History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 28

Author: Stormont, Gil R
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F.Bowen
Number of Pages: 1284

USA > Indiana > Gibson County > History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 28

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SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLMASTERS.

As most of these early settlers came from the South, where opportunities for education were usually limited, not many of themn had an education be- yond ability to read and write. But they knew the necessity of an educa- tion, and were concerned in providing better opportunities for their children than had been enjoyed by themselves. So the school house made its appear- ance very soon after the first settlement. The first school houses were of the primitive type, of course. They were built of logs, covered with clap-boards, wide chimney, built of sticks and daubed with mud. Furniture, split logs for benches, a rough board around the wall for a desk, and all the other appointments of corresponding simple character. One of these school houses was located near the Makemson home, as has already been mentioned. This, however, was somewhat in advance of some of the primitive type in its con- struction and furnishings. It was built of hewn logs and had glass windows,

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and some benches made of plank. Among the teachers who wielded the birch at this place, for ability to wield the birch was an essential requisite for a teacher's qualification at that time, were James McConnell, Nelson K. Crow, Monroe Barton, John Kell, Lewis A. Townsend, and some others beyond memory's recall. Of these, Monroe Barton is still living, in St. Louis. Along about 1856 the neighbors decided to build a better school house, in a more convenient place. A subscription was raised by which sufficient funds were secured to build a frame building, which was located on the road directly opposite the William Stormont residence. This was called the Greenwood school house, and it still stands, though a little distance from its first loca- tion. In deciding on the plans for this house, there was some contention among the subscribers to the building fund as to the arrangements for heat- ing. Some of the more progressive were in favor of a stove, but others argued that stoves were unhealthy and insisted that the old-fashioned fire- place was the only method that should be used in warming a school house. At one of the meetings in which this question was discussed, one of the most obstinate of the advocates for the fire-place said he had made a canvass of the neighborhood interested in the school and found a majority on his side. Some of those interviewed, he said, told him that there was more comfort in being outside in a cold day and seeing smoke coming from a chimney that had a fire-place, than being inside by a heated stove. And a majority of that meeting said, "them's my sentiments, too," and so the fire-place was decided on. But it was not a success. A stove had to be put in soon after the building was first occupied.

Of the long line of teachers who have held forth here the most noted is one by the name of D. L. Summers. He drifted in (drifted is right) about 1857. He was introduced in the neighborhood by a man by the name of Anderson, who was teaching a geography school in the neighborhood at that time. Anderson's geography instruction was by means of outline maps, set to music, and he made quite a hit with his method. He also made quite a hit for Summers, when he arranged for Summers to make a temperance lecture at the Greenwood school house. Summers made a powerful speech, the greatest temperance address, the most eloquent appeal in behalf of that cause that had ever been heard in that neighborhood. He proved to be a man of fine education, a graduate of Yale College, he claimed. He applied for a school at that place and was employed at a compensation greater than was usual for teachers of that time. In his one term here he did not show any marked ability as a teacher, although he was a great scholar. . After one term.

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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

at Greenwood, Summers went to Francisco, where he was engaged in teach- ing for a time.

The Lawrence school house, near the Dustin Mills home, was somewhat more progressive than others of the neighborhood. It was the first frame building and had many other advanced ideas as to appointments. The Law- rence school was more largely attended and usually had better teachers than any of the others in the neighborhood. The Page school house, near the Morrow place, was a frame building, and was the educational center for the youth of that vicinity. And then there was an old log school house hid away in the bushes, in an out of the way place, on Indian creek, near the David Stormont farm. About the only advantage one could see in locating a school in a place like that, was that it was so convenient to the brush from which a supply of switches could be obtained. There was no reason why there should be any delay in the "lickin' " along with the "larnin' " in that school, and, so far as the memory of this writer goes, there wasn't any delay in this exercise.

A NOTABLE RECORD OF MILITARY SERVICE IN THE CIVIL WAR.

When the Civil war came, and there was a call for volunteers, the re- sponse made by the men and boys of this neighborhood was a credit to their loyalty and patriotism. It is not a matter of wonder that a community so largely composed of Scotch Covenanters should be loyal to their country, and be ready to make sacrifice, if need be, in defense of their convictions. They have a record for stalwart patriotism from their earliest history. In the Highlands of Scotland it is said of them that they were ever ready to do battle, or to sing psalms, and that they often engaged in both at the same time. It is not strange, that in a community composed of families who had borne constant testimony against a national evil and, failing to eradicate or restrain that evil, had abandoned home and sacrificed property in the South- land, that they might get themselves and their families away from all the blighting influences of that evil; it is not strange that a community of such people should train up sons who would be ready to manifest the faith and convictions of their fathers. It is not a matter of wonder that these sons would be ready to manifest the supreme test of patriotism, when occasion required it. It is not a matter of wonder that the exemplary life and benign influence of such people should have an impression, not only upon the fami- lies of their faith, but also upon the entire community. The notable record which was made by this neighborhood in enlistments in the Civil war must be attributed largely to this influence.

