USA > Indiana > Vigo County > History of Vigo county, Indiana, with biographical selections > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106
At a special session of the board, March 3, 1821, Thomas H. Clarke was appointed county collector.
In the organization of this county it seems that the counsel and advice of Attorney Lewis B. Lawrence was had, as in 1821 the board allowed Lucius H. Scott, administrator of the estate of Lawrence, the sum of $150 "for services of the said deceased rendered the county in collecting and for advice."
At the March term, 1821, $243 was allowed Henry Redford "as the balance due him for building the jail." This was the old log jail on Lot 117 on the northwest corner of Third and Walnut streets.
Circuit court, April term, 1821, was held at the house of Robert
294
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Harrison, for which he was allowed $12, and John Harris was allowed $6 for jury room at his house.
Henry Allen was allowed $52 for services as "lister " for the year 1821.
Hovey & Brocklebank were contractors for all the carpenter work on the court-house.
August meeting, 1821, William C. Linton appears as one of the board, having been elected on the first Monday of that month a commissioner.
August 2, 1821, Thomas H. Clarke sent the following:
To the Honorable, the Commissioners of Vigo County:
WHEREAS, There is a misunderstanding relative to the office of collector, and many persons suppose that I am collecting taxes by virtue of an appointment from your honorable body, and not by virtue of the authority vested in me by the sheriff of this county, this is therefore to correct the misunderstanding. I have collected taxes in behalf of the sheriff of said county, and if the commissioners conceive that I have the least pretensions to the office of collector by virtue of their appointment, I hereby resign all such pretensions.
It will be noticed in a preceding chapter that the legislature finally had to adjust this matter of tax collecting, and legalize pre- ceding actions.
Adam Weaver was in 1821 running the " lower ferry," and was complained against, but the complaint was dismissed.
The first record found of an appropriation to a pauper was a doctor's bill to Dr. Modesitt for attending P. Jenkins, in August, 1821.
A bridge had been built across Honey creek at Lambert & Dickson's mill, and Samuel Caldwell and Moses Hoggatt appointed to build a bridge across Honey creek "at the lower ford " at the August meeting, 1821. Commissioners at this meeting were William C. Linton, Gersham Tuttle and Isaac Lambert.
It seems at the November session, 1821, the county had on hand two more paupers, John O'Brien and C. V. Hutton.
November 14, 1821, Isaac Lambert resigned the office of county commissioner, and Moses Hoggatt was elected to fill the vacancy; sworn in January 21, 1822.
At this session the minutes show that Charles B. Modesitt had paid his ferry license and given notice of his ferry having been " personally discontinued."
Thomas H. Clarke, treasurer, reported as the law required, Feb- ruary 11, 1822:
Paid in since last report (November 10). $ 715 32
And to building fund .. 2,004 15}
These sums had been paid out for their respective purposes.
Caleb Arnold was appointed "lister " for the year, 1822.
Robert Graham was paid at the February session, 1822, $148 for building the Otter Creek bridge at the " army ford."
295
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
In August, 1822, L. H. Scott resigned as county agent, and James Farrington was appointed to fill vacancy ; salary $60 a year.
August 19, 1822, board of commissioners met at the house of Moses Hoggatt to consider the question of contest of the election of Thomas H. Clarke, sheriff. The court met and adjourned from day to day. Finally adjourned to Terre Haute, and testimony all in, they voted to "throw aside as illegal the vote of Harrison township, on account of the malconduct of Joseph Mark, inspector of said election."
December 5, 1822, Robert Sturgus was " appointed treasurer in the place of Thomas H. Clarke, commissioned sheriff."
The commission to lay off a State road from Evansville to Terre Haute reported January 1, 1823. Within this county they de- scribe this work as commencing "from the meeting-house, near Prairieton creek, and then by mile-posts running north and north- east. The commissioners were John J. Neeley, Samuel Emison and James Wasson.
