USA > Indiana > Howard County > History of Howard County, Indiana, Vol I > Part 33
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
There had been preaching by Presbyterian ministers of neighi- boring churches quite frequently in Kokomo, but the first record of
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an organized Presbyterian church in Kokomo is November 22, 1868. On this date there is an enrollment of four names, Dr. R. Q. Wil- son, Mrs. Isabelle Wilson, Joseph Cain, and Mrs. N. A. Cain. The first record of a meeting of the official board is December 2, 1869. Rev. C. M. Howard was acting as stated supply of the church. At that time there was an enrollment of sixty members. In Septem- ber, 1870, Rev. W. A. Hutchison became pastor. There was con- siderable interest and growth during this pastorate and that of Rev. F. M. Elliott, who preached for about one year. But in 1875 the church virtually ceased to exist and for fourteen years the name of the church was on the roll of the Presbytery with only eight names.
The present organization dates from November 25, 1887, when a meeting was held at the residence of Mr. John Jay. Rev. Charles Little, D. D., of Wabash, and Rev. Mr. Gregg, of Noblesville, were present by appointment of the Presbytery to organize the church. At that meeting seventeen persons were enrolled as members of the church. This number was soon augmented until it reached forty- five. The organization showed great vigor and determination and at once began the erection of the building in which the church now worships. March 27. 1889, the Rev. R. G. Roscamp was called to the pastorate and served until April 13. 1892, when he was called to Greensburg, Indiana. During his pastorate the church building was completed and dedicated. He was followed by the Rev. Henry Gardner, who acted as stated supply from June 1, 1892, to June I. 1894. During his pastorate the indebtedness of the church was con- siderably reduced. On September 30, 1894, the Rev. R. G. Ros- camp was recalled, and served until April 1. 1897. The pulpit was then vacant until January 1, 1898, when Rev. E. A. Allen became stated supply, serving until September 1, 1901, when he accepted a call to the Presbyterian church at Decatur, Indiana. During his pas- torate the last indebtedness upon the church building was paid and
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at an anniversary service in 1900 all of the mortgage papers which had been held against the church were burned. Rev. W. A. Hutch- ison, who had been pastor during the time of the first organiza- tion, was recalled to the pastorate and began the work December I, 1901, but on account of ill health was not able to continue, and closed his work with the church here September 30, 1902. Rev. M. L. Pearson began his work as pastor of the church November 9, 1902, and closed his work December 25, 1904. During his pas- torate the pipe organ was installed. At a congregational meeting hield in the church May 30, 1905, the present pastor, Rev. W. T. McKee, was called. His first sermon was preached July 2, 1905. the formal installation taking place September 27, 1905. At the same meeting of the congregation at which the pastor was called a committee was appointed to secure a home for the new pastor, and they succeeded in purchasing the delightful home of Dr. F. H. Smith, adjoining the church property on the west, and is now oc- cupied as a manse. The elders who served the church since its organization were : William H. Sellers, Peter A. Sassaman, George S. Humphrey, W. M. Souder, W. E. Stansbury, Elwood Haynes, John R. Cain, T. H. Penn, A. L. Harter, M. C. Kitchen and John C. Kessler. Mr. Sellers and Mr. Sassaman were the first elders elected. Mr. Sassaman died July 13, 1906. Mr. Sellers has been serving faithfully and continuously in the office ever since the re- organization of the church. The church looks forward into the fu- ture hopefully. With an active membership of something over two hundred members, with an able body of men as the elders of the church, at the present day, the church is well organized in her tem- poral and spiritual agencies and moves forward to do her share of the moral and spiritual uplifting of Kokomo.
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THE COLORED CHURCHES.
There are two prosperous colored churches in Kokomo, with good memberships and active in the good cause of the Lord. Rev. W. H. Irvin is pastor of the African Methodist Episcopal church, which has been in existence many years. The spiritual director of the Second Baptist church is Rev. Gaines.
