History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 114

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

USA > Indiana > History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916 > Part 114

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It may be interesting to some Democrats far- ther south to hear something about an "under- ground railroad," some of which traversed Steu- ben county. One of the three main lines through Indiana started at Cincinnati, running to Rich- mond, Winchester, Portland, Decatur, Fort Wayne and through Steuben county to Coldwater and Battle Creek, the objective point being Windsor, Canada. Of course, their operation was forbid- den by both Federal and State law, and therefore their operation was carried on with great se-

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

crecy. I mention one station on the State road through this county-Farnam-where, to the writer's knowledge, a secret basement was made under the feeding floor of a cattle barn, where "colored gentlemen" were hid and fed during the day and at night taken in a close carriage, or more often in a wagon partly filled with straw, covered with blankets, and delivered in record time to the next station, ten or fifteen miles far- ther north. For a Democrat to turn the darkies back or cause their arrest would lead to intense denunciation and sometimes to mob violence by the anti-slavery zealotry whose hot rancor has hardly cooled to this half century day. But the war settled the "Impending Crisis," the interne- cine strife of a country "half slave and half free" for all time and made what was a tragedy to one generation an amusing story to the next.

Does this have to do with the Democratic his- tory of a county? Yes; much with the party his- tory of every county in Indiana. These things were done under the doctrine that "the end jus- tifies the means." Did not Lincoln teach his party that on a moral question "one is a majority," and did not Sumner say "on slavery there is no other side?" Democracy was antagonized by a great party ruled by no consideration but expediency. If the constitution or Supreme Court got in the way it was treated with defiance just as Webster said it would be. because did not their ends jus- tify any means to their accomplishment? Wit- ness the throwing out of States to usurp the

Presidency in 1876, the buying of an election in 1880, "blocks of five" in 1888, and in 1896 advo- cating free silver before election and gold stand- ard after.

The writer organized the first graded schools in the county. Professor H. H. Keep, now head of Science Department, Angola High School; C. C. Sherrard, Dean of the Department of Phar- macy, and Willis A. Fox, of the Tri-State College, are prominent and strong Democrats of the pres- ent day.

Steuben county is about twenty miles square, the contour undulating and picturesque, the soil responsive and fertile. It was once covered, ex- cept Jackson Prairie, by magnificent forests. Many of the handsomest lakes in Indiana abound. Lakes James, Crooked, Clear, Gage and Fish are widely known as resorts, and increasing in fame from year to year. Clear Lake was the scene in July, 1858. of the most distressing accident in the county's history. Sixteen young people in a pleas- ure boat were capsized and eleven were drowned. The pilot was in his cups.

The county lies some thousand and twenty feet above the gulf-a glacial drift hundreds of feet thick-producing the finest grains and fruits, a county of great railways, schools and churches. Its 13,000 progressive people descended from the brave pioneers

"Who cleft the forest down And planted in the wilderness The hamlet and the town."

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY

By John S. Taylor

O RIGINALLY the lands through the Mid- dle West were peopled and controlled by the American Indian. The French govern- ment, through its agents, acquired much land by treaty from these Indians. In 1742, by treaty, certain Frenchmen acquired a vast amount of territory in the vicinity of Vincennes, Ind., later known as the Vincennes district. The general description of the Vincennes district at that time was-"lying between the point above, Pointe Coupee en haut, and the river Blanche, below the village, with as much land on both sides of the Wabash as might be comprised within the said limits." Pointe Coupee was a mile or so above the mouth of Busseron Creek, in the southwest corner of what is now Gill township, in Sullivan county. The village referred to in the treaty was Vincennes, and the river Blanche was White river. The treaty of 1742 thus comprised practically all of Knox county and the southern portion of Sulli- van county, besides some lands west of the Wa- bash river.

By the treaty of June 7, 1803, General Harri- son concluded an agreement with a number of Indian tribes whereby more lands were ceded. The line ran in a southeasterly direction from Point Coupee. This boundary is the "Old Indian Boundary" which figures in land descriptions in the south part of Sullivan county. The south part of Gill and Jefferson townships and most of Haddon township, in Sullivan county, were in- cluded in this cession of 1803. The present town of Carlisle was also included.

By the Indian treaty of September 30, 1809, the Indians ceded all the country between the boun- dary line established by the treaty of 1803, the Wabash river, and a line drawn from the mouth of Raccoon creek in a southeasterly direction to White river. Raccoon creek is a few miles above Terre Haute. By this treaty the United States public domain was extended from about the local- ity of Carlisle to about the northern limit of Vigo county. The area gained by this treaty was called the "New Purchase," in distinction from the "Old Purchase," which lay south of the In- dian boundary line.

