USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 54
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The Board of Trade evidently passed out of existence sometime before 1888; at least, a notice in the local papers of January, 1888, states that it had just been reorganized. The meetings of the organization had been held in the room in the Palace Hotel now occupied by the barber shop, but just where the meetings were held after 1888 is not known. The Board of Trade was followed sometime in the early nineties by an organization formed along somewhat the same lines, the Manufacturers' Club. This club, as the name indicates, was devoted primarily to the interests of those engaged in manufacturing, and did not include the retail dealers of the city. Just when the Manufacturers' Club ceased its active career is not known, but it
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was prior to 1906 and very likely sometime previous to that year. Since no official records are available to show what the club did, it is impossible to determine when it lost its usefulness.
GOOD WORK OF FRANCIS T. ROOTS.
The present Commercial Club owes its origin largely to the inspiration of Francis T. Roots. He had been endeavoring to effect an organization of all the business men of the city for some time prior to the actual be- ginning of the club in 1906. To this end he planned a trip for fifty busi- ness men of the city to Muncie, Indiana, where such an organization as he hoped to establish in Connersville was in successful operation. He chart- ered a special train and the party spent two days and one night on a junketing trip, each member of the party contributing ten dollars to bear the expense of the trip. They were welcomed by the Commercial Club of Muncie and shown over the city. The result of the trip was the organiza- tion of the present Commercial Club on June 13, 1906.
The first officers of the club were as follows: Francis T. Roots, presi- dent ; W. L. Cortelyou, vice-president; R. N. Elliott, secretary ; J. E. Huston, treasurer. A permanent house committee composed of E. P. Hawkins, A. E. Leiter and W. L. Cortelyou was appointed to equip the club rooms. The first quarters were in the auditorium building, where the club continued to live until the present quarters were occupied in November, 1916. The new club rooms, six in number, are in the Stewart building on East Fifth street. They contain a billiard room, reception room, reading room, busi- ness room and a large banquet hall, as well as rooms for other purposes.
It would take several pages to tell what the Commercial Club has done for the city of Connersville, and only a brief survey of its labors can be enumerated in this connection. Practically every business man of the city is a member, while there are a large number of farmers from all parts of the county who have affiliated with the organization, the club now having a membership of about five hundred. The membership is open to every honest, upright male citizen of the county who is interested in the vital welfare of his city and county. The club rooms are open at all times to every organization in Connersville, whether composed of men or women. The rooms are also open to every member, days and evenings, Sunday excepted, and a porter is always present to attend to the various wants of all who may visit the rooms.
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SOCIAL AIMS OF THE CLUB.
Entertainments of exceptional merit are often given and elaborate ban- quets held, at which orators of national reputation discourse on subjects of general interest. No less a personage than the late Elbert Hubbard was once a speaker at one of these banquets and paid a glowing tribute to the work of the organization. A part of the "Little Journey to Connersville," which appeared as a result of Hubbard's visit to the city is given as the concluding part of this article. George Randolph Chester was also a speaker on one occasion, and the particular feature of the evening of his appearance was the fact that one of the local members, Earl Williams, a member of the News staff, recited an original poem which is remembered as the best thing of its kind ever produced in the county. Even the inimitable Chester rose to his feet and announced that he had no chance to display his talents against such a speaker. Nor is Williams the only member of the club who is able to meet all foreign speakers in their own field. The first president, Mr. Roots, was a recognized orator of high rank. E. V. Hawkins, another of the club's presidents, is a very able speaker, and his son, E. P. Hawkins, is a worthy follower of his father. E. W. Tatman is another local mem- ber who can face an audience with something to say. And there are others who are able to entertain in a most acceptable manner.
It is the aim of the Commercial Club to work in harmonious conjunction with the city and county officials, thus looking to the betterment of the civic, industrial and commercial interests of Connersville and Fayette county. It is also their earnest endeavor to be of assistance to the retail merchants of the city in the improvement of local merchandizing conditions. There is a close personal relationship between the city and farming interests, a feeling which is largely the result of the mingling of the urban and rural members in the regular meetings of the club.
