USA > Indiana > History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916 > Part 93
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Elijah Banta 1859-63
William H. Barnett 1863-71
E. Newt. Woollen 1871-75
William B. Jennings 1879-87
Thomas C. M. Perry 1887-91
Thomas J. Coyle 1891-95
David A. Forsythe 1895-99
Ben P. Brown 1899-1904
Oscar V. Nay 1904-08
Herbert L. Knox 1912-14
John C. Gregg 1914-20
COUNTY TREASURER.
Joseph Young 1823-27
John Adams 1827-36
Robert Gillcrees 1836-41 .
Madison Vandivier 1841-42
William C. Jones 1842-44
William J. John 1844-45
William Bridges 1845-50
Henry Fox
1850-53
William H. Jennings
1853-56
Jacob F. McClellan
1856-61
John Herriott
1861-63
Hascall N. Pinney
1863-65
William S. Ragsdale
.1865-69
George Cutsinger
1869-74
John W. Ragsdale
1874-78
George W. Gilchrist 1878-82
David Swift 1882-86
James Jacob 1886-90
Thomas E. Valentine 1890-94
William H. Breeding
1894-96
William B. Jennings
1896-1901
William A. Bridges
1901-05
Geo. W. Wyrick
1905-09
Thomas J. Forsyth
1909-13
Harry Bridges 1913-17
Edward G. Brewer
1917-19
CLERK.
Samuel Herriott 1823-39
David Allen
1839-44
Isaac Jones 1844-47
Royal S. Hicks
1847-50
Jacob Sibert 1850-55
William H. Barnett 1855-63
John W. Wilson
1863-71
Isaac M. Thompson
1871-79
Thomas Hardin
1879-83
Samuel Harris
1883-87
David Fitzgibbon
1887-91
Charles Byfield
1891-99
Daulton Wilson
1899-1903
Gilbert Van Vleet 1903-07
Joseph A. Schmith 1907-11
James T. Gilmore 1911-16
John J. Beatty
1916-20
SHERIFF.
John Smiley 1823-27
Joab Woodruff 1827-31
John S. Thompson 1831-35
David Allen 1835-39
Isaac Jones 1839-43
Austin Jacobs 1843-44
Wylie Jones .1844
Samuel Hall 1844-45
David Allen 1845-47
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
Robert Johnson 1847-49
William H. Jennings 1849-53
Nixon Hughes (successor to Henry) 1847
H. L. McClellan
1853-57
Jefferson D. Jones 1847
Noah Perry 1857-59
Reuben Davis 1849
Eli Butler 1859-63
Jefferson D. Jones
1851
John W. Higgins 1863-67
James Fletcher
1854
William A. Owens 1867-71
Henry Whitesides
1855
Robert Gillaspy 1871-75
John E. Strecher
1858
James H. Pudney 1875-79
Henry Whitesides
1859-63
William Neal 1879-83
Lemuel Tilson
1863-68
Geo. C. Stuart 1883-87
Wm. H. Jennings
1868-69
Jacob Hazlett
1887-89
Hume Sturgeon
1869-72
Creston Maiden 1889-90
J. Henry Fuller
1872-73
Joseph K. P. Musselman
1890-94
John D. Van Nuys
1874-75
John C. Webble 1894-98
William S. Ragsdale
1875-76
James G. Brown 1898-1903
James W. Baldwin 1903-07
John F. Mcclellan
1878-82
Hal. F. Musselman
1907-11
Ozias E. Vandivier 1911-15
John E. Shipp 1915-19
COUNTY RECORDER.
William Shaffer 1823-36
Pierson Murphy 1836-43
Thomas Alexander 1843-44
Jacob Peggs 1844-59
William S. Ragsdale 1859-63
Willett Tyler 1863-67
Jacob Peggs 1867-75
George W. Demaree 1875-79
Jefferson R. Clemmer 1879-85
James T. Trout 1885-87
William H. Barnett 1887-91
George W. Clemmer 1891-95
John Belk 1895-99
Silas W. Trout 1899-1903
Lewis T. Deer
1903-07
William H. Burgett 1907-11
Chauncey J. Powell 1911-15
George W. Clemmer, elected to serve until
1919. Died in office and succeeded by ap-
pointment of Hubert I. Clemmer, who filled the unexpired term.
