History of Hendricks County, Indiana, Part 26

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1885
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 786

USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana > Part 26

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At the May session, 1832, supervisors, fence-viewers and in- spectors of elections were appointed for each township in the county, the last-named officers to ser ? at the general election in the fol- lowing Angust. From the record of the September session we find that the judges of that election received as compensation 50 cents each. Thomas Samuel was allowed $30 for assessing the county.

At the November session the School Commissioner, Edward Strange, reported that he had sold all but eighty acres of section 16, in township 14 north, 2 west, for $1,133-$334.234 cash, and the balance to be paid in ten years. Loans had been made as fol- lows : James Walls, $250; Absalom Snoddy, $86.81; David Curtis, $55; Thomas J. Walker, $22.45. January following he reported the sale of school section in township 14 north, 1 east, for $1,403.50, of which $489.22} was paid down, with ten years' credit on the remainder. Loans were made : To John Stewart, $16.09; John Wilson, $87.50; Isaac Trotter, $300; William Townsend, $204.25; Ira Scott, $76.75.

The rate of taxation for county purposes for 1833 was fixed as follows : Poll tax, 50 cents; each horse, 37} cents; yoke of oxen, 37} cents; "pinch back" or silver watch, 25 cents; gold watch, $1; metal clock, $1; each hundred acres first-rate land, 40 cents; second- rate land, 30 cents; third-rate land, 20 cents; pleasure carriage, 25 cents; vender of wooden clocks, $10. The county treasurer re- ported receipts of $960.841, and disbursements of $1,382.073.

At the March term, 1833, the road districts throughout the county were defined, giving thirteen to Center, five to Eel River, three to Middle, four to Brown, five to Washington, five to Guil- ford, seven to Liberty, four to Franklin and six to Marion.

The above include all the important and interesting proceedings of the first few sessions recorded.

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EARLY MARRIAGES.

Following is a list of the first marriage licenses issned in Hen- dricks County, all previous to Jan. 1, 1828:

James Reynolds and Rachel Demoss, Nov. 17, 1824; Charles Merritt and Jemima Leamon, Dec. 7, 1824; David Stutsman and Jane Nichols, Feb. 16, 1825; Charles Wilcox and Alice Harrold, May 5, 1825; James Fowler and Margaret Walker, June 9, 1825; David Jones and Elizabeth Ramsey, July 6, 1825; John R. Hinton and Mary McCurry, Aug. 11, 1825; Amos Emery and Nancy Bray, Ang. 17, 1825; John Fowler and Elizabeth Benson, Ang. 17, 1825; Erasmus Nichols and Elizabeth Stanley, Sept. 7, 1825; Will- iam T. Matlock and Betsey Ballard, Sept. 8, 1825; Thomas L. Walker and Eppy Guynn, Nov. 9, 1825; Jonathan Jessup and Sarah Leamon, Oct. 17, 1825; George W. Nees and Cynthia Thompson, Dec. 25, 1825; William Jarrel and Peggy Horn, March 7, 1826; William Crum and Polly Horn, March 7, 1826; James Pope and Betsey Osborn, March 7, 1826; Mincher L. Cox and Sarah Nichols, March 10, 1826; Alvin Dunn and Sarah Dunn, May 10, 1826; John Hiatt and Jane Griffith, Sept. 20, 1826; Samuel M. Dunn and Mary Walker, Oct. 17, 1826; Reuben Pear- son and Elizabeth Wood, Nov. 3, 1826; William Moore and Betsey Moore, Nov. 12, 1826; William Harron and Catharine Cooper, Nov. 23, 1826; William Jones and Nelly Claypool, Feb. 12, 1827; Reu- ben Claypool and Isabel Adair; Abraham Cook and Mary Carson, March 22, 1827; Daniel Troxwell and Elizabeth Dicken, March 31, 1827; David Evans and Sarah Walter, April 7, 1827; Henry Young and Betsey Neas, Dec. 19, 1829; George Peck and Lucinda Sam- nel, June 16, 1827; George Hartman and Polly Shrowder, June 16, 1827; Charles Williams and Elizabeth Staley, June 30, 1827; George Walker and Sarah Lane, July 28, 1827; Joshua Allen and Jane Turner, Aug. 9, 1827; Hiram Harrison and Jane Dunn, Aug. 15, 1827; James Demoss and Hannah Fox, Aug. 23, 1827; William Rushton and Polly Newman, Sept. 5, 1827; George W. Pope and Jane Cooper ept. 12, 1827; Joshua Marshill and Mary Cook, Sept. 24, 1827; Buriah Dunn and Hannah Dunn Nov. 2, 1827; Isaac Taylor and Mary McCracken, Dec. 20, 1827.