At the February meeting of the board, 1823, the commissioners present were Gersham Tuttle, W. C. Linton and Joseph Liston. At this meeting John Jackson, George Webster and Elisha Parsons were appointed commissioners to "view and open a part of the Evansville State road."
Robert Sturgus was appointed county treasurer for the year. Again the board for the year established the prices for ferries, hotels and whisky, rum and wine, at the old figures given before, except ferrying was considerably reduced.
Conrad Frakes was appointed constable for Prairie Creek town- ship; Jehu Hayworth, for Honey Creek ; John Price, for Reiley ; John Harris and Macom McFadden, for Harrison; Elisha Huntington, for Otter; Amos Smith, for Paris; and Ellison Crews for Sugar Creek township.
Election Inspectors: Armstrong McCabe, for Prairie Creek township ; James Jones, Honey Creek ; William Ray, Reilly; William C. Linton, Harrison ; George Webster, Otter Creek; William Adams, Nevins; John Durkee, Paris; and William Ray, Sugar Creek township.
April 8, 1823, James Blake and John M. Coleman filed their report of the survey of State road, John Britton, surveyor. The road, so far as Vigo county was concerned, commenced at the fifty- seven-mile stake, and thence to Terre Haute.
Grand Jurors 1823: William Adams, William Adams, Jr., Daniel M. Brown, Robert Bratton, James Bennett, Elisha Bentley, Benjamin Bailey, James Barns, William Button, John Briggs, Daniel Barbour, Robert Caldwell, John Cox, John .M. Coleman, Nathan Riddle, Isaac C. Elston, Stephen Campbell, Isaac Cheno-
19
296
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
weth, William Cook, Abram C. Davis, Daniel Durham, William Drake, William Durham, Elisha Parsons, Joseph Evans, Thomas Forgason, George Hussey, John Jackson, Daniel Jenckes, Daniel Justice, James Jones, Nathan Kester, Benjamin Kerchival, Joseph Liston, Abraham A. Markle, William Mote, William Armstrong, Joseph Malcom, Armstrong. McCabe, Joseph Noblit, Jeremiah Nevans, Reuben Newton, Gaylord Porter, Thomas Pounds, Salem Pocock, Jonathan E. Greene, William Ray, David Reynolds, Joseph Shelby, George Webster, John H. Watson, William Walker, Nicholas Yeager, John Black.
Petit Jurors: Henry Allen, William Arnett, Dexter Angell, Caleb Arnold, Elisha U. Brown, Jacob Balding, Evan Brock, Thomas Black, John Britton, Alexander Chamberlin, John Coltrin, Caleb Crawford, Elijah Corson, William Caldwell, John Campbell, Jr., Stephen S. Collett, George Clem, James Curry, Price Chees- man, Samuel M. Caldwell, Eleazer Daggett, Joseph Dickson, Thomas Durham, James Drake, George W. Dewees, Joseph Ever- sole, Athel Forgason, William Foster, George Frence, James Fer- ril, Woolin A. Gugg, Thomas Greene, Micajah Goodman, Zebina C. Hovey, Bradford Heacock, Ansel Harris, Hallam Huntington, John Harkness, John Hawk, Robert Hoggatt, John F. King, Isaac Keys, Joseph Kester, John Dickson, Isaac Laforge, Macom McFadden, Asa Mounts, George Malcom, Joseph Mark, Robert S. McCabe, Robert Michel, John McGriff, John Mansfield, Robert McCaskey, John M. Martin, Eli Noel, William Paddock, Peter Price, Daniel T. Pinkston, William Pounds, William Roy, Jr., John L. Richardson, Jeremiah Rappleye, Lewis Rodgers, John Robinson, Samuel Roy, Sylvester Sibley, Jonas Seeley, Abner Scott, Henry Shoemaker, William McGlone, Elijah Tillotson.
