USA > Indiana > History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916 > Part 98
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1883-William D. Bynum.
1883-John C. Ferriter.
1883-Elisha J. Howland.
1883-Bellamy S. Sutton.
1883-Jesse Whitsit.
1883-John R. Wilson.
1885-Edward Schmidt.
1885-Michael Farrell.
1885-R. C. J. Pendleton.
1885-John Schley.
1885-87-Lewis Donhorst.
1887-Daniel Foley.
1889-Hayden S. Bingham.
1889-Eli Heiney.
1889-William A. Hughes.
1889-William Langstaff.
1889-Gabriel Schmuck.
1891-93- James B. Curtis, speaker.
1891-John C. McCloskey.
1891-James E. Mccullough.
1891-Frederick J. Mack.
1891-Harvey R. Matthews.
1891-Henry Thienes.
1893-James H. Deery.
1893-Fred C. Grossart.
1893-Henry A. Harmon.
1893-Francis T. Hord.
1893-Manson U. Johnson.
1893-Frank Wilson. 1909-Harry W. Bassett.
1909-John M. Beaver.
1909-Jacob W. Buennagel.
1909-Charles A. Gauss.
1909-Charles F. Maas.
1909-Joseph H. Pierson.
1909-Adolph Seidensticker.
1909-Albert F. Zearing.
1911-Jacob W. Buennagel.
1911-Homer L. Cook.
1911-John J. Keegan.
1911-Charles F. Maas.
( 687 )
HISTORY
INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
1911-Adolph Seidensticker.
1911-William W. Spencer.
1911-Walter J. Tingle.
1911-Andrew H. Wahl.
1913-Herman F. Adam.
1913-Robert T. Hughes.
1913-John J. Keegan.
1913- John P. Leyendecker.
1913-Samuel J. Miller.
1913 -- William Wallace Spencer.
1913-Walter J. Tingle.
1913-Homer L. Cook (speaker).
SHERIFFS.
1842-44-Banner Lawhead.
1848-52-Charles C. Campbell.
1852-54-Isaac W. Hunter.
1854-58-John E. Foudray (resigned).
1859-60-John F. Gulick (resigned).
1874-76-Albert Reisner.
1886-90-Isaac King.
1890-92-Henry W. Langenberg.
1892-94-Robert F. Emmett.
1894-96-Albert A. Womack.
1909-13-Jacob Woessner.
1913-15-Theodore Portteus.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
1839-41-Thomas Johnson.
1839-40-Asa B. Strong.
1842-45-John McFall.
1845-48-John McFall.
1848-51-Aaron Aldridge.
1849-52-Thomas F. Stout.
1850-53-Matthew R. Hunter.
1851-54-Powell Howland.
1852-55-Henry P. Todd.
1853-56-Matthew R. Hunter.
1854-56-Powell Howland.
1855-58-James Blake.
1855-56-Abraham C. Logan (died).
1856-Henry P. Todd (to fill vacancy).
1856-58-Thomas W. Council.
1857-60-Thomas Johnson.
1860-63-George Bruce.
1862-63-Levi A. Hardesty (resigned).
1863-66-George Bruce.
1874-77-Samuel Cory.
1882-85-Joseph Loftin (died April 6, 1884).
1885-87-Albert Sahm.
1885-89-William O. Reveal.
1886-88-James L. Thompson.
1887-89-Jacob A. Emrich.
1888-95-Joseph L. Hunter.
1890-93-Michael H. Farrell.
1889-93-Furman Stout.
1893-95-Julius F. Reinecke.
1908-Carl Von Hake.
1910-16-James Kervan.
1910-16-John Kitley. 1912-14-Charles Maguire.
COUNTY CORONERS.
1838-42-Thomas N. Thomas.
1848-50-Peter F. Newland.
1853-55-George Newland.
1855-57-Thomas N. Thomas.
1870-72-James H. Hedges.
1874-76-James H. Fuller.
1884-86-Isaac W. Stratford (died).
1886-88-Frank A. Morrison.
1890-92-Frank E. Manker.
1892-94-William S. Beck.
