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 6
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 6
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
61
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
another twenty-four hours had rolled around, the county seat of Parke county was located at Rockville, and to seal the act a bottle of aged whisky was properly emptied, after which the bottle was broken upon the big rock on the highest point of the site, and thus was legally baptized the town-to-be, the county seat, Rockville.
The temporary seat of county government, however, had been at Rose- ville first, and next at Armiesburg, and two courts had been held at the last named place, at least. The county seat was permanently fixed at Rockville in 1822. No buildings suitable for the offices and court were provided, how- ever, until 1824. Sixty votes were cast at the first election in this county, that of 1821. There was only one voting precinct. The county clerk's office, with the records, was burned in the fall of 1832, and an act of the Legislature made the justices of the peace county commissioners. The first board meet- ing after the fire of 1832 was in January, 1833, at which they ordered re- pairs and a reproduction of the county records, as far as it was possible. In 1844, the law was changed and from then on the county commissioners were elected instead of appointed. The first board was Tobias Miller, James W. Beadle and Nathan Evans.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
In spite of the fact that the law for the formation of Parke county re- quired the erection of necessary public buildings within twelve months after the location of the county seat, none were begun until two years afterward. A court house and jail were finished in June, 1826. The court house was a spacious log structure, built on the south side of the present public square, and served the double use of a house of worship and a temple of justice until it was superseded by the brick court house and the brick school house. The old jail served until 1858, when it was burned, but in reality it had been unfit for a public building for several years before its final destruction. The jail, which was also built of logs, stood on lot No. 59, just across the rail- road track and to the northwest of where later stood the old brick jail. Pio- neer Ray donated forty acres to the county, on which the public square and business houses are located today, and his partner, Hand, gave twenty acres, and Patterson and McCall, the other town site founders, gave twenty acres. It should be recalled that in the beginning, Andrew Ray, Aaron Hand and James McCall joined in conveying one hundred acres of land to Parke county. This was conditioned on the permanent location of the seat of justice at Rockville, a deed over which there was much litigation in after years when
62
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the people sought to remove the seat of justice to Bloomingdale. Thomas Smith, one of the commissioners to locate the county seat, was also ap- pointed by the governor to lay out and properly plat the newly located county town, which he at once proceeded to execute. The last of April he began to advertise, and June 16 and 17, 1824, cried the sale of lots in Rockville. He sold on commission plan and almost "cried" in reality over the few lots sold and the very low prices which he was compelled to sell them for. Lot No. I, on the northeast corner of town, was sold to James Strain, Sr. The county officers soon removed to "town" and three or four lawyers, of which it is related many believed young Joseph Van Meter was the brightest, but it ap- pears he never made good in the great conflict of life and was never heard of save for a short sojourn here.
VARIOUS COURT HOUSES AND JAILS.
Parke county's first court house was the rude, but good sized, log struc- ture built in 1826, which served until 1829, when a contract was let to Matthew Stewart, against great opposition, to build a new court house. County orders were worth only fifty cents on a dollar, and it was thought the whole county would soon become bankrupt. But the wheels of time revolved and the brick court house was completed in 1832, and served the county until 1879, when it was torn down by Isaac McFaddin. The old brick jail, built at that time, served (longer than it ought to have been tolerated) until 1858, when it was burned. The picture of the old brick court house shows it to have been a good structure for its day and served well the uses for which it was originally intended.
On December 3, 1878, the county auditor was authorized to advertise for plans for a new court house and a jail. These bids were opened January 29, 1879, and there were found to be fifteen of them. It took until March 20th to settle the question of which plans were the best and most acceptable. Those furnished by T. J. Tolan & Son, of Fort Wayne, were selected and an order issued causing bonds to be floated in the sum of $100,000 to meet the payments on such public buildings. Then bids were asked for the construc- tion of the proposed buildings. On May 1, 1879, the bids were opened and it was found that the highest bid was that of $78,250 and the lowest was $68,800, but the lowest bidder could not furnish sufficient bonds and it was awarded to the next lowest bid, of $68,900, which was that of William H. Myers, who, it was later found out, was a relative and co-worker with the
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
iron company and the architect of Fort Wayne. Under this contract made by the county board and Myers, the work proceeded until the autumn of 1880, when he had collected more from the county, really, than was his due, and a difficulty arose, the result of which was that Myers abandoned the work and the county went ahead, under a superintendent, George W. Collings, and finished the buildings. Myers had been paid $58,836.07 when he quit. The cornerstone was laid September 11, 1879, under Masonic rites. This stone bears the following inscription: "County Commissioners, Zachariah Byers, Mahalon M. Marshall, William Carmichael. John B. Connelly, Auditor. T. J. Tolan & Son, Architects. W. H. Myers, Builder. September 11, 1879."
