History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 112

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SCOTT COUNTY

S COTT COUNTY was formerly a part of Jef- ferson, until 1820, it was made a separate county, and the county seat was located at Lexington, which was founded in 1800. Lexington continued to be the seat of justice until 1873, when the county seat was removed to Scottsburg.

The first court held in the county was July 3, 1820, and the county was in the second judicial circuit.

The first Sheriff of the county was Major Elisha G. English, father of the late William H. English, and grandfather of Hon. W. E. English, of Indianapolis.

Michael G. Bright and his brother, Jesse D. Bright, were naturalized in the court of Scott county. The latter was United States Senator and was noted as one of the great men of Indiana, as well as a national figure. He was an uncle of Hon. Bernard Korbly, Democratic State Chair- man, and ex-Congressman Charles Korbly of In- dianapolis.

The Democrats were a minority party in Scott county until the advent of the Free Soil and Re- publican parties in 1856 and 1860. But when the Whig party went on the rocks a large number of them came to the Democratic party, and from that time until the present the Democrats never lost the county on the State and National tickets. But six Republicans have ever been elected to a county office in the county.

Scott county produced two Congressmen, father and son. William H. English was elected to Con- gress four times, viz., 1852, 1854, 1856, and 1858, from this district, while a resident of Lexington. He was a Democrat, and in 1880 was nominated for Vice-President with Winfield Scott Hancock. His son, Hon. W. E. English, was elected to Con- gress from the Seventh District in 1882, as a Dem- ocrat, but in 1896 left the party on the free silver issue. William H. English was given credit for being the main force who secured the admission of Texas to the union.

Daniel Blocher was a noted Democrat in his day in Scott county, and served as a member of the lower House of the Indiana Legislature in the year 1873. He had the distinction of having shaken hands with every Governor, except Gov- ernor Jennings, up to the time of his death, in 1903.

Colonel Charles L. Jewett, now of New Albany, was born and reared in Scott county, and while

a resident was elected to the Legislature, and was twice Speaker of the House. C. W. Cruson, S. B. Wells and Mark Storen, now United States Marshal of Indiana, all Democrats, were mem- bers of the Legislature. A strange coincidence is the fact that the first and last United States Marshals were from Scott county, Major Elisha G. English being the first.

Judge Joseph H. Shea of the Appellate Court, a Democrat, is a native of Scott county, and was State Senator, representing Clark, Scott and Jen- nings counties in the Senate.

Elijah A. Gladden, now Secretary of the State Board of Forestry; Charles W. Cruson, who died in Indianapolis, March 17, 1914; W. L. Morrison. Superintendent of the Scottsburg High School; Noble J. Hays, now in the Internal Revenue serv- ice under Hon. Isaac Strouse; Hon. Mark Storen and Hon. Frank Gardner, an attorney of Scotts- burg, have been the Democratic county chairmen of Scott county in the last twenty-five years.

The first Democratic newspaper was the Cornu- copia, published in Lexington while Governor Jennings was Territorial Governor of Indiana.

The Scott County Democrat was started in 1873 by John H. J. Seirp.

The Scott County Journal was founded by Mark Storen and C. C. Foster at Lexington in 1885, and was purchased and moved to Scottsburg by James F. Ervin in 1886. S. B. Wells purchased the Scott County Journal in 1909, and in 1912 purchased the Scott County Democrat and consoli- dated the two, and since that time the Scott Coun- ty Journal is the only Democratic newspaper in the county.

The largest Democratic majority cast in the county for a Presidential candidate was for W. J. Bryan in 1896, 400. In 1900, 358, and in 1908 Bryan carried the county over Taft by but 267 majority.

The majority of Woodrow Wilson over Roose- velt was 502, and over Taft 706, and he had a plurality over both of 275.

Every county office is filled by a Democrat. N. V. Howell is Clerk; Hugh Colvin, Treasurer; Robert Blunt, Auditor; Joseph N. Keith, Recorder; Walter Sarver, Assessor; Allen Maggard, Sur- veyor; Dr. J. P. Wilson, Coroner; Charles M. Montgomery, Allen Clark and Solon O. Payne, County Commissioners, and Frank Gardner, Coun- ty Attorney.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SHELBY COUNTY

By Charles A. Hack

T HE history of the Democratic party in Shelby county properly begins with the for- mation of the county in the year 1821. The county is located south and east of the county of Marion, contains 408 square miles, or 261,120 acres of valuable farm land. Shelby county was named after the Hon. Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of the State of Kentucky. Shelbyville, a city of more than 10,000 inhabitants, is located on the main line of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chi- cago & St. Louis railroad, about twenty-seven miles southeast of the city of Indianapolis. The county is devoted largely to agriculture and stock raising.