FIRST LAND DEED.

.This indenture, made on the third day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred twenty-five, between Sam-

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uel Woodward and wife Abigail, of the county of Hendricks and State of Indiana, of the first part, and Abraham Woodward, of the same county and State aforesaid, witnesseth, that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars to them in hand paid by the party of the second part, the re- ceipt whereof is hereby fully acknowledged, have bargained, granted and sold, and by these presents do bargain, grant and sell, alien and enfeoff unto the party of the second part, his heirs and assigns for- ever, all that certain tract of land situate, lying and being in the township of Green, and in the county and State aforesaid, contain- ing eighty acres, being the west half of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 21, township 14 north, range 1 east, together with all and singular the appartenances thereto belonging or in anywise apper taining, and the reversion or reversions, remainder or remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof, and all the estate, right, title and demand whatsoever of the said party of the first part, either in law or equity of and in the above bargained premises, to have and to hold the above described lands and premises to the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever, and the said Samuel Woodward doth for himself, his heirs, executors and assigns that they, the said party of the first part, are lawfully seized of the aforesaid granted premises, and that they have good right to sell and convey the same to the said party of the second part, as afore_ said, and that he will, and that his heirs, executors and adminis_ trators shall defend the same to the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, forever against the lawful demands of all per- sons. In witness whereof the said Samuel Woodward and Abigail his wife have hereunto set their hands and seals this day and year above written.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us. JOHN H. BRAY, SAMUEL WOODWARD, ABIGAIL WOODWARD.

CHARITY HOCKETT,

FIRST WILL.

One of the oldest writings in the county offices is the copy of the first will recorded in the county, the maker being Uriah Hults: " In the name of God, Amen. I, Uriah Hults, near the county of Marion and State of Indiana, yeoman, do make and publish this, my last will and testament, in the form and manner following: "Item first. I do give to my son Daniel C. one hundred acres of land, on the west part of section 29, and to run so far east, on

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the section line, as to contain one hundred acres, without interfering with the land that might be drowned or flooded by water with run- ning a dam twelve feet high at the place called the millseat.

" Item second. I do give to my two daughters, Charity and Abigail, one hundred acres on the east part section 28, adjoining the lands of James L. Givans, to them, their heirs and assigns forever. And if either of them should die before they should come of age, the surviving one shall have the other's half.

"Item third. I do give to my son Nathaniel W. one hundred acres of land adjoining the lands of Charity and Abigail, and the lands to run parallel with the north and south lines of the sections, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

"Item fourth. I do give to my two daughters, Anna and Je- rusha, one dollar each, to be paid to them when called for.

"Item fifth. I give to my son Uriah S. the moneys left in the hands of Nathan Hults to collect for me, and he to be at the trouble of going after it, also the surveying instruments and the book that belongs to the same, and a book for the learning of book- keeping, and a rifle gun that is called his; the money before men- tioned is about two hundred dollars, be the same more or less.

"Item sixth. I do give to Sally Mariah fifty acres of land ad- joining the lands of Nathaniel W., on the west side, to her and her heirs and assigns forever after her mother's decease.

" Item seventh. I do give to my kind and loving wife Abigail the use of all the remainder of my land whereon I now live, and Sally Mariah's land, to enable her to bring up the infant children and my grandson Silas, the son of Nathaniel W., which is to live with her in a praiseworthy manner, and to give him a decent educa- tion fit for doing business, as far as her situation will admit, also my personal property of every description, for the above use and her support, excepting what is given to my son Uriah S., and at her decease my grandson Silas, Nathaniel W.'s son, shall have the remainder of my land which I do give to him and his heirs and as- signs forever, reserving a home and support for Sally Mariah, so long as she shall live unmarried, and in case my wife should die before the above infant children should come of age or marry, they shall be brought up as above directed, and the personal property shall be at her disposal at her decease, what shall remain over and above bringing up the said children, and if Charity or Abigail or Sally Mariah should die before they should come of age or have a lawful heir, their land shall be divided between the surviving two,

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and if my grandson Silas should die without a lawful heir, his land shall beequally divided between his father, Nathaniel W., Charity, Sally Mariah and Abigail, or the surviving ones of them, and in case one of the girls should marry, my executors or their mother may give them $25 in furniture if she thinks best so to do.

