USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 34
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The National Union organization of the county attempted to unite all Johnson's supporters on its ticket. In this it failed. Isaiah Curry, the can- didate for county representative, received only thirty-five votes. Of these, thirty-three were in Center township, one in Jackson and one in Brown. Though the effort of this party to unite the Johnson supporters on a new ticket was a failure, that did not signify, as will be seen later, that the people had lost faith in Andrew Johnson. The President had been given an unquali- fied endorsement in the resolutions of the Democratic party, adopted March 10, 1866, and the Democrats simply voted their own ticket in support of the President, instead of voting the National Union ticket.
The beginning of the disintegration of the Union party became evide; t in the nominating convention on August 25. 1866. The cause that had pro- duced the party had been removed. New questions of reconstruction were confronting the people. The fight was on between the President and Con- gress, and, as has been seen from the resolutions adopted by both the Un'on and the Democratic conventions, there was a strong sentiment in Hancock county favoring the policies of the President. The county was especially opposed to negro suffrage, and when the great questions involved in the adoption of the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution were before the people, and when other congressional legislation involving the rights and state of the negro were under considera- tion the great majority of the people in Hancock county supported the Presi- dent. Throughout the Civil War Governor Morton had been very popular with the Union party of Hancock county. At the close of the war Morton allied himself with the more radical element of his party and with Congress in support of negro suffrage. His action was a severe blow to the Union party in this county. The Hancock Democrat, which had been the organ of the Union party from the time of its formation, was again fighting the battles of a united Democracy in the campaign of 1867. It will be observed from the tabulated result of the election of 1866 that the Democrats were success- ful. With an exceptional loss of an office now and then, the party has remained in power in this county from that time to the present.
In the year 1866. David S. Gooding, who had been very active during the Civil War for the Union cause, was appointed United States marshal for the District of Columbia. This position he held umtil 1869. At that time he had a strong following in the county and it is a matter of speculation how
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POLITICS.
far his appointment may have had an influence on the attitude of the county toward President Johnson.
During those years the Judge's name appeared frequently in the Eastern papers and articles referring to him were, of course, often copied in the Hancock Democrat. As an illustration of the standing of Judge Gooding at that time as a citizen and politician of Hancock county, we offer the follow- ing from the Cincinnati Commercial by the Washington correspondent, copied in the Democrat in the latter part of 1866:
"Mr. Gooding is a Western man, whose numerous friends in Indiana are readers of the Commercial. As I said before, custom has made it obligatory upon the district marshal to stand as interpreter of the people's names to the President during a levee. It is no ordinary task to present in that elegant and recherche manner many thousands of the bon ton of not only the capital, but all the capitals of the civilized world, to the chief executive officer of this greatest republic on earth. Yet Mr. Gooding succeeds admirably. He is tall, graceful and natural. That's it. He is not hampered by formality. but goes at it as a Buckeye or Hoosier would salute (in an unmentionably delicious way) a newly arrived feminine cousin. If it is Mr. Smith who comes to see Andy, then it is simply and emphatically .Mr. Smith. Mr. Presi- (lent.' Hands are joined for a moment, an additional word may pass, and the crisis is transpired. It would do your Hoosier readers' hearts good to see this fellow citizen doing the honors at the White House."
On March 16, 1867, the Democratic central committee met to determine the time and manner of holding a nominating convention. The first Monday in .April. 1867, was decided upon and the following resolution in relation thereto was adopted :
"Resolved, that all Democrats and Conservatives, who support and sus- tain President Johnson in his reconstructive policy, are invited to participate in said nomination, and that the Johnson men select their candidate for sheriff, and the Democracy are requested to support him."
The Union central committee, appointed in February, 1866, served through this campaign. The committee ordered a primary nominating con- vention to be held on July 27, 1867, and about three hundred votes were cast at this convention.
The following tickets were then before the people in the October election. in 1867:
Auditor-B. W. Cooper. Democrat. 1.336: Jonathan Tague, Union, 1.363.
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
Treasurer-R. P. Brown, Democrat, 1.481 : Burroughs Westlake. Union. 1,236.
Sheriff-William Wilkins. Democrat. 1.471: Joseph Shultz. Union, 1.239.
The number of votes received by each candidate is indicated above. It will be observed that the entire Democratic ticket with the exception of the candidate for county auditor was elected.