THE FRIENDS' CHURCH.
The meeting of the Friends was established in Kokomo in 1865, the first services being held at the home of Richard Nixon. There were but few families of Friends living here at the time, they being those of Richard Nixon, Robert Coate, WV. S. Wooten, and William Moore. Additions to the society were had from time to time, the more prominent being Jesse Turner and wife, Robert Has- kett, David Coffin, Mrs. William Mavity, Mrs. James Wildman, Amos Hollowell, William Trueblood, Nathan Dixon, Jesse John- son, Minnie Trueblood, Francis Macy, Eli Overman and wife, Asa Hockett and wife, Thomas Rich and wife, and Thomas Moulder and family. While the first meetings were in silence, mostly after the fashion then of the Friends, there was usually some one selected for reading and prayers. In time the meeting assembled in a hall on the north side of the Court House square, where it worshipped for several years. The pioneer members were garbed as became the faith, and after the William Penn fashion, but . these distinctive characteristics of the church began to loose their hold as early as 1865, and finally disappeared altogether.
The church originally had no minister, but the first pastor se- lected by the Kokomo church, in fact, the first recognized in the world by an official title, was Robert Douglas. In time William
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L. Butler, Henry Coate, Jesse Turner, Emily Ellis, and Dr. Charles Kirk were enrolled as ministers. Dr. Kirk finally entered upon missionary work among the Indians. The membership continued to increase until the year 1870, when an effort was made to build a church house, which resulted in the erection of the present church building, a good, substantial brick, forty by sixty-six feet, with a stone foundation and costing about six thousand dollars. From the time of the completion of this building, in 1872, until the present time, the meetings have been held in it. Frequently ministers from abroad conducted services in the years gone by. The church is in a healthful condition, both spiritually and financially, having 385 members. The Rev. G. H. Moore is the minister, having been called to the Kokomo pulpit September, 1907. The church has four societies engaged in the promotion of spiritual progress, they be- ing the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, the Ladies' Aid So- ciety, and the Junior and Senior Christian Endeavor societies.
COURTLAND AVENUE FRIENDS' CHURCH.
The Courtland Avenue Friends' church, a branch of the Union street meeting, was organized November, 1898, by Dr. S. T. Kirk. It has a membership of 165 members and is under the pastorate of Rev. Calvin R. Choate, who is doing an excellent work. His as- sistance in the way of church societies are the well-known Bible class and the Loyal Legion.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
On the 8th day of September, 1863, the First Congregational church of Kokomo was organized under the direction of Rev. Jo- seph* E. Ray, D. D., of Chicago, who, at that time, was the repre- sentative of the Congregational Home Missionary Society for the district of Northern Illinois and Northern Indiana. Fourteen per- sons constituted the membership at the time of the organization. They were : Rev. J. L. Jenkins and wife, Mr. and Mrs. M. R. An-
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drews, Mr. and Mrs. H. Y. Kelso, Mr. and Mrs. James M. Patter- son, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Flemming, Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, Mrs. Margaret Murray, Mrs. Lucinda Hathaway, and Mr. James Kauf- man. Rev. J. L. Jenkins was the first pastor. He served the church for two years and was succeeded by the Rev. C. H. Richards. The beautiful church edifice started during the pastorate of Rev. Jen- kins, was completed during the ministry of Rev. Richards. The Rev. Jenkins terminated his ministry in September, 1865. The church received new life under the pastorate of Rev. A. S. Wood, who served from 1871 to 1877. The house was renovated, refitted, a fine new pipe organ added, and best of all, the membership of the church was increased. Eventually the Rev. Wood, much to the re- gret of the congregation, severed his connection with the church and removed to Michigan. Another long pastorate was that of the Rev. Robert McCune, a very able minister, who served the congre- gation from 1881 to 1887.
