USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 78
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There has been regularly maintained a Sunday school, and instruction in Christian doctrine for members under eightcen. The classes are taught by the pastor.
There is a Ladies' Altar Society, organized after the building of the church. Its purpose is to provide linens, vestments, etc., used in the altar service. There is also a League of the Sacred Heart, organized in 1913. Its aim is to encourage a greater devotion and love of the sacred heart of Jesus and a closer union in prayer.
PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF THE NAZARENES.
Two or three years ago a party of Nazarenes came to Fortville and con- ducted a series of meetings, the result of which was the organization of a church. The congregation is small and has not erected a house. The people have been meeting in rented halls to the present. They are planning to erect or purchase a church as soon as possible.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.
In 1915 George W. Rader and Frank Dudley, Seventh-Day Adventist missionaries, conducted a tent meeting at Fortville for several months, com- mencing about June I. As a result of the meeting, in October a congregation was organized, composed of the following families : H. E. Stottlemeyer and wife, Abe Cottrell. wife and daughter, William Day, wife and daughter. Thomas Stottlemeyer. Charles Clace and wife, Margaret Anderson and Mrs. Nancy Girt. To the present they have been worshipping at private resi- dences, principally at the home of H. E. Stottlemeyer. They are contemplat- ing the erection of a church in the near future.
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FORTVILLE.
LODGES.
Fortville Lodge No. 207. Free and Accepted Masons, was organized on August 2, 1856, by J. L. Dannaha, of Clarksville Lodge No. 118, as worship- ful master: Jacob Baity, of Oaklandon Lodge No. 140, as senior warden; Silas Helms, of Clarksville Lodge No. 118. as junior warden : J. H. Perry, of Indianapolis, as treasurer; Hiram Duncan, of Fortville, as secretary : Samuel Arnett, of Oaklandon Lodge No. 140, as senior deacon ; G. W. Kinna- man, of Clarksville Lodge No. 118, as junior deacon: Robert Alfout, of Madison Lodge No. 44. as tyler. A charter was granted to the lodge on March 26, 1857, showing a charter membership of fourteen. The first offi- cers were J. L. Dannaha, worshipful master: Eastley Hchins, senior warden ; George W. Kinnaman, junior warden; J. H. Perry, treasurer; lliram Dun- can. secretary ; Samuel Arnett, senior deacon ; T. J. Dannaha, junior deacon : Peter Staats, tyler. The present number of members is one hundred and eighteen. The lodge has owned two halls, the first having burned on Decem- ber 31, 1893. The room over the store of W. R. Rash was then used until the new hall on the third floor of the opera building was dedicated, on . April 2. 1902. This hall is now owned by the lodge. W. R. Rash has been secre- tary of the lodge during the past twenty-four years.
Fortville Chapter No. 149, Order of the Eastern Star, was organized in the Masonic hall at Fortville. May 23, 1894, by Eden Chapter No. 101, Irven Barnard, deputy. There were twenty-two charter members: W. R. Rash. Katie Rash, Margaret Rash, J. W. Trittipo. Delphia Trittipo. A. J. Whetsel, Hattie Whetsel, A. C. Davis, Cynthia Davis, Dr. S. W. Hervey, Bertha Hervey, Worth Arnett, Jane Arnett, Lillie Arnett, R. J. Sample, Sarah Sam- płe, Claudie McCord, Mary Gist, Laura Saunders, Frances Saunders, Ella Likens and W. J. Manford. The chapter has lost several members by death and change of residence, and now has an enrollment of eighty-nine members.
Edwards Lodge No. 178, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized October 10, 1856, with the following charter members: J. H. Perry. R. C. Pitman, C. P. Thomas, H. A. Rutherford, A. Staats. . \. H. Heisen, Peter Morrison, J. B. Me. Arthur, Peter Staats, Sr., J. S. Merrill, Wood Browning. Silas Helms. J. T. Russell, J. S. Edwards, G. H. Arnold, A. Burchfield. The first officers were James Perry, noble grand; R. C. Pitman, vice-grand; C. P. Thomas, secretary: H. H. Rutherford, treasurer. This lodge has owned its own hall for many years. Its first hall burned on January 10, 1898, and in the summer following the order built a new home which is now known as Odd Fellows hall. The present membership of the lodge is two hundred and seventy-three.
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA.