There is probably no better expression which may be used to describe the club than the one which has been so often applied to it-"live wire." This apt expression is fully descriptive of the club and its members, each one of whom is vitally interested in the present and future progress and prosperity of Connersville and of the county of which that city is the county seat. Its officers, directors, committees and members have worked to build up an organization strong and forceful enough to make it a potent factor in the welfare of the city and county. It has no selfish ends to serve and
CONNERSVILLE COMMERCIAL CLUB BOYS BAND.
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no pet schemes to foster. It is free from any alliances save and except the development of all the resources of the city and county, and expects to continue as in the past an active agency for the welfare, growth and happi- ness of the community.
PRESENT OFFICERS OF THE CLUB. .
For the past two years the president of the club has been E. P. Haw- kins, one of the younger business men of the city, a son of one of the oldest manufacturers in the city, and himself active in the life of the club since it started. Mr. Hawkins is one of those men who radiate enthusiasm all the time, a man from whose boundless energy others derive inspiration. Under his administration the centennial celebration was held and he is conceded to have been the guiding genius behind the whole affair. He has been untiring in his work in behalf of the interests of the Commercial Club, and he deserves a credit for the fine showing it has made during the two years of his presidency, though the same may be said of every president since the club was founded. Mr. Hawkins was succeeded early in 1917 by Arthur Dixon, another young man of boundless energy, and as well a patient detail worker.
The officers of the club in January, 1917, are as follows: Arthur Dixon, president ; M. L. Hull, vice-president ; E. P. Hawkins. treasurer ; J. A. Rem- ington, executive secretary. These officers with the addition of Judge Ray- mond S. Springer, B. G. Powell, A. J. Roth, G. L. Brown, B. M. Barrows and J. C. Mount, constitute the board of directors. The directors are sup- plemented by thirteen committees who have their various duties prescribed by the by-laws of the club.
COMMERCIAL CLUB BOYS' BAND.
One of the achievements of the Commercial Club is the organization of a boys band, a musical organization which, although but one year old, has already made a name for itself. On January 1, 1916, the club entered into a contract with J. W. Young, of Bethel, Ohio, to come to the city and organize a boys' band. Mr. Young and his wife are both accomplished musicians, and the success which has attended their efforts in the city is astonishing. Within a year a band of thirty-six members has been organized and the boys have been trained to the point where they can play all kinds of classical and popular music. Mr. Young has arranged the orchestration
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of a large number of the selections the boys play. Three times each week since January, 1916, he has met with the band, and on very few occasions has there been a single member absent from practice. He goes to the homes of the members and gives them individual instruction, and in this way has been able to build up a band in a remarkably short time. His wife also assists in giving individual instruction and herself plays in the band. Most of the members are under fifteen years of age, the youngest member, Edward K. Hawkins, being only eight years of age. The band gave a concert last year which was a pronounced success, and intends to give one again in the early part of 1917. The members have been fitted out with handsome uniforms by the Lexington-Howard Company, while the caps were given by the Commercial Club.
The membership of the band is as follow: J. W. Young, director ; cornets, Carl Stoll, Harry Reeder, Lindley Clark, Burdette Walker, Howard Schneider, Donald Schneider, Paul Davis, Bertwin Keller, James Nash, William Snyder; trombones, Earl Reeder, Rupert Hubbard, Frank Hend- rickson, William Cloud; baritone, Schubert Tate; basses, Basil Hubbard, Russel Campbell, Theodore Rockwell; tenor, Talcot Keller; piccolo, Glen Johnson; saxaphone, Ralph Riggs; altoes, Arthur Neal, Mrs. J. W. Young, Luke Beeson, John McDonough, Dale Flint and Edward K. Hawkins; clarinets, Thomas Clark, Keith Veatch, Marion Smith, James Fettig, Arthur Deaton, Cecil Altenbach, Walter Bradford, Almon Hall, Joseph Obrecht, John Weilman; drums, Roland DeVor, Edward Stone, Caswell McNaughton. All the members of the band are now in the public schools of the city with the exception of Mrs. Young, the wife of the leader, Earl Reeder, Rupert and Basil Hubbard, Walter Bradford, Roland DeVor, Paul Davis and Theodore Rockwell.
