History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 22

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 22

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).

The lodges of the town are: Masons, Odd Fellows, Red Men and Knights of Pythias. The church organizations are the Methodist Eposcipal, Christian, Evangelical Lutheran, Wesleyan Methodists and Roman Catholic. Until recently there have been Maccabees and Woodmen lodges, but both these latter have disbanded.

The postoffice at this point has had for its postmasters during more recent years : Thomas Neal, J. A. Hall, Albert Slack, J. A. Hall, second term, S. R. Young and Charles F. Bordonner, present incumbent, who was commissioned June 17, 1913. There are now running out from this office three rural free delivery routes, each being about twenty-six miles in length. It is a third-class postoffice, issues money orders, has a postal savings de-

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partment and has recently added an excellent set of office and box fixtures, the old set having been in use for more than forty years.

SOME EARLY HISTORY.

In the Indiana Gasetteer for 1850 we find Cicero disposed of in a bare score of words, as follows : "Cicerotown, a small village in Hamilton county, on Cicero creek, six miles north of Noblesville, with a population of two hundred."

This town was laid out by Dennis Pickerill and James B. Freel, January 15, 1835. We find no record of the first settlement, but the earliest merchant was Duncan Hannaman, who began business in the same year, 1835. There must have been quite a settlement at that time in and around Cicero, for we find "His trade was. lucrative and he continued in business for about three years," at which time he sold his business to Ira Kingsbury and moved to Illinois, and he, in turn, sold out to Jesse and Ellis Evans. In the meantime. in 1837, another firm had been doing business along the same line, Baird & Beasley. Jesse and Ellis Evans bought out this firm also and combined the business in one, which they continued as Evans & Evans until 1843, when they retired from business, their venture having been a profitable one. The Baird & Beasley firm erected a frame building on the corner of Main and Jackson streets, which stood till 1861, when it was destroyed by fire. The Evanses did business on Jackson and Van Buren streets. Ellis Evans remained in Cicero till his death, but Jesse moved to Illinois. Woaster & Loeher bought the Evans stock and continued the business in the same place for three years, then sold to Robert Forkner. Forkner, in time, sold to John Threlkeld, who moved the stock to Acton, Indiana. About 1846 John Cottingham opened a store on Buckeye street and subsequently moved to Jackson and Main. The firm changed hands several times. Neal. Thompson & Leonard being the successive owners.

Jesse Lutz, another early merchant, opened his business in 1847. It passed through several hands, among them being Pickerill, Kemp, Kinder Brothers and others. In 1880 it was the firm of Good & Brother. At that time it was said of Cicero, "Unlike many towns of equal age, the commer- cial prosperity of Cicero is not a thing of the past ; it is today ( 1880) a busy. hustling. enterprising town, and with the single exception of Noblesville is the largest in the county. Its streets teem with activity, and its business houses are almost metropolitan in their appointments, representing a large amount of invested capital." Among the leading business men of that time are found

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the names of Simpson & Son, P. Six & Company, Sanders Brothers and others, dry goods and groceries; C. E. Nelson and T. D. Neal, groceries ; Warford & Collings and A. R. Tucker, drugs; J. N. Kinder, hardware, jew- elry, etc .; A. Meisen, cigars: David Hull, cigar manufacturer; Edward & Cook, agricultural implements : S. T. Dunham, harness : Drs. F. M. Warford, I. M. Sanders, A. R. Tucker, H. H. Stout, physicians: William Neal, John Neal, W. L. White, Joseph Roberts, attorneys.

Cicero was the only voting precinct in Jackson township for many years. In December, 1833. the first election was held, Elijah Redman and Elias Evans being chosen justices of the peace. The first postoffice was estab- lished at Cicero about 1839, Henry James being the first postmaster. He held the office for several years.

At the town of Cicero was located the first school in the township. Probably as early as 1834 a school was opened in a little log cabin right in the "forest primeval." for Cicero, as a town, was a thing of the future. On the farm of William Taylor a similar school house was erected the next year. In 1840 a hewed log school was built on the farm of Moses Martz and three years later a similar building was erected on Jacob Stehman's land. These schools were all kept up by private subscription as were all the earliest schools. The teacher received one dollar fifty cents for each pupil, the term being three months. In 1841 a school house was built in the western part of Cicero, for which purpose the trustees received fifty dollars of the public money. A teacher was engaged for three months, but the public money barely paid one-third of the expenses, the remainder being raised by sub- scription.