Fortville Encampment No. 171. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized November 18, 1889. with the following charter members: J. K. Fausett, A. Kappas, John Smail. C. V. Harden. A. W. Clayton, M. C. Oberdurf. Charles Bergner and Sanford Ogle. The encampment was organ- ized in what was known as the Jordan buikling. It gained in membership until the Odd Fellow's hall burned, when the order dwindled to a few mem- bers. The remaining members met for several years in the rear room of the Fortville State Bank, with an attendance of only five or six. When the Odd Fellow's built a new home the encampment at once commenced to gain in members until at present it has a membership of one hundred and forty-seven.
Lodge No. 80, Daughters of Rebekah, was organized with the follow- ing charter members: Andrew Kappas. E. E. Kappas. Samuel Troy. Martha Troy. James Merrill. Charles Doty. Susanna Doty. David Lewis. Luvina Lewis, Thomas W. Huston. Lucinda Huston. John Hiday and Mary Hiday. The lodge now has a membership of two hundred and forty-two and meets in the I. O. O. F. hall.
Fortville Lodge No. 404, Knights of Pythias, was organized in the Jordan building, July 13. 1894, with the following charter members: J. C. Smail. John Small, John R. Smith. E. F. Cahen. E. W. Collins, C. H. Aford. E. E. Bill. William Fausett. E. R. Brown. Selmae Gottschalkson, Paul Ilagens, Charles Manford, James Pettigrew. F. W. Sherril, A. A. Stewart, J. G. Thomas, William J. Vanbuskirk, William Walker. Quincy .\. Wright and George Winn. The present membership of the lodge is one hundred and forty-eight. The lodge suffered a loss by fire when the Jordan building burned on January 10, 1898. It then moved about from place to place until 1902, when it became established in its new home on the third floor of the Ivers building.
Fortville Temple No. 305. Pythian Sisters, was instituted March 20, 1905, with forty-two charter members. It has always met in the K. of P. hall at Fortville. It now has a membership of seventy-two.
Manitau Tribe No. 53. Improved Order of Red Men, was organized February 8. 1875. with the following charter members . AAndrew Kappes. John 11. Treher, John F. Caklwell, George Hl. Jackson. A. D. Perkins. Sr .. Amos Birchfield, Christopher C. Troy. Robert P. Brown, William Rose. James C. Jordan. John H. Cottrell. E. B. Clampitt. Jacob Stoehr, Aaron Chappell. James P. Russell, Garrison Asbury, Charles V. Hardin, Freemont. G. Murrer, Ambrose Saylor. Joshua Beaver, John B. Chodrick and Henry Fort. Manitau Tribe was one of the pioneer tribes of the state of Indiana.
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which is implied by its number when one considers that there are at this time in the state about four hundred and sixteen tribes. The early history of the tribe is marked by many ups and downs and its members met with many misfortunes and hardships in setting forth the principles of freedom, friendship and charity. It had no regular meeting place, but yet managed. through the diligent and loyal efforts of both officers and members, to estab- lish itself as one of the foremost organizations in the community. Its first meeting place was in the old Fisher building. After a short life this was burned down, consuming the entire property of the lodge along with records and other valuable papers. This gave the lodge quite a set-back, from which it took a long time to fully recover, its membership having dwindled down to sixteen members. After a time, about the year 1888, and with a gradual increase in membership, the tribe was able to build the second story of what was then known as the Moore block, which they used for a home until Feb- ruary, 1907, when they moved into their present home, a two-story building. known as the Red Men's building.
Manitau Haymakers Association No. 531/2 .- The Haymakers have had several organizations at Fortville at different times. The last association was instituted during the winter of 1903-04. The present membership is one hundred and forty-seven. The association is a joint owner of the Red Men's building, with Manitau Tribe No. 53, Improved Order of Red Men.
Leola Council No. 108, was organized in 1906 with forty-nine charter members. Meetings are held in the Red Men's building. The lodge until several years ago had one hundred and twenty-five members, but through removals and deaths the membership has decreased to about sixty.
Camp No. 7137. Modern Woodmen of America, was organized and chartered on October 25, 1899, with twenty-three charter members. Its present membership is one hundred and six. The camp meets on each Monday night in its own hall over the O. K. drug store. There has been no death in the camp since its organization.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
In the spring of 1915 an effort was made at Fortville to secure a pub- lic library and reading room. On March 22 sixty or more citizens of the town filed their petition with the clerk of the Hancock circuit court, showing that money had been subscribed and that funds were available to establish a library. The court, Judge Sample on the bench, made a finding to this effect and on March 31. 1915, appointed the following men as members of the library board : J. F. Hoopingarner, Arthur B. Ayers and James W. Trittipo.
