History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 72

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 72

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).

In 1874 the Independent or Greenback party was in the field with state, district and local tick- ets. The Republicans supported the county ticket of the new party and it was successful.

In 1876 the Republicans and Greenbackers again fused, but only succeeded in electing the treasurer. The Democrats now held the ascend- ency for ten years. After 1878 the Republicans made steady gains until, in 1886, they elected the auditor, treasurer and one commissioner.

In 1894 the Republicans had the best of it, electing the auditor, treasurer, sheriff, surveyor and two commissioners. In 1896 they elected only the clerk. In 1898 the Democrats again made a clean sweep.

In the various political campaigns the people of this county have been favored with visits from a number of the ablest orators of the state and na- tion. On the Democratic side there have been Governors Wright, Hendricks and Gray and Sen- ators Voorhees and Turpie, General Manson, W. D. Bynum, Governor R. B. Hubbard, of Texas; James R. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, and William J. Bryan, in October, 1900.

We close this chapter with a list of Blackford county officials.

( 534 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

The following have represented the county in the senate branch of the State legislature: 1839- 41, John Foster; 1841-43, Michael Aker, of Ran- dolph; 1843-46, I. P. Wood, Randolph; 1846-49, Dixon Milligan, Jay; 1849-52, Jacob Brugh, Black- ford; 1852-56, Isaac Vandevanter, Grant; 1856-64, Walter March, Delaware; 1864-68, William A. Bonham, Blackford; 1868-70, Robert Huey, Jay; 1870-74, Asbury Steele, Grant; 1874-78, Isaac Un- derwood, Jay; 1878-82, Thomas S. Briscoe, Demo- crat, Blackford; 1882-86, John M. Smith, Demo- crat, Jay; 1886-90, Silas W. Hale, Democrat, Adams; 1890-94, Henry B. Smith, Democrat, Blackford; 1894-98, J. J. M. LaFollette, Republi- can, Jay; 1898, George A. Osborne, Republican, Grant; 1902, Burtney Schaefer, Democrat, Grant; 1910, B. B. Shiveley, Democrat, Grant; 1914, Elias Rinear, Democrat, Wells.

The first man who represented Blackford county in the lower house of representatives was Lewis W. Purviance, Democrat. He was elected in 1839. Blackford county has been represented in the low- er house about three-fourths of the time by Dem- ocrats. The following have represented Blackford county: 1878, James T. Arnold, Blackford; 1880, Benjamin F. Cummins, Wells; 1882-84, Henry B. Smith, Democrat, Blackford; 1886-90, Elisha Pierce, Democrat, Blackford; 1890, John Branstetter, Democrat, Jay; 1892, William H. Harkins, Democrat, Jay; 1894-96, John P. Mc- Geath, Democrat, Blackford; 1898, John A. Bon- ham, Republican, Blackford; 1900, J. A. Bonham, Republican; 1902, Sidney Cantwell, Republican; 1904, Sidney Cantwell, Blackford, Republican, and speaker session 1905, 1906; 1910 and 1912, Chas. Carroll, Democrat, Blackford; 1914, John Strange, Democrat, Grant; 1911, J. M. Bonham, Democrat.

Present (1915) county officials are: Judge, W. H. Eichhorn, Democrat; L. F. Sprague, Prosecu- tor, Democrat; Geo. H. Newbauer, Treasurer, Democrat; Samuel Farrell, clerk, Bull Moose; John L. McGeath, auditor, Democrat; John Phile- baum, recorder, Democrat; M. C. Townsend, coun- ty superintendent of schools, Democrat; Frank P. Wallace, surveyor, Democrat; Chas. F. Rutledge, coroner, Democrat; John Gadbury, county road superintendent, Democrat; John A. Nelson, com- missioner, Democrat; Riley R. Gadbury, commis- sioner, Democrat, and Frank JoJnes, commis- sioner, Democrat; Mason Palmer, assessor, Dem- ocrat.

DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CHAIRMEN FROM 1892 TO 1915.

