USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 36
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
VOLUMES THAT DESERVE MENTION.
While the vohimes of Smith and Mason are best known throughout the state, yet there are a number of others in the county who have written volumes that deserve mention. J. L. Heinemann and Katharine Heron have written extensively on local history. Mr. Heinemann has issued three brochures covering the early history of the county, which are given in full in a separate chapter of this volume. He has been an indefatigable worker in the field of local history for a number of years and has done more research work in the early records than any other person in the county. Miss Heron has also delved into the early history of the county and contributed numerous articles to the local papers embodying the result of her research. During the summer of 1916 she contributed a series of valuable historical articles to the Connersville Newes, which covered a wide variety of topics touching the history of the county from its organization down to the present time. She has also traveled widely over this country and Europe and contributed travel sketches to newspapers and magazines.
Another local historian is Edward E. Moore, who although not a resi- dent of the county at the present time, yet was associated with it for a num- ber of years. In 1910 he issued a volume, entitled "A Century of Indiana," which covered the history of the state down to that year.
Walter R. Houghton, who has been a resident of Connersville for a number of years, has written a number of historical works of a general nature, none of which, however, were concerned with Fayette county his- tory. Among his writings are the following: "A Portrayal of United States History", "Literature and Geography", "A Conspectus of the History of Political Parties and the Federal Government", "The Lives of Blaine and Logan", "History of American Politics from 1607 to 1882", "A Map of United States History" (a large wall map on which were printed the leading events in the states in which they occurred) ; "A Map of Political History."
A number of writers have contributed local historical articles to the newspapers from time to time. Among these may be mentioned D. T. Leach, who published what he called "A History of Fayette County" in the Con- nersville Examiner during 1872. The chapters ran through successive issues of the paper for several months, but were never collected in book form. Samuel J. Little was another contributor of historical articles to the news- papers in the seventies and eighties.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
THE POETS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
A number of volumes of poetry have been written by Fayette county people, while many others have contributed verse to papers and magazines. John Reid, a lawyer of Connersville, issued a volume of poems in 1845 under the title of "Gulzar, or Rose Bower." Thomas E. Smiley has contributed a volume of "Lays and Lyrics"; Thomas Trusler, a volume entitled "Poems" (1907) : J. Morris Widdows, a volume of verse, "Rainy Day Poems" ( 1902).
A. Charlton Andrews, a son of Marie Louise Andrews, has issued at least three volumes: "A Parfit Gentle Knight" (1901); "The Drama of Today" (1913), and a play, "His Majesty, the Fool" (1913). His mother was one of the leaders in the Western Association of Writers during the life of that organization and contributed one valuable article to the year- book of the organization, "Poetry of the Ante-Bellum Period of the West and South" (1890). Another poet of the county was John C. Ochiltree, a newspaper editor, who issued a volume of "Poems and Sketches" in 1890. He also issued one novel, entitled "Handicapped by Fate."
The list of those who have contributed fugitive poems to the news- papers includes a score or more. One of the best known of these versifiers of former days was "Jimuel" Tate, whose real name was James H. Tate. Mr. Tate contributed numerous verses for a number of years to the local papers and attained more than a local reputation. The contributions of "Jimuel" were sometimes ordinary, but not infrequently they evidenced fully the rugged genius and native wit of the old man whom so many in Fayette county loved. Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree, now a resident of Connersville, has written a number of poems and short stories for papers and magazines. Her stories are of a juvenile nature, two of the best known being "Bayless' Need" and "Why Marianna Stayed."
Mrs. Hamlin T. Risk, who died in 1916, was a prolific writer of occa- sional and commemorative poems, which were published locally and in church and metropolitan papers.
Dr. Frank Chitwood of Connersville has written a number of creditable poems which have found their way into the papers. William Dungan, for many years a resident of Waterloo township, and now living in Conners- ville, has a volume of poems written in long hand containing more than one hundred of his productions. Harlan E. Stephens, a native of Orange town- ship and now living on a farm in Fairview township, has written a number of poems which he has set to music. Many of these have been published in sheet-music form and have commanded an extensive local sale. He con-
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
tributed a Memorial Day poem for the Connersville Times in 1887 which was widely copied. D. W. McKee, a member of the local bar, writes occa- sional verse and contributed the poem which was read at the Centennial banquet.
