USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 37
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What is known as the Good cemetery in Salamonie Township, is the oldest in that township. When Michael Beard, a brother-in-law of Sam-
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uel Jones, died in the spring of 1834 he was buried on the northwest quarter of Section 29, near the Town of Warren. This pioneer burying ground was patronized by settlers for several miles around. Benjamin Good finally bought the ground from Mr. Jones and converted it into a cemetery, which took the name of the founder.
The second cemetery in Salamonie was the Mitchell cemetery, in the eastern part of Section 30. Mitchell Fleming, son of Ezekiel and Mar- garet Fleming, died on August 8, 1840. A short time before his death he requested that he might be buried on one of the aboriginal earthworks or "mounds" south of the Salamonie River. His friends were afraid to comply with his request, as the Indians were still living in that locality and might regard this as a desecration of their ancestors' works and remove the body. A spot on the bluff near by was selected and Eli Mitchell afterward executed a deed to the same, setting it apart as a burial place, hence the name.
Another old cemetery of Salamonie Township is the Thompson cemetery, situated in the western part of Section 13, near the present Buckeye Station on the Clover Leaf Railroad. The first person interred here was Mrs. Permelia Thompson, wife of Ebenezer Thompson, whose death occurred on September 25, 1849. For a number of years the place was used as a burying ground for members of the Thompson family and their immediate friends, until John H. Thompson came into possession of the land and dedicated the cemetery to the use of the general public.
Woodlawn cemetery, at Warren, one of the finest and best managed in the county, was laid out on January 12, 1895, under the direction of Levi L. Simons, Marquis McCord and William F. Swaim, trustees of Salamonie Lodge, No. 392, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the plat was filed with the county recorder on January 25, 1895. This ceme- tery is situated in the northeast corner of Section 29, east of the town, and includes the old Good cemetery mentioned above. It had been used as a burial place for years before the Odd Fellows acquired possession. When platted in 1895 the cemetery was divided into 326 burial lots. Part of the ground was replatted in August, 1904, by L. L. Simons, Morgan E. Ware and Alpheus T. Good, at that time the trustees.
King Lodge, No. 246, Free and Accepted Masons, also has a cemetery at Warren. It was established many years ago, but no official plat of it can be found in the public records at Huntington. It is located in the southern part of Section 20, almost due east of the town, and is well kept and well patronized. Some of the finest specimens of monumental work to be found in the county may be seen in this cemetery.
In the northwest corner of Section 23, a little northwest of Buckeye Station, is an old graveyard established by the United Brethren about
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1859 or 1860, and on the section line between Sections 35 and 36, near the southeast corner of the county, is a little cemetery owned by the Methodist Episcopal denomination. In the extreme northwest corner of the township is the old West Union cemetery, which was started by the Baptists when a church was organized there in 1845.
Probably the best known cemetery in Union Township is the one at the old "Union Church," in the southern part of Section 10. The Albright or Evangelical Church, in the northeast corner of the township, established a burial place in connection with the church, but in recent years it is rarely used. The people in the northern and western parts of the township patronize the cemeteries at Huntington or Zion cemetery in Jackson Township, and those in the southern part bury their dead at Markle.
In Warren Township the only two cemeteries of consequence are those controlled by the Evangelical churches of Bippus. Calvary cemetery, of the Bippus Evangelical Church, is situated in the northwest corner of Section 24, Township 29, Range 8, about two miles east of the village. It was laid out on ground deeded to the congregation by George and Caro- line Keener, February 8, 1886, and the plat was filed in the recorder's office on January 21, 1888, by Christian Bechtold, Henry Schnitz and George Vogt, trustees of the congregation. It shows thirty burial lots, each twenty feet square, with the customary walks and driveways. On April 9, 1908, a corrected plat was filed by Edward Ziegler, Samuel Schnitz and W. E. Hockensmith, who then constituted the board of trustees.
St. John's Evangelical cemetery is located in the southwest quarter of Section 21, about half a mile west of Bippus. It was laid out by Jacob Line, Christ F. Schmalzried and Louis Fruit on February 12, 1898. The cemetery is situated immediately south of the Chicago & Erie Rail- way and west of the public highway. Sixty burial lots were laid out, but only half the ground belonging to the congregation was at that time platted.
