USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 23
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
1870." Graduated from Medical Depart- ment Michigan University, Ann Arbor, 1878." The following is a list of registra- tions :
Austin, Stephen S., Etna P. O.
Burns, A. M., South Whitley.
Bainbridge. Nettie E., Columbia City. Ammerman, S. D., Columbia City.
Burney, William, Churubusco.
Barnhill, William A. D., South Whitley. Cass. C. L .. Columbia City.
Christopher, William H., ( Non-resident of county).
Criswell, John F., Churubusco.
Coyle, William H., Etna P. O.
Egolf, H. M., Collamer.
Eberhard, Eli L., South Whitley.
Eckman, George W., Coesse.
Fisher, F. F .. Collamer.
Firestone, John B., Larwill.
Frost, R. F. (Man-O-Tee), non-resident of the county.
Gregg, Henry. Coesse. Grisier, F. G., Collins.
Hoagland, J. W., Peabody.
Ireland, Martin, Columbia City.
Koontz, Sylvanus, Laud.
Kithcart, N. I., Columbia City. Kirpatrick, Daniel. Larwill. Kenner. C. A., Columbia City. Kemp. Joseph M., Laud. Lawrence, I. E., Columbia City.
Linvill. David G., Columbia City.
La Follette, T. J., South Whitley.
La Rue. E. S., (non-resident of the county. )
Merriman, Elijah, South Whitley.
Mitten, Allen P., Columbia City. Magers, F. M., Churubusco.
Marshall, Daniel M., Columbia City.
Putt. Benjamin F., Laud. Richards, John, Laud.
Reid. C. B .. Columbia City. Souder. Christopher, Larwill.
Scott, J. William C., Etna, P. O.
Shweitz, Godlieb Frederick Joseph, Columbia City.
Squires, James W., Churubusco.
Stauffer. W. W., South Whitley.
Van Houten. Isaac, Collins.
Webber, William, Columbia City.
Williams, Charles S., Columbia City.
Webster, David E., Larwill.
Wenger. N. R., Coesse.
Webster, Monroe W., South Whitley.
The legislature of 1885 enacted a law that it should be unlawful for any person to practice medicine, surgery or obstetrics with- in the state of Indiana, without first obtain- ing a license so to do, under the penalty of being fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for each offense. License to be procured from the clerk of court in county where the applicant desires to practice.
The requisites for a license were: First, when such applicant shall file with such clerk his or her affidavit stating that such appli- cant has regularly graduated in some re- putable medical college, and shall exhibit to such clerk the diploma held by such applicant.
Second, or when such applicant shall file with such clerk his or her affidavit, and the affidavits of two reputable freeholders or householders of the county, stating that he or she has resided and practiced medicine, surgery and obstetrics in this state continu- ously for ten years immediately preceding
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
the date of the taking effect of this act, stating particularly the locality or localities in which he or she has practiced during said period and the date and length of time in each locality.
This law actually barred from practice all persons who did not come within the pro- visions of one or the other of the two requi- sites, except mid-wives practicing obstetrics, who were expressly exempt from the provi- sions of the law. The licensees under this law in Whitley county were :
Ammerman, Samuel D., Columbia City.2 Balcom, Del-a-Claire,1 Bare, George,
Bainbridge, Nettie E., Columbia City. Barnhill, William A. D., South Whitley.
Criswell, John F., Churubusco.
Coyle, William H., Hecla.
Eberhard, Elijah L., South Whitley.
Egolf, Harvey M., Collamer. Eckman, George W., Coesse.“
Fry, Charles W., Bracken, Huntington county.
Forden, William B., Fruth, David O .. Frost, R. F. Manotee,1 Grisier, Frederick G., Collins.
Geary, John K., Coesse.
Goheen, Charles M., Grant, Sarah A., Lorane.2 Hontz, William Cyrus, Columbia City. Houser, James A., Ireland, Martin, Columbia City. Kithcart, Nathan I., Columbia City. Kirkpatrick, Daniel, Larwill.
Linvill, David G., Columbia City. Linvill, Lewis M., Columbia City. Linvill, David S., Columbia City.
Lawrence, Isaiah E., Columbia City. Long, Charles R ..
LaFollette, Thomas J., South Whitley. Longenecker, O. B.,
Mitten, Allen P., Columbia City. Merriman, Elijah, South Whitley. Magers, Francis M., Churubusco.
Mann, Jesse E.,1
Morrison, Thomas Ray, Churubusco. McHenry, Joseph D., Larwill. Moody, Theodore F., Pierceton.1 Morgan, Samuel E.,'
Pagin, Samuel.' Prizinger, Lewis A.1
Scott. J. William C., Hecla.
