History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 117

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 117

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).

ADAM PIGMAN.

Adam Pigman, the founder of one of the oldest and most influential families in Union county, was born in Green county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1789. He helped to build Fort Meigs, in western Ohio. In 1814 he erected the first frame house ever put up in Union county, which dwell- ing is now owned and occupied by Edward Tay-

( 800 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

lor. In 1817 Mr. Pigman married Mary Eli, a daughter of Adam Eli. He became a prosperous farmer, taking an interesting part in the develop- ment of the county and loyally aiding in the structure of the commonwealth of Indiana. He was a Jackson Democrat and served his party as delegate in many local and State conventions, aiding by his counsel and influence the Democrats to win many times by putting good, strong, clean candidates on the ticket. Eli Pigman, his son, was born, lived and died in Harmony township. He was a man of intense patriotism and public spirit, active in the councils and conventions of the Democratic party. It is difficult to estimate the influence for success that he, his father and their descendants have wielded for the Demo- cratic party of the county and State.

Eli Pigman married Rebecca Wilson, a daugh- ter of Garrett Wilson, who was a successful farm- er and owned a farm about two miles west of Liberty. He was a popular and influential Dem- ocrat and served as County Commissioner of Union county from 1851 to 1861. His son, John T. Wilson, a prominent and useful member of the Democratic party, served fourteen years as Trustee of Liberty township, and Eli Pigman Wilson, his son, was the first Democrat ever elect- ed County Superintendent of Union county, filling that office from June, 1907, until June, 1911.

Eli Pigman was the father of George W. Pig- man, the eminent lawyer and Democratic politi- cian of Liberty, who was Prosecuting Attorney of the Thirty-seventh Judicial Circuit from 1888 to 1892. Dr. Garrett Pigman, a prominent and successful physician of Liberty, who is named for Garrett Wilson, his maternal uncle, is also a son of Eli Pigman. The influence of Adam and Eli Pigman during their lives and through their descendants has been and shall ever be a great factor for the success of the Democratic party of Union county.

THE SNYDER FAMILY.

One of the prominent old pioneer Democratic families of Union county is that of the Snyders, well represented in Brownsville township since the year 1807, when Michael Snyder, the founder of this family, entered land and settled near Clifton.

They have ever borne their part in the upbuild- ing and development of this part of the State and have invariably been exponents of progress, be- lieving that the best interests of county, State and nation depended upon the success of the Dem- ocratic party. They have used their influence for and uniformly voted the Democratic ticket. Isaac Snyder, a son of Michael Snyder, was one of the County Commissioners of Union county from 1848

to 1858. The voters of the Snyder family have served their party in many county, district and State conventions.

THE STEVENS FAMILY.

The Stevens family is one of the oldest and most worthy Democratic families of eastern In- diana. Spencer Stevens, the first pioneer of the family, settled in Abington township, Wayne county, Indiana, emigrating from North Carolina in 1814. His son, William Stevens, after his marriage to Mary Fouts, located in Brownsville township about one mile northeast of Browns- ville. Of his nine sons and one daughter all but one reached mature years, married and raised families. William Stevens was an honorable and just man and an earnest believer in the superior- ity of the Democratic party and in 1833 served in the office of County Commissioner, acquitting himself with credit. His sons and grandsons have uniformly voted with and served their party as delegates to political conventions and as com- mitteemen through victory and defeat. A great grandson, Jesse E. Stevens, is now chairman of the Democratic Central Committee of Union county, which shows that a man's influence lives long after his death.

THE RUDE FAMILY.

It is but putting truth on the pages of history when we record that among the families whose lives, business activities and sterling qualities have placed Union county in its present high posi- tion among the counties of the State, none occu- pies a more conspicuous place than the Rude fam- ily and their lives have been so intermingled and intertwined that the sketch of either is to a de- gree the sketch of the others.

The Rude brothers were descendants of David J. and Maria Rude, who came from Hamilton county, Ohio, and located on a farm near Liberty in 1842. Of the six brothers all are dead except Lafayette M. Rude, who lives on a farm near Clifton. They were all natural mechanics and established the Rude Manufacturing Company, which has been a most potent factor in the in- dustrial development of Liberty and Union coun- ty. The Rude corn and wheat drills are known and used by farmers in all parts of the United States.

