History of Whitley County, Indiana, Part 12

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 940

USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 12

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).

Jewel-weed, or Touch-me-not-The jewel-weed is common everywhere. The flower is scentless and is only pretty in color. which is a spotty orange yellow. It is like the garden balsam and one is not surprised to learn that it is related to this favorite.

Toadflax, or Butter and Eggs-A pretty wild flower which is common every- where. The children's name for it, butter and eggs, so far as colors are concerned, is remarkably appropriate. The flowers have a cherry look, like the flock of daffodils on the margin of the lake which Wordsworth sang about. They bloom from July to October.

Wild Blue Toadflax-Not so pretty as its orange and yellow relative. Toadflax is a first cousin to the beautiful garden snap- dragon, which is purple, violet, blue and white.

Common Yarrow-The commonest kind of common weed whose flowers are unat-

tractive. Blooms from July to October. It has a pleasant smell.

Indian Tobacco-The Indian tobacco ( from which is obtained a noted quack medi- cine) is one of the least interesting of our blue wild flowers.

Cardinal Flower-The magnificent red of the cardinal flower fully entitles it to its name, as there is no other wild flower which approaches it in color.

Wild Sunflower-The plant grows about four feet high and has rather narrow, dark- green leaves which have a rough feeling. My impression of the general appearance of this wild sunflower is that it is prolific in green leaves and sparing in yellow flowers.

Tansy-Tansy is the very common yel- low flower which looks like a thick cluster of ox-eye daisies with the white rays all picked out. It blooms and smells strong all summer and if dried lasts and smells stronger all winter.

Wild Carrot-The wild carrot is a fa- miliar flower of every wayside and pasture. It was brought from Europe. The plant is related to the caraway.

Mullein-A common troublesome weed. It is a native of the Old World. Nothing is softer or more delicate in color than the pale green leaves when they first appear above ground. The flowers bloom all summer.

Chicory-One of our prettiest blue flowers. It is blue enough to call it blue. Along road sides it becomes a noxious weed.

Common Everlasting-Everlasting is so well known by everyone that it needs no description. The plant is conspicuous in every field by its cottony foliage which is

WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

pale sage green in color. It has medical properties of value.

Bur Marigold, or Beggarticks-It is a wretched weed with rather pretty conven- tional leafage, but a pest.

Bouncing Bet or Soapwort-An Eu- ropean plant but now growing wild here. The flowers are the most delicate crimson pink imaginable, almost pinkish white.

Petunia-The garden annual petunia gets its name from petum, the aboriginal term for tobacco. It belongs to the night shade family and is a near relative of com- mon tobacco. The finest of all petunias are called Giants of California.

Larkspur-The larkspur of our gardens comes variously from Europe, Siberia and China. It has a lovely spear of deep blue flowers which gracefully waves to and fro in every passing breeze. Larkspur is a member of the Crowfoot.

Hollyhock-The old-fashioned holly- lock still holds its place in modern gardens, but the old single variety is being displaced by a new double one, which is as full as the fullest rose and quite as beautiful. The colors of these double flowers are rose, pink. salmon, white, lilac, magnetia, primrose, yel- low, deep red and maroon.

Scarlet Rose Mallow-The most gor- geous of all the plants indigenous to the United States. A glorious red scarlet flower, and scarlet wild flowers are extreme- ly rare. The swamp rose mallow is a sini- lar flower with pale pink petals which grows in the north. It blooms in summer.

Blazing Star-A beautiful common wild flower.

Monkshood-Much like the columbine. but its manner of growth is almost vine- like. It is not common.

Gladiolus-The gladiolus is still a great favorite of the garden, but it has been so much improved that the old red and pink va- rieties are supplanted by an infinite number of brilliant hued flowers. It blooms in late summer and autumn.

Tiger Flower-The charming tiger flower, which looks like a scarlet or yellow iris, comes to us from Mexico. It is a pity the blossoms are so frail; they rarely last after midday. The center is spotted like an orchid.

Spanish Bayonet-A southern plant, cul- tivated in the north; cream-white color. Blooms in summer.

July, August and September.

Coreopsis or Calliopsis-Bright-eyed coreopsis is one of the cheeriest of our small- er garden flowers and it is another distinctly American character. It blooms all summer as late as September.

Dahlia-The common garden dahlia comes from Mexico. Named from a Swed- ish botanist, Dahl. It blooms through the summer until October.