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Application has been made to Andrew Carnegie for aid to build a library, but no action has yet been taken on this application.
THE THIMBLE CLUB.
The Thimble Club was organized with sixteen charter members, on May 22, 1902. It was known as the Thursday Club until 1908, when it was re-organized and re-named the Thimble Club. Its purpose is to promote interest in needlecraft and for social development. The ladies meet on Fri- day every two weeks from two to four. The club celebrated its tenth anni- versary without the loss of a single member by death. Since that time Miss Laura Jarrett has been taken away. The ladies who have served as presi- dent of the club are Mrs. Fred Hardin, Mrs. W. P. Williams, Mrs. J. F. Johnson, Mrs. Harry Apple. Miss Laura Jarrett, Mrs. Stewart Slocum, Mrs. Frank Crouch and Mrs. E. R. Crouch, the latter being president at this time.
FORTVILLE TROOP NO. I, BOY SCOUTS.
This troop was organized five years ago by Harry Griffey. It has usually had from eighteen to twenty-five members. The boys have the reg- ulation suits and observe closely the rules of conduct governing the order. In addition to the regular rules they have imposed others upon themselves which are scrupulously observed. They have camped and "roughed" it on Fall creek on an occasion or two and have enjoyed the outing thoroughly. The meetings are regularly held in the basement of the Methodist church. They follow the course of instruction prescribed by the order. Harry Griffey acted as scout master for the first two or three years, since which time Samuel J. Stokes has been scout master.
THE COUNTY HOSPITAL.
On May 27, 1914, several hundred citizens from Fortville and vicinity filed their petition with the board of county commissioners, asking the board "to locate, build and erect, and make proper and legal provision for the maintenance of a county hospital in and for the county of Hancock, state of Indiana, the same to be located, built and erected in the city of Fortville. in said county and state. not to exceed thirty-five thousand dollars."
It seems, however, that the board could not be persuaded to think that the county was in need of a hospital and for that reason failed to grant the prayer of the petitioners.
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RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Two rural free delivery routes have been established from the postoffice at Fortville. Lincoln G. Boden has route I and James C. Jordan, route 2. These routes were established and the first mail was delivered over them on September 2, 1902.
MILLS, FACTORIES, ETC.
The mills, factories, etc., of Fortville, have been grouped with the mills of Vernon township.
TAXPAYERS.
The heavy taxpayers of Fortville have been grouped with the taxpayers of Vernon township.
GEORGE H. COOPER
BIOGRAPHICAL
GEORGE H. COOPER.
Among the citizens of Greenfield. Indiana, who have achieved a definite success in life, not only surrounding themselves with valuable personal prop- erty, but what is of greater import, have also gained the respect and esteem of the community, is George H. Cooper, who has long been recognized as a lead- ing and influential citizen of Hancock county. Mr. Cooper was born on August 10, 1860, in Greenfield, the okt home being where the public library building now stands. He is the son of Dr. Berry Willis and Malissa ( Hoel) Cooper, both of whom are now deceased, and who are specifically mentioned elsewhere in this work.
George H. Cooper attended the Greenfield public schools, graduating from the high school in 1879. Later, he attended Indiana University two years, and also took the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Course at Island Park. Indiana, under Dr. (afterward Bishop) John H. Vincent, and Dr. John Dewitt Miller, being one of the two men who graduated with a large class of women. In the summer of 1880 Mr. Cooper entered the Citizens Bank at Greenfield as bookkeeper, and later was employed in the same capacity at Hughes' Bank. in this city, for two years. He then returned to the Citizens Bank and has been closely and actively identified with it ever since. For many years he has been cashier of this strong financial institution, and much of its splendid suc- cess has been due to his careful management and his accommodating attitude towards the patrons of the bank, of which he owns a large interest. Aside from the bank. Mr. Cooper possesses also large landed interests in Hancock county. For the past eighteen years with his family he has spent the sum- mers at "The Sycamores," a country home near Greenfield, and his summer home, as well as his city home, has been freely used as places of entertainment in the church, school and family social life of Greenfield.
In the civic affairs of Greenfield and Hancock county, Mr. Cooper has always shown a healthy interest and performed his full part in promoting every cause or movement for the advancement of the community. For nearly ten years he served as treasurer of the Greenfield school board and when, at the
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HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIAN.A.
the close of his service, the state accounting board examined his books they found them balanced to a cent. Mr. Cooper took a leading part in the move- ment which culminated in the securing of the present public library building. the site for which was donated to the city by his mother, Mrs. Malissa Cooper.
