USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, from the earliest times to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, etc. > Part 8
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German township, formed out of Perry and Armstrong, September 1, 1845, was bounded as follows: commencing at the northeast corner of section 14, township 5 south, range II west, and running thence west to the northwest corner of section 15, same town and range; thence south to the southwest corner last named of section 7; thence west to the northwest corner of sec- Iness of the purchaser. The buyer was en-
64
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
titled to the labor of the person sold. The price was not an amount paid for this labor, but was the sum received by the buyer from the county for supporting the pauper. It represented the difference, in the buyer's judgment, between the worth of the labor to be received and the cost of supporting the laborer. Men and women were sold under the same conditions; and at times two mem- bers of one family offered at the same sale were bought by different persons and thus separated. This system was kept up for twenty years after the organization of the county. In 1823 the records show that an allowance of nearly $50 was made to John B. Stinson, "for keeping Benjamin Davis, a pauper, being the balance in full of the sum for which said Davis was sold when said Stinson became the purchaser." In 1837 John Clark and Zerah Fairchild, overseers in Scott township, officially reported the sale of Jane Thompson for one year to David Judkins, who was to receive $52 for the year's maintenance. At the same time Samuel McDonald and Simpson Richey, overseers in Armstrong township, reported the sale for the next year of Samuel Bryant to George Bryant, of Virginia McGehee to Stephen Woodrow, and of Polly and Carrell McGehee to John Taylor, the prices ranging from $8 to $130. One of the earliest acts or the board of commissioners was the ap- pointment of overseers of the poor; the first being John Armstrong, in Armstrong town- ship, and Jesse McCallister, in Pigeon township. The names of the overseers show that selections for this office were care- fully made. Among those serving in early times were William Gratehouse, John John- son, James Martin, Sr., Luke Wood, John M. Dunham, John Stoner, Moses Pruitt, John Bryant, Jr., Elisha Harrison, Amos Clark and others whose names were equal to these as guarantees of upright and hon-
orable conduct. Overseers were paid a small per diem when actually employed, and were reimbursed for money laid out in be- half of the poor. The expense on this ac- count during the year 1818 did not exceed $25. Dr. Wm. Trafton, the pioneer physi- cian, who afterward became prominent in the profession and in local public affairs, was allowed $10 for services rendered the poor of the county during that year. During the sickly seasons that followed, many were af- flicted and helpless; the work of the over- seer was much increased, and it became necessary in 1820 to appoint a person in each township to settle in behalf of the county with the overseers. For this pur- pose John B. Stinson, Henry Ewing and Lewis G. Ragar were appointed in Pigeon, Armstrong, and Union townships respect- ively, then the only townships in the county. Though 1820 inaugurated a period of the most general and fatal sickness ever known to the county, the disposition to help one another was so strong among the settlers that but few, in comparison with what might reasonably have been expected, were forced to receive public alms. The entire amount expended in that year was a little in excess of $100. During that unhappy period many a sad story was recorded on the pub- lic records in few words. Several allowances for "keeping the Morgans" were followed in February , 1821, by this record: "$13 al- lowed for two coffins and two graves for Mr. Morgan and his child." Thus simply the last words in the stories of two lives were written.' In 1824, for keeping Benja- min Davis alone, $142 were allowed, and he was supported by the county about fifteen years. These facts are recorded not to re- flect upon the person named, for poverty of it- self is not a disgrace, but to show the laud- able conduct of the community, itself poor, in thus relieving want. When sickness and
65
CARE OF THE POOR.
death took their blighting hands from the community, paupers did not increase as rap- idly as the growth of the county would seem to have justified. As late as 1834 the poor expenses for the year did not exceed $255.
