USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 9
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By the year 1850 some advancement had been made and the popula- tion had practically doubled. Dr. Isaac Parker was the only physician, and James Recobs and Isaac Houser were added to the list of blacksmiths. John Anderson was the only cabinet-maker. William B. Young came in this year and for several years worked with Anderson, before establishing himself ; the concern that he established is still in existence, being known as the Young Furniture Company. A bakery was kept by Louis Diehl in the house then adjoining the Tipton County Bank building. Fred Bennett, a German, and later of Pennsylvania. established a saddlery shop. being the first in town. Martin Prilliman moved here from Shielville and became the pioneer gun- smith of the town. George Boyer, a blacksmith, came in 1851.
CHOLERA EPIDEMIC.
By the year 1854 the people were in a contented state of mind. Ague and fever had been prevalent, it is true, due to the condition of the country, but. aside from these "shakings and burnings," there had been no alarming sickness. Near August 1, 1854, cholera seized upon the town, scourged the inhabitants, drove them from their homes, and began to fill rapidly the small graveyards. Everyone fled who was able, but, notwithstanding, they car- ried the dread bacilli with them and perished in strange homes. All live stock was left in pens and inclosures to starve to death or die for want of water. All would have done so, had it not been for the courage of one Mason Lyons, who went to each pen, and turned cattle, hogs and sheep free, to roam at will in the woods. Business was ceased; stores were closed, and artisans put aside their tools. Men did not meet in joyous groups on the street corners, but stood a distance from each other and conversed with awe of the impending plague. The quiet of a funeral pervaded the town. Isaac Parker, John H. (7)
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Barker and Absalom M. Vickrey were the only doctors here at the time; Peter Bert and Dudley Newman assisted in the care of the stricken. There is no record giving the accurate number of persons afflicted with the cholera, but the deaths in the town totaled at least twenty. Had not the majority of people left their homes the casualties would have been greater. After a month of trepidation, sorrow and courageous struggle, the epidemic suc- cumbed to the efforts of the doctors and caretakers, and the families began to return to town. No other epidemic of consequence has since struck Tipton.
INCORPORATION AS A TOWN.
The town charter, which had been forfeited many years previously, was renewed in 1872 and an incorporation effected, with the following officers, who were elected on June 26, 1872: Trustees, George W. Boyer, Absalom M. Vickrey, B. M. Blount, Thomas S. Armstrong and C. A. Negley; clerk, William H. Clark; assessor, Jesse M. Morgan; treasurer, Robert W. Wright; marshal. Thomas Paul. It was during the early existence of this town cor- poration that the historic Jefferson street canal was dug, the street in places being excavated to a depth of ten feet. The object was for the surface drain- age for all of the north part of town. All evidences of this canal have long since disappeared.
THE MODERN TIPTON.
Prior to the year 1880 Tipton stood still; there was no incentive to prog- ress and development. A lethargy seemed to have taken hold of the peo- ple, and pessimism, vice and weak ideals characterized the town, and it is even known that men went to other parts of the state from here and re- fused to register their home town as Tipton, preferring strangers to be in ignorance of the fact that they resided in such a town as Tipton. The busi- ness houses were low, ramshackle affairs, generally frame and one story in height. Business of any kind outside of the saloons was not profitable, no enterprises for the good of the town were inaugurated, and even the law could not successfully cope with the disorder prevailing. This reputation was state wide, and it has been a long, hard struggle for the town to regain its lost prestige, but it has done so, beginning the fight in the year 1880.
In that year there was an incentive, for the first brick building was erect- ed. This was through the efforts of a Methodist minister who constructed on the spot where Leatherman's furniture store now stands, a new brick church house. This gave the idea to the people, and in other places two-story
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brick buildings began to be put up. This demand for good structures has continued until the present day, and now there is no town in the state of the size of Tipton with superior business and office blocks. The buildings are large, airy, well lighted and adapted to the most modern ideas of store buildings.
INCORPORATION.
