USA > Indiana > Knox County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 24
USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 24
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
have the town incorporated. The town was surveyed by James E. Baker, and a census taken by J. H. Barnett and the same sworn to before J. G. Soners, J. P., and placed in the postoffice for inspection twenty days before presenting to the commissioners. The prayer was granted and an election or- dered, in October following, at the office of Dr. J. H. Barnett. The election board consisted of William Madden, inspector; A. W. Sampson, clerk, J. G. Soners and A. P. Larkin, judges. The result of the votes were forty-seven "for incorporation" and one "against incorporation." Dry goods and general stores- Dr. P. Coonrod, David Vankirk, Washington Smith, Mallory & Snyder, Martin L. Vanada and Hebert Snyder. Grocery-Mar- tin Goldman. Drugs-Elijah Shouse & James West and Albert Falls. Shoemaker-formerly A. Helderman, now Scott Pry. Blacksmiths-Mathias Berry and Gerrard Robinson & Son. Har- ness-Franklin Myers. Undertaker-Albert Falls. Flouring mill -- Baldwin & Snyder. Physicians-Williams, Sparks, Barnett, Van Trees, Trueblood, Hunt and Kensenger. Monroe City Lodge, No. 548, F. & A. M., was organized June 18, 1878. Charter members: Harvey Baldwin, H. A. Baldwin, John H. Barrett, D. P. Coonrod, A. C. Falls, J. N. Hart, William Madden, J. R. Sny- der, J. G. Soners and W. C .. Wilmore. The officers were: W. C. Wilmore, W. M .; J. N. Hart, S. W .; William Madden, J. W .; D. B. Vankirk, Treas .; Harvey Baldwin, Sec .; A. C. Falls, S. D., and J. H. Barnett, J. D. The present officers are E. N. Hart, M .; M. A. Campbell, S. W., and Joe Belsher, J. W. Membership, thirty-five. Lovely Dale Lodge, No. 566, I. O. O. F., was in- stituted in February, 1869. E. N. Hall was N. G .; J. J. Laswell, V. G .; D. B. Vankirk, Sec., and David Miller, Treas.
FREELANDSVILLE.
The only town in Widner is Freelandsville, located in Section 16, Township 5 north, Range 8 west. The town was named in honor of Dr. John T. Freeland, who was for many years a prom- inent physician of the place. The town was first surveyed by Samuel E. Smith for John Ritterskamp on July 31, 1866. This survey, however, was never legally acknowledged. Dr. John T. Freeland's Addition was made to the town in May, 1867. C. E.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Baker's Addition was added January 3, 4 and 5, 1870. Henry Heithecker's, March 16, 1870; his second addition March 16, 1872. John Ritterskamp's Addition was made November 14, 1877. Chamber's Addition was made July 2, 1871, and the Christian Church Addition was made December 25, 1871, through its trustees, Herman L. Bergeman, Austin P. Cox and William Hooper. C. E. Baker and E. Bierhaus began busi- ness where the town now is in 1857 or 1858. The style of the firm was C. E. Baker & Co. and continued in business up till 1868. John Ritterskamp began about 1860. George Krebs was in business for a short time. The mill was erected about 1864 by Baker & Ritterskamp; afterward, about 1868, Nolting became
owner. It is now owned by Dierman & Co. Hardware, Farming Implements, etc .- L. Bergeman. Dry goods-John Ritterskamp & Sons and C. E. Baker. Stoves, Hardware, etc .- French & Sons. Cooper shop-C. H. Weitzel. Drug stores-H. F. Albert and A. M. Berry. Steam mill-Dreiman, Merch & Co. The town has also a butcher shop, tailor shop, milliner shop, three blacksmith shops, two hotels. The physicians are Drs. McDowell, Geo. T. Martin, MeGauchey and Myers.
BICKNELL.
