USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana : their people, industries, and institutions > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > History of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana : their people, industries, and institutions > Part 22
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MORE TERRITORY ATTACHED TO MONROE COUNTY.
By legislative act, dated December 31, 1821, all of Monroe county lying west of White river was attached to Owen. The second section of this act reads as follows: "All that part of Monroe county lying west of the White river be and the same is hereby attached to Owen county, and that all suits, pleas, plaints, actions and prosecutions whatsoever shall be conducted in the same manner as if no change had taken place." Section 3 of this act reads as follows: "So much of the New Purchase as is contained in the following boundary, to-wit : Beginning on White river where the line divid- ing the townships 10 and II north crosses the same; thence east with said line to the corners of sections 4 and 5, township 10 north, range 2 east ; thence south to the Monroe county line, shall form and constitute a part of Monroe county." It will be observed that this section attached to the county all of the present county north of the old Indian boundary, together with a strip three miles wide now a part of Brown county. By an act of the Legis- lature approved January 16, 1828, the following territory was attached to Monroe county : Beginning at a point on the line dividing townships 7 and 8, where the line dividing sections 31 and 32 intersect the same; thence north with the last mentioned line to the line dividing the counties of Johnson and Bartholomew ; thence west with said line to the northeast corner of Monroe county ; thence south to the line dividing townships 7 and 8; thence east with the last mentioned line to the place of beginning."
CHAPTER IV.
EARLY SETTLEMENT-GENERAL HISTORY.
The statement of old Colonel Ketchum, who settled in the northwest corner of Clear Creek township in 1817, shows that he believed the first white settler within Monroe county to have been David McHolland. Mr. Mc- Holland's wife, who was still living, at a very advanced age, in the eighties, says her husband came to the county when Indiana was yet a territory, in 1815. Mr. Ketchum, just mentioned, came two years later and was well acquainted with the first settler, as it appears from many incidents. Of course prior to the settlement of David McHolland, there had been transient hunters and trappers, but, so far as is known, no white family had ever be- fore invaded this county for the purpose of making permanent settlement. He was also a famous hunter and it is said supported his little family chiefly with his trusty rifle. He killed many bears at different points within what is now Monroe county, often under great difficulty and personal danger. His wife was frequently heard to boast of baking the first corn pone in Mon- roe county, and doubtless she was correct. The McHollands cultivated a few acres of land in Clear Creek township upon which they squatted, and after a few years went to the northwestern part of the county, where they continued to reside many years.
Settler number two has slipped from the records and from the memory of anyone now living here. Bartlett Woodward came to Clear Creek town- ship in 1816 and entered a large amount of government land. He built a log house for himself and family. He reported several families as being in Clear Creek township when he came. Pioneer Woodward was a prominent . citizen and was elected one of the county commissioners in 1818.
Colonel Ketchum built a grist mill on Clear creek as early as 1818, which was for many years famous in all the surrounding scope of country. Other mills were Greene's and Chambers' and Shirley's, each being waterpower mills. The Taylors sent the first flat-boat loaded with pork and grain down the stream of either Clear or Salt creeks from Monroe county.
By the time of the first land sales in the county, there had come to what is now Bloomington township more than a dozen families. During the
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first four years after the land sale in 1816, the persons who entered land were inclusive of these: David Rogers, section 33, in 1816; Joseph Taylor, section 33, 1816; George Ritchey, section 33, 1816; George Hendrick, sec- tion 33, 1816; John Ketchum, section 6, 1816; Henry Wampler, section 6, 1816; Adam Bower, section 6, 1816; Thomas Smith, section 7, 1816; William Julian, section 7. 1816; William J. Adair, section 7, 1816; John Griffith, sec- tion 15, 1817; James Matlock, section 18, 1817; James Wood, section 19, 1817: John Buskirk, section 25, 1817; William Goodwin, section 13, 1818; Thomas Barker, section 19, 1818; Abraham Buskirk, section 24, 1818; Stephen P. Sealls, section 26, 1818; George Whisenand, section 6, 1820; Thomas Hardy, section 24, 1821. These and a few more were the only ones who entered lands in Bloomington township before 1822.