AAs soon as the election was over it became noised about that Wilkins. the sheriff-elect, intended to appoint James Galbreath as his deputy, and to give him sole charge of the office and that Wilkins himself intended to remain upon his farm. This rumor was soon verified by Wilkins, who assured the people of the county that Galbreath would make a very efficient deputy, and that he could attend to the duties of the office just as well, or better than Wilkins himself. This occasioned a great deal of criticism from Democrats as well as Republicans. The voters of the county seemed to feel that since Wilkins had been intrusted with the office that he should give his personal attention to it. Wilkins, however, remained upon his farm during practically the entire term. Galbreath was a very efficient deputy. yet the arrangement was not wholly satisfactory to the voters.
In the election of 1867 not a county ticket was scratched in Buck Creek township. The count showed that one hundred and one straight Republican and one hundred and sixteen Democratic tickets had been voted. Another feature of this election in Buck Creek township was that Charles G. Offutt. who was not a candidate, received every Democratic vote in the township for prosecuting attorney. These were days in which names could be written on a ticket, pasters used. etc.
Before the campaign of 1868 opened the Union party had entirely dis- integrated and the Democratic and Republican parties were again marching under their own banners. M. L. Paullus was the chairman of the Democratic central committee. Lemuel W. Gooding, who had been the secretary of the Union central committee and who had been elected chairman of that com- mittee, now issued his party notices as "Chairman of the Republican County Central Committee."
The campaign was characterized by the organization of young men's clubs-the Grant clubs by the Republicans, and the Seymour and Blair Clubs by the Democrats. In the election of 1868 Grant received 1.414 votes in the county and Seymour, 1,682.
In 1870 a new county Republican central committee was selected. com- posed of the following men : Center. P. Guymon. H. J. Williams : Blue River.
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POLITICS.
B. P. Butler, John F. Coffin ; Brown, Dr. William Trees, Lewis Copeland : Buck Creek, E. Thomas, S. H. Arnett : Brandywine, W. H. Curry. E. Bent- ley: Green, H. L. Moore, H. B. Wilson : Jackson. George W. Landis, Joseph Dunbar: Sugar Creek. B. Westlake, N. Hogle : Vernon, T. Hanna, W. 11. Pilkenton. Dr. N. P. Howard was elected chairman of the committee.
Although it was not a presidential year, young men's clubs were again organized in the county.
Jared C. Meek, who has received so much notice in the local papers during the last few years as "the first white chikl born in Greenfield." was the candidate for sheriff on the Republican ticket in this campaign.
The campaign of 1870 is memorable in Hancock county because of the race of Judge Gooding for Congress and the contest for the congressional seat which followed the election. The Judge had a strong following at home. and at a Democratic mass meeting held at Greenfield on Saturday, February 26. 1870, of which Wellington Collyer was president and William Mitchell and William Marsh, secretaries. S. C. Chamberlain offered the following resolutions :
"Whereas, the Democracy of the county, at the last county convention. expressed their preference for the Hon. David S. Gooding for the Con- gressional nominee of this the Fourth Congressional district.
"And whereas, four of the Democratic newspapers of this district have endorsed him as their choice ;
"And whereas, we believe he is the choice of the Democracy of this county and of the district.
"And whereas, it will be inconvenient and unnecessary to call the people of this county together again for the sole purpose of choosing delegates to a Congressional convention : therefore, be it
"Resolved. that a committee of one from each township be appointed to report the names of the Congressional delegates."
After the adoption of this resolution the president of the mass meeting appointed the following committee to select delegates to attend the congres- ional convention : Blue River. James P. New : Brown. William Marsh : Buck Creek, Henry Wright : Brandywine. Alfred Potts; Center. C. T. Dickerson : Green. Neri Jarrett: Jackson, Frank Chandler: Sugar Creek, David Ulery: Vernon, Solomon Jackson.
This committee in turn reported the following men as delegates to the congressional convention : Blue River, Augustus Dennis, William New. C. G. Sample, William Handy : Brandywine. William H. Walts, Wellington Coll-
(27)
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
ver. A. P. Brown, Alfred Potts : Buck Creek. M. C. B. Collins, Henry Wright. J. W. Shelby, George H. Black; Brown. William I. Garriott. J. P. Harlan, B. W. Beck. John B. Heck; Center. George Barnett. J. C. Atkison, William Mitchell, Isaiah Curry, William M. Johnson, S. C. Chamberlain, William Frost, S. T. Dickerson : Green, Jonathan Smith. Edward Barrett, John Green, Benton Marin: Jackson. John Addison. G. W. Sample, Berd Lacy, E. C. Reeves: Sugar Creek. Henry Fink, E. H. Faut. William Barnard, David Ulrey : Vernon. D. Z. Lewis, Andy Hagan, W. P. Brokaw, Solomon Jackson.