"Item eighth. I do ordain and appoint and constitute my wife Abigail, my son Nathaniel W., and Jeremiah Corbally, executors to this my last will and testament, and I do hereby revoke all other wills, and do acknowledge this only to stand in force and virtue. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of this 28th day of August, in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hun- dred twenty-two.

NEGROES' REGISTRY. URIAH HULTS."

Some thirty years ago there was required to be kept at the county seat in each county a register of free negroes and mulattoes, with personal description of each, the registry to be witnessed by one or more responsible citizens. The object of this seems to have been as much for the negroes' protection as anything else; as the means was thus afforded for them to prove their antecedents, when the same were questioned. At the same time it enabled slave owners to trace such of their property as had sought a refuge in the free States. As but a few were registered in Hendricks County, the record is here given, in a condensed form:

Allen Spinks, about fifty-five, three-fourths black, five feet eleven inches high, and weighing about 156 pounds, born in Ran- dolph County, N. C., and residing in Guilford Township; wit- nessed by Abner Blair and Joel Newlin, July 30, 1853.

Isham Smith, forty, black, five feet eight inches high, weighing 176 pounds, born in Randolph County, N. C., residing in Guilford Township; witnessed by Abner Blair and Joel Newlin, July 30, 1853.

Lydia Free, or Moss, forty, black, common size, born in Orange County, N. C., residing in Guilford Township; and her family of six children-John Watson, seventeen, full black, full size for his age, five feet seven or eight inches high and tolerably fleshy; Na- than, fifteeen, full black, large of his age, five feet five inches high and tolerably fleshy; Elizabeth Jane, thirteen, full black, large of her age, five feet two or three inches high and somewhat fleshy; Thurzey C., ten, full black and large of her age; Willam Henry, seven, full black and moderate size for a boy of his age; Lydia El- len Lavina, eight months old, a mulatto, and half white. All these

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children were born in Randolph County, N. C., except the last, which first greeted the light in Hendricks County. The family were registered Aug. 17, 1853, with William E. Carter as witness.

Daniel Pierson, fifty, a dark mulatto, five feet nine inches high, spare in his make, and quick of speech and movement, born in Shelby County, Ky., residing in Danville; witnessed by James Christie, Nov. 30, 1854.

Ann Pierson (wife of Daniel), fifty, a negress, very spare made, and tall for a woman, born in Lincoln County, Ky., registered with her husband, and also with her three children-Charles, twenty-eight, a very dark mulatto, five feet nine inches high, heavy set, with a heavy, husky voice; Lewis, twenty-one, a dark mulatto, five feet eight inches high, very stout and fat, with a round face; Jane, a very dark mulatto, crippled in her right leg and walks on the toe of that foot. All of this family are yet living but the mother. The father's home is in Canada, and he occasionally vis- its Danville. The two sous run a barber shop in Indianapolis.

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CHAPTER IV.

POLITICAL.

ONCE A DEMOCRATIC COUNTY .- THE DAYS OF JACKSON .- WHIG TEN- DENCIES OF THE EARLY VOTERS OF THE COUNTY .- LOCAL POLITIOS. -CURSORY VIEW OF THE PRESIDENTIAL VOTES CAST IN THE COUNTY, 1828-'84 .- ABSTRACT OF GENERAL ELECTION RETURNS.

Few people are now living to tell of the days when Hendricks was a Democratic county. It is, in fact, generally supposed that the party now in power has always been in a minority here. The county was organized in 1824, the year that saw John Quincy Adams, the "last of the Federalists," elected President, but it can- not be learned now whether this county participated in that elec- tion. The founder of the Democratic party, at least under its present name, was Andrew Jackson, who was first elected Presi- dent in 1828, and was re-elected in 1832. In the former year he was elected as an anti-administration candidate, and the vote in this county was 204 for Jackson and 164 for Adams. Four years later he was elected as a Democrat, the opposition presenting as their candidate Henry Clay, the first nominee of the Whig party. The name Whig was chosen in imitation of the English political party which had strongly opposed the arbitrary authority of the throne, the followers of Clay in this country fancying that they were placed in a similar position by opposing the celebrated vetoes of President Jackson. In 1832 the vote was 483 for Jackson and 274 for Clay, a plurality of 209, as against forty the previous campaign.

It is likely that these votes in 1828 and 1832 indicated more the personal popularity which General Jackson enjoyed here, as through- out the West, than they did the adoption of any particular political faith. The reader's attention is called to the great increase in the total vote (368 in 1828 and 757 in 1832), as indicating the rapid growth in population in those years of Hendricks County.