Earl Williams, now associated with the Connersville Newes, has written a number of poems and stories, but has had very few of them published. He has recently completed a novel which his friends are anxiously waiting to read upon its publication. Mr. Williams is a versatile writer of both prose and poetry and all of his work bears the imprint of real genius.
MISCELLANEOUS WRITERS.
Among those who have written on subjects of a miscellaneous character may be mentioned W. F. L. Sanders, John P. Brown, Ryland T. Brown, Lewis Edwards, Hyatt L. Frost and William H. Tate, a son of "Jimuel". Mr. Sanders has been connected with the schools of Connersville and other cities for a number of years and is the author of two text-books which were formerly widely used: "The English Sentence," and a "Spelling Book." John P. Brown was the editor of a magazine on arboriculture published in Connersville. Several years later he published a volume entitled "Practical Arboriculture" (1906), which is regarded as a standard authority on this subject.
Ryland T. Brown was a newspaper man, physician, geologist and one of the best known citizens of Fayette county before the Civil War. He spent his later years as a professor in Northwestern Christian University at Indi- anapolis as head of the department of natural science. He is the author of one of the first text-books on physiology which was produced in the United States.
Mrs. Jennie Buckley Carter, a life-long resident of the county, has written many educational and political articles for metropolitan newspapers. Hyatt L. Frost, a leading lawyer of Connersville, has written rather exten- sively regarding automobile touring and other subjects.
Lewis Edwards, a native of the county, now a resident of Norman, Oklahoma, deserves inclusion among the literary people of Fayette county. He has always been an extensive traveler and has a happy faculty of describ- ing his travels in such a style as to make them very readable. He has been contributing travel letters to the Connersville News for many years-letters from every part of the world which he has visited. It is safe to say that more than five hundred of these letters have appeared in the local papers.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Frank M. Huston, a brother of M. Helen Huston, of Connersville, has been financial editor of the Chicago Evening Post for a number of years and is considered one of the best writers on general financial subjects in the country. Nathaniel W. Wright, a former Fayette county resident and now living in Toledo, is one of the big newspaper men of the country who may be included in the list of Fayette county literary people. He was a resident of Conners- ville from 1869 to 1904. He is the owner of the Toledo Free Press and at least two other metropolitan papers of wide circulation.
The contributor of this chapter is pleased to add to the list of local writers the name of the supervising editor of this volume. During 1910 to 1912 Mr. Barrows wrote for such magazines as Collier's Weekly, The Smart Set, The Blue Book and Hearst's Magazine. His financial articles in var- ious national magazines were written under his own name. The bulk of his writing consisted of short stories under the nom de plume, "Frederic Irving." His efforts in this line were abruptly stopped in 1912 by entering a line of work which left no time for side-lines.
No record of literary effort in Fayette county would be complete without a mention of George Randolph Chester, of "Wallingford" fame. Mr. Chester here spent the first few months after severing a salaried connection with a newspaper staff, and some of his most interesting characters were inspired during that period. For many years he was a regular visitor at Connersville and an intimate acquaintance of those with kindred interests.
Finally, on word would be complete without mention of Edwin W. Tatman, editor of the Connersville News, if not the producer, at least the encourager of multitudes of literary effusions. Always a sane critic, he was more-a sympathetic visioner of better things to come.
A FEW SAMPLES OF LOCAL POETRY.
Following will be found a few of the poems that have appeared from time to time as the work of local poets, interesting contributions to the literature of the White Water valley.
PLAYMATES.
By Earl Willoughby Williams.
A blue yarn ball that is old and wise, At the end of a raveled string, And a wonderful bear with brown glass eyes And a smile for everything-
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Slaves are the two, for they have no choice But to do the strange commands Of a tottering, tow-head angel's voice And two little tousling hands;
And woe to them if they fail to heed, Though the angel's voice be low, For the angel's ire is swift indeed, And the bear and the ball, they know.
