USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > History of the city of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 27
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"Primitive as may have been the social life of the Evansville of 1840, dullness at least had no part in it, and there was no lack of novelty and romantic adventure.
"The dead level of monotony and the ceaseless search of the present for some new pastime had not yet begun. Then all was new, and by its very newness furnished entertainment for the participants.
"The brave spirits and sturdy stock of the farther east, which had furnished the flower of its human product to people the wilds of southern Indiana, provided abundant variety for their own diversion without searching farther.
"Full of romance and romantic incident in the social traditions of the period of 1845 is the name and career of a brilliant and beautiful Evansville belle of the period, Miss Nellie Nevins Warner, the daughter of Mrs. Alan- son Warner by a former marriage and adopted daughter of Major Warner. Prominent in many lines in the Evansville of early days, as sometime proprietor of the Mansion house, a well known hotel then occupying the site of the present Orpheum theater, and as owner of the stage coach lines, then the only means of travel in this section, Major Alanson Warner was a man of undoubted importance in the community.
"The old Warner home, now almost a century old, with the keystone arch over its colonial entrance, which was a distinguishing feature of but four other buildings of the time in the city, is still a dignified and substantial residence, the home of Mrs. Edgar Garvin in Walnut street.
"Built with walls nearly two feet in thickness, it was intended, it is said, for defense against earthquakes as well as hostile enemies, but instead it became the citadel of romance as the home of the beautiful Nellie Warner, by whose lovers innumerable it was besieged from her earliest girlhood . until her flight from it with her chosen husband, Guilford Eggleston, on the eve of what had been planned as her wedding day to another.
"At the wharf waited the other lover, an eastern man, who was met, on his arrival by steamer from Pittsburg, with a note telling of the marriage of his fiancee to his rival.
"From the Warner house which had been in readiness for the wedding festivities was banished even the name of her who was to have been the central figure. The trosseau prepared by her mother with lavish care was never worn.
"Not till years after and in widow's weeds did Nellie Warner Eggleston return to her girlhood home.
"At a later time after strenuous years she was again a bride-the wife of one of Indiana's wealthiest men, Mr. Culbertson of New Albany, over
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whose home she presided with that queenly grace for which her beauty and accomplishments had so perfectly fitted her.
"To the Warner mansion also in this period came a visitor destined to fill a leading part in Evansville social life when in 1847 Miss Cornelia Morris of New York, afterward Mrs. Thomas E. Garvin, came to visit her cousin, Miss Nellie Warner.
"A's the culmination of the romance begun during this visit was the marriage of Miss Morris to Mr. Garvin at her home in Penn Yan, New York, in 1849, the Warner house where they first met, being purchased many years after by Mr. Garvin and presented to his son, Edgar Garvin.
"The Garvin homestead in South First street where Mr. and Mrs. Gar- vin took up their residence soon after its erection in 1860 has been during the years since a leading factor in the social life of the city and the scene of many notable functions.
"Prominent also as a leading figure and gracious hostess in the social life of the early forties was Miss Louisa Garvin, the sister of Hon. Thomas E. Garvin, who coming to this city in 1841 with the family of her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Baker, became in 1846 the wife of Dr. Isaac Casselberry, a prominent physician of the time, the wedding tak- ing place at her home in Gettysburg, Pa.
"After residing for a time at the new home then recently erected by Governor Baker in Upper First street, now the residence of Mrs. James Gray, Dr. and Mrs. Casselberry built the residence adjoining the Garvin homestead which was the center of a brilliant social life for many years.
"Adjoining the Warner homestead in Walnut street in the Evansville of that day was the residence occupied for a time by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Viele, who during this period inaugurated a regime of elegant entertaining which was continued after their removal to their spacious home in Riverside avenue, then the handsomest in the city and where they were each season host and hostess for the most beautiful entertainments.
"Mr. and Mrs. Viele were also among the earliest of Evansville's Eu- ropean tourists, making several successive journeys abroad from which they returned laden with treasures of art for the adornment of their handsome home. A world tour, the first to be made by Evansville residents, con- cluded their foreign travel.
"Prominent also in the Evansville society of that time were two charming and accomplished sisters, Miss Margaret and Miss Elizabeth Grant, who coming from their Kentucky home to visit their sister, Mrs. Paul Clifford, then with her family residing here, became at once by their beauty, wit and attractiveness leading figures in the social life of the day.