Politically. Mr. Cooper is a Democrat, and is this year ( 1916) the nominee of his party for representative in the Legislature. In the Masonic order he has taken all the degrees of the York Rite and is a thirty-second degree member of the Scottish Rite, while he also belongs to the Mystic Shrine. He is a mem- ber of the Christian church and treasurer of its official board.
On November 21, 1888. George H. Cooper was married to Lotta M. Bottsford, the daughter of Sheldon E. and Lorinda (Wright) Bottsford, of Sugar Creek township. Hancock county. Their sons and daughters are as follow : Lois F., wife of Irwin W. Cotton. of Greenfield : Gertrude M., Berry W., Sheldon B. and Warren G. Cooper. Their grandchildren are Wright Cooper Cotton and Allen G. Cotton.
EARL F. SWAIN.
Earl F. Swain was born in Rush county. Indiana, November 13. 1880, son of Isaac Newton Swain, who was born in North Carolina, June 4. 1853. and who came to Indiana with his parents when only four months old. Isaac Newton Swain is a son of Ovid Newton Swain, born in 1815. and Eunice (Sawyer) Swain, born in South Carolina in 1810. Ovid Newton Swain set- tled at Manilla, in Rush county, Indiana. He was a farmer by profession. He rented land for awhile and later bought a tract of eighty acres for eight hun- (red dollars. Isaac Newton Swain was married on February 19, 1874, to Mary Josephine Gibson, who was a daughter of Sydney Gibson, of Rush county. Her people were natives of Virginia and were one of the early fam. ilies to settle in Rush county. Her father was an Indian trader, who traded clothes and groceries for furs. Isaac Newton Swain and wife are both mem- bers of the Christian church. He is an elder in the church and a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and of the Improved Order of Red Men. He is a Democrat in politics and was assessor of Brandywine township for a term of six years.
Earl F. Swain, who is the subject of this sketch, came to Hancock county with his parents in 1887 and has lived in the county ever since. He received
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
his early education at Beaver Meadow, Rush county. Willard Swain, a cousin, was his first teacher. His next schooling was in Brandywine township, in the Howe school house. The children of Isaac Newton Swain were: Cora, Sam- uel, James, Arthur, Earl F., Bert and Flora.
Earl F. Swain was married, on October 24, 1903, to Viola Larrabee, daughter of Louis N. Larrabee, who was at that time sheriff of the county. Her home was in Sugar Creek township. The children of Louis N. Larrabee are Edward. Walter, Roy. Cecelia, and Viola, who is the wife of the subject of this sketch. Earl F. Swain lived with his father until his marriage and then went to live with his father-in-law, and was with him for thirteen months, and served during this time as deputy-sheriff of Hancock county. Earl F. Swain is the father of the following children :, Dorothy. Irene, Gladys, Kenneth Earl, Alice and Josephine. Earl F. Swain is living at the present time on a farm of two hundred acres owned by William F. Espy. He has lived here for several years and farms the entire place. He raises about one hundred and fifty Poland China hogs each year and about twenty head of Shorthorn cattle. He usually has about four thousand bushels of corn.
Mr. Swain is a Democrat in politics and in 1912 he was in the contest for sheriff, but was defeated for the nomination by only one hundred votes. He is a Mason and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Greenfield. His wife is a member of the Christian church and he is one of its supporters.
JUDGE ROBERT L. M.ASON.
Judge Robert L. Mason, one of the best-known and most highly-esteemed lawyers in central Indiana, who has been engaged in the practice of his pro- fession in Greenfield, this county. for many years, is a native Hoosier, having been born on a farm on the White river, north of Brownsville, in Union county, this state, November 15. 1859, son of John K. and Harriet ( Lee ) Mason, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Ohio.
