USA > Indiana > Rush County > History of Rush County, Indiana, from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana territory, and the State of Indiana > Part 26
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For the decade of the forties the cost to the county, as nearly as could be ascertained, was $6,690; for the fifties, $10,291 ; for the sixties, $41,923, and for the seventies, $89,793. For the last seven years the annual expenditure is as follows: For 1880, $8,872; 1881, $9,097; 1882, $8,990; 1883, $8,053; 1884, $8,560; 1885, $8,263; 1886, $9,508; 1887, $9,818. These figures show an alarm- ing increase in the number of dependents and may well attract the attention of the most thoughtful citizens.
Medical .* - Rush County and Rushville were both named in honor of the renowned physician and philosopher, of Philadelphia, Dr. Benjamin Rush, at the suggestion and through the influence of his admiring pupil and devoted friend, Dr. William B. Laugh- lin. Dr. Laughlin played an important part in the early settlement of the county. He surveyed the land, laid out the county seat, practiced medicine and exerted a great influence for good in the community. He was a man of fine classical education, of firm re- ligious principles and of delicate and refined moral perceptions. These qualities marked him out as a leader in all good works, and gave to the society he assisted in organizing a high and pure tone of morality. He was devoted to the cause of education, and in 1828, opened a classical academy for instruction in the higher
* Compiled and written by William A. Pugh, M. D.
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branches of education. He erected at his own expense on his own ground, a two-story frame building for this purpose. This still stands, and, with some additions and changes, is now the dwelling of Samuel Poundstone.
There were also other physicians whose lives and labors were consecrated to the benefit of this county, and whose names must ever be intimately associated with its development and progress. Dr. H. G. Sexton was the next physician to settle in Rushville; he came in the year 1823. He was young, energetic and ambitious, profoundly devoted to his profession, and ever striving to elevate the standard of its attainments. He was fully aware of the benefits of medical organizations, and would ride through the wilderness on horse-back, to attend a medical meeting at Indianapolis, Law- renceburg, Brookville, and other equally distant points. When the Legislature divided the State into medical districts, he was one of the first to come forward to organize the society of the Fifth Medical District of Indiana. This, for many years, did a good work in the profession. It was succeeded by a union organization, and this, again, was superseded in our county by the Rush: Medical Society, which still flourishes in all its pristine vigor.
Thus, our county has maintained for the last forty-five years a medical society whose object has been to increase medical knowl- edge and maintain the dignity and honor of the profession. This devotion to medical science, as manifested by the keeping-up of these organizations, has received its reward in the high position the physicians of Rush County occupy in district, state and national medical bodies, and the almost entire absence of quackery in our county.
Dr. William Frame was the third physician to settle in our town. He was a cautious, prudent, skillful practitioner, and largely enjoyed the confidence of the community. He helped, by precept and example, to impart a high tone to society. Dr. W. H. Martin, though coming somewhat later, is justly entitled to rank as one of the pioneer physicians and public-spirited men who contributed largely to the development of our country. Dr. Jefferson Helm, deceased, was skillful, talented, untiring, of pleasing address and suave manners, and exerted a wide influence in the community. He bore his part in all private and public enterprises for the devel- opment of the resources of our county. These men were all calculated to mold and impress the society in which they lived.
Rush Medical Society .- History furnishes no certain data as to the first medical organization in Rush County. Whilst her first medical men were zealous supporters of such institutions, and for many years belonged to district and other societies, no organization
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confined exclusively to Rush County existed until about the year 1846.
Prior to this date, Rush County was connected with Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin and Dearborn counties, forming what was called the Fifth Medical District of Indiana, taking its organ- ization about 1828 and lasting about ten years. The meetings were held twice a year alternately at Richmond, Indiana, Conners- ville, Liberty, Brookville, Lawrenceburg and Rushville, the mem- bers making the trip on horseback from the various points to the place of meeting.