1909-11-John J. Blackwell.
1911-15-Charles O. Durham.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
1848-55-Charles Stephens.
1855-63-Alexander G. Wallace.
1875-76-Edward M. Wilmington.
1888-92-Christian Brink.
1892-96-Peter Carson (died in 1893).
1893-Maurice Donnelly.
1911-15-Joseph P. Turk.
COUNTY CLERKS.
1850-56-William Stewart (died).
1874-78-Austin H. Brown.
1886-90-John E. Sullivan.
1890-94-John R. Wilson.
1911-15- John Rauch.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
1832-38-Thomas B. Johnson.
1838-John B. E. Reed.
1838-41-Charles Stephens.
1847-50-John M. Talbott.
1855-59-Jesse Jones.
1875-77-Jackson Landers.
1879-81-Sample Loftin.
1885-87-Hiram W. Miller.
1887-89-Sample Loftin.
1891-93-Victor M. Backus.
1893-95-Sterling R. Holt.
1910-12-Frank S. Fishback.
1912-16-Carl Von Hake.
COUNTY AUDITORS.
1855-59-Austin H. Brown.
1875-79-William K. Sproule.
1887-95-Thomas Taggart (resigned October 10, 1895, to become mayor of Indian- apolis. William A. Hughes became his successor until date of regular election ). 1908-12-Albert Sahm.
1912-16-William T. Patten.
COUNTY COLLECTORS OF REVENUES.
1831-32-Andrew Wilson.
1835-36-Corson Vickers.
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HISTORY INDIANA
DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
1836-37-Israel Phillips. 1837-41-Corson Vickers (office abolished). COUNTY SURVEYORS.
1827-31-Isaac Kinder.
1835-Isaac Kinder (resigned).
1843-47-Isaac Kinder (resigned).
1847-48-Lazarus B. Wilson (resigned).
1848-50-Percy Hosbrook. 1850-54-Daniel B. Hosbrook. 1854-56-William A. Curran.
1856-58-William P. Case (resigned).
1884-86-Daniel B. Hosbrook.
1886-88-William C. Smith.
1888-94-Paul Julian.
1909-15-Paul Julian.
JUDGES OF PROBATE COURT.
1836-50-Robert Patterson. 1851-52-Samuel Cory (court abolished).
PRESENT JUDGES OF CIRCUIT COURT.
1822-25-William W. Wick (resigned). 1834-39-William W. Wick (resigned).
1842-William Quarles (commissioned and de- clined). 1842-Stephen Major (commissioned and de- clined).
1842-49-William J. Peaslee (resigned). 1849-52-William W. Wick (office abolished by new constitution).
ASSOCIATE JUDGES OF CIRCUIT COURT.
1829-36-Joshua Stevens. 1836-43-Thomas O'Neal. 1843-Daniel R. Smith and Samuel Cory (to office abolished, 1851).
JUDGES OF CIRCUIT COURT.
1852-54-William W. Wick (resigned). 1853-59-Stephen Major (resigned). 1859-William W. Wick (resigned). 1884-88-Alexander C. Ayres.
1888-Thomas L. Sullivan (appointment). 1890-96-Edgar A. Brown.
1908-14-Charles Remster.
JUDGES COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. 1850-52-Edward Lander. 1852-56-Levi L. Todd.
JUDGES OF CRIMINAL COURT. 1874-78-Edward C. Buskirk. 1882-86-Pierce Norton. 1886-87-Albert F. Ayres.
1890-94-Millard T. Cox. 1910-15-Joseph T. Markey.
JUDGES OF SUPERIOR COURT.
-Room One-
1871-72-Frederick Rand (resigned).
1872-77-Samuel E. Perkins (resigned) .
1877-82-John A. Holman.
1882-93-Napoleon B. Taylor.
1910-14-Charles J. Orbison.
-Room Two-
1890-94-James W. Harper. 1910-14-Joseph Collier.
-Room Three-
1892-96-Pliny W. Bartholomew.
1912-19-John J. Rochford. -Room Four- 1877-78-Myron B. Williams. 1908-14-Clarence E. Weir.
