USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 5
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bled so that he was unable to write. Peters stood before the court with the skirt of his blue cloth coat, which the officers had torn while making the ar- rest, dragging on the floor. He said in a voice which would have done credit to Edwin Forrest, addressing the crowd, 'We did not come here to praise Caesar, but to bury him.' Then he walked around the railing and took the pen out of the trembling hand of the justice and made the necessary entries on the docket, instructed the prosecutor as to his duties, worked in the ca- pacity of attorney for both sides of the case and so expedited the business of the court that the trial lasted only a few minutes. He paid his fine and went to Armstrong's tailoring shop for repairs. Peters and Judge Marvin used to discuss for hours the subject of astronomy. They had, according to Wel- shans, completely covered the walls and floor of the room with diagrams of the heavens and the earth, drawn in chalk. Peters had taken the contrary side in the argument in order to draw the Judge out. The debate closed by the Judge calling Peters a blank fool. Peters was living in Springfield, Illi- nois, when Lincoln was nominated and he wrote to Alf. Welshans a nice letter describing the jollification held at Lincoln's home.
"Warner Vestal, editor of the Hendricks County Ledger, requested Peters to read the proof of a long article he had written for that paper. Pe- ters took the proof slips to his room and in about two hours he came back with the slips together with an exhaustive criticism on the article longer than: the original. Vestal said, 'I can not make the corrections on your article in ยท time to go to press.' Peters said, 'My article? I have written nothing that. needs correcting.' 'You wrote the whole business,' said the editor. Peters. had written the first article when intoxicated and did not remember it. He was at himself when he read the proof. The article was put on the dead gal- ley rack, but the proof slips and the criticisms were kept as object lessons by the editor and printers for many a day. Peters met his fate in Libby prison near the close of the war.
"Thomas N. Jones was a many-sided character and a good citizen. He was fond of all kinds of innocent amusements and at almost every enter- tainment he was a star performer, always appearing in a comedy of blun- ders. Whether it was the mind-reading phrenologist or the gag of the circus clown or the mystifying ventriloquist or the simple twist of the wrist of the street fakir, Tom always took the cake as the victim of every trick and joke. During the years that the 'Sons of Temperance' wave swept over the country, that society held a temperance celebration at Indianapolis. On the day of the grand parade, Tom was in command of the Hendricks county division. The weather was very hot, the people in the parade were very thirsty and a com-
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mittee was supplying drinking water, which they carried in buckets. Tom's division had been served with a drink, but it did not satisfy Tom and he arose in his regalia and 'fuss and feathers' to the attitude of a magazine pic- ture of 'Washington crossing the Delaware,' and yelled at the top of his voice, 'More water for the Danville delegation.' The grotesqueness of the com- mander's efforts to get drinks for the banner temperance delegation was too much for the spectators and they responded with laughter and applause. And Tom's words were passed along the line and were the toast of the day to which tin cups rattled and beer glasses clinked. To the day of Jones' death, he never heard the last of 'More water for the Danville delegation.'
"One day at a circus he assisted Richard Hemming, the celebrated rope- walker, in a tight rope act. Hemming carried Mr. Jones under the rope by straps looped to his feet. When the walker arrived over the dustiest spot in the ring he let Mr. Jones fall in the dirt to the infinite delight of the au- dience, who greeted him with the usual encore. To this day tight rope and Tom Jones are twin geraniums. The secret order known as the Sons of Malta did not have a lodge in Danville, but Jones never missed anything. He went to Indianapolis and joined and very nearly met his death during his initiation into the order. The practical jokers worked him up to a fever heat until he almost sweat blood, then let him fall from a great height into a tank of ice water. He admitted that this experience took the conceit out of him, but don't you believe it."
PRESENT CITY.
The officers of the town of Danville in 1914 are: F. H. Huron, C. E. Allred, H. S. Curtis, W. L. Holman, Simon Hadley, trustees; Charles T. Clark, clerk; James V. Cook, treasurer; Thomas R. Harney, engineer ; John Hume and C. W. Gaston, attorneys, and W. T. Lawson, health officer.
In eleven blocks in Danville the streets are paved with brick and there is in addition twelve miles of macadam streets and many miles of cement side- walks.