"Afterward as the wives of two of Evansville's prominent citizens, Mr. Henry Morgan and Mr. George L. Sonntag, they were among the most notable of Evansville hostesses whose homes in Riverside avenue and Up- per First street (the Sonntag residence having been the one occupied later
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by Mrs. Samuel Bayard) having been leading centers of the social life of the city.
"Clarinda and Mary Mitchell were familiar names among the young society of that day, the Mitchell home at the corner of Water and Main streets being a favorite resort of the young circles of the time. Mr. Mitchell, head of the house, was president of the Old State bank. The family was one of wealth and importance in the town. One of the Misses Mitchell, who later became Mrs. Farnsley, is remembered by many as a visitor here in later years.
"The families of Hallock, Scantlin, Stevens and Pushee, which were identified with the same locality and prominent in social life are repre- sented in the Evansville of today.
"The Hughes, Ingle and Babcock families were leading factors in Evans- ville social life from an early period.
"The beautiful sisters of Mrs. William Hughes, the Misses Isabella and Agnes Davidson of Madison, Ind., who had been frequent visitors here, became the wives of Mr. John Ingle, Jr., the first president of the E. & T. H. railroad, and Mr. Elisha Babcock, also a well known citizen, their fam- ilies being prominently represented in present day Evansville life.
"Of social distinction in the early Evansville was the Foster family, Mrs. Foster, the widow of Judge Matthew Foster, and mother of Hon. John W. Foster, of Washington, D. C., having been a distinguished figure of that period and gracing the Evansville of a later day until recent years. Her home in earlier years was the old Kaiser residence on the site of the present City National bank at the corner of First and Main. Hon. John W. Foster and Mrs. Foster, prominent in Evansville social life, have since leaving this city been of international fame in diplomatic circles in Wash- ington and European capitals.
"To the Evansville of that time also came, soon after their arrival in this country, a family since closely identified with its social and professional life, when in 1849 Mrs. Thomas Runcie with her daughter, Miss Anne and four stalwart sons located in this city and vicinity.
"Three of the young men of the Runcie family-Doctors Elias, Thomas and John, and the fourth, Rev. James Runcie, as a clergyman of the Epis- copal church, have since been prominently known in the professional life of Evansville and elsewhere.
"Evansville then as now was noted for the beauty of its women, to whom the soft airs of Southern Indiana seemed to impart a distinctive charm. 'The most beautiful woman in Evansville in 1855,' is the inscrip- tion written on a photograph of Mrs. Isaac Keen, seen recently in an album of the period belonging to an Evansville family. Mrs. Keen, now of Buf- falo, New York, was before her marriage, Miss Mary McCallister and re- lated to the Terry family, also of the old residents.
"Gracing the social life of the city of that period to which she came from New York as a bride in 1842, was Mrs. Oliver Ladd, later Mrs. R.
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S. Tenney, whose beauty and charm of personality are recalled by many of that day, and was retained in a marked degree almost to the recent close of her long life.
"The family of Judge John Law held a prominent place in the social life of the early city, the homestead having been located in what was known at that time as Lamasco, at the corner of First avenue and Franklin street.
"Miss Caroline Law, afterward Mrs. David J. Mackey, was a decided favorite in the young social circle of the day, and was one of the prominent hostesses, entertaining much at her home at the St. George hotel.
"Among Evansville's beautiful women and gracious hostesses of the day was Miss Mary Howser, later Mrs. Henry Babcock, whose residence in Riverside avenue has for half a century been the home of cordial hospi- tality.
"Among Evansville women of the period none enjoyed a wider popu- larity than Miss Christine Hooker, who, coming from Buffalo, New York, in the early fifties, to teach in the city schools then recently opened under the direction of Mr. H. Q. Wheeler, with her sister, Miss Hough, afterward conducted with great success a young ladies' seminary, which was for many years the fashionable finishing school of Evansville girls.
"Of magnetic and exceptional personality, Miss Hooker's friendships were lifelong and it has also been said of her by her former pupils that she was the first woman in Evansville capable of managing a boy's school, so thoroughly did she understand the boy nature.
"Prominent in the social life of the Evansville of the fifties and later was the family of William E. French and the Stockwell family, whose hospitalities were unbounded, the old French homestead occupied by the family until recent years having been located in outer Locust street.
"Among those still remaining in the Evansville of today who enjoyed a decided popularity in the social life of that period is Mrs. Juliett Eldridge, whose home as Mrs. Charles Wells, located on the site of the present Levy residence in Riverside avenue, was a favorite resort of the society of the time.