At the May term, 1823, the county road districts were reformed and seven districts made. Supervisor of Number 1 was Richard Hicks ; 2, Thomas Pounds; 3, Enos Brock ; 4, John Jackson; 5, John Dickson; 6, William Durham; 7, Daniel M. Brown; 8, Isreal Har- ris; 9, Joseph Dickson; 10, Peter Allen; 11, Jacob Balding; 12, Nath. Huntington; 13, William Adams; 14, Mark Williams; 15, John Durkee; 16, William Caldwell; 17, John Block.
At this term Demas Deming was allowed $90 for use of room for court clerks. Robert Graham had contracted and built the Otter creek bridge.
This year the rates of taxes changed as follows:
First rate land, 100 acres. $1 00
Second rate land, 100 acres. 662
Third rate land, 100 acres. . 50
On every horse over three years old .. 372
On every work-ox. . 25
On every tavern in Terre Haute. 20 00
297
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY ..
On every tavern elsewhere .. 10 00
On every ferry in Terre Haute. . 20 00
On every ferry above Terre Haute. 15 00
On every ferry below Terre Haute.
5 00
Town lots, each $100.
50
At the August meeting, 1823, Elijah Parsons appeared as the new commissioner, with William C. Linton and Joseph Liston. The best land in the county was taxed one cent an acre (public build- ings and school houses all to build yet). How does that compare with present taxes with everything built and paid for ?
The increase of wealth has more than kept pace with the neces- sary increase of public expenditures, please bear in mind.
D. Johnson & Co. was allowed a license "to sell foreign goods " on payment of $10.90.
This year the taxes were raised a little: Horse, 37} cents; ox, 182 cents; taverns or retailers of spirituous liquors in Terre Haute, $25; elsewhere, $10. This is the first mention of "retailers of liquors."
Thomas H. Clarke was sworn into office of collector, February, 1824.
A bridge was ordered across Prairie creek at the State road crossing, and Armstrong McCabe, Ebenezer Paddock, Jr., and Benjamin Kircheval appointed commissioners thereof. At the same time the old bridge over Otter creek was ordered removed and a new one built, James Barns, Joseph Evans and George Webster to con- tract for same.
Nathaniel Huntington and Henry Markle were authorized to build a toll bridge across Otter creek, at Abraham Markle's mill.
May 13, 1824, at special session William Durham had com- pleted his contract on the walls, etc., of the court-house, and a final settlement was had and his bond cancelled.
The law changing the board of three commissioners went into effect in 1824, and the first meeting of the board of justices convened Monday, September 6, 1824, as follows: Joseph Dickson, Ichabod Wood, Charles B. Modesitt, Mark Williams, Isaac Keys, Fisher R. Bennett, Armstrong McCabe, Joseph Malcom, James Hall, Nicholas Yeager. When the members were duly sworn they pro- ceeded to ballot for president of the board. Mark Williams was elected for the term of one year.
John Campbell was county treasurer. A special tax on land for roads was levied on non-residents' lands. James' Farrington was county agent. Samuel McQuilkin was granted a license to retail liquors in Terre Haute for one year-$20. License to retail foreign merchandise was granted to J. F. and W. F. Cruft-$15. Sheriff ordered to advertise election of one justice of the peace to reside in Terre Haute. Ordered that a scrowl with the letters L. S. written
298
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
therein be considered the seal of this board until a different one is procured.
Macom McFadden, a constable in Harrison township, resigned September, 1824.
Same year, September 8, merchandise license was granted to William C. and David Linton; liquor license granted to Israel Har- ris in Terre Haute; also to Francis Cunningham, and the same to John Campbell.
At the November meeting of the board of justices, 1824, John F. Crufts was appointed president. The board adjourned to the house of Israel Harris. The next day Armstrong McCabe and Israel Harris took their seats ås members of the board.
November, 1824, license to sell foreign merchandise was issued to Bonner & Earley.
