History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 21

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 901

USA > Indiana > Greene County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 21
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 21

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

Huff & Rankin. Drugs-S. Staicup, A. Bryan & Co. and R. E. Eveleigh. Harness-George Hogle. Furniture-Ryan & Lehman. Restaurants-F. Hubble, S. Edwards, Hains & Kaser, Thomas Warnick, E. Hartzell, E. W. Adams. Milliners-Mrs. Hogle, Mrs. Brooks, Mrs. Lyons. Saloons-Van- slyke, Livingston, Geddes. Hotels-National House, Exchange Hotel, Com- mercial Hotel, Blount House. Livery-Hardy & Harris, G. R. Hartzell. Grain Buyers-Dugger, Huffman & Co. Flour Mill-Newsom & Whetstone. Planing Mill-Shryer & Templeton, William Fuller, Williams & Sons. Saw mills-W. W. Templeton and Williams & Sons. Shoe-makers-T. C. Murray .and John Landers. Barbers-H. Knauer and William Himes. Marble Shop -L. T. Tate. Cabinet shops-Simon Lehman, Thomas Ryan, C. B. Knapp. Meat Markets-Walker Bros., T. J. Woods. Banks-Bloomfield Bank. Churches-Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Cumberland Presbyterian, Christ- ian, Lutheran (no building), Catholic (no building).

LATER MANUFACTORIES.

The present large frame grist mill was erected twelve or fifteen years ago, and was built by a company, some of the members being Col. Stough, W. W. Gainey, Elijah H. C. Cavins, T. D. Huff, M. H. Shryer and others, and cost not far from $10,000. It is well patronized and furnishes first-class flour, and is a credit to the owners and the town. Templeton's saw mill was Started ten or twelve years ago. Its present capacity and patronage are very great. The Williams Saw Mill was put in operation two or three years ago, and is actively at work. Each saw mill has a planing machine at- attached. These are the leading manufacturing establishments in late years.

THE FIRE OF 1883.

.On Christmas night, 1883, the fire fiend visited Bloomfield and devoured up all buildings on the north side of the square except those on the corners. It is supposed to have originated in the kitchen of White's restaurant. Among the losers were W. G. Jones, dry goods ; S. Edwards, Rose & Short, lawyers; S. W. Axtell, lawyer ; S. C. Cravens, building and drug store, heavy loser ; Cravens & Rankin, physicians ; W. A. Robinson, building ; R. A. Blount, sample room ; G. H. Geddes, on building and liquors, heavy loser ; John Edwards & Son, dry goods ; A. Bryan & Co., drugs, heavy losers ; John White, restaurant; W. F. Gallimore, lawyer ; J. R. Baxter, lawyer ; J. O. Burbank ; G. W. Osbon ; M. H. Shryer, on building, heavy loser ; Bloomfield Bank, on building, heavy losers. The total loss was esti. mated at $15,000, about two-thirds of which were covered by insurance.

BANKING.

The "Bloomfield Bank " was organized in October, 1873, as a private bank, with Marcus H. Shryer, T. D. Huff, F. M. Dugger, E. H. C. Cavins, Eli Farnham, Oscar W. Shryer, Simeon Smith, Godfrey Shryer, E. West, H. V. Norvell and others as stockholders. Marcus H. Shryer was President, and

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Oscar W. Shryer, Cashier. At the expiration of five years, the stock com- pany was dissolved by mutual consent, and M. H. and O. W. Shryer con- tinued the business as equal partners, under the name of "The Bloomfield Bank." These gentlemen yet hold respectively the same offices to which they were first elected under the old banking company. From the begin- ning, the bank has enjoyed satisfactory prosperity and the unlimited confi- dence of its correspondents and the county. Its management as a private bank enables the proprietors to extend to its patrons more liberal terms than are profitably offered by organizations under the National banking system.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

Bloomfield Lodge, No. 84, F. & A. M., was chartered June 1, 1849, by E. Deming, Grand Master, with the following partial list of charter members and first officers : M. H. Shryer, W. M .; William Eveleigh, S. W. ; William Mason, J. W. This lodge is yet in existence, with a large membership, and with valuable property. It owns its hall and building, and its present offl- cers are : Dr. H. R. Lowder, W. M. ; J. N. Irions, S. W .; Theodore Mengis, J. W. ; L. H. Jones, Treasurer ; William M. Moss, Secretary ; W. W. Gainey, S. D. ; Riley Spainhower, J. D. ; G. W. Osbon, Richard Huffman and H. S. Slinkard, Trustees. The early records of this lodge cannot be found.