"The various branches of the Walker family-the families of Mr. James Walker, Dr. George and Dr. John T. Walker were leading figures in the social and professional life of the city, as their descendants are of the present time.
"The Linck family were of early prominence, the homestead being at the corner of Locust and First, where the Orpheum now stands.
"Among other leading figures in the Evansville of the time were the Chandler family, still represented in the city of today, the Dodge, Caldwell and DePuy families, whose residences on Upper First and Second were occupied by them for more than half a century, the Sweetser home being on the site of the former DePuy residence.
"The Haaff and Sharp families were among leading Evansville residents of the time, none of whom is now living in the city, although several col-
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lateral branches are represented here. The Rathbone family, once early residents, are now represented by their splendid benefaction, 'The Rath- bone Home.' Evansville now as then distinguished for the esprit and charm of its social life, no less than the warmth of its hospitality, still re- tains, although a city of perhaps seventy thousand, the characteristics which gave it distinctive attractiveness at that early period."
[NOTE-And can I be blamed if for a moment my heart goes out to the memory of my angel mother, for so many of the dear good women mentioned above were with her when she died here, a stranger in a strange land. She was Cordelia Frances Manson of Mobile, when my father met her, married her and brought her here to Evansville. The wings of the Death Angel wafted away her last breath and that of my little brother almost at the same time.
My father was in New Orleans at the time and I was left here alone, but these warm-hearted ones cared for the little stranger. They have all gone to their reward, but to me their graves are as sacred as that of one I had just learned to call "Mother."-ED.]
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FOURTH OF JULY-SHOOTING THE ANVIL-PARADES AND BARBECUES- DECLINE OF THE ODIOUS FIRECRACKER-BANKS OF EVANSVILLE-THE OLD CANAL BANK-NEVER A FAILURE HERE-THE NEWSPAPERS-THE EARLY PRESSES-THE JOURNAL AND ITS FORTUNES-THE COURIER- OTHER PAPERS.
THE FOURTH OF JULY.
It must not be forgotten that of all the days in the year in the olden times, the day beside which Christmas and New Years faded, was the 4th of July. Until long after the Civil War, this was considered the one great day of the year and at every county seat in southern Indiana, arrangements were always made for a gathering of all the residents. The day generally opened with the firing of the blacksmith's anvils for there was not a can- non in this entire section, nor were there any shot guns in any number and of course the old rifle with its sharp crack did not make noise enough to suit the rising generation. Firecrackers were an unknown quantity and did not appear for many years after this country was settled, when they were imported from China. The first ones were looked on with a great deal of curiosity and their price was so high that the average boy could not invest in them. In fact, the boy in those days had little to do with the noise part, so the old blacksmith's anvil came into play. The hole in the anvil was filled with powder which was touched off generally by the black- smith himself with a long red-hot iron bar. The custom was to fire one salute for every state then in the Union and it must be remembered that there were very few at that time. After the salute there was always a procession in which everyone took part. After the war of 1812.the vet- erans always appeared in these processions, but the citizens in general would either walk or drive with their wives in the buggies and wagons in those days and make a circuit of the little town of Evansville. Of course the militia companies always took part in those parades. From the time this country was first settled up to the time Indiana adopted her second constitution, there were militia laws which called for musters and that is why there were so many military titles in the old days. People imagine that these titles grew out of the war of 1776 but this was not so, for the great majority of the generals, colonels, majors and captains, gained their
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titles through serving with the militia. Of course in a small town the com- pany was always small but it had to have its officers all the same. The uni- forms were not according to regulation, as the government could not afford to outfit these militia companies so they were allowed to follow their own free will, and a uniform was about as follows: A blue coat made of the usual homespun blue jeans cut with a high collar, a swallow tail and with stripes of common red tape across the breast. There were always two rows of brass buttons that were made of any kind of tinseled brass that could be gotten. The belts were of homespun jeans or buckskin and a long sword (and of these, there were never any two alike) an enormous three-cornered hat and a waving plume completed the outfit. Of course moccasins were worn on the feet. Still these brawny pioneers did not look at all badly and as a great majority of them were splendid riders, they compared very favorably with the broadcloth-covered officers who sometimes turn out at the present day and imagine that the way to ride a horse is to use a very short stirrup and stick their feet out at right angles from their shoulders and bob up and down as much as possible, while riding. I have seen some of these alleged officers in Evansville that would make one of these old pioneers turn over in his grave.