CORONER.
Absolom Lowe 1824
Gavin Mitchell 1827
William G. Springer 1829
James R. Alexander 1831
James R. Alexander (resigned) 1833
William Carr 1833
William E. Clark 1836
William H. Hunt
1839
Tilghman Lovelace 1840
Samuel Burget 1841
James Gillaspey (refused to qualify) 1843
Hiram Calvin 1843-44
John Ritchey . 1845
COUNTY SURVEYOR.
Franklin Hardin 1852-54
John Shougham
1854-56
Peterson K. Parr 1856-58
John E. Strecher
1858-61
W. W. Hubbard
1861-65
Joseph J. Moore 1865-67
Peterson K. Parr 1867-70
W. M. Elliott 1870-72
Wilson T. Hougham 1872-74
Peterson K. Parr 1874-78
David A. Leach
1878-82
Wilson T. Hougham 1882-86
Ben R. Ransdell 1886-90
Floyd S. Owens 1890-92
Ben R. Ransdell 1892-93
Thomas Hardin 1893-94
Wilson T. Hougham
1894-96
Elba L. Branigin
1896-98
John E. Jolliffe
1898-1904
John B. Duckworth 1904-14
John B. Duckworth
1914-19
COUNTY ASSESSOR.
William C. Jones 1840-41
James Hughes 1841-43
Daniel McCain 1843-44
David R. McGaughey
1844
John Ritchey 1844-46
Jeremiah M. Woodruff 1846-48
.1882-85
John F. McClellan
1885-86
James T. Jones
1886-90
L. L. Whitesides
1890-93
James T. Jones
1893-98
Rufus W. Terhune
1898-1907
Daniel W. Sheek
.1907-15
Chester Demaree . 1915-17
Eph. B. Chenoweth
1917-19
James Curry 1890
William S. Ragsdale
1873-74
Hume Sturgeon 1876-78
Howard Thompson
Simon Henry (refused to qualify) 1846
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
Malcolm M. Crow 1848-50
H. H. Barbour 1843
Hume Sturgeon 1850-51
Abram Hammond
.1844
Peterson K. Parr 1891-96
Edward Lander .1848
John Teacham
1848
Francis P. Clark
1900-06
Augustus T. Sullivan
1906
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
B. F. Kennedy
1873-75
John H. Martin
1875-81
David A. Owen 1881-83
M. F. Rickoff
1883-85
William W. Leathers
1865-67
Hervey D. Vories 1885-91
Joseph S. Miller
1867-69
Charles F. Patterson 1891-94
Daniel W. Howe
1869-70
Eldo L. Hendricks
1894-98
John W. Terman
1898-1903
Jesse C. Webb
1903
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
David B. Wick 1823
Leonard J. Hackney
1878-80
Jacob L. White
1880-82
Calvin Fletcher 1825
Fred Staff
1882-86
James Whitcomb
1826
Peter M. Dill
1886-88
William W. Wick
1829
John C. McNutt 1888-92
Hiram Brown 1831
Thomas H. Campbell 1892-96
James Gregg 1832
Alonzo Blair 1896-1900
William Herrodd
1834
Fremont Miller
1900-05
William Quarles
1838
Thomas Williams
1905-07
William J. Peaslee
1840
Henry E. White
1907-14
Hugh O'Niel
1841
John P. Wright 1914
1848
G. M. Overstreet 1849-51
David S. Gooding
1851-53
Reuben A. Riley
1853-55
D. W. Chipman
1855-57
Peter S. Kennedy
1857-63
William P. Fishback
.1863-65
Nathaniel T. Carr
1870-71
John Morgan
1871-72
K. M. Hord
1872-74
W. Scott Ray
1874-78
Harvey Gregg 1824
( 660 )
Harvey M. Kephart
1896-1900
David Wallace
HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KNOX COUNTY
By Shuler McCormick
FOREWORD.
