History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions, Part 30

Author: Richman, George J
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc.
Number of Pages: 1272

USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 30

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MILITARY.

Edward Waltz, from Sugar Creek township, enlisted in the regular army and was at the front at Santiago.

William Cloud, also of Sugar Creek township, who happened to be in Texas at the time, enlisted with the famous "Rough Riders," organized by Col. Theodore Roosevelt. He was stricken with typhoid fever, however. while in camp at Tampa, Fla., and was unable to proceed with his regiment.

MILITIA.

Several companies of militia have been organized in the county since the Civil War that have not been called into active service. The first of these companies was organized on January 23. 1874, with forty-eight members and was known as the

BRANHAM RIFLES.

The company was named in honor of Maj. A. K. Branham, though Mr. Branham never had any personal connection with the company. Within about a year the company enrolled about one hundred men from Greenfield and vicinity. Its first officers were James N. Wilson, captain ; R. A. Black, first lieutenant : Newton L. Wray, first sergeant: George W. Johnson, first corporal.

This company took part in several state encampments and made a very favorable impression.

COMPANY F. SECOND REGIMENT, INDIANA NATIONAL GUARD.

In October, 1889, another company was organized by Capt. E. P. Thayer. Ir. At home this company was known as the "Greenfield Light Infantry." Officially it was at first designated as the Third Separate Company in the "Legion of Indiana." On February 3. 1801. it was assigned to the Second Regiment, Indiana National Guard, as Company F. The officers of the company were : Captains, Edwin P. Thayer. Walter O. Bragg: first lieuten- ants, Harry G. Strickland, Walter O. Bragg. Homer \. Bragg : second lieu- tenants, Walter O. Bragg, Noble Warrum, Clare Clark, W. C. Creviston. Stephen G. White was first orderly sergeant of the company. The company was mustered out in 1802.

COMPANY M. SECOND REGIMENT, INDIANA NATIONAL GUARD.

Another company was organized by Capt. Walter O. Bragg on July 25. 1000. Its first officers were : Walter (). Bragg, captain ; Clifford Gery, first lieutenant : John C. Jenkins, second lieutenant. It was maintained until about

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1007. Clifford Gery, Albert L. Barnes and Frien B. Atherton each in turn served as captain of the company. The boys took part in several state encamp- ments and participated each year in the Decoration day services at Greenfield.

After the organization of Company F. mentioned above. Captain Thayer was promoted to the rank of major in the Second regiment. Indiana National Gnard. At the outbreak of the Spanish- American War he was commissioned as lieutenant-colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and accompanied the regiment to Camp Poland, near Knoxville. Tenn. Much to the disappointment of Colonel Thayer and his comrades the regiment was not permitted to proceed to the front. After the discharge of the regiment Mr. Thayer was appointed colonel of the Second regiment, Indi- ana National Guard, which rank he held for a year or two until he withdrew from the militia.

WEST POINT GRADUATES.

Hancock county has had two graduates from the United States Military Academy, at West Point. The first was Gen. Oliver P. Gooding. He received his appointment in July, 1853, and graduated in July, 1856. He entered the regular army as a second lieutenant and was advanced until he was breveted brigadier general of volunteers, on March 13. 1865. He received this recognition for gallant conduct in the assaults on the enemy's works at Port Hudson, Louisiana, in 1863, and for distinguishing conduct throughout the Red River campaign in 1864.

Gooding also distinguished himself at the battle of Perryville. Ky .. Octo- ber 8. 1862. In Lossing's "Encyclopedia of United States History" we read . "Meanwhile, Colonel Gooding's brigade had been sent to the aid of McCook and fought with great persistence for two hours against odds, losing fully one- third of its number, its commander being made prisoner." .At this battle he was also severely shocked and injured by the bursting of a shell near him. from which he probably never entirely recovered. He resigned from the army March 20, 1865.

