USA > Indiana > Harrison County > Indiana's Birthplace: A History of Harrison County Indiana > Part 2
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In 1833, Thomas Farquar removed the "emblem of justice" and reroofed the old building. He also hung the bell which, for almost seventy years, has summoned the citizens to court, church, lectures, . political meetings, fires and even to war, for, many years after, it conveyed the tidings to an anxious
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populace that General John Morgan and his gang of "Guerillas" were coming to destroy Corydon. In 1873, the building was remodeled. The steps were removed to the outside where they are now located and the old stone floor gave way to a modern wood floor. The
INDIANA'S FIRST CAPITOL.
fire places were filled up and the building was replas- tered. Since that time there has been no change except the remodeling of the second story by building new partitions, thereby changing the shape and number of rooms on the second floor. From the time Indiana became a state until 1825, the Legislature met in this building. The House of Representatives occupied the
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lower room and the Senate Chamber was a large room in the south side of the upper story. The clerk of the Supreme court occupied a room in the northeast corner of the second story. When the Legislature was not in session these rooms were occupied by the Supreme, District and County courts.
PUBLIC OFFICES
In the early days the state offices were located in the building on Walnut street, now occupied as a dwelling by the family of the late Amzi W. Brewster. A cellar under the building was used as a vault for keeping the public funds. A one story building on the west was used as a dwelling by the Treasurer of State. When the capital was moved to Indianapolis in 1825, this house was occupied by Samuel Merrill, who was then Treasurer of State. Mr. Merrill was the father of Catherine Merrill, the authoress and teacher of Indianapolis, and the grandfather of William A. Ketcham, formerly Attorney General of Indiana, and Hon. Merrill Moores, now of Indianapolis.
In 1825, the county built a small brick building in the public square, to be used as an office building, and the Masons built a second story on it, which was occupied by them as a lodge hall. In 1840, a two story brick building was erected for use as a county office building. In 1882 this building was torn down and the present office building was erected in its place. The present handsome jail and sheriff's residence was built in 1873. It has recently been remodeled and today it presents a handsome appearance and is a credit to the county.
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GOVERNOR'S MANSION
The brick building known as the Governor's Mansion was built by Harbin H. Moore, a noted lawyer, who in 1828, was defeated by James Brown Ray for Governor of Indiana. This house was substantially built of brick, made on the lot where it stood, and
GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
remained standing until a few years ago, when it gave way to a modern dwelling. The interior of the house was finished in hand carved hardwood. While it was known as the Governor's Mansion, it was occupied by but one Governor, Jonathan Jennings. Governor Posey declined to live in Corydon on account of his health, and Governor Hendricks lived in Madison, coming to Corydon at frequent intervals. While in Corydon, he roomed at the Porter homestead, which is still standing and is occupied as a dwelling by Patrick Griffin.
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MASONIC GRAND LODGE
A few yards east of the Governor's Mansion stood a two story stone house, which had been built by Reuben W. Nelson, also a famous lawyer. In this house on the 3rd day of December, 1817, delegates from the various Masonic Lodges of the state, met to make arrangements for organizing a Grand Lodge for the State of Indiana. The following eleven Masons attended this meeting; General W. Johnson, S. C. Stevens, Abel C. Pepper, Christopher Harrison, Henry P. Thornton, Joseph Bartholomew, John Miller, Davis Floyd, Hezekiah B. Hull, James Dill and A. Buckner. After the transaction of some business and making preparations for the completion of their arrangements, they adjourned, to meet at Madison on the 12th day of January, 1818, and there the Grand Lodge was duly organized.
EARLY BUSINESS AFFAIRS
The first blacksmith shop in Corydon was estab- lished by Israel Butt at the corner of Oak and Walnut Streets, in 1808.
Colonel Thomas Posey came to Corydon from Virginia about 1810, and kept a general store on Oak Street, in a brick house which is still standing. Colo- nel Posey was an excellent man and was said to be the natural son of General George Washington. He never married, and in 1861, he removed to Henderson, Kentucky, where he died a short time afterward.
Joshua Wilson kept a store at the southeast cor- ner of Market and Walnut Streets for many years.
