USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 29
USA > Indiana > Parke County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 29
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The 1912 officers are: George Morehead, noble grand; Guy F. Newlin, vice grand; Iles Morehead, recording secretary ; Edmund B. Brown, financial secretary ; James Chipps, treasurer ; Bird H. Davis, Ithimer M. Casebeer and Fred D. Wimsett, trustees. The present membership of this lodge is sixty- eight. Their hall was built in 1892, at a cost of one thousand six hundred dollars ; paraphernalia and furniture, four hundred dollars.
This lodge is always represented at the grand lodge, and B. H. Davis of the Hoosier State, published at Newport, was appointed proof-reader of the grand lodge in 1912, and had served on the Daughters of Rebekah committee at a former session.
PRESENT LODGES OF VERMILLION COUNTY.
The following shows an account of the Odd Fellows lodges in Vermillion county according to the 1912 grand lodge reports; also the membership of each subordinate, as well as Rebekah degree, lodge:
Charity Lodge No. 32 has forty-seven members.
Amant Lodge No. 356 has one hundred and seventy-three members.
Dana Lodge No. 581 has a membership of one hundred and fifty-four.
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Setting Sun Lodge No. 583 has sixty-two members.
Vermillion Lodge No. 594 has seventy-eight members.
St. Bernice Lodge No. 666 has one one hundred and thirty-eight mem- bers.
B. F. Foster Lodge No. 730 has a membership of seventy-eight.
Unity Lodge No. 827 has a membership of one hundred and five.
This gives a grand total of eight hundred and thirty-five Odd Fellows in Vermillion county.
REBEKAH DEGREE LODGES.
Clinton, Vermillion Lodge No. 182 has one hundred and fifty-nine mem- bers.
Perryville Lodge No. 218 has a membership of twenty-six.
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Newport, Hope Lodge No. 268 has thirty-two members.
St. Bernice, Columbia Lodge No. 425 has ninety-four members.
Hillsdale Lodge No. 573 has ninety-nine members.
Cayuga, Venus Lodge No. 515 has nine members.
Dana, Ruth Lodge No. 634 has sixty-five members.
This gives a grand total of membership in the Rebekah degree of four hundred and eighty-four.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Vermillion Lodge No. 113, of the order of Knights of Pythias, was organized December 31, 1884, with sixteen charter members and the first officers were : Dr. James T. Henderson, chancellor commander : F. S. Smith, vice commander ; L. A. Morgan, master of finance; M. J. Rudy, master of exchequer ; D. H. Cade, keeper of records and seal; W. A. Collins; prelate ; G. R. Hicks, master at arms ; A. R. Marlat, inner guard ; E. A. Lacy, outer guard.
At Dana the Knights of Pythias have a hall in conjunction with the Odd Fellows order. The lodge number is 247.
At Clinton no data was furnished, but it is known that this order has Hazel Lodge No. 217, with C. C. Foley as keeper of records and seal, and Victor Lodge No. 553.
There are now Knights of Pythias lodges at Clinton, Cayuga, Dana and Newport, all in a flourishing condition. At Clinton there is a Uniform Rank degree of this order; also the Pythian Sisters.
Riverside Lodge No. 242, at Newport, was instituted June 4, 1890. The first officers were: Rev. F. W. Gee, past commander ; R. E. Stephens, chan- cellor commander ; R. B. Sears, vice commander: B. S. Aikman, master of exchequer ; J. D. Collett, master of finance : R. B. Van Allen, prelate; W. J. Place, outer guard; J. L. Nelson, inner guard; T. J. Nichols, master at arms ; E. E. Henson, keeper of records and seal.
The lodge now has a membership of one hundred and eighteen. Its elective officers are: George W. Short, chancellor commander; H. B. Aik- man, vice chancellor; W. M. Place, master of exchequer ; \V. S. Brown, mas- ter of finance; J. B. Butler, prelate; Charles V. Hughes, outer guard; A. Julian, inner guard; Iles Morehead, keeper of records and seal.
This lodge owns its own hall and its cost was about one thousand two hundred dollars, erected in 1892.
CHAPTER N.
VERMILLION COUNTY ATTORNEYS.
While it is impossible to record the names of every man connected with the bar of Vermillion county, the following list will serve a good purpose in calling to mind many, both dead and living, who have practiced in the county. In Clinton township the list includes James R. Baker, who, although he did not practice law long, should not be omitted. He left the profession to become a Methodist Episcopal minister.