And yet, whenever the day is filed The heart of the queen is shown, For she puts them both in a cozy hed In the arms of the royal throne;
Then the kingdom fades, as kingdoms do, And the pomp and the power they flee, For the same old Sand Man takes the two And the tow-head angel, three.
ABOUT LITTLE HOMER. By William Dungan ..
Little Homer Broaddus came home one Sunday night And called out loudly, "Mother, where's that light?" His mother heard his words and said : "Hush up that noise and go to hed."
"] will as soon as I warm my feet; But, Mother, I wish I had something to eat, Are there any sweet potatoes; tell me, if you can, Where is that rice pudding you made in that pan?"
Homer at last found a light, Then everything went on all right ; He went to the cupboard like a fox so sly And ate his mamma's pumpkin pie.
He ate a bowl of milk and bread, Then pulled off his hoots and went to bed ; And all that night had happy dreams, Waking from sleep with the daylight's beams.
So down stairs he made his way, Looking cheerful, glad and gay ; "Where were you last night my darling boy- What makes you smile. so bright and gay?'
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA,
"I'll tell you, mother, by the way, You know last night I went astray ; So what makes me feel so well- Last night 1 had the best chat with Miss Caldwell."
[As a matter of history Homer Broaddus later married Alice Caldwell, but both of them have been deceased for many years. This little poem was written to be read before the Beeson Literary Society, Broaddus being- a member of the society, and present the night the poem was read by Mr. Dungan-more than thirty years ago. ]
DEDICATED TO BUNKER HILL. By William H. Tate.
It reminds me of a picture I have seen Of verdant hills with a vale between; A babbling brooklet running through And an old frame house by the streamlet, too, Where boyhood fancies were a little greater Than the man pictures them a few years later.
The back ground of the Hill is the old, old earth, And the picture itself the picture of my birth ; Molded by nature's indelible hand From the rocks, and the clay and the sand ; : Enraptured by song of the robin and wren, .. Let it be home as it was. then.
At the breaking of day when the great red sun Emblazoned the morn of the day just begun ; The charming, sweet chorus of the gleeful wood folk Has oft from my pillow my sleepy head woke And I sang and I danced in the morning so new 'Midst joys all around me and troubles so few.
I watched in the spring time the rills trickle by; The soft, fleecy clouds float 'neath the blue sky ; The thrush and the oriole building their nest, And the flowers awakening from a long winter's rest. How jocund I was my tongue cannot tell, To hear the rain-drops on the roof as they fell.
My father afield with his team and the plow .; My mother bent down, with a pail, by the cow; The geese on the creek, with wings spreading wide -- They ambled about as the growing wind sighed ; The calf in the lot with the pup was at play ; My work quite forgotten, I had scampered away.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
The chicks in the poultry yard peeped from their coop; The boughs in the orchard were beginning to droop; The hay and the wheat were standing in shocks, As thick on the ground as the sheep in their flocks; The apples were drying, the berries all eanned, And the weather so hot that I had to be fanned.
The nights and the days unequally grew, Yet the grass in the fields was all wet with the dew; The sun passed over and sank in the west, To pacific repose in its cradle of rest -- 'Midst the song of the cricket, the croak of the frog,
The mew of the cat and the whine of the dog. :
The corn in the field, with its great yellow eat, Presaged certain that Antum was near; The wheat in the' hin. the fledglings a-wing, And we passed to the dead like to life in the Spring; But merry was I, and I skipped as I went, And winked a farewell to the season just spent.
The fallow made ready, the glebe was all broke, The sower abroad soon after he woke; The wheat sprouted forth with its green for the white; The fodder in shocks was a beautiful sight ; O'er hills and through meadows, by dam and by pool, I gamboled in nature as I journey'd to school. . The games that 1 played on the green of old swamp Were played by the players in true, kingly pomp; My tasks were assigned me and my labors begun, And I studied quite hard to excel everyoue ; Think you not for a moment that the act was amiss, For the closing of school was simply all bliss.
The wagon-bed filled with great golden ears; The pens built of rails, with tiers upon tiers; The orchard's deep fruitage in the cellar was stored ; The bung in the eider barrel carefully bored. And I sat there astride, with straw after straw, In my ride to contentment, with draw after draw.