An extensive sewerage system is now being placed in Danville, the cost of which is to be close to twenty thousand dollars. A septic tank for the purification of the sewage is constructed east of town.
The Danville water works, a municipal plant, supplies the town with pure water from artesian wells.
The water used in Danville is without a superior in the United States. It comes from flowing wells and is almost entirely pure. It is also of high
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medicinal value. The formal analysis follows: Solids, 33.9; chlorein, faint trace ; ammonia, none; nitrates, nitrites, none; total hardness, 8.65. It is medicinal in quality. Not a case of typhoid fever has been contracted in the town since this water has been used.
The Danville Light, Heat and Power Company, a corporation owned by Indianapolis capital, is the largest of its kind in the county and one of the largest in the state. It is considered a model plant. It is worth about one hundred thousand dollars. This company supplies power not only for Dan- ville, but also for Plainfield, Clayton, Pittsboro and Brownsburg, also many farm houses. It is the ambition of this concern to supply the power for every factory in Hendricks county. The power house is fitted with all the modern machinery to be found in plants of its kind. The town of Danville is con- sidering a new system of street lighting, to replace the old style now in use.
COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The Danville Commercial Club was organized on January 20, 1911. The organization is governed by a constitution and by-laws, which provides a fee of five dollars for membership and fifty cents dues per month for each mem- ber. They also provide for numerous committees, among which are the executive committee of seven members, boosting committee of ten members, an advertising committee of five members, and from time to time special committees are appointed to carry out worthy projects.
Early in its career the club organized a boys' band, which has continued to be a success to the present time. The club has, among its many aims, the following : to secure more factories, better mail and transportation facilities, to decrease danger at car crossings by reducing speed limit and to urge the installation of proper signals, to create a suburban residence city, to keep the town clean and the atmosphere pure, to create better business conditions by securing better markets for farm products.
SOCIAL CLUBS.
In harmony with the cultured life of Danville, there are several social clubs, which, in themselves, form an important part of the town. Charity, high moral standards, patriotism, civic honor, education, purity of life, honor- able ambition, are sentiments that mark the right growth of a city and these sentiments have been promoted by the noble women of Danville, individually and in club life and organized concert of action. All these clubs do their
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part to lighten burdens, to broaden education, and to promote the graces of true culture.
The Social Dozen is a club with a membership limited to fourteen. It is an embroidery club and its object is to do variegated needlework, besides the social side.
The Afternoon Circle was organized February 8, 1907, and its object is to acquire excellence in embroidery work.
The Bay View Study Club was organized in Danville in February, 1912, with sixteen charter members. Its membership is limited. The object of the club is to take up current and literary topics for discussion, as well as travel subjects.
The Embroidery Club was organized in 1898 by Mrs. James McCoun and Mrs. John W. Trotter. It was originally called the Who, When and What Club. The name signifies the character of the club.
The Browning Club was organized on September 12, 1891, with a mem- bership limited to twenty-five. The object of the club is that the members get better knowledge of the poet, Browning, and consequent mental and moral development. The poetic study is not entirely confined to Robert Browning.
The Philomathean Club is a literary organization which started October 13, 1909.
The Cozy Club was organized about 1900 for the purpose of improve- ment in the use of the needle.
The J. O. Club has for its purpose social development and mutual in- struction in the art of domestic science.
The Charity Coterie was organized in December, 1908, and the motto, "Do Something for Somebody" adopted. The field of work for this club is a large one, including charitable work of every kind and care for the town, attention to social life and various pursuits.
The Up-to-Date Club was organized in October, 1898, and was to be made up of the young married women of the town, whose object was to keep in accord with the history of current events, the improvement and pleasure of themselves and their homes. Domestic science is studied, also literature and kindred subjects.
The Modern Priscilla Club devotes its energies to the study of literature and the art of embroidery.
The Half Century Club, to which none are eligible except those over fifty years of age, has for its object sociability.