Samuel Vinton Ham, son of ex-County Treasurer George W. Ham, of Brown township, was born December 25, 1867. He was appointed to the military academy June 12. 1888, and graduated June 11. 1892. On the day of his graduation he was appointed second lieutenant in the United States regular army. He served five years in Arizona, and in 1897 was appointed professor of military science and tactics at DePauw University. In July. 1808, he was promoted to the rank of captain and assistant quartermaster of United States volunteers and joined the Miles Relief Expedition in Cuba in

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the Spanish-American war. He also took part in the Porto Rico campaign until the signing of the peace protocol. He was then transferred to Cuba where he served as depot and purchasing quartermaster for the war depart- ment until 1902. From 1902 until 1906 he served as construction quarter- master in the defenses of Baltimore Harbor and at Salt Lake City.

He then joined the United States troops in the Philippine Islands, serv- ing in the campaign in the islands of Leyte and Samar in 1906 and 1907. He was the commanding officer of the United States forces that fought the important engagement near Lapaz, Leyte. Philippine Islands, December 6. 1906, for which action high commendation was paid him by all the command- ing generals on duty in the Philippines. In 1908 he was transferred to Cali- fornia, but in 1910 was returned to the Philippines. In 1912 he was sent to Kansas and from 1913 to 1915 he served in Oregon. California and Ari- zona. At present he is stationed along the Mexican border.

In 1909 he was promoted to first lieutenant in the United States service, captain in 1901 and major in 1915.

FRIEN B. ATHERTON.

Frien B. Atherton was for a time captain of Company MI. Second regi- ment, Indiana National Guard. His knowledge of military tactics had been received during three years of service in the regular army of the United States. He enlisted in the regular army on January 9. 1900, and became a member of Battery A. Third regiment, United States Coast Artillery. With other recruits he was at once sent to the Philippine Islands, where he remained until August. 1900. At that time the Boxer uprising occurred and his regi- ment was sent to Tientsin. China. He remained there from August 20 until November 4. 1900. His regiment stood side by side with the German. French and British troops to protect their citizens against the Chinese mobs. In November, toco. he was again removed to the Philippine Islands, where he served through the insurrection from November 22. 1900, until July 4. 1902 In the autumn of that year he returned to Angel Island, California. and was honorably discharged on January 5. 1903.

As a young man his life was clean. Soon after entering the service of the United States he was appointed secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, and this membership . was maintained during his college life. after his discharge from the army.

Throughout his service in the army he saved his money with the idea of finishing a college course. Like so many other young men, however, who were unaccustomed to the intense heat of the tropical sun. he was unable to

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withstand the hot climatic conditions of the Islands. Before his discharge symptoms of "falling sickness" developed, and when he reached Angel Island he was physically unable to work. In September, 1903. he had recuperated sufficiently to enter Butler College, and then began one of the most heroic as well as one of the most pathetic struggles ever made in fact or written into fiction. During the next six years he was a student at college, two years in the preparatory department at Butler, and four years at the Ohio Northern. Uni- versity, at .Ada. Ohio. During these years he battled bravely against the weakness contracted in the Islands. His genial, social qualities made him popular with his fellows, and his knowledge of military tactics won him the command of the battalion at Ohio Northern University. Here he also met the young lady who consented to share his life with him. In 1909 he grad- nated from the university, having majored in mechanical engineering. He passed examinations successfully for admission to the apprentice course offered to college graduates only who have taken as their major mechanical engineering. During the latter years of his college life his affliction became more acute, attacks more frequent and more violent, and at the end of the first year with the Westinghouse concern he suffered a complete physical and men- tal breakdown. His weakened body had been overtaxed by his long-sustained effort and had reached the limit of its endurance. The company's physician had to tell him that it was unsafe for him longer to work with surrounding machinery: that he must seek the open country and be burdened with no responsibilities whatever. He tried, but God's great out-of-doors could not restore to his mind and body what had been lost.

To this time he had scorned the idea of asking for aid. He was superbly independent. It was this, the finest and manliest of his qualities, that the agents of his government failed to understand or they would have dealt more generously with him. The time had come when he could not maintain himself. The strong will that had carried him forward, the keen intellect that had opened for him the mysteries and niceties of science, the clean, wholesome personality that had made him a world of friends-all were hopelessly wrecked. There was no future. The past was dark, the present hazy. with just enough light to discern the impossibilities-the home, the wife, and the standing with his fellows. In a moment, as a darker shadow passed over him. he drew down the veil of eternity, but he had given to the world a splendid. exalted effort.

CHAPTER VIII.