In the early part of the year 1884 the town of Tipton took the dignified name of the "city" of Tipton. The first city election was held on March 1I, 1884, and the officers elected were as follows: Thomas S. Armstrong, mayor; David J. Caldwell, clerk; Charles Nicholson, treasurer; Joseph Pril- liman, marshal; Jacob Hoover, assessor; Fred Waffler, Melvin L. Bowlin, William Picken, Elbert H. Shirk, John Langan and Addison Haskett, coun- cilmen. Since this election J. E. Rumsey, James I. Parker, S. D. Rouls, S. G. Young, L. B. Nash, N. S. Martz, W. A. Compton and J. A. Lewis have served the city as mayor. The officers in 1914 are : J. A. Lewis, mayor; J. H. Small, clerk; W. S. Walker, treasurer; E. E. Myerly, Charles Richman, August Pape, William Ressler and Fred Fox, councilmen.
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
The Tipton Light, Heat and Power Company was established in the year 1888, and in 1892 the Citizens' Gas Company came into existence. In the year 1913, however, the Indiana Gas Light Company bought out this latter company, and now supplies the city of Tipton with gas, piped from West Virginia, through the depot at Elwood. The gas is natural and of ex- cellent quality.
The Tipton Electric Light and Water Works is a municipally owned plant, established in 1898. The water works station was constructed in 1894-5, at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars, and the electric light was added several years later.
Tipton has the honor of being the first town in the state of Indiana to have a street paved with brick. This was in 1890. The nearest street paved with brick to Tipton was in Bloomington, Illinois, and the city council of Tipton journeyed to that town to inspect the work. Returning home, the . council immediately ordered a brick paved street, and accordingly two and a half blocks were laid on Jefferson street, the brick used being common building brick. Remarkable as this may seem, this paving lasted from 1890 until three months ago. January, 1914. when it was resurfaced with vitrified
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brick. There are now twelve miles of brick paved streets in Tipton. This is a larger number of feet per capita than can be claimed by any other town in Indiana.
The sewerage system is in good condition, and comprises about twelve miles of piping, for surface and sanitary drainage.
LAKE ERIE & WESTERN SHOPS.
One of the greatest factors in the development of industrial life in the city of Tipton is. the Lake Erie & Western railroad shops. Tipton is a division point of this road. From three hundred and fifty to four hundred men are employed in these shops, and the monthly payroll runs about thirty thousand dollars. Negotiations have been under way for several months to improve and enlarge these shops, so that at least one hundred more men may find employment there. The feature of the improvement is to be the enlarg- ing of the railroad mileage around the shops from twelve miles to twenty- five. The railroad company will probably double the scope of the shops, and a larger tract of additional ground purchased. The round house, paint shops and car repair shops all will undergo extensive improvements.
CITY PARK.
In the past years Tipton has had nothing in the way of a public park, but at present the city has become the possessor of an attractive bit of ground, to be beautified and decorated for the comfort and pleasure of the public. The ground under consideration is a tract of twenty-six acres, situated at the terminus of South West street, within easy walking distance of any part of town. Beauty of trees, streams and landscape make this location particu- larly desirable. The park was purchased by public subscription. It is the plan to plant many new trees within the grounds, each one to be a memorial tree. Part of this land was obtained from the county, after the original tract had been purchased. Very much of the park grounds are subject to overflow, but by the dredging. straightening and widening of Cicero creek, this will be overcome. The park sentiment was aroused by the holding of mid-summer chautauquas in the honeysuckle thickets, where a rural atmosphere gave the people a desire for a near-home outing.
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TIPTON CITY PARK, 1914.
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FOURTH OF JULY SCENE. TIPTON. 1909.
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TIPTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
TIPTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
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PROSPECTIVE TIPTON.
Whatever progress has been made by the city of Tipton during the last years, and it is great, is but a foreword, a prophecy, to the advancement which is assured in the next score of years. Elements are being introduced, the character of the citizenship is so strong, and demand is continually made for larger working capacity, that make it certain that it will grow, prosper and forever atone for the unfortunate days thirty years ago. It is a clean city in every way, and this is no mean factor in the determination of its success. Undoubtedly the city is now the best of its size in the state, and the purpose of the citizens is to keep it the best of its size, no matter what the size be- comes. The intellectual standard of Tipton is high, and so is the moral. Business is thriving and is rapidly growing; schools are improving, and re- ligious and social features are every day coming to have a stronger place in the life of Tipton. The established standard of citizenship makes it a desir- able city in which to live and, owing to its splendid transportation facilities, business men of Indianapolis are seeking homes here, where they have church, school, library and other home advantages.
TIPTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
In the fall of the year 1900 the first definite plans were made in the city of Tipton for the establishment of a free public library. The educational and pleasurable effects of such an institution were realized, and the strong need of the advantages perceived in the life of the city. At this time the schools were beginning to be improved to a great extent, and in connection with this the need was felt perhaps stronger than in any other way. It was at a meet- ing of the Literary and Suffrage Club that the plans were first made. The new library law went into effect the following year, and Tipton was ready at once to take advantage of it. The city was the first in the state of Indiana to organize under this new law. Early in the spring of 1901 the library as- sociation opened the library to the public in the court house. A book "shower" was held and more than five hundred volumes were donated, many of them being valuable. The library was supported by voluntary contributions. The officers were the same as they are in 1914.
Just a year later, in answer to a request by Mrs. Ida Matthews, a letter was received from Andrew Carnegie, offering a gift of ten thousand dollars for library purposes, with the understanding that the city guarantee and give a fund of one thousand dollars a year for the maintenance of the proposed
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library. The city council immediately went into session and voted to accept this timely proposition. Steps were taken at once to begin the construction of the library building. The city council purchased the Gilbert property at the corner of Madison and Independence streets, and a building committee was appointed, including the following : S. G. Young, A. H. Pence and B. F. Vice, representing the city council, and Mrs. Ida Matthews and M. W. Persh- ing for the library board. Bids were asked for, and Ed Henry of Tipton was awarded the contract. All necessary preparations were made and the corner- stone of the structure was laid on Wednesday, October 15, 1902. The build- ing was dedicated the next year, the Masonic order of Tipton having charge of the ceremony.
Within a year after the dedication of the library building the library was perpetually endowed with the gift of five thousand dollars prompted by the noble impulse of Mrs. Nannie R. Shirk, interest of which is used for library purposes. Not only was this. a gift inspired by the highest patriotism and kindness of the giver, but it supplied the library with funds which insure its everlasting existence and usefulness. The endowment was made in honor of the late E. H. Shirk, and each book purchased from this endowment is stamped "From the E. H. Shirk Endowment Fund," thus forever reminding the people of this noble woman whose husband was the personification of in- tellectual citizenship and whose soul desire was the education of the children. In fact. the work of getting the institution into the city of Tipton developed many heroes and endeared the workers forever in the hearts of Tipton. Every member of the board and committee deserves praise, chief among them being Mrs. Ida Matthews, who gave her untiring efforts to the success of the · enterprise. Mrs. Matthews is now the librarian, and under her management the institution is growing every month. In April. 1914. there were three thousand five hundred and eleven readers enrolled. and the total number of books was six thousand six hundred and sixty-four. A singular record is the fact that during the year 1913 there were eleven thousand adult books read and six thousand juvenile books. In almost every other library the number of juvenile books read is in the majority.
The grounds in which the library stand are beautified with smooth, well- kept lawns, flowers and cement walks. Each tree in the park is a memorial tree, a record of which is kept upon a chart hung within the library building.
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TIPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
The Tipton Chamber of Commerce was organized March 24, 1914, suc- ceeding the Tipton County Commercial Club, which was organized in April, 1911, and during its existence has been a useful adjunct to organized effort in civic and industrial life in the community. The idea in the reorganization was to broaden the scope of the work of the Commercial Club and increase its activity in matters connected with civic, industrial and business affairs where the efforts of unorganized individuals would be futile. In the ordinary affairs of every community there are many things that being "everybody's business is nobody's business" and the chief purpose of the Chamber of Com- merce is to provide the community with a medium through which results, often far-reaching in importance, may be had through organized effort.
.The Chamber of Commerce is incorporated and its articles of associa- tion and by-laws provide for its government by a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, who, with twenty-six others, constitute a board of directors of thirty members. Each director is either a member of the execu- tive committee or is the chairman of a standing committee, of which there are twenty-four, in addition to the executive committee, as follows: Audit- ing, membership, public utilities, retail interests, professional interests, labor, insurance, law, general civic improvements, housing, entertainments, public health, relief and charities, taxation, street and sewer improvements, good roads, conventions, farming interests, new industries, publicity, safety, and public comfort. The duties of these committees are such as their titles indi- cate.
