USA > Indiana > Gibson County > History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 7
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Ferry licenses were granted at the May term, 1813, and the following ferry rates were fixed by the court :
Joseph Decker's ferry on White river $4.00
Garvis Hazelton's ferry on White river
1.00
John McJunkins' ferry on White river. 1.00 1 1 1
Aaron Decker's ferry on White river. 1 1
1 1.00
Ebenezer Severns' ferry on Patoka
1 1.00
Edmund Hogan's ferry on Patoka 2.00
The rates to be charged at these ferries for transporting people and stock were as follows: One dollar for each four-wheeled vehicle, carriage and driver; for each two-wheeled carriage, horse and driver, fifty cents ; each man and horse, twelve and a half cents; each horse, six and a fourth cents; each head of cattle. four cents ; sheep and hogs, two cents each.
The business of these first sessions was fraught with much labor and everything was recorded in a fine, readable handwriting, as will be seen today in searching the records at the court house. These proceedings are signed by William Harrington, P. J. (which meant President Justice ).
THE TAX LEVY OF 1813.
The following was ordered: For each one hundred acres of first-class land, twenty-five cents ; for each hundred acres of second-class land, eight and one-fourth cents; for each hundred acres of third-class land, six and one-
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
fourth cents; for each horse creature, over three years old, thirty-seven and one-half cents.
Finding that more items should be added to the innkeeper's rates, the county authorities, in 1814, made this order of rates to be charged the public at taverns within Gibson county: Each half pint of whisky, eighteen and three-fourths cents ; each half pint of peach or apple brandy, twenty-five cents ; each half pint of wine, rum, or French brandy, fifty cents; for each quart of cider or cider oil, twenty-five cents. Those were days when the "fathers of the county" did not see any harm in drinking spirituous liquors; in fact,'it was several decades before the matter of temperance was agitated to any considerable extent by the people in this country.
The matter of providing roads and suitable fording places and bridges occupied the attention of the county officials more than any other one item of routine business. It has ever been the case in all new countries.
At the January, 1814, session the meeting was still held at the house of William Harrington, with the same judges as before presiding. The first term held at the new court house-the special term of June 19, 1815-was indeed an important one in the business of the county, as it witnessed the dedication of the "temple of justice," and had presiding judges as follows : Willis C. Osbourne and Jesse Emerson.
The printing bill for this county was eleven dollars in 1816, and the printer was Elihue Stout, of Vincennes. At the same session William Prince was allowed one hundred and twenty-five dollars for services as county agent for one year.
At the May term, 1816, perhaps the most important transaction was the election of delegates to a constitutional convention. The election was held on May 13, 1816, and those elected as superintendents by townships were : From Madison township, Henry Brenton, the election held at the house of Hosea Smith; for White River township, Jonathan Gulick, election held at the house of James Robb; for Patoka township, Isaac Montgomery, election at the court house; for Montgomery township, James Stewart, election to be held at the house of Walter Montgomery; for Black River township, Peter Jones, election at the house of Langston Drew.
At the May session in 1816 it was ordered that a new township be made from a part of Madison township, and that the same be known as Harbinson township. This was the sixth township formed in Gibson .county.
Up to the last date mentioned the public square at Princeton had been laid out to the commons, but the authorities at this time ordered a good post and rail fence to enclose the grounds.
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
FIRST BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The county records show that the first board of county commissioners met at Princeton, February 10, 1817. William Hargrove and Thomas Mont- gomery appeared with their credentials of office. Their oath was taken before and signed up on record by Robert M. Evans, clerk, and Henry Hop- kins, sheriff.
Among the first acts performed by the commissioners was the dividing . of the county into three townships and establishing the boundaries of the respective townships as follows: That part of the county north of the Patoka river and west of the line dividing the county of Gibson and Pike was desig- nated as White River township. That part south of the Patoka river and between said river and Anderson's creek and a due south course from the head of said creek to the line dividing the counties of Gibson and Posey, shall constitute Patoka township. That part of the county west of Anderson's creek and a line drawn due west from the head of the same to Posey county and north of the line dividing the counties of Gibson and Posey was declared Montgomery township.