The adoption of a new system of caring for the poor was determined upon in 1838. John W. Lilliston, John Mitchell and Marcus Sherwood were appointed by the commis- sioners to purchase a farm for the purpose of erecting an asylum thereon where the poor might find a home. In January of the following year the county purchased, for $1,800.00, from Seth and Jonathan Fair- child, fifty-nine and one-half acres of land lying about one-half mile south of Mechanics- ville, and appointed Judge William Olmstead to have a suitable building erected for the use of the poor. The farm and house were let for $70.00 per year to Elijah and Samuel H. Prince, who agreed to keep in a proper manner all poor sent to them by the over- seers for $2.00 per week each. The plan was not satisfactory, and in February, 1840, this farm was sold to William Onyett at the price which the county had paid. Another effort was made in 1843, when Willard Car- penter leased to the county for five years twenty acres east of the city near Hull's Hill at $250.00 per annum, agreeing to build a substantial frame house to cost not less than $500.00. This transaction led to a bitter discussion in the commissioners' court. R. H. Gould, the keeper of a tavern and sa- loon, was allowed, about the same time, $25.00 for keeping Mrs. Plumer, a pauper. At the following April term, Commissioner Kennerly solemnly protested against the al- lowance to Gould, complaining that it had been made without the presentation of an account, against the advice and counsel of William R. Morgan, the overseer, who was present objecting, as well as against the | tract in proceedings had concerning the mat-
opinion and vote of himself, and vigorously denounced the agreement made with Mr. Carpenter as extremely improper because effected by the votes of Grimes and Car- penter himself, while he, Kennerly, was op- posing the matter and endeavoring to ob- struct and destroy it by motions to adjourn. He asserted that Mr. Carpenter at first held aloof but subsequently seeing that success was impossible through such a policy, rising from his seat said, with anger and defiance in his tones, that he would not be outdone, and casting his own vote for the proposi- tion, carried it. His final thrust was the statement that Mr. Carpenter was Gould's landlord and probably interested in his tavern. To this Mr. Carpenter replied enthusiasti- cally at great length. He denied that Gould had filed no account, and explained that in fact a claim for $150.00 had been made. While the pauper had not been sent to him by the overseer, yet in equity he seemed entitled to some compensation for her sup- port, and inasmuch as Gould had that day taken out a license to sell intoxicants, the fee for which was $25.00, an allowance to equal that amount was made in order to settle the matter justly and amicably. He denied that any relation save that of landlord and ten- ant existed between Gould and himself. Pronouncing the charge of impropriety in the least untrue in nearly every particular, he proceeded to say that primarily his land had been suggested by others than himself, and after much talk and deliberation the proposition had been passed by the votes of his associates, himself taking no part; that then Mr. Kennerly grew stubborn, trying in various ways to cause a postponement, when displeased with such tactics he concluded to end the matter by voting for it himself. Mr. Kennerly had signed the records, and at the next meeting substantially ratified the con-
66
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
ter, in which Mr. Carpenter took no part. For this his antagonist, with effective force, charged him with placing himself in the awkward predicament of protesting against his own votes.
In September, 1844, William Onyett, still owing a part of the purchase money for the original poor farm, resold it to the county. Mr. Carpenter's protests against this trans- action were vigorous, but to no avail. He had been keeping the poor under agreement with the commissioners for $1,500 per year. They surrendered his land, and in June, IS45, employed George Bates to keep them for $1,200 per year. Mr. Bates served the county as superintendent of its poor-farm for several years. While in the discharge of his duties, an insane inmate of the asylum took his life by striking him on the head with an ax.