It now appears that the two dates found over the north entrance-"1879- 80"-is a mistake. The building was not completed in 1880, but in 1882. It is supposed that Myers, the contractor, had these stones cut and intended to complete the court house by sometime in 1880, as contracted for, and for some unknown reason this "1880" stone was allowed to be placed in the front wall-possibly the work had progressed as far as the setting of this stone before the contractor Myers quit. The court house cost the county in round figures $110,000, with heating plant. The brick jail, on the opposite side of the square, cost about ten thousand more. Both are still in good condition and fine buildings. The court house is a fine stone structure, of fine styled architecture and modern in most of its appointments. A splendid clock and bell were added later, costing about $1,500. The final day of dedication was at hand and, despite the bad weather, the assembly was very great. It was on Washington's birthday, February 22, 1882. S. D. Puett was chair- man of the day. Exercises opened by singing "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow." Rev. W. Y. Allen then read the Ten Commandments and offered prayer. Hon. Thomas N. Rice was orator of the occasion, and speeches were made by others, on "The Bench and Bar," and also on the county officials, past and present. The president of the day was Col. E. M. Benson ; vice-presidents, Zachariah Byers, William Carmichael, M. W. Mar- shall, O. P. Brown, J. D. Collings, George Mater. Numerous speeches were made during the forenoon, afternoon and evening.
Within the corner-stone of the present court house were deposited, under direction of the Masonic lodge that had charge of the stone-laying, these articles: A copy of the by-laws and historical records of Parke Lodge No. 8, and of No. 37; various papers belonging to the various lodges and societies in Parke county; also a history of the lodge known as Silliman Lodge of Knights of Pythias, with its charter, and those of the Masonic and
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Odd Fellows lodges; a list of all lodges in the county ; copies of the Rockville papers, including that of the Tribune of September II, 1879, Rockville Re- publican of September 10, 1879, the Montezuma Era; blank notes of the First National Bank; small quantities of grain of each variety grown in Parke county ; postage stamps of all denominations; American and foreign coins; business cards of the business men of Rockville; brief account of the old court house, with a photograph of the building; names of county commis- sioners; photograph of the residence of A. K. Stark, and other objects of historic interest ; statistics of Parke county for 1878 and a copy of the inter- esting address of Dr. Thomas Rice, on the occasion of corner-stone laying.
FINANCES OF PARKE COUNTY.
The receipts and expenditures of Parke county for the year ending June I, 1855, were as follows: Receipts, from show licenses, $50; county revenue for 1854, $10,341; township tax for 1854, $2,534; road tax collected for 1854, $160; cost of printing, $265; other items, making a total of $13,569. The expenditures for the same period were: Keeping the poor, $1,347; assessing revenue, $545; county officers, $2,427; cost of printing, $320; keeping prisoners, $355; books and stationery, $238; bailiffs' fees, $316; jury fees, $785 ; insane persons, $49; public buildings, $250; fuel, $13; election expenses, $17 ; bridges, $2,015; township tax, $2,534; road tax, $120; total, $11,753. Total of the county's receipts were, that year, $13,569.
In the month of February, 1912, the treasurer's books showed the fol- lowing exhibit in the funds in the county :
Disbursed.
On Hand.
County Revenue
$ 58,522
$17,946
Principal, Common
6,896
2,168
Congressional
1,348
I73
Endowment
1,275
28
Interest, Common
2,664
245
Congressional
2,086
643
Endowment
374
360
Fines and Forfeitures
615
180
Bonds for construction gravel roads
37,946
37,098
Redemption of Gravel road bonds
57,753
9,302
Show License
20
Liquor License
4,000
Township Tax
14,992
2,443
1
I
1
OLD PARKE COUNTY COURT HOUSE.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Local Tuition
$ 52,705
$ 9,334
Special School
59,260
11,095
Road
7,363
77
Common School Revenue
30,635
891
Library
146
4
Special School Building
4,125
79
Corporation
8,493
II6
Water Works
2,034
Electric Lights
2,127
34
Cemetery
233
13
Clay Plant
618
II
Park
102
6,892
Gravel Road Repairs
-
]
23,125
Totals
$387,190
$99,332
The above serves to show many things connected with the county at this date-the schools, gravel roads, fines and general financial affairs.