The father and each of his six sons were ster- ling Democrats and voted the Democratic ticket during the Civil War period when it was almost dangerous to vote that ticket, as party feeling ran so high in Union county.

One of the Rude brothers, Squire B. Rude, on account of his ability as a man of affairs, was solicited repeatedly to accept public office. He

26-History

( 801 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

was elected and served two terms as Joint Rep- resentative to the State Legislature for Union and Franklin counties and was a member of the Indiana assembly of 1891, when Dan W. Voor- hees was elected to the United States Senate. Squire B. Rude married Anna C. Perkins Novem- ber 25, 1875, and died April 11, 1914. J. Frank Rude, his only son, is president and general man- ager of the Rude Manufacturing Company of Liberty, .Ind.

THE MAZE FAMILY.

One of the most influential and esteemed Dem- ocratic families of Union county is the Maze fam- ily, who are descendants of David Maze, whose ancestor came from Pennsylvania and founded the city of Maysville, Ky. In 1811 David Maze emigrated to Union county, Indiana. He married Sarah Pigman and entered land in Section 8, Harmony township, living in the first frame house erected in the county, built by Adam Pig- man, brother of Mrs. Maze, in 1814.

A son of David Maze, John W. Maze, after an active life of toil on the farm, now lives in Brownsville, Ind. He is a stanch Democrat, a good and useful citizen, and first of all an hon- est man. Although an octogenarian, he is still hale and strong.' He is the father of eight stal- wart sons, all of whom are Democrats, and have served their party faithfully as voters, delegates to local and State conventions, and in official capacities. His son George is now the efficient Township Trustee of Brownsville township, while another son, William, is Trustee-elect for his sec- ond term as Trustee of Waterloo township, in Fayette county, Indiana.

JOHN M. BELL.

John M. Bell was a son of William and Mary (Berry) Bell and was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1823. Both his ma- ternal and paternal grandfathers served in the colonial army in the revolution. He was reared on a farm and received only such an education as the common schools of the day afforded. By the death of his father he came into possession of 160 acres of fertile land in Union township, Union county, Indiana, on which he and his wife, who was Mrs. Mary Luse of Milton, Ind., settled in 1848. To them were born six children, five sons and one daughter. James A. Bell resides at College Corner, Ohio; Albert F. on the home farm, and Joseph E. Bell was Mayor of Indian- apolis. Mr. Bell was a stanch Democrat, as are his sons, who have served their party faithfully as committeemen and delegates to conventions, Mr. Bell serving as Joint Representative in our State Legislature for Union and Franklin counties.

Judging from the politics of the men who

served as public officials, we conclude that the voters of Union county were almost equally di- vided into Whigs and Democrats from the first settlement of the county until the Civil War and that a big majority of the Whigs lived in the eastern part of the county, while the greater number of Democrats resided in the western part. Since the beginning of the Civil War the Democratic and Republican parties have been the leading parties.

In 1860 the Democratic party was split in Union county as elsewhere in the United States and slavery was the wedge that split it asunder. The Whigs changed to Republicans and many Democrats became Republicans, some from prin- ciple and some from lack of moral courage, some because others did and some from fear because partisan feeling was so fierce that a man's life was in danger if he openly advocated the prin- ciples of Democracy. The result was that the Republican party gained control and elected Re- publicans to office with few exceptions until 1910, when the Democrats elected the Sheriff, the Clerk, the Auditor and the Recorder.

A FEW EXCEPTIONS.

William M. Clark, a Democrat, was elected County Treasurer and filled that office from 1865 to 1867, which showed his popularity, for Union county then was Republican by several hundred majority. He served as a member of the school board, of which he was treasurer for several years, being elected by a Republican town council. He was a generous, honest, Christian gentleman and an ideal citizen, and while not offensive in politics he was a firm, consistent Democrat, who was very useful to his party during and just after the Civil War.

THE DRULEY FAMILY.

The Druley and Stanley families are so re- lated that the history of one cannot be well re- lated without that of the other. They are both · descendants from parents who emigrated from North Carolina and settled in Harrison township, Union county, in 1811.

Few of the family have aspired to political office, being content to serve the Democratic party as voters and workers in the ranks. Zack Stanley, Jr., however, was nominated by his par- ty for County Auditor in 1898 and was so popu- lar with the voters that he was defeated by only eleven votes by an able and worthy Republican when the normal Republican majority was not less than 300 in the county.