This place is situated near the western line of the southern part of Vigo Township, on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad. It is in Sections 21 and 16 of Town 4 north, Range 8 west. The town was laid out for John Bicknell, for whom it was named, October 1, 1869. The first business house in the place was erected by George W. Fuller, who had purchased land there be- fore the town was laid out. Here he built a frame store and dwelling house near. About 1870 Bruce, Reel & Mitchell began business on Lot 7, where they continued business for about six months, when they were burned out. They rebuilt and soon after sold to Slater & Bicknell, who after a short time (1873) sold to William Hollingsworth, who moved to Edwardsport about 1875. In 1874 Chambers & Bros. sold goods; the house was soon closed. A drug store was opened in the same building by S. W. Slinkard, who sold to Jones & Denton. Hugh Barr sold goods for a time in the house where Hollingsworth had done business.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
He soon after sold to J. L. Cox & Sons, who continued in the old building till 1875, when they erected a new building. In 1876 G. W. Fuller erected a new store building. In 1876 Samuel Slinkard began business again, but sold to Emanuel Freeman. The first blacksmith was Moses Reeves, who opened a shop in 1872; the next was Henry Kixmiller. Among the physicians that have been are Emanuel Reel, James Moore, J. G. Martin, E. C. Vantrees, William Jones, James Wells, Isaac Wells, and J. W. Trueblood. A flouring-mill was built in 1873 by John Sholtz, who sold it to Slinkard & Co. in 1873, and they to Wells & Win- ter in 1875. Present business of Bicknell: General stores-Joe Freeman, John Paul, and George Donaldson. Drug stores-W. S. McLinn and Samuel Bunting. Boots and shoes-Kixmiller & Bros. Grain and stock dealer-George W.Fuller. Livery stable-N.Alton. Hotel-Joseph Buckles, formerly J. L. Cox. Physicians-Drs. Dor- sey, Staley, and Huron. Secret societies-Masonic Lodge, No. 535, was instituted in 1876; also I. O. O. F., No. 527, in the same year.
BRUCEVILLE.
Bruceville is located eight miles from Vincennes on the In- dianapolis & Vincennes Railroad. It lies in Donation 184. The land on which the town was built was owned by William Bruce, for whom the town was laid out on December 10, 1829. A "mapp of thirty-six lotts" was made and sworn to before A. G. Roberts, a justice of the peace. The original plat contained only Washington, Main Cross, and Poplar streets. To the old town John H. Bruce's Addition of seventeen lots was made to the south side on May 5, 1870. Although the town was not laid out till the above date, it was known as a town before 1820. As stated else- where, the house in which Mr. James Bruce now lives was begun in 1811 by Maj. William Bruce, the proprietor of the town site. Jacob Harper is said to have been the first blacksmith in the place; William Hummer the first wagon-maker ; Peter Ruby the first carpenter; Thomas Alton the first tanner; J. T. Simpson the first merchant; Obed Macy the first physician, and John Green the first tavern-keeper. Henry Wheeler built the first wool carding machine in the county at Bruceville in about 1820. Other early businesses were a store by Bruce & McDonald; an inn by William
17
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Bruce; an oil mill for extracting the oil from the castor bean, John T. and George Simpson. Bruceville had an ox tread-mill, a small still-house, and a mill at a very early day. Late business houses: Barr & Willis, Barr, Willis & Roberts, and Steffey. Physicians -Drs. Dinwiddie, Macy, and Fairhurst. Present business of Bruceville: Dry goods and general stores --- Roberts, Emison & Steffey, Willis & Barr, Hill Bros., and J. H. Scroggin. Black- smiths-Elias Kackley and John Slawson. Boots and shoes- William Martin. Physicians-Z. G. Martin, J. W. Milam, and James McDowell. Drug store-Milam & Alexander.
The I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 547, Bruceville, was instituted May 17, 1877, on application of L. C. Roberts, James Emison, G. W. Melton, Calvin Clark, Thomas Hollingsworth, Hiram Antibus, Thomas Winemiller and Alfred Green. The charter was granted by Leonidas Sexton, G. M., and B. F. Foster, G. S. The membership of the lodge is twelve.