Bloomfield Lodge, No. 457, Odd Fellows, was instituted by Past Grand Master T. G. Beharrell on the 7th of July, 1874, the charter members being T. D. Welker, F. M. Dugger, John W. Gray, Franklin Brown, D. S. Whitaker, James Flater, Aaron Swords and H. S. Slinkard. The first officers were : T. D. Welker, N. G. ; D. S. Whitaker, V. G. ; J. O. Burbank, Secretary ; F. M. Dugger, Treasurer. The lodge has been prosperous, has a present member- ship of fifty-five, and has property worth about $1,000. The present officers are : George Calvert, N. G. ; John White, V. G. ; George Hartzell, Secretary ; Samuel Axtell, Permanent Secretary ; Emerson Short, Treasurer ; Ed Eve- leigh, S. C. Cravens and Emerson Short, Trustees.

In December, 1879, Lodge No. 1941, Knights of Honor, was organized with twenty-seven charter members, but owing to too severe assessments, and other troubles, real or imaginary, the charter was surrendered in 1882.

On the 17th of June, 1871, Richland Lodge, 441, K. & L. of H., was or- ganized with twenty charter members. The lodge has run down much since the origin, but still exists, with about half its original membership.

Alcolade Lodge, No. 63, K. of P., was organized July, 1875, with the following charter members : B. T. East, John W. Gray, S. Stalcup, George Geddis, Frank Brown, Israel Stough, W. G. Jones, L. H. Jones, H. V. Nor- vell, J. H. Irions, T. D. Welker, James R. Lester, A. H. Dobbins, J. H. Stal- cup, W. I. Baker. And the following charter members and first officers : H. R. Lowder, C. C .; J. H. Irions, V. C .; W. I. Baker, K. of R. & S .; J. T. H. Brown, M. F .; B. T. East, Prelate ; John W. Gray, M. of Ex .; Israel Stough, M. of A .; George Geddis, I. G .; James R. Lester, O. G .; A. H. Dobbins, H. V. Norvell and S. Stalcup, Trustees. The last meeting of this lodge was in the summer of 1876.

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

THE SCHOOLS OF BLOOMFIELD.

The first school taught at Bloomfield is usually credited to E. P. Cush- man, though according to the oldest and best authorities incorrectly so. According to the Vanslykes and Mrs. Lester, two or three or more terms were taught before Mr. Cushman began. Mrs. Lester says the first term was taught near the cemetery the second winter after the town was laid out- which would be the winter of 1824-25-in a log cabin, by a man named Bradford, who was probably not a relative of Thomas Bradford. Mrs. Lester's maiden name was Tate, and at that time she was twelve or fourteen years old. She went to Mr .. Bradford, and as this school was about the only one she ever had the fortune to attend, she no doubt recollects the name of her teacher, as well as the date and circumstances. The children of the Scotts, Robinsons, Vanverses and perhaps others attended. Probably the next school was taught, as the Vanslykes think, on the hill east of the Hart- zell House, by some young attorney whose name cannot be recalled. They think another school was taught there before Mr. Cushman began. Mr. Cushman probably taught next, and really taught the first school of much interest or value. His school was attended not only by the children near the town but by grown men and women from several miles away. On Sat- urday, the teacher would work hard all day hauling wood with oxen to last the coming week. In about 1827, the old log schoolhouse was built, in which Mr. Cushman is said to have taught the first school. This rude build- ing was used continuously until about 1838, and was taught in by Carpus Shaw and his brother, Nathaniel Shaw, Alfred Edwards, Mrs. Alfred Ed- wards, John C. Brown, Mrs. Levi Fellows, Mr. Dobson and others. All these schools were taught by subscription wholly or partly, for, in about 1830, a small sum began to be realized annually from the sale of the six- teenth section, which was used toward supporting the school.

In about 1838, the brick schoolhouse which stood in the western part was built, and was used continuously until about 1856-57, when the old county seminary building took its place. John C. Brown is said to have been the first teacher in the brick schoolhouse of 1838. Mr. Conant from Scaffold Prairie, taught, it is said, in the old log house, and also in the brick. It seems that Mr. Brown had some claim upon the brick building which was used, for a short time as a store. No doubt Mr. Cushman taught the best schools in the town prior to the commencement of the series of terms by Mrs. Harrah, wife of Mr. Harrah, of Worthington, in about 1843. It was at this time, for the first, that two teachers were necessary to instruct the youth of the town. Mrs. Harrah was the first to introduce modern modes of punishment and instruction. The old beech whip, seasoned in the embers of the fire-place, was abandoned, and children were controlled by moral sua- sion, and a well-graded condition of the school was effected, thus adding scholastic system to the educational ritual, and thorough discipline to the departments. Mrs. Harrah was a lady of fine culture. She wrote a drama for a public exhibition of her school. The brick building was about 30x40