Full board met at the house of Israel Harris, January 3, 1825, as follows: Joseph Dickson, Fisher R. Bennett, James Hall, John Jackson, Jr., Charles B. Modesitt, Joseph Malcom, John F. Crufts, Robert Graham; Mark Williams, president. Ordered that sealed bids for furnishing the southwest upper room of the court-house (lathing and plastering) be received. Henry Allen was appointed county "lister;" John Campbell appointed treasurer. Abraham Markle granted license to retail foreign merchandise.
January 7, 1824, the legislature passed an act providing for laying out and opening a State road from Terre Haute to Crawfords- ville. Jacob Bell and James Smith were appointed commissioners, and Joseph Shelby, surveyor. The survey was completed July 25, 1825.
September 5, 1825, the official term of Mark Williams, presi- dent of the board of justices, having expired, John F. Crufts was made president for the ensuing year.
The new members for this year were Armstrong McCabe, Ash- ley Harris, William Ray and Gooding Halloway. John Campbell Curry appointed county treasurer.
November 8, 1825, Henry Allen was appointed county agent, vice James Farrington, resigned; Henry Allen appointed collector.
At the meeting of the board of justices, January, 1826, Alanson L. Baldwin, Ashley Harris and Mark Williams appeared and took their seats as members.
January, 1826, a bridge was ordered "over Honey creek at R. W. Spears' mill," and James C. Turner, Robert Bratton and Daniel T. Pinkston appointed to superintend the same.
Stephen S. Collett, trustee seminary fund, resigned in 1826, and John Campbell was appointed. Masons were granted the use of the grand jury room for one year.
George Malcom appeared at the May meeting, 1826, and was sworn in as a member of the board of justices.
299
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
This year a new tax rate was made: Horses, 50 cents; work oxen, 25 cents; two-wheel pleasure carriages, $2; four-wheel, $3; brass clocks, $2; gold watch, $2; silver watch, $1; pinchback watches, 75 cents; license to retail liquors at Terre Haute, $20; other places, $10; retail merchandise, $25; ferry at Terre Haute, $15; elsewhere, above, $10; below, $5; on lands exclusive of im- provements, 100 acres, first rate, $1; second rate, 75 cents; third rate, 622 cents.
May, 1826, John F. Crufts resigned and Charles B. Modesitt was elected president of the board of justices.
Same time William Durham, John F. Crufts and Thomas Par- sons were appointed a committee to erect a jail as follows: "The rooms to be eighteen feet square in the clear, two stories high, the ground room to be ten feet, the upper nine feet high in the clear, to be built of good white oak timber; the foundation to be good stone; and also to build a frame the same size as the jail, for the purpose of accommodating the jailer, to be attached to the jail with a passage between six feet wide and under the same roof." The lot selected was 117, on the corner of Walnut and Third streets.
September, 1826, Stephen S. Collett, justice of the peace for Harrison township, appeared and took his seat in the board. Mark Williams was again elected president of the board. License issued to Chauncey Rose to retail merchandise; also to Lucius A. Scott.
January, 1827, at meeting of the board, Stephen S. Collett was appointed president pro tem; Henry Allen again appointed county collector. James Farrington was appointed county treasurer, vice John Campbell, removed. S. S. Collett resigned his seat in the board of justices July, 1827.
The July session of the board of justices, 1827, ended as such the existence of that body. The law was changed to the old system of the three county commissioners again in force; and John F. Cruft was elected to a term of three years, Ebenezer Paddock to two years and Alban C. Davis to a term of one year. The new com- missioners held their first meeting November 5, 1827. At the August election, 1828, Alban C. Davis was elected commissioner for the term of three years.
John F. Cruft resigned the office of county commissioner and superintendent of public buildings January 5, 1829. William Probst was elected county commissioner at August election, 1829. He was re-elected at the August election, 1830. He was made superin- tendent of public buildings.
Amory Kinney resigned the office of justice of the peace of Harrison township, May, 1830.
A commissioner of school lands in the county was ordered elected in 1831.