In Bean Blossom township the first settler is not now fully known, but certain it is that John Fullen and Nathaniel Gilbert located in 1816. Other early settlers of the county are given as from this township, in the township history in this volume.
In Richland township, many land entries were made in 1816, and it is usually believed that the first family to locate permanently was that of Will- iam Edmunson, near Ellettsville, where he built a small log cabin. It is not believed that he was a land owner at that date-simply a squatter. Later he bought his claim from George Cutler on section 9.
In 1815 there were a few white settlers in what is now Van Buren town- ship, but just who is entitled to first place among the pioneer band is now unknown. The chief settlement and land entries here were made in 1816.
In Indian Creek township the first settlers were the Lambs and Walkers. The first settlers were scattered here and there throughout the entire town- ship, living in rude log huts, many miles apart, though all did their part to- ward developing the country.
In Clear Creek township, the first settler was also the first in the county, as before stated-David McHolland, who came in 1815.
In Washington township the first to enter land and effect his settlement was James Bennington, who entered at the land office at Vincennes, Septem- ber 12, 1817, the southwest quarter of section 30, township to north, range I west. The next settler was John Patterson in 1823, on section 31.
In Benton township the first land entry was made by Elisha Pollard, on section 34. September 27, 1822.
In Salt Creek township, Moses Williams purchased the first land on September 9. 1817. in section 7.
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In Polk township the first to enter land was Elijah Elliott, who bought ninety odd ( fractional) acres in congressional township 7 north, range 1 east, on section 4.
In Marion township, the first to enter land was Osborn & Brown, merchants, who claimed land on section 6, but not with the view of becoming actual settlers. This was in 1823. This township was among the last to be settled.
The various township histories, found elsewhere in this work, will give more in detail of the settlement of the county, hence need not here be men- tioned further. This county has been settled almost one hundred years, and has made a wonderful history and its development will rank high among the sister sub-divisions of the great state of Indiana.
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
After the organization of Monroe county, the locating of the county seat at Bloomington, by the locating commissioners appointed by the governor of Indiana, and the holding of the original general election, at which officers, including the first board of county commissioners, were chosen, the real machinery of the county government commenced to do active service. The first meeting of the first board was held at the house of Abner Blair on April 10, 1818. The board consisted of Bartlett Woodward, Michael Buskirk and James Parks. The time which each was to serve was determined by the number of votes each had received when elected-a very fair manner of dis- posing of such choice, instead of drawing lots, as is the usual modern-day process for choice of long and short terms. Mr. Woodward received the highest number of votes and hence served three years; Mr. Buskirk had the next highest number and served two years; Mr. Peck, having the lowest num- ber of votes, received the shortest term, or one year as member of the county board.
The first official act of the newly elected board was the appointment of William Lowe as county clerk, pro tempore, and the second was the appoint- ment of Capt. James Bigger as lister or assessor of the county for the year 1818, his bond being fixed at one thousand five hundred dollars. Roderick Rawlings was then appointed by the commissioners as county treasurer, and he was required to put up bonds in the sum of twenty thousand dollars.
The second day of the board's meeting, they adopted a county seal, which was only intended to be temporary, and was simply a scrawl enclosing the words "Temporary Seal of Monroe County."
William Milliken was appointed superintendent of the sixteenth section (school section) in township 10 north, range 2 west ; George Parks the same in township 8 north, range 2 west; John Storm, the same in township 7 north, range I west; William Matlock, the same in township 9 north, range I west.
Benjamin Parks was appointed county agent, with bond fixed at twenty thousand dollars. By order of the board, the county seat was to be styled
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and known as "Bloomington." The locating commissioners, who had served by appointment of the governor, were allowed the sum of thirty-three dollars to David Fouts; thirty dollars to John Pernicks; thirty dollars to Jonathan Jones; thirty dollars to Samuel Burcham.
The first road petition in the county was headed by William Hardin, and the highway sought was to extend from Bloomington to Scott's Ferry on Salt creek, and thence on to the Lawrence county line. The viewers ap- pointed were William Jackson, John Scott and William Craig. This wagon road was ordered constructed and was the first wholly built by Monroe county.