POLITICS.

The election of the first county officers for Hancock county was held in August, 1828. We have no report of the number of votes cast in that elec- tion. At the presidential election in November following one hundred and one votes were cast. In the absence of records it is an impossibility at this time to determine the relative strength of parties. Joshua Meck, recorder; Morris Pierson, treasurer, and later surveyor: Basil Meek and John Foster, sheriffs, all of whom were elected in that year or during the two or three years following, were National Republicans, or after 1834. Whigs. These men, together with Jeremiah Meek, judge of the Hancock probate court: John Hager. clerk : Jonathan Dunbar, sheriff, all of whom were elected as National Republicans or Whigs, held the principal offices of the county for many years, as may be seen by reference to the county officers at the close of the chapter on county government. David S. Gooding was the Whig candidate for represen- tative against Dr. J. W. Hervey, Democrat, in 1847, and was elected by a ma- jority of forty-one votes. Joseph Chapman was elected clerk of the Hancock circuit court in 1832. He was a Democrat, but his election may have been due to his personal canvass. In 1842 Joseph Anderson, Democrat, defeated Jona- than Dunbar. Whig, in the race for sheriff. Judge Gooding, writing editorially in the Hancock Democrat in 1861 in criticism of Jonathan Dunbar, charged Dunbar with having been a Whig in 1839. "when the Whigs were in the ascendancy in Hancock." From these scattering bits of evidence it is safe to conclude that in the early history of the county the National Republicans, or Whigs, had a majority at the polls, but that a nomination by any party did not necessarily mean an election. In all probability the personal standing of a candidate received more consideration then than it does now, with our close party alignments.

The two most prominent political leaders of that very early day were Thomas D. Walpole. Whig. and Joseph Chapman. Democrat. Walpole came to Greenfield in 1834 and entered upon the practice of law. In 1836 he was elected to the lower branch of the Legislature, and in 1840 to the Senate. He served several terms in the Senate, and on the resignation of Lieutenant- Governor Hall was elected president of that body. In 1848 he was a presi- dential elector and canvassed a large part of the state for Taylor and Fillmore. In 1850 he was elected to the constitutional convention. During the cam-

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paign of 1852 he alled himself with the Democrats and canvassed the state for Pierce. Later he served several more termins in the lower branch of the Legislature as a Democrat. It is said that Walpole was never defeated in his own county in a political canvass, either as a Democrat or a Whig. Whether this be true or not. he was tactful and resourceful and these qualities, with his magnetic personality, made him a political winner.

Joseph Chapman came to Hancock county in 1829, just one year after the organization of the county. Three years later he was elected clerk of the Hancock circuit court, and held the office for about five years, when he entered the lower branch of the state Legislature. He was five times elected to serve his county in this capacity. He was a fluent, eloquent speaker and seems to have lived and moved and had his being in politics.

In the campaign of 1840 Chapman was the Democratic candidate for representative. Walpole was the Whig candidate for senator from Hancock and Madison counties. The two men canvassed not only their own county in support of their personal campaigns, but took part in the general canvass of the state for their respective parties. They were neighbors and friends at home, and in "stumping" the state adopted the plan of speaking from the same platforms to the same audiences. Walpole was aristocratic and devoted much care to his personal appearance in matters of dress. This propensity subjected him to the criticism of Chapman, who was a "commoner." and whose humility was the special object of his pride. Now. it so happened one evening. as the late Judge Gooding was fond of relating. that Chapman gave his shirt to the wife of the tavern keeper to be laundered. During the night the shirt was stolen and the next morning Chapman was in a dilemma. Walpole at once offered his friend one of his ruffled shirts. But that ruffled shirt had leen the object of Chapman's ridicule from many a platform. Should he wear it a portion of his speech would have to be struck out, and he wouldl be deprived of one of his "hits" at Walpole-to say nothing of the general moral effect such an appearance might have. Still, he had to have a shirt. so he finally accepted the apparent generosity of his opponent. When the time came for the speech making Chapman's collar was neatly turned under and his coat buttoned over the ruffled shirt. Walpole spoke first, analyzing the issues of the day and denouncing the principles of Democracy with his usual spirit and andor. Chapman answered in his vigorous and effective style. ridiculing the aristocratic tendencies of his opponent. Walpole closed the argument. Hle reviewed the criticisms of Chapman, warned his hearers against putting an impostor into office, and threw open the front of Chap- man's coat exposing the ruffled shirt.