An act of the State Legislature in January, 1816, directed that the townships of Palmyra and Busseron, in Knox county, be extended north to the Harrison Purchase line, meaning thereby the line of the purchase of 1809. This placed, tem- porarily, all of the territory later comprised in

Sullivan and Vigo counties in the two townships named, and so it remained until the organization of the new county.

In December, 1816, an act was passed providing for the organization of Sullivan county in the fol- lowing January, Section 1 thereof being as fol- lows: "Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the 15th day of January next, all that part of the coun- ty of Knox contained within the following bounda- ries shall constitute and form a separate county, viz .: Beginning on the Wabash river where the line dividing Townships Five and Six crosses the same; thence running east with said line until it strikes the west fork of White river; thence up the said fork to the Orange county line; thence with said line to the Indian boundary line; thence with said boundary line crossing the Wabash river to the line dividing the State of Indiana and the Territory of Illinois; thence with said line south to the Wabash river; thence down the said river with the meanders thereof to the place of beginning." The following section of the Act states in part that said new county shall be known and designated by the name and style of Sullivan. The north and east boundary lines of the county have been changed from time to time and conse- quently the area has been somewhat reduced; oth- erwise there has been ro material change since its organization in 1816.

In the early days there was no county organi- zation, so-called, but a few ardent Democrats planned together for the cause of Democracy. The first known county organization took form in 1860.

The first Democratic county chairman in Sulli- van county was Dr. Michael Branson. Some members of the committee were A. Van Fossen, W. W. Owens and S. G. Burton.

There was never a man who could remember far enough back to establish the fact or show any well-developed symptom that Sullivan county ever was any but a stanch Democratic county. Occa- sionally, as must of course happen, the enemy would train its guns on one, or perhaps two, coun- ty candidates and slip in a local official, but all Democratie state and national candidates, and as a general rule all the county candidates, have always won in Sullivan county by wide margins. This splendid record has been largely due to quali- fied and active county chairmen, a list of whose names follow:

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HISTORY INDIANA

DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

1860. Dr. Michael Branson.

1862. Willis G. Neff.

1864. Michael Malott.

1868. W. E. Catlin. 1870. S. S. Coffman.

1872. Lafayette Stewart.

1876. S. S. Coffman.

1878. David Crawley.

1880. David Crawley.

1882. David Crawley.

1884. W. C. Jamison.

1888. John T. Beasley.

1890. John T. Beasley.

1894. John Higbee.

1898. Ira H. Larr.

1892. William H. Hawkins.

1894. Thomas J. Mann.

1896. James M. Lang.

1898. Wake Giles.

1900. Robert Taylor.

1902. James M. Lang.

1904. Abe Frakes.

1906. Fred F. Bays.

1908. William H. Bridwell.

1910. Gilbert W. Gambill.

1912. Gilbert W. Gambill.

1914. Charles H. Bedwell.

1916. David N. Curry.

Sullivan county has sent the following Demo- crats as Representatives to the State Legislature:

1820. John McDonald.

1822. Henry D. Palmer.

1824. Josiah Mann.

1825-30. George Boon.

1831-32. John W. Davis.

1833. James DePauw.

1834. Joseph Latshaw.

1835. Seth Cushman.

1838. George Boone.

1840. George Boone.

1841. John W. Davis.

1842. John W. Davis.

1843. Thomas Turman.

1845. John H. Wilson.

Silas Osburn.

1846. Benjamin Wolfe. Silas Osburn.

1847. Benjamin Wolfe.

1848. Benjamin Wolfe. Silas Osburn.

1849-50. James O'Haver.

1850. John H. Wilson.

1851. John W. Davis. Theophilus Chowning.

1853. Squire McDonald.

1857. John W. Davis. Michael Brown.

1858. David Usrey.

1861. W. W. Owens.

1863. S. G. Burton.

1867. Benjamin Wolfe.

1869. N. D. Miles.

1873. S. S. Coffman.

1875. James L. Nash.

1877. S. S. Coffman.

1879. John C. Briggs,

1881. Charles T. Akin.

1883. Charles T. Akin. James B. Patton.

1886. Thomas J. Mann.

1888. Charles L. Davis.

1890. W. C. Jamison.

1902. David N. Curry.

1908. James Hedrick.

1910. James Hedrick.

1912. Charles H. Bedwell.

1914. Charles H. Bedwell.

1916. David Giles.

Sullivan county has sent the following Demo- crats to the State Senate:

1818. William Polke.

1834. George Boone.

1843. Ransom W. Akin.

1849. James M. Hanna.

1855. Michael Comhs.

1861. Henry K. Wilson.

1865. B. W. Hanna.

1869. James M. Hanna.

1871. Joshua Alsop.

1875. Henry K. Wilson.

1883. Joshua Ernest.

1890. Charles T. Akin.

1902. Dr. George W. Thralls.

1906. Charles T. Akin.

1913. Charles T. Akin.

The only representative Sullivan county ever had in Congress was Hon. John W. Davis. He first went in 1835, and was returned three times.

