History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 20

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 199-?]
Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.]
Number of Pages: 954

USA > Indiana > Orange County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 20
USA > Indiana > Washington County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 20
USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 20

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

LEESVILLE.

Leesville is said to have been named for Lee County. Va., whence the first settlers came. It was platted and laid out in June, 1815. The owners of the land were the two Williamus Flinn. Sr. and Jr. Next after Bono, Leesville is the oldest recorded town in Lawrence County. The first merchant was John Speer, who began keeping a small hackster shop about the year 1517. In 1829 he was still there and recommended to the County Board by a number of the citizens in that community as " a suitable person to retail spirits in the town of Leesville." In 1\19 or 1520 George Still began the same business and continued for about ten years. Turner J. Holland was there in 1-30 and probably succeeded John Speer, although he may have been there before that time. Ever since then some of the Holland famil , have been in business, and usually doing the leading trade. In 1833 William Turpen began and remained for three or four years, and about the same time was William MeNealy. William and John Holland were among the early merchants. In 1539 David Cummins was granted a license to keep a tavern. Another man in business in 1530 was Norman Bouton, and in 1946 were John Fergu. son and W. C. Richards, who remained some three or four years: also John Hunter. The present business is as follows: W. R. Holland. gen

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pral merchandise: Dr. W. H. Smith, general store and drugs: F. M. Lemon, Miller, James C: Speer, saw mill; Spencer W. and William H. Smith, physicians: J. MI. Hill, dentist: James D. McAfee & Son and John C. Consalus, blacksmiths: Pate & Walters, wood-workers and black. smiths: R. D. Thompson and MeHenry Owen, attorneys.

Leesville is not behind the world in many things, and in IST. a min- iature newspaper was begun by Micajah Allen. This was called the Sun until 1570. when the name was changed to the Index. These were both very small, and issned more for entertainment than business. The Graphic was established in May, 1>52, by McHenry Owen, and was at that time a four-column folio, but in January, 15$3, it was changed to a six.column folio, its present size. In politics it is'Democratic. U'nder an act of the General Assembly approved January 20, 1824. Leesville asked the County Board, in March. 1531, to be incorporated. An elec. tion for that purpose was ordered and resulted as follows : For incor- poration were Dr. John C. Cavins. Norman Benton. James R. Critchler, James MI. Shields. David P. Abbott. Turner J. Holland, Matthew Flino, George Shrake and Samnel J. Prestou: against incorporation. John Speer. Holman Humphreys and Jobn Shrake. This election was held March 7. 1531. with Alfred Alexander and Samnel J. Preston as Clerks. The first Board of Trustees was composed of these men. James M. Shiekls. John Shrake, Richard Easton, J. R. Critchler and John C. Cavins. The incorporation did not last long. A lodge of Masons was organized here on the 24th of May. 1-54. called Cedar L'alge Number 1411. The officers were: Thomas J. Reed. W. MI .; Robert Henderson. S. W .: and Jonathan C. Todd. J. W. Although the membership of this lodge is not large, it has alway- been in a healthy condition, and now ha- money on band and at interest. Twenty is the number of members now belonging, and the officers are as follows: John Ikerd. W. MI .; William T. Reynold-, S. W .: John E. Stickler. J. W .: John Holland. Treasurer. and MeHenry Owen. Secretary.

I AYETTEVILLE.

The village of Fayetteville. in Indian Creek Township, was laid ont February 6. 1538, by Ezra Kern, and an addition was made in October. 1.74. by Noah Kern. This place was among the first in the county for merchandising, and the first man to begin was John Vestal, some time near the year 1>15. His storeroom was of logs, and for those times he had a large stock of goods. The goods were then hanled from Louis. ville by wagons. Later merebauts were: Solomon R. Frazier. Ambrose Kern, Ambrose Parks. Clark & Ballar-, Robert Boyd. William C. Pit. man. Noah Kern. Bryant & Williams, Milton Short, John Lackey. George W. Morris and Ezra Kern. Those now engaged in business are: John M. Sears, Milton Short and William J. Jordon, the first, of whom

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is Postmaster, and the doctors now practicing at this place are E. F. Allen and Harvey Voyles.