Lyman J. Smith practiced here four years and removed to Paris, Illinois.
"Judge" John Porter, who lived in the country in this township. fol- lowed the law to some extent, was a man of good literary attainments, a mem- ber of the Legislature, etc. He died some time prior to the Civil war period.
For about one year prior to the war a man named Ragan practiced law at Clinton.
Henry D. Washburn, a native of Vermont, a member of the noted Washburn family of the old Green Mountain state, was born in March, 1832, coming to this county about 1850; taught school three or four years, chiefly in Helt township, and some at Newport; studied law, while teaching. with Thomas C. W. Sale at Newport ; admitted to the bar in 1853. and opened an office at Newport; was in partnership with M. P. Lowry for a time ; elected auditor of Vermillion county in 1854, serving one term: entered the army as captain of Company C, Eighteenth Indiana Infantry, promoted to lieutenant- colonel, then colonel, and breveted brigadier-general and then major-general. serving in all about four years, first in Missouri. next in the Army of the Potomac, then in Georgia; but in 1864, before the termination of the Civil war, was elected, while a resident of Clinton, to the lower house of Congress, against Daniel W. Voorhees, serving from March, 1865, to March, 1869. In the last year he was appointed by President Grant to the office of surveyor- general for the territory of Montana and while holding the office died in Jan- uary, 1871, at Clinton, leaving a wife and two children. Commanding a com- pany of fifty men, he made the first explorations of the now famous Yellow- stone Park, in 1870, in which journey the exposure brought on illness that proved fatal to him. He was a Methodist, a Republican and a member of the Knights Templar degree of Masonry.
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Henry A. White, a native of Helt township, this county, practiced law at Clinton a number of years, then moved to Kansas.
M. B. Davis, another Vermillion county product, and a graduate of old Asbury University, Greencastle, was admitted to the bar while a very young man, and was in partnership for a short time with H. H. Conley, of Newport. In 1885 he left for Beatrice, Nebraska, and there practiced law and was con- nected with the Beatrice Republican, a local newspaper.
In 1888 the lawyers at Clinton were Daniel C. Johnson, Platt Z. Ander- son, Benjamin R. Whitcomb, I. H. Strain and Melvin B. Davis.
At Newport, the seat of justice, the members of the legal profession have included these: Daniel M. Jones, a native of Vermillion county, attended Wabash College, not quite completing his course ; he was admitted to the bar in 1852 to 1853; was a member of the Legislature in' 1861, as a Republican; was an active partisan, a natural orator, and a shrewd lawyer, and died in the autumn of 1865, leaving a widow and three children. His wife was a sister of Stephen S. Collett. The son studied for a physician.
I .. C. Allen, born near Highland, this county, studied law under M. G. Rhoades, of Newport, and was there admitted to the bar. He was justice of the peace in 1868-72, when he also had some trial cases on hand. He was a man of firm principles and sometimes a little severe and rough. Later, he removed to Fountain county and served as a deputy clerk at Covington.
Nathan Harvey was a native and lived many years in Parke county, this state, being educated at Bloomingdale school, the Quaker institution, under the instruction of Barnabas Hobbs, formerly state superintendent of public in- struction. He had a fair mind and good scholarship. On coming to New- port he taught school in the seminary building during the days of the Civil war, for a couple of years, then married the daughter of John C. Johnson. He became a law partner of William Eggleston, but was only permitted to practice about three years, when he died, during a session of court. He was an honorable man and had he not died so early would doubtless have been one of the county's best legal minds.
Robert A. Parrett, a native of Indiana, settled with his parents at New- port when a young man. His father was a traveling Methodist minister and the son Robert was reared largely in Newport. He commenced a course at Asbury ( now De Pauw University ) and while yet in the freshman year, on account of ill health, he had to desist. He then read law in the office of Judge Jump, was admitted to bar and practiced his profession for a time. In the autumn of 1875 he was admitted as a partner of B. E. and M. G. Rhoades, in
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which relation he remained until January, 1880. He then engaged in farming near Newport. He was a good lawyer, a good bookkeeper and attentive to business, but, owing to ill health, was induced to abandon the profession for that more healthful and independent occupation of a farmer.
