USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Richmond > Memoirs of Wayne County and the city of Richmond, Indiana; from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Wayne County, Volume I Pt. 1 > Part 24
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As is true with most pioneers of a new country, the early in- habitants were not people of means. All were in the same con- dition and all had sought new homes in order to better their con- dition. Their possessions were few and their wants were limited by their surroundings. It is a true saying that "the more a man has the more he wants." Knowing that to want for the comforts of civilization was in vain, these people were content and happy. It was a case of the survival of the strongest, the physically weak and faint-hearted having no place in such a life. The division of labor had not progressed far. Each settler, by his own ingenuity, supplied the necessities of his life. Nearly everything was home- made. The pioneer made most of his tools and household utensils. He often made the shoes for the family.
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The toil which he expended upon the soil produced his food. The sugar maples yielded his yearly supply of sugar and molasses. He was thus almost as independent as Crusoe upon his island. The wife was no less busy and played a no less important part in the struggle for existence. She spun yarn, wove the cloth, and cut and made the garments of the family, besides doing the thou- sand and one duties which fall to the lot of the farmer's wife. Her utensils were of the rudest sort, buckeye bowls, and a few frying pans, crocks and kettles, forming her culinary outfit. Then, in cooking, she had to kneel before the wide fireplace and endure the scorching heat of the log fire. The women, too, were very skillful in their work. They could hackle flax and perform all the proc- esses of making linen. They also made soap and hominy. To see a woman of that day dexterously turn a pancake with a jerk and twist of the long handled frying pan would be a revelation to the modern cook. These are now counted among the lost arts.
The children of that day also had a place in the domestic activ- ities. Idleness was not to be tolerated and each had his duties to perform. The great fireplace ate rapidly into the wood pile, which was generally attended to by the boys. The grain must be car- ried to the mill, which was generally several miles distant. At first it was carried on horseback, along the narrow bridle paths through the forest, but with the opening of roads, wagons soon came into use. Arriving at the mill, the grain was reduced to meal and bran, the usual toll of one-eighth was taken by the miller for grinding, and our farmer boy would set his face towards home with a lighter sack but greater in bulk. These trips often took an entire day. Then, on Saturday, when not in school, there was hominy to be beaten in the mortar with the heavy pestle, and in the sowing and harvest times the boys carried water, dropped the seed, or helped to bind and haul the ripe grain.
The girls, also, had their duties and were early initiated into the arts of domestic affairs. In this social state, each had his place to fill and no one was heard to complain because of lack of work. In almost every community the settlers built a stockade, with block houses at two opposite corners, which commanded all the approaches. In these, they took refuge in time when Indians took to the warpath. The block houses were constructed with an upper story which overhung the lower about four feet, the floor of this projection being pierced by loopholes for rifles. Thus, the ease and safety of the present generation was gained by the hard toil of its sturdy ancestry, amid danger and privation. But. although
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people of to-day are more cultured and are infinitely more advanced in the arts of civilization, yet it is to be doubted whether they are happier than their worthy sires. The amusements of the early settlers were keenly enjoyed. The family gathered about the roaring fire of logs of a winter's evening, the bright, healthy faces, the enjoyment of stories and jokes and the ever-present cider and apples, forms a picture which is not dimmed when placed along- side a modern fire scene. Social amusements were generally of such a nature as included an element of usefulness.
House raising, followed by the house warming, at which sup- per was usually served, was one of the social functions of the time. The husking bee, at which the company divided itself into two rival parties, vying with each other to see who could shuck the most corn, was another amusement then in vogue. This was usually followed by supper and games. Among the women, sewing bees and quiltings were a means of social intercourse and also of profit. Apple "pealings" likewise made a pleasant amusement in the autumn. As a means of education and genuine enjoyment, the spelling school came in for its share of attention during the winter evenings. Old and young assembled from miles around at the little log school-house to hear the contest. Singing schools were also very popular and afforded the young gallant an opportunity to escort his "best girl."