-Room Five-
1908-14-Pliny W. Bartholomew.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS. -Circuit Court-
1826-29- James Whitcomb.
1829-31-William W. Wick.
1839-41-William J. Peaslee.
1841-43-Hugh O'Neal.
1847-48-Edward Lander.
1850-52-David S. Gooding.
1852-54-Reuben A. Riley.
1854-56-De Witt C. Chipman.
1856-58-Peter S. Kennedy.
(Prosecuting attorney for circuit court abolish- ed from 1865 to 1874.)
1874-76-John Denton.
-Criminal Court-
1874-76-James M. Cropsey.
-Criminal and Circuit Courts-
1886-90-James L. Mitchell.
1890-94-John W. Holtzman.
1907-11-Elliott R. Hooton.
1911-15-Frank P. Baker.
-Court of Common Pleas-
1856-Richard J. Ryan (appointed to vacancy).
JUDGE OF PROBATE COURT.
1909-15-Frank B. Ross. JUDGE OF JUVENILE COURT. -Newton M. Taylor.
( 689 )
HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF MARSHALL COUNTY
By Harry L. Unger, LL. B.
M ARSHALL COUNTY, named after Chief Justice Marshall, with an area of 441 square miles and a population of 600, was organized on the 20th day of July, 1836, at which time the seat of justice was established at Plym- outh. Two years later General John Tipton re- moved the Potawatomie Indians from the vicin- ity of Twin Lakes.
This county lies mostly in the Yellow River Valley, in the northern part of the State. The soil is very productive and the people of the coun- ty are mostly home owners. The population is and always has been composed of good, loyal, American citizens, all interested in political ques- tions, locally and nationally.
The first court house in Marshall county was erected by the proprietors of the Townsite of Plymouth at a cost of $300 as a consideration for the location of the county seat at Plymouth. The second court house was erected in 1850 at a cost of about $5,000, and the third and present court house was completed June 11, 1872, at a cost of $105,000. It is a very good and substantial build- ing, the interior having been remodeled and beau- tified in recent years.
The county is Democratic. With very few ex- ceptions, from its organization to the present time, the elections of the county have been carried by the Democrats. The first election in Marshall county was held August 5, 1836, at which election 135 votes were cast.
At the first election Whigs and Democrats were on opposing tickets, but party lines were mostly ignored on account of local interests. This pacific state of political affairs did not last long-the political leaders lined up their forces and con- ducted aggressive campaigns. Election day was set apart for a big time in those days. One could cast his ballot at any polling place in the county and the newly-settled population took advantage of this occasion by visiting the county seat, where they could talk over the future prospects of the new country, become better acquainted, deposit their ballots and have a good time. Society was not so refined then as today. Churches and schools were few. Fist fights were frequent and always expected on election days as a source of entertainment for the whole population.
There were few speeches, but often at the close of the campaign a rally was held at the county seat. Later the "barbecue" was added and the menu was frequently wild deer, well roasted, with
plenty of seasoning and an abundance of "corn dodgers."
Prior to the campaign of 1852 there had never been a great amount of political excitement in Marshall county. The county was new and the people were very busy with their personal wel- fare. In 1852 the population of the county was about six thousand, with only 879 votes cast. The presidential candidates were Franklin Pierce, Democrat, and General Winfield Scott, Whig. Few newspapers reached Marshall county in those days and many people were very ignorant regard- ing political affairs. They knew enough about it, though, to know whether they were Democrats or Whigs, and that was enough for them. This was a warm campaign and much ill feeling grew out of the contest.
The campaign of 1856 was one which stands out as a landmark in the political history of Mar- shall county. The Republican party had just come into existence and the "Know-Nothing" party had been fully organized. They joined forces on the presidential ticket. The bitterness of this campaign found its way into all phases of society. During this campaign a joint debate was held at Bourbon, which broke up in a political riot. Colfax and Stewart were the speakers and opposing candidates for Congress. Both parties prepared for a grand rally. Large delegations attended from all parts of the county with floats, flags and banners. The wagons were drawn by horses and oxen. Many rode horses and others were on foot. Bands and fife and drum corps participated in the parade, which was nearly two miles long, each party doing its best to outdo the other. When the procession reached the town of Bourbon anvils were fired in welcome and the bands played. Bourbon was a small town of two or three hundred. The joint discussion was held in a beautiful grove of forest trees. The crowd was immense and anxious to hear the political battle about to take place.