The procession always wound up at the spit where the 4th of July cele- bration barbecue was served. A 4th of July celebration without a barbecue free to all, was something unknown. The expenses were very light. Some farmer would come in with a deer and another with a sheep and another perhaps with a bear or a couple of shoats and there was always meat enough for all provided by them. If there seemed to be any scarcity, the people would chip in and buy a steer which would be roasted almost whole. The side dishes were white and Irish potatoes and corn bread. There was some cider too in those days, but as a rule, whisky was about as cheap as cider and a great many of the German pioneers made wines of different kinds and it is a fact that where there were such unlimited sources for drinking such a thing as a drunken man on 4th of July was almost unknown- It is a fact that when the average drinker knows that he can get liquor by simply taking it, he cares little for it, or less than if he has to pay for it or acquire it by some underhanded means. However, the eating never began until after the orations of the day. The first thing of course, was the reading of the Declaration of Independence and for this some rising young orator whose voice was very often far better than his knowledge of rhetoric, was chosen. After that came a 4th of July speech which was generally along the lines of the Declaration, for, heaven be thanked, we had no poli- tics in those days to discuss. These speeches were generally made by politi- cians, for the politician has been with us always and while it was considered a breach of courtesy for any orator to refer to either political party, he generally was glad to be allowed to make this speech in order to show his party what he would be able to do when the next campaign began. Then came the dinner to which they did full justice. Dyspepsia and a thousand
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other diseases which we love to discuss in these days were unknown. Al- most anybody could sit down and eat a good meal at any time in the day and not talk about it for hours afterwards. In the afternoon the children played games and the glee clubs which were a part of every little place, sang patriotic songs and young and old took part in various games of the day. There were no tops to spin, no bicycle races and an appearance of an automobile would have frightened the whole crowd off the grounds, but many of the young men had marbles and strange to say they generally pro- nounced this word marvels. Some were "bought" marbles but very few of them, and the majority of them were made by themselves out of stones which they smoothed until they became round. The game now where a boy drops to one knee and shoots, was unknown, the only game being bull- pen and the young men shot their marbles standing. Even the old men never gave up this game, for it was a great test for the eye and also for the strength of the knuckle to be able to plump the center duck out of the bull ring. By five o'clock everybody was ready to go home and the grounds were soon cleared up and the great day that came but once a year, was over. These affairs were very primitive but it is a question if there was not as much real enjoyment in those days as there is in the 4th of July of the present age. The 4th of July at present has become almost a nuisance. Firecrackers, toy pistols and fireworks brought such havoc in later days, that they have been virtually stopped in every city where the administration had any sense. There is such a thing as running good things into the ground and that is what was certainly done with the firecracker which originated as a little thing no larger around than a lead pencil and with a harmless kind of crack, and developed into the great giant cracker which was not only dangerous but enough to destroy the nerves of all sensible people who were near them when they were discharged. These abominations got into the hands of fool young men whose addlepated sense of humor was such that they thought it was a great joke to explode them near nervous women. It is perhaps unfortunate that the youth of today has lost a sense of re- spect for that splendid document, the Declaration of Independence, and that he should no longer care to hear a 4th of July oration, no matter what merit it may have. But this loss of interest is due to the fact that both political parties have for years used the Declaration of Independence and the 4th of July oration to further their own selfish ends and when the aver- age youth hears either one of them started, he is apt to say, "Oh, give us a rest," and walk away-and who can blame him.
Mr. Percy Carroll, a trenchant writer who is always up-to-date, says regarding celebrating the Fourth: "Fourth of July celebrations, like many other things in this most interesting period of the world's development, are undergoing a change. At present they are chaotic, and in many places practically non-existent.
"Everywhere July 4 is a holiday. Business ceases and a day of relief from the treadmill of labor is proclaimed. In some places there are formal
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celebrations, but by no means so many as there used to be. There was a time, not long ago, when every community had its Fourth of July exercises, and no one would think of omitting them any more than he would consider omitting Christmas gift-giving.
"The decline of the Fourth of July celebration is not due to loss of patriotism. Never in the history of the nation have the fires of patriotism burned so brightly on the altars of the people as they do today. But Inde- pendence Day celebrations have gone out of vogue because they degenerated into tiresome and terrible occasions, when more lives were sacrificed to the customs of the day than were lost in the War for Independence.
"To many, Fourth of July was not Fourth of July without noise, and the more noise there was the better the day. The small boy had his part in this and usually gets blamed for all of it; but he is entitled to a better hearing than he has had on this subject.