Souder, Christopher, Larwill. Squires, James W., Churubusco.
Smith, John W. Stults, Charles E.
Simon, Joshua, Churubusco.
Stauffer, Walter O., South Whitley. Secrist, H. C.
Shuman, Oliver V., Columbia City. Richards, John, Laud.
Reid, Charles S., Coesse.
Williams, Charles S., Columbia City.
Webster, Monroe W., South Whitley. Webster, David E., Larwill.
Wenger, Noah R., Coesse. Weber, William, Columbia City.
White, Sammuel R., Laud. Williams, Alice B., Columbia City. Wagner, Philip Matthews.1
The legislature amended this law in 1897, that those in practice must within ninety days from the passage of the law. and others before beginning the practice, must obtain a certificate from the state
'Non-residents of the county.
"Admitted under ten-year clause.
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
board of health before being licensed by the county clerk. If such persons present to the state board of health a diploma from a college, whose standards said board shall approve, the certificate is issued on proper presentation of the diploma, but if the diplo- ma is from a college which the state board does not recognize as maintaining a suffi- ciently high grade of standards the applicant may be examined by said board and if said examination is satisfactory the certificate will issue. Persons who have practiced mid- wifery for ten years in the state were en- titled to a certificate, which would authorize the county clerk to issue a license to con- tinue the practice of midwifery. Violations of this law are punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more two hun- dred dollars .. The state board may revoke the license of any physician at any time for fraud in procuring said license, for being guilty of felony or gross immorality or ad- dicted to the liquor or drug habit to such a degree as the board may think such person unfit to practice medicine or surgery. The registrations under this law have been :
Ammerman, S. D., Columbia City. Albertson, Charles, South Whitley. Barnhill, William A. D., South Whitley. Briggs, Jesse Howard, Churubusco. Beach, Charles E. C., Coesse. Criswell, John F., Churubusco. Coyle, William H., Hecla. . Eberhard. Eli L., South Whitley. Grisier. Frederick G., Columbia City. Geary, John K., Coesse. Harrold, Revere H., Peabody. Hart, Bruce D., Churubusco. Ireland, Martin, Columbia City. Kithcart, Nathan I., Columbia City.
King, William F., Columbia City. King, James R., Columbia City. Kester, R. S., Columbia City. Keefer, F. R., Coesse.
Kirkpatrick, Daniel, Larwill. Linvill, David G., Columbia City. Linvill, David S., Columbia City.
Lawrence, Isaiah E., Columbia City.
Leedy, Charles E., Coesse. Merriman, Elijah, South Whitley.
Magers, F. M., Churubusco.
Morrison, Thomas R., Churubusco.
Richards, John, Laud. Schuman, Oliver, Columbia City. Scott. J. William C., Hecla.
Squires. James W .. Churubusco.
Souder, Christopher, Larwill.
Souder. Carl Lawrence. Columbia City.
Swartz, Douglas A., South Whitley.
Tennant. Lewis W., Larwill.
Williams. Charles S., Columbia City.
Worden. James W .. Columbia City.
Williams, Alice B., Columbia City. Weber. William, Columbia City. Wilson, Frank D., Collins. Wells, Henry O .. (non-resident ). Webster, Monroe W .. South Whitley. White. Samuel R., Laud.
WHITLEY COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
The present medical society dates from 1883. but the minutes show a previous or- ganization, and say that, "Whereas, all the papers and records of the former Medical Society have been lost, and necessity exists for the organization of a new society. therefore, we do organize by re-electing the former president, Dr. Stephen S. Austin, and former secretary. Dr. Allen P. Mitten."
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
A long constitution and by-laws were adopted, a seal procured and the society given a corporate existence by having the constitution and by-laws recorded in the recorder's office of Whitley county, April 4, 1884, in Miscellaneous Record "B," pages 403 to 407. This was signed by the follow- ing members :
Stephen S. Austin,
David G. Linvill,
Jolın Richards,
Francis M. Magers,
C. Souder,
S. Koontz,
E. L. Eberhard,
L. M. Linvill,
T. J. LaFollettee,
Daniel Kirkpatrick,
D. S. Linvill,
P. M. Wagner,
H. M. Egolf, D. M. Marshall,
M. Ireland, A. P. Mitten,
William Weber, N. I Kithcart,
N. R. Wenger,
D. E. Webster,
C. A. Kenner. F. G. Grisier,
Monroe W. Webster, T. Ray Morrison,
C. E. Leedy, J. W. Moran.
The by-laws call for not less than two meetings a year on call. The society has had a rather spasmodic career since that time, but at present is in excellent condi-
tion and its meetings are productive of great good. Many peculiar and obstinate cases are fully discussed and patients are often brought before the society that all may ex- amine and the attending physician have the benefit of the combined counsel of the so- ciety. Its work is almost wholly confined to this business and to the cultivation of a spirit of helpfulness and good feeling in the profession. Nearly all the physicians in the county are members. Dr. O. V. Schuman is president and Dr. F. G. Grisier, secretary at this time.