DANVILLE'S CLASSIC LIBRARY BUILDING
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DANVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
In February, 1902, the president of the Commercial Club, Mord Carter, wrote a letter to Andrew Carnegie, explaining the needs of the town for funds to build a library building, which resulted in an offer from Mr. Car- negie to donate ten thousand dollars for the erection of the building, pro- vided that the town would make a levy that would raise on thousand dollars per year and provide a suitable site for the building. The Commercial Club, ladies' clubs, college faculty, town trustees, school board and citizens came forward with aid and a literary board was organized under the acts of 1901. A lot was purchased by popular subscription and the plans submitted by S. C. Dark, of Indianapolis, Indiana, were accepted. A contract was let to W. C. Halstead & Company of Franklin, Indiana, for the erection of the building. The township afterward came in under the provisions of the law and made a levy of one-tenth of a mill on each dollar and the town a levy of one cent on the dollar, the two levies raising about one thousand five hundred dollars an- nually for the support and building up of the library.
The building was dedicated on September 5, 1903. The ladies' clubs raised about three hundred dollars for books and many other volumes were donated, making in all about one thousand volumes. The number of volumes in the library in May, 1914, is about five thousand. Most of the leading magazines of the country are taken. There are enrolled upon the books of the library at this latter date nineteen hundred and sixty readers. The pres- ent board consists of the following: Dr. Joel T. Barker, Henry C. Hadley, Mrs. Mattie A. Keeney, Mrs. Josephine K. Thomas, Mrs. J. D. Hogate, Charles Z. Cook, W. C. Osborne, John W. Whyte and Thad. S. Adams. Dr. Joel T. Barker is president ; Thad. S. Adams, vice-president ; Henry C. Had- ley, treasurer; Mrs. Josephine K. Thomas, secretary ; Miss Lou Robinson, librarian, and Mrs. Martha L. Scearce, assistant librarian.
POSTMASTERS.
The postmasters who have served in Danville since the beginning, with the dates of their appointment, are as follows: James M. Buckner, April I, 1825; William S. Crawford, February 18, 1829; Levi Jessup, June 1. 1829; William S. Crawford, April 19, 1831; George W. Powell, July 14, 1853; William W. Matlock, January 30, 1853; William McPhetridge, February 9, 1857; Herman Smith, August 14, 1858; S. R. Craddick, March 30, 1861 ;
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Aaron Homan, October 30, 1866; Mary Davis, March 12, 1867; J. M. Gregg, Jr., March 17, 1869; C. F. Hall, May 14, 1877; A. H. Kennedy, March I, 1883; A. P. Pounds, August 2, 1886; J. R. Williams, July 18, 1888; Martin Englehart, August 5, 1889; R. W. Wade, March 5, 1894; Alfred Welshans, February 18, 1898; Wilbur Masten, February 19, 1906; Charles P. Horna- day, March 25, 1910; William A. King, March 10, 1914.
The Danville postoffice is a second-class office, having six carriers and six rural routes. A postal savings department is also conducted.
BANKS.
While the Civil War was in progress the First National Bank of Dan- ville was organized with $60,000 capital, September 24, 1863, under the new law of Congress enacted a few months before and entitled an "Act to provide a national currency secured by a pledge of United States stocks, and to pro- vide for the circulation and redemption thereof," approved February 25, 1863. The incorporators were: Samuel P. Foote, Simon T. Hadley, Chris- tion C. Nave, James T. Hadley, Archibald Alexander, Elisha Hobbs, Alfred Hunt, Jeremia Johnson, John Miles, Jediah Hussey, Jesse Hockett, Edmund R. Hadley, John Bishop, David G. Wilson, Allen Hess, James McMurry, Samuel S. Russell, Cyrus Hunt, Leander M. Campbell, Oliver P. Badger, John Hadley, Levi Pennington, Thomas Nichols, Josiah Garrison, Julius A. Jeger, Milton Lindley and Amiel Hunt. Simon T. Hadley was the first president and Samuel P. Foote the first cashier. The bank was authorized to commence business on December 11, 1863, and was the one hundred and fifty-second chartered bank in the United States. The bank opened its doors in a building a few doors south of its present site. At a later date it was moved to the Estep block, north of the court house. It moved to the present location upon the erection of the building in 1897. The present officers of the bank are: W. C. Osborne, president ; F. J. Christie, cashier ; Charles Z. Cook, assistant cashier. The present capital is $100,000; deposits, $350,000; sur- plus, $40,000. The bank charter has been twice renewed, once in 1883 and again in 1903.