The town of Bloomington was then ordered to be surveyed and laid off into lots, the whole matter being left in the hands of the county agent.
On the third day of the first session of the board of county commis- sioners, a log house was ordered constructed known as a "double-log house," which was to be used as a court house, and it was specified that it was only for temporary use.
The board also, on the third day of its first session, selected the first grand jury of Monroe county, which was composed of the following gentle- men : Dudley Carl, William Chambers, David Chambers, John Scott, John Mercer, Thomas Grimes, John Berry, William Newcomb, Jesse Tarkington, Solomon Green, Jonathan Nichols, George Sharp, William Millikan, George Parks, Sr., Coleman Puitt, Eli Lee, William Hadin and Henry Wampler.
The sheriff in attendance, John W. Lee, was ordered to notify these grand jurymen to meet for action at the house of Abner Blair. The traverse jury was then selected as follows: William Matlock. George Burdrick, John Thompson, Samuel Scott, Thomas Clark, Jonathan Rains, John Storm, Jr., John Couch, John Matlock, John Cutler, Joseph Peeshaw, David Sears, Elijah Morgan, James Wright and James Matlock.
Jonathan Rogers, Robert Russell and Samuel Scott were appointed first road supervisors. John W. Lee, sheriff, was paid eighteen dollars for notify- ing the locating commissioners of their appointment, and was also allowed seven dollars for making returns of the first election held in the county.
LATER PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD.
A full report of the sale of town lots in the newly located seat of justice will be found in the chapter on the township and city of Bloomington. In passing it may be said, however, that the money received from the lot sales
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was the chief source of revenue to the county for a number of years. From the start the county board were compelled to issue warrants or orders at a discount, which were later ordered received for county dues. Wild-cat bank issues were the only paper money then, and almost every report of the treasurer of the county exhibits an entry of certain depreciation on the bank bills in possession of the county. A holder of a "bank note" those days was not sure in the morning that it was worth anywhere near as much as the night before. The contrast with today is indeed marked-now every bill, and every coin, whether copper, silver or gold, is worth what it carries in denom- ination upon its face.
EARLY TAX LEVIES.
When the county was first organized the rate of taxes on various ar- ticles was as follows: On each horse, thirty-seven and a half cents; on each hundred acres of first class land, fifty cents; on each hundred acres of second class land, forty cents : on each hundred acres of third class land, twenty-five cents; and many other items in like proportion.
The license fixed on tavern keepers in February, 1819, was seven dollars and fifty cents in Bloomington and five dollars in the country. The board also fixed the charges of tavern keepers (a thing that now might be considered "unconstitutional" by landlords) which run thus: For breakfast, twenty-five cents: for dinner, twenty-five cents: for supper, eighteen and three-fourths cents ; lodging, six and one-fourth cents; corn or oats, per gallon, twelve and a half cents; horse at fodder or hay, twenty-five cents; one half pint of whisky, twelve and a half cents; same quantity of brandy, eighteen and three-fourths cents; one half pint of French brandy, thirty-seven and one- half cents ; same amount of wine, same price.
In the summer of 1820 County Agent Benjamin Parks reported the total sales and rents of town lots and other donated lands amounted to the sum of $27,874.58. He had paid over, $9,383.73: discounts on bad cur- rency, $98.80: balance on hand, $32.51. A fine financial showing for early- day Bloomington, indeed.
Addison Smith succeeded Benjamin Parks as county agent, in August, 1820, and later in that year James Boreland succeeded Roderick Rawlins as county treasurer. The census enumerator in 1820 was Addison Smith.
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PUBLIC BUILDINGS-COURT HOUSES, ETC.
As has been shown, the first business of the county was transacted at the private residence of Abner Blair, where the first courts assembled, but the order of the commissioners was carried out, in the erection of the double- log court house-two cabins, one being twenty by twenty feet and the other twelve by twenty feet in size. These structures were ten feet apart, with a covered "entry" connecting the two buildings-really the two houses and entry-way were all under one roof. The houses were to be built of round logs and later to be hewed down flat. Each was to be ten feet high to the eaves, each to contain one door and one window. The contractor was Samuel Elliott, and the price paid was about four hundred dollars.