This system of collectively farming out the poor was little if any in advance of that which had previously prevailed, for in fact they were sold to the lowest bidder-now in the aggregate instead of individually. But care was taken to have them supported decently and as became their station. Rev. Robert Parrett, Simeon Long and Philip Hornbrook, men representing the best ele- ments of society, were appointed to visit and inspect the condition of the poor-house at least once a year. The plan of visits of inspection thus inaugurated has been con- tinued ever since, though now performed by the commissioners in person. In IS40, a farm more convenient to the city was pur- chased from John Echols, for $1,600. It contained thirty acres and lay within the present limits of the city. Soon after this the system of supporting the poor was en- tirely changed, the element of farming out the unfortunates being for the first time eliminated. Edward Andrews, in I853, was appointed superintendent, the county under-
taking to furnish all provisions for the poor and for Andrews' family, he to be allowed $200 per year and unavoidable expenses for extra nurses, in case of sickness. Philip Jenkerbrandt was afterward employed on similar terms, except that he received $500 per year. This plan was continued in prac- tice about ten years, but soon after the com- mencement of the civil war there was such an increase in the number of the poor that the old system of contracting with the low- est bidder for their support was again in- augurated, when Patrick Garvey agreed to keep all properly chargeable to the county for permanent support for $2,490 per year. A substantial brick building was erected on the Echols farm, which in 1868, was enlarged and added to at considerable cost to accommo- date the increasing numbers asking for shelter under its roof. The cost of support- ing the poor had rapidly increased. In 1850 the expenses were $2,638.22; in 1858, $3,845-73; in 1866, $10,731.99; in 1868, $12,767.33; in 1871, $23,288.49; and in 1875, $29,890.19. During and after the civil war period many thousands of dollars were ex- pended for the relief of soldiers' families, which are not here included.
In May, ISS2, the commissioners bought from George W. Hornby, a farm of 161.74 acres in Center township, paying for it $9,704.40. The old farm was laid out into lots and sold by Hon. Alvah Johnson, as agent for the county, the proceeds amount- ing to about $35,000. Plans for a new asy- lum on the Hornby farm, were made by Clark & Pyne, architects. A contract for the building was entered into with Charles Lieb, of Rockport, Ind., for $24,800. By reason of a change in the plans, and the ad- dition of a barn and boiler house, the con- tractor was paid over $48,000; the total cost of the buildings was $52,846.53. It is a handsome brick edifice, comfortable, com-
Job Buchanan
67
ELECTIONS.
modious and especially fitted for the purpose which it was designed to serve. In the same year the county purchased a tract of land from Silas S. Scantlin for $4,000, near the northeast limits of Evansville, and erected thereon, at a cost of $9,453.05, a county hos- pital for the treatment of contagious diseases. At least ten years prior to these purchases there had been expended about $20,000 in establishing asylums for orphan children. All of these institutions are governed by humane rules, and the unfortunate inmates are considerately treated. At the poor- house Warren Bonnel is employed at $800 per annum as superintendent, the county furnishing all necessary provisions : Dr. J. C. Minton renders professional services to the sick; his annual salary is $575.
Many poor are temporarily aided by the county without being sent to the asylum. The blind, insane, deaf and dumb are sup- ported at the state institutions, the expense of clothing and transportation being borne by the county. A like expense is incurred in behalf of those sent to the House of Refuge and the Female Reformatory. A statement is here appended of the expenses of the county in these charities since 1879, in order to exhibit in the clearest manner the extent of the public's benefactions: 1879
$27,813 24
1880
26,230 60
ISSI
26,109 15
1882
25,936 07
I883
33,974 17
188.4
35,896 45
1885
36,822 82
1886.
24,078 66
I887
33,401 79
Elections .- In order to show the increase in the number of voters and the political com- plexion of the county from time to time, a statement of the vote polled in the several townships at the various presidential elec- 4
tions since 1824, so far as it is possible to obtain the same, is here made :
IS24.
Townships.
Clay and Sanford.
Adams and Crawford.
Jackson and Calhoun.
Pigeon
43
27
22
Scott
I3
6
IO
Armstrong*
Union*
.. .
.. .
Totals*
.. .
IS28.
Townships.
Jackson and Calhoun.
Adams and Rusk.
Pigeon
S7
79
Scott.
14
9
Union
7
16
Armstrong*
. . .
...
Totals*
IOS
104
I832.
Townships.
Dem. Jackson and Van Buren.
Whig. Clay and Sergeant.
Pigeon
130
57
Armstrong
22
29
Union
IS
16
Scott+
. . .
Totals*
170
102
1836 .*
I840.
Townships
Whig. Harrison and Tyler.
Dem. VanBuren and R. M. Johnson.