From the very beginning of the county as an organization Democrats have been prominent in all public affairs; in fact, Shelby county is recog- nized by politicians throughout the State as one of the "strongholds" of Democracy. Shelby coun- ty is noted for its barbecues and pole raisings. In the past pole raisings, barbecues, big tent gath- erings and rallies have been conducted by the Democratic organization at almost every cam- paign, much to the discomfort of the Republicans. The Democrats of the county have always main- tained a permanent organization and are so strongly intrenched that a nomination on the Democratic ticket for a county office is looked upon as equivalent to an election.

Beginning with the year 1832, the Democrats carried the county by a plurality, for President, of 248 votes; in 1836 the county was carried by the Whigs by 13 votes; in 1840 the Democrats again carried the county for President by 233 votes; in 1848 by 292 votes; in 1852 by 441 votes ; in 1856 by 565 votes; in 1860 by 147 votes; in 1864 by 386 votes; in 1868 by 523 votes; in 1872 by 443 votes; in 1876 by 436 votes; in 1880 by 907 votes; in 1884 by 565 votes; in 1888 by 532 votes; in 1892 by 828 votes; in 1896 by 660 votes; in 1900 by 555 votes; in the presidential election of 1904 the county was carried by Theodore Roosevelt by 110 votes; in the election of 1908 the Democrats carried the county by 506 votes; in 1912, with both Republican and Progressives in the field, by a plurality of 1,463 votes; and in the election of 1916, with the Republicans and Progressives united, the Democrats again carried the county for President by 699 votes.

Among many of the prominent Democrats who have represented the county in the Legislature are: The Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks, Jacob Mutz,

Isaac Odell, Albert F. Wray, James G. Curtis, Oliver J. Glessner, Squire VanPelt, Charles Major, the well-known author; Adam F. May, Everet E. Stroup, Robert Harrison, Harry S. Downey, David Poer, Robert Tomlinson, George Billman, Will A. Yarling, Bellamy S. Sutton, Wil- liam J. Lowe, and the present incumbent, Maurice Douglas.

The county at this time has a complete set of Democratic officials in the persons of: Alonzo Blair, Judge; Claude R. Henry, Prosecuting At- torney; Frank Fagel, Auditor; Gordon Thurston, Clerk; Thomas Fox, Recorder; Scott A. Brown, Treasurer; Alvin O. Baker, Sheriff; George E. Oltman, Surveyor; Dr. G. I. Inlow, Coroner; Frank Mohr, County Assessor; William Everson, County Superintendent of Schools, and William J. Lowe, William Robertson and John Dobbins, County Commissioners. Lee B. Hoop is the pres- ent Mayor of the city of Shelbyville and one of the prominent Democrats of the county.

Among the names of many of the Democrats who have served as chairman of the Democratic county central committee are: Judge Kendall M. Hord, Tilghman A. H. Lee, E. T. Carson, Bellamy S. Sutton, Thomas A. Hawkins, P. P. Fettig, J. H. Deitzer, Thomas H. Campbell, Otto L. Coyle, and Charles A. Hack, the present incumbent.

Some of the different newspapers that have been printed and edited in opposition to Democ- racy in the county were the Lancet, the Hawkeye, the Independent, the Scissors and Quill, the Ban- ner, the Shelby Union and the present Shelby Re- publican.

The newspapers printed and published in the county at this time are the Morning News, the Shelby Republican and the Daily and Weekly Democrat. The Shelby Democrat, as known to- day, is not the successor of any other Shelby county newspaper. It was established in June, 1878, by Bellamy S. Sutton and W. Scott Ray. In November of the same year Mr. Sutton sold his interest to Albert McCorkle, the Sheriff of the county, after which the paper was published under the name of Ray & McCorkle until 1880. The Daily Democrat was established by W. Scott Ray on May 4, 1880. On June 1, 1904, the Shelby Democrat Publishing Company was organized, the stockholders of the company being among the leading Democrats of the county. The officers of the company during the time of its existence were: W. W. Ford, President; Peter G. Kemp,

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

Vice-President, and John D. DePrez, Secretary- Treasurer. After its organization the company purchased the Weekly and Daily Democrat. On December 1, 1915, the Democrat Publishing Com- pany was organized with a capital stock of $15,- 000. After its organization the new company purchased the old company and continued the publication of both the Weekly and Daily Demo- crat, each of which has a large circulation in Shelby and adjoining counties. The present offi- cers of the new company are: Gordon Thurston, President; Pleas Greenlee, Vice-President, and John D. DePrez, Secretary-Treasurer. Mr. De- Prez, the editor of the publications, is one of the Democratic leaders of the county and well known throughout the State.