Nicholas Druley, Jr., a descendant of Nicholas Druley and Sarah Stanley Druley, was a popular and influential Democrat, who was elected as State Representative to the Legislature in 1852,

( 802 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

having defeated Hon. John Yaryan by twenty- eight votes. Mr. Druley served his party as a candidate several times, but was defeated many times owing to the large majority of the opposite party.

A DEMOCRATIC LANDSLIDE.

In 1889 the Republican County Commissioners undertook the building of a new court house in Liberty and when the structure was nearly ready for the roof the wall all tumbled down about 10 o'clock one night, owing to too much weight being placed over the window and door spaces, which was a defect in the plans and specifications of the architect and not of the contractor, who refused to be responsible for what might happen if the plans of the architect were carried out in building the court house. The commissioners insisted that the contractor build it accordingly and the conse- quence was that it fell down and it cost the tax- payers $19,000 to rebuild it, which, of course, raised the tax levy of the county. This touched the voters in the tender spot called the pocket- book and they voted for a change at the election of 1890.

With the help of the Republicans the Democrats elected Isaac E. Druley County Commissioner, Ase Braderick County Clerk and Joseph LaFuse County Treasurer, each of whom filled the office to which he was elected with credit to himself and to his party.

THE PRESS OF UNION COUNTY.

The press is a powerful factor in any county, as it is an exponent of the social, industrial, edu- cational, religious and political conditions of its people and is an uplifting force to a higher state of enlightenment and civilization.

The first newspaper printed in the county was the Flying Roll and Union Advertiser, the first number of which was issued from the press in Brownsville in May, 1825. It was a four- column folio edited by Carson Buckhalter for John Swayze. It flew the motto, "The Unity of Government, which constitutes you one people, is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independ- ence." Like all pioneer papers, it devoted much space to foreign news and little space to local affairs.

The Sentinel and Star in the West was pub- lished at Philomath for several years-the first issue in 1832-each number containing eight quarto pages, published in the interest of the Universalist church, and had a circulation in ten States. It was edited and published by Samuel Fizzard and J. Kidwell. The Star and Cove- nant, published now in Cincinnati and Chicago, is a lineal descendant of the Sentinel and Star in the West.

For a time during the Civil War a Democratic paper, the Shield, was published at Liberty.

Jeff Higgs, brother of John Higgs, who owned and published the Connersville Examiner for many years, established the Union County Times, a paper which advocated the principles of the Democratic party in 1876. This paper was pub- lished but a short time until the office and equip- ment were destroyed by fire.

THE UNION COUNTY DEMOCRAT.

On Saturday, January 7, 1882, the first copy of the Union County Democrat was issued to the citizens of Union county from their office in Lib- erty by the Hill brothers, Charles B. and Hewitt A. Hill of Oxford, Ohio. The Democrat at first had but a limited circulation, but by prudent edit- ing and careful management its circulation grad- ually increased to 1,000 copies. It was an eight- column folio, which strenuously advocated the principles of the Democratic party.

The Union County Democrat was succeeded by the Liberty Review, a Democratic paper owned by a joint stock company in which Squire B. Rude, Spencer L. Stevens, Wall Snyder, Lafe Rude and Denis Egan were the stockholders, with Squire B. Rude president and Denis Egan editor. Denis Egan was a stanch Democrat of Irish de- scent, who put pepper as well as great ability into his editorials, which were so much appre- ciated by his party that he was chosen postmaster of Liberty during the first administration of Grover Cleveland.

In 1888 Charles Drapier, who married a daugh- ter of William Clark, bought the interest of each of the stockholders in the Review and became editor and proprietor, continuing to advocate the principles of the Democratic party, but not so fiercely as his predecessor.