In 1852 the first school house was built under the new law of 1851. and within a few years each district was provided with a building.

In 1870 a large three-story building was begun, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. It was erected by a corporation trust and was not. com- pleted for several years, although school was taught in the meantime in the first and second stories. The third story was never used for school purposes till 1897 or 1898, when the number of pupils far exceeded the accommoda- tions. The schools were graded in the fall of 1876 and the following were the teachers that year : O. H. Blackledge, principal : S. T. Dunham, Lillian Taylor and Anna Bray, grammar, intermediate and primary teachers, re- spectively. The town was heavily in debt on this building for many years. About the year 1900 a two-roomed building was added for the accommoda- tion of the increasing number of pupils. About 1906 the old building was

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totally destroyed by fire. This was replaced by a commodious modern build- ing, which does credit to the community.

As early as 1868 Cicero had a band organized under the leadership of Marion Harbaugh. A second soon followed, under the direction of Charles Six. In 1875 these were merged into one, under the name of the Cicero Cornet Band, which organization continued for several years.

John Martz and Isaac Grisson built a flour mill in 1867, but it did not remain in their hands very long. Dale & Turner ran the pioneer steam saw mill, beginning the business in 1878. Sanders & Cook first operated the grain trade at Cicero, beginning in 1879. Mr. Buskirk owned the first tan yard, which he finally sold to Henry Martz, who operated it until his death.

Up to the discovery of gas Cicero was a thriving town. Like many other towns in the natural gas belt, it became a "boom town" then. For years the sign along the railroad for passengers to see and notice read : "You are in a growing town," and it was a very true statement. With the advent of natural gas all industries took on new life. A large glass bottle factory was located just south of Cicero and immediately the town sprang up to meet it. Everything was on the "boom." The factory brought some very desirable citizens and some not so desirable. As a class the glass blowers were not property owners. They earned large wages and they spent their money freely. They lived the adage, "Eat, drink and be merry," for the majority of them gave no thought to tomorrow. The new citizens were good livers and so all business was flourishing. A second glass factory was built in 1898, but it was operated only a short time, as about that time the supply of gas was on the wane.

At the present time Cicero is not as large or thriving perhaps as at the high time of the boom, but it is still a prosperous town with many good busi- ness interests and large stores.

ATLANTA.

Atlanta is the town lying the farthest north of any in Hamilton county, being situated on the line between Tipton and Hamilton counties. It is on the Lake Erie & Western railroad and the Indiana Union Traction interurban line. Atlanta is at present a thriving, prosperous town with good business interests and thrifty, well-to-do citizens within its boundaries. The present town of Atlanta is a combination of three older towns. An early settler named Caleb Sparger owned land west of the present Lake Erie & Western railroad line. Wishing to perpetuate his name and increase the value of his land he

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laid out a town, calling it Spargerville. He sold a few lots, kept a store for a short time and then moved away from his town namesake. East of Sparger- ville lived Michael Shiel, and he likewise laid out a town on his land in the year 1839, named the town Shielville, and sold a few lots. Two towns laid out and named almost in one place were not enough, so, on March 21, 1851, Andrew Tucker laid out and platted a town, calling it Buena Vista. For many years then the town was known as Shielville, and the postoffice as Buena Vista. There being another town by the name of Buena Vista, it was decided to combine the three into an entirely new one-Atlanta, by which name it continues to be known to the present day.

EARLY DEVELOPMENT.

At the time the town was first laid out the country was all new. The land was wet and swampy and covered with a dense growth of timber and underbrush. In time, however, the land was cleared and properly drained and the corduroy roads gave place to fine gravel highways, until now the country around Atlanta has become a very rich farming community. The early merchants of Atlanta were Caleb Sparger, Michael Shiel, Bicknell Cole and Eshleman Brothers. The latter was the first firm to sell goods in a frame building. Following these were E. S. Tyler of Indianapolis, William Rooker, John S. Wolf and others. There was a noticeable improvement after the completion of the Lake Erie & Western railroad to this point, new enterprises springing up and more people being added to the town. About this time Messrs. Walton and Whitestone formed a partnership to carry on the lumber and timber business. They purchased timber in log form, which was con- verted into lumber, staves and heading stock. In this business they were very successful. Mr. Walton, while retaining his interest in the lumber busi- ness, also went into partnership with Mr. Niedhammer. In 1865, under the name of Walton & Niedhammer, they erected a flour mill at a cost of sixteen thousand dollars. This mill had an average daily output of fifteen hundred barrels.