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feet, and in the one room Mrs. Harrah and her assistants, Miss Latham and Mr. Scott, Professor of Mathematics, held forth. Miss Bannister, nee Mrs. Levi Fellows, was Mrs. Harrah's assistant for a short time. They had at. this time about 100 scholars. Some of the higher branches, such as ad- vanced analysis of the English sentence, higher arithmetic, astronomy, nat- ural philosophy, history of the United States, algebra, Latin, etc., were taught by this talented lady, and a thorough preparation was given students desir- ing to enter college. Aden G. Cavins was thus prepared, as well as many other persons afterward eminent in county and State affairs. After about 1845, the school lost much of its usefulness and prestige, though it retained a standard that would compare well with other schools of that day in places of the same size.

THE COUNTY SEMINARY.

The old County Seminary building, two stories high, about 25x60 feet on the ground, with two rooms below and two above, and hall between, and with long way from north to south, was never used, so it is stated, as a County Seminary. It was fully finished about the middle of the decade of the forties, and for a series of years was used as a residence by Ruel Learned and others, as a Masonic hall, and was not brought into use as a schoolhouse for the town of Bloomfield until early in the fifties, and was not occupied continuously for that purpose until about the time the old brick schoolhouse of 1836 was disused, or perhaps two or three years before. It is said that in about 1854, or perhaps 1853, the Methodists of the town obtained control of the building, and established what became known as the Bloomfield High School, and placed in charge of the institution (probably) Rev. M. Forbes, who, with one or two assistants, taught something of a denominational school. A course of study was adopted, and printed circulars were struck to advertise the merits of the high school-really an academy. One or two other Principals had charge of the institution, one of them being Rev. Mr. Keith. In 1857, the building and grounds seem to have reverted to the county, as J. R. Baxter, in the autumn, became Principal of the school, with which event the denominational character terminated. Mr. Baxter had three assistants, and kept the high school, or select high school, or academy, up to the high state of excellence established by the Methodists. He commenced in his room with seventeen scholars, and ended with about thirty, each of his assistants having about the same number. A few students from abroad boarded in the town and attended. The following April, the school gave a public exhibition in the church, a large crowd being present. Declamations were delivered and compositions read, and a school paper was read by its editors, Emma Ritter and Eliza Vanslyke. Geometry, astronomy, higher mathematics, Latin, Greek, etc., were in the course of instruction in the school. At this time, Mr. Edwards taught a district school in the town. Among the teachers who taught in the seminary building, before or after Baxter's school, were Henry Vanslyke. Anna Wines, Polly Lester, Mitchell Bond, Joseph

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Scott, Susan Cavins, one or more of the Cavins boys, Aseneth Downing, Ivan Eveleigh, Joseph Eveleigh and many others. Public money paid part ot the expense of these schools ; this was true when Mr. Baxter taught, at least. This proves that the schools were not wholly select, but were, to a certain extent at least, open to the children of the Bloomfield district.

THE SCHOOLS OF THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES.

In 1863, the building and grounds were sold by the County Agent to the Trustee of the district, and thus, at last, the property was really owned by Bloomfield. Rev. P. B. Cook became Principal, and Misses McCord and Hunter, Assistants-winter of 1863-64. They founded the present excellent school. Steady growth in interest, discipline, method and attendance bas taken place from that time to this. The writer would willingly give a statis- tical outline of the development of the school, but as no records could be found, none having been preserved, this, unfortunately, cannot be done. .Among the Principals, though not given here perhaps in order, have been Profs. Bond, Mitchell, Odell, Johnson, McIntire, Sturgus, Cullison, Mc- Laughlin, Allen, Menges, and the present Principal, Luther Frame, a grad- uate of the State University. The Assistants are : 1. J. H. Shields ; 2. William Cushman ; 3. Viola Hulse ; 4. Mrs. Menges ; 5. Mrs. Backenstoe ; 6. Mrs. Isenhower. The enumeration of the district in 1883-84 was 429, and the enrollment of the public school was 375. The present brick school building was erected in 1877, at a total cost of about $8,000, by Moses Tatout, contractor. The building is two stories high, is large, airy, well- ventilated and seated, and is a credit to the town. A portion of the old seminary was used in its construction.

The first County Teachers' Institute was held in 1863 at the county seat in the old seminary. It was organized by J. R. Baxter, Theophilus Jackson, Napoleon Rainbolt, R. J. A. Corbley and others, who met in February of that year, prepared a constitution, elected officers, and fixed the time for the first institute in the following September. The attendance at the institute was not more than eight or ten, and the interest was at a low ebb, and con- tinued so for several years, or until the School Examiner assumed control. Since then, and since the Legislature has made provision for paying the ex- penses, County Institutes have been held annually, with increasing interest and numbers. Township Institutes have been organized in some portions of the county.