ASSESSED VALUATION, 1912.
The following shows the personal and real estate assessed valuations by townships and corporations :
Adams Township $1,250,500
Howard Township $ 438,025
Washington Township 907,760
Rockville ( Corporation ). 1,058,600
Sugar Creek Township 354,395
Marshall (Corporation ) _'_ 164,810
Liberty Township 812,110
Montezuma (Corporation ) 420,888
Reserve Township 718,235
Rosedale (Corporation ) __
315,010
Wabash Township
787,555
Diamond (Corporation ) __
68,930
Florida Township
1,324,155
Bloomingdale (Corpora-
Raccoon Township
958,720
tion )
181,945
Jackson Township
496,520
Judson (Corporation)
28,010
Union Township
838,630
Greene Township
1,005,580
Penn Township
617,775
Total
$12,798,240
THE PARKE COUNTY ASYLUM.
Be it said to the credit of Parke county, that it has never had a great burden on account of its unfortunate poor, and for this expense the people
(5)
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
have never given of taxes begrudgingly. For many years after the organiza- tion of the county each township looked after its own paupers, but of more recent years the system of caring for such charges has been changed to what in Indiana is styled a county asylum, located near the county seat, where con- venient buildings, and a farm which is nearly self-supporting is employed for the safe and humane keeping of those who by reason of old age or misfortune have been thrown upon the people for support. The present superintendent of this institution in Parke county, E. M. Carter, reported in May, 1912, that the asylum then had twenty-two inmates, mostly men, too aged for work. During the three months just before the 30th of last May, thirty-four persons had been admitted to this asylum and twelve had been discharged from it. At that date there was on hand in the fund for the maintenance of the institu- tion, $148.80, and $197.90 had been paid out at the asylum in the quarter ending when such report was filed with the county auditor. Hence it will be seen that there are not many paupers within the county's charge, and that no tax-payer is heavily burdened on their account. Indeed most everyone feels it a duty and pleasure to aid in making life comfortable to these few un- fortunates.
Sometime prior to the Civil war, the county deemed it wise to purchase a farm near the county seat, and there care for her poor. This was carried out and a building erected less than three miles from the court house. This served until the present thirty-thousand-dollar buildings were constructed. . Here every care possible is taken of the unfortunate inmates. The property is looked after by the superintendent, under the watch-care of the county com- missioners.
EARLY LAW BREAKERS.
An early term of Parke county court indicted six persons and fined them for gaming ; six for profane language ; one for retailing spirituous liquors ; one for giving a friend whisky at camp-meeting; two for illegal voting. At an- other term, twenty-four men were indicted and fined from one to ten dollars for betting small amounts "just to make it more interesting."
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY AND OTHER OFFICIALS.
Owing to the disastrous fire of November, 1832, many of the early rec- ords of this county were destroyed, hence there are some facts lacking con- cerning the election, appointment and terms of the early-day public officials, but the following is almost a complete list of those who have served, and in the order in which they were elected or appointed to office :
STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
1823-Thomas Blake. 1825-Joseph M. Hayes. * * *
* * 1835-General George K. Steele.
1843-James Kerr.
1845-6-William R. Nofsinger.
1848-John J. Meacham.
1849-Samuel H. Johnston.
1850-Gabriel Houghman.
1851-E. S. Holladay.
1852-George K. Steele.
1854-Levi Sidwell.
1898-1900 -- Elias H. Owens.
1856-George K. Steele.
1858-Samuel H. Johnston.
1860-George G. Crain.
1862-Col. Casper Budd.
1864-Thomas N. Rice.
1866-Walter C. Donaldson.
1868-James T. Johnston. 1870-72-John E. Woodard.
1874-76-Daniel Thomas.
1878-Robert Kelly.
1880-Ira H. Gillum.
1882-William Knowles. 1884-William N. Aiken. 1886-88-George Hobson. 1890-92-Jeremiah Morris.