Following came the first election of justices of the peace as shown by the record. The commissioners ordered an election to be held at the house of Phillip Briscoe, in Montgomery township, for the election of two justices and that Joseph Montgomery be appointed inspector of said election. It was also ordered that an election take place the same day in Princeton, Patoka township, for the election of two justices and that George Chapman be ap- pointed inspector. And also at the house of James Robb an election be held the same day for the election of two justices for White River township, and the inspector of this election was David Robb. The sheriff was directed to serve copies of the above orders on the respective inspectors and advertise the said elections ten days previous to the holding of the same, and to provide the necessary polls and boxes. As there were no newspapers in the county at that time, the sheriff advertised by posting notices in three different places in each of said townships.
On May 12, 1817, James Stuart presented a certificate of his election as a county commissioner and took his seat as such, the following then compos- ing the board: William Hargrove, James Stuart and Thomas Montgomery.
The board increased the rate of taxation somewhat over the previous year. Among the interesting items enumerated in the long list of taxables occurred these : Every slave or person of color over twelve years of age. two
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
dollars. For every billiard table, fifty dollars. For each hundred acres of first rate land, thirty-seven and a half cents. For each hundred acres of second-class land, twenty-five cents, and twelve and a half cents for the third rate land. For each town lot, fifty cents on each hundred dollars of its value.
It will be observed that up to this time and during the administration of affairs, under the territorial laws, slaves were not taxed. But after the admission as a state and the adoption of the constitution, and the promulga- tion of laws under the same, slaves in Indiana became taxable property On the 12th of May, 1817, the commissioners appointed James W. Jones county treasurer, and directed him to file a bond, with approved security, in the sum of two thousand dollars; heretofore the sheriff had been ex-officio collector. The commissioners at this meeting appointed supervisors for the various road districts.
The county agent was instructed to contract with some suitable person to build an estray pen, forty feet square, in the northwest corner of the public square.
The blanks and books for the use of the different offices for the year 1817 cost twenty-one dollars, which was not very high in the light of present- clay bills for such books.
On November 17, 1817, the sheriff filed a protest with the board with regard to the insufficiency of the jail, stating that it was not a safe place to confine criminals or even debtors.
WHIPPING POST.
For the year 1818 the record shows that a certain citizen was indicted for passing a counterfeit note on one Marshall D. Tarleton. He was also indicted for passing another on John Arbuthnot. He pleaded guilty in the first instance and was sentenced by the court to pay a fine of thirty dollars and receive on his bare back twenty-five lashes. Whipping for crimes was in vogue for many years in the territory and state of Indiana, but long years since has been abolished.
At the February meeting of the county board new rates of crossing the lower bridge at Patoka were fixed as follows: Team and wagon with driver, thirty-seven and a half cents; each two-wliceled carriage, twelve and a half cents ; each man or horse, six and one-fourth cents; footman, three cents; meat cattle, three cents a head; sheep or hogs, one and one-half cents each. It will be seen that at that date it cost a man a fraction more than six cents to cross a bridge one hundred and fifty feet long, but things had so changed in
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
the early eighties that a man could have crossed the great steel bridge at St. Louis for five cents. The wooden bridge of 1819 at Patoka cost but a hun- dred or two hundred dollars, while the steel bridge over the Mississippi at St. Louis cost more than thirteen million dollars.
In 1820 the board was chiefly burdened with road matters, hearing peti- tions and reading remonstrances for same, and the appointment of road overseers or superintendents. At the May term, that year, besides the regular tax list, the board added these items for taxation: On each four-wheeled pleasure wagon, one dollar and twenty-five cents; on each two-wheeled pleas- ure wagon, one dollar; each silver watch, twenty-five cents, and on each gold watch, fifty cents.
