History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 94

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 94

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Many more first things might perhaps have been discovered with pains enough, but these are all we have had time to get hold of.

PAST BUSINESS.

We give below some statements concerning the business of the town during the past years, furnishing such information con- cerning the matter as we have been able to obtain. The place has been settled so long (sixty-three years) that nearly all the persons that were grown at that time and living in the vicinity are dead, and to find out much about those ancient times has been a task indeed.

Merchants .- John Odle kept the first store, in a building which burned down in 1879. George Burkett had a store also. not long afterward, in 1821, and kept store for some years.

Thomas Hanna began as a merchant about 1824. He had his establishment on the west end of Thomas Ward's building. After abont four years. Andrew Aker bought him out, in 1828. Mr. Aker kept on in the business for several years, having, as is thought, the only store in the county, and carrying a large and various stock, and buying furs, peltry. ginseng, deer's hams, su- gar, and all sorts of forest and farm produce, and selling every- thing which was needed in the region, and customers coming from Muncie. Marion. Salamonie (Jay County), etc. There was no store north of Newport, and not many, north of Richmond, and none west nor north as far as you pleased to go.

RES. AND MILL OF ANDREW J.SMITH _ NEAR WINCHESTER, WHITE RIVER TP., RANDOLPH CO, IND.

WYSONO.

FOUNTAIN PARK CEMETE 40 AORES, DONATE INCLUDED IN CORPOR

STONE

WINCHESTER, RANDOLPH, CO. IND. Y GEN. A. STONE. 1880. ON LIMITS OF WINCHESTER.

RES, OF GEO COX, WHITE RIVER TP. RANDOLPH CO., IND.

RES. OF ALEXANDER ALMONRODE, WHITE RIVER TP. RANDOLPH CO. IND.

299

WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP.

Jesse Way bought the building of George Burkett and set up a store in 1833, and did an extensive business in 1845. He broke himself by dealing in pork, which was the lure and the curse of merchants of those days, the price varying beyond all calculation or prevention, and sweeping out in a single year all a man chose to invest. Andrew Aker and Mr. Way were selling goods for several years at the same time.

Levi Coffin had a stock of goods at Winchester for a little while, but that store was soon sold out or taken away.

Goodrich & Brother erected a brick building after 1834, and put in a stock of goods, which they kept up for several years. It stood on the north side of East Washington street, west of the livery stable, and is now occupied by a saloon.

D. J. & J. W. Cottom came in 1843, and became heavy doal- ers in a general business, which they continued till 1856.

They are said to have outdone all who came before them, and many think that no house in Winchester since their day has equaled them in the amount of business done in that line.

They failed, however, at last, through the uncertainties and liabilities of their trade.

To sell on credit is so easy, and to collect old bills is so hard, and old, unpaid accounts will not pay debts.

John Richardson has been for many years one of the leading merchants of Winchester, beginning in 1850. He now is a mor- chant tailor.

Since those times, the merchants of Winchester have become more numerous, and to give a detailed account of them would occupy too much time and space.

Carding Machines, etc .- Moorman Way and Daniel Petty each had a carding machine, both of which did work for awhile, the latter for eight or ten years. Thomas Butterworth and Eli- sha Martin owned one between 1839 and 1845.

John D. Carter, after working with Butterworth & Martin, and setting up a carding machine first of his own at Huntsville, in 1849, built one at Winchester in 1851, had it burned in a few months, and moved to Union City, Ohio, his family, he says, be- ing the first in that place. He returned again to Winchester after a residence in various other places in 1862, and in 1866 he built the New York Block for a woolen factory, and in 1869, pur- chased the old seminary, and has operated there, weaving, spin- ning, etc., for several years, but leaving off weaving for some years past. He is now (1881) erecting a new and more extensive factory, on the bank of Salt Creek, in the southeast part of town.

