USA > Indiana > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Indiana > Part 7
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Miss Bergen's administration of the affairs of the orphans' home was quite successful, and her final report showing the admission and discharge of inmates for the five years of her term is a fair index of the work done in the earlier years at the home. This report shows : Number present, July 1, 1894, eleven; number admitted since, sixty-two; discharged to school for feeble minded, six ; returned to parents or relatives, sixteen ; placed in homes direct, twenty ; placed in homes by state agent, eleven; number now in home, twenty,
Mrs. David B. Riggs followed Miss Bergen, and in turn was succeeded by Mrs. Carrie Clemmer on October 1, 1900. Mrs. Mary Atwood was ap- pointed matron January 2, 1905, and served until September 1, 1911. Mrs. Clemmer and Mrs. Atwood conducted the home in a manner most praise- worthy. Mrs. Royal Logan, the present incumbent, served two years, her term expiring September 1, 1913. The salary in recent years has been fixed at seven hundred dollars. The total expenses for dependent children of the county for 1912 amounted to two thousand four hundred eighty-four dollars and twenty-seven cents.
Prior to 1885, these children were kept at the county poor asylum, a most unfit place for the wards of the county. In the past two or three years, the work of the state board in placing children in homes has been so active and successful that the number of inmates has been reduced to an average of three or four. Serious question is now made as to whether the county ought to continue the home at an expense of two thousand five hundred dollars yearly, when so few are kept there.
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While at the home the children have attended the Hopewell schools and have made good records, and they have always been kindly recognized by the commmunity.
At the September session, 1913, of the board of commissioners, it was decided to close the orphans' home, only two children being in the county's charge at that time. The state board of charities and corrections approve the step taken, and hereafter dependent children will be cared for under supervision of the state board.
THE FAIR GROUNDS.
Very early in the history of the county the question of a county fair was discussed, and at the September session, 1834, the board of justices enter an order requiring the justices of the peace in the various townships to give notice "by written advertisement that a meeting of citizens of this county will be held at the Court House in Franklin on the first Monday in October next for the purpose of organizing a County Agricultural Society." The meeting was doubtless held and an organization effected, for one year later the board votes an appropriation of fifty dollars out of the county treasury to the Johnson County Agricultural Society. This statement differs some- what from those made by Mr. W. S. Young, hereafter referred to, but we find authority for them in Commissioners' Record "A," pages 416 and 445.
William S. Young, for many years secretary of the organization con- ducting the county fair, is the author of the most complete history of the earlier fairs held in this county. In 1889 the following article by his hand was published in The Outlook, an advertising sheet edited by the secretary to "boom" the fair of that year :
JOHNSON COUNTY FAIRS.
The act providing for the organization of Johnson county was passed by the General Assembly in session at Corydon in the month of December, 1822, and was signed by the governor on the last day of that month.
At that time there were but few families living within the confines of the county. Its territory was covered with immense forests, and much of it was so swampy and so dense in woodland and underbrush that in many places it was almost impenetrable. It is now hard for us to realize the physical condition of the county in those days. It seems almost like a dream when we look back over the hardships and toils of the pioneers in
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their fierce struggle in the beginning of the opening of the vast area of the now valuable farm lands of the county.
We find as they progressed in their arduous work of clearing up the land and putting it in a tillable condition, the interest in agriculture and an interchange of sentiment gradually increasing from year to year, until they began to consider the propriety of coming together to exhibit the best re- sults obtained from the farm and garden. The first fair, of which we have . but slight account, was held in the woods belonging to Garrett C. Bergen, located about what is now known as Martin Place in this city, in November, 1838. The entrance to the ground, which was inclosed, was from the road, now North Main street, a few rods south of the residence of Mrs. W. B. Ellis. No admission was charged and no money paid out on account of premiums. Our friend, James McKinney, though a small boy at that time, very well remembers an incident of the fair, which is characteristic of some exhibitions of fairs nowadays. One James Allen had on exhibition some very fine Merino sheep, and Jim's father, Hezekiah Mckinney, being one of the judges, pulled from one of the sheep a tuft of wool for the purpose of testing its quality. This aroused Allen to some naughty words to Mc- Kinney, but when informed that he was one of the judges to pass on the sheep, Allen apologized and became exceedingly courteous to him as well as to the other members of the committee. It is needless to say that Allen carried away the red ribbon.
