824, for building school houses, each voter was made a builder." When a school house was to be built the people would meet and each was assigned to some particular class of work- there were choppers, masons (daubers), hewers and the' like. A fine of thirty-seven and one-half cents a day was required of those who did not work or pay the equivalent. The building might be as large as the patrons wanted to make it, but, interesting to note, the Legislature provided that the floor had to be one foot off of the ground and the ceiling at least eight feet high. As a matter of fact, however, the roof was frequently used as a ceiling. The interior arrangement was designed with the view to taking advantage of the one window on either side of the building. This window was made by removing a log from the side of the building and covering the opening with sheets of well-greased linen paper. The paper frequently fur- nished another purpose as well. On it were written the letters of the alpha- bet by a good penman, also the Arabic and Roman notation, as well as vari- ous geometrical figures. Before this window was placed a long, hewed log, made as smooth as possible, and this was the table at which the boys and girls sat during the period of their writing lessons. The rude bench before this equally rude table was without a back, and as far as that was concerned, there were no benches in the school with backs. The pupils sitting at the
353
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
long table had their copy before them on the window, and many stories are told of the letters of Jonathan Jennings, the first governor of Indiana, which served as copies for the boys and girls of early Indiana. The two ends of the school house were occupied by a door and fireplace, respectively. The fireplace was from five to ten feet wide, and enough wood was consumed during a long winter to heat a modern school building of several rooms. As to the equipment of the rooms and the supplies of the children, there was a great variance. There was no paper for use for any purpose, except in the copy-book, and oftentimes the writing exercise had to be done on a slate. If paper was used, then the writing was done with a goose quill pen and with ink made out of pokeberries, walnut juice or soft-maple bark. In order to make this ink have the proper consistency and permanency, copperas was used, while the modern blotter was simulated by fine sand sprinkled over the paper. The paper at that time was made out of rags and was expensive in comparison to its cost today. Consequently, it was used as sparingly as possible, while the slate was considered as indispensable as the spelling book. There were no dictionaries, no globes, no maps, and in many of the first school houses there was no blackboard. However, this last deficiency was soon remedied, since it was necessary to have a blackboard for ciphering.
The course of study and the method of recitation should be briefly noticed. As has been stated, the "three Rs" furnished the basis of the edu- cation which was given in the early schools. There were no classes in school, as we understand them. Grading the pupils according to their age or advancement was unheard of. For many years the pupils held up their hands when they thought they had their lessons ready to recite, and the teacher would call them one by one to his seat, and have them repeat their lesson-and what is interesting, they had to memorize their lesson word by word. There were really as many classes in school as there were pupils. These schools, supported in part by public funds, but mostly by private sub- scriptions, continued to flourish until the adoption of the new Constitution in 1852. Then there was ushered in a new era in education throughout the state, although there were many counties which were slow to take advantage of the provisions of the new law.
ESTABLISHMENT OF FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The problem of free public schools was practically settled before 1852, although it was several years before the system became universally estab-
(23)
354
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
lished over the state. In 1848 the people of the state were permitted to vote on the question of free schools, but it was a decade before Fayette county had the system in operation.
The legislative act of February 16, 1848, provided for a viva voce on the question "Are you in favor of free public schools?" If Fayette county voted on the question it made no return of the vote to the secretary of state. The vote of the state stood 78,523 to 61,887 in favor of the proposition. The succeeding Legislature submitted a second proposition to the voters of the state on the question of free schools, the act of January 17, 1849, pro- posing a vote on the question "Are you in favor of the act of 1848-49 to increase and extend the benefits of the common schools?" At the election held on August 6, 1849, Fayette county declared itself in favor of the ques- tion by a vote of 932 to 925.
The records of the public schools of the county outside of Connersville are very meager and it is impossible to trace the steps which the county took to establish the new free school system throughout the county. In the suc- ceeding pages an effort has been made to collate the chief facts about each township separately as well as to give a separate account of the old county seminary, the Connersville city schools and Elmhurst School for Girls. The present county superintendent of schools, Clande Trusler, has been collecting the material for a history of the schools of the county and his material fur- nishes the basis for this chapter. After a few points of general interest are taken up the remainder of the chapter will be devoted to a discussion of the schools of each township, the seminary, Connersville schools and Elm- hurst School for Girls.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
There was no system of public schools under the 1816 Constitution and it was not until after 1852 that there were officials at the heads of the schools of the various counties of the state. At first the official was known as the county examiner, but the Legislature in 1873 created the office of county superintendent of schools as it is now known. Since that date the following men have been elected to the office by the trustees of the various townships of the county. The office is filled every four years and is the only one in the county which demands certain qualifications of its incumbents. The county superintendents of Fayette county since 1873 have served in the following order: J. L. Rippetoe, 1873-75; Josiah Gamble, 1875-87; Frank G. Hornung,
355
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
1887-89: B. F. Thieband, 1889-91 ; G. W. Robertson, 1891-95; W. H. Glide- well, 1895-97; Calvin Ochiltree, 1897-1907; Claude Trusler, since 1907.