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David Byrn started a silversmith business in Corydon in 1818.
In 1816, James Giles walked from Vincennes to Corydon and together with John Meffert engaged in the hat business.
In 1812, Dr. James B. Slaughter passed through Corydon on a military expedition against the Indians. In 1813, he came back and located at Corydon.
In 1815, John T. Jamison started a tavern on Chestnut Street in Corydon, and in 1816, David Craig established one on Elm Street. When President Monroe and General Jackson visited Corydon in 1819, they stopped at Craig's Tavern. President Monroe and General Jackson visited Corydon on the 22nd day of June, 1819, remaining until June 23rd, when they ,departed for Louisville, Kentucky.
Thomas Farquar was a Justice of the Peace and also kept boarders.
Spier Spencer kept a hotel in Corydon until his death at Tippecanoe. His wife conducted the business. for many years thereafter.
In 1807, Henry Rice left Washington, Pennsyl- vania, and came down the Ohio River on a flat boat, landing at Tobacco Landing. He settled on a farm six miles east of Corydon where he remained until 1809, when he removed to Corydon and built a large brick house on Chestnut Street near Elm where he engaged in the hotel business.
Judan Vigus came to Corydon in 1816, and opened out a tailor shop and tavern on the corner of Chestnut and Market Streets.
Armstrong Brandon kept store in a house on
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Elm Street. In his store was a branch of the Indiana State Bank of Vincennes, which he conducted.
Colonel Samuel Judah, a noted lawyer, practiced law in Corydon for a number of years. He was after- wards associated with Henry Clay in the noted Myra Clark case, to recover a large amount of property in New Orleans.
John Aydelotte started a store on Elm Street in 1820.
CHURCHES
"Old Goshen" church is the oldest church build- ing in Harrison County. And, today it stands just as it did when the work of building it was completed by Moses Boone and George Bartley in 1813. Many moss- covered tomb-stones more than three-quarters of a century old stand in the cemetery near the church. During the ninety-seven years of its existence, the population of "Old Goshen Graveyard" has grown to. about two hundred.
John George Pfrimmer, a United Brethren Min- ister, organized all of the United Brethren Churches in Indiana. He built Pfrimmer's Chapel in 1818. The original church was a small log building and stood on the present site of the comfortable frame building now known as Pfrimmer's Chapel.
James Armstrong, a Methodist Preacher, settled near Lanesville in 1800, and for many years preached at churches, school houses and camp meetings through- out the state.
Roger's Chapel in Posey Township was built by a Mr. Rogers and a Mr. Potts, and is one of the oldest
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churches in the county. The original building has long since disappeared but the present church stands on the same site.
On July 31, 1824, John Hughes deeded the land, where Thompson's Chapel now stands, for a Methodist Church and school house. It was named in honor of William Thompson, a pioneer preacher, who accepted such donations as were given him by the people for his services.
During the early years of Harrison County a Dunkard Church stood in Morgan Township, near Bradford. The church has been gone for many years but the location is fixed by a cemetery containing many tombstones nearly a hundred years old.
Mt. Solomon church in Scott Township was built in August, 1835, and was the first Lutheran Church in Indiana. The present church was dedicated about the year 1860 by the Rev. P. A. Peter, now of Verona, Ohio.
Levi Long was a noted Baptist Preacher. He was born about the close of the Revolutionary War and when a young man he came to Indiana. He traveled over the state preaching for a number of years. He helped to build the old state house and put in some coins when the corner stone was laid.
The noted Republican meeting house was built in Ripperdan's Valley in 1828. It was built by the united efforts of the neighborhood and was free to all denominations. The first Baptist preachers were Revs. Lone, Armstrong and Levi Long. Lutheran ministers were Henkle, Reiser and Krack. Presby- terians were Martin and Dunbar. Methodists were
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Revs. Daniels and W. C. Smith. The Methodists organized there about 1838, and in 1847, organized the first Sunday school, with Aaron Bean as super- intendent. In 1873, the old church building was removed to New Amsterdam and in 1884, it was washed away by high water.