"A LITTLE JOURNEY TO CONNERSVILLE."
In the fall of 1914 the late Elbert Hubbard, one of America's greatest globetrotters and a man whose descriptions of places and things are known wherever the English language is spoken, paid a visit to the city of Conners- ville. He had written of "journeys" to famous cities. all over the world, and it is said that no city as small as Connersville was ever included in the long list of cities which he has chosen as fit subjects for his celebrated: "Lit- tle Journeys." Be that as it may, he came to Connersville in 1914, and as a result of his brief sojourn here he gave to the world one of his -inimitable
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classics-"A Little Journey to Connersville." It seems particularly appro- priate to insert that part of his brochure which relates to the city proper. It follows :
Recently I attended a banquet of the Commercial Club at Connersville, Indiana. In all, I attended about a hundred banquets, luncheons and "get-together" talkfests during the year. A few of these I remember.
This Connersville bunch was a little different from any company that I have ever met with. The men present looked like ball-players. They were a sober, slim, earnest lot, who had cut out the booze and bromide, the foibles and the frills, and were there to get ideas, if by chance any were dropped from the oratorical Zeppelin. Here was a town of ten thousand people-the county seat of Fayette county.
A hundred of the members were farmers. When you get three hundred intelligent men in a town of ten thousand people to get together at a luncheon, you are doing something very unusual. And I saw I was in the presence of an unusual crowd- happy, healthy, bronzed, good-natured, out-of-door men.
Oratory is a collaboration between the speaker and the listener. In fact, the listeners key the caloric, and any audience that does not get much, probably receives what it deserves.
At this banquet the waiters were members of the club. All members under twenty- five years of age are liable to be conscripted. Any man in the Connersville Commer- cial Club who is requested to do a thing is never asked twice. The rule is imperative. And yet it is not a written rule, but the idea is abroad that any man who is re- quested to do a certain thing for the Commercial Club, the town, the county or the state is complimented, and shall obey without back-talk, criticism or questioning.
And in all my attendance at banquets I have never yet known of an instance where the members acted as waiters and did the so-called "menial work". And yet John Ruskin said that menial work was the only work that was necessary-the rest was superfinity.
This banquet was in charge of one of the members, and he had drafted into his service anybody whose services be needed. The hall was beantifully festooned with antumn foliage and wild flowers goldenrod, wild asters of a dozen varieties, elimb- ing clematis, snmac, and rustling oak-leaves. The tables had pyramids of apples and grapes. The whole thing was bounteous as a harvest festival. Many of the good things were home-grown, and were provided by the farmers present, free of cost.
The big anditorium where the banqnet was held is owned by a stock company, all of whom are enthusiastic members of the Commercial Cinb. This company also owns the theatre underneath, and in the building enough offices are rented to cover the "overhead". Do not feel sorry for Connersville.
Connersville has the look of prosperity. It is the proud boast of the town that it has more miles of good pavement per capita than any other town in America. 1 would rather accept the proposition than dispute it, and it looks to me as if the state- ment were well within the limit. This thriving little city is situated amidst a wealth of foliage. Beeches, sycamores and maples give it a freshmess and a beauty that are delightful.
On taking a little run out into the country I discovered that the multiplicity of peaches, pears, melons and sweet potatoes with which the tables were burdened the night before, were so cheap and plentiful that they could be had almost for the asking.
Connersville is beautifully lighted with cluster lamps and a multiplicity of electric signs. The show windows along the streets reveal a degree of art which one does not
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look for in a country county seat. Prosperity without affluence was evident on every hand. In Connersville you will look in vain for slums. Here is neither poverty nor riches. And there is work for everybody who wants to work. You can always tell a house that is owned by the man who lives in it. Renters are a careless lot.
Backyards reveal character. And my guide, I noticed, was rather proud of sending his automobile up alleys, which were paved with brick. And these rides through the alleys revealed to me the backyards, which were free from lumber, garbage, trash- many of them devoted to flowers, others to vegetables, some with delightful stretches of soft, smooth lawn.