Prof. B. F. Rhoades, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1834, came with his parents' family 'to Richmond, Indiana, in 1836, in a one-horse wagon. In 1837 they came to Parke county; then moved to Waveland, Montgomery county, where he attended the Waveland Academy, and entered Wabash Col- lege in the junior year, graduating there in 1859. He then came to Clinton. Vermillion county, and taught in the Farmer's College a part of one year. He studied law in the office of Judge Maxwell, at Rockville, Parke county, was admitted to the bar, came to Newport in 1861, and commenced the prac- tice of law. He was in partnership with his brother, M. G. Rhoades, 1865-79. In 1865-66 he was a member of the Legislature. In 1878 he removed to Terre Haute. He went to Europe with his family and there spent thirteen months in travel. Early in the spring of 1881 he was appointed judge, of the superior court of Vigo county, serving one year. For five years he was one of the trustees of the State University at Bloomington, where he was also a professor of law for a time.
John D. Cushman was born and reared in Perrysville, this county. His father was Thomas Cushman, who was elected county auditor in the fall of 1872, and moved with his family to Newport, where the son John studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice with Joshua Jump for a time ; was in the office of Messrs. Rhoades, where he proved himself a good office man, a fine penman and an intelligent business factor of the county seat town. He was a good public speaker, but never practiced at the bar to any considerable extent. In the autumn of 1875 he went to the Southern states, where he traveled for six months. Returning, he resumed law practice, sometimes alone, at other times with others, until his death, about 1882. He was a young man of more than ordinary promise when death claimed him.
Thomas C. W. Sale was for many years a lawyer of Newport, and before the Civil war went to Paris, Illinois, where he received an appointment as Indian agent, and he was in the far West for a long period in the fulfill- ment of the duties of that office. Later he returned and resided at Paris, Illinois.
Samuel G. Malone, who practiced before the Vermillion county bar prior to the Civil war, removed to Decatur, Illinois, where he accumulated from seventy-five to one hundred thousand dollars, but lost it all later. He then retired to his farm in Helt township, this county.
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William Eggleston, a native of Vermillion county, Indiana, was educated here, attended the common schools and the county seminary at Newport, after he was grown to man's estate. He was industrious and persevering. He took kindly to law, and in due time was admitted to the bar, about 1859: He worked up considerable practice, by hard struggle, making many errors, but after fifteen years' practice accumulated a handsome property. He then engaged in the mercantile business with his brother, but they both failed in business. During his experience as a merchant, however, William proceeded with the law profession and was again a successful attorney. While here he wrote and published three works: "A Treatise on County Commissioners," "A Legal Work on Damages," and a play entitled "The Broken-hearted Wife," being a story of woman's love and man's unfaithfulness, and consist- ing of facts that occurred a few years before, in this section of the state, under his own observation. He removed to Terre Haute in 1877.
V. E. Witmer, about eighty-five years ago, came from Ohio to Newport, this county, where he practiced law about six years, then moved to a point near Logansport, where he died in the eighties. He was a man possessed of the "spread-eagle" style, not deeply versed, but executive, working up law suits whether they should have been worked up or not.
William L. Little, a graduate of old Asbury University (now DePauw ), became a Methodist minister, preaching here a year or more. He then switched to farming seven miles southwest of Newport, and in that he suc- ceeded well; next he practiced law at Newport, settled a few estates, and then became a merchant, finally moving to Hutchinson, Kansas, about 1882. He had a fair intellect, a good degree of information on general subjects, and was a prominent citizen of Vermillion county. From 1862-72 he acted as county examiner, and for about eight years served as county school superin- tendent.
James Blanchard, another native of this county, received a good classical education and was an expert penman, on which account he was employed much in the stores and county offices as an accountant and copyist. Picking up a little law knowledge, he was admitted to the bar and had several law partners. He was a good assistant in preparing legal papers, conducting cor- respondence, making collections, etc. About 1884 he moved to Terre Haute, and from there went to South Hutchinson, Kansas, where he is engaged in the real estate business and was generally successful.
Ben Blanchard, though nominally an attorney, never actually conducted a suit. He moved to Terre Haute and engaged in real estate business.
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Hon. Joseph B. Cheadle, congressman from the ninth district in Indiana, was born in Vermillion county, Indiana, read law with Judge Maxwell, of Rockville, admitted to the bar here about 1868, became deputy collector of internal revenue, was a candidate for nomination for a number of offices, gradually drifting out of law into editorial work, had charge of the Hoosier State, at Newport, nine months, in 1870, then the Rockville Republican and Rockville Tribune, later becoming editor of the Frankfort Banner, Clinton county.