300
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
At the May session of the county board, 1831, the overseer of the poor, Sugar Creek township, was authorized to buy horse, saddle and bridle, not to exceed $30 in value, " for the purpose of removing William Baine, who is likely to become a pauper," and sweet Will- iam was "removed."
May session, 1831, the county was divided into districts for the election of county commissioners as follows: " All that part of the county lying north of the center of Township 12 to constitute the first district; all that part of the county lying south of the center of Township 12 and north of Township 10 to constitute the second district; and that part of the county lying in Township 10 north, to constitute the third district."
James Farrington was appointed county treasurer in 1829; Will- iam Ramage appointed to take care of and keep the court-house and . grounds.
The seminary trustees purchased in November, 1831, of William C. Linton, out-lot No. 43, for the purpose of erecting thereon a seminary.
Asa L. Chase was elected county commissioner at the August elec- tion, 1833. He was succeeded by John H. Watson, elected August, 1835, and he succeeded by William Ray, elected in August, 1836.
May, 1837, Samuel W. Edmunds resigned the office of com- missioner of school lands, and the board appointed Cromwell W. Barbour to fill the vacancy.
The legislature, in 1835, provided for a county assessor, and the board appointed Ezra M. Jones. For 1836, Henry Allen was appointed; 1837, Timothy D. Bailey. He resigned on account of ill health, whereupon William McFadden was appointed for the north part of the county, and Walter E. Earley for the south part.
Edward V. Ball was appointed medical attendant upon the pau- pers of the county in 1837.
Collector for 1829 was Henry Allen; 1830, William McFadden; 1831, Charles G. Taylor; 1832, Ezra M. Jones ; 1833, William McFad- den; 1834, Charles T. Noble; 1835, Ezra M. Jones; 1836, John H. Watson, reappointed in 1837; 1839, Benjamin McKeen.
In 1830 Samuel McQuilkin contested the election of Charles G. Taylor, declared elected sheriff. The board confirmed Taylor's election.
Lost Creek .- March session, the county commissioners ap- pointed under the act of the legislature, "an act to provide for the drainage of Lost Creek," approved January 21, 1837, appointed James B. McCall, James Barns and Jacob Burnap drainage com- missioners.
Thomas Pound was elected county commissioner at August elec- tion, 1837.
301
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
At the March session, 1839, appears the last record in the county commissioners' court, made by Curtis Gilbert as clerk of the county. He retired from the office that he had filled so well twenty-one years, and was succeeded by Charles T. Noble.
William Ray was re-elected commissioner in August, 1839.
At the August election, 1840, Orrin Dowdy was elected county commissioner for the First District, and Isaac M. Ray for the Second District, successors to William Ray and Thomas Pound.
Joel H. Kester was elected to succeed Paddock, in 1841.
In January, 1841, the commissioners contracted with Samuel Ray to keep all the paupers of the county "except Gohen," for the sum of $700 a year, the county to supply the poorhouse rent free.
In 1842 the offices of treasurer and collector were joined, and Nathaniel F. Cunningham appointed to succeed James Farrington.
A board of tax equalization for the county met in Terre Haute in November, 1841, consisting of Orrin Dowdy, Joel H. Kester and Isaac M. Ray, the county commissioners, and William Paddock ap- praiser, and Wells M. Hamilton, auditor.
Special session of the county commissioners November 16, 1841, to fill the vacancy in the recorder's office, caused by the death of Daniel H. Johnson. Charles T. Noble was appointed recorder.
Stephen H. Taylor was appointed assessor in 1842.
Britton M. Harrison was appointed inspector of salt for the county in 1842.