THE CHURCHES OF BLOOMFIELD.

The following sketch of the Presbyterian Church was furnished by Col. E. H. C. Cavins : "The Bloomfield congregation of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church was organized by Rev. A. W. Downey, on the 9th day of Au- gust, 1823, at which time there were no regular pastors. Among the early ministers who preached occasionally for the congregation was Rev. Hiram A. Hunter, who for many years was a noted pulpit orator and revivalist in Northern Kentucky and Southern Indiana. He preached at Bloomfield be-

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ture and after the organization of the congregation. He died in 1883, at an advanced age. The Rev. William Mccluskey was pastor as early as 1837. He was followed by Rev. Ephraim Hall, who preached for the congregation, sixteen years in succession, and was afterward called for shorter periods. He was followed by Revs. R. J. P. Lemmon, J. A. McMahan, W. T. Fergu- son, W. A. Medcalf, B. H. Blackwell, N. F. Gill, S. P. Marshall, and R. W. Norris, the present pastor. Rev. Arthur Hicks, a local preacher of the church, came to the county in 1829. His son, William C. Hicks, was one of the leading men in the church, and for many years was a local preacher in the county. He was noted far and near for his zeal as a Christian worker and his hospitality as a citizen. It was mainly through his efforts and contributions of labor that the church known as Hicks' Church was built. He died in 1876. Revs. William Turner and W. T. Ferguson were sent out from this congregation, and are doing a good work in their Master's vineyard. Sufficient records have not been kept to enable one to give the relative eras of prosperity. During the four years and three months of pastorate of Rev. Marshall, over 100 persons were received in the church. There was $2,598.46 contributed for pastors' salary ; $398.78 for incidental expenses, benevolent purposes, missions, etc., and $140 for new church fund. The congregation has never supported a pastor without the assistance of neighboring congregations, and has never had the exclusive services of a pastor. The church was built about 1850."

It is believed that the Methodist Church at Bloomfield was organized about the year 1825, though meetings were probably held a year or two before. The organization was at the house of Elisha P. Cushman, and the first mem- bers were the Cushmans, the Robinsons, the Scotts, Mary Lester, William Bannister and wife, Abel Westfall and family, Dr. Freeland, several of the Ritters, Stephen H. Lockwood and family, William Mason, the Milams, the Wagoners, the Browns, Peter Tate and others, for five or six miles around. It is said that either Rev. Mr. Armstrong or Rev. Eli P. Farmer or both organized this society. The first meetings were held in the cabin of Mr. Cushman, and afterward in the log schoolhouse, and still later in the brick schoolhouse- One of the early ministers was an eloquent Irishman named McElroy. A large addition was made to the church under his pastorate. Rev. Anthony Robinson was another early and prominent pastor, and a man of deep piety and bright intellect. He donated forty acres of land lying about a mile northeast of town, which when sold furnished the money that built the Methodist Church in the forties. Other ministers have been Revs. Cloud, Rose, Williams, Culver, Walker, Woods, Carson, Johnson, Welker, Chapman, Eller, Martin, Ramsey, Read, and W. T. Davis, the present pastor. In 1866, under Mr. Carson, over eighty were converted, and seventy-five joined the church. The congregation has a neat frame house and is prosperous.

The First Baptist Church of Bloomfield was organized in January, 1869, during a series of meetings held by Revs. M. C. Clark, of Scotland, and I. Crothers, of Martin County. The class was formed on Thursday evening,

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January 21, and comprised O. T. Barker, Nancy Barker, Susan Cavins, E. P. Williams, Margaret Williams, W. H. Smith, A. C. Flanagan and Emanuel Lagenhour. The meetings were held in the Methodist Church. Others who joined soon afterward were Alice Flater, Maria Flanagan, Angeline Bowers, J. M. Harrah and Jennie Myers. Early in 1869, efforts looking to the erection of a church were begun. Rev. M. C. Clark became the first pastor, receiving $20 per month for one-half of his time. A subscription paper was circulated to raise means to build the church. The organization was duly recognized by the conference in July, 1869; Rev. B. F. Cavins became the pastor in December. The membership continued to increase, and a large addition in 1870, under the preaching of Rev. HcNutt, about twenty-five joining the class. The funds accumulated slowly, and in 1874 the present frame church was built. Rev. B. F. Cavins preached the dedicatory sermon August 30, 1874 ; he was assisted by Revs, Stinson and Parks. The church debt at the time of dedication was only $111. The class had no pastor early in the seventies. but in 1875 Rev. Jacob Cornelius was called. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. McNutt. W. W. Gainey joined the church in 1876 ; he had formerly contributed largely toward erecting the building. He was elected Deacon. Other pastors have been Revs. Chandler, McDowell and Gardner. The present membership is about twenty. The class has no pastor at pres- ent. The Sunday school was organized by Rev. Cornelius in 1875.