Marigold-The marigold is an old gar- den favorite, but has been greatly improved. Plants originally came from South America and Mexico. It blooms from June to Oc- tober. The colors of the marigold are ex- traordinary ; golden yellow, orange yellow. pure lemon yellow, russet red edged with gold, and golden yellow spotted with brown- ish claret color-these are all rendered in the purest tones.

Zinnia-The garden zinnia has only one palpable fault; it is unmistakably stiff. It has an astonishing range of color, which comprehends nearly the whole scale-white,

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cream, buff, pale yellow, deep yellow, lemon yellow, orange, light orange, scarlet crim- son, magenta, three pinks, lilac, dull purple. dull violet, maroon, and an intense deep red. jacquemont color.

Morning Bride-A favorite of the old fashion gardens, but has of late been greatly improved. It belongs to the teasle family.

Sunflower-The sunflower is distinctly American and comprises a large, varied, and interesting division of the composite family. It blooms in late summer and in September.

Snow on the Mountain-Snow on the mountain, which is a beautiful plant, is rapid- ly coming into favor as a garden ornament.

Fireweed, Great Willow Herb-The fireweed curiously enough flourishes on ground which at some time has been burned over. One may easily understand why it is called willow herb, as its leaf is exactly like that of the swamp willow. It is related to the veining primrose.

Boneset-This is a favorite plant among the country folks, for whom it furnishes a popular medicine, once used for ague, "bone- set tea,"-who likes it?

Ladies' Tresses-Toward the end of summer and through September the sweet smelling tiny flowers called ladies' tresses may be found in swamps or wet meadows. This flower belongs to the orchis family, re- lated to the moccasin flower which blooms in the spring and summer.

Goldenrod-The name goldenrod con- jures up the thought of an immense family of flowers thirty odd members of which a person with a fair knowledge of botany may easily identify. There are in all about sev- enty varieties. The goldenrod is certainly our representative American flower.

Aster or Star Worth-There are be- tween forty and fifty species of wild asters in this country, so I can only draw attention to the commonest ones. Most of these have a distinct individuality, which will be im- possible for one to mistake who will closely follow the description.

China Aster-There are so many va- rieties that I can only mention those of prominent type. The Victoria is an old favorite, then Truffant's, Betteridge's, Triumph, Comet, and the most beautiful new variety.

September and November.

Ironweed-Grows everywhere beside the road and along rivers. It blooms in August and September.

Bitter Sweet-Bitter sweet is a beautiful climbing, twining shrub, with which every- one who sees the scarlet berries inside the open orange-colored pod, ought to be familiar.

Garget, or Pokeberry-The flowers are conspicuous, but the purple berries attract some attention. The juice has been used for coloring purposes but unsuccessfully, as it fades.

Closed, or Bottle Gentian-Is an inhabi- tant of the northern woods. Its flowers are like tiny thick tenpins in shape and are often a very good blue. It is of the latest fall flowers.

Fringed Gentian-Bryant's sky blue flower, by no means common. It is a low ground plant. The time to look for the flower is in October.

Fall Dandelion-The fall dandelion is not nearly so beautiful as its spring rela-

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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.

tive. The leaves are similar to the spring dandelion, but blunt toothed and very small, growing close to the ground. It blooms from July to November.

Nightshade-The little purple flowers grow in small clusters, and appear in sum- mer. It is curious to learn that the night- shade is closely related to the potato, the egg plant, and the pretty ornamental shrub called Jerusalem cherry.

Winter Berry or Black Alder-At the close of the season of flowers in autumn our attention will be attracted by the brilliant berries of the black alder, which dot its gray stems and cling to them long after its leaves have dropped. It is common in swamps, growing as a shrub.

Chrysanthemum-The chrysanthemum is an oriental flower, which comes to us from Japan and China. There are some- thing like 400 varieties and ever increasing, but the florist's chrysanthemums are not hardy. They are mostly of the Japanese class; it is the older Chinese varieties which stand the cold of our northern winters best. The chrysanthemum is indeed the last and

most beautiful flower of all flora's train ; and whatever we may say of the rose we must acknowledge the lovely golden flower another queen, the queen of autumn. When the summer flowers are gone and the birds have flown southward ; when the chill winds come down from the icy regions of the north, when there are no leaves, no blue sky, then comes our autumn queen, and fills our laps with a wealth of bloom the like of which we never saw in June.