OAKTOWN.
Oaktown is the principal place of business in Busseron Town- ship. It is situated in Section 17, Town 5 north, Range 9 west. It was laid out for George Bond by Samuel E. Smith, May 20, 1867. To this was added Shepard's Enlargement, of fifty lots June 19, 1867. Adam and Watts Bond's Enlargement was made October 4, 1876. One of the business houses of Oaktown was the grist-mill of Bond & Co. This mill is still in operation. Dry goods and grocers-Sproatt & Son, Watts Bond, and C. L. Haughton, all substantial firms. Groceries and notions-George H. Bond. Hardware and agricultural implements-formerly Polk, but now Polk & Walker; also, George Shepard. Drug stores- William McGowen and Pifer & Reed. The town has its comple- ment of physicians, two hotels, two blacksmith shops, millinery shops, etc. The population of the place is estimated at 300. The business houses of the place are above the average for size and quality. Large quantities of produce are handled here.
Secret Societies-The Oaktown Lodge, No. 474, was organized under dispensation May 26, 1874, and a charter granted October 17, 1874. The following were charter members: T. T. Townsley, W. M .; W. H. Wise, S. W .; A. B. Pike, J. W .; W. H. Bell,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Treas .; J. W. Pugh, Sec .; David Williams, S. D .; J. M. Shep- ard, J. D .; James Williams, Tyler; others, J. W. Burnett, John Wolf and J. T. P. Clark. The present officers are C. L. Haugh- ton, W. M .; Frank Starner, S. W .; John Brener, J. W .; D. W. B. Grigsby, Sec .; Alonzo Ashley, S. D .; Elmore Scanlan, J. D., and A. Tewalt, T. Membership is about thirty. The Cald- Caldwell Lodge, No. 271, I. O. O. F., was granted November 21, 1866, on petition of J. M. Shepard, J. H. E. Sprinkle, H. J. Smith, W. R. Miller and J. W. Benefield. The officers are J. E. Reed, N. G .; W. H. Blann, V. G .; Alonzo Collen, Treasurer; J. N. Shepard, Sec. Membership about thirty. This lodge had the misfortune to lose by fire, within the last year, its hall and records.
SANDBORN.
This town is located on the southeast quarter of southeast quar- ter of Section 4, Town 5 north, Range 7 west. The town is on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad in the Northern part of Vigo Township, and was laid out by George Halstead, October 7, 1868. The place was named in honor of a civil engineer on the Indianap- olis & Vincennes Railroad. It is in a good farming community, and large quantities of grain and stock are shipped from this point. An extensive business was done in the place, between 1865 and 1870, by Dewey, Crane & Co. Stores have been run at Sandborn by Alonzo Hays, Henry Houghland, Simon Kaufman, Bailey & Son, and Hill. Present business is represented by Hill and Lowdermild, each in dry goods and general stores; drug stores, Wiley McGinnis and John Beck; restaurant, William DeLay; blacksmith shop and gunsmith, C. Copper. The mill was owned by Robinson for about twelve years, when it was sold. It is now owned by Hill & Hill, and is run as both a saw and grist-mill; hotel, C. E. Crane.
On May 11, 1878, Hayden Hayes had seven acres of land laid out almost adjacent to Sandborn. This lay mainly on the west side of the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad, and the new town was to be called Banham. The town did not materialize. Addi- tions: Presley Anderson's Addition of six lots was made to Sand- born, December 20, 1871, and Isaac Cade's Addition of eight lots was made January 22, 1873.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
WHEATLAND.