The first cemetery in Warren Township is that known as St. Peter's, at the Union Church, which was erected by the German Baptists and Lutherans in Section 15 in 1881. There was a burying ground here many years before the church was built. The first person to be interred here was Sarah, daughter of John Altman, who died in 1844.
No records have ever been filed in the recorder's office regarding cemeteries in Wayne Township, and Kingman's atlas shows but one burial place in the township. That is the cemetery established in connec- tion with the Baptist Church founded there in 1850. It is situated in the
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northwest corner of Section 34, about a mile from the Grant County line, and but little farther from the Wabash County line.
It is possible that some old graveyard of bygone days has been omitted from the list given in this chapter, but every effort has been made to collect information concerning the cemeteries of the county, and it is believed that all of them are included in the foregoing.
"The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour,
The paths of glory lead but to the grave."
CHAPTER XVIII
SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES-VARIOUS FAIR GROUNDS-WARREN FAIR ASSO- CIATION-SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS-WOMEN'S CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE-DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION-THE ODD FELLOWS-MASONIC FRATERNITY-KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS-GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC-OTHER MILITARY SOCIETIES-IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN-THE ELKS-MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
One of the first voluntary associations of any consequence organized by the citizens of Huntington County was a society for the promotion of agriculture. For fifteen years or more after the county was organized the people were engaged in clearing land, building homes, constructing highways, etc., and but little attention was given to society work of any kind. In the fall of 1852 John Becker, Albert Draper, Robert Fyson, Sr., James B. Custance, Jacob Snyder and a few others formed a tentative organization for the purpose of holding a county fair. The fair was held in the old courthouse, the principal articles exhibited being vegetables, fruit and needlework.
* The fair aroused general interest and on December 15, 1852, a call appeared in the Indiana Herald, signed by William G. Sutton, David Garlick and Warren Hecox, for a meeting to be held on January 1, 1853, for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society.
At the time named in the call a number of citizens assembled in Hunt- ington, Jacob Snyder was elected to preside and L. P. Milligan was chosen secretary. After a thorough discussion of the subject, a society was organized, and Saturday, February 5, 1853, was fixed as the date for the election of officers, when Charles H. Lewis was chosen president; Warren Hecox, vice president; William Norton, secretary; William G. Sutton, treasurer. In addition to these officers twelve directors were also elected, viz. : Albert Draper, James Purviance, Sexton Emley, Edward Coles, Thomas Moore, Jacob Snyder, David Chambers, James Miller, Thomas Fisher, Peter Weese, E. Fleming and Robert Fyson, Sr. Another meeting was held on August 7, 1853, when Mr. Lewis resigned the presi- dency and was succeeded by Warren Hecox. At this meeting a com-
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mittee, consisting of James Purviance, Robert Fyson, Sr., and Albert Draper, submitted a list of premiums to be offered at the coming fair, which was adopted by the society.
The fair of 1853 was held on the south side of the Little River, just below the old bridge, on the 18th and 19th of October. It was well attended and from a financial point of view was a success, the receipts amounting to $180.60 and the total expenses to $94.12, leaving a balance of $86.48 in the hands of the treasurer.
On February 4, 1854, John Becker was elected president and S. W. Hawley, secretary. The fair in this year was held on the 17th and 18th of October, in the eastern part of Huntington. The next fair was held on October 16 and 17, 1855, south of Little River and immediately east of Bratton's Grove. James M. Bratton was then president of the society and A. W. DeLong was secretary. This was the last fair held by the society, which was disbanded late in the year 1855.
The second agricultural society was organized on February 28, 1857, and, on April 7th, Peter Weese was elected president; L. P. Milligan, vice president ; A. M. Lewis, secretary, and William L. Steele, treasurer. In some respects this society was merely a reorganization of the old one, and quite a number of the same men were actively interested. On June 6, 1857, the organization was completed by the election of the following board of directors: James Leverton, Jacob Stults, John Becker, Robert Fyson, Sr., Peter Keefer, Thomas Fisher, William B. Morgan, Thomas Moore, John Miller, Joseph Miller and Lewis W. Purviance. No fair was held in 1857. In the spring of 1858 the society secured a tract of ground just west of Huntington, on the north side of the canal, for a fair ground, and in August it was determined by the board of directors to make a thorough canvass of the county with a company of singers and speakers to awaken interest in the fair.