From this brief sketch it is evident that the simplicity was the principal characteristic of the early social life of Wayne county. This is true in the pioneer stage of every community. Progress means complexity of institutions. We have seen that the settlers practiced nearly all the trades which were necessary to their sim- ple manner of life. Business methods were as yet simple. The elaborate system of credit which now prevails was then unknown. Barter was the rule in trade. The people were so honest that notes were not given for borrowed money and banks did not make their appearance until 1834. Schools were as yet not differentiated into various grades as at present. The district schools taught the "Three R's" to all grades and ages of pupils.
Simplicity was also the ruling principle in religion. The various auxiliaries of the church were unknown and the Meeting was the sum total of religious effort. Politics stirred the people very little and the political activities of the citizen were confined to national questions and national candidates. The social insti- tutions and problems were as yet very simple. The care of the poor and the saloon question vexed the pioneer mind very little.
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They are problems arising from the centralization of population in towns and cities. We will now seek to discover how the people of Wayne county have been in the past, and are at present, solving the various social problems.
SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
In 1811 a commission was appointed by the Court of Wayne county to select a site for the county seat. The members of the commission were Samuel Walker, Richard Maxwell, and Ben- jamin Harris. They selected a place donated by Samuel Woods. on Clear creek, in township 13, range 3. This was the first town laid out in the county. It flourished as a village of a few hundred inhabitants until 1816, when the county seat was removed to Cen- terville. The name of this village was Salisburg. but neither the place nor its name are to be found at the present time upon the map, and nothing remains of its buildings. Centerville had been organized as a town in 1814 and, being more centrally located, was made the county seat, which it remained until August, 1873. In 1826 it had about 400 people and was a thriving town. Few places can boast of having more great men as residents. Among them are Indiana's great war governor. Oliver P. Morton; and General Burnside. For many years Centerville was the largest and most prosperous town in the county, but the removal of the county seat to its rival, Richmond, was a severe blow to its prog- ress. In its palmy days, Centerville was the home of brilliant lawyers and many prominent people of the county. Many of Richmond's most respected citizens came from that town. It is yet a town of 600 people.
Richmond was begun in 1816, by an addition being laid out south of Main street by John Smith, and a little later by one north of Main street by Jeremiah Cox. In 1819, it had about 350 people. Through its manufacturing industries and its being the county seat it grew rapidly in population. It is now, according to the census of 1910, a thriving city of 22,324 people. Cambridge City, the second city in population and wealth, was laid out in 1836. It has steadily increased in population since its foundation and con- tains about 2.237 people. Besides these there are several other towns and villages in the county. Hagerstown, in Jefferson town- ship, is a town of 936 inhabitants. Dublin, two miles east of Cam- bridge City, in Jackson township, has a population of 704. Foun- tain City, in New Garden township, has a population of 448 people.
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Milton, lying two miles south of Cambridge City, in Washington township, has a population of 601 people. Abington, in Abington township, has a population of 150 people. Williamsburg, in Green township, has 300 inhabitants. Economy, in Perry township, has 350 inhabitants. Dalton, in Dalton township, has 62 inhabitants. Green's Fork, in Clay, has 377. Jacksonburg, in Harrison, has 100. Germantown, in Jackson, has 305. White Water, in Franklin town- ship, has 112 people. These are the principal centers of popula- tion and in them we expect to find social institutions developed.
The first great social movement among the people of Wayne county was their attitude towards the Fugitive Slave Law. The sentiment of the people being against slavery, they were naturally opposed to returning runaway slaves to their masters. In the system of helping runaways to freedom Wayne county's citizens played an active part. The town of Newport, now Fountain City, was an important station on one of the lines for transporting negroes, which were known as the "Underground Railways." Levi Coffin, a citizen of Newport, and a Quaker, was one of the fore- most workers in this most humane work. His house, which by the way still stands as a relic of those days, was a station on the line. Mr. Coffin ran one of the large covered wagons used in the work. He and his kindhearted wife received the runaways into their house, fed and clothed them, and secreted them from the slave hunters who infested the country, until they could be trans- ported to the next station. This was usually to Cabin Creek ; thence to Jonesboro, Marion, and so on, up to Canada. The route south of Newport included Cincinnati, College Hill, Elkhorn, and New Paris. William and Israel Huff were among the other work- ers in the cause. Mr. Coffin stated that he cared for 3,200 fugitives during his residence in Newport, not one of whom was recovered by his master. The trips were made at night and very rapidly. Several encounters were had with bands of slave hunters, who often insisted on searching their houses for slaves, but, as a rule, they were baffled by the system of hiding and transportation. While the proceedings of the "Underground Railway" were con- trary to the spirit, if not to the letter, of the Fugitive Slave Law, yet they may be excused upon the grounds of humanity.