The prominent members of this society were men of merit and high professional standing. In Fayette County they were Drs. Riland .T. Brown, now of Indianapolis; Philip Mason, G. R. Chit- wood, -Miller, Moffett, John Arnold. In Union County, Drs. Z. Custerline, Rose, Orpheus Everts, Sr. In Dearborn County, Dr. Brower. In Franklin, Drs. Heymond and Berry. In Rush County, Drs. W. B. Laughlin, Horatio G. Sexton, William Frame, Matthew Smith, Jefferson Helm, Ben Duncan and William Bracken. After the demise of this society, an organization was effected under a special charter from the Legislature of the State, possessing powers to examine and license candidates for the practice of medicine within the limits of the organization. This was called the "Indiana Medical Institute," and embraced the counties mentioned above as constituting the Fifth District Medical Society. The Institute was short-lived and inefficient, only maintaining a very feeble existence, terminating its career about the year 1844 or 1845.
In 1846, the first Medical Society confining its jurisdiction to county lines, was formed, and was called "Rush County Medical Society." Among the leading and working members of this so- ciety, we find the names of Drs. H. G. Sexton, William H. Martin, William Frame, William Bracken, John Howland, Jefferson Helm. Its juvenile members were Drs. James W. Green, Marshall Sexton, Erastus T. Bussell and Nathan Tompkins, all young men just en- tering upon professional life. Dr. John Howland was elected President at the organization, and Dr. Marshall Sexton, Secretary.
This was the first to adopt and accept the "Code of Ethics," as published by the American Medical Association, which had just been organized. The first county society published this code of ethics in pamphlet form, and distributed liberally amongst the phy- sicians and people of the county.
The first Board of Censors were very liberal in their notions of professional qualifications, and consequently were rather lax in their examinations for membership, admitting almost every one applying. Many illiterate, inefficient, unskillful and unprofessional men were
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taken into its fold. It died of its own liberality, it fell of its own weight and ceased to have an existence shortly after 1850; and though its lease of life was short, there can be no doubt that it effected much good. It was the first to formulate regular medicine and sow the seeds of good principles of high professional attainments and of an honorable code amongst the medical men of the country. It had also the good effect of disseminating among the people the same principles of justice between physician and patient and be- tween the public and the medical profession.
In the year 1857, the following physicians of Rush County met in the court house, in the month of May, and organized the present society, calling the compact "The Rush County Medical Society": H. G. Sexton, William Bracken, John Moffett, A. C. Dillon, James W. Green, John Arnold, John J. Mlon, Alvin Curley, I. H. Spur- rier, R. D. Mauzy, James Thompson and William A. Pugh. Dr. H. G. Sexton was chosen the first President and was annually elected to the same position until his death in 1865, a period of about eight years. Dr. John Moffet was at the same meeting chosen the Recording Secretary and was retained in the place until the year 1874, a period of seventeen years. For a period of three years and a half after its organization, the career of the Rush Medical Society was in the highest degree satisfactory. Many scientific papers were read and discussed, an increasing taste for literary and professional work was generated, free discussions upon medical topics and careful preparation for society work incited the mem- bers. In addition to all, the Secretary gave a very careful and close synopsis of the proceedings, papers and debates, filling quite a large volume.
In the midst of this prosperity, the fire-fiend visited the town and included in its ravages the office of Dr. John Moffet, with his whole library, the society records and everything belonging to it. At the December meeting in 1861, the Secretary, Dr. Moffet, arose and made the following statement:
" MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN: I have the unpleasant mes- sage to deliver to you this morning, that the entire records of this Society were consumed in the late fire which occurred in Rushville. We think we can truthfully say, none can more than I regret the loss which has come upon us. Many scientific organizations before this one have met with similar disasters.
This Association has done much to promote the interests of the medical profession of Rush County and the community in which it exists. For three years and a half it has held regular meetings, always having a sufficient attendance to constitute a quorum for business. Important medical subjects have been closely examined,
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and extended records of its proceedings were kept. This is all lost, so far as the letter is concerned, but I trust that most of us have treasured up in the storehouse of the memory the substantial doc- trines which have been passed in review during the existence of our little band of medical brethren."
