History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 51

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648

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BALTIMORE, A PAPER TOWN OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

The opening of the White Water canal was the cause of many paper towns springing into existence along its banks. By paper town is meant one which seldom if ever passed beyond the plat stage and the subsequent

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flamboyant description of the proposed town in the papers when its lots were . opened for sale. Franklin county has been the scene of more than one paper town during the century of its history, but probably no town of the county was ever pictured in more glowing terms that that laid out by James Conwell in 1836, and advertised in the Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gazette of Novem- ber 3, 1836. This town was located in Laurel township near the present town of that name. The description, with its surplus adjectives, vivid pic- tures and extravagant language, is given as it appeared in the above paper :

"The subscriber hereby gives notice that he will expose at public sale on the 29th and 30th days of November, next, three hundred lots in the town of Baltimore, situated on White Water River, Franklin county, Indiana. For many years past, the subscriber has been urgently solicited to lay off a town at this point, and dispose of lots; but has always heretofore refused on the ground of his irreconcilable aversion to trifling country villages, whose pop- ulation is too frequently composed of the idle, dissolute, and intemperate por- tions of the community. But believing that since the passage of the internal improvement bill, there are conferred upon this site, in addition to the uni- versally acknowledged natural advantages it possesses, others that will render it a point of great importance for business of every kind, and secure the erec- tion of a town not surpassed by many in the state, he has become convinced that it is his duty to open the way for the accommodation of the country, and to meet the eager wishes of the numerous applicants who are desirous of establishing themselves, at so eligible a spot. Baltimore has heretofore been extensively known by the name of Conwell's Mills, and for many years has been a place of considerable business. The valuable mill property, carding and fulling machinery, tannery, and extensive mercantile establishment, and various mechanic shops, have caused it to be regarded as the centre of busi- ness to a large tract of surrounding country. For beauty, fertility of soil, and the advanced state of improvement, this neighborhood is not excelled by any in the state. As regards the salubrity of the proposed site for the town, it is not surpassed by any other in the West.

"During the last sixteen years that the subscriber has resided in this neighborhood, there has been a population of from thirty to sixty souls at this place, and but a single death has occurred during that time. Baltimore is situated on the western side of the west branch of the White Water river. The White Water canal which connects the great national road in the fertile interior of the state with the Ohio river at Lawrenceburg, a branch of which will go to Cincinnati, passes immediately through the town. This canal is already commenced ; the whole line will be soon under contract and vigorously

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prosecuted to a speedy completion. The proposed site is twelve miles from Connersville, fifteen from Brookville, sixteen from Rushville, twenty-two from Greensburg, fifty-six from Indianapolis, and fifty-five from Cincinnati. Situated on the river and canal, it possesses advantages of water power ade- quate for every purpose that may be required. At the town and for many miles above it, there is sufficient fall, and at all seasons an abundant supply of water to drive 100 pair of stones.

"When it is considered, that a large body of the most fertile land in the state, densely populated, lies immediately west of this joint; and that, for the greater part of the year, from its entire destitution of mill streams, its inhabitants are compelled to resort to this place, it may readily be conceived, that this is one of the most important points for business, upon the whole line of the canal. Lying, as it does, in the immediate and direct line to market, it already attracts the citizens of a considerable part of Rush and Decatur counties ; and this attraction will acquire a much wider range, and extend to many fertile counties further in the interior, north and west, as the place in- creases in size and importance. Several tributary streams pour into White Water, from the east and from the west, in its vicinity, in the margin of which are prosperous and thriving settlements, which for years, have been depend- ant upon this point, as their centre of business; along these streams are state and county roads, concentrating at this place, and connecting it with Con- nersville, Brookville, Oxford, Rushville, Greensburg and other intermediate towns. Of all the necessary materials for building improvements, there is an abundant supply, such as clay, stone, etc. It may be worth while to notice, that the great proposed railroad improvement, so interesting to the West and the South, designed to connect Cincinnati with Charleston, will unquestion- ably, attract all the business of the northern and western part of the state to the Ohio river, in which event, the White Water canal will be the obvious channel through which this immense trade will pass. In conclusion, it is thought proper to intimate, that, as it has always been the anxious desire of the population, to promote the interests of good morals and sobriety, he de- signs, in the disposal of this property, to secure, as far as practicable, these great interests, by requiring a pledge from the purchasers, without exception, that the property purchased shall never be used for the establishment of dram shops and distilleries.