The next social movement in which the people of Wayne coun- ty were interested was the care of the families of the soldiers who took part in the Civil war. Many were the sacrifices made by fami- lies in that great struggle. Husbands and sons went to war, leav- ing behind them families who were dependent on their daily toil.
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The suffering entailed by this state of affairs would have been enormous had not those of Wayne county's loyal sons who re- mained behind come forward and liberally contributed to the sup- port of the soldier's wife and children. Especially was help neces- sary in the cities. In the country, the women and children could manage to raise enough produce to keep "the wolf from the door"; but in the cities, their sources of income were more limited, through their inability to earn anything. Many generous deeds of kindness are doubtless unrecorded ; but the liberality of the farm- ers surrounding the city of Richmond, in caring for its distressed, was so great that it deserves to go down in the history of the county as one of its brightest pages. The winters of 1862 and 1863 were very hard on the poor. One morning in January, 1863, twenty-five wagons, loaded with wood, and one with flour, meal, potatoes, etc., were driven into Richmond by the Middleboro farmers, and their contents were distributed among the poor and needy of the soldiers' families. On Saturday, Feb. 14, a dele- gation from Boston township brought over sixty cords of wood and 3,000 pounds of meal and other provisions. On Feb. 28, the farmers along the National Road, east of the city, brought in ninety-two cords of wood, over 2,000 pounds of flour, forty bushels of corn meal, six bushels of potatoes, etc. The procession was eight blocks long. The next Monday the farmers along the pike west of town, came in with a contribution equally as large. The rivalry in this work of mercy became very intense. The Middle- boro farmers again came into town on March 28 with a train of wagons nearly a mile long. The farmers along the Liberty Pike, not to be outdone, now brought in their contribution, their total gifts amounting, in value, to $1,300. These different delegations were received by the citizens with brass bands and speaking.
Provisions were also hauled into the smaller towns. In De- cember, 1863. Cambridge City received a large contribution of wood and provisions, and March 19, Centerville was liberally re- membered by the patriotic farmers. On Oct. 31, 1863, the Middle- boro farmers, for the third time, opened their liberal stores of wood and provisions and brought into Richmond about $500 worth of material. Governor Morton made the opening address of welcome on this occasion and was followed by Generals Benton and Mans- field. A few days later, a "Young Men's Saw-Buck Brigade" was organized, which sawed and split the wood for use.