A rapid review of the work which had been accomplished was then given, from memory, by the Secretary; his remarks having been carefully written out for the purpose of reading to the Society. The paper was ordered to be spread upon the minutes, so that it should form an introduction to the new volume of transactions. After hearing the remarks, the society adjourned for one hour. At the afternoon session, Dr. W. A. Pugh offered the following preamble and resolution, viz .:
" WHEREAS, The records, papers, books and documents of the Rush County Medical Society were destroyed by fire in the late disaster; and, whereas, a radical change in the organic laws has been contemplated, therefore,
" Resolved, That we now go into an entirely new organization; and that no members of the old society shall be considered as mem- bers of the new one now to be organized, who do not enter it in the regular constitutional way.
" And be it further resolved, That no article of the old constitution or by-laws shall be binding upon this, the debts of the old society being the only exception."
The preamble and resolutions were at once unanimously adopted, without discussion or debate. Dr. H. G. Sexton, the President of the society now offered a skeleton constitution and by- laws, which, he remarked, were in conformity to the meaning and intent of the resolutions just passed. This constitution was taken up and adopted by articles, with such amendments as the society, in the committee of the whole, suggested.
At this meeting, the name of the " Rush Medical Society" was adopted, and has been retained until the present time. From 1861 until 1876, the same organization continued with uninterrupted prosperity. In that year, the State Medical Society made a very radical change in its organic union; and was organized upon a basis of representation, the members to consist of delegates sent by aux- iliary county societies. After much hesitation and with much reluctance to again change, the Rush Medical Society unanimously agreed to become auxiliary to the State Medical Society, and at once changed its Constitution and By-Laws so as to accord with the State organization. The name, however, was retained. These constitute the only changes in the organic laws of the Society.
The scientific and literary work has been progressive, improv-
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ing and of the highest order of merit. Two large volumes of transactions have been filled since the destruction by fire of the first one. The officers are elected annually on the first Monday in May of each year, and consist of a President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Board of Censors and Librarian. At the annual election, Chairmen of the following sections are chosen, viz .: Surgery, Theory and Practice, Obstet- rics and Gynecology, Therapeutics and New Remedies, On Dis- eases of Children, On Epidemics. The Chairman of each of these sections is required to make an annual report on the different subjects assigned them, collecting such materials from the members as may be possible during the year. The Society carries on its literary and scientific work by an Executive Committee, also chosen at the annual meeting. It is the duty of this committee to carefully prepare a programme for each and every monthly meeting in the year, and to see that members come up to the work assigned them.
The Constitution provides that every member shall do some literary work in the course of the year, either verbal or written. The Society holds monthly meetings upon the first Monday of each month, all the year round, and has missed but very few meetings in the twenty-two years of its existence. The amount of medical literature in the possession of the members, and the very full reports made by the different Secretaries, will give the future his- torian an ample storehouse from which to draw in writing the history of medicine for coming generations.
The Society embraces in its membership almost every reputable practitioner of medicine in the County of Rush, and its influence for good is felt alike by the citizens and the profession. There, is per- haps, no county in the State as free of irregular practitioners as Rush County; and the reason thereof is largely due to the influence of Rush Medical Society. In the twenty odd years of its organiz- ation, there has been not a single professional quarrel; and as the result of the influence of this Society, the community of Rushville and the different neighborhoods of the county have been remark- ably free from the professional bickerings and jealousies so common to the profession of medicine. The unanimity and kindly feeling of Rush County physicians toward one another are admired by every one cognizant of the fact, and it is in a large measure attri- butable to the influence of the Society upon its members.