The debate was opened by Mr. Colfax, who was a great campaigner. Mr. Stewart was a man of much ability and learning, but not a great cam- paigner. The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chi- cago railroad was being graded through the town and a large number of railroad laborers, mostly foreigners, were at the debate. On the platform was a banner with an inscription which these for- eigners took as a reflection upon them. In his speech Judge Stewart referred to the banner
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
which had been placed on the platform by the op- position and denounced the party offering such an insult to their fellow citizens. Excitement was at its highest pitch. Some one in the audi- ence fired a pistol near the speaker's stand and a general riot started. It seemed that everybody was in the fracas. Black eyes and skinned faces were numerous. Several were severely cut with knives and beaten with clubs. An unsuccessful attempt was made to restore order and continue the debate, but the meeting broke up and the pro- cessions returned to their homes, broken and bruised. This was a death blow to debates at ral- lies in Marshall county and few have since been held.
Strange to say that at the same town of Bour- bon, during the early part of the year 1916, cer- tain foreigners who were working on the same railroad referred to in the riot of 1856, just sixty years later, and housed in box cars on a side track, registered to vote and long before election day the railroad company had use for them else- where, so moved them away in their houses on wheels to Kosciusko county.
The opposition to Democracy in Marshall coun- ty has aiways laid claim to the foreign vote and with few exceptions have succeeded in getting it, and, of course, could not bear the thought of losing this opportunity to bolster up their divided and weakened condition in Marshall county and at the same time deliver a blow to the friend of the people, Woodrow Wilson. And so this gang of monarchial subjects were marched back from Kosciusko county to the town of Bourbon and there demanded the great privilege of American citizens. These foreigners were courteously de- nied the privilege. It seems that a certain news- paper editor of Plymouth, who was an oil in- spector under Hanly, a follower of a "Big Stick" in 1912, and again a regular, old-time, stand-pat in the campaign of Money, Railroads, Plutocracy and Knockers vs. the People in 1916, was imme- diately sent for. He burned eleven miles of John D. Rockefeller's fluid and projected his an- atomy into the presence of the Democrats who had been so unkind as to deny foreigners the priv- ilege of illegally assisting American citizens in naming their officers. His interpretation of the law and demands were courteously listened to and then a good Democrat, who had pity for him, do- nated to him a little friendly advice, pointed out to him a large assemblage of American citizens gathered there with the purity and honesty of the American ballot at heart. The editor re- turned to Plymouth. The subjects of royalty re- turned to their labors in Kosciusko county. The ballot was not corrupted and by the timely hand taken in the affair by the friendly Democrat, a
repetition of the demonstration of 1856 was pre- vented.
Since the organization of the county the major- ities for President have been in favor of the Dem- ocrats with the exception of the campaigns of 1860 and 1904. In 1860, on account of the divi- sion of sentiment in the Democratic ranks, the Republicans had no trouble in carrying the coun- ty for Lincoln, and in 1872, the Democrats hav- ing endorsed Greeley, and he having been prior thereto a strong opponent of the high principles and standards as adhered to and believed in by the Democracy of Marshall county, great num- bers of Democrats of the county refused to vote for him and the Democratic majority was greatly reduced.