We find that a "meeting of the farmers and mechanics of the county was held at the clerk's office in Franklin, October 15, 1851, for the purpose of form- ing a County Agricultural Society." This was the beginning of the first at- tempt at a permanent organization. At this meeting, on motion of Samuel Her- riott, George King was made chairman, and Royal S. Hicks secretary. The first thing done was to resolve that it would be to the interest of the farmers and others to form an agricultural society. A committee was appointed to solicit members. The membership fee was fixed at one dollar, which en- titled the member to a vote in the election of officers. Also, that the board of directors should be composed of one member from each civil township of the county. At an adjourned meeting held November Ist, the organiza- tion was completed by the adoption of a constitution and rules for the government of the society.
The following officers were elected to serve the first year: George Bridges, president; William Keaton, vice-president; J. P. Banta, treasurer ; Royal S. Hicks, secretary.
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Board of directors representing each township: Melvin Wheat, Frank- lin; William I. Pritchard, Nineveh; T. Armstrong, Sr., Blue River; Bloom- field Hensley, Hensley; Abram Good, Clark; George T. Noble, Pleasant; George W. Bergen, Union, and William Paddock, White River.
Under this management the first fair proper, in the county, was held in September, 1852, in a woods pasture, now Martin Place, and south of the F. F. & M. R. R., this city.
At the annual meeting for the election of officers, held at the court house, November 1, 1852, we find the following: William Keaton, presi- dent; Barthol Applegate, vice-president ; Royal S. Hicks, secretary; Henry Fox, treasurer.
Board of directors, representing each township: William I. Pritchard, Franklin; J. P. Forsyth, Nineveh; J. L. Bradley, Blue River; Conrad Mc- Clain, Clark; Daniel Brewer, Pleasant; Peter Voris, Union; Robert Jen- nings, White River, and Samuel Green, Hensley.
The second fair was held in the same ground as the first, in September, 1853. At this time the membership of the society numbered two hundred and forty-seven. This fair was well attended and the future prospects of the society reported as being decidedly flattering.
It seems, too, that provision was made by the society for an annual address on agricultural lines at each fair, and that Prof. John S. Houghton, of Franklin College, was to have delivered the first, but on account of ill- ness, it was not made, but he was the speaker for the next year, 1853.
The third fair was held on the 28th, 29th and 30th days of September, 1854, in a woods pasture immediately south of William Suckow's mill, this city. James L. Bradley was president and John W. Branch secretary during this year. S. P. Oyler delivered the annual address. "Uncle" Jack Carter was gate keeper and an admission fee of twenty-five cents was charged. The principal attractions at this and at the former fairs were the exhibits of farm stock, the favorites in the horse list at this third fair being ex- hibited by C. B. Tarlton and Ephriam Herriott. If any vegetables, grain, fruits or anything in the line of "woman's work" were exhibited we have been unable to get any account of them. No doubt the women could have made a creditable display of the "working tools" of the household of that time. Almost every article of wearing apparel and many of the cooking utensils were home made. If one could, today, see a collection consisting of the flax-brake, the hackle, the swingle or crutcher, the reel, the small spin- ner with its distaff attachment, the big spinning wheel, the old-fashioned
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loom and many other kinds of machinery and devices in operation as they were then, together with the various kinds of articles turned out, and this work, nearly all done by the mothers in a log cabin home, it would be some- thing of a novelty to most of us. The needs of the times wrought out in them truly skilled mechanics.