On Thanksgiving Day another demonstration of patriotism and liberality was made by the farmers along the National Road,
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east of the city of Richmond, who were given, in turn, a dinner in Starr Hall, in company with the soldiers' families. At the time the first soldiers departed a committee, composed of Louis Burke, J. A. Bridgeland, and Rev. J. W. T. MeMullen, was appointed to see the Richmond city council and the county commissioners rela- tive to making an appropriation for the soldiers' families. The council responded by ordering money paid from the treasury and by ordering all unnecessary improvements stopped; the county commissioners paid out about $700 weekly, during the winter of 1862, for charity. On April 10, 1862, a "Sanitary Committee" was appointed at a mass meeting in Starr Hall. At this meeting $522 was raised and, on a call to other townships, they responded liber- ally with money, provisions and clothing for hospital use. The aid societies of the churches were organized about this time and did noble work in supplying hospital necessities and luxuries. On May 28, 1862, the published report of the "Sanitary Committee" showed a total of $1.166.66 paid in, besides clothing and provi- sions. During December, 1803, a special effort was made to raise money by suppers, concerts and subscriptions. This was under the control of the "Sanitary Committee" and the aid societies. Centerville gave a dinner, a supper, and a concert. At White Water a dinner and a supper were given. Meetings were held in Cam- bridge City, Dublin, Milton, Clay township, Abington, Harrison township, Hagerstown, Newport, Williamsburg, Economy, and Dalton township. A grand total of $11,300 was raised by this effort. For this liberal offering Wayne county was presented a prize banner by the State Sanitary Commission. We must not neglect to mention the enormous load of wood hauled into Rich- mond by William Parry, which is said to have been the largest contribution by any one. Williamsburg and Fountain City also contributed stores of wood and provisions. The last demonstration by the farmers was made in the winter of 1864. Prizes of purses and buffalo robes were offered for the largest contribution, and the delegation from the National Road, east of Richmond, won, with III cords of wood. Thus did the people of Wayne county deal with the charity question during the Civil war. The grand totals for the whole county were as follows: Contribution for soldiers' bounties, $379.003.35 ; contributions for the relief of sold- iers' families, $184.350; total, $563,443-35.
Wayne county has been in the past and is at present in the forefront among the counties of the State in caring for her poor. The amount expended for the relief of the poor by the county, in
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1879, was $13,422. " In 1898 the amount expended for the same purpose was $14,231. This money is distributed by the township trustees, who furnish fuel, food, and sometimes transportation, to worthy persons who become stranded in their community. By far the greatest amount is expended by the trustee of Wayne township, under whose jurisdiction is the city of Richmond. About $6,500 is expended annually in this township for the relief of the poor.
Wayne County's Poor Asylum is situated just north of the National Road, about two miles west of the town of Centerville. It is a model institution and, under the management of the present superintendent, E. N. Brumfield, is kept in fine condition. The farm contains about 300 acres. The number of inmates in the poor asylum in 1889 was fifty-four; in 1896, fifty-four; in 1898, forty- seven. Considering the number of inhabitants of the county, this number is small in comparison with the other counties of the State. The church auxiliary societies and secret societies do a vast amount of work throughout the county in caring for the poor. The various aid societies. Christian Endeavor, Sunday schools, and Epworth League societies, not only help the poor of their own membership, but give much help in general. The Woman's Relief Corps, where- ever it has an organization, as in Richmond and Cambridge City, has done much for the comfort of the poor among the ex-soldiers of the Civil war and their families.
The secret societies of the county, out of their treasuries, pay benefits to their sick members and care for their poor. The Masons are an exception to this rule, but one of the ancient charges of the order is, "if you discover a true and genuine brother in want, you must relieve him if you can, or else direct him how he may be re- lieved." The four chief orders of the county are: The Masons, Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the Red Men. The Masons have lodges in Richmond, Cambridge City, White Water Williamsburg, Economy, Chiester, Boston, Abington, Milton, Cen- terville, and Hagerstown. The Knights of Pythias have lodges in Richmond, Boston, Abington, Centerville, Hagerstown, Fountain City, and Cambridge City. The Odd Fellows are represented by lodges in Richmond, Cambridge City, Boston, Abington, Center- ville, Germantown, Dublin, Milton, Hagerstown, Washington, Williamsburg, Jacksonburg, Walnut Level, and Webster. The Red Men have lodges in Richmond, Cambridge City, and Center- ville. The county is thus well covered by these organizations. Their work, although confined to their own members, is neverthe-
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less a powerful factor in caring for the county's poor and unfor- tunate. In the city of Richmond the charitable efforts of the citi- zens are carried on through certain special agencies which are more or less in harmony, through the co-ordinating influence of the Associated Charities and the Council of Charities. Among these organizations and institutions are the following: The Woman's Relief Corps, the Morrisson Relief Fund, the Children's Home, Margaret Smith Home, the St. Stephen's Hospital, the Home of the Friendless, the Busy Bee Society, the Penny Club, the Pingree Garden Committee, and the Richmond Benevolent Association.