SILVERVILLE

Is in Indian Creek Township. near the county line. and on the line between Sections 19 and 20, Township 5 north. Range 2 west. It was laid out by Robert C. Mc.Afee. July 26. 1955. and the recorded plat shows a total of seventy.sis lots. Lewis J. Baker was doing a small trade here about the year 1950, and soon after that Wallace Craig formed a partnership with him which lasted until 1582. Since that Samuel Sentney has done the business. He does a general merchandise trade, and besides him are F. Turley & Brother, and J. E. Kern in the same kind of business. Dr. S. D. Honnocher is a druggist and a physician. Dr. J. S. Blackburn is also in the practice at this place. J. E. Kern owns a grist-mill supplied with two sets of hubrs, and a saw-inill. all operated by steam-power and valued at about $4.000.

LIBERTY.

In the year 1529 a town was platted and lots sold below the month of Salt Creek four and a half miles southwest from Bedford. It was named Liberty, and immediately after the sale of the lots some half dozen small one-story buildings were erected. A small hotel. a carpen. ter shop, and a store of general merchandise were all the business houses in the place. The proprietors of the store were John S. Daughton, of New Albany, and Frank Tilly. of Louisville. Alexander H. Dunihne. now of Bedford. managed the store for the owners, neither of whom ever lived at the place. After a continuance of one year, in which a good business was done. Mr. Dunihue was requested to close up the business for the proprietors, which he did by selling to Lakey & Beasley, who con. tinned about one year longer and then abandoned the trade entirely. The town proved so unhealthy that no addition was made to its popu- lation.

OTHER TOWNS.

Redding was laid out by Robert Porter and John R. Nugent. Angust 25, 1842, and the year following the voting place for the township was established there. The town was situated in the southeast quarter of Section 15. Town 4 north, Range 1 west. There were eighty-four lots. lying on either side of the old Terre Haute & Louisville road. The town no longer exists. At Redding was the second postoffice in the township, called Sink Spring: John R. Nugent was Po-tmaster.

Woodville was laid ont December 10. 1849. by Edwin Wood. on the southeast corner of Section 20, Town 4 north. Range 1 west. The town consisted of fifty-eight lots, lying in equal number on the two sides of Main Street, through which the Louisville. New Albany & Chicago Railway runs. Woodville was the voting place from 1831 to

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1550. The postoffice was Woodland: Edwin Wood, Postmaster. Two or three families still reside in the dilapidated houses of the town. The proprietor of the town manufactured lumber and kept a store for several years.

Juliet was laid out in 1550, on the southwest corner of Section 11, Town 4 north. Range 1 west, at the time the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railway was completed to that point. The town being the terminus of the road for several months, became quite a commercial point; goods were wagoned from there to Bedford, Bloomington, Green- castle and all towns on that line; stage lines were established away up in the direction of Chicago; but the completion of the railroad north ruined the town's prosperity, and it soon fell into decay. In the soli- tary country store. kept there at present, is the postoffice called " Yockey."

CHAPTER VII.

BY WESTON A. C-01-PEED.

MILITARY HISTORY -- THE OLD MILITIA-THE COMPANY FOR THE MEXI- CAN WAR-h- PUBLIC SERVICES -- THE WELCOMING BARBECUE-ROLL OF THE COMPANY-PERSONAL NOTE -- SENTIMENT IN 1861-THE FALLOF SUMTER-CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS-THE FIRST COMPANIES FOR THE WA :- OTHER: ENLISTMENT -SKETCHES OF THE REGIMENTS-ACCOUNT OF BATTLI -- HA MITING-THE DRAFT OF OCTOBER, 1862-ENLIST MENT- IN 1963-NOTE --- ENLISTMENT. IN 1864-LAST CALL FOR VOL- UNTEER --- TIH: LEMON -- Jony MORRAN-THE DRAFTS OF 1864 AND 1845-SUMMARY OF MEN FURNISHED-BOISTY AND RELIEF-PER-

T HIS county, like all other portions of the State in early years, was required to thoroughly organize its militia and drill or muster quarterly at the county sent or elsewhere designated by the authorities. At the first settlement of the county this was absolutely necessary as a measure of defense against the Indians. and continued to be in vogue until after all danger from that or any other source had passed, but still the old companies met regularly under orders and marched around under the command of some captain. colonel or general, who, perhaps. never in all his life had " smel: " gunpowder ou the field of battle. Each man furnished his own gun, but after twenty or thirty years, when game had largely disappeared. many had no guns, and were required to get something with which to go through the manual of arms, and accordingly armed themselves with long vicks, broom-sticks, corn-stalks, or other implements of warfare equally as dangerous and effective. This gave

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rise to the appellation. "cornstalk militia." as applied to the companies. Gradually the muster of the militia was relaxed until it became nothing better than a farce. The occasion became one for the sports to indulge their proclivities. and horse-races, shooting matches, games of chance, prize fights. and feats of strength or endurance took the place of the time honored "' training day." Quite a number of the early settlers, prior to 1815. attached themselves to neighboring compan- ies of mounted rangers, and were regularly sworn into the service. and are. therefore, veterans of the war of 1812. In case of attack upon any quarter by the Indians they were called ont in pursuit, but otherwise saw no active service. Thus the time was passed until 1846.