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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

In the neighborhood comprising the four school districts that have been mentioned, a territory of about two miles square, something like one hundred men and boys enlisted in the army, most of them serving through the war. Many of them gave their lives in defense of the flag. Following are the names of those that can be recalled, and the regiment in which they served :

Seventeenth Indiana-John Aydelott, James Boal, Alex Carithers, Rob- ert Dixon, John Mehan, Hugh Mehan, John O. Sprowl, Andrew R. Stor- mont, Joseph Davidson, James H. Paul, Thomas J. Stott, John Whitsett, Henry Greer, Joe Wilson.

Twenty-Fourth Indiana-George Griffin, David Legier, Frank M. Red- burn, George McCue, P. Swain.

Thirty-Third Indiana-Henry Griffin, Frank M. Grigsby, David Kirk, William Makemson, Gavin M. Stormont, W. E. Townsend, William Virden, Henry Van Campen, Lewis VanCampen, Theo. W. Wallace, James A. Evans, WV. L. Legier, James McFetridge.

Fifty-Eighth Indiana-John C. Clark, Hugh M. Clark, James T. David- son, John Gillespie, William I. Gillespie. Jacob E. Gillespie, Byron Mills, Al- bert Mills, James Page, John Redburn, WV. J. Redburn. W. L. Sprowl, John R. Sprowl, James A. Sprowl, Gil. R. Stormont, John M. Stormont, Samuel Lawrence, James Curry, Amos Legier. Thomas Johnson.

Sixty-Fifth Indiana-William Boswell, Thomas Boswell, Hugh Har- binson, James Hussey, James Lytle.

Eightieth Indiana-A. J. Carithers, John Clark, Hugh M. Clark, Jr., Si- mon Sprowl J. Renwick Stormont, John C. Wilson, Samuel J. Wallace, James S. Kell, W. H. McCracken. James Carithers.

One Hundred and Twentieth Indiana-Dale Husscy.

One Hundred and Thirty-Third Indiana-James W. Little.

One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Indiana-John Daugherty.

One Hundred and Forty-Third Indiana-Oscar Aydclotte, Anderson Makemson, Moses Griffin, J. W. Keith, Miller Murphy, William C. Lawrence, Samuel Murphy, Conrad Grubb.

Twenty-Fifth Iowa-Thomas Clark.

One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois-George W. Mills, W. Gordon Mills.

First Indiana Cavalry-Daniel Conner, Eb Curry, Joe Daugherty, Sam McClellan, Harve Mcclellan.

Tenth Indiana Cavalry-William B. Whitsett.

Illinois Regiment-Jacob Behm, Blaine Kennett, Robert Curry.

CHAPTER XXI.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Under the above caption will be found many interesting, valuable items, which hardly find place in any special chapter, but when coupled with other topics afford one of the best historic chapters in this volume.

POPULATION OF GIBSON COUNTY.

The population, as recorded in the United States census returns for 1900 and 1910, for Gibson county is as follows :

1900

1910

1900

1910

Barton township

2,151

1,866

Patoka township

8,712

9,439

Center township

1,646

1,549

Union township

2,149

2,507

Columbia township

3.565

3.588

Wabash township

1,076

95I

Johnson township

1,991

2,370

Washington township __ 1,904

1,546

Montgomery township -4, 196

4.279

White River township __ 2,934

2,602

Cities and Towns.

1900

1910

Cities and Towns.

1900

1910

Princeton (city)

6,041

6.448

Patoka

710

657

Owensville

1,019

1,237

Francisco

407

Fort Branch

849

1,182

Oakland City

1,99I

2,370

Hazleton

758

648

Other towns in the county are included in the enumeration of the civil townships in which they are situated.

The total population of the county in 1900 was 30,099 and in 1910 was 30,137.

SALE OF A NEGRO GIRL.