In 1854 a tract of land of about sixteen acres was purchased for a per- manent ground for future fairs, now owned and occupied by the "defunct" starch works company plant, this city. The membership of the society at this time was about five hundred. Of this number some two hundred were certificate members for thirty years, they having advanced the money to purchase the ground and fix it up for holding the annual fairs. These certif- icate members were entitled to all the privileges of the fairs without further pecuniary aid during that time. The exhibits of the products of the soil were limited to the county. A race track about one-third of a mile in length was constructed. About this time the horse interest began to loom up and the track was necessary, not so much for the test of speed in trotting and pacing races, as for the benefit of contestants in the show ring. However, trotting and pacing races were a part of the week's entertainment, and the horse that could trot or pace a mile in three and a half to four minutes was considered "lightning speed," and received the plaudits of the crowds in attendance. The principal exhibits during those years were horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. The grain, vegetable and fruit exhibits and those of the "Floral Hall" or woman's department were not nearly so large as now-a- days.
James L. Bradley was elected president from year to year from 1854 to and including the year 1859, and John T. Vawter served as secretary from 1855 to and including the year 1860. John Q. Adams, now of New Albany, Indiana, was vice-president during the year 1859, and Harvey Satterwhite, treasurer. Mr. Adams also served a number of years as chief marshal of the society. C. B. Tarlton was elected president and Alexander Halstead general superintendent for the year 1860.
During all these years the fairs gradually grew in interest, in attend- ance and in popularity with the people of the county, and with the increased exhibits in all of the departments it was found at the close of one of the most successful of the fairs, in 1860, that the ground was too small for future fair purposes. Steps were at once taken by the management for the sale of the land preparatory to the purchase of a new and more commodious site. A sale was concluded to D. G. Vawter, but on account of the political
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excitement and the animosities between citizens, neighbors and friends grow- ing out of the questions, at that time, lasting up to the war between the North and the South, and the war coming on in all its fury and frenzy, last- ing for nearly six years, the mutual agricultural interests of the county sud- denly ceased and not even a hint of a fair society or association was again heard of until about the year 1867.
We have not the space to continue further this sketch of the fair so- cieties of the county and leave the matter from that date for future "write up." But we desire to give a brief outline of how they were managed and judging and passing on all stock and articles of the various departments some of the incidental and special attractions of those years. The manner of judging and passing on all stocks and articles of the various departments entered for premiums and making the awards was invariably done by com- mittees of three persons, each chosen by the proper authority of the society from among the visitors at the fair.
These committees, in their wisdom of the work in hand, though often times limited in the knowledge of their work, usually gave satisfaction. How- ever, in many instances, it would be charged that awards were made on ac- count of the standing of the exhibitor, rather than on the merit of the ani- mal or article exhibited. In many of these cases of apparent unfairness and discrimination there seems to have been good reason for a shade of truth. Some of them may have, through the lack of knowledge and inefficiency on the part of the committees, though one thing appeared certain, as is some- times the case nowadays, that the fellow with but little "fluence" and favor had to grin and bear it. The premiums offered were small and but little actual cash was ever paid out in this way. Articles of merchandise and es- pecially silverware, consisting of pitchers, cups and spoons of different sizes, being the principal articles used to satisfy the "lucky" exhibitors. Much of this ware is now in possession of families in the county and highly prized as souvenirs of those early times. Refreshment stands and gambling devices were not so numerous then as now, and but little revenue was de- rived from this source. About all that was sold by these stands was ginger- cake (in quarter sections) and stick candy, and cider and metheglin for the drinks. Peanuts, bananas, lemons, "hop ale," chewing gum, hoky poky and many other articles now seen to tempt the appetite, were in those days un- known in this part of the country. The favorite special attractions in those days appears to have been ladies' sidesaddle horseback riding, slow mule races, sack races, foot races, etc. We find that the special and incidental
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attraction at the second fair held was a bull fight. Two of the bovines hav- ing eluded their owners and coming together created consternation for a while among the visitors, especially the women and children, driving them to places of safety. The contestants held the "boards," breaking down spice brush, clambering about over logs for quite a while before they were sep- arated and order restored. The special at the third fair held south of the mill, was a contest in sidesaddle horseback riding, in which "Aunt" Lydia Herriott took first prize, and Nancy Young second.