THE MEXICAN WAR.

The war with Mexico brought out a full company of men from Law. rence County. Under the act of Congress. approved May 13, 1546, the President of the United States called for volunteers, and three regiments were assigned as the quota of Indiana. The county militia formed the nuclens that furnished the men for the company. In prompt response to the call Henry Davis. Hon. G. G. Dunn. L. Q. Hoggatt. Cyrus Dun. ham. George Carr, Dr. John C. Cavin-, E. W. Rice. James Carothers and others called for a company at Leesville. and war meetings were held there and at Bedford, Springville and perhaps elsewhere. and within a week a full company was raised and their services tendered the Gov. ernor. So rapidly had the work been done that the company was one of the few accepted out of the hundreds offered. and the men were ordered to report at New Albany to become a part of the Second Regiment. An election of officers was held at Bedford with the following result: Henry Davis. Captain; L. Q. Hoggatt, First Lieutenant; C. S. Foster. Second Lieutenant; Edmund W. Rice. Third Lieutenant. Many of the men. including the Captain, came from Leesville. then an important place in the county. The old court house was used for a short time as barracks. while the organization of the company was being perfected. On the 19th of June, 1846, a very warm day. the company were drawn up on the pub- lic square in Bedford, quite early in the morning, to bid good-bye to their friends and take their departure for New Albany to join their regiment. They listened to an eloquent speech of parting advice from their fellow. citizen and neighbor, Hon. George G. Dunn. at the conclusion of which each member of the company was presented with a testament amid hand. shaking4, tears, passionate embraces. loving words of farewell and the imposing ceremony of military departure during a flourish of martial music. The company went south over the Davis' Ferry road. and were followed to the river by a large crowd of relatives and friends who were loth to part, perhaps forever. with their loved ones. Upon their arrival in New Albany they became Company F. of the Second Regiment. They

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were known at home and in the field as the "Lawrence Grays," and were a fine body of men. In July, 1846, the Second Regiment was transferred to New Orleans, and soon afterward across the Gulf of Mex- ico to the mouth of the Rio Grande River. After occupying various positions along the river and elsewhere, where several of the boys died of disease, the regiment at last in February, 1847, found itself with other troops, numbering in all about 5,000 men, under Gen. Zachary Tay- lor, in the Buena Vista Pass awaiting the approach of about 20,000 Mex- icans under Gen. Santa Anna. The Pass was between mountain ranges, and was narrow and cut up by deep ravines which extended up and down the sides of the elevations; and running about half way across it, thus narrowing the Pass still more, was a broad plateau about 200 feet above the general level. The Second Indiana was posted on the extreme left of Gien. Taylor's battle line, on the plateau mentioned and near the mountain-side, which extended upward, it was thought, too abruptly to permit the Mexicans to flank the Americans on the left. At last the enemy was seen moving up the Pass in solid column with banners flying and lances and carbines glittering in the sun. With overwhelming num- ber- he at first attempted to force the Pass in solid column, but Wash- ington Battery, which was posted on a high mound on the right, was so well served that the enemy, cut in pieces by storms of grape and canister, was forced back in confusion and a temporary check was given his advance. He next attempted to flank the Americans on the left and suc- ceeded. Large columns of his troops. on foot and on horse, poured around on the mountain-side and up over the plateau, throwing them. selves upon the Second Indiana and several Kentucky regiments like an avalanche. The Mexican lancers on ponies swept around to the rear of the Americans, captured several pieces of Bragg's Battery, and the crisis of the battle was reached. The Second Indiana fired its twenty-one rounds and was ordered to retreat; but not having been drilled in that important maneuver tan omission in military discipline afterward cor. rected and having no point designated to which to retreat. could not be checked in the face of the swarming Mexicans and continued on down off of the plateau as though pursued by the Furies. Here the majority was at last halted in the forks of two deep ravines, the Kentucky regi- ments having followed them. On came the enemy, and when within a few paces. a fearful storm of lead was poured into them, checking their advance, and encouraging the American forces, which. with a newly formed battle line, resolutely held the position against the repeated charges of the Mexican foot and the lancers on ponies. The battle was hotly and stubbornly fought until night. when the Mexicans withdrew. leaving the victory with the American forces. After this the Second saw no more fighting, and after occupying various positions. doing guard duty. was ordered home, its year of service having expired.