1894-96-Albert M. Adams. 1896-98-Albert M. Adams.
1900-04-Elias H. Owens, died. -John R. Johnston. 1904-06-John R. Johnston.
1908-Jacob S. White.
1910-Jacob S. White.
1912-George W. Spencer, Jr.
COUNTY CLERKS.
1821-1833-Wallace Rea. 1833 -Joseph Potts. 1833-50-John G. Davis.
1850-51-Joseph B. Cornelius. 1851-60-George W. Thompson. 1860-68-Samuel Magill.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
1868-76-John F. D. Hunt.
1876-84-David Strause. 1900-04-Charles D. Renick.
1884-88-Madison Keeney.
1888-92-Jesse H. McCoy.
1892-96-Isaac L. Wimmer.
1912- - Randolph J. Cummings.
SHERIFFS.
1821- - Captain Andrew Brooks.
1824- -Henry Anderson.
1825-7 -Isaac J. Sillman.
1878-82-Zimri D. Maris.
1827-31-William T. Noel.
1882-86-John R. Musser.
1833- - John G. Davis.
1886-90-Ed. Nicholas.
1833-37-William Kilgore.
1890-94-George S. Jones.
1837-41-Aaron Hart.
1894-96-William D. Mull.
1841-45-James Youman.
1896- -Barton W. Dooley.
1845-49-Gabriel Houghman.
1898- -Perry E. Benson.
1849-53 --- James W. Beadle.
1900- -Perry E. Benson.
1853-57-David Kirkpatrick.
1902- -T. E. Aydelotte.
1857-61-Abraham Darroch.
1904- -E. M. Carter.
1861-65-George B. Inge.
1906- -E. M. Carter.
1865-7 -James Phelon.
1908- -Robert J. Finney.
1867- - Jesse Partlow.
1910- -Robert J. Finney.
1867-72-Norval W. Cummings.
1912- -Edward D. Nicholas.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
The county clerk ex-officio was recorder until 1833, when the separate office of recorder was created. It was changed again to a combined office till 1848.
1821-33-Wallace Rea. 1870-74-Elwood Hunt.
1833 -James G. Davis. 1874-82-William J. White.
1833-34-Duncan Darroch. 1882-90-Henry B. Cord. 1852 -Joseph B. Cornelius. 1891-98-Charles E. Lambert.
1853-57-Samuel Fisher.
1898-06-Daniel J. Chapin.
1906-12-Carl Rutter.
1857-65-F. W. Dinwiddie. 1866 -James M. Thomas.
1896-1900-John E. Harshbarger.
1904-08-Ewing Chapman.
1908-12-George L. Laney.
1872-74-Christian Steinbaugh.
1874-78-George B. Chapman.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
COUNTY AUDITORS.
Prior to August 9, 1841, the work devolving on what is now the auditor was laid upon the duties of the county clerk.
1841-58-Joseph Potts. 1886-94-Samuel T. Catlin.
1858-62-L. A. Foote. 1894-98-Elias H. Owen.
1862-66-George P. Daly. 1898-02-Stephen A. Pike.
1866-74-John H. Tate. 1902-06-Henry Gubb.
1874-82-Jesse B. Connelly. 1906-10-H. A. Henderson.
1882-86-Edwin F. Hadley. 1910 . - James E. Elder.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
The sheriff collected all taxes from the beginning of the county govern- ment down to 1833, when the office of treasurer was established.
1833 -Hugh J. Bradley. 1880-84-James N. McCampbell. 1834-8 -Austin M. Puitt. . 1884-88-Isaac A. Pickard.
-Erastus M. Benson. 1888-90-James N. Dinwiddie.
1841-1859-Aaron Hart, Miles Hart, Samuel Hart, Charles 1893-96-Moses T. Kelly. Grant and John R. 1896-98-Thomas D. Byers. Miller. 1898-1900-William Rawlings.
1859-63-Washington Hadley. 1873-67-John T. Campbell.
1876-72-John H. Lindley.
1872-76-N. W. Cummings.
1876-80-F. W. Dinwiddie.
1900-04-George Bronson. 1904-06-Edward Bradfield.
1906-08-Edward Bradfield.
1908-12-George W. Spencer.
CORONERS.