The taking of the 1820 census of Gibson county cost the county twelve dollars and forty-four cents, paid to Charles Harrington. The order reads that he was to receive two dollars per hundred, which would make the popu- lation at that date about six hundred and twenty-two, but it is believed that the enumerator failed to get the census taken correctly, for there were more people here than this would indicate.
At the November term in 1821 the board ordered that the county treas- urer be cited to appear before them and show cause why he had not pro- ceeded against the sheriff and collectors for delinquent taxes, and for his not carrying out the orders of the board he was suspended from office, and James W. Hogue was appointed to fill the vacancy thus made in that office. The county agent was instructed to make all needed repairs on the court house, also to proceed to immediately make collection of all monies due the county on lots sold in Princeton. The tax that year amounted to eight hundred and two dollars and twenty-five cents,
At the May term, 1822, the board fixed the rate of tavern licenses in Gibson county at twelve dollars, which in reality allowed them all to run a bar in connection with their tavern, and they were limited each year by a fee which should be charged on different kinds of entertainment, including the fixed prices of liquors.
In November, 1822, August Lavelliott was authorized to establish a ferry on the Wabash river from the Indiana shore to the opposite bank of Coffee island. He was compelled to have "good and sufficient" boats for the carrying of passengers and stcok.
In the May, 1823, term Johnson township was formed by the commis- sioners.
In August, 1824, Washington township was formed by the board.
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT CHANGES AGAIN.
According to an act of the General Assembly, passed January 31, 1824, the board of county commissioners ceased to exist, and a board of justices of the peace took its place in county government affairs. The first meeting of the board of justices was held September 6, 1824. The members of this board consisted of the following : James Evident, president : James Kitchens, Alexander Johnson, Frederick Bruner, William DePriest, Charles Harring- ton, Phillip Briscoe, Lewis Harman, Jonathan Gulick. The first act in their office was to grant a tavern license to William Daniel.
At their September, 1825, meeting Columbia township was formed. At the November term, that year, William B. Demick was appointed trustee of the seminary fund.
In January, 1826, the justices appointed Robert Stockwell county agent. At the March term. 1828, Elisha Embree was appointed county agent. Jesse Emerson was appointed to build a bridge across Indian creek, where the state road crossed the same. He was to work in conjunction with the state com- missioner of post roads. One-half of the expense was to be paid by this county, the other half by the state. An order went forth from this meeting to the effect that in case of persons refusing or failing to pay their taxes when delinquent they should be obliged to pay twice the original amount.
The records do not show much of historic interest until along about the date of May, 1831, when under the new law enacted by the changeable whims of the Indiana Legislature, another form of county government was ushered in. The old justices consequently ordered the county divided into districts for the purpose of electing county commissioners, to-wit: White River township, as now laid off, to be the first district, Patoka and Columbia townships to be the second, and Montgomery and Johnson to constitute the third district. The last meeting of the old board of justices of peace for the county was held in July, 1831, when there were present Abram B. Harper, James Evans, William McClary, Frederick Bruner, Thomas J. Montgomery, Jonathan Gulick and Michael H. Milton. No business was transacted further than to turn over the affairs of the county to the newly qualified board of county commissioners, which office had been inaugurated for the second time in the state's history.
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
September, 1831, the commissioners for the three districts of Gibson county met. They were as follows: Charles Jones, for the long term of three years ; John Milburn, for the two-year term, and Samuel H. Shannon, for the one-year term.
The grand and petit jurymen were then only allowed seventy-five cents per day. This shows how close things were run in those pioneer days in the county, and really it was a matter of necessity and not stinginess, as the money in the country, under the financial and banking systems that obtained, afforded by no means sufficient means to do otherwise.
In May, 1832, an order was made that the United States field notes made at Vincennes be transcribed and properly made of record here. John I. Neely was appointed a special agent for the county, to convey to the board. of trustees of the Patoka "regular" Baptist church a lot in the town of Princeton, for the sum of thirty dollars.