"Liberal reservations will be made for the erection of places of worship, seminaries, markets, etc. One-third of the purchase money will be required immediately, or a note with security, will be taken at 90 days; the balance to

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be paid at the option of the purchaser any time within three years, with in- terest from day of sale.

"The subscriber refers to the following gentlemen, who have some knowledge of the country and of himself.

"JAMES CONWELL. -

"Messrs. White & Holmes.

Taylor & Burton,

Philadelphia

Bird & Bros.

"Mr. Thomas C. Handy,

Henry W. Cooke,

66 George Austin,

Baltimore*

66 Robert Singleton,

William Currun,

"Messrs. Foote & Bowler,

"Mr. John W. Coleman,

Cincinnati

"Messrs. Burrows, Hall & Co.

"Conwell's Mills, October 29, 1836."

SLAVERY IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

It is not generally known that slaves were once held in Franklin county, but a perusal of the early records of the county show that they not only ex- isted, but that taxes were paid upon them. Just how many slaves were ever held in the county will probably never be known, since many colored people were held as bond or indentured servants. The Ordinance of 1787 had pro- vided that slavery and involuntary servitude should be forever prohibited from the territory northwest of the Ohio. Several times before 1816 the people tried hard to introduce slavery, and after 1800 the slavery advocates of Indiana territory presented petitions to Congress asking for the suspension of this particular provision. Most of the early settlers of Indiana before 1816 were from Kentucky and slave-holding states, and many of them brought their slaves along with them. It is true that the Constitution of 1816 prohibited slavery, but, notwithstanding this prohibition, the United States census as late as 1820 reported one hundred and ninety slaves in Indiana.

The Franklin county tax duplicate for 1811 reports two slave owners. It is certain that some of the Nobles, Carmichaels, Halls, James, Tyners, De- weeses and Williams held slaves, although it is not known how many. Some

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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.

persons of color were buried on the old Tyner farm, later owned by Henry Bruns.

The earliest commissioners' record which has been found (1814) sched- ules servants of color and free males of color for taxation. In July, 1817, a tax of three dollars was placed "on every free male person of color from the age of twenty-one to fifty-five," and, what is hard to explain, the schedule for that year placed a tax of two dollars "on every bond servant from the age of twelve years upwards." The inference is that the bond servants were also persons of color, although it is not so stated in the tax schedule. As far as is known, no white bond or indentured servants were ever taxed in Indiana. In May, 1818, the commissioners again listed for taxation "every bond servant of twelve years old and upwards," the same to be listed at three dollars per head; by 1819 the tax on bond servants of twelve years and upwards had dropped to one dollar and fifty cents each. Just how long colored people were held either as slaves or bond servants has not been ascertained, but no record is found of their being taxed after 1820.

THE FRANKLIN COUNTY OIL FEVER.

At one time it was thought that Franklin county was in the oil field, and for a year or two there were hopes that oil would be found in paying quanti- ties. In 1905 oil, or what was said to be oil, was found at Stips Hill, near the southern line of Posey township. A company was organized at Stips Hill to sink prospective wells in that vicinity, and in June, 1905, just after it was reported that oil was to be found in the neighborhood of Stips Hill, it was reorganized under the name of the Oil, Gas & Mineral Company. The company issued six thousand shares of stock, which was to be sold at one dollar per share, par value. This was to be used in the sinking of additional wells. The officers of this company were as follows: A. J. Ross, of Ander- sonville, president; M. J. O'Connell, of Connersville, vice-president; J. J. Reiboldt, of Laurel, treasurer; C. C. Day, of Laurel, secretary.