Among the coroners who have served in Parke county may be given these :
1821-5 -Truman Ford. 1837-39-William M. Brooks. 1825 -James Nesmith. 1839-43-James J. Roberts. 1827 -Stephen Flemming. 1844-45-Hugh S. Comingore. -Randall H. Burk.
1831-33-Samuel H. Johnston. -Charles Nugent. 1846-49-Solomon Pinegar.
1835-37-Hugh J. Bradley. 1849 -Johnson S. White.
1891-93-N. W. Cummings.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Others-Christopher Hensel, Mat-
thew Gilkeson, Daniel Mater, John Alexander, Ed. Brown, James Jacobs, Will- iam Mains, James M. Cox, John Aydollett, William Knowles (colored), Omer O. Hall, Robert J. Fyffe,
.
Theodore H. Johnson (col- ored), Squire Glass, Hiram Newlin, A. Morris, John A. Musser, Hiram E. New- lin, Chas. W. Overpeck, Thomas J. Collings, Will- iam J. Pease, Peare, Col- lins.
COUNTY ASSESSORS.
This office was created in 1891, by act of the Legislature. The first to hold the office in Parke county was Stephen A. Pike, appointed in June, 1891, and who served until November of that year.
1891-Samuel Coble. 1906-Stephen A. Pike.
1900-Charles E. McDaniel. 1910-Stephen A. Pike.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
Among the various surveyors in Parke county have been the following : Jeremiah H. Siler, Enos C. Siler, William H. Nye, John T. Campbell, Claud Ott, Alfred Hadley, whose deputy was a Mr. Demare, who had the field- notes of the whole county in his house, when all were burned, causing the county a great loss. Later surveyors have been : Claud Ott, John A. Camp- bell, Arthur Pickett, James E. Phillips, Henry Davis.
JUDGES.
The first court held in Parke county was at the house of Samuel Blair, in Rosedale, where it continued to be held until a suitable place could be pro- vided at the county seat. The first associate judges were Samuel Steele, 1826; James McSmith, 1827. The judges of the circuit court were: Isaac Naylor, 1833; associates, Judges Robert Mitchell and D. Seybold. In 1838, E. M. Huntington ; associates, R. H. Wedding, W. C. Donaldson. 1842, Will- iam P. Bryant ; same associates as before. 1844, John Law ; associates, Alex- ander Kirkpatrick, W. C. Donaldson. 1850, S. B. Gookins; associates, A. Kirkpatrick and Samuel Case. 1851, D. R. Eckles ; same associates as before. In 1852 the office of associate judge was abolished. The judge next to serve was W. P. Bryant. 1858, John M. Cowan; 1867, C. Y. Patterson ; 1873,
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Samuel C. Wilson ; 1879, William P. Britton, Albert D. Wilson having served just after Judge Wilson for a short term. The next judge was Joshua J. Jump, succeeded by Ared F. White, Gould G. Rheuby, Charles W. Ward, William C. Wait, Jr., Barton Aikman.
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
From 1853 to 1873 existed what was styled the court of common pleas. The judges in Parke county were : Hons. John R. Porter, 1853: S. F. Max- well, 1853; C. Y. Patterson, 1861; S. F. Maxwell. 1865: 1869, John T. Scott, who was in office when the position was abolished.
PROBATE JUDGES.
From 1829 to 1853 there was the office of probate judge in Indiana, and in Parke county the gentlemen who served as such judges were Joseph Potts; Daniel M. Morris, 1834; T. S. Baldwin, 1834; John Marshall, 1844 to 1853.
PRESENT BAR OF PARKE COUNTY.
The attorneys practicing at the Parke county bar in the autumn of 1912 were as follows: Ared F. White, Albert M. Adams, J. M. Johns, S. F. Max Puett, Clarence G. Powell, J. C. Buchanan, S. F. McGuinn, D. J. Chapin, George W. Bell, W. T. Fink, Elwood Hunt, Howard Maxwell, Howard Hancock, Roy W. Thompson, Tenbrook McCarty, F. M. McLaugh- lin, R. C. McDivitt, Chas. E. Lambert, H. A. Henderson, Earl Dowd, Henry Daniels, David Strouse, J. S. McFaddin, Frank Strouse, J. S. White, C. E. Newlin, Clyde Riggs, Will G. Bennett, J. M. Neet, Carrie Hyde.