The Woman's Relief Corps is an auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic. The Richmond corps was organized Jan. 18, 1887. The membership is now limited to soldiers' relatives. Up to 1897, $1.300 in money, besides much clothing and food, was expended by this society for charity; also, four children have been placed in good homes and an orphan girl was sent to a surgical in- stitute for treatment. They also see to the burial of soldiers' widows. These noble women are untiring workers in the cause and give suppers and entertainments to raise funds. The Morris- son Relief Fund is a sum of $10,000, donated by Robert Morrisson at his death, for the good of the poor of Richmond. From its be- ginning it has been managed by a board of trustees, composed of James E. Reeves, C. W. Ferguson, and Elgar Hibberd. With the interest accruing from it the Children's Home was established and maintained until it became a county institution. Since that time a board of lady managers has regulated its use, the greater part going to the support of the Margaret Smith Home. This most generous gift has done much good and will forever redound to the honor of the giver.
The Children's Home was first established in the manner stated, on South Fifth street. In 1881 it was removed to its present site at the corner of the National Road and College avenue, which was bought by the county commissioners. In 1887 the commis- sioners undertook its full support and for a time it was continued as a county institution. The Margaret Smith Home for aged women was established out of a legacy left by Margaret Smith, amounting to $32,000. It was first started in the Francis Robinson property on South Fifth street and was subsequently moved to its present beautiful location at the corner of Seventeenth and Main streets. Any aged lady, by giving up her property to the Home, can be cared for there. The St. Stephen's Hospital, at the corner of Eighth and North C streets, was organized under the auspices
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of St. Paul's Episcopal church, in 1884. A board of nine members was appointed by the vestry of this church, selected from the various churches. The institution is open to any one regardless of creed or nationality and is dependent for its support upon char- ity and the contributions of those who are able to pay for the serv- ices rendered them. Its present site was purchased in isot for $6,000. The St. Stephen's Ladies' Aid Society has done much for its support by giving suppers and entertainments. From 1885 to 1896 they raised $2,836. This is a most worthy institution and de- serves the help of all citizens.
The Home of the Friendless was organized under the direc- tion of the Young Men's Christian Association by a committee of ladies. Its purpose is to shelter and provide for unfortunate women and children until they are able to care for themselves. It reaches out after those who have fallen the lowest and screens them from the sneers and blows of a hard and unfeeling world. It is controlled by a board of lady managers. The average number of inmates is eighteen. It is dependent entirely upon charity. The Society known as "Busy Bee" was organized in 1868 by Martha Valentine and Letitia Smith, as a training school for poor children. Sewing was taught and the garments made were given to the poor. It lasted about twenty years, but is now disorganized. The Penny Club is likewise a club for helping the poor. A penny is donated by each member at each meeting. It works in connection with the Relief Corps and its methods of bestowing charity are of the best. The Associated Charities was organized in 1889, to succeed the Minister's Association, which had done charity work for twenty- five years. "The object of the Association is to promote what- ever tends to the permanent improvement of the condition of the poor." The work of the Association is first, "to bring existing local charitable agencies into co-operation, in order to prevent indiscriminate and duplicate alms giving ; second, to secure the in- vestigation of the cases of all persons in any of our districts who need help; third, to find them the help or work they need ; fourth, to prevent begging and to secure the community from imposters ; fifth, to promote the general welfare of the city; sixth, to improve the character and methods of administering relief ; seventh, to pre- vent the children growing up paupers." From this, we see that the association is proceeding upon a rational basis and has taken the proper method of alms giving. In 1892 a city missionary was appointed, who has done efficient work and has found her field of work constantly widening. Soup houses were opened in the
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basement of the Pearl street church during the hard winters of 1893 and 1894. At first it was given away, but later was sold for one cent a bowl of five cents a pail. In November, 1895. work- rooms were opened on South Fifth street, where citizens were re- quested to bring mending and washing to be done by poor women. At first, five cents an hour and a good dinner was the pay, but the next year forty cents a washing was substituted. These meth- ods are the most advanced in the theory of alms giving and de- serve the hearty co-operation of every loyal citizen.
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