In a bird's-eye view of the town in a run of an hour we counted twenty-two dis- tinct factories. Most of these factories were one-story-some of them with sawtooth roof-built of concrete or brick. Some of the factories were situated in little parks, with a forest of catalpa trees, foliage plants, and well-kept hedges surrounding them.
And usually there were concrete roadways. The railroad folks, even, had caught it, for the station, I noticed, was built of art brick, with warm, red-tile roof.
BUSINESS MEN'S CREDIT EXCHANGE.
The Connersville Business Men's Exchange was organized by A. Bogue of Rushville in February, 1916. The purposes of the exchange, as defined in the prospectus, are to assist members in the collection of accounts; to assist debtors in paying them; to protect members against spurious advertis- ing schemes, and to strengthen the community by unity of action.
The offices are located in the Jemison building, Central avenue. A. E. Leiter is president; John G. Powell, vice-president; Ellen Tressler, treasurer, and A. Bogue, secretary. The board of directors includes the foregoing officers and Frank Hassler, F. B. Holter, H. L. Rouse, William Luking, Fred Heeb and Vernon Henry. In February, 1917, the membership was seventy.
SOME HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
In the history of every city there are certain landmarks marking the progress of its growth and Connersville is no exception to this rule. The appended list of dates and events sums up very briefly some important landmarks in the history of the city. The list might be extended indefinitely, but the facts enumerated will give at a glance most of the important events of the city.
1808-John Conner, the first white man, located in Connersville.
1813-The first plat recorded.
1818-Postoffice established.
1819-County seat established at Connersville.
1821-A. B. Conwell and George Frybarger located in Connersville.
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1824-The first newspaper issued in the city.
1827-David Hankins located in Connersville.
1828-The county seminary opened with Samuel W. Parker as principal.
1833-The "Indiana Gazetteer" credited the village with a population of five hundred.
1845-The White Water canal reached Connersville. .
1849-A combined court house and jail was erected; also the present town hall.
1851-The first telegraph line reached the city.
1852-The Bank of Connersville was established.
1857-County erected its first infirmary.
1859-The present firm of P. H. & F. M. Roots was established.
1862-The first railroad, now the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western, reached the city.
1865-The First National Bank was established.
1866-The names of the streets were changed and in the same year the streets were first lighted by coal-oil lamps.
1868-Fifty-two dwellings were erected this year at a total cost of $150,152.
1869-Connersville became a city as a result of the election held on June 16, 1869, when three hundred votes out of three hundred sixty-five voted in favor of making the change.
1870-The city was first supplied with waterworks plant; the same year a permanent fire department was established.
1875-The city was lighted by gas for the first time.
1880-Present jail erected.
1882-The first telephone system was installed in the city.
1887-First daily newspaper appeared.
1889-The postoffice advanced to second class and city carrier service established.
1890-The court house was remodeled and given its present appear- ance; the first electric-light plant commenced operation.
1891-E. W. Ansted established the first one of his series of factories.
1903-The free fair was established; the present high school building was erected.
1904-Rural free delivery was established: the first interurban railway reached the city.
1909 -- The public library was opened.
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1910-The present waterworks plant was erected.
1911-Hydro-Electric Light & Power Company commenced operations ; new postoffice occupied for the first time.
1912-The city began concrete street paving.
1916-New county infirmary opened.
1917-Fayette County Memorial Hospital started.
1917-Consolidation of two electric light companies under the name of the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company.
CHAPTER XXI.
FAYETTE COUNTY MEN OF A PAST GENERATION.
During the ninety-seven years of Fayette county history there have appeared a number of men in the county who have achieved more than local fame. It is one of the curious things of our American life that the fame of politicians should be more widely extended than that of men in any other calling. While it is true that men in other professions than the law reach just as high positions, yet their names have not received the notice that has been accorded those who have engaged in politics. The men from Fayette county who served in Congress, or held other official positions in the state and nation are better remembered than those who rose to eminence as result of their efforts in other directions.
