History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I, Part 15

Author: Forkner, John La Rue, 1844-1926
Publication date: 1970
Publisher: Evansville Ind. : Unigraphic, Inc.
Number of Pages: 918

USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 15

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Following is a list of the mayors of Anderson from the time it was incorporated as a city to the present, with the year in which cach assumed the duties of the office: Robert N. Williams, 1865; John C. Jones, 1866; Wesley Dunham, 1868; Simeon C. Martindale, 1870; William Roach, 1872; William L. Brown, 1874; Byron H. Dyson, 1876; James Hazlett, 1878; Wesley Dunham, 1882; John F. McClure, 1886; John H. Terhune, 1890; Morey H. Dunlap, 1894; John L. Forkner, 1902; John H. Terhune, 1905; Henry P. Hardie (acting), 1909; Frank P. Foster, 1909.

Robert N. Williams, the first mayor, was elected soon after the city · was incorporated in the summer of 1865 and served until the next general election in the spring of 1866. His administration was uneventful as there but little to be done except to preside over the deliberations of the city council and occasionally impose a fine upon some offender who might be brought before him as judge of the city court. He was the first postmaster of Anderson, served as county clerk, auditor and re- corder, and was at one time a large holder of Anderson real estate. He was also one of the leading members of the Madison county bar for many years. Mr. Williams was a Republican in politics, but by his popularity as a citizen was chosen the first mayor by common consent, without opposition. The first political contest for the mayoralty was when the next general election took place in 1866, at which John C. Jones defeated Mayor Williams for reelection.

John C. Jones, the second mayor, was a Virginian by birth, but came to Madison county a few years before the beginning of the Civil war and was one of the pioneers of Boone township. His first appearance in politics was as deputy sheriff under his brother-in-law, Benjamin Sebrell, who was elected in 1860. While in this office he made many acquaintances and was elected mayor in 1866. His administration of two years, like that of his predecessor, was uneventful. Mayor Jones

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was good-natured and good-hearted, and frequently sent some poor man to his home after a lecture instead of imposing a fine.

Wesley Dunham was elected in 1868 and served until 1870. During his administration the first street in the city to be improved on an established grade was made passable. This was Water street (now Central avenue). He believed in municipal progress in the way of public works, and though this led to some criticism he was again elected mayor in 1882 and reelected in 1884. After retiring from the mayor's office he served several years as justice of the peace.

Simeon C. Martindale, who served as mayor from 1870 to 1872, was the first Republican to be elected to that office, as such, defeating Wesley Dunham and Andrew Jackson. He was born in Henry county, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1860 and was for many years a prominent figure as a member of the bar of Madison county.

William Roach succeeded Mayor Martindale in 1872 and served one term. He had previously served as deputy sheriff and sheriff of the county and had a wide circle of acquaintances. He was one of the pio- neer merchants of Huntsville, in Fall Creek township, and was recog- nized as a sterling citizen. In 1874, when he was a candidate for reëlec- tion, the temperance crusade, which swept over the country, struck Anderson. Women paraded the streets and erected booths in front of every saloon, where they held prayer meetings from the opening to the closing hours, keeping tab on all who entered the places. Although Mayor Roach was a temperance man, he yielded to the importunities of the business men and issued a proclamation prohibiting public demon- strations upon the streets or the holding of prayer meetings in front of the saloons. Then the guns of the crusaders were turned upon the mayor with such effect that he was defeated for reelection.

William L. Brown, the temperance candidate, was elected in 1874 and served for two years. In 1875 he took all the members of the city council and a number of the leading citiens to Union City, Indiana, to inspect the water works that had recently been established in that city, with a view of awakening sufficient interest to induce Anderson to follow the example. Nothing came of the effort, however, and it was not until eleven years later that the Anderson water works were con- structed. Mr. Brown was public-spirited and was instrumental in securing the building of the road from the Pan Handle tracks to the cemetery, as well as other public improvements. He subsequently re- moved to Sterling, Kansas, where he died.

Byron H. Dyson succeeded Mayor Brown in 1876, being the young- est man ever elected to the office in Anderson. At the time of his elec- tion he was just from college and was a law student in the office of Judge W. R. Pierse. As mayor he presided with dignity and tact and was in all respects a good chief executive. After serving two years as mayor he entered the field of journalism, was connected with the local press and served as correspondent for some of the metropolitan papers. In the early '90s he collaborated with John L. Forkner in the compila- tion of a work entitled "Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madi- son County."