T HE history of Knox county necessarily in- cludes the early history of the Northwest territory. The most important events of the early development of the country west of the Al- . leghanies occurred in and around Old Vincennes. Here were sown the first seeds of the develop- ment of five States-Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Il- linois and Wisconsin. Here was the first seat of government of Indiana, here the first courts, the first land office, the first permanent church, the first university west of the Alleghenies, the first newspaper of the Northwest Territory, now known as the Western Sun.
A complete history of Vincennes and Knox county, from the earliest settlement to the pres- ent time, would fill volumes. In a history such as this many important events must be left out, and such as are mentioned must be but briefly. The account of the discovery and exploration, if only half stated, is so replete with romance and ad- venture as to resemble veriest fiction. It is the story of transformation from the untrammeled verdure of the wild to the clockwork development of civilization. It would begin with the track- less forest habited by savage men hunting with the bow and arrow and fishing in the back waters to sustain life in order that they might be able to do the same tomorrow, and still more savage beasts, stalking and snapping and snarling in or- der to eat and to keep from being eaten, with war- bling songsters, the finch, the mocking bird, the heron, the hawk, and the eagle. It would recall the time when the tentacles of commerce first reached out to virgin wealth and the courier des bois gave a few paltry and shining trinkets to the red man in return for valuable furs. It would picture the huts of Chippe Kokee, describe the fickle Creole, tell the tales of scars and starving, of torture, blood and crime, of slavery, the under- ground railroad, the Knights of the Golden Circle, and finally the age of commercialism passed by all too briefly by the modern historian because the changes are so gradual that the tranquil times are unaffected by jarring shocks like war.
But the early history of Knox county is not fiction. It can all be proven by records and docu- ments still preserved in the archives of the State. Records of the pioneer churches, some in France, some in this city, are unquestionable evidence of the events that transpired long before even a sem- blance of a civil government of any kind was
formed in what was later known as the North- west Territory. Many of the valuable old docu- ments, now yellow with age, are in the French and Latin languages and bear the dates showing when the records were made and when the events transpired.
INDIANS, EXPLORATION, FORTS AND SETTLEMENT.
When Columbus came he found the Indian. The aborigines kept no records, and tradition is their only history. Their origin is shrouded in mys- tery. The mounds scattered about the city of Vincennes tells of a race centuries before the white man settled the continent. The Indians, as known by the white man, were divided into tribes, differing in some particulars, speaking various dialects. These separate tribes were often united into confederacies for their own mu- tual protection against other hostile tribes. The Algonquins, a mighty confederacy, occupied about half the territory east of the Mississippi river, and among its component tribes numbered the Miamis. Of these a lesser tribe was the Pian- kashaws, who occupied the part of the territory where Knox and the surrounding counties are now situated.
Just when the region destined to be known as the Northwest Territory was discovered is not now clearly understood. We know that explora- tions were made along the Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash rivers as early as 1660 and what is now Indiana about 1664.
The splendid natural advantages of the vast and fertile valleys and mighty and beautiful riv- ers soon attracted numerous explorers. The dates of these explorations are not certain. However, it is known that as early as 1683 explorers, hunt- ers and traders began to descend the Wabash. These forerunners of civilization were soon fol- lowed by others, accompanied by French Catho- lic missionaries. They pushed their way through the Great Lakes and then descended the rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. The Wabash soon became a recognized part of the waterway from North to South which the brave courier des bois (runner of the woods) and the Catholic missionaries had to navigate. The missionaries went out to plant the cross along the route and the fur traders went out to establish trading posts and to barter with the Indians. The object of one was spirit- ual, the other temporal. Both were successful
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
and their actions were of providential direction. In this we see, as has so often been shown, before and since, that Christianity and civilization go hand in hand.