1892 A. M. Waltz. All Democrats elected.

1894 Milton McGeath. All Republicans elected. 1896 A. M. Waltz. Elected all Democrats ex- cept the clerk.

1898 D. C. Caldwell. Elected all Democrats. 1900 William Harley. Elected all Democrats. 1902 E. E. Cox. Elected mostly Democrats.

1904 John Burns. Elected mostly Democrats. 1906 D. C. Caldwell. Elected mostly Democrats. 1908 E. W. Secrest. Elected all Democrats.

1910 E. W. Secrest. Elected all Democrats.

1912 A. N. Pursley. Elected half of ticket, lost clerk, sheriff and one commissioner to the Bull Moose.

1914 A. N. Pursley. Elected all Democrats ex- cept sheriff, who lost to the Bull Moose.

DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPERS OF BLACK- FORD COUNTY.

The Evening News is the only Democratic news- paper in Blackford county at this time and is owned and edited by Mr. Edward E. Cox, of Hartford City. Mr. Cox bought this newspaper in 1891. It was then known as the Telegram. The Telegram was weekly paper. It was an eight-column folio a with a patent outside, printed on a Washington hand press. The other equipment of the paper was correspondingly crude. It took an entire day to get out a weekly issue, although the circula- tion was very small. Mr. Cox was but twenty-two years of age when he purchased this paper. His home up to this time had been at Peru, Ind., where he received his education in the public schools and by actual work in the newspaper offices of that city.

In the course of one year after Mr. Cox took charge of the Telegram he had changed the en- tire equipment and had put in a cylinder press, and in three years was printing the paper with a steam engine and a power press. In 1893 the Evening News, a daily paper, was established. It has had such a prosperous growth that it now goes into the majority of the homes of Hartford City and Blackford county. So much did the Evening News encroach on the Telegram that the latter was abandoned in 1914, the morning rural edition of the News going in the homes of farmers formerly taking the Telegram.

Both the Telegram and the News have always been consistently Democratic, using their able in- fluence for the promotion of the cause of the Dem- ocratic party in county, state and national politics.

The News has grown far ahead of the commu- nity in which it is printed .. It is issued from its own building, erected especially for the newspa- per business, and is filled with the latest equip- ment, including perfecting presses, color presses, linotype machines and other up-to-date machinery

( 535 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

to be found only in the larger cities. The print- ing in its job department goes all over the United States and even to Europe, label printing being a specialty.

Mr. Cox, the founder of the News, has always taken a great interest in the success of the Demo- cratic party, both through the columns of his pa- per and through his ability as an organizer. He

has served as county chairman of Blackford coun- ty two years and as district chairman of the Elev- enth congressional district six years. He takes a great deal of interest in the progress of his community, especially in promoting the cause of education. He has served on the school board of Hartford City for the past six years. He is at present postmaster of Hartford City.

( 536 )

HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF BOONE COUNTY

B OONE COUNTY, as an organization, was brought forth under the banner of De- mocracy. She was named in honor of that courageous Kentucky pioneer, Daniel Boone, and peopled chiefly by migration from Nicholas coun- ty, that state. The instruments conveying to her early settlers the lands within her boundaries bear the name of Democracy's patron saint, Andrew Jackson, and she was steadfast in the support of the principles enunciated by Jefferson and Jackson until the party went to pieces on the issues brought forth in the campaigns immedi- ately preceding the Civil war.

The solidarity of the Democratic party in Boone county was seriously threatened in the campaign of 1854, but with strong and de- termined leadership the evil day was staved off until 1858. In 1856 the campaign was waged against "Knownothingism," "Abolition," and the "Maine Law," and Boone was the only county in the old Eighth district-Boone, Clinton, Carroll, Fountain, Montgomery and Warren-that with- stood succesfully the rising tide of opposition to the Democratic party. She came out of the fight with a Democratic majority of about one hundred, and the following year, in a purely local election, carried the county by 299. In the campaign of 1858, with national issues paramount, the Demo- cratic sun in Boone county set to rise no more for ten years, when, in 1868, one candidate on the local ticket was elected, the Republicans carrying the county on the state and national tickets. During these ten years the party locally was without efficient leadership, and without hope. The Pioneer, the party paper, had been forced to suspend at the opening of the war, and its voice was as silent as the tomb until in the campaign of 1868, when W. J. Turpin, known throughout Indiana as the "Tipton Slasher," resurrected the corpse and breathed into it the breath of life and the unconquered and uncon- querable spirit of the illustrious fathers of De- mocracy.