The officers and directors are as follows: President, W. A. Compton : vice-president. John Albershardt; secretary, Edward Daniels; treasurer, Mel W. Hobbs; H. A. Binkley, J. E. Booth, C. C. Bryan, Walter Carter, J. R. Coleman, F. E. Davis, Dr. H. E. Grishaw, Louis R. Haas. Abe Kirtley, John P. Kemp, Ralph D. Leatherman, N. R. Lebo, B. F. Leavell, Omer Legg, John Langan, W. E. May, Joseph Meindering. W. N. McGraw, John R. Nash, C. W. Ramsay, Dr. H. G. Read, F. M. Roode, A. H. Surface, John E. Shirk. M. T. Sheil and S. G. Young ..
There are about one hundred and fifty active paying members of the Chamber. The Chamber meets four times each year, the executive committee twice and the board of directors once each month and the standing commit- tees whenever they have business to occasion a meeting.
The Tipton Chamber of Commerce gives every promise of accomplish-
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ing a great deal of good for the city of Tipton and the surrounding country in its various activities.
TIPTON FACTORIES.
Several canning factories are found in Tipton and in Tipton county, and these offer employment to many persons and also give the farmers an opportunity to dispose of certain crops readily. The Fame Canning Company, owned by Grafton Johnson of Greenwood, is located in Tipton. Tomatoes, corn and peas are canned in this plant, where several hundred persons find employment during the canning season. The Snider Preserve Company also maintains a plant near Tipton, where large quantities of tomato pulp are manufactured. From fifty to seventy-five men are given employment in this plant. There are four other canning factories located in Tipton county. The canning industry was established in Tipton county in 1890 by the late Mayor N. S. Martz. By the analysis of soil made by Purdue University it became known that the black loam soil was peculiarly adapted to the culture of tomatoes, and. taking advantage of this announcement, Mr. Martz established a canning factory, and the quantity and quality of the Tipton county tomato is known in all the markets in the United States.
Another important industry is the Oakes Manufacturing Company. In this plant incubators and incubator supplies are manufactured. The company conducts a mail order business and local business men say that it is not un- usual to see an immense truck load of incubators leaving the factory to go to all parts of the world. About one hundred men are employed in this factory. The business of the company is said to increase steadily from year to year on account of the fact that it controls many of the best patents on devices used in connection with the poultry business.
Tipton has two buggy factories, the Binkley Buggy Company and the Charles Bros. Carriage Factory. The Binkley company manufactures from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred buggies a year and employs from sixty to seventy men. The products of the factory are shipped to all parts of the country. The Charles Bros. factory is a smaller concern that specializes in a higher grade vehicle. About twenty-five men are employed there.
The J. J. McIntosh broom factory is one of the largest in Indiana and its reputation extends to several states. The demand for the output is beyond its manufacturing capacity, which is about fifty dozen a day.
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CITY FINANCES.
By the treasurer's report for the city of Tipton at the close of the year 1913, the following is learned :
From the general fund there are expenditures amounting to $23,483.14, and the monies coming into this fund amount to $23,477.84, leaving a bal- ance of $5.30.
The judgment fund amounts to $2,000. The library fund amounts to $1,777.94.
The county treasury's fund amounts to $70.97.
The school fund amounts to $1, 103.12.
The special fund amounts to $1.977.06.
The interest fund amounts to $6,036.54.
The sinking fund amounts to $11, 123.64.
The electric light fund amounts to $39,843.31.
The water works fund amounts to $15, 140.33. The street fund amounts to $16.712.79.
These funds are stated in terms of the amount of money which came into the funds during the year, and omitting the expenditures made from the same.
The debt of the city of Tipton on January 3. 1910, was $71,243.04. On January 1, 1914, this amount had been decreased to the sum of $31,221.48. This applied to streets alone. The other city indebtedness in the 1910.month . of January was $73,099.77, and on January 1, 1914, $55,330.85. Thus. the total debt of Tipton has been reduced from $144.342 in January, 1910, to $86.552.33 in January, 1914.
POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
From the postoffice department at Washington, D. C., the following list of postmasters who have served at Tipton, the county seat, was obtained John S. Ressler, appointed November 28, 1845; Isaac Parker, appointed May 11, 1857; Samuel L. Knisell, March 16, 1861 ; David Knisell, January 14, 1863; William Stivers, January 20, 1864; Stephen Lowley, November 4, 1864; Robert M. Roberson, July 18, 1885; John M. Robinson, August 17, 1889; B. W. S. Ressler, October 6, 1893; James B. Johns, September 18, 1897; Marvin W. Pershing, September 26, 1901 ; M. W. Kinder, January 31, 1910; Frank S. Vawter, February 19, 1914.
The man with the longest record of service as postmaster is Stephen
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Lowley, who served twenty years, and M. W. Pershing is second, with eight years and five months. The first important change in the postoffice at Tipton was in 1873, when the money order business was established. In 1882 the office was changed from the fourth class to the third or presidential class. Two years afterward, in 1884, the office was destroyed by fire. In 1902 the office became a second class office; in this same year the international money order business was established. The first rural route was in 1899, but in 1905 a county rural free mail delivery system was inaugurated. The city free mail delivery was established on February 1, 1909, and at the same time a sub- station was established near the Lake Erie & Western depot. The postal sav- ings bank was installed in the year 1911, and in 1913, the parcel post system. This increased demand for work has come to necessitate larger working ca- pacity. Negotiations are now under way for a federal building, which pro- motion seems assured of success in the near future.
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CHAPTER VI.
TOWNSHIPS ( CONTINUED).
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
Jefferson township occupies the southwestern corner of Tipton county, and has the following boundaries: On the north, Prairie township; on the east, Cicero township; on the south, Hamilton county, and on the west, Clinton county. Thirty-nine square miles are embraced within the town- ship. The general land surface is similar to that of the county as a whole, namely, level, with occasional undulating areas, and at one time considerable tracts of low, marshy ground. Near the western border of the township there was at one time several hundred acres of wet prairie, almost entirely free from timber with the exception of a dense growth of willows, scrub oak and other small shrubs. The soil in the southern part is of a light color, sandy in spots, while the level land is black and thick, very deep and of. high pro- ductive value.
Dixon creek rises in section 7 and flows in a westerly direction, and Jericho creek flows through sections 21, 22 and 23 and unites with Cicero creek in section 24. Cicero creek passes through the southern part of the township and is easily the foremost stream in this county, affording an outlet for most of the other streams. The southeastern corner of the township is drained by Prairie creek and a few small tributaries.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The very first white settlers who came into Jefferson township have left nothing to establish their identity. Their names have been wrapped in the shroud of time, and their deeds while here were not of consequence sufficient to leave definite trace. Squatters came and went, after dwelling in rude shelters along streams for days and weeks, deriving their sustenance from the game of the forest, and making no effort to improve the land. These men disappeared with the incoming of permanent and serious pioneers, to seek other homes in advance of the rush of civilization.
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Barnett Stepp was one of the first men to locate here. He moved his family to the southern part of the township in 1835, and took out a claim, which he entered at the government land office one year later. Stepp was a native of Kentucky, but had lived for a number of years in the southern part of the state before coming to Tipton county. He was a man of little or no worth; he made a few unimportant improvements, and lived the life of an animal, with little personal pride or ambition. Another settler, who came in a few years later, stopped at Stepp's cabin and took dinner with the pioneer family. He described his visit thus: "The small cabin was about ten by fifteen feet in size, with no floor and but an indifferent stick chimney. There was no window, save an opening in the wall, which was covered with oiled paper. The furniture was in keeping with the mansion, and consisted of a few rude stools and benches, and an apology for a bedstead, made by driving a post into the ground floor, to which were fitted rough poles reaching to the wall of the cabin. A fire-place in one end of the building answered the two- fold purpose of heating and cooking." This same visitor relates that the dinner consisted of a pot of bear meat, with greens and hoe-cake, while one dollar would have bought double the amount of clothing worn by the entire family. Stepp was obliged to exert himself more when the country became more thickly settled, in order that he might make a living. He finally suc- ceeded in clearing a small space for a farm, where he lived until his death in 1852. He is described as being "good-natured, harmless and illiterate."
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