PHYSICIANS AT LAUD.
Dr. Banta 1858 to 1859
Dr. Kirkpatrick. 1859 “ 1860
Dr. Banks 1864 “ 1869
Dr. Johnson 1865 “ 1869
Dr. Austin
1866 " 1870
Dr. Baker. 1870 " 1871
Dr. James Richards 1870 " 1872
Dr. Hammond 1871 " 1872
Dr. Koontz 1872 " 1887
Dr. Putt 1873 " 1884
Dr. Gregg 1877 “ 1878
"HELL'S HALF ACRE."
BY S. P. KALER.
This was a term almost synonymous with Whitley county for some years before the Civil war, reaching its height of de- generacy during the war period, and even yet is regarded as a term of reproach. Forty or fifty years ago, mention of this fearful place was enough to scare any boy of fif- teen, under the bed.
Its fame extended not only all over northern Indiana but into other states. The exact location of the place was not under- stood, but the swamps, heavy timber and thickets of south-west Columbia township and extending into Richland, were supposed to be alive with thieves and marauders.
Three different vigilance committees
13
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
were organized and incorporated under the laws of Indiana, for the purpose of cleaning out the Half Acre, one in Richland town- ship, one in Cleveland township, and one in Troy township. Each member was, by the authorities, vested with the rights of a con- stable, to make arrests, and it was generally understood that if he abused the legal right of an officer and overstepped his duty, he would in no way be brought to book for it. They were supposed to be a secret, oath- bound organization, and the weird story of what they were doing was overestimated as much as were the fanciful stories of what the denizens of the place themselves were doing.
The place was really located on the spot of the Indian village in section 20, Colum- bia township, and began to be notorious about the time the Indian history was dying out, some few straggling Indians being still about the place to add to its mysterious horrors.
George Helms moved on the north-west quarter of section 20, early in the '40S, the farm now owned by the Korts. Harri- son Dowell lived a mile south. They were always quarreling and always involved in law suits. Helms was regarded as a very desperate character. He was vulgar and profane to the extreme, was very insulting to women and was charged with several very serious offences. He would go away for weeks at a time, and return with a lot of money. Every crime in the catalogue was imputed to him. Others might commit any crime from murder to counterfeiting and on down to petit larceny, and George Helms get the credit.
Many stories have gained currency from
time to time as to the origin of the expres- sion, when and how it came to be called Hell's Half Acre. The exact fact is this : In the early winter of 1849, Sanford Mosher came to Ben Beeson's blacksmithshop on Main street, on the bank of Blue river. Helms and Dowell had a lawsuit that day in . Columbia, which was the general topic of conversation. The late Harmon Beeson was also at the blacksmithshop and began twitting Mosher about his quarrelsome neighbors and finally said : "There is a place down in Kentucky they call 'Hell's Half Acre,' they must have moved it up here." The expression raised a great laugh among the bystanders, which Mosher appreciated as much as any one, and the neighborhood received a name from which nearly sixty years has not divested it. Though the family name of Helms was very intimately associated with the Half Acre they were by no means the only ones, but it was left to Howard, son of George Helms, and his cousin, Sam Helms, to give the place a repu- tation for reckless daring and public. open and notorious defiance of law and law offi- cers. George Helms' two sons, George and Howard, were not regarded as worse boys than their neighbors. Indeed, in contradis- tinction to their father, they were generally called good boys, and their natures chafed seriously under the tyrannical domination of their father. Early in the Civil war, they both enlisted and entered the service, and had they not come home on a furlough their history might have been different, but they came home with the full intention of return- ing. The father did all in his power to pre- vent their returning to the service. They took counsel from Orrin Mosher and others,
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
who urged them to return to duty and ob- serve their oath of allegiance, but the very atmosphere was surcharged with excitement engendered by war, and a spirit of hostility to the cause was everywhere apparent. There was something tempting to persons with hereditary criminal natures, about being deserters, and the boys chose the wrong course and became at once fugitives . and outlaws.