The September term of 1832 was full of important business. A number of tavern and store licenses were granted, road districts formed, roads and bridges ordered surveyed and built, etc. One hundred and sixty dollars was appropriated for the construction of a bridge across the Patoka at Crow's and Kirk's mills. A fire-proof clerk's office was ordered erected, and the contract for same was awarded to John I. Neely and Samuel Hall.
NAVIGATION OF THE PATOKA.
The people desiring the improvement of the Patoka so as to afford a better and safer means of navigation, the board ordered the same laid off into districts and that commissioners be appointed to cause the necessary work to be performed. From the mouth of the Columbia mill, formed district No. I, with John Alexander, superintendent; from Columbia mill to where the Patoka strikes Pike county formed district No. 2, with Richard M. Kirk as superintendent. It should be remembered that at that date the Patoka fur- nished a water highway by which many of the products of Gibson county were sent away to far distant markets.
STILL ANOTHER FORM OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
In accordance with another law of commonwealth, the county govern- ment was again changed back to that of a board of justices. The first of such
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
boards convened in March, 1835, when the following constituted the mem- bers present : Asa C. Mills, Duter Jerauld, William French, Thomas J. Montgomery, A. D. Foster, Jonathan Gulick, Isaac Welburn, Adam B. Harper, Joshua Duncan.
Among the early matters worth here recording was the following order concerning a county seal. It was that a seal should be made of brass, in- scribed with the plow and scales and lettered, "Commissioners of Gibson County, Indiana."
About this date more appropriations were made for the completion of the navigation improvements on the Patoka river. But it must be said such money was of no avail, for the stream was never made navigable far from its mouth, as it filled up with drift and flood wood, making the project value- less.
At the November term, 1838, the board received the report of the com- missioners to build a bridge across the Patoka at Columbia (now Patoka), the cost of which was $7,160.05. It was well built. At the same meeting the board organized Wabash township, which was taken from the western part of Montgomery township.
At the January term, 1839, the county board, which had again come to be known as "County Commissioners," met on the 7th day of the month and made this notation and adjourned: "Ordered, that said board do adjourn instanter to the clerk's office in said town of Princeton, the court house being unfit for the session of said board." After some routine work, including road and bridge matters, the board proceeded to the appointment of John R. Montgomery and Elias S. Terry, commissioners to procure plans and esti- mates for a court house for Gibson county. They were also ordered to ascertain of the banks at Vincennes and Evansville on what terms funds for building the same could be procured. The board had evidently got cold feet that January morning and proposed to have warmer quarters!
Coming down through the years to the opening of the Civil war, one finds but little more than regular routine work in the minutes of the county commissioners' records. But at a special term held April 24th-less than two weeks after Fort Sumter had been fired upon by the secession guns- County Commissioners James Hudleson, Henry Gambrel and Joseph Devin assembled, at the request of the county auditor, who had power to thus call special meetings of the county board. The call was for the express purpose of taking some definite action regarding the making of appropriations out of the county treasury for the military defense of Gibson county. The conmis- sioners concluded that they had no power to thus appropriate public money.
GIBSON COUNTY COURT HOUSE.
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Joseph Devin, however, dissented from this opinion. He was a merchant of Princeton at that time, and proved himself a true citizen and patriot as well. Later the county board rescinded their ruling and did appropriate funds for the relief of families, members of whom were away in the Union army. Sometimes the county was without necessary funds and this same commis- sioner, Devin, furnished both money and goods to the soldiers' families who needed it, thereby preventing a discount of county orders. This should ever stand on record as a monument to his worthy name.
FORMATION OF UNION TOWNSHIP.
The last civil township created in Gibson county was Union, which ter- ritory was set off from Patoka and Johnson townships by an order of the board of county commissioners at their May meeting in 1890, upon the peti- tion of many citizens living in the townships of Patoka and Johnson. The land included in this newly created sub-division of the county was described as follows: "Beginning at the northeast corner of section I, township 3, range 10 west; thence to the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 3, township 3, range 11 west ; thence south to the southwest corner of section 15, township 3, range II west; thence west to the northwest corner of section 19. township 3, range II west ; thence south to the southwest cor- ner of section 30, township 13, range II west; thence east to the southeast corner of section 25, township 13, range 10 west; thence north to place of be- ginning."