The first Democrat elected to office in Boone county after the Civil war was Israel Curry, of Sugar Creek township, who defeated Col. Abram O. Miller for clerk. Colonel Miller contested Curry's election, and was declared by the court to have been elected. This was the beginning of the restoration of the Democratic party to power and leadership in Boone county, and in the cam- paign of 1870 the Democratic nominees for audit- or, treasurer and sheriff were elected. In the biennial general elections since 1868, the Demo-

crats have carried Boone county fifteen times, the Republicans eight times and in three elec- tions mixed tickets were the result. The rise of the Greenback party in the '70s, drawing its ad- herents chiefly from the Democratic ranks, was the chief cause of the political pendulum swing- ing back to the Republican party in the cam- paigns of 1874 and 1876. With the waning of Greenbackism the Democratic party in Boone has become more and more secure in her moorings, and today every officer in the county is a Demo- crat, and ten of the twelve townships have Demo- cratic trustees. The county has never lost a dollar through the incompetence or dishonesty of a Democratic official, the affairs of the county are economically and faithfully administered, and the party is destined to a long lease of life in old Boone.

With a long and consistent record to her credit in the support of Democratic policies and nom- inees, Boone county Democracy has in Governor Samuel M. Ralston her first representative in the official family of the state of Indiana. No Boone county Democrat has ever represented the district in the halls of the national congress, and but few have been appointed to positions of honor in state or national administrations. In 1856 Dr. James McWorkman, one of the most distinguished Dem- ocrats of the county, was appointed superintend- ent of the Indiana School for the Education of the Blind, and in the '80s, while Dr. Thos. H. Harrison, another Boone county Democrat, was serving as president of the board of the state benevolent institutions, Eli P. Baker, of Lebanon, was elected as superintendent of the Indiana School for the Education of the Blind. With these exceptions the Democracy of Boone county has not participated in the distribution of the loaves and fishes when the party has been in power in state or nation.

Since the Civil war Boone county has four . times given the Democratic nominee for the Pres- idency a plurality of the votes cast, as follows: In 1896, Mr. Bryan carried the county by 270; in 1900, by 358; in 1908, by 74, Woodrow Wilson, in 1912, was given a plurality of 1,266. In 1916, with the opposition united, Wilson carried the county by a plurality of 180.

The present Democratic officers of Boone county are as follows: Judge, Willett H. Parr; clerk, Leonard Titus; auditor, Cleve Goodwin; re- corder, John T. Brown; treasurer, John L. Thom- as; surveyor, Alva H. Wynkoop; assessor, Wil- lard Stephenson; coroner, Dr. Onis E. Brendel;

( 537 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

commissioners, John T. Jones and Frank O. Staton. The Democrats lost sheriff, prosecutor and one commissioner in the election of 1916. The county superintendent of schools, chosen by the township trustees, is Ed. M. Servies.

The almost complete destruction of the records of Boone county in 1856 and the death of the men whose lives had been identified with the po- litical history of the county previous to that time makes it impossible to secure data concern- ing the, organization of the Democratic party previous to the war. Bound files of the county papers show that in 1858 Geo. W. Buckingham, one of the early editors of the Pioneer, was the chairman, and from 1860 to 1861 John M. Scott served in that position. Beginning with 1868 the chairman and the result of the campaign in Boone county follows:

1868-Dr. James McWorkman, Chairman. One Democrat on county ticket elected.

1869-Dr. James Evans, Chairman.

1870-Robert C. McCann, Chairman. Democrats carried county.