Pigeon
486
25I
Armstrong
2I
49
Union
63
40
Scott
5I
I6
Knight
7
If
Totals
628
370
.
.
* Official returns lost.
t No vote returned by this township.
68
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
1844.
Townships.
Whig. Clay and Frelinghuysen.
Dem. Polk and Dallas.
Birney and Morris.
Pigeon
485
374
Armstrong .
5
43
. . .
Union
48
53
. . .
Union
38
93
3
Scott
49
63
28
Perry
100
43.
I2
Knight
So
53
7
Center
92
98
38
German.
193
IO
30
Totals
1,88o
840
372
IS60.
Townships.
Rep. Lincoln and Hamlin.
Dem.
Dem.
Townships.
Taylor and Fillmore.
Cass and Butler.
Van Buren and Adams.
Pigeon
342
259
S
Armstrong
I3
71
I
Union.
88
47
.
Scott.
90
4I
2
Perry
34
54
Knight
55
55
. . .
Center
82
39
IO
German
30
IOI
I
Totals
734
667
22
1852.
Townships.
Dem. Pierce and King.
Whig. Scott and Graham.
Free Soil. Hale and Julian.
Pigeon
695
571
.
Armstrong
I43
IS
. .
Union .
5I
78
. . .
Scott.
56
S7
. ..
Perry.
82
26
. ..
Knight
62
42
. . .
Center
7I
97
. ..
German
162
22
. . .
Totals
1,322
94I
. ..
1856.
Townships.
Dem Buchanan Free Soil. Fillmore and and Breckenridge. Donelson.
Rep. Fremont and Dayton.
Pigeon
1,153
468
252
Armstrong
175
I2
5
Scott.
65
17
...
Perry
8
3
Knight
I9
II
. .
Center
.
45
55
I
Totals
675
556
I
I848.
Union. Bell and Everett.
Pigeon . ... 1,223
50
I20
37
...
Scott
139
67
6
15
Perry
So
59
I3
6
Knight
.
5I
66
I2
26
Center
.
131
82
5
I7
German . .
104
I68
I
...
Totals .. 1,867
1,542
I83
302
1864.
Townships.
Rep. Lincoln and Johnson.
Dem. McClellan and Pendleton.
Pigeon
1,873
1,266
Armstrong
46
I84
Union
146
68
Scott.
159
II2
Perry
150
7I
Knight
82
I27
Center
178
84
German
90
202
Totals
2,724
2,114
.
89
4I
9
19
939
100
219
Armstrong. Union
and Johnson.
Douglas Breckenridge and Lane.
.
69
ELECTIONS.
1868.
Townships.
Rep. Grant and Colfax.
Dem. Seymour and Blair.
Pigeon
2,335
2,100
Armstrong
44
221
Union
I4I
77
Scott
193
I39
Perry
206
II7
Knight
75
173
Center
226
128
German
170
I88
Totals
3,390
3,143
1880.
.Townships.
Rep. Garfield and Arthur.
Dem. Hancock and English.
Ind. Weaver and Chambers.
Pigeon
3,627
3,153
193
Armstrong
62
252
..
Union
I30
I16
4
Scott
217
180
3
Perry
243
202
17
Knight
202
230
4
Center
259
166
14
German
165
185
. . .
Totals
4,905
4,484
235
1884.
Townships.
Rep. Blaine and Logan.
Dem. Cleveland and Hendricks.
Nat.
Pro.
Townships.
Rep. Grant and Wilson.
Lib. Rep. Greeley and Brown.
Dem. O'Connor and Julian.
Pigeon
2,919
2,454
. .
. .
4,154
4,089
90
S
Armstrong .
65
25I
2
2
Union
IO2
IO2
I
.
Scott
199
182
2
.
Perry
262
246
IO
.
Knight
205
239
5
.
Center
293
208
7
. .
German
165
IS2
. .
. .
Totals ..
5,445
5,499
II7
IO
I888.
Townships.
Rep. Harrison and Morton.
Dem. Cleveland and Thurman.