These delegates were instructed by the convention to vote for Judge Gooding and to vote as a unit.
Judge Gooding was nominated and made the race against Judge Wilson, of Connersville. The two men agreed to meet at all of the important points in the congressional district for joint discussions. Beginning in the latter part of . August. 1870, joint debates were held at Richmond, Cambridge. Brookville. Greenfield. New Palestine, Connersville, and at other points. When the votes were counted the following seemed to be the result :
Counties.
Wilson.
Gooding.
Wayne
3.638
2,352
Fayette
1.300
1,015
Shelby
1,868
2.500
Rush
2,077
1,870
Franklin
1.287
2.406
Union
849
629
Hancock
1.203
1.086
Totals
12.561
12.557
This gave Wilson an apparent majority of four votes in the district. .A recount of the south poll at Richmond, in which the candidates had lied, gave Gooding a majority of eleven, which seemed to give him a clear majority of seven. Judge Gooding contested the election in the National House of Representatives. The contest was not finally decided until a short time before the next election, when the committee on resolutions offered two reports, a majority report, in favor of Wilson, and a minority report. in favor of Gooding. The question was decided by the House on strictly party lines, Wilson receiving one hundred and five votes, Gooding. sixty-four.
In 1872 political matters were rather unsettled in the county, both upon national issues and upon local questions. On June 29 a number of
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POLITICS.
citizens inserted in the Hancock Democrat the following notice or call for a citizens' mass convention at the court house in Greenfield :
"All who are in favor of an honest and economical administration of public business, and are opposed to the corrupt way at present of controlling our county affairs are invited to come up and participate by voice and vote in the selection of a ticket of honest, upright and capable men, without any distinction of party, to be supported by the citizens of the county at the ensuing election.
"J. A. 11.AI.I., "G. T. RANDALL, "11. J. WILLIAMS. "Executive Committee."
Nothing, however, was accomplished by this meeting in so far as political organization was concerned.
The marked inclination of the county toward the reconstructive policies of Andrew Johnson, as before observed, again came into prominence in the campaign of 1872. Even among the Republicans there was a dissatisfaction with the radical tendencies of Congress. During the summer rumors spread that many Republicans in the county intended to vote for Horace Greeley. The Republicans, of course, attempted to minimize these reports by creating the impression that but very few Republicans would vote against General Grant. This occasioned the publication of the following statement signed by a number of Republicans in which they gave expression to their intentions :
"TO THE PUBLIC.
"We, the undersigned Republicans of Hancock county, Indiana, having heard that it is being industriously circulated that there are but three Repub- lican voters in this county who are in favor of the election of Horace Greeley as next President, take pleasure in disproving and correcting said report, by declaring respectively our intention to vote for Greeley and Brown for Presi- dlent and Vice-President :
"Anthony Smith, .A. K. Branham. B. A. Roney. S. S. Roney, Thomas J. Hanna. N. C. Roney. O. P. Gooding. S. Stewart. N. M. Cooney. Andrew Stutsman, Jonathan Lineback, Lewis Carpenter, L. W. Gooding, Alexander Dickerson, Andrew J. Herron, N. P. Howard, W. F. McCord. Jacob McCord. Jr., Ebenezer Steele, John E. Cooney. C. S. Cooney. D. T. Davis, M. C. Foley. Isaac Stutsman, William Taylor. J. T. McCray, Samuel Wallace, W. S. Catt. Albert Minson. Capt. Adams I .. Ogg. Capt. Jared C. Meek, S. 11. Arnett. Aquilla Grist, Moses MeCray. M. S. Ragsdale. John Roberts, Nicholas Stuts- man, John II. Myers, Stephen McCray, W. W. Gregg."
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIA.N.A.
On August 17, 1872, a meeting of "Liberal Republicans" was called at the court house for the purpose of effecting a county organization. The call. made through the Hancock Democrat, was signed by Adams L. Ogg. J. C. Meek. N. Stutsman. N. C. Foley. A. Smith and L. W. Gooding. The meet- ing was held. John Roberts was elected president and M. S. Ragsdale, secretary. The convention appointed the following county central committee : Blue River. Jonathan Lineback: Brown. James McCray : Brandywine. John Roberts. M. S. Ragsdale: Buck Creek. S. H. Arnett : Center. Capt. . \. L. Ogg. Capt. Jared Meek: Green, Martin Alley: Jackson. Anthony Smith: Sugar Creek, M. C. Foley : Vernon, Thomas J. Hanna. William F. McCord.
On August 24. 1872. the Liberal Republicans also organized a Greeley and Brown Club at Greenfield. Captain Ogg addressed the meeting on that occasion.