In 1903 Mr. Drapier suspended the publication of the Liberty Review and P. L. Behymer and son started publication of the Liberty Express. In 1906 P. L. Behymer severed his connection with the paper and his son, F. L. Behymer, and C. C. Goodrich, both hustling young men of great ability, became editors and proprietors of the Liberty Express. They organized and put into operation the Express Printing Company, which publishes the Express and does a large amount of job work, printing many pamphlets, books, magazines, catalogues and much commercial printing. In 1908 C. C. Goodrich severed his con- nection with the Express Printing Company. In 1909 the firm put in additional equipment, includ- ing a linotype machine, and Herbert Hughes, a native of Liberty and a graduate of Miami Uni- versity, was chosen business manager. He is honest, reliable and competent to fill his respon-

( 803 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

sible position. The Express Printing Company UNION COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL now owns a printing establishment valued at COMMITTEE. $25,000, with a gross annual income of $50,000. Chairman-Jess E. Stevens, Liberty. Secretary-G. W. Robertson, Liberty. Treasurer-Jas. P. O'Toole, Liberty. They employ fifteen people and do by far the largest and most successful publishing business ever done in Union county and publishes one of the best Democratic weekly newspapers in the State. F. L. Behymer, the hustling editor, re- cently acquired a half interest in the Rushville Jacksonian on condition that he accept the posi- tion of business manager of that paper, but still continues his connection with the Express Print- ing Company of Liberty. In 1917 he sold the Lib- erty Express to A. Somers and moved to Con- nersville, and is now editor and chief owner of the Connersville Examiner, which he edits in con- nection with his printing establishment, the Ex- press Publishing Company.

LONGEST LANES MUST HAVE A TURNING

With the few exceptions we have mentioned the county officials have been Republicans and many of them ex-union soldiers since the Civil War, but in the election of 1910 the Democrats elected the Clerk, the Auditor, the Sheriff and the Recorder, and re-elected the Sheriff, William O. Line, in 1912. In 1914 they also re-elected the recorder, the clerk, the auditor, and elected E. E. Post, a hustling Democrat, sheriff.

On May 25, 1914, the Democratic voters met in the coliseum in Liberty for the purpose of nominating candidates for the various county offices. Joseph Leach was chosen chairman. G. W. Robertson read and moved the adoption of rules governing the convention in nominating candidates. These rules were adopted and in ac- cordance with these rules the chairman appointed L. J. Cully inspector and Glen Heard and Jesse E. Stevens tellers to receive and count the votes. The chief contest was in nominating a candidate for Sheriff, as there were three candidates for the nomination. On the second ballot Elmer E. Post having received a majority of the votes cast, was declared the nominee; Robert Quick was nominated by ballot for County Assessor. Each of the other candidates was nominated by ac- clamation. It is the consensus of opinion that this convention was the largest, most enthusiastic and the best managed political convention ever yet held in Union county.

At the election held November 3, 1914, Thomas J. Templeton was re-elected Clerk, George Wray was re-elected Auditor and Edmund Fogerty was re-elected Recorder. Elmer E. Post was elected to the office of Sheriff and Dr. Garrett Pigman Coroner, all of whom are Democrats. The above victory was won largely by the men in the trenches whose names and organization is as fol- lows:

Precinct Committeemen-Center township, Pre- cinct No. 1, James P. O'Toole, Liberty; Center township, Precinct No. 2, George Stevens, Lib- erty; Center township, Precinct No. 3, Ed. Shend- ler, Liberty, R. R. 7; Center township, Precinct No. 4, Albert John, Liberty, R. R. 2; Liberty township, Thomas Moore, Liberty, R. R. 5; Har- mony township, Samuel Henry, Liberty, R. R. 4; Brownsville township, North precinct, Charles Stevens, Brownsville; Brownsville township, South precinct, John Maher, Brownsville; Union township, West precinct, Bert Bell, College Cor- ner, Ohio; Union township, East precinct, J. C. Barkley, College Corner, Ohio; Harrison town- ship, George Crosby, Kitchel, R. R. 9.

A. T. Sering, ex-county chairman, an earnest and efficient worker for the Democratic party, is now serving as postmaster, having been recom- mended for that position by Hon. Finley Gray, Congressman from the Sixth district.

THERE ARE OTHERS.

We are the heirs of all that has gone before and the condition of the Democratic party in na- tion, State and county is very largely the result of the efforts put forth by the voters, leaders and editors who have lived and worked for the party in the past. Besides the several individuals and families whose labors and lives we have briefly sketched there are many others who are worthy of mention had we the time and space.

CONCLUSION.