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For Chapman is also claimed the honor of having given to the Dem- ocratic party its national emblem, the rooster. It was in the campaign of 1840. after the financial panic in Van Buren's administration, when things looked gloomy for the Democracy of the country, that George Pattison, editor of The Constitution, a Democratic newspaper of Indianapolis, heard of a serious defection from the Democratic ranks of Hancock county. He wrote William Sebastian, postmaster at Greenfield, and one of the Democratic leaders of the county, the following letter :

"Indianapolis. June 12. 1840.

"MR. SEBASTIAN :

"Dear Sir : I have been informed by a Democrat that in one part of your county thirty Van Buren men have turned for Harrison. Please let me know if such be the fact. Hand this letter to General Milroy. I think such a deplorable state of facts cannot exist. If so, I will visit Hancock and address the people relative to the policy of the Democratic party. I have no time to spare, but I will refuse to eat or sleep or rest so long as anything can be done. Do, for heaven's sake, stir up the Democracy. See Chapman, tell him not to do as he did heretofore. He used to create unnecessary alarms : he must crow; we have much to crow over. I will insure this county to give a Democratic majority of two hundred votes. Spare no pains. Write instanter. GEORGE PATTISON."

This letter accidentally fell into the hands of the Whigs, who, for the pur- pose of ridiculing the Democrats, published it on June 16. 18440, in the Indianapolis Semi-Weekly Journal, the leading Whig newspaper in the state. Its publication failed utterly in its purpose. "Crow, Chapman, Crow !" became the slogan of the local Democracy in that campaign. It soon spread over the state and when the Indiana State Sentinel, a Democratic newspaper. was launched on July 21, 1841. it contained at the top of the front page the picture of a proud rooster and under the picture the words. "Crow, Chapman. Crow!" The phrase caught the popular ear, and the rooster was soon adopted as the emblem of the Democratic party. Its fuller history, together with letters, photographs and newspaper clippings of the time, has been written and published in very artistic form by John Mitchell, Jr., of the William Mitchell Printing Company, of Greenfield.

The year 1840 also marks the advent of Noble Warrum into public life. At that time, as the story was frequenty told by the late Jared C. Meek. Joshua Meek owned a brick yard on the hill just north of the present corner of State and Fifth streets. in Greenfield. Joshua Meek was also county

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recorder and spent much of his time in and about the court house. One morning he went into commissioners court when the commissioners had under consideration the appointment of a collector of revenue for the county. People did not all come to the treasurer's office to pay their taxes, and it was the collector's duty to go over the county to collect taxes where he could.

"Do you know of any good young men for revenue collector?" asked one of the commissioners. "Yes," replied Meek. "There's a young fellow working upon my brick yard that is all right, if he'll do it. His name is Warrim,- Noble Warrum." "Well. send him down." said the commissioners, "and we'll talk it over." Young Warrum came in. He said he would like to have the place, but did not know whether he could give kond. "Yes, I'll go on your bond." said Meek. "and Cornwell will go on your bond, and we can get some- body else and we can fix that up all right."

In Commissioners' Record. No. 2. page 79. appears the following entry : "Ordered that Noble Warrum be and he is hereby appointed collector of the state and county revenue of the county of Hancock for the year 1840. and comes now the said Noble Warrum and files his bond with C. Meck. Otho Gapen and Joshua Meek as his securities, all of which is approved."

Mr. Warum's work as collector of revenue gave him a wide acquain- tance and a great circle of friends. For almost a half century thereafter he made his influence felt in every political campaign in the county. In an old copy of the Greenfield Reveille, published in April, 1845. we have possibly the oldest report of a political mass convention in the county. It was a Dem- ocratie convention, but the Roceille was a Whig newspaper, and of course. the proceedings of the convention are made to appear as ridiculous as possible. It is worthy of notice. however, that even at that early date there was opposi- tion within Democratic ranks to local delegate conventions. Following is the report :

"In accordance with a previous notice a Mass Convention was held on the 20th inst .. the proceedings of which would no doubt be interesting to our friends generally and edifying to our readers.