The commissioners fixed the rate of taxes for 1842 as follows: On James Farrington's ferry, at Terre Haute, $35; on Charles B. Modesitt's ferry, $25; on Walter W. Earley's ferry, above town, $10; on Ninevah Shaw's ferry, $10; on Malcom's ferry, $10; and on each license to retail liquors in Terre Haute, $30; and in all other parts of the county $5; on each traveling caravan, circus, show, theater, collection of animals, $20 for each day's exhibit; license to vend wooden, brass and composition clocks, $75; foreign merchandise, or foreign and domestic groceries, $5; on every thousand dollars' worth or under of property, $2.50; every additional thousand dollars' worth, and in that proportion, not to exceed $20; also on each traveling merchant or peddler, $5. There was a road tax " on each poll " of 50 cents, and also 20 cents on each $100 of property as listed on the assessor's books.
August, 1842, Edward Miles was elected commissioner to succeed Isaac M. Ray. Cromwell W. Barbour was re-elected school com- missioner.
At the June term, 1836, John H. Watson was appointed to con- tract for the building of clerk's and recorder's fire-proof offices to be erected on the public square, south of the court-house. Watson was one of the county commissioners.
302
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Nothing came of this order, and the matter rested until the June session, 1843, when the board accepted the bid of John Bou- dinot to erect a fire-proof clerk's and recorder's offices. At the meet- ing of the board, July 23, it was ordered that the site for the clerk's and recorder's offices be changed, and they were ordered to be erected on Lots 1 and 2 in the subdivision of Lot 96. The board appropriated the sum of $1,085. The city was required, as a condition, to con- vey to the county one undivided half of said sub-lots, 1 and 2, and also unite with the county in the erection of the building for the use of a part of the same for the town; the town and county to hold the property in common; the town to occupy the second story, and the county to have the lower rooms; the house to be 33 feet front by fifty feet deep; the county's part to be divided into three rooms; a hall to be 12 feet wide.
This fire-proof house was built. In December, 1843, it was ordered that the three offices of the new building, the front room on Market street, for the use of the treasurer and auditor, and the middle office, the clerk, and the back office to the recorder.
The condition of the ground between the old court-house and the town hall, or the fire-proof clerk's office, is indicated by the order of the commissioners appropriating $50 to "assist in filling and grading the pond."
This building became known as the Town Hall, and was jointly occupied by the county and city until 1852.
County purchased the lots south of one and two where the hall stood, extending to Ohio street, and is the same ground now occu- pied by the old court-house, which has passed into private hands and the old building refitted and made into business rooms below and offices above.
The town hall was totally consumed by fire in 1864. There were papers of the county lost, but the records were all saved. The fire had started in the adjoining frame buildings, and, as the roof was of shingles, it caught, and the interior, or woodwork, burned out.
In January, 1865, the county, through B. H. Cornwell, pur- chased the city's interest in the lots on which stood the old town hall, paying therefore $850. At the same time Benjamin McKeen was delegated to go to Indianapolis and procure a plan and specifi- cation for the building afterward erected at the southeast corner of the public square, on the lots occupied by the "town hall" and those purchased running to Ohio street, and in March, 1865, bids were asked for the erection of a court room and county offices. Clift & Williams and Hadden & Reece were contracted with as builders, March 28, 1865, for the sum of $24,050. The contractors to take the remains, walls, etc., of the old town hall, and 194,400 brick that
303
HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY,
were on the ground at $8.75 per thousand; the building to be com- pleted on or before December 1, 1865.
The auditor's report shows that there was expended on the build- ing, from June 31, 1864, to May 31, 1865, $5,075.50, and there was expended from June 1, 1865, to May 31, 1866, $26,131.31; then there was for furniture, etc., $190 expenses, making the total cost $31,397.89.
September 7, 1866, the board ordered courts to be held in the the new court-house, on Lot 96. This is the building on the cor- ner of Ohio and Third streets.
Edward Miles was elected commissioner in 1842.
Orrin Dowdy was re-elected commissioner at the August election 1843. John Britton continued to fill the office of county surveyor, and Nathaniel Cunningham, treasurer.
County commissioners at the September term, 1843, were Orrin Dowdy, Joel H. Kester and Edward Miles.
Ordered that the Cumberland, or National, road be placed under the supervision of the respective road supervisors through whose districts it passes.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.