Governor Joseph H. Wright delivered the annual address to the so- ciety during the week of the fair in 1856. Our friend, Joseph Mozingo, a pioneer of the county, remembers very well some parts of the address. Among other things the governor advised in the planting of a new orchard to set the first row Jennetts, the second row Jennetts, the third row Jen- netts and so on until as many trees as desired were set. Mr. Mozingo re- members this from the fact that he about that time was planting a new or- chard. The governor in the same address further advised and admonished the people to be careful in the election of county and township officials, es- pecially those of county commissioners, also, send good men to the Legisla- ture, but that it didn't make any difference who was sent to Congress. As to the latter it would appear from the experience of the past, at least in this part of the state, the governor's thrust was not an idle one.
The fairs of 1859 and 1860 were denominated "big fairs," from the fact that they were largely attended. A large exhibit in all the departments and while they were permitted to run to some extent on the "wide open policy plan," they were entertaining and popular with the people. About this time the competition among the speed horse men began to develop and the trotter and pacer, although the time with them was slow as compared with the records of today, were exciting and entertaining features of those two fairs. The contests were made under the saddle, the sulky and the bike not having at that time come into use. In the absence of rules strictly governing the contests of speed, the sporting fraternity had a clear field and at times considerable money exchanged hands on the "favorites."
We had the pleasure of attending the fair of 1860, and very well re- member some of the incidents of the week. The special attractions that year consisted of sidesaddle horseback riding, slow mule race, foot races, sack races and a wheel-barrow race. All of these in their turn were very amusing and entertaining. In some instances the contests were sharp and (6)
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spirited, but all good humored. The contestants in the wheelbarrow race were blindfolded and required to circle about with their hands to the handles of the vehicle, the wheel making the pivot of the circle, then in a straight line wheel to a stake about one hundred feet away. "Uncle" Jack High, many will remember him, entered this race and at the time thought it an easy matter to win the prize. "Uncle" Jack, however, missed his calculation and instead of going to the winning stake, started off in an opposite direc- tion, landing down near the southwest corner of the ground. This, of course, created considerable merriment among the lookers on, but was not in the least funny for "Uncle" Jack.
The foot races were divided into two classes, over and under the age of twenty-one years. The length of the runs were around the rack track, being one-third of a mile. There were quite a number of entries in each class, the writer being one of the juniors and winning second prize; Elijah Banta, first. W. B. Ellis easily won first in the adult class, and Thomas M. Robin- son second. Richard Blakey, familiarly known about Franklin and vicinity in those days as Dick Blakey, a colored man, entered the adult class, but im- mediately a howl went up and a protest was made to the managers. "A council of war was called," and the board deliberated and very soon "sat on Dick," deciding that he belonged to the "animal kingdom" and therefore was ineligible to enter a race with "white folks"-and thus, on account of the color of his skin, Dick Blakey was barred from participating in what seemed at the time an innocent amusement. Dick, however, was permitted to go against time, without reward, and by several seconds broke all prev- ious foot race records. About two years later Dick entered the army in defense of the Union and his country, volunteering in the Twenty-eighth United States Colored Regiment and was made orderly sergeant of Com -. pany A, of that regiment. During the siege in front of Petersburg, Vir- ginia, in July, 1864, in a charge on the enemy's works, under command of General Butler, at the "blowing up of the mines," Dick was taken prisoner and died in Libby prison, Richmond, Virginia, about three months after- ward, having, as we are informed, starved to death.
The present fair ground site was first acquired on December 10, 1867, by W. S. Webb, W. S. Ragsdale and W. J. Mathes, a committee represent- ing the stockholders, and they in turn conveyed the same on February 9, 1869, to the Johnson County Joint Stock Agricultural Association. On
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November 24, 1888, a majority of the voters of the county filed a petition with the county board to purchase the fair grounds under the act of March 18, 1873. The petition was granted, and on December Ist following, the twenty-nine-acre tract now occupied as a fair ground was purchased at a consideration of three thousand six hundred and twenty-five dollars, and the same has ever since remained county property.