Joshua Jump, born in Ohio in 1843, studied law with R. N. Bishop, at Paris, Illinois, was admitted to the bar, and came to Newport in 1869, where his partnerships were in succession with William Eggleston, Robert H. Sears, James Blanchard. John D. Cushman, and from March, 1879, to March, 1885, C. W. Ward. From 1885 to 1886 he was circuit judge. In June, 1887, he removed to Terre Haute. Politically, he was a Democrat, and was an ini- portant figure in his party in state and county political work.
Adam Littlepage, from West Virginia, was admitted to the bar in New- port, February 6. 1883. formed a partnership with John A. Wiltermood, which existed about three years. He married the daughter of S. S. Collett, and then returned to West Virginia.
John .A. Wiltermood, who was in 1888, postmaster at Newport, was ap- pointed to the position in September, 1885. He was born in Vermillion town- ship this county, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Wiltermood, and was reared on his parents' farm. most of his early youth being spent in Eugene township. He attended the State Normal at Indianapolis in 1878-79. taught school three years, studied law in the office of Judge Jump, admitted to prac- tice February 6. 1883, associated professionally with H. H. Conley two years, and with Adam Littlepage about three years.
The Newport bar, in 1888, consisted of these gentlemen: M. G. Rhoads. B. S. Aikman, C. W. Ward. O. B. Gibson, H. H. Conley and J. C. Sawyer.
In the winter of 1874-75 Messrs. Jump and M. G. Rhoads were attorneys for a fugitive from Illinois, charged with stealing horses, and succeeded in releasing him from the custody of the officers. This raised much excitement among the citizens of Newport. and indignation meetings were held, as well as in other sections of Vermillion county. The officer holding the fugitive had not the proper authority in the case.
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VERMILLION COUNTY BAR OF 1912.
Henry Adamson, Clinton; Joseph W. Amis, Clinton; Daniel C. Johnson, Clinton; Hezzie B. Pike, Clinton; John A. Wiltermood, Clinton; E. P. Zell, Clinton; G. Edmond Bingham, Clinton; R. E. Guinn, Clinton; Frank R. Miller, Clinton; Frank Smith, Dana ; George D. Sunkel, Dana ; Ed. B. James, Dana ; Miller W. Coffin, Cayuga; Charles Hosford, Cayuga; Oscar D. Zell, Cayuga ; Homer B. Aikman, Newport; Hugh A. Conley, Newport; W. Burt Conley, Newport ; Charles M. Fultz, Newport ; Ed. E. Neel, Newport ; Martin G. Rhoades, Newport ; William C. Wait, Newport; Homer Galloway, New- port ; Forest Ingram, Newport ; Harrison T. Payne, Newport ; John B. Butler, Newport.
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CHAPTER XI.
VERMILLION COUNTY PHYSICIANS.
In the settlement of every new country the medical profession is usually among the first to establish itself. The first settler, the family doctor and the traveling minister, is about the order in which the first steps toward develop- ment are taken. As much as may be said against the doctor when one is in possession of good health and has no need for the medicine chest and the faith- ful adviser, the time soon comes to one and all when the sight of the physician is welcome. During the weary hours of the night, passed in the lonely pioneer cabin, the sick person with a fevered brow and hectic flush watched patiently for the coming of the doctor, with his saddle-bags, which contained many distasteful drugs of the old-school compounds, yet were looked upon with great favor in days and nights of sickness and swallowed in the hope that strength and vitality might again bless them. These pioneer doctors made
their trips over hill and glade, through all kinds of weather, facing the storms of winter and the burning sun of mid-summer, in order to reach the bedside of the sick in time to be of service to them in the hour of their distress. Many of the bills for such service were never paid, but the faithful doctor never stopped to consider the payment of the bill, going on his professional call to cure, and not solely to add to his own treasury. Scores of these old-time physicians were excellent doctors, understood human nature and knew much more than they have been credited with in these later years. True, the science of indicine had not progressed to the high degree that now obtains, yet the suc- cess attained in caring for the ills of fifty and seventy-five years ago compares favorably with that of today, except in contagious and epidemic diseases, in which the more recent physicians are undoubtedly superior to their forefathers.
The first physician to locate in Clinton was Dr. Joseph Hopkins, who came from Ohio in 1830, or possibly a little before that year. He was an ac- ceptable physician, practiced a number of years and died out West, leaving a wife and two daughters. Peace to his ashes !