The Danville Trust Company was incorporated March 29, 1899, with a capital of $25,000. It was organized by Cyrus Osborne, Mord Carter, Thomas J. Miles, M. T. Hunter, William C. Osborne, E. R. Robards and Alva B. Smith. Cyrus Osborne was the first president; William C. Osborne, vice- president, and Mord Carter, secretary. The present officers are: Cyrus Os- borne, president ; Thomas J. Cofer, vice-president, and William C. Osborne,
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secretary. The capital stock is still $25,000; deposits, $80,000, and surplus, $7,000. The company was chartered in 1899.
The Danville State Bank was organized in 1904 by a stock company. The officers of the bank at present are: S. H. Hall, president; J. K. Little, vice-president ; O. M. Piersol, cashier ; O. P. Humston, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $25,000; deposits, $160,000; surplus, $17,500.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF DANVILLE.
The Danville public schools graduated the first class in the year 1880. This class consisted of but one member, Belle Kennedy. Since that time there have been nearly three hundred and fifty graduated. The largest class was graduated in 1910, consisting of twenty-three members. Many of the gradu- ates have continued their studies in higher institutions of learning, but a majority have entered upon their life work without any other training than that given in the high school. The people of Danville have spared no ex- pense in giving the young people of the community the advantages enjoyed by the most favored in the state.
The first brick school house in the county was built at Danville in 1829. The second free school, as it was called, was a two-story frame, situated on the lot across the street south from the old college building. This burned in the fall of 1872. The following year another school building was con- structed, but in 1878 fire destroyed it to such an extent that it had to be nearly entirely rebuilt. The present high school building was completed in 1900.
COURT HOUSE HISTORY.
The first court house in Danville was constructed of peeled hickory logs and the jail, back of the present location of Thompson's jewelry store, was of the same material. In the year 1830 a second court house was built and was a square, brick building. The third court house was completed in the year 1862 and cost sixty thousand dollars. The building was considered a substantial one and of elegant architecture for the time. The first floor was taken up mainly by the county offices and on the second floor was the court room, considered one of the best in the state. The building was surmounted by two towers, upon one of which was an observatory. This court house per- formed good service for many years or until eight-thirty o'clock on the night of January 9, 1912, when the whole roof collapsed, completely wrecking the upper floor of the building. Fortunately, it was an hour when the place was
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deserted or there would have been fatalities. Court had been held that very day; also for many weeks noises of cracking had been heard, but unheeded.
The county council held a meeting on Monday, January 22, 1912, for th: purpose of discussing the building of a new court house. There was no defi- nite action taken, due to two factions in the council and much difference of opinion. On February 3d, however, they met again and appropriated two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars for the erection of a new court house. Bonds were ordered issued. The work of advertising for bids, etc., went on and the contract was awarded. Clarence Martindale is the architect of the new court house structure. The first thing done was the razing of the ruins of the old court house. This was done, most of the bricks being de- posited in the fill at the east end of Marion street. The corner stone for the new court house was laid on May 29, 1913, with fitting ceremonies.
The new court house, now well along in the process of construction, is to be one of the most efficient and beautiful in the state of Indiana. The house is constructed of Bedford oolitic stone and the best steel. The inside wainscoting and corridor floors are to be of marble. The court room is to have monolithic floors, art glass sky-light and ornamental plaster ceiling. The dimensions of the court house are one hundred and eleven by one hun- dred and forty-two by one hundred and thirteen feet and forty-eight feet in height. The two court rooms, the grand jury room and the county surveyor's office are on the third floor, the principal county offices are on the second floor, and on the first floor are the minor offices, the county superintendent's office, rest rooms, Grand Army of the Republic room. The building is to be heated by steam and lighted by electricity. A modern ventilating system is installed and a vacuum cleaning apparatus. An electric elevator will run the entire height of the building. This building has a copper roof and is con- sidered absolutely fire-proof. The architecture is of the Renaissance style mainly, with features of other architectural designs. The natural lighting of the building is an important asset. P. H. McCormack Company, of Colum- bus, Indiana, are the contractors.
THE JAIL.