1872-James Nealis, Chairman. Republicans car- ried county.

1874-Eli P. Baker, Chairman. Mixed ticket elected.

1876-Thos. H. Harrison, Chairman. Republi- cans carried county.

1878-Eli P. Baker, Chairman. Democrats and Greenbackers (fused) carried county.

1880-John M. Ball, Chairman. Mixed ticket elected.

1882-Thos. H. Harrison, Chairman. Mixed ticket elected.

1884-Barton S. Higgins, Chairman. Democratic ticket elected.

1886-Israel Curry, Chairman. Republican.

1888-Israel Curry, Chairman. Republican. 1890-James R. Tyre, Chairman. Democratic.

1892-James R. Tyre, Chairman. Republican.

1894-Calvin H. Graves, Chairman, Republican. 1896-James A. White, Chairman. Democratic. 1898-William A. Buntin, Chairman. Demo-

cratic.

1900-John H. Hoy, Chairman. Democratic. 1902-James A. White, Chairman. Mixed.

1904-Thos. O. Beck, Chairman. Republican. 1906-Thos. O. Beck, Chairman. Democratic. 1908-Chas. J. Stewart, Chairman. Democratic. 1910-Thos. O. Beck, Chairman. Democratic. 1912-Thos. O. Beck, Chairman. Democratic. 1914-M. C. Long, Chairman. Democratic. 1916-M. C. Long. Mixed ticket.

1918-George M. Mangus.

The Lebanon Pioneer, founded in 1852 by Henry Hill, has, since January 1, 1890, been owned and published by Ben F. McKey, who, in June, 1873, entered the office as an apprentice. Hill published the paper for four years, when he sold it to Col. W. C. Kise and James McWorkman; Geo. W. Buckingham, of Newark, O., took charge of the Pioneer in 1856, and conducted it with un- usual ability. until 1860, when James Gogen suc- ceeded him. When the war broke out in 1861, for lack of financial support, the Pioneer was sus- pended, and was not resurrected until 1868. Its first publisher then was W. J. Turpin, who, after a few weeks, was succeeded by Lafe Woodard. In 1869 Henry S. Evans became its editor and publisher, and in 1872 Ben A. Smith, of Brook- ville, assumed the ownership. Smith published the paper until June, 1874, when he sold out to the late Dr. Thos. H. Harrison, the immediate predecessor of the present publisher. On April 1, 1914, Mr. McKey took into partnership his son Claude D. McKey, and his son-in-law, T. O. Edwards, both experienced newspaper men, and the Pioneer today enjoys the distinction of being one of the best strictly county papers not only in Indiana, but in the United States. It is the only Democratic paper published in Boone county.

( 538 )

HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF BROWN COUNTY

By William L. Coffey

B ROWN COUNTY, the Switzerland of Indi- ana, famed for its beauty of natural scenery, has attracted and won the admira- tion of artists from every quarter of the Ameri- can continent. Their sketches upon the canvas depicting its broad stretches of forest studded by . gigantic green hills, its dashing streams o'erhung by vines and wild flowers, its beautiful sunset be- hind a cloudland most gorgeously tinted, be- speak the story of its sturdy Hoosier citizens.

From this natural environment seems to issue such a wonderful spirit of freedom that man, so enamored by its enchanting influence, is caught in its meshes, from which he finds it a most diffi- cult problem to extricate himself. Thus is born that spirit of freedom which makes for independ- ent character-independent thought and action conducive to the development and nurture of true Democratic principles of the stamp and ring of the Jeffersonian kind.

At its very beginning, in 1836, the county was unmistakably Democratic and ever since has re- mained true to its standards-"simon-pure." But few times in the history of the county have county and township officials misused the trust reposed in them, and there are but few instances in which it has suffered defeat locally, and then only in township affairs. Such explicit confidence have the people manifested in this party's administra- tion of their affairs that the opposition never could rally sufficient strength to overthrow it.