Union Lab. Pro. Streeter and Fisk and Brooks.
Evansville .
4,740
4,510
I3
52
Armstrong
49
247
Union
IIO
I26
Scott
2II
156
I
Perry
189
174
20
Knight
170
212
I
Knight .
188
261
.
4
Center
217
157
19
Center .
. 313
213
I
2
German
127
174
I
German ...
175
170
. .
. .
Totals
4,069
4,125
206
Totals
6,026
5,890
14
65
...
104
102
.
I
Scott
183
184
. .
I
Perry
259
219
. .
4
Armstrong .
64
231
I
7 Union .
..
Center
223
I18
.
German
130
154
.. .
Totals
4,014
3,381
...
1876.
Townships.
Rep. Hayes and Wheeler
Dem. Tilden and Hendricks.
Ind. Cooper and Cary.
Pigeon
2,996
2,879
157
Armstrong
33
204
...
Union .
149
66
. . .
Scott
201
II7
. . .
Perry
188
109
. ..
Knight -
171
159
.. .
. . .
-
,
IS72.
Butler. St. John.
Pigeon
70
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
Avenues of Travel .- The highway, as a means of bringing men into social and busi- ness contact, is an educator and producer of wealth. The pioneers' blazed trail and ser- Brazelton farm-adjacent to the town of pentine road, winding their way through dense and wolf-infested forests from settle- ment to settlement, were the first fruits of that aggressive, enterprising public spirit which has built the highways of banded steel now traversing the land from ocean to ocean and from lake to gulf: that spirit which has brought into cultivation a rich but once un- appreciated territory, and built busy towns and magnificent cities where less than a cen- tury ago were wild and pathless forests. Prior to the organization of Vanderburgh county several roads had been cut out across the territory embraced in its boundaries, for settlers' cabins were raised a dozen years be- fore the county was organized. There were roads from Evansville to Vincennes, to Dar- lington, to New Harmony and other neigh- boring towns, from Anthony's mill on Pigeon creek, to the mouth of Green river and else- where, some of which were inherited, as it were, from the county of Warrick. But be- fore the commencement of Warrick county's existence, when the territory embraced in Vanderburgh county was a part of, and un- der the jurisdiction of, Knox county, there were few, if any, legally established roads. Settlers were extremely scarce. When they left their cabins for business or pleasure their movements were directed by the Indian trails or footpaths marked through the woods by blazes on the trees. George Linxweiler, the pioneer, assisted in blazing out one of the first roads in this section, which after- ward became an established thoroughfare, from the Wheatstone farm east to the Red Bank trail, and north nearly along the line of the old Princeton road to the intersection of the Red Bank trail near the house of
John Withrow, not far from the village of Warrenton. Of the settlements along this road Mr. William Linxweiler says, "There were at that time but four houses along the entire route from the Ohio river to the Princeton, and these were rude cabins, such as the hardy pioneers erected hastily when- ever they found a site which their fancy suggested to be a good point for location." This was about ISII.
The system of establishing highways has remained substantially the same from the earliest times. The citizens of the locality desiring the outlet petitioned the board of commissioners, who, if granting the prayer of the petitioners, appointed three disinter- ested citizens or "viewers" to view, mark and lay out the proposed highway, if, in their judgment, it would be of public utility. The routes were not well defined as is now re- quired. Often only the desired termini were named, the object, as expressed, being to get from one to the other "by the nearest and best way," and this was left to the de- termination of the viewers. Among the earliest acts of the commissioners was the appointment of Matthias Whetstone, Patrick Calvert and James Patton to view a desired road "from the west boundary line of Van- derburgh county at or near where John McCrery and William Cater prizd tobacco last season, from thence the nearest and best way through the settlements on the forks of the Big creek, thence the nearest and best way to intersect the road leading from Evansville to Princeton at or near Julius Gibson's." From that time like petitions have so abounded that a mere catalogue of the roads established with descriptions of the routes would fill a volume. Scarcely a regular session of the board of com- missioners has passed without the con- sideration of papers pertaining to this subject; and many a war of words
71
AVENUES OF TRAVEL.
has attended their hearing. Remonstrances have followed petitions, damages have been claimed and whether denied or allowed neighborly friendships have been broken and life-long enmities made. Annually sup- ervisors were appointed who had charge of certain defined districts and were empowered to warn out "the hands" in a manner famil- iar to the able-bodied men of the present day. Some of these supervisors, as shown by the records, were men who in later years achieved fame in the nation's wars and coun- cil chambers.