Mr. Elliott also contracted to clear away the trees and bushes from around the pioneer court house. The work was pushed along so rapidly that the building was occupied in August, 1818.
THE SECOND COURT HOUSE.
Monroe county's second court house was planned for in February, 1819. The specifications as prepared by William Low stated that the structure was to be of brick with a stone foundation. It was to be two stories high and forty-five feet long, east and west, and forty feet wide, north and south. It was in May, 1819, when Robert Stafford took the contract, but failing to put up security-the bond being fixed at twenty thousand dollars-the contract was re-awarded to John Ketchum, for seven thousand nine hundred and sixty-five dollars. Work was commenced in June, and in August the first installment of one thousand dollars was paid the contractor. At this date posts and railings were placed around the old court house. Samuel Harry- man was one of the brick-layers on the court house. In February, 1820, County Treasurer Rawlins donated certain commissions due him on receipts for lot sales, provided such donation should go toward the purchase of a clock for the new court house. His offer was thankfully received and ac- cepted by the county commissioners and taxpayers of the county. It was not until 1824 that all the trees had been cleared from the public square, and such work was finally completed by David Teague, who received for such work the sum of twenty-four dollars. In February, 1820, the plans for the court house were somewhat changed, but the main work went forward. In August, 1821, Mr. Ketchum was paid four thousand dollars on his contract,
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the rough work having all been completed at that date. David Armstrong was contracted with to build what the county clerk wrote in record as a "cubola" to the building. For three years prior to December, 1822, the clerk's office was maintained at the house of Jacob B. Lowe, and he was paid sixty dollars as rental money. Early in 1823 the court house was nearly completed and ready for occupancy. But as it was not fully finished it was not occupied for a long time afterwards, notwithstanding the county had paid the contractor for all the work. In 1824 Edward Borland was paid three hundred fifty-two dollars and twenty cents for additional work on this building, and David Armstrong the sum of one thousand five hundred five dollars and twenty cents; Benjamin Neeld, twenty-four dollars and other parties eighty-one dollars. Mr. Ketchum was never paid quite his full con- tract price, but nearly that amount. The court house was not completed, inside and out, before 1826, and its cost was eight thousand three hundred dollars.
Lightning rods were then termed "Franklin rods," in honor of Benjamin Franklin, inventor of the lightning rod. The county board had great faith in such electric conductors and purchased rods for the new court house, and by this act they had an endless amount of trouble. Austin Seward was en- gaged to paint the building a fire red and to pencil it off in white, and such work was all to be finished before September, 1826. In 1825 Samuel Dun- ning engaged to build a county clerk's office and county library room, which work was performed before November that year. At that date the public square was neatly fenced. Z. Williams executed the wood work on the clerk's office, while Ewing & Montgomery did the plastering. The finished building was occupied in May, 1826, and occupied for the first time that same month. Z. Williams was handed the keys to the court house and instructed by the board to keep it locked, permitting it to be occupied only by the courts, county commissioners, taking of depositions, Fourth of July celebrations, elections, "when any person shall want admittance for the purpose of acquir- ing agricultural knowledge, and in the discretion of the keeper to any preacher of the gospel."
This court house was a fine structure for that early day and was the pride of Bloomington and this portion of Indiana. Bloomington, the county seat, was looked upon as one of the most promising towns in all the Hoosier state.
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THE BUILDING TO BE FENCED.
In March, 1827, the citizens petitioned the county board as follows : "To the Honorable Board of Justices of Monroe County : The undersigned petitioners respectfully represent that they conceive that the honor of the county and the future interests and importance of Bloomington, which now ranks among the best villages in the state, imperiously requires that the court house should be surrounded by a permanent inclosure, which would add to the convenience and beauty of our public square, and at the same time hold forth a powerful inducement to the citizens of the town to make correspond- ing improvements in the streets and alleys." The long lot of suggestions as to how such fence should be constructed wound up by saying the same "should be built of brick on a stone foundation." The petition was heard and granted. The honorable petitioners were as follows, names still familiar in Monroe county : Thomas Graham, William Alexander. Edward Borland, John Hight, George Henry, James Whitcomb, Edmund Wyman, Granville Ward; Richard Hardesty, William S. Wright, James Slocum, Robinson Farmer, George H. Johnson, Frederick Butler, Jacob Harsh, John S. Barnes, "and others." William Bannister and John Robinson did the work of fencing the square. The final settlement with contractor Armstrong, builder of the court house, was not made until 1829.