The county originally was a part of Bartholo- mew, Jackson and Monroe counties. In 1835 a sufficient number of settlers had arrived and per- manently located in the hills to warrant the formation of a separate county and, accordingly, the Legislature was asked to introduce a bill, which was done, and the new county of Brown established in February, 1836.

In compliance with this act the first election in the county was held the first Monday in June, 1836. The governor commissioned one James Dawson sheriff to order an election of a clerk and recorder, two associate judges of the circuit court and three county commissioners.

As a result of this first election John Floyd was chosen clerk and recorder, James Taggart and Lewis Raper associate judges and Daniel Hed- rick, William Jackson and James Davidson county commissioners. At the following election, held in August of the same year, James Taggart became

sheriff, William Followell coroner and James McIntire probate judge.

On the 25th day of July, 1836, the county com- missioners met and subdivided the county into four townships-Jackson, Hamblen, Van Buren and Johnson, which was later changed to five by making the fifth, Washington, from the original four. The naming of these corporations indicates the fealty of these early settlers to their political faith. Jackson and Van Buren were political characters fresh in their minds at this time.

The first circuit court was convened April 20, 1837, before Elisha M. Huntington, presiding judge, with the two associates previously men- tioned.

The first probate court of the county was held on the 8th day of May, 1837, in the new log court house, a structure 18x24 feet, two stories high. Judge James McIntire, who held a commission from Governor Noah Noble, presided.

The first common pleas court was held at the county seat on the 31st day of January, 1853, by Judge William G. Quick (Democrat). Several at- torneys were sworn in during this term, among whom were P. C. Dunning, Daniel McClure, Fred T. Butler, George A. Buskirk and Shadrack Chandler. Sometime in 1868 Governor Baker appointed Richard L. Coffey (D.) to fill the va- cancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Woolen. At the general election in 1870 Mr. Cof- fey was elected to the office, which position he filled till it was abolished by the Legislature.

With the exception of a few appointive posi- tions, the very earliest officials of the county were known to be strong Democrats. The political complexion of the institutions handed down .by them has never been changed. Some of these early politicians lived long lives, to be known by the present generation, many of whom stand ready to vouch for their sterling Democratic qual- ities.

The results of the earlier elections-prior to 1856-cannot be given. However, during this year, with the war fever on, Oliver P. Morton, candidate for governor, received 220 votes, while the Democratic ticket polled 773, more than three and one-half times as many.

Then followed the campaign of 1860, a truly warm one. The fight was waged most bitterly. Every township had its organization of "wide- awakes," a Republican institution. Political ora-

( 539 )

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

tors were plentiful and scarcely a night passed without a public speaking. Enthusiastic demon- strations, martial music and long processions were the order of the times. The Democratic clubs uniformed themselves with hickory suits, erected poles and flung the names of Douglas and Johnson to the breeze. The few Republicans, nevertheless, were confident of success. Their emblems of the campaign were rails or mauls and wedges.

The following songs used by the two parties (taken from a military history of the county) are here set out:

"Oh, see the Douglas platform falling,

Falling, falling, down it must go,

And in its place shall firmly stand

Abe Lincoln, the true, and Hamlin, too; Abe Lincoln, the true, and Hamlin, too; And with them we'll beat Little Dug, Dug, Dug; Old Abe has cracked his mug."

* * *

The Democrats used the following lament of Lincoln, sung to the air of "Susannah":

"Oh, Hamlin, dear, my 'fairest' one, Oh, don't you cry for me;

I fear that house in Washington

I'll never, never see.

I love the Black Republicans, And for the darkies sigh;

But all, I fear, will do no good, But, Hamlin, don't you cry.

Chorus :

"Oh, my dear Hannibal, Don't you cry for me, I'm going up Salt River With a darky on each knee."

Or the following :

"No, Lincoln can't come in, I say, Then ho for Douglas, ho!

The Democrats have Stephen A., Then ho for Douglas, ho!

Republicans may bite their nails,

May rave about their Lincoln rails,

But can't come up to Steve's coattails, Then ho for Douglas, ho!"