The following is a true copy of one of the early-day legal papers executed in Gibson county, and still remains a part of the county's records, though the paper and ink are somewhat faded with the passage of an even hundred years :

"Know all men by these presents that I, John Goodwyn, of the county

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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Gibson and Indiana Territory, for and in consideration of the sum of $371 to me in hand paid at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents. the receipt whereof I, the said John Goodwyn, do hereby acknowledge, have bargained and sold and by these presents do bargain and sell unto Benjamin Scales, his executors, administrators or assigns, a certain negro woman named Dina, aged about seventeen years, to have and to hold the said negro woman (Dina) above bargained, sold or mentioned or intended so to be, to the said Benjamin Scales, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns for ever. And I, the said John Goodwyn, myself, my heirs, executors, administrators or assigns unto the said Benjamin Scales, his heirs, etc., shall, will and do warrant and defend against me, my heirs, etc., and all and every person claiming under me as well as against the claim or claims of all and every other person or persons whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 20th day of October, 1813.

JOHN GOODWYN. (Seal.) "Attest: Henry Hopkins,

"Jonathan Evans.

"Recorded this 20th day of October, 1813. "ROBERT M. EVANS, Recorder."

LIBERATING NEGRO SL.WES IN GIBSON COUNTY.

On March 18, 1816, Matthew, a negro man, seemingly agreed with his master, James Lyon, and consented to be removed from Gibson county to any other state or territory as a slave for life and the instrument goes on in the record to state "the same may be recorded."

On the 4th of July, 1814. Robert M. Evans emancipated a black man named John Born, who was formerly a slave in Virginia, then owned by Benjamin Taylor and after the ownership passed to Evans and the removal to this territory he was liberated, as above stated, which was a commendable act performed by Mr. Evans on the anniversary of the natal day of our great Republic. Now then, the next day, July 5th, an instrument was placed on record which shows that which purports to be a generous act of Evans was simply a farce on liberty and justice-because on that day the negro man John became an indentured servant to Evans for thirty years, and on the 21st of December, 1814, for the consideration of five hundred and fifty dollars Robert M. Evans sold and transferred John ( the colored man) to Nathaniel Evans.

Another case was that of a colored family. On April 17. 1816. the legal heirs and representatives of Robert Archer, deceased, of Gibson county, caused to be placed on record a deed granting liberty to Simpson, a man of

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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

color, and Eve, a woman of color, and in behalf of themselves, and for and in behalf of Mitchell and Rachel, infant children of the said Eve, for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar paid by the said Simpson and Eve, and, in the terms of the deed "forever exonerate and discharge and for and in consideration of five years faithful servitude of the said Simpson and Eve, rendered heretofore to the family of our deceased father, in his lifetime, and abhoring, as we do, the idea of involuntary servitude, have and by these pres- ents each of us hath from this henceforward and forever more exonerated, discharged and set free, the said Simpson, Eve, Mitchell and Rachel from any and all manner of servitude."

This was signed, sealed and delivered before Samuel Hoge, Jr., and ten other citizens of Gibson county.

A SLAVE-TRADE TRICK.

While slaves could not be legally kept in slavery in the Northwest Terri- tory, they could be retained in a form of servitude that was in reality slavery. Here is one of the forms of deception and evasion the ignorant negroes were led or forced to sign so they could be sold in slavery in Indiana.

"Knox County-I do voluntarily agree and consent to my sale and trans- fer from George Wallace, Jr., to Tossaint Dubois for the balance of my termi of servitude. Witness my hand and seal the 30th day of June, 1813.

"The mark of (X) Samuel. (Seal.)"

This was sworn to before a notary and then appeared the following further statement : "I, Sam, being of full age, do hereby voluntarily agree to and consent to the sale and transfer from Toussaint Dubois to Jacob Kuykendall, it having been made at my particular request, for the balance of my term of servitude. Witness my hand and seal this 18th day of Novem- ber, 1814. The mark (X) Sam."

It may be presumed that Sam's "particular request" was granted. The government occasionally got onto the trail of grafting in the old days just as it does sometimes now. Here is a sample from among Judge Prince's papers :

"Department of War, "IIth of August, 1819.

"William Prince, Esq., Indian Agent, Vincennes-Sir : The fraudulent conduct of Mitchell Brouilett in relation to the provisions for Indians at Fort Harrison in the year 1817, 1818. entitles him to no further confidence from

299

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

the government. You will therefore dismiss him as interpreter from the United States service without delay.

"I am very respectfully, your obedient servant.

"J. C. CALHOUN."