Wheatland is situated in Donation 107, near the central por- tion of Steen Township. It is on the Ohio & Mississippi Rail- road. It was laid out December 29, 1858, by A. Armstrong for William Long, guardian. The town is divided into three parts: North, South and East Wheatland. North Wheatland is the town proper. South Wheatland is R. E. Steen's Addition, and consists of sixty-seven lots. It was surveyed by George Cal- houn, June 29, 1859. East Wheatland was surveyed by Sam- uel E. Smith, April 6, 1868, for R. E. Steen. It consists of thirteen acres of land. The town was named Wheatland from the amount of good wheat land around the town. James Green was the first to do business in the place. He began before the town was laid out. He bought grain, wheat, corn, and all kinds of produce. His place of business was near where the postoffice now stands. He became dissipated, and closed about the be- ginning of the war. Thomas Brooks was the next in business. Horace Anderson, from Maysville, began business about 1859. William Wallace was in and out of business for several years. Others were Emison & Evans, Fay & Byers, Barber & Clemens, and Barber, alone. Present businesses: Dry goods-S. B. Nib- lack, M. E. Anderson & Son. Drug store-W. J. Nicholas & Co. Furniture and undertaker-James F. Woods (twelve years). Shoe- maker-John W. Burrus, who has been in business for twenty years. Livery stable-Jacob Comer. In 1865 a mill was erected in the place by John W. Emison, of Bruceville, but the machin- ery has recently been taken out, and the town is now very much in need of a mill. Dare & Sons are running a small machine shop and blacksmith shop. The following have been postmasters at Wheatland since the removal of the office to that place: Will- iam Wallace, George Barber, William Clemens, J. E. Smith, J. W. Burrus, W. J. Nicholson, Anderson Nicholson and Robert Grider.
DECKERTOWN.
This place, usually known as Deckers, is almost on the line be- tween Johnson and Decker Townships, and lies on White River. It is in a fractional part of the southwest quarter of the north-
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
east quarter of Section 16, Township 1 north, Range 10 west. The town was laid out by Isaac Decker in June, 1869. There are platted forty-two lots, each 145x75 feet. The streets running parallel with the railroad are numbered 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Those at right angles to the railroad are Main and Oak Streets. The first business house in the place was built by Hugh O'Neal. This was afterward sold to James Dick, but it again passed into the hands of O'Neal. Robert McCracken and Jacob Kimmons started the next store in the place. The only dry goods store in the place now is owned by the Jourdon Bros. The mill was erected by Robert McCracken about 1874. It afterward passed into the hands of William Wallace. Drs. Littlepage, Bell and Morgan were the earliest physicians. The present are the Drs. Davis. The place is of some importance as a ship- ping point on the Evansville' & Terre Haute Railroad for John- son and Decker Townships. Albert C. Shreve's Addition was made to the town November 17, 1876, and William M. Anderson's, of twelve lots, was made April 27, 1875, and his second addition of 18 lots September 3, 1875.
DICKSBURG.
This now extinct town was located in Donations 6 and 7, lying immediately on White River below Deckertown. The land was conveyed by Thomas Dick to Andrew Purcell December 1, 1836. The town site consisted of ninety-three lots, about half of which were never sold. The streets parallel with the river were numbered, First, Second and Third, in order. Those at right angles were named Purcell, Hill and Coddington, respect- ively. The owners of lots were James Patterson, James Crow, James and Joseph Kimmons, Landers Bilderback, James Ed- wards, James Youngman, Henry Fisher, Isaac Purcell, Hiram Minor, John Anthis, Henry Martin, Thomas Johnson and a man named Coddington. The place was long known as rather a "hard place," being the resort for the rougher class. Tilts at fisticuff and cocking mains were common pastime. The place has long since gone down, and a great portion of the land where the town stood has been washed away by the river.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
RICHLAND.
This place was laid out March 31, 1839, on land owned by Purcell, in Donation 54, in Palmyra Township, on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad. The plat contained thirty-nine lots, and the streets were given city names. The only thing that now marks the place is a side track on the Ohio & Mississippi Rail- road. The town plat embraced twelve acres of land. The place took its name from the character of the soil around it.