Grist-Mills .- A grist-mill was built by William Wright at the mouth of Salt Creek, which Jesse Way thinks was the first mill in the county. If so, it must have been established as early as 1818. His mill-stones were gray-heads, and his bolt was turned by hand, like all the rest in those days.

Messrs. Kizer & Haworth built the first steam mill in the county about 1835, in the east part of town.

After that, Mr. Roberts built one in the north part of town, which stood for many years.

Next came the brick warehouse and mills near the depot. The east end was erected by John Mumma for a warehouse, and the west end was added by Elisha Martin.

The mill works were put in by Heaston Brothers in 1867. They sold to Robison, Wysong & Miller; they to Colton & Bates, in 1873; and in 1876, Bates Bros. & Co. became owners, and they are so still. They are enterprising men, and, in 1881, re- newed the works, putting in machinery for Jonathan Mills' sys- tem of gradual reduction, which makes flour mostly without grinding. This mill is one of the finest in the county, having a capacity of 150 barrels per day.

Cabinet Shops .- Moorman Way set up n cabinet shop not far from 1831; thon came Philip Allen, and after him, Ernestus Strohm, in partnership, for a time, with Andrew Aker. Mr. Aker has a sideboard now, the first costly article of furniture made in the county, worth at that time $175, which was built by Mr. Strohm, and was the first thing he made, to show what he could do. After that shop came Hirsch & Wesp, in 1856, and then Helms & Diggs. Mr. Hirsch has now a large establishment, both for manufacture and for eale. J. L. Stakebake also has an ex-

tensive stock of elegant and substantial furniture for the supply of trade of that sort.

Lumber Trade .- The lumber trade has never been very large. It was started chiefly by Neff, Teal & Co.

They began the black walnut trade in 1865, and in 1871. a pine lumber company was formed, under the name of Neff, Teal & Fisher, which was dissolved in 1879. Col. Neff is at present employed as agent for Osterhant & Fox, lumber-dealers, Grand Rapids, Mich.

The lumber business is now carried on in Winchester by A. G. Campfield, coming in 1875, and again in 1880. He has been for some years the proprietor of a saw-mill and lumber works, which furnish an extensive supply to the region. His works were burned a few years ago, inflicting upon the enterprising owner a loss of $6,000; but they are rebuilt, and are running as briskly as ever.

Contractors .- Chief among the contractors in former times have been Martin A. Reeder and Asahel Stone.

In later time, Mr. Campfield has figured in that line, building the new court house and now the jail.

Latterly, Gen. Stone has turned his activity into another channel; but Mr. Reeder, though growing into years, is still eu- gaged in his life-long employment, which has been an honorable and a useful vocation, and highly valuable to the community at large, though, like many other toilsome occupations, not re markably remunerative to himself.

At present, A. G. Campfield leads all others in executing con- tracts, his work being mostly or wholly very large buildings, court houses, jails, etc.

Grain-Dealers .- Elisha Martin was the first extensive grain- dealer. Thomas W. Kizer has handled grain for some years. Helms & Bishop and John Neff now deal in grain. Joseph Ed- ger followed the business for a time, as also Goodrich & Semans Bates Bros. & Co. buy largely, chiefly for milling purposes, their establishment making several hundred bushels daily into flour for consumption at home and abroad.

Undertakers. - John W. Diggs has followed this business for thirty years or more, and is still engaged therein. Within a short time, J. L. Stakebake has taken it up also.

Livery Stables. - The first livery stable was set up by Mr. Green, about 1854 or 1855. After that, Green & Ashville, and doubtless many others. We have no detailed account of that branch of business.

Boot and Shoe Stores .- In old times, these things were a part of a general stock in trade, though mostly they were made to order by hand in the shoe shops, or at home, in fact, as they often were. The prominent dealers in boots and shoes have been John Routh, south of public square; S. W. Wolverton, southeast corner of Main and Washington; and A. R. Hiatt & Son, north side of Washington, near the bank. Others have car- ried this kind of stock more or less at different times.