Now began an era of crime beside which all former exploits of the Acre were tame. Howard Helms was captain, his brother George an able lieutenant and they had plenty of followers and assistants. Withal. there was something about Howard that at- tracted men to him, perhaps his reckless dar- ing and fidelity to his friends. He always said he had as close friends among the vigilance committees as he had inveterate enemies, and that they always gave him warning of an attempt to get him, either by direct word or by some sign, and said that he would once have been caught unawares but for the signal of two shots as near together as a pistol could be made to fire. For several years he defied federal officers with warrants in their pockets when they knew where he was and he frequently went from the fastnesses of the Acre to Columbia City and other towns. The old criminal docket of Whitley county is burdened with causes against him and his associates, and constables and sheriffs had their pockets full of warrants, which they made but feeble attempt to pretend to serve and thus crime went on in defiance of all law. Indictments for larceny, resisting offi- cers, assault, riot, etc., were but idle mockery.
George Deer, Joseph, George and Mathias Slessman, from Columbia City, once under-
took to arrest Howard. They had learned to a certainity that he was at Lawrence Manier's house, section 20, farm now owned by Jules Romey. The Eel River Railroad now runs directly where the house stood. It was torn down on building the railroad, He saw them when within a few paces of the house and struck off south-east toward Harrison Dowell's; they rode out the lane and turned south toward him. They called. halt! but he moved on. Then one of the party shot to scare. He was more than twenty rods from them and deliberately took aim and shot to kill. The bullet whizzed past Joe George's head. They ran out of the road to see the dust raise from the second shot on the spot where they had stood, and the expedition ended. The provost marshal made one attempt to arrest him. With a large posse of mounted men and with the knowledge that he was at Harrison Dowell's house. they started in high glee. As they neared the house Dowell came rushing in exclaiming: "My God, Howard, the lane is full of men on horses! For God's sake, Howard, go!" He walked right out with a big navy revolver, his finger on the trigger, and the weapon across his arm, and when they came within a rod. or two of him he said calmly. "Gentlemen, what do you want ?" The marshal said: "We are look- ing for Jake Long." Harrison retorted : "I am the Jake Long you are looking for." The marshal said again: "No, no, we want Jake Long." Howard then coolly said : "Gentlemen, turn round and go back. I am not guilty of murder and don't want to be. but will shoot dead the first man in your party who attempts to draw a gun. I have 110 ill will against you, but you'll not take
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
Howard Helms this time." They all quietly turned and left as they were bidden to do.
Early one morning as Hiram Mosher went to the field to work he heard a voice calling him. He looked around and saw Howard Helms sitting on the fence stark naked. "What is the matter," said the boy. "Oh, the regulators were after me last night. I heard the signal of two shots from one of the party and got out of the house into the woods. They 'soon swarmed all around me and I just had to crawl into an old elm tree uprooted. I crawled into it and had to lay in mud and water, up to my face. John Anderson, one of my worst enemies, was so ne.ir me twice that I could have caught him by the leg, and it seemed so funny I had a notion to do it. I am now waiting for my clothes to dry, but some of them may yet be prowling around and as I am not in good shape to defend myself I guess I'll get off the fence and squat by that log." He had not thus concealed himself three minutes until Erastus Rollins rode up and accosting the boy said: "When did you see Howard Helms?" "Yesterday," said the boy, which was true. "If I ever get sight of him I'll shoot him on the spot," and then he moved off. Howard said laughingly, "I had a no- tion to come out naked as I was, with a stick in my hand and point it at him and scare him white-headed, but I was afraid there might be a lot more of them around and I am not just now hunting trouble."
The store of Combs & Edwards, at South Whitley, was robbed, but not a win- dow was opened or door unlocked or broken in. Some one who knew all about the place. conducted the thieves under the floor and up through an opening. George Williams.
who was said to be a "Hawpatch horse thief and counterfeiter," was supposed to belong to the gang. He was taken from a sick bed to the "red brush" schoolhouse in Rich- land township, a rope was put about his neck and threatened with death if he did not tell all. The best they could get out of him was, "I feel sick enough to die anyhow and you can just finish up the job if you want to," but they didn't and they learned nothing.