The present pastor, Rev. Charles W. Choate, was called to the pulpit in December, 1898. He has builded up the church to a high- degree with the assistance of the Home and Foreign Missionary so- cieties of the church, which have revealed a remarkable record 111 benevolence and Christian spirit, and a valuable auxiliary to the church life is the Ladies' Aid Society, and, in addition, the monthly social. The Rev. Choate celebrated the tenth anniversary of his pastorate Sunday, November 29, 1908.
REV. CHOATE'S RECORD.
For ten years the Rev. C. W. Choate has been the pastor of the local Congregational church. The decade in which he has served the charge has been the most important, perhaps, in the city's his- tory. The Rev. Choate has seen Kokomo double in population and increase in wealth threefold. He has been an interested and pleased observer of the city's material progress, but his mission has
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not been with the city's material welfare. His calling has not been among the things concrete, but among the things spiritual. No man has had the honor of a higher mission and no man has served among us more faithfully and efficiently. His activities have not been con- fined to his own church and congregation. He has gone modestly along the way, serving wheresoever he might and whomsoever he could, doing it always unobtrusively, gently and in a beautiful spirit of helpfulness. In the church circles of Kokomo, irrespective of denominations, he is held in kindliest regard. Among those who sent him congratulatory messages on this occasion were not only pastors and members of the other Protestant churches of the city, but Father Lordemann, members of the local Jewish congregation, and many persons who affiliate with no church. In a way, the Rev. Choate has come to be known as the people's pastor, and it is hardly conceivable that he could wish a more agreeable position than that in the community.
HARRISON STREET CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
The church building located at the corner of Harrison and South Market streets was completed and dedicated December, 1896. Rev. Kendall E. West laid the foundations of the society in his gathering together the following as charter members: A. L. and Mrs. M. A. Vickery, D. H. and Mrs. D. M. Stewart, J. I. and Mrs. Jennie Martindale, Rev. Taylor and Mrs. S. J. Jackman, James and Mrs. Lucinda McCool, M. M. Garritson, L. S. and Mrs. E. M. Irby, America Cox, L. J. Groves, D. L. Philips, David and Mrs. Etta Klepper, Joshua and Mrs. Rebecca Hurley, Vie Barkalow, and Liz- zie Chapman. The dedication of the church building occurred un- der the auspices of Pastor West, Rev. J. R. Costner, of Winchester, Indiana, preaching the sermon. In May, 1893, there had been organ- ized an efficient Ladies' Christian Aid Society, which did much to make possible the future formation of the church and the erection
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of their cozy temple of worship. Immediately following the instal- lation of the pastor and people in their new quarters there was the organization of a Sunday school, Christian Endeavor, and the mid- week prayer meeting. These societies have been in active working order ever since their organization. Tangible results have been witnessed through their effective efforts by many having been brought to acknowledge Jesus as their Redeemer and becoming working members of the church. The polity of the Christian church is unique, making Christian character only the test of fellowship, the Bible the only rule of faith and practice, individual interpreta- tion of the Scriptures, the undisputed right, and duty of all. In the matter of Christian baptism, in, or with water, the three modes, "sprinkling, pouring, and immersing," are employed, leaving the se- lection of either to the candidate. Members are also received to full fellowship, if they so elect, without conforming to either of the three several modes of baptism. During the twelve years' history of the local church it has made a remarkable a remarkable impress as a moral force in South Kokomo. The present pastor, R. H. Gott, is now in his fifth year's service with this people, and aided by his excellent wife and a number of consecrated local workers, every de- partment of the church is moving grandly forward.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH.