The Bloomfield Christian Church was organized by Rev. Brinkerhoff in December, 1874, with the following first members : William Templeton, George Upfold. J. T. Lamb, Riley Quillen, M. Dugger, Elizabeth and Rebecca Tem- pleton, Hannah Upfold, Sarah Upfold, Elmira Quillen, Abbie Dugger, Nancy Lamb and Margaret Kissel. The brick church was erected in 1875, at & cost of about $3,000, and at the time of dedication had been almost paid for Among the pastors have been Revs. B. M. Blount, W. H. Littell (vacancy), Tomlinson (vacancy), and the present pastor, Rev. Treat. The class is at present fairly prosperous. Samuel J. Axtell was the first Sunday School Superintendent. He was succeeded by Mr. Lamb, but is the present Super- intendent.

The Lutherans have a small class that was organized a few years ago. Henry Kessler, H. S. Slinkard, Mrs. Hindman and others belong. They have no building of their own, but meet in the Baptist Church. The Cath- olics are organizing a class. Mrs. I. L. Ramp, Joseph Wilson and family, and Dennis Murray are members. They will no doubt build a church within a few years.

VAN BAYOU AND NEWTOWN.

In the year 1836, when the arrangements were being made for the erec- tion of the court house, the County Agent was ordered by the County Board to lay out on two small tracts of land of five acres each that had been do. nated by Peter Vanslyke to the county two towns to be called respectively Van Bayou and Newtown. The former was laid out first, and was on Lots 4 and 5 of Fractional Section 34, Township 7 north, Range 5 west. The latter

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was on Section 27, Township 7 north, Range 5 west, and was laid out later in the year. The lots, as many as possible, were sold at the best price they would bring to raise means to build the court house. The scheme was largely abortive, though a few sales were made and perhaps a few houses were erected in these " paper villages." They were soon abandoned, however.

RICHLAND FURNACE.

From about 1841 to 1859, iron in various forms, native in large quanti- ties on Richland Creek, was manufactured at this furnace. The business was started by Andrew Downing, who erected the necessary buildings and machinery, and commenced manufacturing pig-iron, stoves, plows and all kinds of domestic hollow ware, which were hauled by teamsters to Louis- ville for about $5 per ton. After two or three years the enterprise was very much enlarged by the addition of better machinery, a greater number of men and a blast furnace which had its first " blow out," if the date is cor- rect, in 1844-45. Some time after this, 'M. H. Shryer, William Eveleigh and William Mason, became associated with Mr. Downing in the business. A small steamboat called " The Richland " was purchased, and after that made regular trips down the river loaded with pig-iron and iron ware. Other steamboats were used. As soon as the canal was finished and boats were running, the Furnace Company bought or made two or three boats which were used continuously, conveying the iron products to the South. David Grant was the early foundryman. The fuel used was charcoal manufactured at various pits near by. About forty cords of wood were cut into lengths of about four feet, and on a level piece of land were stood up on end around a central cavity which was filled with kindling materials until a space thirty or forty feet in diameter was covered, and on the top of this another layer of the wood was stood and still another on top of this until the pit had the shape of a large flat bowl. Leaves were then spread entirely over this, and then on the leaves was placed a layer of earth five or six inches deep, with a few air holes on the sides, and an opening at the top where the kindling below was lighted. It required an experienced collier to manage the pit-to know how to regulate the air supply, to know when the wood had all been suitably charred and to know how to smother the fire in the pit. Some twenty or thirty men were constantly at work in this branch of the business cutting and hauling the wood, forming and burning the pits, and hauling the char- coal to the furnace. All this was under the superintendence of a boss, as was also the mining of the iron ore. The bosses usually took contracts of supplying the coal or the ore, and hired and controlled the hands under them, and were paid for the coal or the ore-4 cents a bushel for the coal at the pit or 7 cents delivered at the furnace. There were sub-bosses and thorough system. The ore was furnished in the same manner by the ton usually, and came out in chunks like stone. This was reduced, by heat be- fore being used in the furnace, to small pieces, like nuts. Layers of coal and ore, one above the other, were formed at the furnace, and the coal burned,

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History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 21

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 901

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 901