The oil fever did not subside for a year or more. In the summer of 1905 the local papers had glaring headlines telling of a two-hundred-barrel well which had just been completed on the farm of William Ensweller, near Buena Vista. Oil was undoubtedly found in this well, but, according to the most reliable information obtainable, the oil was found in another well first. Gold mines have been "salted" and copper mines have been "loaded," but it was left for Franklin county ingenuity to "oil" an oil well. One darksome night there was poured into the casing of a dry well at Buena Vista some

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bona fide oil and the next morning some of this was dipped out and exhibited to the astonished crowd, which had gathered around the well upon hearing that oil had actually been found. But the bubble soon burst, the stock of the promoting company became valueless, and Buena Vista, Stips' Hill and An- dersonville once more assumed the quiet tranquillity of their former days. The oil fever had been cured.

A DUELLO IN BROOKVILLE.

There was a United States military post established at Brookville in 1820, garrisoned by a company of regulars under command of Captain Grovenor. The troops were thought necessary in order to protect the fron- tier settlements, and especially necessary in view of the fact that the New Pur- chase had just been opened to settlement. Captain Grovenor was a pompous sort of an individual and estimated the dignity of his position and the impor- tance of his rank at its full value. His duties were not very exacting, for the Indians were peaceable and were getting out of the New Purchase as fast as possible.

Brookville was the metropolis of the White Water valley, and even at that early date its society was very good. It was composed of some of the most distinguished families of the state at the time and their generous hospitality contributed largely toward dispelling the monotony of frontier life. Time passed agreeably enough with Captain Grovenor until he received a slight rebuff one day in regard to some trivial matter of etiquette. This fancied rebuff came from a young man of culture and refinement, Nathaniel French, whose modest shingle proclaimed him to be an attorney-at-law. Probably the deference paid to the Captain's rank and the respect paid to his profes- sional character, may have tinged his social intercourse with a dash of hauteur and, like many another unemployed military hero, made him appear rather more ornamental than useful.

At any rate, Attorney French either underestimated the officer's impor- tance or ignored his pretensions in such a way as to offend him. Unwilling to brook the slightest indignity or insult, and perhaps glad of an opportunity to display his courage and gallantry, the Captain demanded certain acknowl- edgments and concessions on the part of French, which, being refused, a challenge to adjust the disagreement by a duel was promptly transmitted. French was not especially wedded to that mode of adjusting difficulties, and expressed a preference to give all the satisfaction the Captain desired, accord- ing to the prevailing custom of the country-that is to say, by fighting him

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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.

with his naked fists; but this was scornfully declined and a meeting insisted upon by the ancient and honorable regulations of the code duello. French accepted the challenge, but, inasmuch as he had never fought a duel, con- cluded he would investigate the "authorities" on the subject and prepare him- self for the meeting without delay. Satisfying himself touching the mode regulating the duello and finding that he had the right to select the weapons, he had chosen stones, distance twenty-five paces, each combatant after throw- ing a stone to advance one step, and so on until one or the other was knocked down or killed.

This proposition put the Captain in a frenzy, and he declared that it was impossible for a gentleman, especially a military gentleman, to accede to any such outlandish conditions. French contended that, being a civilian, he was unaccustomed to the use of firearms and believed it would be impossible for him to hit an elephant at any distance with a pistol ball, while the use of arms was his adversary's profession, in which he had been drilled and edu- cated, and that this gave him great advantage. With stones there was no advantage to either side; they had been used as weapons from time imme- morial, and were recognized by the highest authorities as legitimate, appro- priate and most effective; in fact, the first challenge was settled by a stone, and he cited as an authority, to be respected for its antiquity, the case of David, the Hebrew, vs. Goliath, of Gath, B. C. 1063. This was conclusive, but the captain refused satisfaction in that way and he was compelled to content himself without a fight.

THE STORY OF SAMUEL FIELDS.

One of the most interesting incidents in the history of Franklin county is concerned with an old Revolutionary soldier, Samuel Fields, who was the central figure of one of the most picturesque trials the state has ever seen. Condemned to death for the crime with which he was charged, he was re- prieved by Governor Ray, who came dashing up on horseback just in time to save the old man's life. He had been sentenced to death by hanging ; the gal- lows was ready to receive him; the fatal hour had arrived ; all hope was gone -but the assembled crowd had not reckoned with the dramatic governor. The old man's life was saved; the governor's tragic words, "Here, I give you life," closed a drama that has never been equaled in the state.