Oliver Wendell Holmes sweetly sings about the golden flower as though she were an angel queen-

"The fields are stripped, the groves are dumb,

The frost flowers greet the icy moon- Then blooms the bright chrysanthemum, "Thy smile the scowl of winter braves, Last of the bright robed flowery train, Soft sighing o'er the garden graves : 'Farewell! Farewell ! we meet again !' So may life's chill November bring Hope's golden flower, the last of all Before we hear the angels sing Where blossoms never fade and fall!"

POLITICAL HISTORY.

BY S. P. KALER.

When Whitley county began her polit- ical career in 1838 a convention was held for the first county ticket, ignoring politics and selecting competent men who would consent to serve the people in the various positions for the pittance they would receive from their fellow settlers.

By 1840 the settlers, scattering as they were, lined up according. as the people of the entire nation were organizing into bitter partisan warfare that reached its noonday during and after the Civil war. Good roads, rural mail delivery, telephones, telegraphs and agencies of rapid transit have brought

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the people so near each other that, with the county seat so near the center, the people of the entire county mingle together each week as though a single neighborhood. A quarter of a century ago a journey from many parts of the county to Columbia City meant a day going and a day returning, and visiting was confined within small circles. The great changes have entirely done away with the school house orators, exaggeration and falsehood that formerly fanned polit- ical campaigns into veritable cyclones.

The political parties have always been pretty evenly divided with a slight prepon- derance in favor of the democrats. In 1840, Harrison (whig) received 98 votes and Van Buren (democrat) 91, a whig majority of 7, and not again until 1904, when Roose- velt carried the county by 78, was there a majority adverse to the democratic candi- date for president, and but twice in the sixty- eight years have the republicans elected their entire county ticket, but in sixteen of the thirty-five biennial elections they have elected part of their local ticket.

Majorities by which county officers have been elected would average considerably be- low a hundred. Many have been elected by less than fifty and not a few by less than ten majority. In 1878 the democrats elected a county treasurer by four majority and a county commissioner by three. In 1848 the two candidates for county treasurer were a tie. In 1890 the republicans elected a clerk by two, and in 1900 one democratic candidate for commissioner was defeated by four, while the candidate for county assessor was elected by one majority. The largest majority ever given a candidate on a straight party fight was 831, majority

for Col. I. B. McDonald (democrat) for representative, in 1870 over Ambrose M. Trumbull (republican). McDonald carried every voting precinct in the county. The like never occurred before and is not likely to do so again.

In 1844 James K. Polk, democratic can- didate for president, received 219 votes, as. against Clay (whig) 216, a majority of three.

In 1848 Cass received 355 votes as against 318 for Taylor, a democratic major- ity of thirty-seven.

In 1852 Pierce received 568 and Scott 497, a democratic majority of 71.

In 1856 Buchanan received 851 and Fremont 797, a democratic majority of 54.

In 1860 Douglas received 1133 and Lin- coln 1067, a democratic majority of 66. There was also three votes for Breckenridge, southern democrat.

In 1864 McClellan received 1337 and Lincoln 1074, a democratic majority of 263.

In 1868 Seymour received 1628 and Grant 1372, a democratic majority of 256.

In 1872 Greeley received 1650 and Grant 1401, a democratic majority of 249.

In 1876 Tilden received 2052 and Hayes 1660, a democratic majority of 392.

In 1880 Hancock received 2229 and Garfield 1941, a democratic majority of 288.

In 1884 Cleveland received 2365 and Blaine 2007, a democratic majority of 358.

In 1888 Cleveland received 2325 and Harrison 2133, a democratic majority of 192.

In 1892 Cleveland received 2222 and Harrison 1951, a democratic majority of 271.

In 1896 Bryan received 2494 and Mc-

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Kinley 2242, a democratic majority of 252. In 1900 Bryan received 2361 and Mc- Kinley 2271, a democratic majority of 90. In 1904 Parker received 2281 and Roose- velt 2359, a republican majority of 78.

At the first presidential election in 1840 there was a whig majority of 7 and at the last presidential election there was a re- publican majority of 78. Thus opposition to the democrats carried the first and last presidential elections at an average majority of 42.

The democrats carried the fifteen inter- vening presidential elections at an average majority of 189, the lowest was 3 in 1844 and the highest 392 in 1876.