The word Democracy is from two Greek words, demos, people kratos, rule; therefore, the word Democracy means, literally, the power or rule of the people. If a man believes that the supreme power of government should be vested in the citizens, or that the people should rule by means of a free, fair expression of their wishes by means of the ballot, he is a Democrat, regardless of the party to which he may claim to belong. The mightiest force at work in the world in the minds of the people today is the principle of Democracy, or rule of the people. This force wrested the rule of the American colonies from England and placed the power in the hands of the people; it freed Mexico from the rule of Spain and Portu- gal; it freed Switzerland and the South Amer- ican colonies, and made France a repub- lic. As a result of the terrible war now raging in Europe doubtless more republics will be added to the list.

( 804 )

HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY

By Hon. John J. Nolan

T HE Democracy of Vanderburg county pre- sents a fine example of steadfast but rarely requited devotion to principle. The influx of negroes following the war and the war's preju- dices on the border made Vanderburg a reliably Republican county. Always, however, a Spartan band of Democrats contested every inch of the field, winning an occasional notable battle until finally, in 1910, a complete and apparently perma- nent victory was won, for during the last eight years every county office has been held by a Demo- crat.

The city of Evansville, the county seat, is also governed by Democrats, with Benjamin Bosse mayor.

Among the pioneers of Democracy in the ante- bellum days was John Law, lawyer and scholar, who served in Congress from the First District with distinction just before the war.

His immediate successor was William E. Nib- lack of Knox county, which was then in the First District.

Among the notable Democratic leaders of the early days were Benoni Stinson, Morris Johnson, George W. McBride, C. R. Rudd, A. T. Whittles. James D. Saunders, Sr .; George L. Dixon, who was county chairman during the first successful campaign after the war, and the four Walkers, Dr. George B., Dr. John H., James T. and Wil- liam H.

The Walker family is still a virile force in Van- derburg county and the name is one of the most honored among our citizens. William H. Walker was mayor of Evansville in the early days, while Dr. John H. Walker held a commission as surgeon in the Union army. His son, Jesse Walker, now deceased, was one of the first Democrats elected to office in Vanderburg county, being chosen clerk of the circuit court in 1876 and again in 1880. Dr. Edwin Walker, a surgeon of widely recog- nized ability and owner of the Walker Hospital, in Evansville, and his brother, James T. Walker, a leading member of the Evansville bar, are sons of James T. Walker.

The Civil war recruited not only a full quota of Democrats to the ranks of the Federal army, but drew many Democrats to the leadership of the Union forces. The first Indiana officer to fall in battle was Major John Smith Gavitt of the First Indiana Cavalry, who was shot from his horse while riding far in advance of his troops in a charge at Pilot Knob, Mo., in 1862. Major Gavitt

was a picturesque figure in Evansville for many years prior to the war and his name was a house- hold word and the synonym of courage and chiv- alry for a generation.

He was sheriff of the county while the Erie canal was under construction and when the steam- boat "roustabouts" were recruited from the "bad men" of the cities up the river, and when it re- quired courage to keep the peace. The State of Indiana should long since have erected a monu- ment to this gallant officer. His son, William Gavitt, who still resides in Evansville, was gov- ernor of the Islands of St. George, in the Arctic, during Cleveland's second administration. Charles Denby was lieutenant-colonel of the 42d Indiana and was a leader at the Vanderburg bar and one of Democracy's ablest champions. President Cleveland appointed him minister to China in 1885, in which post he was retained by his personal friend, President Harrison. Later Colonel Denby served with Dewey as commissioner to the Philippine Islands, where he labored in es- tablishing and stabilizing the first American gov- ernment.

Other Democrats holding high rank in the Union army were Colonel James Shanklin of the 25th Indiana, and Colonel John Rheinlander of the 24th Regiment. Colonel Rheinlander, after the war, engaged in business in Evansville and was for many years and until his death president of the People's Savings Bank.

Colonel Shanklin, who died during the war, was a brother to John Gilbert Shanklin and George W. Shanklin, editors for many years of the Evans: ville Courier and stalwart leaders of Democracy: well known among the Democrats all over Indiana. These two brothers were men of remarkable intel- lectual power. Nature had been prodigal in building these two splendid specimens of man- hood. They were giants in stature and their hearts and minds were typical of their bodies.

Both were writers of great power and they wielded a fearless pen. They were journalists of the old school. Uninfluenced by the counting- room, they stood for what they believed were the best interests of the people. George believed that he could best serve the people and fulfill his mis- sion outside of public office and he refused to ac- cept any kind of place.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 117

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