A few days after, as Orrin and Sanford Mosher were striking a bee-line below Tay- lor's station or Wynkoop, in section 30, they heard noises in the swamp and listening. distinguished who they were, and that they were quarreling over a coat and other things. Howard and the fellow the regulators didn't hang were two of them. Orrin went quick- ly to Peter Snyder's and had him go to Combs & Edwards at South Whitley and tell then to meet Orrin and San Mosher at Eliakim Mosher's, just after dark, and they would conduct them to the place of the stolen goods. Nobody came, perhaps Combs and Edwards were afraid of some trap, as they went instead to their lawyer. Three days after, Howard Helms appeared at Sanford Mosher's and brandishing a revolver, said : "Some Mosher has told on us, and if I can find out which one it was I will blow his brains out."
Anderson Grimes had a fine set of double harness stolen, and the regulators offered ten dollars for their recovery. Soon after, San- ford Mosher, out hunting, saw a man carry. ing a set of harness, but he soon dis- appeared in the thicket. The next day, tak- ing Orrin with him, they found the harness concealed in a hollow tree. They sent for
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
John Anderson, leader of the regulators, and he took the harness and paid the reward.
These are but a very few of the incidents of the terrible years when "Hell's Half Acre" held mad riot in the center of Whitley coun- ty ; but with the coming of more settlers and the strengthening of the power of the law, the clearing of the swamps and hiding places the on-rushing tide of progress must neces- sarily clean out such festering places.
No one knew this better than the Helms boys. George left some time before How- ard and went to Ohio. Howard went from here to La Otto. Dekalb county, in 1867 or 1868, and married there, George going there. too.
There began a new era of depredation. They gathered about them other thieves and tribute was levied by night on the country for anything that could be hauled to Fort Wayne and turned into cash, or could be used by the gang at home; but the fame of Helms traveled thither and the ravishing of that neighborhood was not of very long duration.
One night as Howard was out scouting, as he termed ; crossing a road he found him- self in the midst of a troop of horsemen. They asked him if he knew Howard Helms. To say he did not would be to arouse sus- picion, for his terrible name was on the lips of all the settlers. Yes, he had heard a great deal of him, but never saw him. "Well." said the leader, "he is at the house below the cross-roads two miles down and we are go- ing to get him tonight." He could easily save himself, but all thought was of his brother George, whom he knew was sleeping in that house. Quick as thought, he said : "I want to go along and help take him."
"We want all the help we can get." the lead- er said, "but you have no horse and we are in a hurry and it is nearly two miles down there." "If you don't ride too fast I will keep up," said Howard, and he never made two miles so quick in his life. Arriving at the place, the captain caused the men to sur- round the house some thirty rods from it and then move cautiously to the center. Howard stayed near the captain, whom he took for a coward, and he felt if he were out of the way the others would flee in ter- ror. He thought the time had come to kill his man. When about ten rods from the house he gave the double shot, to warn George and wound the captain and not kill him unless further events necessitated it. Two shots, frantic yells, and the captain wounded in the leg and all was confusion and excitement, terror took the place of discipline. Just then George, fleeing from the house ran right up to Howard, and be- fore the frenzied crowd knew what had hap- pened. the brothers were out of their reach and made their way to Michigan. Howard. later, came after his wife and they made their home in Michigan.
After he had gone to Michigan, three Whitley county regulators, armed with a belated warrant and stimulated by the prom- ise of a reward, undertook to capture him. He was at his uncle Dowell's. Just after dark, one evening, Dowell came in and said : "Howard, there are three men from Indiana. regulators, right here." Howard imme- diately jumped out of the back window and stood there with his navy revolver ready for fire. They filed in the house. two within range of his gun. His first impulse was to shoot all three, so enraged was he that they
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should follow him for the reward and after all dieserters had been freed, and he waited till all would come within range so he might despatch them. Nothing happened, they stood seemingly amazed and he stood with cocked gun until he got tired and walked away. One of these men still lives in Whit- ley county.
Both the boys settled down and became good, respectable citizens. George was elected sheriff of Lake county, Michigan, a few years ago and made a good officer. He still lives in that county. Howard, after several years' respectable residence in Michi-
gan, moved to Wisconsin, where he still lives. By an accident, while out hunting a few years ago, he lost a leg.
Hell's Half Acre of a half century ago with its swamp, morass and wilderness has become a beautifully cultivated country of elegant farms and pretty homes, good, in- telligent and law-abiding citizens, and life and property are as secure as anywhere in the world, not a cabin or landmark by which to remember the days of Indian sloth and drunkenness, nor yet of the sterner days when Helms was a name to be feared and dreaded.
ROADS.
BY S. P. KALER.
The laws relating to county roads, when Whitley county was organized, were sub- stantially the same as today. Upon proper petition and notice, the board of commis- sioners sent out three viewers. If the view- ers' report was favorable and no remon- strances or objections were filed, the road was located.
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