In the presidential landslide of 1904 the republicans had a majority for their state ticket considerably reduced below that of Roosevelt and elected their candidate for sheriff by 97. While the democrats had a majority of 65 for Robinson for congress ; 151 for Green, district prosecutor; 145 for Depew, joint representative; 122 for Brand, county treasurer ; 151 for Walter, surveyor ; 13 for Williams, coroner; 105 for Irwin, commissioner, and 65 for Mowery, commis- sioner, an average majority for all county and district officers, except sheriff, of 102.

During all the vicissitudes of the parties ; the death of the whig party, the birth of the republican party in 1856 and its ascend- ancy up to 1872; the rise again of the democracy to a majority in the Lower House of Congress in 1874 and its hand to hand conflict with its competitor, in almost equal battle up to its great victory in 1892, and its decline again ; during all these times the voters of Whitley county have been but little swayed from their moorings, show- ing that there has been complete organiza-

tion on both sides. There are few counties in the country where there has existed such complete party machinery reaching out to each school and road district. From the democracy's slender majority in 1844 to 1874 it held the county offices almost ex- clusively, first under the leadership of James B. Edwards and later that of Eli W. Brown, with I. B. McDonald and others as able lieutenants.

Against this compact and finely balanced organization there was a revolt in 1874, re- sulting in the nomination of a ticket alter- nating candidates, republican and demo- cratic, under the name of People's Party, but keeping hands entirely out of politics outside the county. It was signally suc- cessful in that year.

In 1876 its success was partial. In 1878 it elected three candidates. After that, parties lapsed back to their old positions until 1886, when the scheme was tried again, resulting in complete rout and failure. For many years the third party has been in evi- dence under name of Greenbackers or Pro- hibitionists but not in number sufficient to warrant a place in history.

Many of the Greenbackers were perfect- ly sincere in their action but their leaders 'were mostly adventurers who sought to make merchandise of their following in a market where each vote was a great factor in determining the local result, so that it became marketable to individuals rather than parties.

While the Prohibitionists in the main have been true to principle and have voted their sentiments without regard to the bal- ance of power they could produce, there have been notable examples to the contrary.

In 1882 the republican party made its

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first real stand for a fight on the whole county ticket, though it often before made an effort for some individual candidate and sometimes with success. Conditions were not auspicious for the democrats and their opponents entered the fight with an advan- tage on their side and a ticket of good strong men, but lost out because of poor manage- ment. The highest democratic majority was 222 for Harrison, clerk, and the lowest 45 for Yontz for auditor.

In 1884 the local contest was seemingly lost in the national campaign and the demo- crats won by about their usual majorities.

We have already noted that a People's party was unsuccessful in 1886.

In 1888 the republicans elected their can- didate, W. W. Hollipeter, for sheriff by 67 majority, and the democrats all the balance of the ticket by majorities from 247 down to less than a hundred.

In 1800 the democrats elected their entire ticket by about the usual majorities, except clerk.

In 1892 William F. McNagny, of this county, was the democratic candidate for congress and gave a stimulus to the cam- paign. His majority was 337 and the low- est majority for the democrats was 191.

In 1894 the entire republican county ticket was elected by majorities averaging 114, while the state ticket had a majority of 64.

In 1896 the entire democratic ticket was again elected by majorities all over a hun- dred, except Meyers for treasurer who had 73 : and two years later, in 1898, the demo- cratic majorities were quite decisive, averag- ing above 200.

.As before noted, the result in 1900 was

the election of part of both tickets, so also was the result in 1902 and 1904. the former year the preponderance was with the repub- licans and the latter with the democrats.

In 1906 the republicans made a clean sweep on state and local tickets, except that the democrats elected the coroner and sur- veyor.

In 1897 experts were employed to go over the books of the county for several years past that the people might know whether or not their servants had been hon- est and to prove or disprove the many charges and counter-charges that had been recklessly made.

The result was most satisfactory and quieting to the people. Not a dishonest act was discovered : not a cent had been misap- propriated or stolen. A few very small ir- regularities were pointed out due to different methods in bookkeeping which were readily adjusted and reconciled. Whitley county during its entire history has been a storm center of politics but its government has been honest and satisfactory.