On Saturday, September 14. 1872. the county central committees of the Liberal Republican party and the Democratic party had a joint meeting at the court house. Both parties were supporting Greeley, and arrangements were made at this meeting for a campaign in the county. Dates were fixed for speakings at various points and thereafter Charles G. Offutt. Capt. Adams L. Ogg. Eph. Marsh. J. H. White, M. S. Ragsdale, James L. Mason, Oliver P. Gooding and James A. New spoke from the same platforms to the same audiences in support of Horace Greeley.
Another feature of the campaign of 1872 was the second race of Judge Gooding for Congress against his former opponent, Judge Wilson. The two candidates again "stumped" the Congressional district in a series of joint debates. The following schedule was agreed upon and published in the dis- trict : Warrington, Friday, August 9. Gooding opens; Fortville. Saturday, August 10. Wilson opens: Greenfield, Monday, August 12, Gooding opens ; Moscow, Thursday, August 15. Wilson opens; Rushville, Saturday, August 17. Gooding opens: Liberty, Monday, August 19. Wilson opens: Fairfield. Wednesday, August 21. Gooding opens : Brookville. Friday, August 23. Wil- son opens: Connersville. Saturday, August 24. Gooding opens.
It was agreed by the two candidates that all meetings open at one o'clock P. M. : that the speaker opening the debate have one and one-fourth hours, that the second speaker have one and one-half hours, and that the first speaker again have fifteen minutes to close. In this campaign Gooding was defeated by a majority of three hundred and eighty votes.
Among the notable political speakers at Greenfield in the campaign of 1872 was Daniel W. Voorhees, who spoke on Wednesday, August 28.
373
POLITICS.
LATER MOVEMENTS.
In the campaign of 1874. the Patrons of Husbandry, or "Grangers." made their influence felt. At that time they enrolled about fifteen hundred voters in the county. A fuller history of this movement will be given else- where. In 1874 the order decided to put a county ticket into the fick. . \ county central committee was appointed, composed of the following men : Blue River, John Sloan, Lemuel Hackleman : Brown, Elijah Reeves, Joseph Stanley; Buck Creek, J. B. Cauldwell, F. Pentland : Brandywine. B. F. Goble. John Roberts: Center, Rufus Scott. Eli R. Gant. Enos Geary: Green, E. S. Bragg. George W. Hopkins: Jackson. John M. Leamon, John S. Lewis: Sugar Creek, John Vansickle. H. P. Anderson; Vernon. William G. Scott. J. D. Merrill.
On August 29, 1874, they held what they termed a "Reform or Inde- pendent Convention" at Greenfield. John MeGraw was elected president of this convention, and Enos Geary, secretary. The following candidates were nominated: Representative, Jacob Slifer, Center: clerk. John McGraw. Jack- son : auditor, George W. Hatfield, Blue River; treasurer. Elbert S. Bragg, Green : sheriff. William Edgill. Brandywine; recorder. David Hawk, Sugar Creek : law appraiser. Joseph Garrett, Brown; surveyor, J. H. Landis, Jack- son : commissioner, western district, Elias McCord. Vernon : coroner, Enos Geary. Center.
It seems, however, that political affiliations were stronger than the ties of the order. The Democratic ticket was elected. But from reports of per- sons now living who went through that campaign, it seems that the Dem- ocratie candidates were given much concern by this political organization. The Democrats had been in control of the county, and the success of any other political organization, of course, meant Democratic loss.
CELEBRATION OF JOHNSON'S VICTORY.
The popularity of Andrew Johnson with the great majority of the voters of Hancock county never appeared more clearly than when Johnson was elected to the United States Senate from the state of Tennessee, in January. 1875. To celebrate his victory a meeting of the citizens was held at the court house on Thursday evening. January 28. 1875. Smith MeCord was elected president of the meeting : Jonas Marsh and Benjamin Galbreath, vice- presidents : George Barnett and William Mitchell, secretaries. Speeches were made by Smith McCord, Ephraim Marsh. Montgomery Marsh. Judge Good- ing. J. V. Cook. James A. New. R. A. Riley and George Barnett. After the
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
speech making J. V. Cook offered the following resolution which was unani- mously adopted :
"Resolved, that the recent election of .Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, to the Senate of the United States, is but a highly proper vindication of an honest man, a true patriot and an able statesman, from the unjust and untrue charges made against him by the corrupt heads of the Republican party, and that more. especially in view of the reckless violations of the Constitution of the United States by President Grant and the party in power, are the services of the great defenders of the Constitution needed at this time, in the United States Senate."