Dr. Eastman practiced here about the same time above named, but little can now be learned of him.
Dr. I. S. Palmer, a graduate of one of the Philadelphia medical colleges,
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settled in Clinton during the pioneer period, accumulated some property, but finally became very intemperate and lost what he had honestly made. He finally lost his own life in a most horrible manner, although not intoxicated at the time. Visiting a patient across the river Wabash, one day about 1863, he noticed on his return many squirrels in the woods. On arriving home he took his gun and started out to indulge in the sport of a chase. While crossing the river on the ice he broke through, but held himself from being drawn under by clinging to the edge of the ice, and there he held fast until parties had arrived from points a mile or more distant for his rescue. But his strength gave out and he went under, never more to be seen. His body was never recovered. Charles Knowles nearly lost his life in trying to save the unfortunate doctor.
Ohio sent another doctor to these parts in the person of Dr. William Kile, a man of great energy and industry. After practicing several years and making a small fortune, he sold out and moved to Paris, Illinois, where he embarked in the mercantile business, and also had a good farm which he cultivated, handling stock in an extensive manner. Subsequently, the Doctor drifted into banking. It is related of him that when visiting patients on the east side of the Wabash that he frequently would swim his horse, on his return, rather than to come a few miles out of his way to the wagon bridge. One time he was violently attacked with small-pox, when scarcely anyone thought he could survive, but his "vitativeness" was so large that, as he was taken out into the country for treatment, passing a store, he called out to the proprietor, "Save me the large pair of boots, will you?" He had very large feet. He died at Paris many years afterward.
Dr. Perkins, a botanic physician, practiced here a number of years and finally moved to Oregon.
Dr. Rollin Whitcomb, another botanic physician from New York, located here in 1841. After practicing here for a number of years, he moved to other parts, but again resumed practice here and remained until his death.
Dr. I. B. Hedges accompanied his parents from New York when he was a mere boy, in 1824. He commenced the practice of medicine in 1845, and proved to be a successful doctor. He was a man of learning and stood high in the community. He left his family considerable property, as a result of his extended medical practice.
Dr. P. R. Owen came to Clinton about 1854 from New Goshen, Indiana, but was a native of Ohio. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted and was elected captain of Company I, Fourteenth Indiana Infantry, promoted major and then lieutenant-colonel of his regiment; came home and practiced his
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profession until 1871, when he died, leaving a widow and several children. He was an excellent Methodist minister at one time. The Grand Army post at Clinton was named in honor of him.
Another physician here was Dr. Corkins,. who after a few years' prac- tice, removed to Texas.
Dr. William Reeder practiced medicine at Clinton for a number of years before the breaking out of the Civil war, in which he enlisted and held some office in his regiment. About 1874 he moved to Texas, where at last accounts he was a successful practitioner in the Lone Star state.
Dr. J. C. Crozier was another "before the war" physician in Clinton. He entered the Union army as a surgeon, continued until the end of the war, then practiced here a number of years, finally going to Washington, D. C., where he was for many years connected with the pension department.
Dr. William H. Stewart came in from Illinois, practiced three years and located in Terre Haute. In 1888 the physicians in Clinton were Drs. Henry Nebeker, J. H. Bogart and C. M. White.
In Helt township the physicians of long ago included these: Dr. Hiram Shepard, born in Newport. this county, graduated at the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio, and practiced at Dana from 1874 on.
Dr. Granville O. Newton was born in Helt township, graduated at the named medical school, and after practicing in this county in the country for a time removed to Dana in September, 1885.
Dr. Thomas C. Hood, also a native of Helt township, graduated at Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia in 1884, located in Terre Haute for a short time, moving to Dana in 1885.
Dr. John C. Harrison was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, was a soldier in the Civil war, graduated in medicine at the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, began to practice in partnership with his brother in 1868, locating at Dana in 1886.
Dr. A. H. DePuy practiced in Helt township from 1856 to 1871, moved to Chicago. He was a regular graduate and an excellent man.
Dr. Frank Foncannon, a native of Helt township, practiced in this town- ship a short time, then went to Emporia, Kansas.
From out the numerous physicians who have from time to time prac- ticed medicine in Vermillion township only these can now be recalled of the earlier ones :
Dr. J. R. Willetts practiced here previous to the Civil war, and moved from the county. For a time he was in partnership with Dr. Griffin, long since deceased. Dr. E. T. Collett, son of Josephus Collett, Sr., was a graduate of
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