ENUMERATION STATISTICS.
A study of the enumeration of children of school age, year by year, shows that in most of the townships there has been a decrease in the enumera- tion during the past thirty years, the greatest decrease being in Connersville and Posey townships. The city of Connersville shows the greatest increase. As far back as 1854 the city enumerated 612 children of school age. These figures, by 1887, had increased to 707 and by 1916 to 1.985. In 1887 there were 51 school houses in use, but by 1916 this number had decreased to 29, because of the consolidation of many of the rural schools. The following table exhibits the enumeration by townships in 1887, 1897, 1907 and 1916, together with the number of school houses in use at each period :
Townships.
Enumeration.
Number of School Houses.
1887
1897
1907
1916 1887 1897 1907 1916
Connersville
415
220
240
220
8
7
. .
6
Posey
218
195
162
145
6
6
...
2
Fairview
169
IQI
132
145
5
4
. .
2
Orange
177
I39
I41
167
4
4
. .
3
Harrison
225
141
246
266
6
6
. .
2
Columbia
166
108
155
183
5
4
4
4
Jackson
211
192
195
155
7
7
. .
4
Jennings
184
168
126
150
4
4
2
2
Waterloo
J-19
1.40
144
otI
4
4
. .
I
East Connersville
97
118
214
222
I
I
I
I
Connersville City
707
1,181
1,893
1,985
I
3
4
1
CONNERSVILLE TOWNSHIP.
There have been schools in Connersville township for more than one hun- dred years, the first building for school purposes having been erected about 1814 near where Williams creek empties into White Water river. This was a log structure standing on the farm of Thomas Hinkson, this pioneer farmer also serving as the first teacher and continuing to teach for several years. Hinkson was educated in a Catholic school and seems to have had
3,56
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
more scholastic training than most of the early teachers of the county. Another of the early teachers of this same vicinity was a Miss Ingham, who held forth in a log school house in 1819, the same standing where the Lock- hart school house stood in later years.
One of the earliest school houses erected in the county was on the farm of John Kellum, a few rods east of where Longwood station now stands. The structure was built of logs but was weatherboarded with slabs. At one end of the house was a large fireplace and on each side a cupboard. The house was well lighted, having windows on three sides, and was provided with two doors. Desks were built the full length of the walls on three sides, the benches being the same length as the desks. The older pupils sat with their faces to the wall and the little ones on long benches with no desks.
Unfortunately, there have not been records kept of the early schools of the county and the names of most of the pioneers teachers have disap- peared along with the log school houses in which they wielded the rod. Among the early teachers of Connersville township may be mentioned Millie Perin, Jonathan Shields, Hannah Hathaway, Philip Mason, Ryland Brown, John Justice and Harvey Nutting, some of whom taught in the village of Connersville.
INTERESTING NOTES OF A RAMBLER.
Several years ago there appeared in one of the local papers an account by one "Rambler" of a school known as "Solomon's School", which stood on the east side of the river. The vivid description of the building, its equip- ment, its pupils, the method of instruction and the general conditions of educational affairs at the time this school was in operation, were graphically set forth by the "Rambler" in this article and it seems appropriate to give the account in full in this connection.
The building was about eighteen by twenty-two feet, of round logs, with a fireplace occupying one end of it. A file of six or eight boys were usually detailed to carry in the back logs, while the lesser ones carried in the fore, middle and top sticks, and occasionally this huge pile of wood and the fire by it would cause the cry of fire to be raised by some who were watching other things closer than their books. The windows consisted of one log removed from each of the three sides of the building, slats placed vertically in the space, and newspapers pasted on those slats and to the log above, then the paper oiled with melted lard applied with a feather to admit the light ; then a temporary fortification, consisting of forks and poles, was thrown up to prevent the stock from eating out the paper thus saturated with the grease.
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