With all the care that could be bestowed on these old dirt roads at certain seasons, they were almost impassable. Mud holes of boundless area and fathomless depth were everywhere found. It is told of a respect- able citizen of Ohio, who traversed the state about 1825, that upon his return home, when asked about his travels, and whethre he had been pretty much through the state, he replied that he could not say with certainty, but he thought he had been pretty nearly through in some places.
When Indiana was admitted to the Union, it was provided by law that five per cent of the proceeds arising from the sale of the public lands, should be set apart for the pur- pose of building roads; two per cent for a state road leading to the permanent seat of government, and three per cent to be used by the several counties on the roads within their borders. This was known as the "three per cent fund," and was placed in the hands of a trustee charged with its safe-keeping and proper disbursement. He gave bond, reported his doings to the commissioners and received a small per diem when actually and necessarily employed. As the sales of land advanced, the fund was distributed to the counties by legislative ap- propriations. Believing that a part of the fund was never distributed, certain counties Negley's mill, across Pigeon creek on the
as late as 1881, made efforts to obtain what might be due them from the state officials, but without avail.
In a country traversed by streams, ferries form an important part of the highway sys- tem. These were established on the Ohio river, at the present site of Evansville, at Henderson, Ky., and at the mouth of Green river, before this county had an official ex- istence. That at the mouth of Pigeon creek was established in 1820. A license fee of from $3 to $Io was charged for the privilege of their operation, and rates chargeable were fixed by the commissioners. Probably the first to serve the public as ferryman at Evansville, was Hugh McGary, from the first so conspicuously identified with the in- terests of the town, for the site of the pres- ent city, as before stated, was known as McGary's ferry. Daniel Worsham and Elisha Harrison were other early ferrymen at this point. At the mouth of Green river, Elisha Durphey was the first mentioned in the records, though perhaps others pre- ceded him, for among the earliest settlers were those in that locality. One of the ear- liest ferries was that of William Anthony, who became a veteran in the service, near the present site of the railroad bridge in Union township. That at the mouth of Pigeon creek was kept by Mrs. Nellie Sweezer, whose name was perpetuated in naming the pond at that place. The interior of the county was not traversed by many streams that could not in most seasons be easily forded; still at various points there were insignificant ferrics. For several years steam ferries have been operated at Evans- ville, and at Henderson, Ky. That at the mouth of Green river is maintained by the old-time oarsman with his skiff and flat. Bridges began to be built at a very early time. One of the first constructed was at
72
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
Princeton road. From 1830 to 1840, vari- ous appropriations, small in amount, were made from the county funds to aid in the re- pair or building of bridges. The bayou and Pigeon creek were the principal streams spanned by these structures. The state legislature appropriated $400 to aid in erect- ing the bridge near the mouth of Pigeon creek, and much of the three per cent fund was used for the same purpose. Many lib- eral private subscriptions were also made, as was customary here in those days, and John B. Stinson advanced $500, which, because of the depleted treasury, was not returned to him for several years. In January, 1840, Amos Clark, J. B. Stinson, J. B. McCall and Willard Carpenter were authorized to build a toll bridge at the point last referred to, but before any action was taken, the au- thority was revoked. In 1850, the county expended on bridges and culverts, $3,807.43; in 1858, $17,084.38; in 1870, $23,038, and during the eight years since 1879, $150,529.29. In every part of the couny- where the public convenience has demanded it, the streams have been spanned by sub- stantial bridges, all of which are free to the public.
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