Several families belonging to the Evangelical Association at the Zion church and elsewhere, settling in Kokomo, made the es- tablishment of an Evangelical church in Kokomo feasible. The In- diana conference of the Evangelical association in session at South Bend, six years ago, 1902, authorized the establishment of an Evan- gelical church in Kokomo, and appointed Rev. A. S. Fisher as pas- tor of the charge. The Garrigus building was leased and June I,
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1902, a Sunday school was organized with thirty-two members, J N. Loop serving as superintendent. The present church site was purchased in the spring of 1905, and during the summer the church building was erected, and dedicated on the third Sunday in Novem- ber. The charter members of the society consisted of the follow- ing persons: A. S. Fisher, Minta Fisher, Elizabeth Fisher, Ferne Fisher, A. J. Troyer, Maud Troyer, Caroline Stutesman, C. D. Ra- rey, Luella Rarey. The society has grown to a membership of over eighty and the Sunday school to an enrollment of one hundred fifty. There is a Young People's Society of twenty-five members, and a Junior Alliance numbering forty. There is also a splendid Ladies' Aid Society, which has done much toward helping to cancel the church debt, and rendered valuable service in other ways. The of- ficial board at present consists of J. A. Weaver, A. J. Troyer, O. L. Webb, J. T. Lines, Merle Toops, J. W. Thomas, Mrs. Matthew An- aker, and Mrs. Solomon Fisher. The first pastor, A. S. Fisher, served for four years, Jacob Wise for two years, and the present pastor, M. L. Scheidler, has served since April.
FREEMONT STREET CHAPEL.
The Freemont Street Christian congregation is the result of an association had in September, 1885, for the promulgation of the principles for which it stands. Literature was sent out, and there was a teaching of the tenets for which the church stands, which later bore fruit. The society was formally incorporated ten years ago, in 1898, and then the formal and active dissemination of its doc- trines began in earnest. The new church, so far as Kokomo was concerned, was brought into being by the diligent, self-sacrificing, and able efforts of Dr. J. L. Puckett, in which he was seconded by his daughter, May Puckett-Foster, and later by Mrs. Ida Wygants.
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The Christian congregation is sharply distinguished from the ordi- nary church in that its cardinal tenet is to make philanthropy through the church as efficient and wide as that of the secret, benevolent or- ders, but after a much different manner, in several particulars. In the first place a member of the Christian congregation can be a miem- ber of any other church at the same time he belongs to the Christian congregation. He may be a Methodist, a Presbyterian, or a Catho- lic, that is of no consequence, so he believes the fundamentals, be- lieves in God, the divinity of Christ, and other essentials to the Christian system, but no details of these beliefs are inquired after.
The congregation is a practically organized agency of philan- thropy. If a member falls sick the president of the official board at once sets in motion the relief agency of the society. The sick mem- ber is visited. If sociability alone is demanded the matter ends there, but if aught else is needed it is administered. Need is the sole criterion governing the action of the church in every particular. Need may mean the employment of a nurse, the securement of a doc- tor, the purchase of medicine, the expenses of a burial after mdical skill has exhausted itself. But as a guard against imposition there is a record kept of receipts as well as disbursements, and it is easy soon to discover if one is receiving more than has been contributed. which leads to a reason for the situation, which, if not justifiable. can be soon terminated. The official board of the local congregation is responsible to the District association and the official board of that body to the General association, so that there is a general sys- tem of balances and checks. The entire scheme of philanthropy is based upon business principles. A complete set of books is kept. and each member contributing is given a receipt for the sum do- nated. The Sisters' Home Helpers are a valuable auxiliary to the realization of the church's ideal. They often visit the home of some one sick, and finding the children needy supply the wants in the
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way of clothing, and discovering that much sewing is needed bring up the family sewing to the needful standard. The benevolent fund of the church is augmented by constant accretion and is always available for any emergency which may arise. The doctrines of the congregation have been gradually spreading until there are congre- gations at Jewel, Darrough's chapel, and Finch chapel. The ac- credited ministers are Mrs. May Puckett-Foster, pastor of the Free- mont Street chapel, and at Jewel, Mrs. Ida Wygants, J. S. Butler, and Charles Laird, of Jewel. The Freemont Street chapel has a membership now of about one hundred. The subdivisions of the church work include the Junior congregation, the Sisters' Home Helpers, and the Sunday school. Dr. Puckett, who organized the Freemont Street chapel, and was for a long time its pastor, preaches, as a general rule, each Sunday evening, when his practice will per- mit.
THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
About eighteen years ago Mrs. Maria L. Woodsworth, a trance evangelist, held a series of remarkable meetings in Kokomo. She drew immense crowds of people to hear her preachments and to witness the heavenly visions, as she presented them. Her evangelism was impressive upon large numbers of representative people of the city, who, for a lifetime, had been indifferent to the wooings of the Spirit. Her followers, in accordance with her example, fell into a trance, which enabled them, they said, to penetrate into the glories of the future life and approach even unto the gates of Heaven. The evangelization differed from any experience, in a religious way, Ko- komo had undergone, and when she departed Mrs. Woodsworth left a large number of converts determined upon the Christian life. and who have trod the path of Christian duty steadfastly ever since. For several months her followers maintained a church near the Clov-
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erleaf Railroad station. The Rev. Shep Shutters preached for sev- eral months with convincing gospel power. In the meantime the ministers of numerous religious faiths were called into the pulpit, an indication that the congregation was seeking a permanent Christian home, but undecided upon just what allegiance to assume. Among the leading proselyters addressing the new congregation were: The Rev. Fletcher Thomas and the Rev. John Farmer, of the St. Joseph conference of the United Brethren church. Their work was done well. They earned the conviction and the affection of the congre- gation, which decided to abandon the name of the Mission church and ally themselves with the organization known as the United Brethren. The present church, in which the excellent people of the faith worship, was completed about eight years ago. It, with the parsonage, represents an investment of about twenty-two thousand dollars. The present pastor is the Rev. C. E. Ashcraft. The mem- bership of the church is two hundred twenty-five. The spiritual success of the church is, in no small degree, indebted to the in- fluence of the various societies which constitute such valuable auxiliaries, they being the Young People's and Junior societies, the Ladies' Aid Society, the Women's Missionary Association, and the Young Ladies' Band.
BEAMER CHAPEL.
The Beamer chapel, better known as the North Street Metho- dist Episcopal church, is now thriving under the pastorate of the Rev. Gray.
ADVENTIST CHURCH.
The Adventist church, which for several years has maintained an organization in Kokomo, has a church located upon West Tay- lor street. This congregation believes that Saturday is the real
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Sunday of the Scriptures and ceases all work upon that day, treating Sunday as a secular day.
KOKOMO LIBRARY.
BY OTIS C. POLLARD.
In December, 1844, the county commissioners ordered the coun- ty agent to retain ten per cent. of the money secured from the sale of lots in the tract donated by David Foster, for the assistance of the county library. The directors of the library chosen by the com- missioners were : William H. Grant, Franklin S. Price, David Fos- ter, William Grant, John Vaughan, and Austin C. Sheets. Mr. Vaughan was selected as librarian. Vaughan being a long time ab- sent from the county, Austin North was finally appointed in his place. Harles Ashley was chosen treasurer of the library funds.
In June, 1850, the county commissioners ordered the treasurer of the county library to pay all money he had in his hands to Rev. McDade C. Richmond and N. R. Linsday for the purchase of books. June, 1851, James McCool was appointed librarian and Adam North treasurer. The library was to have a catalogue, with the price of all books annexed, to keep account of all monies and persons taking and returning books. All persons keeping a book seven days over the limit allowed to keep a book were to be fined one cent for each day. The fee for using the books was fifty cents a year and for a shorter time in proportion. The time for keeping books was as fol- lows: Volumes less than two hundred pages, thirty days ; volumes over two hundred and less than four hundred pages, sixty days; volumes over four hundred and less than six hundred pages, eighty
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days; volumes over six hundred and less than one thousand pages, one hundred twenty days; volumes over one thousand pages, one hundred twenty days.