The court officers were: Barton S. Aikman, judge; George L. Laney, clerk; Leonora Gleason, deputy ; W. A. Satterlee, prosecutor ; Robert J. Fin- ney, sheriff ; Marion Grubb, deputy ; W. T. Fink, deputy.
CHAPTER VI.
MILITARY HISTORY OF PARKE COUNTY.
Over the great questions of state's rights and slavery, the Civil war finally was commenced, for all time, probably, to settle these questions on the American continent, and set, as it were, a guide-board to all foreign nations, powers and kingdoms, that they, too, might learn that men (black or white, red or copper colored) are endowed with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It took four long years of blood-shed to settle this question. Sword and powder finally settled it, once for all, that the nation is and always must stand above its individual states and territories. In the settlement of this question, the settlement of the slave traffic was also settled, by the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln, primarily as a war measure, hence with no recompense to the slave owners for their property in the slaves they held. Had they laid down their arms in 1862, a different page might have been given to the history of the fair Southland.
In the opening months of 1861, however, Parke county only felt these truths darkly ; and as late as January 23d of that year, no less ardent a patriot than John T. Campbell published in the Republican, of Rockville, a well- written letter advocating peaceable secession; but at the same time from all quarters of the county came reports of public meetings, where men of all parties pledged themselves to sacrifice life and property, if need be, for the preservation of the Union. But these sentiments changed, or rather crystal- lized the sentiment in the county, after the famous speech of that great patriot and statesman, Governor Oliver P. Morton, in which he laid down the prin- ciple that the nation had the constitutional right to fight for its existence, though its enemies in certain states objected, and that, if necessary, they had the right to coerce the rebellious states. While the public mind was in this state the rebels struck the first blow, and Indiana's response was immediate and enthusiastic. On April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter was attacked: April 13th, it was compelled to surrender: April 14th, President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers, and April 16th, as soon as the news had reached Parke county, its men "arose as one man," practically, to assert their devotion to
73
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
the starry flag of freedom and Union. On Tuesday, the 16th, the people came together as by one common impulse, and hundreds of young and mid- dle-aged men vowed to die, if need be, for the Union of States. No re- cruiting officer arrived until the 17th, when a mass-meeting was called. Charles E. Adamson, a typesetter on the Rockville Republican, reached the stand first and enrolled his name, the first in Rockville, but the first to enroll from Parke county was G. H. Hansel, who walked from this county to Brazil, where, two hours before young Adamson had enrolled, he had signed the sheet at Brazil, making him the first of this county's brave men to offer his services to the country. Young Hansel lived at Bridgeton, and to him must be given this honor. This matter was settled by the two men after their return from the war, when the day and hour of the enrollment was investi- gated and agreed upon, as above narrated. Following the enrollment of young Adamson, were entered the names of W. N. Painter, R. R. Smith, J. F. Meacham, Zach Garrett, E. M. Foote, I. E. Wright, Dan. A. Anderson, George Sanderson, Jim Steele, J. A. Wilson, Jacob Neron, Samuel L. Comp- ton, William S. Coleman, James R. Painter, John A. Pike, David Byers, James R. Hollowell, W. N. Ralston and Jobe Graves. These left the next day for Indianapolis, there to learn, with surprise, that out of the number only fifteen were accepted upon physical examination; but later in the war, when the government wanted and needed men, they were not so critical and so particular, even if a man's body had some little defect, if he was able to load a musket and march in defense of Old Glory. Then it was that many of these first rejected men, who had not sulked, but waited their time, were able to enlist and march with older soldiers from Parke county commands. The men who were accepted at Indianapolis were assigned to Company C, Eleventh Indiana Regiment, commanded by the now late Gen. Lew Wallace, and took part in the three-months campaign in West Virginia, as the terri- tory is now understood, but then a part of Old Virginia. They participated in the battles of Phillipi and Laurel Hill, and drove the rebels from that territory. J. H. Hollowell, one of the boys from Parke county of a scouting squad of eleven, fought in the bloody battle of Kelley's Island, in which they opposed fifty Confederate soldiers, upon whom the eleven had suddenly come. It was surrender, and then probably sudden death or long captivity, unless they could fight their way out. Their decision was prompt, and worthy of brave men-they fought. From tree to tree, firing at every opportunity and dropping a man at almost every shot, they fought their way out. and come off with the loss of hut two men Hollowell shot down two
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