The present Christian Church, in Corydon, was originally a United Brethren Church was bought by a small membership of the Christian Church in 1852.
In 1810, Rev. Dr. Crowe, of Hanover, organized a Presbyterian Church in Corydon with Henry Rice and Mr. Armstrong, as ruling elders. A small church was erected in 1819. Its first pastor was William W. Martin who was commonly known as Father Martin. He had three sons, D. N., William A. P., and Claudius B. H., all of whom became ministers, the two former going to China as missionaries. W. A. P. Martin is still in China, as an aged missionary. For many years he has been President of the Imperial College at Pekin and was a trusted advisor during the Boxer up- rising in that country.
The Catholic Cathedral at Lanesville is one of the finest churches in the state. The congregation was organized in 1843 by Father Opperman. The first church was built. in 1849 by Father Neyron. In 1854 Rev. Alphonse Munshina took charge of the church and erected a school and parsonage for the Sisters of Providence. The present magnificent church was begun in 1856 and completed in 1860, and dedi- cated by Bishop de St. Palais in 1864. Father Mun- shina was pastor until 1893, when he was succeeded by Rev. A. Peckskamp who is still its pastor. Since
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assuming charge, Father Peckskamp has made many improvements in the interior of the church and has built a handsome brick school building.
INCORPORATION OF CORYDON
On Monday, the 3rd day of March, 1817, the citizens of Corydon met to consider the propriety of incorporating the town. General John Tipton pre- sided over the meeting and Reuben W. Nelson was elected Secretary. A vote was taken and the follow- ing qualified voters expressed themselves favorable to the incorporation:
Joseph McMahon
James B. Slaughter
- David S. Collins
Anthony Gwartney
George Jones James Kirkpatrick
Wm. P. Thomasson
Patrick Flannagan
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H. P. Coburn Jonathan Houser
Milo R. Davis
John T. Jameson
Daniel Craig William Johnson
Dudley Gresham Lyman Beeman Henry Rice, Jr.
A. Brandon
Robert A. New Thomas Spencer
James G. Smith William Smith
Harbin H. Moore
Ezekiel Wood
Samuel Ruth
There being no opposition to incorporation, it was so ordered. On Monday, the 17th day of March, 1817, the qualified voters met at the court house, in Cory- don, for the purpose of electing five Trustees for said town. General John Tipton presided and Davis Floyd was chosen Clerk of the election. The following
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named persons were there elected to serve for one year: Henry Rice, Richard M. Heth, A. D. Thom, James Kirkpatrick and Milo R. Davis.
This incorporation was permitted to lapse, but the town was incorporated again on the 24th of January, 1835, and John Smith, W. A. Porter, Lewis Jordan, Thomas Craig and Benjamin Aydelotte were elected Trustees.
The incorporation lapsed again and Corydon lost its charter a second time, but it was re-incorporated again in 1849, and James G. May, T. C. Slaughter, S. K. Wolfe, Thomas Posey and Benjamin Aydelotte were elected Trustees.
CORYDON THE CAPITAL
By an act of the General Assembly of Indiana Territory, at Vincennes, which was approved on the IIth day of March, 1813, the seat of Government of the territory was fixed at Corydon, Harrison County, "from and after the first day of May, 1813."
In conformity with a joint resolution of both houses of the General Assembly of the Territory, Acting Governor Gibson prorogued them to meet at Corydon on the first day of December, 1813. Corydon remained the Territorial and State Capitol from that date until the 10th day of January, 1825. Its popu- lation during that time was about five hundred. It has since grown until the population is now about twenty- two hundred.
The Territorial Legislature, in 1813, enacted thirty-two laws, among which was the act providing for the removal of the Capital of the Territory from
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Vincennes to Corydon. In December, 1813, the General Assembly duly convened at Corydon, and Governor Posey, who had been inaugurated on May 25, 1813, delivered his message on the first day of the session.
Governor Posey, who was in ill health, declined to remain at Corydon and in an official communication addressed to the President of the Legislative Council, on the 27th day of December, 1813, he wrote the fol- lowing:
"I wish you to communicate to your honorable body, that the delicate state of my health will not admit of my longer continuance at this place (Cory- don). I find myself badly situated on account of medical aid. My physician is at Louisville, and I have taken all the medicine brought with me."