James Hazlett was mayor from 1878 to 1882, serving two terms.

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HIe has been credited with being one of the smoothest politicians Madi- son county ever produced. William C. Fleming, editor of the Demo- cratic organ of the county and a warm personal friend of Mr. Hazlett, was wont to allude to him as the "smoothing iron" of the Republican party. Mr. Hazlett also held the offices of county clerk, county treas- urer and county commisioner at different times. At one time he was a large property holder and was once a partner with William Crim iu the grain business. Hazlett's addition, in the northwestern part of the eity, is upon land once owned by him. About 1888 he removed to River- side, California, where he died some years later.

John F. McClure was elected mayor in 1886 and at the close of his first term in 1888 was reelected. It was during his two administrations that Anderson made her phenomenal growth following the discovery of natural gas. Mayor McClure was one of the active spirits in organ- izing the board of trade and was one of the first men to advocate the paving of the streets with brick. After retiring from the mayor's office he was a member of the city council; was twice elected judge of the Madison Circuit Court, and is now serving as a member of the Indiana Railroad Commission.

John H. Terhune, who was elected mayor in 1890, 1892 and in 1905 for a four-year term, was one of Anderson's largest manufacturers. He was a man of fine executive ability, a shrewd business man and just as shrewd in politics as he was in business matters. He was the owner of several business blocks and was always ready to contribute of his time and means for the promotion of Anderson's interests. As a member of the Indiana legislature he acquitted himself with credit, and his admin- istration as mayor were marked by that progressive spirit which was so characteristic of the man. His death occurred in 1909, before he had completed his last term.

Morey M. Dunlap, who was elected mayor in 1894, was the only man who has ever served eight successive years as mayor of Anderson. Before locating in Anderson he had served for one term as mayor of Blooming- ton, Indiana. He was always alert to every movement for the benefit of the city, was public spirited and companionable and his administra- tions have passed into history as clean and business like in all respects.

John L. Forkner was elected mayor in 1902 and at the close of his first term was reelected. His administrations are notable for the re- building of the electric lighting plant, the improvements of the water works by the installation of the filtration system, etc. Mayor Forkner was fortunate in having a city council composed of men who were always ready to lay aside political differences when the welfare of the city was concerned.

Henry P. Hardie was appointed city controller by Mayor Terhune and upon the death of the mayor early in 1909 Mr. Hardie became mayor by virtue of his office. He served ont the unexpired term in a manner that was entirely acceptable to the people, but at the end of the term did not ask to be elected to the office as many expected and hoped. Mr. Hardie was at one time one of the police commissioners and is now postmaster.

Frank P. Foster, the present incumbent, is a graduate of the In- Vol. 1-8

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diana State University and one of the prominent members of the bar of Madison county, having been engaged in the practice of law for many years. As Madison county's representative in the lower branch of the state legislature his counsel was sought on all important meas- ures that came before that body and he has been a factor in the public and political life of Anderson ever since becoming a resident of the city. He was elected mayor in 1909 for a term of four years, which expires in January, 1914.

According to the United States census for 1910, Andersou is the seventh city in Indiana in population, being exceeded in that respect only by Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, South Bend and Muncie, in the order named. In 1910 the population of Anderson was 22,476, an increase of nearly 12 per cent. during the preceding decade. The city has 6 banking institutions, 29 religious organiza- tions, lodges of all the leading fraternal orders, 10 public school build- ings, the high school building being one of the finest in the country, several good hotels, a large number of well stocked mercantile estab- lishments, several fine office buildings, well paved streets and concrete sidewalks, neat residences, a public park, which was dedicated on July 4, 1913, a fine public library building, and a number of large manu- facturing concerns described in another chapter. The property of the city was assessed for tax purposes in 1913 at $10,226,745.