Agricultural. - The great advantage an agricultural society would be to the farmer, the mechanic, and, indeed, to the whole community, had long been felt, and an attempt to supply this want had been made by the organization of a Rush County Agricultural Society; but it was soon seen that there were radical defects in the
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plan on which it was gotten up that would insure its early dissolu- tion. The thinking men of the county feeling the necessity of such a society, counseled together, and decided on the joint-stock system as most likely to be a permanent institution, and to give satisfaction to the country by developing its resources and increasing its material prosperity and wealth. These earnest advocates of pro- gress and improvement met on the 23d of May, 1857, and passed the following preamble and resolutions, and adopted the constitution, which I give, as it plainly declares the objects and plan of the new organization, viz .:
"WHEREAS, We, the undersigned citizens of Rush County and State of Indiana, are desirous of promoting the prosperity and en- couragement of agricultural and mechanical pursuits, including the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and ornamental gardening, improve- ments in all branches of mechanism and arts, the improvement of the races of all useful and domestic animals, and the general ad- vancement of rural and household economy, and domestic manu- factures, and the dissemination of useful information upon all the above-named subjects; and believing that the present agricultural society of Rush County, as at present organized, is not adequate to carry out the above objects so fully as desired, therefore,
" BE IT KNOWN, That we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, propose and agree to form a joint-stock company, under the name and style of the 'Rush County Agricultural Society,' the capital stock of said company not to be less than $1,200, and to be divided into shares of $10 each, and to be divided as nearly equally as practicable among the several townships of said county, in a ratio to the population of the said several townships respectively. And said company propose to organize in all respects in strict confor- mity with all laws of the State of Indiana in force, for the encour- agement of Agriculture, and in entire subordination to all rules and regulations of the 'Indiana State Board of Agriculture;' and that said stock shall be used by said company in aid of all purposes properly connected with the State and County Agricultural Societies, and the objects above specified. It is not intended to conflict with the present Rush County Agricultural Society, but to aid the same, and become instituted therefor. And to attain the above-named objects, we adopt the following constitution.
" ARTICLE I. Said company shall be governed by the same number and kind of officers as required for the Rush County Agri- cultural Society, and the present board of officers elected for the ensuing year, of said Society, shall be and are hereby adopted as the officers of the new Society for the ensuing year, provided that
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said officers now elected consent to serve as such, and become stockholders of said company.
" ARTICLE 2. Said new Society agrees to take the grounds and all the appurtenances to the same belonging, now owned by the former Rush County Agricultural Society, and assume and pay all liabilities and debts of said old Society of every nature. But said new Society will require a good and sufficient deed for said ground when all said liabilities shall have been paid off.
" ARTICLE 3. Said new Society shall hold an annual fair upon said grounds, and offer premiums for the various products and articles exhibited for each year not less than $600 for each fair.
"ARTICLE 4. The stockholders and their families shall enter the gates free of charge; and a stockholder's family shall consist of all who reside with him under twenty-one years of age, and all females who reside with him of any age whatever.
" ARTICLE 5. All tolls, rents and profits that may arise from said fairs and grounds, and property owned by said company, shall be owned by and under the control of the stockholders; but they shall not divert the said grounds from the purposes above specified, except upon full payment therefor to those who have contributed or may contribute for the payment of the purchase-money therefor.
" ARTICLE 6. That Isaac B. Loder, Hugh B. Cowan and Stephen Donaldson are hereby selected as a committee to draft By-Laws for the government of said Society, and report the same at the next meeting of the Board.
" ARTICLE 7. The annual members shall have a right to one vote each in the election of officers, provided they become members of the Society prior to said election, and one stockholder shall have ten votes.
" ARTICLE 8. The stock of said Society shall be transferable, but no person shall hold more than one share, except by consent of two-thirds of the Board of Directors."
Article No. 7 has been since changed so that the annual member has no vote, and the stockholder only one. This is much better, as under the old rule, there was a useless incumbrance of a multitude of votes. John Megee, in accordance with the above arrangement, was the first President; Stephen Donaldson, Secretary. Daniel Wilson was elected General Superintendent, for which he was most admirably qualified, and Thomas V. Mitchell, Marshal of the Stock- ring; this was also the right man in the right place. The time for the fair was fixed for the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th days of Sep- tember. The Board held many meetings this year, for there was a great deal to be attended to to make the enterprise a success; but the Board were earnest workers in the good cause, and never desisted
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until they had laid the strong and broad foundation on which our present proud and successful system of fairs rests. At a meeting of the Board, on December 26, 1867, the Treasurer made the fol- lowing report:
Amount received from all sources.