Immediately following the delivery of this message, the Governor removed to Jeffersonville. During his absence, on the 6th day of January, 1814, the Legis- lative Council adopted the following resolution:
"Whereas, both houses of the Legislature did, on the 4th instant inform the Governor that they had gone through their Legislative business, and were. ready to be prorogued, and
Whereas, the expense of near $50 per day doth. arise to the people of the territory by reason of the Legislature being kept in session-all of which evils and inconvenience doth arise from the Governor leav- ing the seat of government, during the session `of the. Legislature, and going to Jeffersonville, and the Legis- lature having to send their committee on enrolled bills. to that place, to lay them before him for his approval and signature; be it, therefore,
Resolved, that, in order to prevent any further
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expense accruing to the Territory at the present session, that the President of the Legislative Council and Speaker of the House of Representatives be, and they are hereby, authorized to receive the report of the Governor, of the laws by him signed or rejected, and his order of propogation, and communicate the same to the Clerks of their respective Houses, who shall insert the same in their journals, in the same manner as if the houses were in session."
The House of Representatives concurred in this resolution, and the two houses adjourned sine die.
This was a cool rebuke to the Governor for his careless lack of regard for public extravagance as well as an illustrative.example of the spirit of economy with which Indiana's early legislators guarded the public funds and the interests of their constituents. The publicity which this resolution received resulted in the defeat of Governor Posey, for Governor of Indiana, by Jonathan Jennings in 1816.
The General Assembly of Indiana Territory, which met at Corydon on the first Monday in Decem- ber, 1815, on the 14th day of that month, adopted a memorial which was presented to Congress, by the Territorial Delegate, Jonathan Jennings, on the 28th day of the same month. This memorial contained the following passages.
"WHEREAS, the ordinance of Congress for the government of this Territory has provided, that when there shall be sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, the territory shall be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States; and, whereas, by a census taken by the authority of the Legislature of this territory, it appears from the returns, that the number of free white inhabitants exceeds sixty thous-
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and-We, therefore, pray the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled, to order an election to be conducted agreeable to the existing laws of this territory, on the first Monday of May, 1816, for Representatives to meet in Convention, at the seat of Government of this Territory, on the -day of-1816, who, when assembled, shall determine, by a majority of the votes of all the members elected, whether it will be expedient or in- expedient to go into a State Government, and if it be determined expedient, the Convention thus assembled shall have the power to form a Constitution and frame of Government; or, if it be deemed inexpedient, to provide for the election of Representatives to meet, in Convention, at some future period to form a consti- tution."
"And, whereas, the inhabitants of this Territory are principally composed of emigrants from every part of the Union, and as various in their customs and sentiments as in their persons, we think it prudent, at this time, to express to the General Government, our attachment to the fundamental principles of legislation prescribed by Congress in their ordinances for the government of this Territory, particularly, as respects personal freedom and involuntary servitude, and hope they may be continued as the basis of the Constitution."
The memorial was referred to a committee, of which Jonathan Jennings, the Delegate from Indiana Territory, was the Chairman; and on the 6th day of January, 1816, this gentleman reported to the House of Representatives of the United States, a bill to enable the people of Indiana Territory to form a Constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such state into the Union on equal footing with the original States. This bill, after having been amended in some particulars, was passed by Congress, and became a
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law, by the approval of the President of the United States on the 19th day of April, 1816. The following is a copy of the act :
ACT OF CONGRESS
An act to enable the people of the Indiana Terri- tory to form a Constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original states.
(Approved April 19, 1816.)
SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, of the United States of America, in Congress assembled; That the inhabitants .of the Territory of Indiana, be, and they are hereby authorized, to form for themselves a Constitution and State Government, and to assume such name as they 'shall deem proper; and the said State when formed, shall be admitted into the Union upon the same foot- ing with the original states, in all respects whatever. SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, that the said State shall consist of all the territory include" within the following boundaries, to-wit : Bounded on the east by the meridian line which forms the western boundary of the State of Ohio; on the south by the River Ohio, from the mouth of the Great Miami River to the mouth of the river Wabash; on the west, by a line drawn from the middle of the Wabash, from its mouth to a point where a due north line drawn from the Town of Vincennes would last touch the north- western shore of the said river; and from thence, by a due north line, until the same shall intersect an east and west line drawn through a point ten miles north of the southern extreme of Lake Michigan; on the north by the said east and west line, until the same shall intersect the first mentioned meridian line, which forms the western boundary of the State of Ohio;
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provided that the convention hereinafter provided for, when formed, shall ratify the boundaries. aforesaid, otherwise they shall be and remain as now prescribed by the ordinance for the government of the Territory north west of the river Ohio; provided, also that the said State shall have concurrent jurisdiction on the river Wabash, with the State to be formed west thereof, so far as the said river shall form a common boundary to both.
SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, that all male citizens of the United States, who shall have arrived at the age of twenty one years, and resided within the said Territory at least one year previous to the day of election, and shall have paid a county or territorial tax, and all persons having in other respects. the legal qualifications to vote for Representatives in the General Assembly by the said Territory, be, and they are hereby authorized to choose Representatives to form a Convention, who shall be apportioned among the several counties within the said Territory, accor- ding to the apportionment made by the Legislature thereof, at their last session, to-wit: From the county of Wayne, four representatives; from the county of Dearborn, three representatives; from the county of Switzerland, one representative; from the county of Jefferson, three representatives; from the county of Clark, five representatives; from the county of Har- rison, five representatives; from the county of Wash- ington, five representatives; from the county of Knox, five representatives, from the county of Gibson, four representatives; from the county of Posey, one repre- sentative; from the county of Warrick, one representa- tive. from the county of Perry, one representative.
And the election for the representatives aforesaid, shall be holden on the second Monday in May, One thousand eight hundred and sixteen, throughout the several counties in said Territory; and shall be con- ducted in the same manner, and under the same penal-
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ties as prescribed by the laws of said Territory regula- ting elections therein for members of the House of Representatives.
SECTION 4. And be it further enacted, that the members of the Convention, thus duly elected, be, and they are hereby authorized to meet at the seat of government of said Territory, on the second Monday of June next, which Convention when met, shall first determine, by a majority of the whole number elected, whether it be or be not expedient, at that time, to form a Constitution and State Government for the people within the said Territory; and if it be deter- mined to be expedient, the Convention shall be, and hereby are authorized to form a Constitution and State Government; or if it be deemed more expedient, the said Convention shall provide by Ordinance for election of representatives to form a Constitution or frame of government, which said representatives shall be chosen in such manner, and in such proportion, and shall meet at such time and place, as shall be prescribed by the said Ordinance; and shall then form, for the people of said Territory, a Constitution and State Govern- ment; provided, that the same, whenever formed, shall be republican, and not repugnant to those articles of the Ordinance of the thirteenth of July, One thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, which are declared to be irrevocable between the original states and the people and States of the territory northwest of the river Ohio; excepting so much of said articles as relates to the boundaries of States therein to be formed.
SECTION 5. And be it further enacted, That until the next general census shall be taken, the said State shall be entitled to one Representative in the House of Representatives of the United States.
SECTION 6. And be it further enacted, That the following propositions be, and the same are hereby offered to the Convention of the said Territory of 3
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Indiana, when formed, for their free acceptance or rejection, which, if accepted by the Convention shall be obligatory upon the United States:
FIRST: That the section numbered sixteen, in every township, and when such section has been sold, granted or disposed of, other lands, equivalent thereto, and most contiguous to the same, shall be granted to the inhabitants of such township, for the use of schools.
SECOND: That all salt springs within the said Territory, and the land reserved for the use of the same, together with such other lands as may, by the President of the United States, be deemed necessary and proper for working the said salt springs, not exceeding in the whole, the quantity contained in six entire sections, shall be granted to the said State for use of the people of the said State, the same to be used under such terms, conditions, and regulations as the Legislature of the said State shall direct; provided, the said Legislature shall never sell nor lease the same for a longer period than ten years at any one time.
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