One thing that impresses the visitor to Anderson is the large num- ber of shade trees that line the streets. From the tower of the court- house the city looks like one vast grove, with here and there a house visible among the trees. Cleveland, Ohio, once rejoiced in the name of the "Forest City," but never in her history was the streets of that city as well shaded as those of the residence sections of Anderson at the pres- ent time. Among the residents there is a spirit of friendly rivalry as to who can keep their lawns and shade trees in the best condition, giv- ing the city an air of comfort and prosperity.

CHAPTER VIII

CITIES AND TOWNS

EXTINCT TOWNS AND VILLAGES-INCORPORATED TOWNS-ELWOOD- ALEXANDRIA - PENDLETON - SUMMITVILLE - FRANKTON - LAPEL -CHESTERFIELD - MARKLEVILLE - INGALLS -- ORESTES - SMALLER VILLAGES - ALLIANCE -- EMPORIA - OVID - LEISURE - HUNTSVILLE -HALFORD-PERKINSVILLE-FLORIDA-LINWOOD-FISHERSBURG-LIST OF POSTOFFICES IN THE COUNTY-RURAL ROUTES.

Since the formation of Madison county as a separate political divi- sien of the state in 1823, a number of towns or villages have been estab- lished or projected within her borders. Some of these have survived and have become industrial centers of considerable importance; others move along in "the even tenor of their way" as neighborhood trading points or post-villages, and still others have succumbed to the inevitable and are no longer in existence. In the chapters on township history will be found mention of most of these extinct towns, as well as a few of the minor villages still on the map, but for the convenience of the reader a list of these places is here given, to wit :

Victoria, Rockport and Omaha, in Anderson township; Independ- ence, Forrestville and Clarktown, in Boone; Menden, in Fall Creek; Alfont, in Green; Nancytown, an Indian village, in Jackson; Keller's Station, in Lafayette; Gilman and Osceola, in Monroe; Dundee, Monti- cello and New Madison, in Pipe Creek; Moonville, Pittsborough, Mount Pleasant and Prosperity, in Richland; Graber's Station and Johnson's Crossing, in Stony Creek; Slyfork or Branson, in Union.

Anderson, the county seat and largest city, is treated in the preced- ing chapter. Next to Anderson, Elwood and Alexandria, in the order named are the largest and most important centers of population. Other incorporated towns are Chesterfield, Frankton, Ingalls, Lapel, Markle- ville, Orestes, Pendleton and Summitville.

ELWOOD

Elwood had its beginning in 1852, when William Barton opened a general store there. On March 1, 1853, the town was regularly laid out by James Anderson, J. B. Frazer and Mark Simmons and named Quincy by the founders. Soon after that a postoffice was established with William Barton as postmaster. As there was already one post- office in the state (in Owen county) called Quincy, the one at Elwood

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was named Duck Creek. The confusion arising from having one name for the town and another for the postoffice often was the cause of both ludicrous and serious embarrassments, but the condition continued for more than fifteen years, when Captain F. M. Hunter, who was then postmaster, enlisted the cooperation of some of the citizens in a move- ment to change the name of both town and postoffice to Elwood, the new name becoming effective on July 21, 1869.

In December, 1872, Elwood was incorporated as a town with the following officers : G. W. Rupp, John Ross and Huston Clendenen,

CITY BUILDING, ELWOOD

trustees; J. H. Hunter, clerk; George Ross, treasurer; J. M. Parsons, marshal. The population was then between three hundred and four hundred and the principal articles of export were lumber and cooper- age materials. The town boasted a brick school house, a fine flour mill, a hotel, several well appointed stores and a bank. The last named insti- tution had been established by William Barton in 1870, about two years before the incorporation.

Although Elwood continued to grow steadily, its development was comparatively slow until after the discovery of natural gas in the im- mediate vicinity in 1887. Then it experienced a boom. Within two years the population and business interests had increased to such an extent that some of the more enterprising and progressive citizens began

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to advocate the establishment of a city government. As a result of the agitation an election was called for April 27, 1891, to give the voters an opportunity to express themselves for or against the incorporation of Elwood as a city. The whole number of votes cast at the election was 523, of which 377 were in favor of the proposition and 146 against it, a majority of 231 in favor of a city government. As soon as the customary preliminaries were complied with, the city was divided into four wards and an election for city officers was ordered for the 9th of June.