The Democracy of Shelby county has furnished its quota of men who have achieved distinction as statesmen, lawyers and writers of both poetry and prose.

Alonzo Leora Rice, a prominent Democrat of Union township of the county, is widely known throughout the literary world as a writer of poetry. Several volumes of his poems have been published. His productions appear in many of the leading journals and magazines of the country.

The name of Leonard J. Hackney is well known to every leading Democrat and every lawyer in Indiana, Mr. Hackney was one of the Demo- cratic leaders of the county during the eighties. His rise as a lawyer and political leader was rapid. He was elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney for Johnson and Shelby counties in the fall of 1878, and in the year 1888 was nominated and elected Judge by the Democrats of the same counties. In 1892 he was placed on the Demo- cratic State ticket for Judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana, and elected. At the close of his career as Supreme Judge he became connected with what was at that time known as the "Big Four" Railroad Company. His rise as a railroad attorney was rapid. At this time he occupies a position as general counsel for the western division of the New York Central railway lines. Mr. Hackney is now a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Among writers of fiction none stand higher in our State than Charles Major. Mr. Major was a resident of the county from the time he was fourteen years of age until the time of his death. By profession he was a lawyer. He was admit- ted to practice law at the Shelby county bar in 1877 and practiced his profession until the later years of his life, which were devoted almost whol- ly to literary work. He was nominated and elect- ed by the Democrats of the county as Representa-

tive to the Legislature and served during the ses- sions of 1886 and 1887 with credit to himself and the party. Among some of his literary produc- tions are: "When Knighthood Was in Flower," "The Bears of Blue River," a story for boys; "A Forest Hearth," "Yolanda" and "A Gentle Knight of Old Brandenburg." His book, "When Knight- hood Was in Fiower," was dramatized for the famous actress, Julia Marlowe, and became one of the most popular plays of the day.

The rise of Alonzo Blair, the present Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, and one of the leaders of the Democratic party in the county, was rapid. He was admitted to practice law at the Shelby county bar in the year 1890. In the year 1896 he was nominated and elected by the Democrats of Shelby and Johnson counties as Prosecuting Attorney, which office he held for two consecutive terms, at the close of which he was again nominated and elected by the Demo- crats of Shelby and Rush counties to fill the same position for an additional term of two years. At the close of his career as Prosecuting Attorney he practiced law in the county and soon became one of the leading attorneys. In the summer of 1910 he was nominated, without opposition, by the Democrats of Shelby and Rush counties as their candidate for Judge of the Sixteenth Judi- cial Circuit and elected in the fall of that year. In 1913 Shelby county was made a separate judi- cial circuit. At the primary held in the spring of 1916 Judge Blair was again nominated with- out opposition by the Democrats as their candi- date for Judge of the Shelby Circuit Court, was elected in the fall of the same year, and entered upon his duties as Judge for a second term on the first day of January, 1917. Judge Blair is well known among the leading Democrats of the State.

The Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks, one of the greatest Democratic leaders, and one of the most profound and eminent statesmen of his time, was a resident of Shelby county from the time he was scarcely three years old until the year 1860, a period of more than thirty-eight years. The rapid rise of this great character was phenom- enal. He began the practice of law at the Shelby county bar in the year 1843. From the very be- ginning his career as a lawyer and public man was assured. He soon became one of the leading citizens of the county, as well as one of its most successful lawyers. Following his admission to the bar, he soon became the recognized leader of the Democratic party of the county. In the year 1848 he was nominated and elected to the Legis- lature by the Democrats, and here proved himself a forcible speaker and sound reasoner. Later he served with distinction as the county's represent-

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

ative in the constitutional convention which con- vened in 1850. At the Democratic congressional convention of the Fifth district, held in the city of Indianapolis in 1851, he was nominated on the thirty-third ballot as the Democratic nominee for Congress and afterward elected in the fall of the same year. In the National Congress he rapidly won the respect and admiration of his colleagues and soon became one of the leaders of the Demo- cratic party. His career as United States Sen- ator, as Governor of the State of Indiana and as Vice-President of the nation is familiar to all and

need not here be repeated. He continued to re- side in Shelbyville until 1860, when he removed to the city of Indianapolis, where he afterward resided until the time of his death.