Since the county was organized in 1819, it is not to be expected that any native-born citizens should become widely known to the outside world before the Civil War period, but several of the early settlers have left their names high on the scroll of our state and national history. From this county have gone forth United States senators, members of Presidential cabinets, congressmen, United States treasurers, United States district attorneys, attorney generals of the state, state geologists and a number of judges who made more than a local reputation. As will be noticed, all of these men held official positions of one kind or another, but there are others who are equally entitled to recognition as being representative citizens of the county. Such men as John Conner, A. B. Conwell, W. W. Frybarger, M. R. Hull, Philip Mason, the Roots brothers, Samuel J. Shipley, and scores of others have contributed of their respective abilities to the advancement of the different phases of growth of Fayette county.
In this chapter there may be found brief sketches of a number of Fay- ette county's eminent citizens of a past generation. In other chapters men- tion has been made of many others. Lawyers, physicians, newspaper edi- tors and business men are mentioned in their respective chapters. It must not be understood that every worthy citizen of the county has been included, but it is believed that all the men who have been mentioned have contributed in one way or another to the progress of the county. Every good citizen
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of the county has helped to make its history, but it is not possible to chronicle the deeds of everyone, and no attempt has been made in this chapter to set forth the achievements of those now living. A large number of these are fully represented in the biographical section of this volume.
OLIVER HAMPTON SMITH.
Oliver H. Smith, a resident of Connersville from 1820 to 1839, will go down in history as one of Indiana's great men. He was a member of the state Legislature, a member of Congress, a member of the United States Senate and always a statesman of the highest rank. His talents were diver- sified; as a lawyer he ranks with the best in the state; as a financier and practical business man he attained a position among the leaders in the state; as an author he left one volume which throws the best light on many phases of early Indiana history that has ever appeared in the state. This volume, entitled "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches," appeared in 1857. It would be easy to write a volume upon the life of Oliver H. Smith, but it is not possible to cover his life in detail in this connection.
Oliver H. Smith was born on October 23, 1794, on a small island near Trenton, New Jersey, and came to Indiana in 1817. He first located at Rising Sun, but a short time afterward moved to Lawrenceburg, where he commenced the study of law. In March, 1819, he was admitted to the bar and then located in Versailles, in Ripley county. He remained there only a short time, removing to Connersville in May, 1820.
Two years later Smith was elected to the Legislature from Fayette county .. He was appointed prosecutor of the third judicial circuit in 1824, but resigned on August 1, 1826, to become a candidate for Congress and was elected by over fifteen hundred majority. After the close of his first term in Congress he returned to Connersville and devoted all of his time and attention to the practice of his profession until 1836, when he was elected to the United States Senate. He served with distinction for six years in the Senate, but was defeated for re-election in 1842 by E. A. Hannegan and never again asked for political preferment.
The last sixteen years of his life (1843-59) were largely devoted to railroad matters, and Indianapolis and the state of Indiana are mainly indebted to him for building the railroad, now known as the Big Four, to Indianapolis. At different times he was president of two railroads and he exercised the same ability in railroad matters that characterized his work as a lawyer.
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Smith died in Indianapolis on March 19, 1859, and the Indianapolis Journal two days later, in commenting upon his death, said: "There is not a corner in the state in which the melancholy announcement of the death of Hon. Oliver H. Smith, which we make this morning, will not wake feelings of deep and sincere sorrow. He died as he lived, a sincere Christian. His eminent career, his great service to the cause of internal improvements, and his unspotted private life. make him a place in the public regard that few have filled more worthily."
CALEB BLOOD SMITH.
Caleb B. Smith, a resident of Connersville from 1827 to 1851, a mem- ber of Congress for three terms and secretary of the interior under Lincoln, was one of the most distinguished men Indiana has ever produced. He served his state in the Legislature and the nation in Congress and as a member of President Lincoln's Civil War cabinet. At the opening of the Civil War an enumeration of a dozen of the nation's greatest men would have found the name of Caleb B. Smith one of the number.
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