To William A. Dehority belongs the distinction of having been El- wood's first mayor. He was born in Elwood (or Quincy, as it was then called), on October 24, 1868, and was therefore in his twenty-third year when called by his fellow townsmen to be the city's first chief executive. At the time of his election he was the youngest mayor in the state of Indiana, but his energy, finc educational qualifications and inherent executive ability soon made it manifest that no mistake had been com- mitted by the people when they intrusted him with the important duty of inaugurating the new municipal regime. Mr. Dehority was also Indiana's first chief state accountant, appointed by Governor Marshall.

The other officers elected at the same time as Mayor Dehority were O. A. Armfield, clerk; T. L. Dehority, treasurer; F. M. IIunter, Jr., marshal; G. W. Boyer and Jacob Kraus, councilmen for the first ward; Martin E. Goode and Hugh Lyst, for the second; Daniel Heck and S. H. Cochran, for the third; and John Frith and W. B. Willets, for the fourth.

One of the first acts of the new city administration was the passage of an ordinance granting a franchise to a company to put in a system of water works. This ordinance was approved by the mayor on July 27, 1891, work was commenced on the plant immediately afterward, and water was supplied to a part of the city by the close of the year. The source of supply is fourteen, eight-inch deep wells. A reservoir with a capacity of one million and six hundred thousand gallons forms part of the system, the water being forced through the mains for ordinary pur- poses at a pressure of forty pounds to the square inch, which may be increased to one hundred pounds in case of fire. The quality of the water is above the average for cities of Elwood's size, and the quantity has always been sufficient to supply the demands.

About the time the franchise was granted to the water company an electric lighting company was also granted a charter. Some years later the equipment of this company, with patronage and good will, was trans- ferred to the Indiana Service Company, which controls electric light and power plants in a number of cities through central Indiana.

When natural gas was first struck near Elwood, the people were so elated over the prospect of securing cheap light and fuel that a company was formed and mains laid through the streets and alleys at pleasure, without the formality of asking for a franchise. After the city govern- ment had been in operation for some time, this company sought and obtained a franchise giving it the right to extend its mains, etc., and also regulating the rates to be charged for gas.

The first electric cars appeared upon the streets of Elwood in the

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summer of 1893. The privilege of laying tracks upon certain streets had been granted by the city authorities some time before, but the work was delayed by the opposition of both the Lake Erie & Western and the Pennsylvania Railroad Companies, which tried to prevent the street railway lines from crossing their tracks. The street railway system is now owned by the Indiana Union Traction Company.

On April 1, 1892, the first Elwood fire department was organized. It consisted of two regular men, eight volunteers, one wagon and two horses. In 1895 six paid men were added to the department, which was still further strengthened by the addition of two more in 1899, after which time volunteers ceased to form part of the department. The city now has two hose wagons and a hook and ladder truck, housed in good buildings and provided with everything that contributes to efficiency. The working force consists of a chief, an assistant chief and eight men who give their entire time to the city and are always ready to answer calls.

Soon after the inauguration of the city government the marshal gave way to an organized police department, which in 1913 consisted of a chief, a sergeant and seven patrolmen.

In 1899 a city hall was erected at a cost of $35,000. In the base- ment are located the heating plant and cells for the city's prisoners. The main floor is occupied by the municipal offices and the mayor's court, and in the south wing quarters are provided for the hook and ladder truck and one of the hose wagons. The inscription on the cor- ner-stone shows that at the time the building was erected F. M. Harbit was the mayor; J. J. Davis, city clerk; W. A. Hupp, city treasurer ; John Finan, city engineer; Phil Hamm, J. L. Ringo, Lute Douge and William Davis, councilmen; T. F. Harnack and E. Rummel, building committee, and that J. E. Alexander & Son were the architects who designed the building.

The city government in 1913 was composed of Austin Brumbaugh, mayor; John Nearom, city clerk; V. M. Maines, city treasurer; A. R. Foland, chief of police; Frank Toler, sergeant; Herman Barber, chief of the fire department; J. H. Snyder, assistant chief, and the council was composed of five members instead of eight as when the city was first incorporated. At one time Elwood was divided into five wards, but in recent years the number has been reduced to three, each of which elects a councilman and there are two councilmen at large. The pres- ent council is made up of C. C. Haworth and Edmon H. Peters, coun- cilmen at large; Albert L. Klapp, representing the first ward; W. E. Clymer, the second, and E. B. Weismantel, the third. These officers retire in January, 1914, except the members of the fire and police de- partments.