With all the improved library laws of the state, Kokomo still clings to the old and tried law of 1883, under which the Kokomo, now the Carnegie, library was organized. Among the first to take advantage of this law was the Kokomo school board, then compris- ing A. F. Armstrong, Dr. I. C. Johnson, and W. E. Blacklidge. This board levied a tax of one cent on the hundred dollars for a public library. This small tax brought to the library support about ninety dollars a year. With J. C. Leach as librarian, the library was thrown open to the public in December. 1885, seventy-five books having been purchased and placed upon the shelves. One small case in the chemistry laboratory of the old high school building was ample room for library purposes, the librarian being present each Thursday afternoon for the distribution of books. Naturally these books were limited to high school teachers and their pupils. The recitation room was soon outgrown and the library was transferred to the office of the school superintendent in the Normal building, the time of opening being changed to Saturdays in the term time of school. The next move was to an entire room upon the top floor of the old Normal school building and the time of opening extended to the entire year, Saturday afternoons.
The library having grown into an imposing one of thirty-eight hundred volumes, it was thought worthy of a place in the city build- ing, and accordingly the council donated a room for that purpose. The levy was now increased to three cents and was growing in use- fulness and popularity. At this time Mr. Leach classified the li- brary under the Perkins system and made a printed catalogue. The city building was soon outgrown, and a room was rented in a down- town district, the Blacklidge block, and the hours changed from Sat-
OF HOWARD COUNTY. 465
urday afternoon to each afternoon from one to five o'clock, with an all-day opening on Saturday. Mr. Leach finding cares to numer- ous to devote more time to library matters, and having accepted state office, Miss Olive Moreland, who had been his faithful assist- ant for some time, took charge of the library until in the spring of 1900. During this time the library had been steadily growing, un- der the management of the school board, the shelf list showing in the neighborhood of eight thousand volumes. During 1900 the li- brarian, assisted by Miss Belle Hanna, of the Greencastle public library, commenced the reclassification of the library on the Dewey system. In the spring of 1900 Miss Eva M. Fitzgerald, of Madison, Indiana, was appointed librarian and immediately took up the work of classification under the system begun by Miss Hanna. The li- brary then consisted of ten thousand volumes, all classified with card catalogue, according to Cutter rules. In 1901, the library hav- ing once more outgrown its home, was removed to the commodious room in the east wing of the Blacklidge block. The hours of open- ing were extended from afternoon openings to all afternoons and evenings, and including Sunday opening. A reading room was es- tablished, several periodicals and the daily newspapers being sub- scribed for. The library was in charge of Librarian Fitzgerald and one assistant, the assistant averaging five hours a day and the li- brarian nine hours.
GROWTH OF THE LIBRARY.
From a small, poorly lighted, poorly ventilated back room in a block, with a half-day service and no reading room, and one person to do all, to a thirty-thousand-dollar building, spacious reading and children's rooms, with a staff of trained employes, is the record of the Kokomo Public library between 1900 and 1904. Possibly the
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first suggestion that Kokomo might have a public library building of its very own was made by the librarian, Miss Fitzgerald, during the winter of 1901, when Miss Fitzgerald read a paper before the Kokomo Equal Suffrage and Literary club, in which she drew a picture of Kokomo's future public library. The discussion following this paper started the agitation which resulted in some action on the part of the library trustees, who were also the school trustees. Mr. R. A. Ogg, the superintendent of schools, was delegated to write a letter to Mr. Carnegie and lay before that prodigal library building promoter the claims the Kokomo library had to a hearing. Nothing came from this letter and the matter was allowed to rest until Mr. J. A. Kautz, a member of the board, took a little trip to New York. Mr. Kautz, ever mindful of the various interests he had in hand, found time in the midst of his private business to call upon Mr. Carnegie and in a heart-to-heart talk to urge Kokomo's desire to be numbered among the "fifty-seven varieties" of Carnegie li- braries in Indiana at that time. While Mr. Kautz did not exactly bring back the twenty-five thousand asked for, in his pocket, he did bring back the promise that the matter would be looked into, and if Kokomo could show her ability to make good the twenty-five thousand would be forthcoming in due season. As the sentiment of the place was almost unanimous in favor of the building, there was no difficulty in making the necessary municipal arrangements. There was not even that usual bugbear of getting a popular sub- scription for the purchase of the lot, one of the necessary require- ments, as the school board decided that, under the law which the Kokomo library operates, they would be justified in making the pur- chase from the special school fund, which they did. The Kokomo board, as seems to be the universal rule with Carnegie library boards, were not satisfied with the gift of twenty-five thousand but planned for a much more ornate and elaborate style of architecture
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OF HOWARD COUNTY.