William Frost then proposed three cheers for Andrew Johnson, the Union, the Constitution and the Laws.
GREENBACK MOVEMENT.
In February. 1876. a call was issued through the columns of the Hancock Democrat for a mass meeting of the old citizens and voters of Hancock county, irrespective of party, who were in favor of the legal "greenback" money and opposed to the National Bank law. The time of the meeting was set at one P. M. on Saturday, February 19. 1876. "for the purpose of taking such action as may seem expedient in regard to the money questions." This call was signed by S. F. Dickerson, William F. Wilson. James F. Wilson. Smith Hutchison. William Fries. Joseph Jackson, Henry L. Fry. Sr .. John G. Gambrel. J. H. White. John Walsh, Rufus J. Scott, William F. McBane. James P. Galbreath, Isaiah .1. Curry. Fields. J. A. Shell, William Porter. John W. Dye. Alfred Potts, John P. Banks, Cyrus Leamon, William Frost. R. P. Andis. W. Y. Pendleton, John Shepherd. Elijah C. Reeves, John Mayes. John .1. Alyea. R. D. Cross, William Potts, William Fields, John Shelby. Jacob Slifer. J. H. Maves. William . \lyea. James HI. Wirm. Willard H. Low, Philander Craig. Thomas Bodkins. B. F. Fry, Wellington Collyer, John Richie, James R. Foster. Lysander Sparks. J. S. Thomas, W. H. Walts. John .1. Barr.
Judge Gooding was invited to address the meeting. The convention was attended by a large number of citizens from all parts of the county. Resolutions were adopted, condemning the circulation of national bank notes and favoring the issuance of "greenbacks" instead.
On March 23. 1878, a county convention of the Greenback followers was called at the Grange Hall at Greenfield. J. C. Vansickle, of New Palestine, was elected chairman and George Furry, secretary. The purpose of this meeting was to effect a county organization. The following central com-
375
POLITICS.
mittee was appointed : Blue River, B. F. Luse; Brandywine. L. Millourn ; Brown, S. Milbourn ; Buck Creek, Francis Pentland ; Center, William Sears, 11. Little: Green, C. G. Osborn : Jackson, John McGraw: Sugar Creek, John V'ansickle : Vernon, P. J. Hannah.
This central committee adopted the following resolutions :
"Resolved, that the National party of Hancock county will hold a mass convention for Hancock county, at the court house in Greenfield, on the first Saturday in May, 1879, at one o'clock P. M., to complete a thorough organ- ization of the National party in said county, and to nominate a full county ticket of able, truthful and faithful men, for which the central committee will issue a call, inviting all persons sympathizing with the National movement. and believing that there should be no partial or class legislation, that the laws should be so enacted and administered as to insure to every man the just reward of his own labor, to meet with them and participate in said mass convention.
"Resolved, that the Nationals of each township are earnestly recom- mended, at an early day, and upon their own notice, to meet at their usual place of holding elections, and to thoroughly organize their respective town- ships for efficient political action : ever remembering that "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," and giving notice to quit to dishonest trading politicians who have established themselves in the gateways of commerce and speculation, and are enriching themselves by seizing the reward of other people's labor.
"Resolved, that this meeting adopt the platform of principles laid down by the convention of the National party, held at Toledo, Ohio, on the 22nd of February, 1878."
After the county organization had been effected the following ticket was put into the field: Representative. George Furry, Brandywine; clerk, Joseph Hanna. Buck Creek. treasurer, John S. Barrett, Jackson: auditor, John McCray, Brown: sheriff, Moses Fink, Center; recorder. Monteville Eastes. Buck Creek: commissioner, eastern district, Benjamin F. Luse, Blue River : commissioner, middle district. B. J. Goble, Brandywine.
Following this a Greenhack party organization was maintained in the county for five or six years. William Sears was the chairman of the central committee practically all of the time.
ELECTION OF 1876.
When the difficulties of determining the result of the election of 1876 presented itself the Democrats of the county held a mass meeting for the
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
purpose of giving expression to their feelings. The meeting was held on December 23. 1876. John H. White was elected chairman : James L .. Mas. n D. S. Gooding. James H. Carr and William Mitchell, secretaries. The following committee on resolutions was appointed : Blue River, Augustus Dennis: Brown, Robert D. Hayes: Brandywine, James Tyner: Buck Creek. Henry Wright: Center. Capt. R. A. Riley, Stephen Dickerson; Green, James M. Trueblood : Jackson, George Kinder: Sugar Creek. Tilghman Collyer: Vernon, Smith McCord.
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