Asa F. Atterbery was appointed by the commissioners as the trustee of the newly formed township, and R. S. Walters was appointed assessor. The commissioners who signed the above order were Phillip Martin and E. C. Farmer.
GIBSON COUNTY'S COURT HIOUSES.
The first business of this county was transacted at the private residence of William Harrington. This included the first terms of court. The first court house was not occupied until June, 1815, as will be observed by the fol- lowing. Gibson county has had three court houses and the same number of jails.
William Harrington, at whose house the first seat of justice and first terms of court were held, from the first organization of the county to June 19th, the day on which the business was first transacted in the new court
(6)
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
house, was allowed the sum of fifteen dollars on one occasion, as about half the total amount he was to have for the use of his house, or rather certain rooms in his residence.
The board of county commissioners ordered the county agent, Robert M. Evans, to let the contract for making brick for the construction of the first court house, at a cost of not to exceed five dollars and fifty cents per thousand. These bricks were made on the public square, near where they were needed.
The general plan of this first temple of justice for Gibson county was about as follows: The walls were of brick, thirty-three by forty feet in size; the foundation was laid eighteen inches below the surface of the ground; the height of the lower story was twelve feet; above the bottom of the sleepers, which were one foot above the ground, the wall of the lower story was two and a half brick thick and the upper story two brick; there were two chimneys, with fire-places. The brick and all the material for the construc- tion of the building were furnished by the county. Work was commenced September 1, 1814. The contractor was Killion Creek-that is, he laid the walls-and Samuel Hogue built the roof of this building and furnished tim- ber for the window frames, etc., while John Decker had the contract for all inside finishing work. The painting was done by the brush of Samuel Boicourt. This structure stood and did good service for the new county for a quarter of a century, or until 1841, when it was thought wise to provide better quarters for the various county officials and the courts.
SECOND COURT ILOUSE.
The county authorities appointed Joseph Devin, Samuel Hall and Willis Howe commissioners (Devin resigned and Jonathan Young was put in his stead) and directed them to procure plans and specifications. The final plans were those furnished by Edward Coleman. The contract for erecting the building was awarded to Alfred Poland. The structure was built of brick and was completed in 1843, at a cost to the taxpayers of about nine thousand dollars. It was a well built court house, about square in form, and served the county until the present fine court house was erected in 1883. Up to the razing of the second building, the public square contained many shade trees, some of which were exceedingly large and beautiful. These trees were all removed by the grading of the yard except one small maple, whichi still re- mains.
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GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.
THE THIRD AND PRESENT COURT HOUSE.
The corner stone of the present court house was laid June 17, 1884, in the presence of several thousand people and with appropriate Masonic cere- monies, under charge of the various lodges of the county. The building is an imposing red brick, stone-trimmed structure, of modern style architecture. It is a large, two-story building, over a full ceiling basement, the rooms of which are used by the county for various lesser county offices and for store room purposes. The floors of the superstructure-second and third floors from the ground-are used for the main county offices and the large, well- planned court room and jurors' rooms. It is heated and lighted after strictly modern methods. Joseph Miller, of Washington, Indiana, was the contract- ing builder, and for this work he received the sum of one hundred and eighty- eight thousand six hundred and sixty-one dollars. This, however, did not . include the fixtures and furnishings. While this building has stood for al- most a third of a century, it seems about as good as when first occupied. It really stands as a monument to the good sense and wisdom of the men who planned it and the taxpayers who voted for its erection. The commission- ers who contracted for this court house and served during its construction were Sylvester Benson, John S. Mead and Josiah Kightley. Of this board, only one, Sylvester Benson, is living ( 1914) at an advanced age.
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