The story of Samuel Fields is given here substantially as written by James M. Miller :

"On November 3, 1824, Elizabeth Rariden appeared before Thomas

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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.

Flint, a justice of the peace, and filed an affidavit against Samuel Fields, an old Revolutionary soldier, charging him with assault at the house of Tem- perance Flint. The warrant was placed in the hands of Robert Murphy, son of Squire Samuel Murphy, who resided about one mile south of the Copeland school house, in Bath township on the farm now owned by Isaac Howell, Jr. The constable proceeded to the residence of John Thompson, son-in-law of Fields, who resided about three-quarters of a mile east of the school house I have mentioned, where Fields made his home. Fields refused to accompany the constable, but said he would appear the next morning. Murphy returned to his home and told his father of Fields' determination not to respond until the next morning, and his father said to him: 'Robert, this is your first of- ficial act, and if you do not arrest Fields they will say you are a coward and not capable of discharging the duties of your office. If I were you I would return and arrest him.' Acting on his father's advice, and accompanied by John Humphreys and several other neighbors, who had been at a log rolling near his home, he returned. During the absence of the constable, Fields whetted a large butcher knife and stuck it in a crack in a log just inside of the cabin door, and when he saw the constable and posse returning, arose and went to the door, and as Murphy, who was in advance, approached, warned him not to come any nearer or he would be hurt. Murphy advanced, coaxing him to go peaceably, saying, 'Grandpap, you'll go with me, won't you? I have nothing against you. I am only doing my duty as an officer.' There was a large puncheon lying before the door that served as a stoop, and as the con- stable, still reasoning with him, placed one foot on the puncheon to step up, Fields, holding to the door with his left hand, seized the knife with his right, and, swinging around, thrust the knife in Murphy's left side, cutting a gash from three to four inches long and slammed the door to. Murphy fell mor- tally wounded. The other members of the posse rushed to his assistance, and, tying a handkerchief around him, raised him up and placed him on a horse and started for his father's house, nearly two miles distant. A messenger was immediately dispatched to Brookville, ten miles off, for Doctor Oliver, who hastened to render any assistance he could, but medical skill could do no good. Murphy died about seven o'clock the morning of the 13th, ten days after receiving the fatal wound, and in a few days his remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at the Franklin church in Fairfield township, amid the tears and lamentations of the entire community. The grand jury, consisting of James Osborn, David Watson, Joseph Schoonover, Henry Fay, Andrew Jackson, James Jones, Nathan Springer, Henry Stater, John Blue, Mathre Karr, Allen Simpson, John Ewing, John Halberstadt, Charles Collett and

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Thomas Herndon, met, and, after a careful investigation, found the follow- ing indictment :

" 'We find that the said Samuel Fields, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil, did then and there, on the third day of November, 1824, with a butcher knife worth the sum of 25 cents in his own right hand, thrust, stab, etc., the said Robert Murphy, causing the death of the same.'

"On the 24th day of March, 1825, in the Franklin county court of the third judicial district, Judge Miles C. Eggleston, presiding, with John Hanna and David Mounts, associate judges, prosecuted by Oliver H. Smith, and de- fended by William T. Morris and John T. Mckinney, Samuel Fields was placed on trial for his life, the most damaging testimony being given by his daughter, Mrs. Thompson, who, with tears streaming down her cheeks, told the story of her father's crime to a jury consisting of the best men of the county, as will be seen by the names of those who comprised it: Thomas G. Noble, Abraham Hollingsworth, John Caldwell, Elijah Corben, Bradberry Cottrell, David Moore, Solomon Allen, Enoch Abraham, John Davis, Lemuel Snow, Matthew Gray and Henry Berry. The trial was hotly contested, the lawyers engaged being able and skilled in their profession. After carefully and patiently weighing the testimony the jury brought in a verdict of mur- der in the first degree and Judge Eggleston sentenced Fields to be hanged Friday, May 27, 1825.

A PRIMITIVE GALLOWS.