$2,201 IO
Amount paid out on orders and premiums 2,127 38
Balance
$ 73 72
Amount of assets in treasury
755 00
Total assets $828 72
This is a good showing for the first fair under the new system. They then proceeded to the election of officers for the next year, which resulted as follows: Abner Conde, President; W. S. Hall, Vice President; Ben Pugh, Secretary, and J. S. Campbell, Treas- urer. The twelve Directors were the following: W. Rice, Sr., for Anderson Township; J. W. Shawhan, for Washington; W. C. Stewart, for Richland; John T. Gregg, for Noble; O. V. Meredith, for Posey; James Downey, for Jackson; Bluford Riley, for Walker; J. T. Hinchman, for Union; Amon Bosly, for Orange: D. S. Hol- loway, for Ripley; S. S. McBride, for Center; E. C. Buel, for Rushville.
The record as made by Ben Pugh, is admirable, the manuscript is splendid and the account of the proceedings clear and business- like. At this time, the Society only had eleven and one-fourth acres of land, bought of Joseph H. Lakin, May 12, 1856, for $950, but the Society bought more from time to time from various parties, until they now, in 1879, have twenty-six acres and 133 rods, which is sufficient for Fair purposes. The Fair has been a success in every respect, not only in promoting and developing the various interests for which it was instituted, but financially. It has been managed prudently, made emphatically a Fair for the people; no particular class have been allowed to run it in their interest. It is a general purpose Fair, where there is something to interest and amuse everybody. This result has been secured by electing as Directors men of sound judgment. Though comparisons are said to be odious, I cannot refrain from contrast- ing the management of it with that of Fayette County. The fast horsemen and sportsmen got the control of things there, and it soon degenerated into mere races, when gambling, drunkenness and all kindred vices became so rampart that the farmers ceased to attend or allow their families to be exposed to its contaminating influence. The result was that the Fair ceased to be attended and, consequently, failed to pay expenses; the company became bankrupt, and the
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Fair grounds were sold to pay the debts. Since then, a new com- pany has bought the Fair grounds and has held two Fairs under more favorable auspices. 1
The five purchases amounted to near twenty-seven acres and cost $4,520.87. The usual amount of halls for various purposes, stables, sheds, and all necessary buildings have been erected and paid for out of the earnings of the Society. The grounds are naturally beautiful and admirably adapted for fair purposes. The south side of the grounds are high, with the exception of a valley on either side of a small stream entering on the south; this valley forms the stock-ring. On the east and on the west the banks gradually rise, forming a natural amphitheatre, where the specta- tors can sit and view the stock brought into the ring. These beau- tiful slopes are shaded by trees. The north three-fifths of the grounds are level bottom lands, in which is seen a fine half-mile track. This is overlooked by the higher grounds on the south, affording an opportunity for the thousands of spectators to see the trials of speed. The south-east quarter, south of the time-ring, and east of the stock-ring is shaded by a fine sugar-maple grove, thickened by a plantation of locust and soft-maple. It is in this part of the grounds that all the exhibition-halls and offices are found.
Blooded Stock .- A history of Rush County would not be com- plete without a chapter on her career as a stock producer. With her natural advantages as an agricultural region unsurpassed, she stands pre-eminently first among her sisters as the home of some of the finest animals ever brought before the public. Breeders, whose reputation,- fairly merited,- and not bounded by State lines, have given to Rush County a name, the lustre of which shall not pale as the years go by. Among the earliest breeders of horses we mention John Gray, grandfather of John T. Gray, the well known horse man of Union Township. He had "Old Alec " in IS35, a Kentucky horse, from whom descended some very valuable strains; this was one of the first in the county. He was the sire of young Alec and the noted Tuckahoe horse; the dam, a Kentucky mare, hence the name "Tuckahoe." At the death of John Gray the son, William, bought these horses. Tuckahoe lived to be twenty- four years old and died on the Gray farm. The next horses in this stable were: Jerry, by Archie Lightfoot, a pacer of great speed; Bedford, a heavy draft, and Gray Eagle; these horses were kept here about 1850. The next year Mr. Gray paid $950 for a Proud American horse; this was an enormous price in those days. He was the sire of Caldwell's " Proud American " of Fayette County, Indiana; this horse was sold by Mr. Gray to a Mr. Haldeman, of Orange Township, and subsequently sold at Sheriff's sale in Rush-
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