The stables prepared for the colts and the kine: The sheds rearranged to shelter the swine; The flowers all dead, and the birds flown away, The leaves sprinkled,-it was Autumn's last day ; And I hailed with a whoop the season so near- Old Winter ! old Winter! to boyhood so dear !
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
I always set my traps for 'possums and for skunks, But all the catches I recall were weasels and chipmunks. The coon I'd often trail to his lofty woodland bower, Though to get his furry coat was beyond my youthful power ; In the bramble was the coney, which I also hunted then- But if I killed one running, I can't remember when.
The snow with glistening whiteness fell thick on hill and dale, And blocked up half the highways with drifts made by the gale; The stream that babbled by, lost the accent of its song, And it whispered softly to the rocks as it seemed to dance along; I skated on its cover and, really, I was glad That it had lost its accent by being now thus clad.
I coasted down the hill and snow-balled with the boys, And waited patiently for Santa with his toys; There were strains of sweetest music from the fiddle and the horn, And that my life was palmy is as sure as I was born; Around the fireplace. with back-log burning low Sat I there, in childlike faith, secure from every foe.
RETROSPECTION.
And now I look down the long-trodden lane, From the top of my years to boyhood's plain ; And I turn from the scene with eyes full of tears, And groan 'neath the burdens of on-coming years; Yet 1 long and I love and I watch and I smile, And I labor and wait, and trust all the while.
CHRISMUS TIME IS HEAH. By Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree.
Don't you heah dem bells a ringin', Don't you heah dem angels singin', Don't you see dem doves a flyin', Don't you heah de chilluns cryin'? Chrismus time is heah !
Don't you see dat puddin' smokin', Don't you see ole mammy pokin' At de fiah, to heat the oven, Don't you see us all a movin'- 'Canse Chrismus time is heah?
Don't you think ole Santa's neah, Don't you feel de happy cheeah ' In yo' heart come up a singin', When you hear dem bells a ringin', 'Canse Chrismus time is heah?
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FAYETTE. COUNTY, INDIANA.
Don't you know dis am de day When all folks an' angels say, "Peace on earth, to men good-will?" Bethl'em's Star am shinin' still, On every Chrismus day.
TO THE FLAG. By D. W. McKee.
All hail to the flag of the brave and free; Far famed in song and in story. It waves o'er the land, it floats o'er the sea, And no other banner ever can be So dear to ns as "Old Glory."
Then hail to the flag, the red, blue and white, Its stars and stripes tell the story Of the fathers' fight for freedom and right Through seven long years of war's Inrid night That gave to the world "Old Glory."
Though we have no turreted castles old With moss and with lichens hoary, We've a heritage richer far than gold- "Tis a birth-right which has never been sold, Our freedom under "Old Glory."
From the North and the South, the East and the West, From the fields of battle once gory, All strife now at rest, as one nation blest From the ocean's strand to the mountain's crest, We've only one flag, "Old Glory."
Then fresh garlands bring to our God and King: Tell millions unborn the story. Let lond anthems ring as His praise we sing And proudly to heaven our banners fling, While over all floats "Old Glory."
Chorus
Then hark to the song as it rolls along; Its theme is our country's story. Cheer, cheer, the old flag, till from hill and from erag The echoes ring back, "Old Glory."
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
SOME ARTISTS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
In the course of a hundred years Fayette county has produced a few artists who have won more than local fame. Probably the first of a number was Adam Rohe, a native of Connersville, and a resident of the county up to the time of the Civil War. In that struggle he was connected with Harper's Weekly as pictorial correspondent and his drawings of battlefields and other events of the war were known throughout the length and breadth of the country. After the war closed he drifted West and Connersville lost sight of him. The next time that local people heard of him was at the time of the World's Fair at Chicago in 1893, when he appeared as the director of art exhibits of one of the Western states at the exposition. His death has occurred within recent years. .