One week after the county acquired the site, the Johnson County Agri- cultural, Horticultural and Park Association was formed and a constitution and by-laws adopted. On the same day the directors met and formed an organization, electing William M. Province president and William S. Young secretary. Mr. Young continued to serve as secretary until the annual meeting in December, 1905. He was succeeded by Charles A. Dungan, who served one year. Martin Sellers was elected secretary in 1906 and served until February 18, 1911, at which time O. J. Shuck, the present sec- retary, was elected.
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In addition to Dr. Province the following have served as president : S. W. Dungan, 1895-1899; William A. Bridges, 1899-1900; John Tilson, 1900-1905; L. B. Clore, 1905-1907; J. M. Saunders, 1907-1909; I. Newt Brown, 1909-1910; H. E. Lochry, 1910-1912; Charles A. Brown, 1912- 1913.
THE COUNTY SEMINARY.
At the May term, 1839, Cornelius Lyster, John Herriott and Lewis Hendricks, trustees of the Johnson county seminary fund, report the pur- chase of certain lands from George King for a public seminary. The tract consisted of one acre on the south side of Jefferson street, just west of the Big Four railroad, later owned by Judge Woollen. The funds out of which the grounds were purchased had accumulated from fines for criminal of- fenses, but there is no record of the amount. It could not have been large, as the bond of Lewis Hendricks, trustee, for the year 1839 was in the sum of one thousand dollars.
A seminary building was erected late in that year or early in 1840 by William and John Shaffer, and school was taught in the one room which was finished for a short period. But it is known that by 1844 the school was abandoned and aside from furnishing a forum for local debates for a time, it became a play house for the mischievous boys of the town. The Legislature of 1852 required all seminary property to be sold and the proceeds converted into a common school fund, and the property passed
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into the hands of William H. Overstreet, who remodeled the building and occupied it as a residence. It is best remembered by the present generation as Judge Woollen's homestead.
SOLDIERS' HOME COTTAGE.
On July 20, 1898, the board of commissioners contracted with Rans- dell Brothers for the erection of a two-story frame cottage at the Soldiers' Home at Lafayette, and was accepted by the county in November of the same year.
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CHAPTER V.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
Under the Constitution of 1816 but two county offices were recognized as of sufficient importance to demand constitutional guaranties, viz .: the office of sheriff and of coroner. In the rapid development of the functions of other county offices, it was deemed wise to extend these guaranties, and so the Constitution of 1851 recognizes, in addition, the offices of clerk of the circuit court, auditor, recorder, treasurer, surveyor, and, in a manner, the board of county commissioners. The present Constitution requires that a man elected or appointed to a county office must be an elector of the county, with a residence therein of one year prior to his appointment, which residence in the county he must maintain during his term of office.
The other county offices, created by the act of the Legislature, may be abolished at its will, or their functions changed. At one time there was great confusion in the dates for the beginning of the terms of county officers. But by the act in force March 11, 1901, it was provided that the term of office of county auditor, county clerk, county sheriff, county recorder, prosecuting attorney, county assessor, county coroner, county surveyor and county com- missioners, in each county of the state, should begin on the first day of January next following the term of office of the then incumbent.
All county officers are elected by the voters of the entire county, except the members of the county council from the four districts, who are elected by districts, and excepting such as are appointed by the circuit court and the commissioners. Salaries are graded in proportion to population and character of services performed.
Removals from office may follow conviction for malfeasance, or non- feasance of the duties devolving upon the officer, for intoxication during business hours, and any person who is in the habit of becoming intoxicated or who is convicted of a felony forfeits his office. No Johnson county officer has ever been removed from office, nor is there record of any defalcation in office in this county, although one treasurer resigned "under fire," who afterward made settlement with the county for his alleged mishandling of county funds.
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