The first general election in the county, of which any record is preserved, was that of 1826. From the returns of that and suc- ceeding years, however, no idea can be gathered of the state of (294)

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politics here. The majorities in the first election were all the way from two to 134. At that time we had no rigid party affilia- tions, no machine conventions under the iron rule of " bosses," and no disciplinary caucuses, whose decrees must be followed, under penalty of political death. Candidates were run almost entirely on personal popularity, for local and county offices, and so free was the expression of opinion that a man who received the almost unan- imous vote of one township would not have a single follower in any other township. It was sometimes the case that no candidate for a given office carried more than one township, each of the dif- ferent townships giving its vote to a different favorite. This inde- pendence continued until about 1850, since when it has not been so general, although it prevails to a certain extent even now.

Election returns are on file from but three townships (although four voted) for the 1828 election. From these it appears that the vote was in Center Township, for Jackson 166 and for Adams eighty-eight; in Eel River, for Jackson thirty-five and for Adams seven; and in Guilford, for Jackson three and for Adams sixty-nine. Thus early in their history did Eel River and Guilford townships indicate the political faith to which they have been attached for sixty years past, with increasing steadfastness. For 1832 we have returns from five townships, of which Jackson carried four, with the follow- ing majorities: Center, 186; Eel River, sixty-five; Liberty, twenty- three; and Washington, fifteen; Guilford gave a majority of eighty for Clay.

In the campaign of 1836, the rival candidates for the presidency were Martin Van Buren, Democrat, and William Henry Harrison, Whig, the former being successful. The vote in this county was quite a full one, the total being 1,120. Of this number the Whigs polled 731 and the Democrats 389, a majority of 342. Ever after that, the county has given substantial majorities for the Whig and its legitimate successor, the Republican party. The Whig major- ities were usually from 300 to 500. Center and Liberty townships, which had been strongly for Jackson, now became as pronounced for the Whig party, to which they remained true as long as the party lasted; while Franklin and Marion, new townships, also reported very strong Whig majorities, Brown and Eel River be- came known as the Democratic townships. Their majorities were this year forty-four and fifteen, respectively. The Whig majorities were: Center, sixty-one; Franklin, sixty-three; Guilford, 113; Liberty, 130; Marion, thirty-four.

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The returns for 1840 are not on file. In that year, however, the county gave a substantial majority for Harrison, over Van Buren, who failed of a re-election. This was one of the most exciting polit- ical years the nation has ever seen, and is still spoken of as the "log cabin and hard cider" campaign.

In the next presidential year, 1844, the already twice-defeated Whig, Henry Clay, was a third time put forward as a candidate, against James K. Polk, nominated by the Democrats. For the first time there was a third political element, in the shape of the Free-Soil party, which nominated James G. Birney. . The slavery question was now rapidly overshadowing all others. There were few Abolitionists as yet, the most advanced Free-Soil politicians only asking that slavery be excluded from the Territories. The admission of Texas as a State, involving war with Mexico, was championed by the followers of Polk, and entered largely into the campaign. The result showed that Clay would have been elected had it not been for a certain unfortunate expression let fall by him in a letter during the heat of the canvass, to the effect that he was not personally averse to the admission of Texas. This did not lose him any considerable number of votes, but enough were transferred to Birney, the Free-Soil candidate, to defeat the great Whig leader. Had he been able to retain one-third of the Birney votes in New York State alone, Clay would have been President instead of Polk, and the whole course of history changed. Out of 2,132 votes in Hendricks County, Clay received 1,262, Polk 844, and Birney twenty-six. The townships giving Polk pluralities were Brown, sixty-nine; Middle, twenty-five, and Eel River, forty-one. Those voting for Clay gave the following pluralities : Center, twenty- seven (in a total vote of 725); Franklin, eighty-five; Guilford, 208; Liberty, 169; Marion, fifty-eight; Washington, six.

In 1848 the veteran of the Mexican war, General Zachary Taylor, was nominated by the Whigs, and elected over General Lewis Cass, Democrat, and ex-President Martin Van Buren, now a Free-Soiler. In Hendricks County not much interest was dis- played, and a light vote was polled, the result being : Taylor, 1,- 158; Cass, 775; and Van Buren, 173. Taylor's plurality, 383. The Whigs carried seven townships by the following figures : Center, twenty-four; Clay, twenty-one; Franklin, sixty; Guilford, ninety-three; Liberty, 106; Marion, thirty-nine; Washington, two, . The Democrats carried Brown by nineteen, Eel River by thirty,

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and Middle by thirty-five. In Clay and Guilford townships the Free-Soil vote exceeded the Democratic.