While the problems of this campaign were so perplexing and the fight so bitter, causing many Democratic counties in the state to go down in de- feat, the Democracy of Brown county presented a solid phalanx, perfectly united, and maintained their usual majority. As a result of this election the vote for governor was: Thomas A. Hendricks (Democrat), 744; Henry S. Lane (Republican), 296; representative in Congress, W. M. Daily (D.), 702; W. M. Dunn (R.), 319; representative

in the Legislature (all local men) : Lewis Prosser (D.), 575; J. W. McIlvain (R.), 306; John Beck (Social Democrat), 118.

In 1862 the result for secretary of state, by a strict party vote, was: William A. Peelle (R.), 213; James S. Athon (D.), 840. A majority of 627 in a total vote of 1,053 was enough for all practical purposes. Having reduced the Repub- lican vote to such a small figure, one cannot help wondering why the Democracy did not wipe it wholly out.

In 1864 Morton (R.) received 364 votes for gov- ernor; McDonald (D.) received 823; representa- tive in the Legislature: John Richards (D.), 814; W. W. Browning (R.), 288.

In 1866 the vote for secretary of state was: M. D. Morrison (D.), 1,025; Nelson Trusler (R.), 423.

In 1868 Thomas A. Hendricks received 1,084 votes for governor, while Conrad Baker (R.) re- ceived but 427.

In 1872 the candidates for governor received the following votes: T. A. Hendricks, 1,166; T. M. Brown (R.), 467.

In 1876 the vote for presidential electors was as follows: Tilden and Hendricks (D.), 1,254; Hayes and Wheeler (R.), 488; Cooper and Cary (Inde- pendent), 109.

For secretary of state in 1878 J. G. Shanklin (D.) received 1,166 votes; Isaac S. Moore (R.), 378.

For state senator in 1878 Richard L. Coffey (D.) received 1,168 votes; William Gilmore (R.), 338.

In 1880 the following vote for presidential electors was cast: Hancock and English (D.), 1,576; Garfield and Arthur (R.), 599; Weaver and Chambers (Ind.), 42.

In 1882 the vote for secretary of state was: William R. Myers (D.), 1,217; E. R. Hawn (R.), 555; Hiram T. Leonard (Ind.), 91; for senator of Brown, Monroe and Bartholomew counties: W. C. Duncan (D.), 941. The issues that dominated in this senatorial contest were temperance reform and personal liberty. The Republican party polled 708 votes in this contest and the Independ- ent candidate received 186.

In 1884 the vote for presidential electors was as follows: Cleveland and Hendricks (D.), 1,541; Blaine and Logan (R.), 627; National party, 21; Prohibition party, 27. For governor Isaac P. Gray (D.), 1,540; W. H. Calkins (R.), 613. For joint representative, W. W. Browning (D.), 1,458; William D. Clark (R.), 693.

In 1886 Robert W. Miers, the Democratic can- didate for secretary of state, received 1,368 votes; Charles F. Griffin (R.), 562 votes. For prose- cutor 9th judicial circuit, Anderson Percifield

( 540 )

HISTORY INDIANA

DEMOCRACY-1816 -1916

(D.), 1,314; William J. Beck (R.), 578. For joint senator Brown, Monroe and Bartholomew counties, W. C. Duncan (D.) received 1,364 votes; the three other candidates together received only 32 votes.

In 1888 the vote for presidential electors was as follows: Cleveland and Thurman (D.), 1,538; Harrison and Morton (R.), 661; the Prohibition candidates received 63 votes and the Union Labor 11 votes. The state and congressional tickets maintained about the same ratio.

In 1890 the vote for secretary of state was: Claude Matthews (D.), 1,327; Milton Trusler (R.), 522. For Congress, George W. Cooper (D.) received 1,338 votes; Dunbar (Farmer and La- bor), 523; the Prohibition candidate, Shelt, re- ceived 30 votes. For joint representative, Wil- liam G. Watson (D.), 1,302; Harry Barnett (F. and L.), 523.

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 72

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