Nineteen hundred and four was the year of darkness for Democracy in Marshall county, with a majority of 123 for Theodore Roosevelt, then a Republican. This was due to the fact that the Democrats of Marshall county greatly admired William Randolph Hearst, an owner and pub- lisher of newspapers in different large cities of the United States, who was a candidate for the nomination for President against Judge Alton B. Parker. Hearst clubs were formed over the county and a strong organization perfected. Wil- liam Jennings Bryan, beginning with his nomi- nation for President in the year 1896, has been and still remains the idol of Democracy in Mar- shall county. The element which nominated Al- ton B. Parker for President on the Democratic ticket was opposed to William Jennings Bryan in his campaigns of 1896 and 1900. At the Indiana State convention in 1904 this element opposed to Bryan took control and after making a few un- complimentary remarks the Marshall county dele- gates to the State convention, who were "dyed-in- the-wool" Bryan Democrats, came back home in mourning, prepared to swallow their medicine like good Democrats as they were. But all Democrats of Marshall county could not drink what they felt to be so bitter a cup. About five hundred of them who had voted for Bryan in previous years re- mained at home on election day, the result being a majority of 123 for Roosevelt and a defeat of every candidate for county office, except Joel An- glin, Democratic candidate for County Commis- sioner, and that good old, stanch and stalwart Democrat. Hon. Daniel McDonald, candidate for State Representative, the only Democratic candi- date for Representative north of the Wabash river, who was elected.
Nineteen hundred and eight found the Democ- racy of Marshall county in working order again and she has ever since held her place.
At one other time in the memory of the writer the opposition made the campaign cry, "Put the
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
Democrats out and show up the books." A good number of the Democratic candidates for county office on that occasion were put out, but the books were found true, and this manner of running elec- tions has since been abandoned by the opposition in the county.
Personal differences of men are never permit- ted to have anything to do with the affairs of the party. It has been the purpose of the party at all times to select men for office who will conduct themselves as true and loyal servants of the peo- ple, and they are never selected arbitrarily by any set or ring, but all candidates for office in the county have for years been selected by the mem- bership of the whole party. The primary is a tried institution in Marshall county and was used by the party in the county long before the Legis- lature provided for it.
The first newspaper regularly established in Marshall county was the Plymouth Pilot, the first number appearing April 16, 1851, by John Q. Howell, editor and proprietor, who was a Jeffer- sonian and Jackson Democrat. The Plymouth Pilot was a Democratic paper. The first issue contained the following :
"The Plymouth Pilot is before you. How do you like it? It comes to you not on mammoth wings, like some of its contemporaries, but brings you, we trust, although not so much, at least a history of passing events as welcome to your taste as those furnished you by its longer brethren. But, says one stranger, what's your politics? We reply: They are Democratic, of the Jeffersonian and Jackson school. Our Democracy is not to be appealed, corrupted or compromised. It knows no baseness; it cowers to no danger; it oppresses no weakness; destructive only of despotism; it is the sole conservator of liberty, labor and property. It is the sentiment of freedom, of equal rights, of equal obligations-the law of nature pervading the law of the land."
In the declining years of Mr. Howell, the writer, when a candidate for Prosecuting Attor- ney of the Forty-first Judicial Circuit of the State of Indiana, met and became acquainted with him and, although the ravages of time had told upon him, he was yet the Jeffersonian and Jackson Democrat, and so remained until he passed away a few years ago at the village of Delong, in Ful- ton county, Indiana. His son, Henry D. Howell, a banker and very prominent citizen living at Ke- wanna, Fulton county, bears the political faith of his father. No doubt the sincerity and honesty of purpose and the high ideals of this man, who first began publishing on paper the fundamental principles and doctrines of Democracy in Mar- shall county, has had much to do with the con-
stancy of the predominating political faith of the county.
Mr. Howell sold the Plymouth Pilot March 1, 1852, and the purchaser changed its name and pol- itics.
The first issue of the Marshall County Demo- crat appeared November 16, 1855, established by Thomas McDonald with his two sons, Daniel and Platt McDonald. Thomas McDonald retired from the editorial chair on November 20, 1857, and said: "With an entire Democratic government; with the wounds of 'bleeding Kansas' healed and the peo- ple about to make their own government; with success everywhere of the principles we have ad- vocated; with the worst of financial crashes past and the current of trade setting in our favor; with universal peace and unbounded prosperity around us, we shall leave our patrons and readers to the care of younger heads and more ready hands, and hope their bairns' bairn may see no check to our nation's onward movement, nor clouds overshadow the brightness around us."