Southern and Democratic principles triumphed in 1852, by the election of General Franklin Pierce over General Winfield Scott. Never was a party which had hoped for success so overwhelmingly defeated as that of the Whigs this year, when Pierce received a large majority of both the electoral and popular votes. Not a very heavy vote was cast in Hendricks County, where the canvass showed the following : Total vote, 2,388; Scott, 1,252; Pierce, 980; John P. Hale (Free-Soil), 156. Scott's plurality, 270. The Whigs carried eight townships, by the following pluralities : Center, twenty-eight; Clay, forty-five; Franklin, seventy-seven; Guilford, forty; Liberty, 101; Marion, three; Middle, three; Washington, fifteen. The three Democratic townships and |pluralities were as follows: Brown, fifty-three; Eel River, twenty-nine; Union, thirty- three. As in 1848, the Free-Soil vote was heaviest in Guilford and Clay townships, exceeding the Democratic vote.

The causes of the defeat of the Whigs in 1852 are well known. The anti-slavery people were suspicious of the party leaders, and finally were completely alienated; and the party of Clay and Webster, falling into weaker hands after the death of those states- men, was not only defeated, but killed for all time. During its six campaigns it had carried Hendricks County uniformly, except in the first, 1832. In 1854 a new party arose on its ruins, and ab- Borbed the strength of the Whigs, the Free-Soilers, and after a few years many Northern Democrats. Since the birth of the Repub- lican party this county has given from 1,000 to 1,500 majority for that organization, except in the first campaign, 1856, when the plurality was only 302. In that year the Republican party put for- ward as its first standard bearer General John C. Fremout, the popular Western hero, who was, however, defeated by the veteran statesman and politician, James Buchanan, nominated by the Democratic convention. A very large vote was polled in this county, that of Fremont being 1,680, and Buchanan, 1,378. The American, or "Know-Nothing" party had placed before the peo- ple Millard Fillmore, for whom seventy:two votes were given in Hendricks. The five townships giving Fremont majorities were : Clay, 100; Franklin, sixty-eight; Guilford, 269; Liberty, 147; Washington, fifty-seven. The six townships on the Buchanan side of the election were : Brown, 103; Center, one; Eel River, seven- een ; Marion, forty; Middle, fifty-one, Union, 127.

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In the memorable campaign of 1860, just before our civil war, the voters of the United States were called upon to choose between Abraham Lincoln (Republican), Stephen A. Douglas (Northern Democrat), John C. Breckinridge (Southern Democrat) and John Bell (Union). Through the disagreement of the Northern and Southern wings of the Democracy, Lincoln was elected, though he received but two-fifths of the popular vote. The campaign in Hendricks County was unusually exciting, and a heavy vote was polled, with this result : Lincoln, 2,050; Douglas, 1,083; Breckin- ridge, 244; Bell, forty-one. Lincoln's plurality, 987. The town- ships voting for Lincoln were eight in number, as follows: Brown, twelve; Center, 178; Clay, 136; Franklin, sevnty-seven; Guilford, 320; Liberty, 187; Marion, thirty-four; Washington, ninety-six. Three townships gave their pluralities to Douglas, as follows : Eel River, eight; Middle, ten; Union, eighty-six. The sentiment for Lincoln was very strong, and the enthusiasm of the people was at a high pitch.

The next presidential election was held in the last year of the war. The Democracy placed in the field George B. Mc Clellan, in opposition to Lincoln, who was renominated. The sentiment of the North being emphatically with the administration, Lincoln was re-elected. In this county he received 2,622 votes, to 832 for McClellan; and the resulting majority, 1,790, is the largest ever given in Hendricks County. Excitement ran very high, and in many places the zeal of the Union people was such that they took extreme measures, and threats and force were employed to induce Democrats to vote the Republican ticket. This was notably true in Danville, where the polls were guarded by returned soldiers. Many Democrats were marched to the polling place between two files of patriotic soldiers and citizens, and made to deposit ballots that did not represent their honest convictions. Only the extreme peril in which our country was then placed, and the ardent patriot- ism of the Unionists and the general circumstances of the times can be brought up in defense of acts which would to-day be de- nounced as unlawful by all.

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History of Hendricks County, Indiana, Part 26

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co. Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Number of Pages: 786

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1885
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 786