John W. Davis was speaker of the twenty-ninth session of the National House of Representatives. He had the distinction of being the first of three Indiana men who served in that high capacity.

Mr. Davis also served six times in the State Legislature and was three times speaker of that body.

In a county wherein Democrats have thrived so abundantly it is painful to attempt to choose be- tween them for this bit of honorable mention. Would that it were possible to write volumes upon their deeds and valor. It is not that others were less worthy, but that those here named chanced to be the first called to mind, that their names and sketches of their public careers are here given:

Ransom W. Akin. 1804-1880. From Virginia. The pioneer member of the Akin family in the county all of whom are Democrats. A son, Charles

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HISTORY INDIANA

DEMOCRACY-1816 -1916

T. Akin, has served three times with honor in the State Senate.

Joshua Alsop. 1807-1876. Born in England. Helped construct the first railroad through the county and he later became a director of the com- pany. He repeatedly refused to accept public office but accepted the nomination and was elected to the State Senate in 1870.

Ferdinand Basler. Born in Switzerland. In 1885 elected Justice of the Peace; was county auditor, 1864 to 1868; was a member of the State Board of Agriculture in 1872, and was appointed by that Board a Delegate to the Vienna Exposi- tion of 1873.

William Bledsoe. 1826-1905. A Hoosier and pioneer Democrat. With a record of having killed sixteen deer on three consecutive mornings, he was the most famous hunter the county ever pro- duced. It is said that he killed the last wild deer ever seen in the county.

George Boone. 1784-1841. A descendant of the great Daniel Boone. He was sheriff of the county in 1821; State Senator in 1834; Representative in 1838 and 1840. He was nearly seven feet tall and had very large feet. It is said of him that, while visiting, he undertook to wash his feet in an iron kettle, was unable to get his feet out, and, in order to release him it was necessary to break the kettle.

Murray Briggs. 1830-1896. The pioneer newspaper man of the county. He edited the Democrat from 1854 to 1896, a record in the State for continuous service on the same paper. He and his paper formed the backbone of Sullivan County Democracy during the trying times of the Civil War. During his busy career he was school examiner, county auditor and president of the board of trustees of the Indiana State Normal School of Terre Haute.

John W. Davis. 1799-1859. Sullivan County Democrats and citizens generally are proud to own such a renowned statesman as was this man. He was the equal of any of his time and the su- perior of many. Well he wrought for his State and Nation and they are pleased to honor his name.

He graduated from the University of Maryland as a physician in 1821, went West immediately, and, with three cents in his pocket and a young wife to support, arrived at Carlisle. He prac- ticed his profession for some years and entered politics in 1828, becoming probate judge. He served in the State Legislature six terms, and was three times speaker; was sent to Congress four times and was Speaker of the twenty-ninth ses- sion of the National House of Representatives. In 1847 President Polk appointed him Commissioner to China. In June, 1852, he was chairman of the

Democratic National Convention at Baltimore. Cass and Buchanan were the principal candidates for the nomination. A deadlock developed and Mr. Davis came within one vote of defeating Franklin Pierce of Virginia for the nomination for President. Later President Pierce appointed Dr. Davis Governor of Oregon. His last public appointment was by the Secretary of War as a member of the Board of Visitors to the West Point Military Academy, and he served as chair- man of the board.

It is said of him that during a campaign an auditor inquired of him regarding the advocacy of certain Democratic measures, and he answered : "My friend, to save you trouble and me annoy- ance, I will say now that I endorse everything the Democratic party ever has done, and everything that it ever will do."

James DePauw. In 1883 he represented Sulli- van county in the State Legislature. He was among the first legislators to favor an ad valorem tax rather than a specific tax. He was largely responsible for the passage of the first ad valorem tax in the State. It was his son, Washington De- Pauw, for whom DePauw University was named.

Alonzo F. Estabrook. 1814-1892. Born in Ver- mont. A physician and surveyor. He helped survey the Wabash and Erie canal.