With the discovery of gas in central Indiana, Atlanta grew and pros- pered by leaps and bounds. A plate glass factory was located there and oper- ated for several years. When gas became scarce as a factory fuel the factory was moved elsewhere. Upon the failure of natural gas the growth of the town halted. Upon the heels of the seeming decline, however, was estab- lished a more permanent and healthy growth and Atlanta has become an enterprising business center as well as a splendid residence town.

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CHURCHES AND SCIIOOLS.

The first church built in Atlanta, or Buena Vista, as the village then was known, was built by all denominations and by contributions from those not belonging to any church. This church was appropriately called Union · church. Besides being used by all denominations in perfect harmony, the building was used for other purposes, such as public meetings, etc. No other church was erected until after the Civil War.

The schools did not advance very rapidly until after 1865. The first school building was erected in 1875. This building cost thirty-three hundred dollars, contained four rooms, and had a seating capacity of two hundred fifty pupils. In the fall of the same year M. P. Goodykoontz, assisted by Mrs. Elsie Boys, taught the first term. One year later a third teacher was added. For several years the school had but three departments, viz. : grammar, inter- mediate and primary, with an average attendance of ninety.

The names of the three merchants of Atlanta who had general stores in the town before 1860 are as follows: Goolsbury, who established a store in 1851 : John Wolf, 1853: Alsmans, 1860. The present business men of the town are as follows: S. M. Scherer, hardware; Wilson & Ramsey, hard- ware: I. Honnold, grocery : C. Essig, grocery: Scott Brothers, drugs; Goody- koontz, drugs: J. B. Aldridge, meat market : I. B. Mitchell, meat market and grocery ; Walton & Whistler, general merchandise: William Hobbs, general merchandise : Cochran & Son, lumber and coal.

The total amount of assessable property in Atlanta for the year 1914 was $252,885. as shown by the auditor's report.

BANKS AND INDUSTRIES.

The Bank of Atlanta was organized in 1900, and the three owners, A. G. Walton, E. S. Walton and S. S. Walton, are the officers of the bank, being president, cashier and assistant cashier, respectively. The bank, on March 4, 1914, reported as follows: Resources, distributed as follows-loans and discounts, $91,470.72 ; overdrafts, $176.21 ; other bonds and securities, $15,- 287.50: furniture and fixtures, $2, 144.15: due from bank and trust com- panies, $30,534.22: cash on hand. $5.568.99: cash items, $2,344.54; current expenses. $263.70: interest paid, $462.13: total resources, $148,252.16. Liabilities-Capital stock. $10,000 : exchange, discounts and interest, $943.20; profit and loss, $92.06: demand deposits, $72.768.55: demand certificates,

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$62,698.35 : reserve for taxes, $250.00; reserve for interest, $1,500; total liabilities, $148,252.16.

A. canning factory which restricts its output to tomatoes was built in Atlanta in 1912 by J. E. and J. A. Scott. The acreage and output for the three years the factory has been in operation is as follows: 1912, acreage one hundred and ten, output one hundred and fourteen thousand cans: 1913, acreage one hundred and twenty-five, output two hundred and forty thou- sand cans; 1914, acreage one hundred and thirty-eight, output three hundred eighty-four thousand cans.

A flour mill was established in Atlanta by Niedhammer & Walton, in 1877. A roller system was installed in 1881 and in the same year James W. Whistler bought Niedhammer's share in the mill. For a number of years it was operated day and night making "Kitchen Queen" flour. Since the price of spring wheat flour has dropped, many of the winter wheat mills in Indiana have either suspended operations or else curtailed their output. With this change in conditions the owners have installed machinery to handle spring wheat but the mill does not grind as much flour as it formerly did.

WESTFIELD.