The first trading post established in the North- west Territory was at Detroit, in 1701, and the second, in 1702, at Vincennes, by Francis Mor- gan, Sieur de Vincenne. This was the first set- tlement and permanent habitation by white men in what is now known as Indiana.
The company of settlers, consisting of eight men, led by the gallant and distinguished French officer, had orders to establish three forts, one at a point where the St. Joseph and St. Marys riv- ers unite to form the Maumee, not far from where the city of Ft. Wayne now stands, one "Outenon" near where the city of Lafayette is now located, and the other at Chippe Kokee, on the "Colline Gravois," or gravel banks on the Wabash river where the city of Vincennes now stands. Of these the last was the only one destined to sur- vive. The old fort erected by Sieur de Vincenne and his little band, cheered on and assisted by numbers of wondering Indians, stood for about a century and played an important part in the nation's history. The original fort, of course, was of necessity, only a temporary affair, but was replaced a few years later by a more substantial fortification.
This fort consisted of a palisade formed of posts or logs set on end in the ground, leaning outward. The enclosure was rectangular in form, and ex- tended from what is now First street to the river and from Vigo street to Barnet. In the center of this fortification was a house, built in the same manner as the palisades, used as a store room, and underneath it a log-walled excavation used as a magazine, buried in the earth. Surmounting the store room was a large tower, while a smaller tower was erected at each of the four corners of the palisades. In each of these towers sentinels were posted and from each muzzles of guns could be pointed when in action.
It is reasonable to suppose that a church was erected at about the time de Vincenne settled at the Old Post. A Jesuit missionary was sent with him by Father James Marquette. It is a matter of regret that his name is at this time unknown by anyone living. In 1707 he was succeeded by Father John Mermet. Father Pierre Gibault was the most illustrious of a long line of priests that succeeded after the founding of the mission of St. Xavier's. Judge John Law, who possessed an ex- tensive knowledge of the early history of Vin- cennes, said of him: "Next to Clark and Vigo the United States is indebted more to Father Gibault for the accession of the States comprised
in what was the original Northwest Territory than any other man."
For more than three-score years and ten the pioneer settlement remained a mere trading post, a town in the wilderness. Its growth was very slow for a century. Yet from the first it was a place of note and was recognized as the principal town west of the Allegheny mountains. Being the oldest settlement in Indiana, it early acquired the name of the "Old Post." In fact, it did not take the name of Vincennes until several years later. Francis Morgan, although he held a com- mission as ensign under Louis XIV, did not in- herit the title of Sieur de Vincenne until the death of his uncle in 1717. Then the post began to be "Post Vincennes."
In 1720 Vincenne mounted the first cannon at the fort. In 1736 he led his command down the river to assist in a war with the Chickasaw In- dians. The promised reinforcements from the South did not arrive and he was captured and burned at the stake.
The effects of civilization was already felt in the little town of ninety families, and people of influence and good character had become perma- nent residents of the town. They began to till the soil and establish trade, and the settlement grew. The manners and customs of the people were peculiar. Their wants were few, yet they enjoyed life. Dances were frequent and they were always well attended. Everybody kept open house on New Year's and the citizens went from house to house attending these receptions. Vis- itors were met by a kiss from the hostess, who served a glass of wine as a relish to the feast spread in every home. After the Lenten season, which was well observed, a big "Fat Ball" was given at which was served roast pig and the dancers stayed until the sun began to peep over the eastern hills. There were no schools, no news- papers. Few could read or write, and the tran- sient trader with his news was the lion of the hour.
. The Northwest Territory belonged to the French, by whom it had been explored and set- tled, until 1763, when by the treaty of Paris it was ceded to Great Britain, and as a result the Lilies of France were succeeded by the British Cross of St. George. But the people remained French and clung to their old manners and cus- toms and spoke their own language. They only waited for the time when the yoke of the British could be thrown off, for secretly they hated Eng- land. This was a righteous hatred, when it is remembered that the British bribed the Indians with gold to make war on the white citizens of the territory. For some reason it was three years after England secured control before she sent a
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
commandant to the fort on the Wabash. But in April, 1776, Lieutenant Ramsey arrived with a company of British soldiers and took command. The flag of France was hauled down and the flag of England took its place. The name was changed to Fort Sackville, which name it retained until it was captured by George Rogers Clark.