"I hope the reader will pardon the following digression : William Popens, an uncle of the writer, was from New Jersey, and a very warm personal friend of Robert Murphy, the victim of Fields, and, as it was said at that time, 'if you strike a Jersey you strike a whole community,' they were so loyal to each other that they never failed to make a common cause of an in- sult to one of the emigrants that had settled in what was called Jersey, in Bath township. My uncle was determined to witness the execution of the slayer of his friend, and so persistently urged my mother to accompany him, and she finally consented and in due time arrived in Brookville. The fatal hour had come and the sheriff, Robert John, father of Doctor John, good, kind-hearted man, firm in the discharge of his sad and unpleasant duty, be- gan preparations for the execution. The gallows consisted of a large syca- more tree which stood on the river bank west of where Frank Wright's ele- vator is now located at the foot of Main street. A large limb extended out

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on one side, and all obstructing branches had been removed. The remainder of this primitive gallows consisted of the running gears of a wagon with a platform on it, more like a barrel-rack used by coopers in transporting bar- rels than anything my mother could compare it to, which was to be drawn from under the prisoner at the proper time. The grave was dug a short dis- tance from the gallows, ready for the victim. The sheriff, with twenty-five deputies armed with flint-lock muskets, with bands of red flannel on their right arms as insignia of authority, marched to the jail on the public square, and, unlocking the padlocks that secured the door, brought the unfortunate man out and placed him in a chair on the platform on the wagon, with his coffin beside him, the guard formed around the wagon and the solemn march to the place of the execution began. On the arrival of the wagon with the prisoner at the scaffold, the crowd separated to let it pass to the proper place under the tree. Uncle seized my mother by the arm and hastened forward to be near as possible to the scaffold. The crowd as it swung around forced them up against the hind wheel of the wagon and, although my mother turned deathly sick, it was impossible for her to turn to the right or left. The minister, John Boffner, an orphan boy, who journeyed from Hardford coun- ty, Maryland, to Cincinnati in the same company my mother was in, preached the funeral sermon. One of the hymns sung was 'Show Pity, Lord! Oh Lord, Forgive.'

"The minister completed the services. The sheriff pinioned the arms of the prisoner, readjusted the noose around his neck, placed the black cap on his head ready to be pulled down, and, placing the foot of a small ladder on the platform and the other against the limb of the tree, with tears streaming down his cheeks, ascended and tied the other end of the rope to the limb, and, descending, took his place beside the prisoner with his watch in his hand, and solemnly proclaimed : 'Twenty-three minutes to live.' A man named Walter Rolf drove the horses attached to the wagon and he arose, drew up the lines and cracked his whip; the horses surged forward, causing the wagon to move a little, which tightened the rope, drawing the prisoner up until he sat erect. Just then a shout was raised, 'There is a man coming down the hill.' Those who desired the reprieve of the unhappy man on account of his Revolutionary services and his extreme age, he being seventy-five years old and his head as white as snow, declared it was the governor, while Murphy's friends would not listen to anything like that. It proved to be the governor, who had ridden all the way from Indianapolis on horseback and was dressed in the uniform of a general of the Indiana militia. He made his way through the crowd, ascended the platform and placed in the hands of the condemned man a roll of paper, saying : 'Here, I give you your life.'

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"Amid the shouts of approval from those who favored the reprieve and the execrations of those who condemned it, the happy man descended from the gallows and was taken by his friends over near Hamilton, Ohio, where he resided a short time, and removed from there to Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he died. Thus closed the sad drama of a Revolutionary soldier who murdered the only civil officer ever killed in the discharge of his duty in Franklin county. Likewise, the old veteran was the only man ever brought to the gallows in the county."

PRICES THEN AND NOW.

By reference to newspaper files giving the market quotations of different years, the subjoined may be of interest to the reader: In May, 1851, Cincin- nati prices were: Cheese, 61/4 cents per pound; bacon and side meat, also shoulders, 61/4 cents per pound; butter, 16 cents per pound; tobacco, from 12 to 15 cents per pound ; sugar, 6 and 7 cents per pound ; salt, $8.00 per barrel, 22 cents per pound.

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 51

Author: Reifel, August J Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1648

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648