Hardware .- The first hardware store was kept by Mr. Bru- ner. After his came that of Thomas Ward, and he was succeed- ed by A. R. Hiatt, who is in business still, north of public square. There is also another hardware house, owned by Helms & Bishop, east side of public square, as also one on the west side, Cranor Bros.

William Moore was engaged in hardware, disposing of his stock to Helms & Bishop.

Drug Stores .- Many years ago, Dr. Woody sold drugs in Winchester. After him came Rush & Kizer, in 1849, which has continued ever since, and is probably the oldest establishment in the town. It is now carried on by his son in connection with a son of Gideon Shaw, Esq., under the firm name of Kizer & Shaw, begun in 1878.

William Pierce kept drug store for some years, and sold out to J. C. Hirsch, who is still conducting the establishment, hav- ing been engaged thus for some twenty-four years.

Besides that, there are William Reed, who bought of Mrs. Hebbard, and also Dr. Carver.

Grocers. - Groceries used to be sold as a part of a general stock. Asa Teal had a grocery years ago.

Dr. Bruce and his father-in-law carried on a business of this kind.

300

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

Of late years, Thomas Best began in 1872, and G. G. Keller in 1869. The number of grocers has been legion. To give an account of them, or to keep track of their ins and outs, would be out of the question.

Physicians .- Among earlier physicians may be named Messrs. Davis, Lemmon, Bruce, Beverly, Hiatt, Liston, Woody, Benja- min Puckett, Brickley, Bosworth.

Physicians at present: Drs. Bruce, Markle, Smith, Cheno- weth, Evans, Alexander. Botkin, Hiatt, Beverly, Carver, Bosworth.

Denlists .- Drs. Herron, Ballard, Huddleston, Puckett.

Saw-Mills .- The first saw-mill remembered was owned by Thomas Butterworth before 1845. Others have been owned by Solomon Yunker, John Chapman, Hinshaw & Son, etc.

Josiah Hutchens built a steam saw-mill on the north side of Franklin street. Elisha Martin owned it awhile, and then it burned down.

Mr. Knecht set up a saw-mill in the west part of town, which was owned afterward by Neff, Teal & Co., and, still later, by A. G. Campfield. The mill was burned, but has been rebuilt by him, and it is now doing a large business.

Harness-Making .- Alfred Rossman began this business in Winchester in 1838, and has been engaged therein ever since, up to 1875. His shop was first of the kind in the county. Before that, his brother, James Rossman, of Hamilton, Ohio, used to come through the place with saddles for the Indian trade at Fort Wayne, and to supply Aker & Bros., in Winchester. Mr. Ross- man made the first saddle manufactured in Randolph County. It was a beauty-full quilted, covered with blue-black buckskin, prepared by the Indians. He sold the saddle to Michael Aker for $50, but, Mr. Aker failing shortly, he never got anything for the saddle.

Mr. Chapman has been in the same business for many years, and is working at it yet.

Banks .- Moorman's Bank, by James Moorman, changed to Farmers' and Merchants' Bank.

National Bank, established in 1865; President, Arthur Mc- Kow; changed to Randolph County Bank.

Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, formed April, 1878; Nathan Reed, President.

Randolph County Bank, October 1, 1878; Asahel Stone, Pres- ident.

Marble Business. - The first operations in marble were by a Mr. Robertson, as agent of a marble firm in Sidney, Ohio. After that, Lady, Stafford & Beebee, engaged in the marble trade.

In 1858, Daniel E. Hoffman came to the town and set up the business, buying out the existing firm, and he has had the sole control of stone cutting in Winchester from that day to this. He began in the old log court house, which was then standing north of the public square, and in 1862 he removed to his pres- ent location, northwest corner of Meridian and Washington streets. Mr. Hoffman has had an extensive trade, amounting to from $5,000 to $7,000 a year.