John S. Cotton, democrat, was elected representative from Whitley county in 1868 by a majority of 238. At the regular ses- sion of the state legislature in January, 1869, the democratic members being in the minor- ity, resigned three days before the close of the session to break a quorum and prevent the ratification of the negro suffrage amend- ment. The appropriation bills had not passed, which gave Governor Baker a good excuse to call an extra session to force the negro suffrage amendment to passage. A special election was called and Cotton be- came nominee again on the issue of negro suffrage. Lewis Adams, up to this time a

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democrat, and former member of the legis- lature, was nominated against him. Cotton was elected by 721 majority, carrying every township but Troy, which he lost by 15; the republican majority at the fall election be- fore had been 76. Adams lived in Troy. This vote is significant of the feeling of the people at that time on this question.

The following persons have served the county officially :

CONGRESSIONAL.

On the organization of Whitley county it was in the fifth congressional district. composed of the counties of Union, Fayette. Wayne, La Grange. Randolph, Henry. Dele- ware. Allen, Grant and Huntington. Whit- ley added in 1838, represented by James H. Rariden from 1837 to 1841; and by An- drew Kennedy from 1841 to 1843.

Under the apportionment of 1842 we were placed in the tenth district as follows: Randolph, Delaware, Grant, Jay, Stenben, Blackford, Adams, Wells, Huntington. La- Grange, Allen, Whitley. Noble and Dekalb and at the August election. 1842, Andrew Kennedy was elected from the new district. and by re-election held till 1847. William Rockhill held from 1847 to 1849. Andrew J. Harlan from 1849 to 1851. Samuel Bren- ton from 1851 to 1853.

Under the apportionment of 1852 the following counties comprised the tenth dis- trict : Elkhart. Kosciusko, Noble, La- Grange, Steuben, Dekalb. Allen and Whit- ley. Ebenezer M. Chamberlain was the representative from 1853 to 1855. Samuel Brenton from 1855 to 1859. Charles Case from 1859 to 1861. William Mitchell from

1861 to 1863. Josepli K. Edgerton from 1863 to 1865. Joseph H. Defrees from 1865 to 1867.

Under the apportionment of 1867, Allen was taken from the district and Huntington given to it, making the tenth district as follows: Kosciusko. Whitley, Huntington, Noble, Dekalb, Steuben, LaGrange and Elkhart. William Williams was the repre- sentative from 1867 to 1873.

Under the apportionment of 1872 the twelfth district was Jay, Blackford, Hunt- ington. Wells. Adams, Allen and Whitley. This apportionment bill was approved at a special session of the legislature, December 23, 1872, after the congressional election. The state's apportionment being raised from eleven to thirteen representatives, two con- gressmen, Godlove S. Orth and William Williams, were elected from the state at large, and Henry B. Saylor, of Huntington, by the old tenth.

Andrew H. Hamilton, from Allen county, was representative from 1875 to 1879, Walpole G. Colerick, of Allen county, from 1879 to 1883.

Under the apportionment act of 1879 the twelfth district was LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, Dekalb, Whitley and Allen. The apportionment acts of 1885, 1891, 1895 and 1901 have left the district remaining the same. Robert Lowry, of Allen county, was representative from 1883 to 1887; James B. White, of Allen county, from 1887 to 1889: Charles A. O. McClellan, of Dekalb county, from 1889 to 1893 ; William F. McNagny, of Whitley county, from 1893 to 1895; Jacob D. Leighty, of Dekalb county. from 1895 to 1897 ; James M. Rob- inson, of Allen county, from 1897 to 1905 :

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Newton W. Gilbert, from 1905 till Septem- ber, 1906, when he resigned. Clarence C. Gilhams, of La Grange county, was elected for both long and short terms in 1906.

SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The first constitution of Indiana adopted June 29, 1816, provided as follows :

ARTICLE II.

Sec. 2 .- The general assembly may, within two years after their first meeting and shall, in the year 1820, and every subsequent term of five years, cause an enu- meration to be made of all white male in- habitants above the age of twenty-one years. The number of representatives shall, at the several periods of making such enumerations, be fixed by the general assembly, and ap- portioned among the several counties ac- cording to the number of white male in- habitants above twenty-one years of age in each; and shall never be less than twenty- five (25) or greater than thirty-six (36). until the number of the white male inhabi- tants above twenty-one years of age shall be twenty-two thousand; and after that event, at such ratio, that the whole number of representatives shall never be less than thirty-six, nor exceed one hundred.

Sec. 3 .- The representatives shall be chosen annually by the qualified electors of each county respectively on the first Monday of August.

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History of Whitley County, Indiana, Part 12

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth Publication date: 1907 Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 940

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 940