"To many others, Fourth of July has been a day for getting drunk. Independence and the birth of liberty on a continent where it should shine as a beacon light to humanity the world over were deemed properly cele- brated by numerous potations that drenched the soul in mists of maudlin and stupid exhilaration.
"It is not strange that the old ways of celebrating the Fourth have gone out of fashion, and that communities and states are making laws against them. The time is come when new methods of celebrating the nation's birthday are needed, and be sure that they will be evolved out of the need of them.
"Massachusetts having abolished by law every implement of boisterous celebration except the baby firecrackers that strive in vain to make the day hideous, Boston has devised a new scheme of celebration, or rather a return to one of the prettiest features of the old way of celebrating.
"On the Fourth of July of this year the Declaration of Independence will be read to the assembled people from the balcony of the state house.
"Reading the Declaration of Independence used to be the prime feature of the day. The noise and tumult that came to be associated with the Fourth, however, distracted attention from it so much that it was generally dropped, long ago.
"Now that the general idea seems to be to abolish the noisy Fourth and to try to replace it by something pleasant and seemly, maybe it will be possible to get a hearing for the Declaration of Independence.
"And now that the American people are taking a new start toward ultimate democracy, it will be a very good thing indeed to refresh our memories by a reading of that immortal document."
BANKS OF EVANSVILLE.
The first bank of which the writer has any remembrance was what was known as the Canal bank. This was in a brick building on Water street, or about where the Bayard store now stands. The head of the bank was Hor-
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atio Q. Wheeler, an eastern man who was at the same time, the head of the school system of Evansville. The bank was a very small affair but was absolutely safe. But this, however, was not the first bank established in Evansville. In 1834 the Old State Bank of Indiana was organized, with a capital of $80,000. The first meeting of the board of directors was No- vember II, 1834, and the members were Robert Stockwell, John Shanklin, Marcus Sherwood, William Lewis, William Owens, Robert Barnes, Jo- seph Elliot, James Cawson, Mr. North and John Mitchell. It will be seen from this list of names that the citizens of the very best standing in those days were among the officers of this board. John Mitchell was elected president and John Edwards cashier. After Mr. Mitchell's death, Mr. Samuel Orr was elected president. In 1843 the capital of the bank was in- creased to $150,000, of which $73,000 was owned by the state. In 1847 Geo. W. Rathbone became cashier. He held his position for ten years, when the bank was changed to the "Branch of the bank of the state of In- diana." This new bank had a board of directors, among whom were some new names, all of equally as good standing, namely : G. W. Rathbone, Rob- ert Perry, H. Q. Wheeler, R. R. Roberts and Geo. Foster. Mr. Rathbone was chosen president and Samuel Bayard cashier. Immediately after the war the bank was reorganized as the Evansville National Bank, with a cap- ital of $300,000 which was soon raised to $800,000. Mr. W. J. Lowry "Uncle Billy," who had come here from Mt. Vernon was elected president and R. R. Roberts cashier. After that Mr. Rathbone was again chosen president, Mr. Samuel Bayard vice president and V. M. Watkins cashier. About this time Mr. Rathbone moved to New York and Mr. Bayard filled the position of president while Captain John Gilbert became vice president. The charter of this bank which was to run 20 years expired in 1885, when it became the Old National Bank, Samuel Bayard, president, John Gilbert vice president, Henry Reis, Samuel Bayard, D. J. Mackey, William Heil- man, R. K. Dunkerson, Henry F. Blount, William M. Akin, Edward G. Ragon and John Gilbert, directors. The surplus of the bank then was $250,000. Its deposits were nearly $100,000. This stock has always paid large dividends and is always quoted high in the market. In fact, there has been very little if any of the stock for sale. The bank, and it is hard to keep from calling it the Old Bank, was built in 1836, and is a most massive structure. In 1889 it was thoroughly gone over and some changes made in the interior. Mr. Bayard was identified with this bank for nearly half a century and no one has ever questioned his sound judgment and his great executive skill and at the same time, his untarnished honor. Those who did not know Mr. Samuel Bayard could not realize that under a somewhat cold and reserved exterior, he possessed one of the warmest of hearts. At the bank where the handling of large amounts was a daily matter, where quick decisions were necessary and where a thorough knowledge of men and matters were a part of the business, his entire mind was absorbed in his work, but when at 3 o'clock the doors closed and Mr. Bayard went to
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