John K. Mason was born in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1827, son of Robert and Rebecca Mason, who came to this country when their son was still a lad, settling on a farm in the Brownsville neighborhood, in Union county, Indiana, where they spent the remainder of their lives, for years honorable and respected residents of that community: On the farm in the hills of Union county John K. Mason grew to manhood. Upon completing
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his schooling he began to teach school and was thus engaged for a number of years, teaching in the winter seasons and farming during the summer. He bought a farm in Union county and married Harriet Lee, of the neigh- boring county of Fayette, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, and who had moved with her parents when a girl to Fayette county, this state. where she lived on the home farm until her marriage with Mr. Mason. Some years after his marriage John K. Mason and his family moved to Oxford, Butler county, Ohio, in the neighborhood of which city he was engaged in farming until his death in 1880. he then being fifty-three years of age. He was a stanch Democrat and during his residence in Union county had served for some years as trustee of his township. Upon moving to Ohio he took an equally active part in political affairs and for some time served as justice of of the peace. He was a Mason and took much interest in the affairs of that ancient order. Hlis widow survived him for many years, her death occurring on March 23. 1906, she then being seventy-five years of age. They were the parents of four children, namely : Lucullus W .. of Oxford, Ohio: Robert L .. the immediate subject of this biographical sketch: Jennie, who married Charles Rout, of Anderson, this state, who died in April. 1915, and Rosco F .. who died in 1890.
Robert L. Mason was reared on the paternal farm in the neighborhood of Oxford. Ohio, growing up there amid the most excellent social conditions. Upon the completion of his course in the common schools he began teaching school in Union county, this state, and was thus engaged for five years, in the meantime pursuing his studies in Miami University at Oxford, and was grad- uated from that excellent okl institution in 1882. after which he entered the University at Valparaiso, this state, and was graduated from the law depart- ment of that institution in the spring of 1886. Thus admirably equipped for the practice of the profession to which he had devoted his talents, Mr. Mason opened an office at Kansas City, Missouri, and was engaged in practice in that city until 1894. in the spring of which year he located at Greenfield, this county, forming in that city a partnership for the practice of law with Uriah S. Jackson, which mutually agreeable partnership continued until Mr. Mason's election to the bench of the Hancock circuit court in 1906. Upon the com- pletion of his six-year term in that honorable position. Judge Mason moved to San Diego, California, in the fall of 1912, with the expectation of making his permanent home in that city, but after a nine-months' residence there felt the urge of all the old agreeable associations at Greenfield so strongly that he returned to the latter city and in 1913 resumed his former practice there and has been thus engaged ever since, quite content, after his Western ex- perience, to make Indiana his home.
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BIOGRAPHIIC.\1 ..
On June 15, 1896, Robert L. Mason was united in marriage to Lillie M. Dennis, who was born in Hancock county on December 3. 1872, daughter of Augustus and Caroline ( Tyner ) Dennis, prominent residents of this county, the former a native of the Old Dominion state and the latter a native of this county, she having had the distinction of being the first white child born within the precincts of the city of Greenfield, the pioneer home of the Tyners at that time having been on the present site of the 1. (. (). F. hall in that city. August Dennis was born in Virginia in 1829 and when fourteen years old came with his parents to Indiana, the family settling in this county, and he spent the remainder of his life, a well-known and well-to-do farmer. one of the county's most substantial and mflu- ential citizens. He was a Democrat and had served the public very efficiently in the capacity of county commissioner and in minor offices. lle and his wife were members of the Baptist church and were among the leaders in good works hereabout. Mrs. Dennis was the daughter of Lewis and Eliza Tyner. also prominent in the earlier life of this county. Lewis Tyner having been a former clerk of the court of Hancock county for some years, and his father, Solomon Tyner, the first school teacher in this county, a man of large influ- ence liereabout in pioneer days. AAugustus Dennis died on August 23. 1915. His wife had long preceded him to the grave, her death having occurred on February 20, 1896, she then being sixty-four years of age. They were the parents of seven children, of whom four grew to maturity, as follow : Mary. who married J. W. Porter, a well-known farmer in Brandywine township. this county, and died on November 13, 1915. had three children. Carrie. Harry AA. and Fay Tyner: Allie, who married Elliot Marlow, and died in 1894. leaving one child, a son, Ray Tyner, now deceased ; Etta, who married William Porter, a well-known farmer of Blue River township, this county. and has three children, Grace, Guy and Goldlen, and Lillie, who was graduated from the Greenfield high school with class honors in 1889, after which she took a course in a business college at Indianapolis. Instead of pursuing the career she had planned she then was called by her duty to her invalid sister. Mrs. Marlow, and her invalid mother and was a devoted attendant to both for five years, her marriage to Judge Mason following in June after the death of her mother in February, 1896.
To Robert L. and Lillie M. (Dennis) Mason three children have been born, Forest Lillie, born on November 28. 1807, who was graduated from the Greenfield high school with the highest number of credits ever given a pupil of that school up to that date and is now attending DePauw Univer- sity ; Robert L ... Jr., July 8, 1899. who is now a student in the high school.
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