than twenty-five thousand could possibly cover. In order to meet these plans the board was obliged to borrow some money. A tax was levied to meet the needs of the library which brings in a fairly good income. Miss Fitzgerald carried the library through its evo- lutionary period, when it was seeking to emerge from a mere col- lection of books accessible to a limited public, to a real, live factor in the public scheme of living. Miss Fitzgerald superintended the moving, arranging, and planning for the new library, doing no small part of the actual labor herself. In 1906 Miss Fitzgerald was succeeded by Miss Edith Trimble, of Vincennes, Indiana, the present librarian.
CARNEGIE'S GIFT.
In 1903 a gift of twenty-five thousand dollars was accepted from Mr. Carnegie on the usual terms for a library building. The city added about six thousand dollars, making the total cost about thirty-one thousand dollars. The library is sustained by an income from the taxes, the rate being five cents on the hundred dollars.
The building is classic in architecture and made of Bedford stone. In the basement is a club room used by various societies, some of which are : Matinee Musical, Chautauqua League, and Bible classes, Women's Christian Temperance Union, Gentlemen's Lit- erary Society, and Howard County Medical Association.
In 1907 the "Story Hour" was instituted, the object of which is to interest the children in the best in literature. With book lists and bulletins the children are also guided in their reading.
The library contains approximately twelve thousand volumes. These books are at the disposal of all persons living within the city limits. County people pay one dollar a year for the use of books. The library hours are from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. on week days and from
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2 to 5 p. m. on Sundays. Only the reading rooms are open Sun- days.
The library board is as follows: W. E. Blacklidge, president ; W. C. Overton, secretary, and H. C. Thomas, treasurer. R. A. Ogg, superintendent of schools. Librarian, Edith Trimble, and assistant librarian. Idabelle Ford.
ADDENDA MILITARY HISTORY.
It sems to be well authenticated that the ashes of two other soldiers of the war of the Revolution lie buried in Howard County. The Kokomo Tribune of December 11 and 15, states that in the Brown graveyard one-half mile west of Poplar Grove, a now un- used burying place, there is a small, weather-stained headstone bearing this inscription : "Abner Clark, died October 15, 1847, aged 84 years, 3 months and 8 days." Andrew J. Forgey, an octoge- narian of that neighborhood, states that he lived near him for a year prior to his death and had many conversations with him, and is sure that Clark was a Revolutionary soldier.
The Tribune of December 14, 1908, states that James W. Swope, a most reliable man, says that Jackson Gullion, who was buried in the Twin Springs graveyard, five miles southwest of Kokomo, was also a soldier of the Revolution.
The Tribune of December 16, 1908, contains a letter from James W. Cooper, of Russiaville, saying that two other soldiers of the War of 1812 were buried there: Joseph Taylor, who has been mentioned in the Pioneer life of Howard County, was a soldier of the War of 1812, and was buried in the Russiaville cemetery ; John Gregg, served under Gen. Willian H. Harrison at Fort Meigs and was also in the battle of the Thames, where the British, under Gen. Proctor, and the Indians under Tecumseh, were defeated. He also was buried in the Russiaville cemetery.
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