The Democrats of Shelby county point with pride to the name of the Hon. Thomas A. Hen- dricks, once the humblest among them, then their leader, then the State took him from them and placed upon him the mantle of her highest hon- ors-then the Nation took him from the State and recognized him as one of the most eminent and profound statesmen of his time.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SPENCER COUNTY

S PENCER COUNTY was organized under an act of the legislature in 1818, just two years after the state was admitted to the Union. Since that time her political favoritism has not been all shown to one party by any manner of means. Her majorities either way, Democratic, Whig or Republican, have never been anything for either party to brag about. Even in presiden- tial elections Spencer county has been held rather uncertain and results have been sufficiently close to make party organization a very important factor in determining results. In state and county elections not only efficient political organization, but the comparative worth of candidates has been a large determining factor. Such a condition usually contributes to and accomplishes good gov- ernment by retaining men above the average in publie offices.

Although the early election returns, those prior to the election of 1832, were all destroyed in the court house fire which occurred in 1833, most of what happened during these first fourteen years of the county history was brought about through Democratic officials.

It was from 1832 to 1840 that things began to grow more uncertain, and in the years following this condition has grown decidedly more pro- nounced. For instance, in the presidential election of November, 1832, Jackson, the Democratic can- didate, received 191 votes to 106 for Clay, the op- posing Whig candidate. Just two years later, in 1834, Noah Noble, the Whig candidate for govern- or, was given 240 votes against 163 for James G. Reed, the Democratic nominee.

In the presidential election of 1836 came one of those peculiar things that happen in politics, de- scribed as a "landslide." In the contest for gov- ernor John Dumont, the Democratic nominee, re- ceived almost the entire vote, having 544 against David Wallace, the opposing Whig candidate, who received only 40 votes, showing absolute inde- pendence of party lines.

In the November election of 1840, wherein Har- rison and Van Buren were the contending candi- dates, Harrison received 589 votes, and Van Buren but 316. Thus the Democrats were defeated by a substantial majority-in fact, receiving almost two to one in the vote cast, while but three years before the Whigs received no consideration what- ever.

The population of the county was increasing considerably, making the larger vote, and the Democrats gained something from this in the four years preceding 1844. Clay, the Whig candidate,

in this year received three less votes than Harri- son in 1840.

Polk, the Democratic nominee, added 180 to the vote accorded Van Buren in 1840. The vote stood 586 for Clay, and 496 fer Polk.

In the election for governor in 1846 Joseph G. Marshall, Whig candidate, received 513, to 490 given James Whitcomb, the Democratic nominee. The Whigs further improved conditions for them- selves in 1848, the voters of Spencer county giv- ing to Taylor, the Whig candidate for president, 681, and to Cass, the Democratic nominee, but 471, showing a majority of 210 in the county for the Whig nominee.

Joseph A. Wright, candidate for governor in 1849 on the Democratic ticket, improved condi- tions for his party both at this election and in that following in 1852. In the first election he received 534 votes, to 591 cast for James A. Matson, the Whig candidate, and in 1852, when Wright op- posed Nicholas McCarty, Wright received 757 votes, to 570 given McCarty.

The 1852 election having also been presidential year, Pierce, the Democratic nominee, carried Spencer county with 709 votes, against 685 ac- corded to Scott, the Whig candidate. That was the last campaign for the Whig party. The name of the political organization was changed to "Re- publican," and in the first election held under the new name the adherents in Spencer county cer- tainly had much to discourage them. Buchanan, the Democratic nominee, received 1,259 votes, the Republicans only 225 under Fremont, while Fill- more, heading the ticket of the American party, received 808.

In that same year Oliver P. Morton, who was the Republican candidate for governor, fared much better than the presidential part of the ticket, al- though the state election was held earlier in the year than the presidential, and personal popular- ity of the candidates had greater chance for con- sideration. Morton had 1,083 votes as the head of the Republican ticket, while A. P. Willard received 1,295.