The only artist of recent years who has made painting the means of a livelihood is Rozzie Morrison, a daughter of Alexander Morrison and a sister of J. H. Morrison. She was born in Connersville and early in life developed talent for painting. For several years she has maintained a studio in Washington, D. C., where she devotes her time to miniature work. She is one of the direct descendants of Joshua Harlan, one of the first settlers in Connersville, and the donor of the present court house square.
According to the opinion of Theodore Heinemann, who may very properly be called the dean of Fayette county artists, and who has furnished all of the data for this article on the artists of the county, the most gifted natural artist of the county is Frederick Conwell, better known as "Fritz" Conwell. He is the son of William Conwell, another gifted artist of the city, but in a totally different line than his son. The junior Conwell is employed by a Chicago firm as a designer and interior decorator, and also as an outside painter of artistic advertising signs. He is strictly a com- mercial artist, but his work in his line stamps him as being a genius. His mother is still living in Connersville. Philip Braun, Jr., the son of Mayor Philip Braun, has shown considerable artistic ability as a commercial artist. He is a protege of Conwell and has already done considerable work of a creditable character.
Among the younger generation of artists the name of E. Pierre Wain- wright is probably the best known. While his work thus far has been largely of a commercial nature. some of it in the shape of newspaper cartoons, yet he has shown considerable native talent. He is now giving most of his time and attention to interior decorative work for a Chicago firm.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
There are a score or more of local painters of more or less ability, most of whom are women. As in every city the size of Connersville there are a number of women who do a little china painting or pastel work. Draw- ing is taught in the city schools and the teacher in charge usually has had art-school training. The present teacher of drawing in the city schools is lone Reynolds and she does very creditable work herself, while she has had excellent success in helping her pupils to a better appreciation of art, even though they may not be able to become artists themselves. There can be no question that the teaching of drawing in the public schools will result in more artists in the community within the next few years.
Finally, the historian desires to pay a tribute to the best landscape artist the county has ever produced. Any one who has had the privilege of examining the scores of landscapes of Theodore Heinemann, a native and lifelong resident of Connersville, will recognize in his work the brush of a lover of Fayette county scenery. He has preserved for future generations views of many landmarks which have already disappeared and many others which will soon be lost to the eye forever. His pictures cover a wide variety of subjects: Sketches of the old canal from various viewpoints; bits of scenery up and down the White Water valley and around Connersville; old houses, churches, mills, streets of the city and many other points of interest have found in him a faithful delineator. In connection with the history of the Catholic church set out in this volume is reproduced a sketch of the first Catholic church, which he made when a small boy, the only sketch of any kind extant of the church. The artist has never taken a lesson in painting, but nevertheless is able by virtue of his inherent talent to produce work which compares very favorably with that of many others who have had technical training.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHURCHES OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
The religions life of Fayette county spans a period of more than a cen- tury, and during these years scores of churches have come into existence representing fourteen different denominations. The religious history of this county is not unlike that of all other counties in the southern part of the state ; many of the churches which once boasted of flourishing congregations have long since disappeared, and some others have practically been discon- tinued.
When it is taken into consideration that there were more people living in the rural districts of Fayette county in 1840 than there are today, an explanation may be seen for the disappearance of these rural churches. With the abandonment of most of the churches there also disappeared their records and for this reason it is difficult to trace their history with any degree of accuracy. This county, like all other counties in the southern part of the state. formerly had what were known as union churches, that is, a building erected by the people of the community for the use of any denomination which might care to occupy it.
The first denominations to establish congregations in the county were the Methodists and the Baptists and both denominations had secured a foot- hold in the county before it was organized in 1819. The Methodists have had no less than twenty-two different churches in the county, while the Baptists have had at least twelve distinct church organizations. These two denominations had the field to themselves until about the middle of the twenties, when the Presbyterian church made its first appearance in the county. The Christian church came in before the close of this decade. These four denominations-Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians and Christians -- represented practically the only Protestant denominations up to 1850.
In the early part of the fifties the Lutheran church made its appearance, following immediately after the first influx of Germans to the county. Later came the Universalists, United Brethren, Episcopalians, Seventh-Day Adventists and the Pentecostal church of the Nazarene. Mention should be made of the Society of Friends, which had a church organization for a
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