A very successful fair was held on the new grounds on October 26, 27 and 28, 1858. In 1859 the fair was held on the last three days of September. L. P. Milligan was then president of the society; Elijah Snowden, vice president; A. M. Lewis, secretary, and William G. Sutton, treasurer. The next year William Oden was elected president and the fair was held on October 3, 4 and 5, 1860. Mr. Oden was succeeded by Dr. H. S. Heath, who served for three years. The fair in 1861 was held on the 25th, 26th and 27th days of September. This was the last fair ever given by this society. The great Civil war overshadowed everything else, and it was deemed inexpedient to attempt to hold fairs until peace was restored to the distracted country. On January 14, 1865, a meeting was held, at which it was determined to abandon the organization.
Huntington County was then without an agricultural society until
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January 4, 1868, when a meeting was held at the courthouse in Hunting- ton and a third society was organized. Peter W. Zent was elected presi- dent; O. W. Sanger, vice president; Robert Simonton, secretary, and John Roche, treasurer. This society secured a fair ground on the farm now owned by Vincent Moore, near the country club grounds west of the city, and held its first fair in 1869. Fairs were then held annually at that place until in the early '80s, when the grounds were disposed of and a tract of thirty-five acres southeast of the city was purchased and fitted up for a new fair ground. The first fair was held there in 1886, at which time Robert Simonton was president ; L. T. Bagley, secretary, and Joseph G. Amiss, treasurer.
In the purchase of the new grounds and the erection of buildings the society incurred some indebtedness, and in 1897 went into the hands of Edwin B. Ayres as receiver. In February, 1898, Mr. Ayres sold the grounds to Adam L. Beck, James R. Slack, Harmon W. Stults, Robert Simonton, Julius Dick and Edward Wickenheiser, the principal creditors of the society, for $6,475, and these gentlemen then formed an organiza- tion which has held fairs annually since that date.
WARREN FAIR ASSOCIATION
The Warren Fair and Driving Association was organized in 1888 and has held fairs every year on its grounds, a short distance north of the Town of Warren. After several years it was reorganized as the Warren Tri-County Fair and Driving Association, citizens of Wells and Grant counties becoming interested. In the winter of 1908-09 a fair circuit was organized, consisting of the towns and cities of Montpelier, Hagers- town, Middletown, Newcastle, Muncie, Fairmount, Elwood, Warren, Marion and Portland. Through the co-operation of the fair associations in these places, the character of the exhibits has been much improved and the fairs are of more general interest.
A prospectus issued by the Warren Association for the fair on the last four days of July, 1914, shows about one thousand dollars offered in pre- miums, which include prizes on all kinds of live stock, farm and garden products, fruits, poultry, specimens of the culinary art, needlework, etc., and over two thousand dollars in purses to winners of the races.
The officers of the association for 1914 were: J. G. Sprowl, president ; H. C. Creviston, vice president ; J. W. Cunningham, treasurer ; G. E. Sale, secretary; G. M. Gephart, assistant secretary. The board of directors consisted at that time of J. G. Sprowl, H. C. Creviston, J. H. Gill, G. M. Gephart, M. M. Tam, D. L. Shull, G. W. Lee, Charles. Wiley, O. A. Pulley, J. G. Click, Charles Plummer and Dr. W. D. Bonifield.
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SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS
In May, 1893, a few Huntington men happened to meet and among the subjects discussed informally was that of organizing a club, in which literary, scientific and economic subjects might be discussed in a friendly spirit. The result of this conversation was the formation of the Cosmo- politan Club a little later, with the following members: Edwin K. Al- paugh, Robert I. Hamilton, Charles L. Holtzman, Benjamin F. Ibach, Henry C. Kendrick, D. J. Moran, Henry L. Nave, Samuel M. Sayler, Thomas G. Smith, Thad Butler, W. A. Branyan, Sanford Bell and Dr. F. S. C. Grayston. Of the charter members of this club Thomas G. Smith and Samuel M. Sayler are the only two now living in Huntington.
As the name of the club indicates, it is a broad, liberal organization, where, as one of the members recently said: "Every man has the priv- ilege of riding his hobby." Meetings are held regularly during the fall and winter months, and at the beginning of the club season a printed program is prepared, showing the work for the ensuing year. The program usually consists of a paper on some topic by one of the members, followed by a general discussion of the subject treated. Sometimes the evening's entertainment takes the form of a symposium, in which several short papers bearing upon the same subject, are read by different mem- bers, and occasionally a short story forms the principal feature of the program. A banquet is given every year and constitutes the principal social event of the club.