William H. Griffin. 1816-1893. A saddle manu- facturer. Was county commissioner during the Civil War. Was county treasurer in 1866 and was re-elected in 1868.

Maj. William C. Griffith. 1798-1892. He re- cruited a company of volunteers for the war of 1812 and was chosen major. He helped burn the brick for and lay stone in the court house in this county, and later served as clerk of the circuit court, 1867.

William Hosea Hawkins. Was county sheriff from 1888 to 1892. Under Cleveland he was ap- pointed a United States Marshal. During the American Railway Union strike he lead a posse of deputies, on a special train given him for the purpose, to Hammond, Indiana, read an order of the court to the angry mob and brought the lead- ers to Indianapolis. He later became prominent in State politics and served as Secretary of the State central committee for four years. He was widely and familiarly known for his ready wit and ability as a "story teller."

Thomas Holder. A pioneer Democrat. He is thought to have built the first cabin put up by a white man north of Knox County.

Thomas J. Mann. A prominent Democrat. He was twice county chairman and was clerk of the circuit court one term.

William W. Owens. 1809-1903. He was, in his later years, known as "Uncle Billy." It is said

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

that, as a boy, he worked in a butcher shop patronized by Andrew Jackson. He was an ardent Democrat and held county office.

William McKendree Springer. 1836-1903. He was a native of the county and a life-long Demo- crat. He graduated from Indiana University in 1858 and shortly thereafter moved to Illinois. He was a member of the constitutional convention for Illinois; was in the State Legislature in 1872, and in 1874 was elected to Congress from the Springfield district and served in the Forty-fourth and Fifty-third Congresses. He is credited with leading the fight against the Mckinley tariff which resulted in the election of Grover Cleveland a second time.

Henry K. Wilson. 1815-1882. A Tennesseean. He came to this county in 1831. While a mere lad he served as deputy clerk under Benjamin Wolfe when the county seat was in Merom. In 1843, when the seat was changed to Sullivan, where it has since been, he was appointed clerk of the circuit court. Later he was twice auditor ; was also county recorder and served in the State Senate in 1861 and 1875.

John Harvey Wilson. 1811-1904. He was also a Tennesseean. On attaining his majority, be- fore leaving for Indiana to make his home, his father, as was customary at a son's majority, pre- sented him with a suit of clothes made by a poor tailor of Greenville, named Andrew Johnson, who was afterward President of the United States. Wilson was a useful citizen, an ardent Democrat and held many county offices.

Benjamin Wolfe. 1799-1868. A Virginian. He served many years as postmaster at Merom and at Bloomington; was clerk of the circuit court two terms; served four terms in the State Legislature and was a member of the constitutional convention -1851-1852.

The first newspaper in the county, a Democratic paper, the Jacksonian Democrat, was established in 1844. Jeremiah Young was the editor. It con- tinued through only a few numbers.

James C. Allen and Thomas Marks used the same plant for the publication of the Carlisle Messenger. Later George W. Bee & Co. were editors and publishers. A copy, No. 41, of Volume 1, dated November 19, 1845, is preserved by the Helms family of Carlisle.

In 1854 J. J. Mayes of Vincennes came to Sulli- van and proposed to start a paper. Five Demo- crats, Joseph W. Wolfe, John S. Davis, Isaac Stewart, Joseph Gray and William Wilson ad- vanced $25.00 apiece to make payment on the press and material and endorsed notes for the re- mainder. Mayes proved unsatisfactory and left shortly. In September of the same year the Demo- cratic leaders got out two more issues, Samuel R.

Hamill writing the editorials. When the election was over publication was again suspended.

In 1854 Murray Briggs, then a printer in Terre Haute, chanced to see an advertisement in the Democrat, over the signature of Joseph W. Wolfe, "An editor wanted." Mr. Briggs soon came to Sullivan, bought the office and from that time for- ward was proprietor and publisher of the Sullivan Democrat. Mr. Briggs continued as editor until his death, September 18, 1896. No other editor in the State had a record of so long continuous service on the same paper. For about a year Mr. Briggs' sons issued the Democrat and on July 20, 1897, S. Paul Poynter of Greencastle took over the paper and has since conducted the Democrat. On July 17, 1905, the Sullivan Daily Times came forth from the same plant and is now a thriving daily.