WESTPHALIA.
This place was laid out and surveyed by R. P. Mayfield for Frederick Pohlmeir, in December, 1881. It is on the Indianap- olis & Vincennes Railroad, in Town 5 north, Range 7 west. The lots were laid out 75x150, and the streets 75 wide. As a town it never had existence in reality. Near the place is a large Lutheran Church, to which the majority of the community belong. The place was named from Westphalia in Europe. A little south of this place, on the railroad, is a station called Wagner's Station. The community of this section is largely German.
BUSSERON.
This place is located near the middle of Busseron Township, when measured from north to south. It was laid out May 30, 1854, and is on the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad, twelve and one-half miles from Vincennes. The town is located in Sec- tions 29 and 30, Township 5 north, Range 9 west. It was sur- veyed by George Calhoun for W. W. Harper, J. A. McClure and T. P. Emison, as proprietors. The town contains twenty lots, each 100 feet square. The town now is one only in name, being simply a station on the railroad.
EMISON.
The town site of Emison was laid out by C. S. Kabler for Samuel A. Emison, in May, 1867. The town site contains twenty- six lots, the full size being 120 feet square. It is in Donation 207, Town 4 north, Range 9 west. The place was of some im- portance as a lumber market. Some grain and other produce are shipped from this point over the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY-A CONNECTED ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS OF EDUCATION FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT, TOGETHER WITH A REVIEW OF THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS UN- DER WHICH THE PRESENT HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO SUCH A HIGH STATE OF PERFECTION, ETC., ETC.
B Y an act of Congress in 1804 a township of land was set apart for a seminary of learning in Indiana Territory. Vincennes, then being the capital, was chosen for the said seat of learning. The lands selected lay south of White River, in what is now Gibson County. By an act of the Territorial Legis- lature, in 1806, the following board of trustees was chosen: William Henry Harrison, John Gibson, John T. Davis, Henry Vanderburg, Walter Taylor, Benjamin Parke, Peter Jones, James Johnson, John Badolette, John Rice Jones, George Wallace, William R. Bullit, Elias McNamee, Henry Hurst, Gen. W. John- son, Francis Vigo, Jacob Kuykendall, Samuel McKee, Nathaniel Ewing, George Leach, Luke Decker, Samuel Gwathney and John Johnson. At the first meeting, June, 1806, Gen. Harrison was chosen chairman. Four thousand acres of the land was offered for sale, and the remainder was to be leased. The board was also allowed the privilege of running a lottery, for accumulating a fund rapidly. It was intended to save $20,000 by this means. Instructions were to be given in Latin, Greek, French, English, an- cient and modern history, moral philosophy, logic, rhetoric and the "laws of nature and nations." All the various departments of the university were to be provided for.