At some period of the club's existence nearly all the leading ministers, lawyers and newspaper men of Huntington have participated in its work. To quote again from the member above referred to: "The club has discussed some of the most weighty subjects and settled some of the world's most serious problems, but, acting upon the principle that a little nonsense is occasionally relished by the wisest men, the meetings have not been void of levity, and the 'retort courteous' has been frequently heard. It is worthy of remark, however, that no serious ill-feeling has ever been engendered by the differences of opinion arising in the discussions."
The Monday Club, an organization of women, enjoys the distinction of being the first purely literary club in the City of Huntington. It was organized in the fall of 1891 through the efforts of Mrs. E. L. Griffith and Mrs. L. O. McIlvaine, who were the first to conceive the idea of such an organization. Upon canvassing the subject with a number of their friends they found several women in favor of such a club, which was then formally organized with the following charter members: Mrs. W. A. Branyan, Mrs. E. L. Griffith, Mrs. L. O. McIlvaine, Mrs. W. M. Vol. I-23
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De Hart, Mrs. O. Grayston, Mrs. F. S. C. Grayston, Mrs. N. Sessions, Mrs. Wells, Mrs. C. E. Wintrode and Miss Adda Kenower.
The membership was limited to twenty and the list was filled before the close of the year. Since then as old members have dropped out new ones have been elected to fill the vacancies and the club still has a full membership. During the twenty-three years of its existence fifty-five women have been members of the Monday Club. At the time it was organized the club adopted as its chief objects the mental culture of its members and the improvement of home life, which have been strictly adhered to throughout its entire history.
When the Huntington Hospital Association was organized the Monday Club furnished a room in the institution, and it has since made a con- tribution to the fund for the support of a visiting nurse. It is a member of the Indiana Federation of Women's Clubs, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, and the Local Council of Women's Clubs of Huntington.
In 1893 a few Huntington women, actuated by mutual interests, met and organized a club for "intellectual and social culturc." The charter members were: Sarah S. Alpaugh, Susan B. Dick, Mary S. Grayston, Frances H. Hawthorne, Allura B. Leyman, Louella A. Moses, Elizabeth McC. Purviance, Belle B. Purviance and Flora McC. Slack. At the first meeting a constitution was adopted, which has remained unchanged. The question of a name came up for consideration, and after correspond- ing with Mrs. Jennie de la Mar Lozier, then president of the New York Sorosis, the name of Indiana Sorosis was adopted by the Huntington organization.
The first officers of the Sorosis in Huntington were as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth McC. Purviance, president ; Mrs. Sarah S. Alpaugh, vice presi- dent; Mrs. Carrie D. Kendrick, secretary; Mrs. Rebecca H. Hessin, treasurer. The first program committee was composed of Mrs. Frances H. Hawthorne, Mrs. Flora McC. Slack and Miss Elizabeth Arnold.
Meetings of the Sorosis are held once in two weeks, beginning with the first of October in each year and continuing until the first of the succced- ing May. Membership is limited to twenty and the meetings are held in the homes of the members. In 1894 the club became a member of the State Federation, and in 1908 it became affiliated with the General Fed- eration of Women's Clubs. Although the primary object of the club is of a literary nature, it has taken a hand in much of the city's philan- thropic work.
The Drawing Room Club was organized in the fall of 1894, when the membership was limited to twenty-five, which number still constitutes the active membership. The first officers were : Miss Flora E. Purviance,
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president ; Miss Jean Harter, vice president; Mrs. Effie Wilkerson Gray- ston, secretary ; Miss Winifred F. Ticer, treasurer.
At the beginning the objects of the club were declared to be intel- lectual and social culture and the general advancement of the members along those lines. Many able and interesting papers have been prepared by members and read, not only before the Drawing Room Club, but also before other clubs in reciprocity work. Several of these papers have been sent to the reciprocity bureau of the Indiana Federation of Clubs and from that source loaned to various clubs over the state.
The Drawing Room Club is affiliated with the State Federation of Women's Clubs, but it has never taken any active part in the charitable or civic work of the City of Huntington. Programs for each year's work are generally made up of miscellaneous subjects, though at times a continuous outline of study has been followed. Meetings are held at the homes of the members and the regular program is followed by a "social hour."