Prominent Public Men. - In a centennial sketch of public men the following are named:

Charles Conway, Jeremiah Smith, George W. Monks, Nathan Reed, Willis C. Willmore, Nathan Garrett, Thomas W. Reece, Thomas Ward, Asahel Stone, Silas Colgrove, Elihu Cammack. Thomas Clevenger, William M. Campbell, Hicks K. Wright, Elias Kizer, Thomas W. Kizer, Jacob Elzroth, Clement F. Al- exander, William Burres, John J. Cheney, Enos L. Watson, John B. Goodrich, A. J. Neff, George O. Jobes, Thomas L. Scott, William E. Murray, John W. Jarnagin, E. F. Halliday, A. M. Owens, James H. Bowen, Ira Swain, Isaac P. Gray, H. T. Se- mane, Thomas M. Browne, Henry H. Neff, Moorman Way.

Of course, a large number are omitted in the above list, the names above including no physicians, clergymen nor teachers, hardly any Judges nor members of the Legislature, nor men prominent as active business men in private life.

Silversmiths .- Arthur Quick was in the business a long time, perhaps twenty-five or thirty years. He moved to Kansas some years ago.

The present ones aro Messrs. Irvin, Litchard and Klamberg.

Smith Shops .-- Who had the first (if any before 1829 or 1830) is not now known.

Abner Overman, in 1826-27, built a frame house on the northeast corner of Lot No. 2, east front. He sold it to John Way in the fall of 1829, who moved to it and set up a blacksmith shop, where for many years most of the smith work for that place was done.

L. D. Carter began blacksmith work in Winchester in 1851, and has carried it on ever since, mingling it sometimes with wagon and carriage making.

Meat Shops .- C. C. Monks began the butcher trade in 1870, and for eleven years has not missed a day from his shop. His business is extensive, reaching $8,000 annually. The history of the meat business in the past for Winchester we have not at hand.

Hotels .- James McCool opened the first hotel in a good two- story hewed-log house, built by him in 1819, the first year of the existence of the town. James Oldham owned the building soon after, and had tavern, dwelling and hatter's shop all in the same building. Then John Odle bought it and had it for a hotel and a store for some years.

After the new brick court house (in 1826), David Heaston used the old one as a hotel; but not long, for he sold out to Paul W. Way, probably in 1828, who was landlord in Winchester for a long time. Andrew Aker also opened a hotel in the building which stood where the Ward building now is, soon after Way began. Jeremiah Smith built the Franklin House in 1839, which has been a hotel to this day. Alexander White was the occupant a long time, then Josiah Montgar, then William Page, and lastly. Peter Reinheimer, who has been landlord of the Franklin. lo! these sixteen years or more.

There used to be a hotel standing on the northeast corner of Washington and Main, kept at different times by Elias Kizer, Andrew Aker, Henry Carr, and perhaps others.

For a time, the Franklin House was alone in its glory.

During some years past, others have sprung up, and now Martin's Restaurant and Lodging-House, the Irvin House, the Wysong House, etc., greet the wishful traveler as he walks the streets of Winchester, anxious to find some stopping-place.

About 1874, Jack Ross opened a hotel, east side of Main street, north of Washington, which, after standing several years, was burned, and it has not been rebuilt.

Wagon Shops .- One of the earliest wagon shops was set up by Thomas Butterworth about 1836. He was killed in 1845.

Thomas Klinck has been engaged in the business for twenty- nine years, beginning in 1852.

The Carter Brothers also began carriage-making about the same time, carrying it on till 1862.

In 1873, L. D. Carter, Frank Remick and J. H. Gill began the manufacture of wagons, which firm was merged into the Winchester Wagon Works and Manufacturing Company, organ- ized in 1881, now having a capital of $75,000 and doing an ex- tensive business. (See sketch elsewhere.)