THE CAPTURE OF VINCENNES.
The Revolution came on and the thirteen States were fighting for liberty. The poor struggling American troops were battling against odds, not the least of which were the Indians. Border set- tlements that had just been established by Dan- iel Boone and others were being raided and men and women were being scalped by savages. It soon became known that the Indian raids were being instigated by the British. Governor Ham- ilton, who was in command at Vincennes, was not only inciting the savages to make war on the Americans, but he was actually paying them for the scalps taken. He thereby became known as the "Hair Buyer" general. The Continental troops were hard pressed and could not send aid to the settlers of the Northwest Territory and Kentucky.
A backwoods surveyor by the name of George Rogers Clark hastened from Kentucky to Gov- ernor Patrick Henry of Virginia. He rushed to the Governor and said: "The settlers are being murdered by the Indians at the instigation of the British. Capture Vincennes and Kaskaskia and you have quelled the Indians. *
* * Drive the British out of Indiana and Illinois and the Indian massacres will cease." But there were no troops, this Governor Henry told the young sur- veyor. Then Clark offered to raise an army him- self if Virginia or the United States government would furnish the powder and means to equip the men. But the Governor only advised that the white settlers be brought to the eastern side of the mountains. But Clark pleaded so earnestly that he was finally given a colonel's commission and $50,000 of depreciated Continental money and 500 pounds of powder.
He started at once down the Ohio with a single companion and his money and powder. He was pursued by lurking Indians, but he eluded them and reached Booneville, Ky., where he succeeded in enlisting 140 men. On June 28, 1778, they start- ed down the Ohio on flat boats. No one knew their destination but Clark. His captains were Leonard Helm, John Montgomery, William Her- rod and Joseph Bowman. The sun was in the eclipse as the boats passed over the falls of the Ohio below "Corn Island." Clark's original in- tention was to proceed at once to take Vincennes, but after he had proceeded four days from the
falls down the Ohio he met a party of friendly hunters who informed him that the opportunity of capturing Kaskaskia was favorable. He de- cided to take their advice and on July 4, 1778, he arrived at Kaskaskia and captured the place with- out firing a gun. The timely arrival of Father Gibault helped to quell the natives, and when they were informed that they no longer owed al- legiance to Great Britain, but to the United States, they went into transports of joy. Clark sent Simon Kenton to spy on Vincennes and to send word back to Kaskaskia. Preparations were made to proceed to Vincennes, but Father Gibault offered to proceed in advance and apprise the peo- ple and to advise them to espouse the American cause. A small party accompanied him and on their arrival at Vincennes, Father Gibault ex- plained the situation to the citizens. A meeting was then held in the little church-the "Cradle of Liberty" of the Northwest Territory-where the oath of allegiance to the United States was taken. An officer was elected and the American flag was hoisted over the old fort and the British flag taken down. This was done without resist- ance, as the British commandant had gone to De- troit, not suspecting any such actions on the part of the people and fearing no danger of attack. The name was changed to Ft. Vincennes. Word was sent to Clark at Kaskaskia and he sent Cap- tain Helm with a few men to take charge.
Hamilton, at Detroit, learned what had hap- pened at Vincennes and on December 17, 1778, he arrived by water at Vincennes with eighty-four men and about one hundred Indians. Helm, see- ing that resistance was useless, surrendered, but not without the honors of war. Clark saw that the situation was desperate. It was midwinter and he knew that Hamilton would attack Kaskas- kia in the spring. Colonel Clark decided to cap- ture Vincennes.