"About ten o'clock a. m. the untiring Democracy were seen emerging from the beech woods which surround our peaceful village. True, the woods were not entirely darkened by their numbers, yet every avenue leading to the neighborhood of Esquire Franklin's Restaurant was not unbroken.

"On the arrival of a number from the country we heard an eternal war- fare sworn against the proposal for a convention to nominate county officers Dissentions that at first view seemed incurable presented themselves from different points. Independence of opinion and action was asserted, and how

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POLITICS.

well maintained will appear in the sequel. Against two o'clock, the refractory portion being whipped into the traces, the democracy retired to the Court House. General Milroy being called to the chair, he endeavored to explain the object of the meeting, which he, however, failed to do to the satisfaction of some of his friends.

"On motion a committee of three were appointed, but their duties not explained. After some misunderstandings had Leen explained, the said com- mittee was increased to five : again after another consultation it was thought best to have a committee from each township in the county. When the town- ships were called four were unrepresented. ( Afterwards one or two were represented. ) The committee were then ordered to retire, consult and report to the meeting. But when about retiring, one of the committee, more thought- ful than the rest, called on the chair to know what they should report, as he had vet to learn what duties were assigned to the committee. The chair endeavored to explain, by informing the committee that 'the enemy was abroad in the land,' that 'those levellers, the Whigs, were on the alert, and imust be kicked sky high! ( He did not call them public defaulters as we awfully feared he would do in the warmth of his feelings. ) He said he was a Democrat, commencing with the days of Jefferson, and was still a Dem- ocrat, and the committee could retire.

"The committee, although their duties did not seem explained by the chairman, retired to guess at them, we suppose.

"Whereupn Dr. Hervey moved. 'Dr. Cook make a remark.' Dr. Cook was excused for the time, and Dr. Hervey proceeded in effusing the most He is a whole menagerie and kicks, pushes, strikes, and everything else manfully. He brings to our mind that beautiful line of the poet :

'Bulls aim their horns and asses lift their heels.'

"He said that 'before the presidential election the Whigs were opposed to annexation,' but asks with an air of triumph, 'where is now one found to oppose the admission of the State of Texas; if such an one could be found he could be laughed at till he put comic almanacs out of fashion." We leave others to judge of his political discoveries. But he proceeded, No. Democracy like the rolling stream' (casting up its filthy sediments) has an onward ( progressive ) course, and in fifty years there will be fifty United States.'

"The doctor is evidently a man of deep research, he spoke of Caesar crossing the 'Rubico.' and of the 'navigable Ocean,' asked where is the man in Indianner that would say he was a 'reprudreater ?' ( We thought of his friend, Chapman, an avowed repudiator, but no difference, all discordant elements harmonize in the general name of Democracy!)

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"\. H. Anderson. « gentleman particularly distinguished for advocat- ing the sentiment 'that God is a Democrat' and therefore wants his friends 'to be on the Lord's side,' was called on to address the meeting, but declined doing so.

"R. A. Riley was then called and responded in a short address, endeavor- ing to justify the acts of violence done to the people's will and a total dis- regard of their rights, by the State Senate in staving off the U. S. Senatorial Election.

"A series of resolutions were introduced by Esquire Riley, proposing to hold a convention on the first Saturday in June to nominate County Officers, which were adopted.

"We, however, discovered some of the old and anti-progressive Dem- ocrats whose arms and voices were raised in opposition to this proceeding. One of them explained the 'Almighty made everything else, but never made a Convention to dictate.' They were opposed to it because it was anti-Dem- ocratic, because it was dictating to, and whipping Democrats into the traces contrary to their better judgment. They were opposed to it because two individuals assumed to control the whole matter, made every motion of importance, and that with an eye to their own particular interests-because the county was not represented-whole townships being without a voice in the matter, and at no time were there more than sixty persons present, includ- ing Whigs, Abolitionists, and little boys,-because two individuals acting in concert for their mutual interest, should not dictate to, control, and rule at pleasure, seven hundred freemen !

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History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions, Part 30

Author: Richman, George J Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc. Number of Pages: 1272

Author: Richman, George J
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc.
Number of Pages: 1272