Wind-Mills,-Many years ago, W. V. R. Tooker established himself in the manufacture of fanning-mills at Winchester, and for nearly thirty years carried on an extensive and successful business. Through his kindness in "signing for a friend, " he was broken up, losing all his hard earnings for thirty years, and he is left in his declining age to renew his battle against fate, and work from day to day to keep the wolf froin the door.

From the days of Solomon to the present hour, going surety has been, and from this day to the end of time it will probably continue to be, the sad and effectual means of sweeping scores of millions of hard-earned money from the hands of the men who have, with labor and pains, by economy and self-denial, laid up a competence for the weakness of old age, through the reckless unthrift of children and friends, into the vortex of bankruptcy, and will strew the shores of time with wrecked and sad hearted men drawn into the net thus in a kindly but disastrous hour.

Liquor Selling .- The records of the courts show hosts of li- censes for groceries, alias grog shops, through the past history of the county, as also scores of trials and convictions for crimes of all sorts-affrays, assaults, thefts, homicides, etc., many of them committed under the terrible influence of strong drink.

301

WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP

To write a history of the drink traffic, here or elsewhere, would be a dreadful, a heart-sickening task; and from the sad work the soul instinctively recoils with horror, as from the story of the plague or the cholera; nay, worse than that, for they seem the work of causes not apparently controllable by human means, while the terrible drink traffic is wholly and always the direct and ex- clusive work of human agents. Well may Cowper's line con- cerning oppression apply to this traffic:

"Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands monrn."

We cannot find it in our hearts to trace, step by step and in lengthened detail, the story of this awful business; and the pos- terity of those who have been or are now engaged therein will bless us, in days to come, for omitting to record the names of such as targets for the execration of posterity.

There are now to be found descendants of liquor-makers and venders, and others, of past years whose cheeks blush to know the occupation of their progenitors; and public good does not require the undue exposure of the errors of the past.

Slave-trading, slave-holding, gambling, profanity and other enormities have once been fashionable and popular. But they have been swept by the swelling tide of purity into the catalogue of detestable vices. And such will be the case with drink and all its accompaniments. And happy will be the heart in that blessed time that can look back through a long line of ancestry and find none therein who were ever entangled in any of these sad, mischievous, destructive things.

License to sell strong drink! License to steal, to rob, to strike, to stab, to murder, to commit burglary, adultery, arson! License to incite men by wholesale to do any and all of these things, to commit any and every crime in the black catalogue of hellish deeds done by human hands! And yet this has been done. Nay, it is even done now, in this county of ours, and by upright, justice-loving, tender-hearted Christian men, under the real or supposed obligation of civilized law!

If the story of this business must be told, if it must be re- corded who have, through long years past; who have, year by year, put the bottle and the glass to their neighbors' lips, and made them drunken also, let it be done by another hand than ours, or at least at another time than this. Let this book rather record the noble, the heroic, the praiseworthy, the public-spirited deeds of years gone by, that the ages to come may look upon the record and rejoice for the virtue and the loving kindness and the goodness that in those years of toil and hardship and sorrow, by worthy deeds, laid deep the foundations of a public prosperity and private advantage.

Thus have we most briefly given a sort of bird's-eye view of affairs, mentioning a few of the men who have done business in the town during the days of " auld lang syne." Nothing has been said in this sketch of that sort of business which springs from the fact that Winchester is the county seat. Some matters connected with that branch of the subject may be learned from the chapter on "records " and elsewhere.

Some account, also, of the railroads centering at this place has been given in another part of this work.

The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis or Bee- Line Railroad, and the Richmond & Grand Rapids (Shoo-Fly) Railroad, cross at Winchester, giving opportunity for consider- able business. In 1853, at the first building of the Bellefontaine road, the depot was far out of town, but the growth of the place has brought it into the heart of the town.

WINCHESTER --- OFFICIAL.