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THE WELCOMING BARBECUES.

When the news of the battle of Buena Vista reached the county it occasioned great excitement. With the report came the assertion that the Second Regiment had fled from the battle-field like frightened deer ; the details were awaited with feverish anxiety. The relatives of the soldier boys denied the report on general principles, but subsequent rumors contirmed the account. The first authentic and accurate account was brought by W. A. Gorman, of Bloomington, who had been in the same regiment, and had come home before the others. He stopped at Bedford long enough to deliver a speech detailing the movements of the battle to a large crowd which had hastily collected. Here it was learned how the boys came to run from the field-that they were acting under the orders of their commander, after they had fired their twenty-one rounds of ammunition and had received three successive orders to retreat. The facts removed the charge of cowardice from the regiment. June 30, 1947. the Bedford boys returned. They were met at White River by the Bedford Brass Band, and a large concourse of citizens, and escorted to the town. After the first warin greetings were over it was determined to hold a barbecne, and accordingly July 6 a large crowd assembled in Foote's Woods, north of town-the estimated number present being 6.000. The procession was formed on the public square and then marched to the grounds where a fat ox was roasting. Dr. Benedict delivered the principal address of welcome, to which Capt. Davis and Lieuts. Hoggatt and Lewis responded. The boys from Leesville were also given a barbecue, but the details cannot be given.

Under the shadows of the last great war the boys who went to Mex- ico must not be forgotten. It was no holiday undertaking to go from the comparatively cold climate of the Northern States, to the hot and peculiar tropical climate of Mexico. The sacrifice of life from disease abundantly attests the peril through which the boys passed. Many were left in lonely: deserted and forgotten graves, and the rugged cactus comes and kisses with its crimson blossoms the silent mounds where they sleep; the rich flowers of the stately magnolia shed their fragrant perfume around: the long festoons of silvery moss hang pendant and weeping above the quiet graves; the rustling wind and dancing rain pay their passing tribute to the glory of the departed. and over all the strauge, bright birds of that sunny cline chant the sa I requiem of death. The boys are gone, but their names are living jewels in the bright casket of memory.

MUSTER ROLL OF THE COMPANY.

The following complete roster of Company F was obtained in the Adjutant.General's office at Indianapolis, but only covers that portion of the year of enlistment from February 25, 1947, to June 21, 1947: Henry Davis, Captain; Lucien Q. Hoggatt, Fir-t Lieutenant; Jo-iah C. Foster,

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Second Lieutenant: Edmund W. Rice, Third Lieutenant; Isaac Caroth - ers, Calvin R Fox. William F. Dobbs and Virgil Vestal, Sergeants; John Bishop, Ambrose B. Carlton, Eli H. Alexander, and Nathaniel B. Stearns, Corporals, and the following privates: Levi Bailey, Dillard Bell, Alexander Caldwell, John R. Carmon. Mathias Clampitt, William Clampitt, John C. Crawford, Lewis Crawford, Jabez Cox. Housan Clifton, William Day. J. F. Deckert, William Dougherty. L. G. Fell, Jobn Foote, James Frank. lin, Caleb Fry. Callahan Fisher, Thomas Goons, Joseph Gough. Alex - ander Hawkins. William Hawkins, Davis Hart, John Helton, David P. Houston, Stephen Humphreys. Philip Huff. Daniel Jackson, James Kil- gore. Benjamin McFarland, George Miner, E. W. Moberly, James Owen, Daniel A. Peck, Chalfant Purcell. W. H. Pender. John W. Pool, Finley Reynolds, Charles Ross, Abraham K. Smith, Austin G. Shear, John Thomas. William Thomas, Isaac P. Todd. Isaac Williams, Johnson Woods, Harvy Mathis, Harrison Wilson, N. W. Irwin, Philip Winegar. Jesse Winegar. James Thomas, John Tressler, Reuben Pitcher. I. N. Templeton. Oscar Foote, William Purcell, John McCoy, George Tyler. Robert Brown. William McPike, Elijah C. Litton, Davis Harrison, Jose. phns Talbot, John Woody, James H. Boyd, Charles Myers, Joseph Dayton, Henry N. Brown, and the two musicians, James J. Brown and James Dun- can. The two Winegar brothers died of disease. Harrison Wilson, N. W. Irwin and Harvey Mathis were killed at Buena Vista, February 22, 1847. and the following were discharged during the term of service for dis- ability: John McCoy, Oscar Foote, William Purcell, George Tyler, H. N. Brown, John Woody. Joseph Dayton, Davis Harrison, J. H. Boyd, Robert Brown. William McPike. Josephus Talbot, E. C. Lytton, Charles Myers and Isaac Templeton. The following additional information concerning other inen from the county in the Mexican war was furnished by Robert N. Palmer. Esq.