In 1856-58 this court house was remodeled. the work being performed by John F. Rogers, who built the two brick wings at a cost of about seven thousand dollars. A few more changes were made on the property up to 1884, when it was stated that it was in as solid a condition as when first built, sixty years before. It served the purpose of Monroe county as a temple of justice until the erection of the present magnificent stone court house.
THE PRESENT COURT HOUSE.
The following tablet adorns the wall of the lower story (basement) of the present court house, and it gives much history in a condensed form :
Building ordered March 6, 1906. Completed June 1, 1908.
County Commissioners-1906, James W. Davis, Isaac Mitchell, Jacob Miller ; 1907, Jacob Miller, Isaac Mitchell, Benjamin F. Cooter.
Isaac C. Batman, County Attorney. Auditor, Samuel M. Kerr.
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Citizens' Advisory Board-Fred Matthews, M. H. Bogemann, J. D. Showers, S. C. Freese, P. K. Buskirk.
Architects-Marshall S. Mahurin, Guy M. Mahurin, Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Contractors-George W. Caldwell and Lester Drake, Columbus, Indiana.
Secretary-August H. Knosman; Superintendent, Herman Vergin.
The cost of the above structure was two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Its corner stone was laid with impressive Masonic ceremonies on the Ioth day of May, 1907. It stands in the center of a beautifully kept pub- lic square, with stone and cement walks running to all the entrances. A rest room is found for ladies in the northeast corner of the cool basement. The room opposite is used by the Grand Army of the Republic. The county officers are found on the second floor, while the law library, jury rooms and court room are found on the third floor, as well as many of the county officers' rooms, such as school superintendent, etc. A fine tower surmounts this massive stone building, in which is hung a great bell and clock, that sounds the hours as they go by, year in and year out. The dials of this clock are illuminated and face each direction, and may be seen at a great distance.
COUNTY JAIL HISTORY.
In October, 1818, it was deemed a necessity to provide this county with a suitable and safe jail. Roderick Rawlins was engaged to draw plans for such a building. It was to be built of oak timbers, one foot thick, and was to stand north of the court house; was to be twenty by thirty feet in size; to be provided with a dungeon and a criminal's room, and a jailor's room, the latter to be constructed on the east side of the jail proper. Roderick Rawlins took the contract and hurried the building along to completion. John Rawlins built a "stray pen" for the town, for which he was paid the sum of twenty-three dollars. Joel Woodward and others dug a well on the public square. Early in 1819 it was ordered that the square be fenced in, but this work was delayed some time.
The jail was reported finished in February, 1820, but the inspecting committee found that the debtor's room was incomplete, and David H. Max- well was employed to remedy the objections. So be it remembered that Monroe's first jail had a debtor's room, and that, too, in Bloomington, only ninety years ago!
The first jailor was Enos Blair. We have no records of the men and
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women who were from time to time placed in this jail; however, it matters not now, for long years since they have been numbered among the dead!
In 1837 the county concluded to build a new jail and appointed John Bowland, E. T. Butler, William S. Wright, Samuel Hardesty, Joseph Baugh and John W. Lee a committee to remove the old wooden jail and build on the same lot a new one. The contract was awarded to Hardesty, Graham and Chapman, but the price is not now known. The new jail was a strong brick structure, costing five thousand dollars, and was not fully completed until early in the forties. That jail did duty until 1869-70, when bids were invited looking towards the erection of a new jail, which had really been needed since 1856. Four bids were received, and that of George Finley & Company being the best, it was accepted, the same being to erect a jail and sheriff's residence, all of stone work, for the sum of six thousand nine hun- dred and ninety-eight dollars. That prison house was thirty-four by forty- one feet ; the residence was to be twenty by forty-four feet, with a kitchen and guard-room fourteen by thirty-three feet. It was to be brick, on stone foundation.
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