It was incorporated as a town in 1838 by popular vote, thirty- eight votes being cast in favor and none against. It was divided into five wards, viz. :

First Ward-Northeast square, Elias Kizer, Trustee.

Second Ward-North front and northwest square, Nathan Garrett.

Third Ward-West front and southwest square, Jeremiah Smith.

Fourth Ward-South front and southeast square, John D. Stewart.

Fifth Ward-East front, Jesse Way.

The early records of the town are not accessible. The first account discovered is under date of October 6, 1855.

The Trustees then were Silas Colgrove, James Brown, Will- iam W. Smith, Simeon H. Lucas, Martin A. Reeder; John Neff was Clerk and Treasurer; Benjamin Ramsey was Assessor aud Marshal: James Brown was President of the Board.

May, 1856-Trustees, James Brown, John Routh, Jesse Way, John W. Diggs, James C. Ennis; John Neff. Clerk and Treas- urer; Andrew Favorite, Assessor and Marshal.

May, 1858-Trustees, Alexander White, George W. Helms, Simeon H. Lucas, Henry Carter, W. B. Pierce; M. A. Reeder, Clerk and Treasurer; William L. Steele, Assessor and Marshal.

The board agreed to serve gratuitously. It would seem that the County Commissioners declared the bounds of the town in June, 1855.

In 1858, an arrangement was made with the Bee-Line Rail- road to lay a track to a gravel bank in the region and haul gravel for the corporation; as also to have the gravel placed upon the streets, the latter at 123 cents per wagon load.

July 20, 1858, John Cronin received for hauling gravel upon the streets, $65.76; railroad received for two days, $140.50; opening pit, etc., $77.90; about 600 loads for $284.16, besides the cost (if any) at the pit, or about 45 cents per load.

It appears there used to be a town market house, for it was ordered to be sold at public auction. The town was resurveyed by order passed April 30, 1859. The original corners had been lost, and the chief starting poiuts were declared to be as follows: 1. The northwest corner of the Franklin House.

2. The southeast corner of Jesse Way's brick storeroom, at the crossing of Main and Washington.

May, 1859-Trustees, H. P. Kizer, Joseph Puckett, John Ross, William M. Way, Jacob Elzroth; William L. Steele, Clerk and Treasurer; Thomas J. Hull, Assessor and Marshal.

June, 1859-G. C. Ennis was appointed Trustee in place of William M. Way, resigned.

The Treasurer's report from May 7, 1859, to April 30, 1860, is as follows: Receipts, $370.35; expended, $201.09; on hand, $169.26. Three hundred and fifty eight yards of gravel had been hauled upon the streets, at a cost of $90.78.

May, 1860 -- Trustees, A. White, J. Puckett, A. D. C. Mon- roe, W. B. Pierce, E. J. Putman: William L. Steele, Clerk; Joseph K. Dick, Treasurer; James C. Ennis, Assessor and Marshal.

NOTE .- J. C. Ennis failed to qualify, and George W. Carter was appointed in his stead.

1861-Trustees, White, Helms, Carter, Pierce, Beverly; Steele, Clerk and Treasurer; Routh, Assessor and Marstal.

Treasurer's report, May, 1861, is as follows: Handled, $185 .- 64; paid out, $185.52; on hand, 12 cents.

1862-Trustees, Jeremiah Smith, Neff, Klinck, Doyle, Hall; John D. Smith, Clerk and Treasurer; George W. Carter, Assess- or and Marshal.

Treasurer's report: Handled, $91.74; paid out, $36.37; on hand, $55.37 (low taxes-small expenses -- full treasury).

May, 1862, offices created: Town Surveyor, $2.50 per day, M. Way; Street Commissioner, $1.25 per day, P. Doyle.

Asahel Stone allowed the town to haul gravel from his bank free, on condition of keeping his grounds secure by having gates locked, etc. Patrick McDonnal contracted to haul 600 yards of gravel at 30 cents.

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History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 94

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman Number of Pages: 664

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664