A clerk had written the order, and the rather flourishing hand of the famous South Carolinian, John C. Calhoun, had signed it. There are also other communications to Agent Prince from Mr. Calhoun, then secretary of war and having supervision of Indian affairs.

EXTRACTS FROM VALUABLE HISTORICAL PAPERS.

There appeared in the columns of the Clarion-News in March, 1913, at the date of the centennial celebration of Gibson county, several interesting paragraphs from which we are permitted to here quote. They relate largely to items found in papers, books and letters belonging to Judges Prince and Hall. Many of these papers are bills or duplicates of bills rendered against the government for Indian supplies when Captain Prince was serving as Indian agent at Vincennes, and to those of this day who have been accustomed to think of the olden-time Indian as gathering his substance from the wilds some of these bills sound odd. In 1820 Pierre Laplante of Vincennes had a bill of one hundred and thirteen dollars, including in it items for six dollars for transporting the annuity to the Wea Indians at Fort Harrison, and an- other for six dollars --- two dollars a day-for rounding up the Indians to pay them off. There were also large bills for bullocks and other meat, corn, whisky, caring for horses, repairing guns, etc. One gunsmith's bill ran over four hundred dollars in a year for making gun and other repairs for the Indians. Seventy-five cents for repairing a tomahawk was not an unusual charge-imagine the untutored savage (or was he better tutored than we have thought) carrying his tomahawk into the gunsmith's shop and getting seventy-five cents worth of repairs on it. How these Indians did eat, too! Every day must have been Thanksgiving with them, judging from the bills they ran up against the government. Whisky went out to them in twenty- gallon lots, and the supply did not last long either! Especially, were the bills big when a pow-wow or treaty conference was about to be held.

Most of the items seem to have been ordered by chiefs for their personal use, and it appears there were more chiefs than "privates." A chief seems to have had the privilege of going the limit. August 23, 1820, Christian Graeter put in his bill of three dollars thirty-seven and one-half cents for

300

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

breakfast for nine Delaware chiefs; he also had a bill of seven dollars for keeping two Indian horses seven days; and one of nine dollars and fifty cents for "keeping Indian horses brought in by white people as estrays." One claim of one thousand four hundred and seventy-eight dollars was rendered February 5, 1821, for money advanced for provisions for the Delawares who were en route from the White River country to Arkansas-driven onward by treaty with the whites. Evidently they tarried quite a spell there, and were fed at the government's expense.

BEE HUNTING.

Bee hunting was a favorite amusement of the old settlers. The destiny of the Indian was to recede before the approach of the white man: it is the province of the honey bee to act on the reverse and precede the advent of civilization. The approach of the honey bee was always a sad harbinger to the Indians, for they knew the pale faces were not far behind. At an early date bees were very numerous in Indiana in the groves and along the skirts of timber, hence the product of the hive became a desirable commodity in trade and commerce. When the farmer wished a little "land office" money this was the only real article that would readily command it. Bee hunting excursions were of annual occurrence. In the spring of 1817 William Wilkin- son and others made a little excursion down to Pigeon creek where they camped and remained a week. In the timber along that stream they dis- covered thirty bee trees. The party secured during that trip fifty-five gallons of honey and seventy pounds of bees-wax. The usual outfit for such a trip was a lot of kettles and a wagon drawn by a team of oxen.

PIONEER MILLS.

Among the first mills of Gibson county were the band mills. A descrip- tion of one of these primitive mills may not be without interest at this day. The plan was cheap. The horse-power consisted of a large upright shaft some ten or twelve feet in height, with some eight or ten long arms let into the main shaft and extended out from it fifteen feet. Augur holes were bored into the arms on the upper side at the end, into which wooden pins were driven. This was called the "big wheel" and was, as has been seen, about twenty feet in diameter. The raw-hide belt or tug was made of skin taken off of beef cattle which were cut into strips three inches in width : these were then twisted into round cords or tugs, long enough to encircle the cir-

301

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

cumference of the big wheel. There it was held in place by the wooden pins, then to cross and pass under a shed to run around a drum of what is called a "trunnel head," which was attached to the grinding apparatus. The horses or oxen were hitched to the arms by means of raw-hide tugs. Then walk- ing in a circle, the machinery was set in motion. To grind twelve bushels of corn was considered a good day's work on a band mill.