On January 26, 1860, the paper became the property of A. C. Thompson, who changed its name to the Plymouth Weekly Democrat. On April 11, 1861, Mr. Thompson sold the paper to Thomas and Platt McDonald and published the following in his paper: "Coming events are cast- ing their shadows before, and the country stands amazed, confounded and paralyzed. God only knows what is in store for us, but whatever it may be, it is certainly of such a nature that it will puzzle the brain and grieve the heart of all philanthropists and patriots May the God of our fathers save us from the horrors of civil war." Fort Sumter was fired upon the next day and the war came with all its horrors.
During the Civil War, when Indiana was prac- tically under military law, General Milo B. Has- call of Goshen issued an order which virtually took away the freedom of the press, and subjected the people to military rule. At this time the edi- tor of the Plymouth Weekly Democrat was D. E. VanValkenburgh and he gave the order space in his paper and commented as follows:
"Brigadier-General Hascall is a donkey-an un- mitigated, unqualified donkey, and his bray is loud, long and harmless; merely offensive to the ear; merely tends to create a temporary irrita- tion!"
The editor was arrested by a squad of soldiers and taken to Indianapolis and from there he was taken before General Burnside at Cincinnati, who soon decided that the offense was not very serious and discharged him with the admonition never to call General Hascall a donkey again.
October 1, 1877, the Hon. Daniel McDonald pur- chased the paper again, and guided by this grand
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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916
old Democrat, this paper became powerful in its influence for good in the community and for the maintenance, upbuilding and progression of De- mocracy in Marshall county. He was loved and respected by all. He never failed to commend the virtues of the citizens of his community.
When the fifteenth amendment to the constitu- tion of the United States came before the House of Representatives in Indiana, Hon. Daniel Mc- Donald was the Representative from Marshall county, and he, with others, was absent, and final- ly to prevent a quorum he resigned as Repre- sentative and at a special election called he was again elected to fill the seat made vacant by his resignation.
He wrote two histories of Marshall county, the only history of Masonry in Indiana, and a history of Maxinkuckee lake. He was a boy when the Potawatomie Indians were removed from the county and was touched by the sad occurrence. On account of his persistent efforts, he, while a State Representative from Marshall county, secured the passage of a law providing for the erection of a monument to the memory of these Indians. The monument was erected near Twin Lakes, a small tribute and recompense to these peaceful Indians for the miseries and wrongs placed upon them.
Mr. McDonald continued as proprietor and edi- tor until March 20, 1902, at which time he sold the paper to Hon. Clay W. Metsker, who has since owned and edited the paper as the organ of the Democratic party in Marshall county.
Other Democratic papers of the county were the Bourbon Democrat, published at Bourbon from 1882 to 1884 by Homer Melick and W. W. Mikels, for a time by Hillis and Langdon, and finally by Peter Hahn, who was later elected to the office of Auditor of Marshall county on the Democratic ticket; also the Bremen Gazette, published at Bre- men by Charles W. Sweeney in the interests of the Democratic party.
Representatives and Senators from Marshall county, with few exceptions, have been Democrats.
Our last Senator was Hon. Harry E. Grube, a life-long Democrat, having been elected to the office of joint Senator for Marshall and Kosciusko counties for two terms. He resigned after the close of the session of 1915 to accept the appoint- ment as State Bank Examiner, which position he still retains.
Our last State Representative was Hon. John R. Jones, who served for two terms. He is a be- liever of "practicing what you preach," and as soon as he was elected to the office of State Rep- resentative he prepared a bill providing for a State-wide primary for the selection of candidates. He knew that Democracy in Marshall county had flourished under a primary system of its own and
believed that what was good for Marshall county was good for Indiana. During the session of 1913, the bill which he introduced failed to become a law, so he continued his fight for this law, until, with some modifications, it became a law at the session of 1915. Under this law all political par- ties select all of their candidates for office under the Australian system, except State officers, and under most circumstances the candidate for Gov- ernor is selected in the same way. Mr. Jones gave much time and hard work to bring about the pas- sage of this law.
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