November, 1860, brought the famous Lincoln and Douglas campaign to a close, and in Spencer county, as in most of the counties of Indiana, Abraham Lincoln led. Even had the Breckin- ridge vote of 175 been given to Douglas, the Dem- ocratic ticket would still have been shy of enough to carry the county. Lincoln received 1,296 votes, against 1,105 for Douglas.

In the state election of 1860 Spencer county gave Thomas A. Hendricks 1,367 votes, against

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

1,265 for Henry S. Lane, and two years later, in 1862, James S. Athon, Democratic nominee for secretary of state, had 1,159 votes, to 1,003 given his Republican opponent, W. A. Peelle.

Democratic sentiment and organization con- tinued strong during the war, and when Lincoln appeared for his second election, in 1864, he re- ceived 1,558 votes, against 1,417 for MeClellan, the Democratic nominee.

In that same year for governor, two men of recognized ability being candidates, Oliver P. Morton, Republican, received 1,577 votes, to 1,468 for Joseph E. McDonald, Democratic nominee.

In 1866 and 1868 the county continued to give Republican majorities, although in the latter year Thomas A. Hendricks was the candidate for gov- ernor. He received only 1,872 votes, against 1,943 given to Conrad Baker, Republican nominee.

In the presidential election Grant received 1,982 Spencer county votes, while Seymour, the Demo- cratic nominee, had only 1,849.

Democratic organization succeeded in 1870 in reducing the Republican lead to 13 votes. In fact, in some portions of the ticket the Democrats won, and in 1872 Thomas A. Hendricks in a splendid state campaign was given 2,245 votes in Spencer county, to 2,177 received by Brown.

That was presidential year, and from the ap- pearance of the presidential vote it is easy to de- termine that the lead accorded Hendricks was brought about by his individual popularity. Grant for president received 2,131 votes, against Greeley with 1,974.

As a result of the Hendricks campaign and suc- cess in 1872, two years later the Democrats again carried Spencer county by good majorities; and in 1876, the presidential year, the vote was decidedly Democratic, Hendricks at that time being candi- date for vice-president on the ticket with Tilden. The Democratic vote was 2,455, against 2,040 for Hayes.

In that same year Spencer contributed her por- tion to the success of James D. Williams, candi- date for governor, against Benjamin Harrison. Williams was accorded 2,475, while Harrison re- ceived 2,123, and other candidates on the two tickets ran in about the same proportion.

Indiana had another vice-presidential candidate in 1880, when Hancock and English were the re- spective nominees for president and vice-presi- dent. They carried Spencer county with 2,475 votes, to 2,363 for Garfield and Arthur. While Franklin Landers, Democratic nominee for gov- ernor, in that year was given a good lead in Spen- cer county, H. E. Porter, the Republican nominee, defeated him in the state.

Democratic leads in 1882 were rather narrow, and in the presidential election and that for gov-

ernor two years later, in 1884, there was very little difference in the vote given the national and state nominees. Cleveland had Hendricks for his run- ning mate in that campaign, and received in Spen- cer county 2,530 votes, to 2,408 given Blaine and Logan.

From this time forward and until the Progress- ives broke their lead in 1912, the Republicans did most of the winning-in fact, carrying all of the presidential campaigns, usually by very close ma- jorities. The state elections were a little more fortunate for the Democrats, but even there they encountered a long losing streak.

In the presidential elections, for instance, be- ginning with 1888 and to 1908, the Spencer county results were these: In 1888, Democratic, 2,685, Republican 2,732; in 1892 only one Democratic elector received a majority over his Republican opponent. This was William H. Bracken, elector- at-large, who received 2,496, against Robert B. F. Pierce, who had 2,478 votes. The other Demo- cratic electors received 2,458 votes and the Repub- licans 2,464, a majority of only 6, but sufficient to carry the county.

In 1896, Democrats 2,745, Republicans 3,047; in 1900, Democrats 2,816, Republicans 2,979; in 1904, Democrats 2,495, Republicans 3,017; in 1908, Democrats 2,662, Republicans 2,920.

In 1912 came the Progressive campaign. This year the Republicans usually ran third, but in this instance they managed to be second. Spencer county gave the Democrats 2,448, the Republicans 1,268 and the Progressives 1,142 for the presi- dential electors.

In 1916, the Progressives not being sufficiently strong to make any impression, the Democrats re- ceived 2,335, Republicans 2,560.

In the state elections following 1884 the results show, as stated, more favorable for Democracy, although the Democratic party since that time has had nothing to brag about in victories. The results have been these:

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History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 112

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104