Robert Mitchell, father of Jesse A. Mitchell, was Quartermaster of the Second Indiana, and died at Matamoras, Mexico. He was for many years Clerk of our Circuit Court, an excellent officer and respected citizen. The following cawed were soldiers in the Fourth Indiana Regiment: William H. Bivens and Benjamin F. Brinegar; they were in Capt. Jesse Alexander's Company. Ebenezer S Thompson, Oscar Foot, James C. Carl- ton, William Purcell. Thomas Purcell and James Purcell, were members of Company F (Capt. John S. McDougall .; of the Fifth Regiment; Jerry E. Dean (afterward Captain in the Fifteenth Indiana), Absalom Veach, James Hughes, Ralph G. Norvell. Samuel Reynolds, John Wallace. Phelps Reed, Charles Barkley. Seymour Cobb and James Rupert, were members of Company I (Capt. Thomas F. Bethell). of the Sixteenth United States Regulars. James Hughes was the First Lieutenant of the company, and Ralph G. Norvell was Major of the regiment. One McHenry Dozier, who was Deputy Clerk under Robert Mitchell. until he (Mitchell, went

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out of office, went to Bloomfield and joined the company of Capt. Rons- seau. and was killed at the battle of Buena Vista. Dozier was a brother- iu-law of Rousseau, and it is said was brutally murdered by Mexican lancers while lying in an ambulance suffering from wounds, and unable to offer any resistance. Samuel Mitchell was Quartermaster's Clerk under his father, Robert Mitchell, and is at this writing still a citizen of Bedford. Rice MI. Brown, now residing at Mitchell, went through the entire campaign. His physical disability rendered his admission into the service as a soldier impossible-having a badly crippled leg -- but nothing daunted, Brown volunteered in Davis' Company. but was rejected at New Albany by the munstering officer. He then took the honorable but non-combative position of Cook for the officers' mess. and in that capacity served until the company was mustered out.

Mr. Palmer also furnished the following:

Albert Sidney Johnston, in 1838 an officer in the Regular Army. had under the orders of the President started, with some two or three thons. and regular troops, across the plains to bring Brigham Young to under- stand that he was in the jurisdiction of the United States, and must obey its laws. Some of the young men of Bedford caught the soldier fever from reading the newspaper accounts of the movement, and called a meeting at the court house on the night of March 30, 185S. The follow. ing notice appeared in the Lawrence Democrat of that date:

HO FOR UTAH!

We are requested to state that there will be a meeting at the court house to-night to take into consideration the propriety of raising a company of volunteer: for service in the U'tah war.

TURN OUT! TURN OUT!

The meeting was held, and speeches were made by A. B. Carlton. P. A. Parks, and Walter R. Johns, editor of the Lawrence Democrat. A company was partially raised and officers elected, but they never got out of the court house yard as a company. In the same paper, of date April 20, 1858, is the following notice: "Attention Company! The company of officers lately organized in this place for the Utah war are hereby notified, that they need not meet again until President Buchanan is heard from: there is some doubt yet whether he needs them. They are still expected. however, to keep on in their drilling exercises on stove boxes and grindstones." So ends the record of Lawrence County in the Utah war.

STATE OF POLITICS IN 1-60-61.

Prior to the fall of Sumter and after the tragic act of secession of South Carolina. public feeling on the questions dividing the country was in a highly bewildered condition. It is a singular fact that a large pro. portion of thinking people was in doubt as to what position to take. It wa- conceded by many that inasmuch as the Union was simply a confed-

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eracy voluntarily entered into at the beginning. each State, in her sover- eign capacity, when she could better her condition, could rightfully with. draw from the compact. Perhaps the majority was in doubt on this question. There were but very few people in the county who wished to see the I'nion broken. The leading question was whether a State had the right under the Constitution to leave the Union. Those who inclined to the belief that it had were of course opposed to the contemplated coercion, and declared that the South was right. as a deadly menace was made toward her most valuable and chiefest institution-slavery. With- out

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History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 20

Author: Goodspeed Brothers Publication date: 199-?] Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.] Number of Pages: 954

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 199-?]
Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.]
Number of Pages: 954