The most rude and primitive method of manufacturing meal was by the use of the grater. \ plate of tin was pierced with many holes so that one side was very rough The tin is nailed over a board, in an oval shape. An ear of corn was rubbed hard on this grater, whereby the meal was forced through the holes and fell down into a vessel, prepared to receive it. An im- provement on this was a hand-mill, which was propelled by man or woman power. A hole is made in the upper stone and a staff of wood is put in it and the other end of the staff is put through a hole in a plank above so that the whole is free to act. One or two persons take hold of this staff and turn the upper stone as rapidly as possible. An eye is made in the upper stone through which the corn is put into the mill with the hand in small quantities to suit the mill, instead of a hopper. A mortar wherein corn was beaten into meal is made out of a large round log three or four feet long. One end is cut or burnt out so as to hold a peck of corn, more or less, according to cir- cumstances. This mortar is set one end on the ground and the other up to hold the corn. A sweep is prepared over the mortar so that the spring of the pole raises the piston and the hands force it so hard down on the corn that after much beating meal is manufactured.

EARLY MARRIAGES.

During the year of 1813 the following were united in marriage in Gibson county :

June 18, Willis Stallions to Mary Stallions.

July 9, James Cheek to Nancy West.

July 25, Lemuel Baldwin to Jane Lynn.

July 28, Michael Thomas to Amelia Merick.

October 28, James W. Hogue to Rosanna Archer.

August 5, Robert Wheeler to Elizabeth Barker.

August 14, William Kennedy to Ann McCra.

September 24. William Steel to Martha Butner.

September 25, James R. Nett to Celia Jarvis. October 4. James Tyler to Eliza Graham.

302

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

October 9, David Hornaday to Hannah Whitehead.

October 19, Henry I Mills to Rachel Dyer.

October 14, Ace Holcomb to Lucy Devin.

October 17, Vachel Clarke to Nancy Adams. October 19, Thomas Shields to Abigail Martin.

October 26, James Ashby to Charlotte Decker.

December 17, William Simpson to Rhody Herrine.

December 16, Benmah Gregg to Julia Fisher.

December 16, James Linn to Sarah Baldwin.

December 27, Archibald Turner to Caty White.

Rev. Alexander Devin was among the first settlers and on June 6, 1808, he united in marriage James McClure and Malinda Ann Warrick, this being beyond doubt, the first marriage among the white people to take place on the south side of the Patoka river, in Indiana. It was of course the first marriage within what is now Gibson county.

MARKET PRICES THEN AND NOW.

From old histories and files of newspapers of this county, the following prices obtained at an early date, and these will be followed by present-day quotations :

About 1816 and 1820 good calico sold here for fifty cents per yard and domestic at about the same proportion. Goods of the same quality in 1835 could have been purchased for eight cents per yard. Along about 1825 home- spun of the best quality of jeans woven by the diligent hands of the wives and daughters of pioneers brought from seventy-five to eighty cents per yard. The industrious house wife considered if she had woven one and one-half yards of good cloth that she had performed a good day's work. Linen made from flax brought thirty cents per yard. The usual price for coffee in 1816 was seventy-five cents per pound. Pork, much of it mast-fatted, sold during the inflated period of 1836-37 for six dollars per hundred pounds dressed and about the same general prices ruled for other stock. It is no wonder that the panic occurred with such an inflated condition of what was then mostly a worthless currency. Dressed pork prior to this, from 1816 to 1835, brought only one dollar and fifty cents to two dollars per hundred. Butter sold from . 1820 to 1830, at about six and one-fourth cents per pound and wheat averaged about fifty cents per bushel. From 1820 to 1835 corn and oats average about fifteen cents per bushel. In 1816 the price of salt here was three dollars per bushel and the average price for a first class cow and calf was not over seven

303

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

dollars. A good horse could be bought for twenty-five dollars. The follow- ing bill of sale is subjoined :

"Know all men by these presents that 1 George Curtis do give a bill of sale to Eli Hawkins ( for the sum of fifty dollars it being for value received of him, this 13th day of July, 1813). A gray mare about eight years old fourteen and one-half hands high, one dark brindle cow, with a calf, a heifer a year old this spring, whose color is red and white, one bed and furniture, one cupboard and furniture, kitchen utensils, a set of shoemaker's tools, one table, chest and trunk, also house and two half acre lots lying in Columbia, west of John Severn's lots, which I the said Curtis purchased of Samuel Adams, Gibson county, Indiana Territory. In witness whereinto I set my hand and seal this day and date above mentioned.

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History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 28

Author: Stormont, Gil R Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F.Bowen Number of Pages: 1284

Author: Stormont, Gil R
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F.Bowen
Number of Pages: 1284