The present jail building in Danville was erected in the year 1869. In January, 1865, the county board of commissioners ordered the sheriff "to sell at public outcry to the highest bidder the old county jail, reserving all the iron and stone in said building to the county, also to sell the old fence around said house." This was done and it was ordered that Martin Gregg
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be appointed to examine jails in other counties and employ an architect to give a draft and estimated cost of such a building and report on the same. Pending the erection of the new jail the jury room in the north side of the old court house served the purpose of a bastile. The cost of the jail was approximately. thirty thousand dollars. In 1914 a new heating plant is being installed.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
Western Star Lodge No. 26, Free and Accepted Masons, at Danville, was organized under dispensation February 10, 1846, and the charter is dated May 30th following. James L. Hogan was the first worshipful master; J. D. Parker, senior warden, and William L. Matlock, junior warden. Col. Thomas Nichols, a pioneer justice of the peace, was the first man initiated into this lodge. This lodge now has a membership of about one hundred and seventy-five.
Danville Chapter No. 46, Royal Arch Masons, was chartered May 23, 1860, with Reece Trowbridge as the first high priest. E. Singer was the first king and Jacob Fleece, scribe. The chapter has a present membership of one hundred.
Colestock Council No. 26, Royal and Select Masters, at Danville, was organized under dispensation, August 24, 1868, and chartered in July of the following year. The council now has about seventy-five members.
Danville Chapter No. 39, Order of the Eastern Star, was chartered in 1879, with T. S. Adams as worthy patron, Eliza M. Johnson as worthy matron, and Mary E. Cooper as assistant matron. There are fifty members of the Eastern Star now.
Silcox Lodge No. 123, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organ- ized January 14, 1853, by John W. L. Matlock, Ohio Cleveland, R. H. Morehead, Theodore P. Hoy, George F. McGinnis, J. B. E. Reed and J. S. Harvey as charter members. John W. L. Matlock was the first noble grand; H. S. McCormick, vice-grand; William Astley, secretary; D. G. Wilson, treasurer; J. G. Mulligan, outer guard; William Jeffers, inner guard; D. D. Hamilton, R. C. S. Maccoun, James H. Taylor, R. Cope, stewards. This lodge has a present membership of one hundred and fifty.
Matilda Lodge No. 47, Daughters of Rebekah, at Danville, was char- tered February 24, 1871.
Danville Lodge No. 48, Knights of Pythias, was organized June 12, 1874, with twenty-eight members. The first officers were: C. W. Wynant,
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past commander ; Thomas N. Jones, chancellor commander ; Charles H. Dill,. vice-commander; W. H. Hess, prelate; D. B. Keleher, master-at-arms; Lee Hunt, master of exchequer; Washington Gregg, master of finance; J. C. Waterous, keeper of records and seal; J. T. Clark, inner guard; Jesse Cum- mins, outer guard.
Tuscarora Tribe No. 49, Improved Order of Red Men, at Danville, was. organized June 5, 1874, among the prominent members being E. M. Tinder, Henry Howell, W. T. Linn, James T. McCurdy, Aaron Hart, ] W. Hart and James O. Parker.
Application having been made in due form for the organization of a. Grand Army of the Republic post in Danville, a dispensation was granted and General James R. Carnahan, in company with a number of comrades. from George H. Thomas Post, of Indianapolis, reported on the evening of mustering the post. The meeting was held in the court room and an or- ganization effected and officers elected. This was on April 27, 1883. Fifty- six comrades were mustered as charter members and this number quickly mounted to well over a hundred. The first officers included such men as : Alfred Welshans, commander; John Messler, and James J. Bell, Thomas J. Coffer, Daniel Kelleher, Charles W. Stewart, John W. Tinder, H. Hall, Leroy H. Kennedy, William H. Nichols and Stanley A. Hall. The roster of the post, taken in May, 1913, numbered forty-four men.
The post is gradually growing smaller, each year many of the veterans. being called from the ranks by death. However, the post is active here and each year Memorial Day is sacredly observed. The Sunday schools, Central Normal College and citizens generally unite with the post in the strewing of flowers and reviving the memories of the deceased comrades.
PUBLIC PARK.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable facts about Daville, considering its size, is that the town boasts of a public park. Ground for this park was purchased in 1913 at a cost of two hundred dollars an acre for twenty acres. The Commercial Club pushed this deal until the city decided to buy the - property. The city employed a landscape gardener, who has planted about two thousand trees and shrubs on the ground. A baseball diamond and. grandstand have been constructed and this summer it is planned to obstruct. the stream, which flows throught the grounds, and a bathing beach created.
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