Westfield is situated six miles west of Noblesville on the Noblesville and Lebanon gravel road and the Monon railroad and Central Indiana railroad. It was laid out by Ambrose Osborn, Asa Beales and Simon Moon on March 6. 1834. The original plat contained forty-eight lots eighty-two and one- half feet front by one hundred fifty-six and one-half feet deep. Additions were made as necessity demanded. The first, which was made by Asa Beales in 1837, consisted of eighteen lots the same size as the original lots. Asa Beales also was the first store keeper in Westfield. In the year 1832, two years before the town was laid out, he kept a good store for that early time and his business was a success. His store evidently was a training school, as Isaac Williams clerked for him for a number of years and then, profiting by his experience in a good merchant's employ, opened a store for himself after serving faithfully as clerk. Isaac Williams was associated in business partnership at different times with other men, among them being his brother B. W. Williams, and L. R. Bowman. Isaac Williams continued in the mercantile business continuously for thirty-five or forty years. The firm of Bowman, Kenyon & Poe also were prominent and successful early merchants.

V. M. Arnett is said by authority to be one of the first blacksmiths in the county and the very first in Westfield, though another historian gives the

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honor to Nathan Parker and a man named Rains. It is certain, however, that Mr. Arnett began in 1854 and continued longer as a blacksmith than any other man in Westfield though Mr. Parker and Rains may have antedated him in the beginning. A pottery was conducted for a number of years by a man named . Washburn. Mr. Shy was the pioneer shoemaker. Mr. Jackson owned a hatter's shop and spinning wheels were manufactured by Mr. Hunt. B. F. Pfaff. repaired and manufactured wagons for a number of years.

In the early days operating a tannery was a very important business. A. E. Funderburg and Joseph Conklin were the pioneer tanners in Westfield, operating prior to '61, on Pennsylvania street. When the Civil War broke out Conklin sold his interest to his partner and enlisted in the army. He never came back into the business again as he was killed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1863. J. F. Yow was later a partner with Fundenburg, the business being then moved to West Main street into a property formerly owned by Mordecai White. This tannery operated twelve vats and produced reliable goods sold exclusively to home markets.

The first wagon shop was situated in the north part of town in a building owned prior to 1861 by James Antrim and used first as a hotel. On the above date John Maulsby purchased the building and used it as a wagon shop. Later A. L. Baker, who eventually became sole proprietor, became a partner. Mr. Maulsby soon enlisted in the army and starved to death in Libby prison. Mr. Baker than continued the business for many years, employing from three to five men.

The Westfield flour mill was built in 1848 by Isaac Williams & Company, which firm operated it till 1854, at which time J. L. Seaman purchased the interest of Isaac Williams. Mr. Seaman purchased from time to time from the company till he and Peter Rich became equal partners. In 1855 Rich sold his share to J. E. Pike and a year later Pike sold to Micajah White & Com- pany. This share again changed hands several times until 1871 when part of it was sold at a sheriff's sale, Mr. Seaman being the purchaser and thus becoming sole owner. In 1862 Mr. Seaman made an addition which in- cluded a woolen mill which operated successfully till 1873. The mill proper was a frame structure thirty-seven by forty feet, three stories high, capacity, sixty barrels of flour per day, which was considered a large mill in those days.

AN EARLY POSTOFFICE REPORT.

The Westfield postoffice was established in 1837, the first post master being Isaat Williams. An idea of the postal business carried on in a pioneer

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town may be gained from the first report which is as follows: "From May IO to June 30, 1837, postage on unpaid letters received from other offices dur- ing this quarter, one dollar ten and three-fourths cents; postage.on paid let- ters sent from this office during this quarter, thirty-five cents; aggregate, one dollar and thirty-three .cents; revenue of postmaster for this quarter, thirty- nine and three-fourth cents." Successors of Mr. Williams as postmaster in- cluded George White, Harrison Goodwin, B. T. Miller, Nathan Overman, A. V. Talbot, John Wade, Joel Denny, Mrs. Evelyn Conklin, Henry Wicker, Caleb Mills and J. W. Davis. The first money order issued from this post- office was on August 4, 1871 for forty-five dollars.