He sent Colonel Vigo, a wealthy merchant, whose friendship he had acquired, to Vincennes to spy out the situation, who, on his arrival, was promptly taken prisoner by Hamilton. But through the good offices of Father Gibault he was released and returned to Kaskaskia, where he made report.
The 1st of February men were working on a flat boat, the "Willing," to convey supplies down the Mississippi and up the Ohio and Wabash. Under Captain John Rogers the boat left on Feb- ruary 4, 1779, with forty-six men on board. The next day Colonel Clark started by land with 160 men on the memorable march-240 miles-from Kaskaskia to Vincennes. In all the annals of his- tory there is nowhere else recorded a march so full of hardship, perils and privations. At that season the streams had overflowed and many
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
times the men were marching in water to their waists and sometimes to their armpits. Their rations were soon exhausted and they were forced to forage for their supplies. Finally, under the indomitable courage of their leader, they reached the Indiana side of the Wabash after ferrying it at a point where it was five miles wide.
Fortunately they captured a couple of Indian squaws, who had a boat in which was half of a buffalo. This was meat to the hungry soldiers. After a repast they crossed a pond to "Warrior's Island," six miles below town. Proceeding along the high land a duck hunter was captured, by whom Clark sent a letter to the inhabitants tell- ing them to remain indoors. Then, just at sun- down, the fearless little army approached the town. The "Willing" had not yet arrived. The fort was approached by three detachments from three sides. At nightfall the attacking party be- gan to throw up entrenchments by the light of the moon. Then the firing commenced. The British in the fort had not yet learned of the ap- proach of the Americans and thought the firing was from drunken Indians on a revel.
"Silence those drunken Indians," roared Ham- ilton. But Captain Helm, who was a prisoner of war, no doubt recognized the crack of the rifles he had so often heard before and exclaimed, "That's Clark." All night long the firing contin- ued and the attacking party only stopped for breakfast the next morning. A returning party of British duck hunters was almost annihilated. Every time a British head appeared at a loophole he was picked off by the unerring aim of the backwoodsmen. About 9 o'clock Clark sent a flag of truce and an order to Hamilton to surrender. Hamilton refused and the firing continued with increased vigor for the balance of the day. Clark was preparing to take the fort by storm that night, but late in the afternoon Hamilton sent out a flag of truce and a note requesting a truce for three days and asking for a conference and offering to meet Clark at the gate.
Clark replied that he would not accept any terms but immediate surrender, and that if Ham- ilton wanted a conference with Colonel Clark he would meet him at the church with Captain Helm. The note resulted in Hamilton coming and sur- rendering the fort and the soldiers as prisoners of war.
And this ended the British rule in Vincennes.
Soon after the surrender it was learned that a British detachment was on its way down the river with supplies for the fort. This was sur- prised and captured by Captain Bowman and it was found to contain stores to the value of $250,- 000.00.
Old Vincennes has successively been under the
French, British and American flags since Fran- cis Morgan de Vincenne founded the post more than two hundred years ago. Old Glory has come to stay forever.
MILITARY CONTROL.
After the capture of Vincennes on February 25, 1779, Colonel John Todd was made military governor of the territory. He organized local governments suitable to the requirements of the citizens.
The fame of Vincennes now became greater than ever. Immigrants began to flock to the set- tlement. Speculators began to seize the choice lands. Colonel Todd saw their designs and at once took steps to forestall them. His first act was to prohibit the location of claims in the rich lands in the river valleys, or within a league's distance of them. This proclamation required the opening of land offices, which regulated the acquiring of title to land. He organized a court, the members of which arrogated to themselves legislative powers and became involved in a land grab scandal which resulted in the setting aside of the land grants and the abolishment of the court. Then, in 1790, Secretary Winthrop Sar- gent established a court.
About this time a public stock was erected near the old Cathedral, where offenders were punished for misdemeanors.
Trouble between the Indians and whites over land grants resulted in bloodshed. Clark attempt- ed to subdue the Indians after several minor ex- peditions had failed. But it appears that he had lost his influence with both his own people and the savages, and his efforts met with little suc- cess.
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