The Shakespeare Club of Huntington was organized in 1895 with nineteen charter members and the following officers: Mrs. B. F. Ibach, president; Miss Mary B. Cox, vice president; Mrs. J. M. Sayler, secre- tary; Mrs. Thad Butler, treasurer. Seven of the original members are still active in the affairs of the club and five are in the honorary list. The total membership in the spring of 1914 included twenty-four active and eleven honorary members. The officers for 1914-15 are: Mrs. A. H. Shaffer, president ; Mrs. C. E. Bash, vice president ; Mrs. J. W. Morrison, secretary, and Mrs. A. A. Daily, treasurer.
While the primary purpose of the club, adopted at the time it was organized, is the literary advancement of its members through the study of the plays of Shakespeare, history, art and civics, it has always responded to calls for aid in the improvement of general conditions, and has interested itself in local and state literary work by uniting with other clubs. In 1895 the Shakespeare Club became identified with the State Federation and later it became a member of the National Federation.
The Women's Civic Improvement League of Huntington is an active and representative body of women, interested in the development of the city and the welfare of the citizens. It is the outgrowth of a meeting of eight literary clubs on April 27, 1909, which was called for the purpose of obtaining the sentiment of the women regarding the founding of a club of this character.
On May 14, 1909, a second meeting was held, at which the organiza- tion was perfected and the above name adopted. The election of officers resulted in the choice of the following: Mrs. Jacob Dick, president ; Mrs. Morton Tuttle, first vice president ; Mrs. Joseph Weese, second vice presi-
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dent; Mrs. F. W. Grayston, third vice president; Mrs. L. H. Kiracofe, fourth vice president; Mrs. W. A. Branyan, recording secretary ; Mrs. L. W. Patterson, corresponding secretary ; Miss Clara I. Kenower, secre- tary. The work of the league is parceled out to six standing committees, to wit : 1, membership; 2, ways and means and legislation ; 3, streets and alleys; 4, parks, playgrounds and waste places; 5, public welfare; 6, press, publication and public meetings.
In awakening the civic pride in the community the league has had the co-operation of the city council, the Commercial Club, the board of health and the school board. The first project advocated by the organ- ization was for the improvement of the river banks. Among the objects
VIEW ON NORTH JEFFERSON STREET, HUNTINGTON
accomplished through the league's activities may be mentioned the instal- lation of refuse receptacles on the streets ; the sanitary drinking fountains on certain street corners in the business section of the city; the intro- duction of the sanitary garbage can and the proper disposal of garbage ; the general beautifying of lawns, cultivation of flowers, etc .; public observance of Arbor Day, and in the general care of shade trees.
In the last named instance the league has found strong and efficient co-workers in Professor Coulter, of Purdue University, and the tree forester of Fort Wayne, Mr. Getz. Lectures on sanitation, health and ideal citizenship have been delivered under the auspices of the organiza- tion, which is a member of the Indiana Federation of Women's Clubs.
The officers of the league for 1914 are : Miss Clara I. Kenower, presi- dent; Mrs. A. Reichenbach, first vice president ; Mrs. J. M. Sayler, second
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vice president; Mrs. O. W. Whitelock, third vice president; Mrs. O. E. Bradley, fourth vice president; Mrs. D. L. Shaeff, recording secretary ; Mrs. Thomas Burns, corresponding secretary; Mrs. L. E. Burns, treasurer.
There are a few other clubs in the county that work along social and literary lines, but the ones above enumerated are those which have been longest in existence, stand out most prominently in the club life of the county and have left a record of their activities.
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Huntington Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was organized on December 16, 1897, with the following charter members: Mrs. Nancy J. Power Scott, Mrs. Anna S. Hawley, Mrs. Martha M. Alex- ander, Mrs. Ella W. Griffith, Mrs. Delia M. Heiny, Mrs. Louise B. Haw- ley, Mrs. Mattie W. Kelley, Miss Dessie Moore, Mrs. Sarah R. Sessions, Mrs. Emma M. Taylor, Mrs. Clara V. Healy Wells, Mrs. Jessie H. Windle, Mrs. Georgia K. Windle, Mrs. Sarah McGrew Dick, Mrs. Rose H. Forman Ford, Mrs. Adaline McClaskey Machan.
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