Indian children were to be maintained and educated free, also the school was to be free to all others as soon as the funds would allow. Five of the board at the first meeting were chosen to conduct the lottery. Tickets were put on sale in Washington City, in the States of Tennessee and Kentucky. The first steps toward a building were taken on February 6, 1807, when a deed was made to the trustees of " Henry Vanderburg and François, his
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
wife," to " six arpents in superfices," and bounded on the south- west by the late Benjamin Reed, on the northeast by Gen. Harri- son, northwest by Col. Vigo and on the southeast by Antoine Marechal. A building committee, consisting of Vigo, Vanderburg and McNamee, decided to build a frame house, two and one-half stories high, 60x40 feet. The sale of lands was slow and money was scarce. In 1807 the board ordered the sale of the lottery tickets stopped. From failure in finances the building was not ready for occupancy till 1811, and teachers were compelled to rely upon tuition for support. On January 11, 1811, a com- mittee was appointed to ascertain the annual cost of maintaining a school in the English, French and Latin languages, also math- ematics and geography, the number of students that might attend, the amount of tuition that might be received, and the pro- priety of placing the common school then taught by the Rev. Samuel T. Scott under control of the trustees. The report was to the effect that the cost of maintaining the school was $500; that the number of students did not exceed ten; that the amount of tuition would not exceed $150 to $200; that the charter was for a university, and the last difficulty could be obviated by open- ing a collegiate and a primary department. A code of rules was formulated, and the schools placed under charge of Mr. Scott. He was succeeded by Mr. Olds in July, 1818. In 1823 the build- ing had become so dilapidated that it was unfit for school pur- poses, and the main room was given over to Rev. Mr. Shaw in which to hold Episcopal services. He was to repair the building to the amount of $400, and he or his successors were to superin- tend the university under control of the trustees. In 1818 an act passed the General Assembly allowing the trustees of the borough of Vincennes to sell 5,400 acres, the commons lands, and apply the means to the drainage of the Big Swamp, and what surplus there might be to the university. The university received no benefits from this source. An act passed the General Assembly in 1822 for the sale of the university lands, and the money to be applied to the State University at Bloomington, and at the same time declared that the board of trustees of the uni- versity had ceased to exist. In 1824, when the law for county seminaries passed, it was the intention to substitute the county seminary for the university.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
On October 24, 1839, the old university building was sold for debt, and was purchased by Rev. John A. Vabret, a catholic priest, for $6,500, and the school became St. Rose Academy for girls. On August 17, 1841, it was again sold to Peter Bellier for "$1 and other considerations," and became St. Gabriel Col- lege. In 1840 the trustees, having some funds on hand, pur- chased the present site of the university from Dr. Hiram Decker and wife for $500. This lot was afterward sold (1849) to the county commissioners for a county seminary. A mortgage was held by the trustees on this property, which was afterward fore- closed and the property bought back. The trustees, through their attorney, Samuel P. Judah, brought suit for the lands do- nated by Congress for the university, which the State had declared forfeited. After a long and tedious trial, in which the Supreme Court of the United States was invoked, the case was decided against the State, and judgment rendered for $66,583, for which the State issued its bonds at 6 per cent interest. A suit then arose between Mr. Judah and the trustees as to his fees. The trustees received $41,583 from the State, and something over $1,000 from Mr. Judah. In 1856 a female department was added, and continued in successful operation till 1870, when both schools were united, and the same teachers instructed both sexes. In 1878 the buildings were found to be inadequate, and preparations were made for the erection of a new building. The old seminary building was torn away, and the corner-stone of the present ele- gant structure was laid, with appropriate ceremonies, May 14, 1878. The building is about 57x60 feet and three stories high, and has a tower 103 feet in height. The building contains ample recitation rooms, library, laboratory and a public hall 40x58 feet and 18 feet in height. The building is constructed of pressed brick, and was erected at a cost of $10,890. There is in the hands of the trustees the sum of $48,000 for the maintenance of the university. The faculty consists of E. A. Bryan, president; Charles Harris, Ada Butler, Carrie Spring, Mrs. McGrada and Maggie Roseman. The trustees are R. G. Moore, president; Smiley Chambers, secretary, and Hiram Foulks, treasurer.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The first step toward popular education in Indiana was the
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
act of Congress in 1804 establishing a seminary of learning in Indiana Territory. The pioneers were not so negligent in regard to popular education as is generally supposed. The university was the first school in the county outside of a few indifferent pri- vate schools and the Catholic Church school. Soon after the or- ganization of the State an act passed the General Assembly es- tablishing county seminaries, for the support of which certain fines and penalties were turned over to the board of trustees of said institutions. The income from these sources was very slow, amounting to but a few dollars for the first few years. On the open- ing of the university in 1811 an effort was made to have it supply the place of the seminary proper. The Rev. Scott, who was the first president of the university, became also the superintendent of the seminary, so-called. At the September term of the com- missioners' court in 1825, James McClure offered the following
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