The first election held in Westfield was at the house of Asa Beals, on December 7, 1833, for the purpose of electing two justices of the peace and other township officers. Westfield was incorporated in June, 1848, the fol- lowing persons being elected trustees: William N. Jackson, first district; William Haines, second district; George White, third district; Anslom Rayle, fourth district ; and Nathaniel White, fifth district.

EARLY QUAKER INFLUENCE.

Westfield was settled almost entirely by members of the Friends church. For many years this town was known as a Quaker town. In pursuance of their belief these early settlers did everything possible to promote the cause of education, peace and universal brotherhood. In an equally decisive manner they set their faces against slavery, war and all intoxicating drinks. To pro- mote education they employed a teacher in 1835 who opened the first school in the old log meeting house of the Friends. This school and all others until 1852, when the constitution provided for public schools, were conducted on the subscription plan, excepting for such assistance as they may have received as their share of the seminary fund. In 1837 some men of means donated lands to be sold for the benefit of the school. A considerable sum of money was raised this way. This fund was created in the interests of the Monthly Meeting House, which was really the beginning of Union high school. Many donations, large and small afterward were added to this fund. This was the small beginning of education in a community which always has stood for education and the higher life.

The first high school building was erected in Westfield in 1858. It was a frame building thirty by forty feet, two stories high. The first term began in September, 1858, with A. P. Howe as teacher. The first story being the only one completed, the school had only one department until the fall of 1860,

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when it was first organized as a graded school. Another teacher was added then with Mr. Howe as principal. This school continued as a two-grade school for about twenty years. The further progress of education in West- field is traced elsewhere in this history.

"UNDERGROUND RAILROADS." .

In those things to which the Quakers were opposed, such as slavery, they were as firm in their opposition as they were ardent supporters of education. During the war many homes were turned into houses of refuge for the run- away slaves. Westfield was one of the noted stations on the famous "under- ground railroad" running from the south to Canada and freedom. Many were the poor, hunted black men and women who were fed, warmed and clothed at the hands of the Quakers at Westfield, who hated with a deadly hatred the institution that made men of one color the chattels of men of an- other color. Hiding the unfortunates by day and helping them on to the next station by night were common occurrences in Westfield during the stirring days before slavery was abolished. Many a night raid by the searchers, many a hurried flitting by the slaves, happened in the quiet little Quaker town. But no threats, however terrible, nor raids or fights by infuriated masters of runaway slaves, deterred the quiet persistent men and women from what they believed to be their duty to God and their brother man. In no other town in Hamilton county were the colored people treated with as near an equality as in Westfield. To them the colored man was a brother in need and as such he was treated. Even to this day there is no sharply drawn line between the races in Westfield. The colored children have the same educational advan- tages as those of the white population. The colored man attends any public gathering he desires on an equal plane with the white man.

Westfield never has had a saloon within her limits for any length of time. At one time a saloon was started in the north part of town, but the ladies took the matter in hand and with aid of coal oil the shack made a good bonfire. Two other attempts at running saloons likewise ended in failure.

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES.

From 1880 to 1890 several new enterprises were started although there were several running successfully before. The increase may have been due to the fact that the Monon railroad was built in 1880-83 and the Midland began operation in 1885.

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A flour mill had been established long before. O. F. Brown established his saddle and harness shop in 1853. One or more sawmills had been in opera- tion in Westfield since its settlement. A tile factory had been running quite a while before this time and several stores and machine shops had been estab- lished. In 1883, A. J. Sole, of Noblesville, built the elevator which stands in the southwest part of town. Harvey Hare and Richard McShane managed it until 1885. It has changed hands several times since and now Goodrich Brothers, of Winchester, own it and Clyde Keys is manager.

A stock company was formed in 1888 which erected a shoe factory in the southwest part of town near the Midland railroad. After a few years they met with financial difficulties and closed the factory. After remaining vacant for a few years the building was converted into a furniture factory which also ended in bankruptcy. After a period of time it was overhauled and a canning factory was established therein under the name of the Hamil- ton Packing Company, which packed only tomatoes. This company also went into the hands of a receiver. The Van Camp Packing Company then purchased the building, adding corn and peas to the product and for several years did a paying business. In 1914, George Van Camp & Sons bought the plant and are now successfully running it.

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 22

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051