From the little Duck Creek postoffice, established on February 5, 1855, with William Barton as postmaster, the postal business of El- wood has grown to such proportions as to justify the erection of a spe- cial building by the Federal government for its accommodation. Accord- ingly, an appropriation was made for that purpose by Congress and work on the building was commenced on April 22, 1912. On July 21, 1913, it was opened to the public. The new postoffice is located at the

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corner of North A and Anderson streets, near the business center of the city, and was completed at a cost of $57,555. Besides the postmaster and assistant postmaster, the office employs five clerks and six carriers in the city and six rural carriers deliver mail from the Elwood office to the surrounding country.

Since the incorporation of Elwood as a city, several clubs or associa- tions have been formed by the business men for the promotion of the material welfare of the city and its industries. The present Merchants' and Manufacturers' Club was organized on September 13, 1911, and numbers ninety-eight members. The officers for 1913 were: M. J. Fo- garty, president ; B. H. Campbell, vice president ; R. J. Weber, secretary ; W. E. Harting, treasurer.

The Elwood of today has twelve miles of brick streets, five modern public school buildings, twelve churches, a free public library, a central heating plant that supplies hot water heat to over one hundred buildings, lodges of all the leading fraternal organizations, four of which own their homes, two daily newspapers, three banks and one trust company with deposits of about $1,500,000, good hotels and theaters, two large grain elevators, a well equipped flour mill, several important manufac- turing establishments, over one hundred retail mercantile houses, and is surrounded by one of the best agricultural districts in the state. Excel- lent transportation and shipping facilities are afforded by the Lake Erie & Western and Pan Handle railroads and the Indiana Union Traction Company. In 1910 the population, according to the United States census, was 11,028, and the assessed value of the property in 1912 was $3,188,690.

The business development of Elwood, bringing it up from a mere vil- lage to a city of large proportions, is largely due to the enterprise and loyalty of the Dehority family and the Callaways. These two families were in business in Elwood when it was but a "speck" on the map, and they both prospered to such an extent that when the moment came to make strides toward making Elwood a city, they were there, ready to lead the procession. No proposition for the betterment of Elwood has ever presented itself that did not receive their hearty support.

ALEXANDRIA

Alexandria, the third city of the county in population, is situated on Pipe creek, near the center of Monroe township, ten miles north of Anderson, with which city it is connected by the Michigan division of the Big Four railway, and a line of the Indiana Union Traction system. The first white settler in Monroe township, Micajah Chamness, located liere in 1831. Others came soon after and quite a settlement had grown up in the vicinity before the town was formally laid out. Soon after the passage of the internal improvement act by the state legislature of 1836, John D. Stephenson and William Connor came to the conclusion that the Indiana Central canal must pass near this settlement and conceived the idea of starting a town on the banks of Pipe creek. They therefore purchased of Micajah Chamness the east half of the northeast quarter of section 24 and employed Nineveh Berry, at that time county surveyor, to lay out the town. The survey and plat were completed on June 3, 1836,

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and on the next day was held the first sale of lots. News of the canal had spread and a large number of buyers were present, the prices of lots ranging from ten to fifty-three dollars.

Thus the town started off under favorable auspices. Soon after it was laid out Nineveh Berry erected a log house at the southeast corner of what are now Berry and Clinton streets and, as the agent of Conner & Stephenson, put in a stock of general merchandise. This was the first mercantile establishment in Monroe township. In a few months Colonel Berry's official duties as surveyor called him to Anderson and David L. Pickard became his successor as manager of the store. About this time a postoffice was established and Mr. Pickard was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded by Nathan E. Tomlinson, who came from Yorktown, Delaware county, in 1839 as manager of the store of Burner & Company.

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History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I, Part 15

Author: Forkner, John La Rue, 1844-1926 Publication date: 1970 Publisher: Evansville Ind. : Unigraphic, Inc. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Forkner, John La Rue, 1844-1926
Publication date: 1970
Publisher: Evansville Ind. : Unigraphic, Inc.
Number of Pages: 918