In February, 1878, George W. Basler, publisher, together with Colonel Taylor, editor, begun issu- ing the True Democracy. In 1881 Dr. J. C. Bart- lett took over this paper and named it the Sulli- van Times. D. O. Groff next had it and passed it on in 1885 to C. W. Welman, who continued as editor and manager until 1896. At that time John A. Curry took charge of the Times and continued it for a few months when it was sold. Publica- tion was soon discontinued and the plant con- solidated with the Sullivan Democrat.

In July, 1876, the Carlisle Register was estab- lished in Carlisle by William Herron. E. H. Bailey took over the paper and changed the name to the Carlisle Democrat, and his brother, W. W. Bailey, became editor. In 1879 they moved the plant to Vincennes and consolidated with the Re- porter.

Sullivan County has given Democratic majori- ties to Presidents, as far back as can be ascer- tained, as follows :

1856. James Buchanan 980

1860. Stephen A. Douglas 1,002

1864. George B. McClellan 1,400

1868. Horatio Seymour 1,070

1872. Horace Greeley 740

1876. S. J. Tilden

1,320

1880. W. S. Hancock 1,350

1884. Grover Cleveland 1,488

1888. J. D. Williams 1,392

1892. Grover Cleveland 1,375

1896. William J. Bryan

1,693

1900. William J. Bryan

1,682

1904. Alton B. Parker 621

1908. William J. Bryan 1,686

1912. Woodrow Wilson 2,301

1916. Woodrow Wilson 1,350

The present Democratic officials are:

Judge Circuit Court-William H. Bridwell.

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816 -1916

Representative to State Legislature-David N. Curry.

Prosecuting Attorney-Martin L. Pigg.

Sheriff-Orville Hale.

Clerk Circuit Court-David Giles.

Auditor-Frank M. Daniels.

Treasurer-Robert Gambill.

Recorder-Roy Drennan.

Assessor-Frank Hiatt.

Surveyor-William L. Sisson.

Coroner-James H. Netf.

Commissioner, First District-John A. Mattix.

Commissioner, Second District-John Scott.

Commissioner, Third District-John H. Walters,

Sr.

County Superintendent-Richard Park.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SWITZERLAND COUNTY

T HE county of Switzerland, with Vevay as the county seat, was organized by an act of the Legislature approved September 7, 1814. It was taken out of what was then Dear- born and Jefferson counties.

The political complexion of the county has been by no means entirely one way, although the Demo- crats have had more than an equal division, and in later years the majority has always been counted as safely Democratic.

Governor Thomas Posey appointed the several officers who first served the new county.

The first election under the constitution of the new State was held on the 3d day of February, 1817. There was no political division between the political parties, as such in this election.

William Cotton and James McClure were elected associate judges, John Francis Dufour clerk, John Francis Siebenthal sheriff, Frederick Waldo coroner, James Rous, Caleb Mounts and Isaac Stanley county commissioners.

The first term of the circuit court was held on the 17th of March, 1817, with John Test sitting as presiding judge. The county commissioners held their first meeting seven days after their election in Vevay. They ordered that an election be held in the several townships on Saturday, the 23d day of February, 1817, for the purpose of electing justices of the peace. There were various changes in the personnel of the board of county commissioners, brought about through resigna- tion, appointments and new elections, until 1824, when the office of county commissioner was abol- ished and justices of the peace took over the duties which had previously been assigned to the commissioners. This board of justices elected a president and held regular stated meetings, in ad- dition to attending to the regular duties which still attach to the office of justice of the peace. The law was very strict, requiring that the clerk report to the prosecuting attorney of the county any justices who did not attend these regular meetings, so it was seldom they met without hav- ing a quorum or a full attendance.

In the presidential election of 1824 wherein John Quincy Adams was elected sixth president of the United States, Switzerland county cast 250 votes for the Democratic ticket and 126 for the Republican national ticket. Again in 1828 and 1832 the county returned a safe Democratic ma- jority.

In the first election in which William Henry Harrison became a candidate for the presidency, that of 1836, Switzerland county gave him a ma-

jority over Martin Van Buren, the Democratic candidate.

In 1840, the memorable campaign in which the Whigs were so intensely interested in electing In- diana's favorite son, William Henry Harrison, Switzerland county joined in returning a major- ity of 400 for the Republican nominee.

In 1844 the majority returned to the Demo- crats and remained so until the campaign of 1860, when Lincoln had a small plurality over Douglas and Breckinridge.

In the 1844 campaign Polk, the Democratic nom- inee, received but 45 majority in the county over Clay, while in 1848 Cass led Taylor, the Repub- lican nominee, by even less than this. Pierce added to the Democratic majority in 1852, and in 1856 it grew even larger with Buchanan as the Democratic nominee.

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History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 114

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