Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1, Part 13

Author: Clifton, Thomas A., 1859-1935, ed
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 672


USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 13


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30



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were carried out. A newspaper account of it states that three negres and one white man were killed, Philip Cuzins, aged sixty-eight, and John Cooper and John Miles, both aged twenty five, being among the number. Cuzins was shot in the main street of Stringtown, a ball entering the back of Li- head; John Miles was shot through his heart and all the killed lay out where they fell until the next morning. Fifty shots in all were fired during the night, and many houses were fired into. The wounded men were Peter Artis and "Buffalo Bill," a white man who was wounded by the blow of a large club which dislocated his shoulder. The presence of the militia company and the state officials soon restored order.


CHAPTER XL.


IILE CITY OF COVINGTON


Covington, the county seat of Fountain county, dates its history from 1826, when Isaac Coleman, a Virginian by birth, settled in this county and platted the place with the view of having it become the seat of justice, in which he was successful, though not without many hindrances and objections, mainly upon the part of those who had land on which they sought to have the county seat established. It was not fully determined that Covington should beconie the county seat until in the summer of 1828. Among the points that souglit it were Portland, seven miles northeast, on the river. It presented its strong claims, through its proprietor, Major Whitlock, receiver of public money at the Crawfordsville land office, aided by that excellent Presbyterian, William Miller, who lived cast of Portland on his farm. It was claimed to be nearer the geographical center and would accommodate more of the then residents of the county. Other locations were offered, but Mr. Coleman finally won out in the spirited, yet bitter, contest. Again, in 1829-30, another scheme was concocted (laughable, too) by which Covington was to be dethroned and an- other point chosen as the county seat. Petitions had been freely circulated, but did not contain a sufficient number of names. So, the relocation party got desperately busy and, in addition to the living. secured on the petition the names of many who had been sleeping in their graves for some time. They also, it is said, visited cemeteries over the line in Montgomery county, and there tempted the deceased to sign and offered their children corner lots to "sign this paper." This sort of work raised fears in the minds of those favor- able to Covington lest some such scheme might eventually take the county seat away from them. To offset this method, at the timely suggestion of an old settler, long since gathered to his fathers, Captain White, a hero of "Horse Shoe Bend" in the war of 1812, brought forth his old muster-roll and, by copying the names of soldiers then living and some dead, obtained a list suffi- cient to counterbalance those fished up from the silent "cities of the dead," as secured by the non-Covington inen. These petitions were sent to the Indiana Legislature, bearing far more signatures than there were citizens within Foun- tain county. The joke was soon discovered by the Legislature and, after much mirth, it was decided to appoint a commission to investigate and relocate Fountain county's county seat. The commission arrived and made a very


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long tour through the county, in company with a prominent citizen of top ington, and upon their return held a secret session. Citizens waited with anxiety. Soon, however, the meeting was over and one of the commissioners appointed by the legislative body, taking a stake and ave in hand, proceeded to the center of the public square and drove a stake down hard and deep. The citizens hats came off, the commissioners were banqueted and departed, liv- ing Covington still the legalized county seat town. At other times, since, this question has exercised the minds of taxpayers and politicians, but all to no practical avait-Covington still holds the prize! When one comes to can- didly reflect upon the day in which this location was made: the ill shaped county and the fact that the Wabash river was the great thoroughfare by which traveling was done, etc., it is believed that all must agree that the choice was as good as could have been made, prior to the building of railroads such as the county now enjoys.


Pioneer Coleman donated one block from his lots for court house uses, one for a seminary of learning, and also one for church purposes. He also was liberal, or business-sighted, enough to donate four lots for school purposes, a piece of ground for a cemetery, as well as a goodly number of town lots, with the understanding that it should be made the "permanent" seat of justice, otherwise to revert to his heirs and assigns.


As the county now held four out of every five lots already platted, it, through its board, ordered a re-survey of the same that corrections might be made and errors eliminated at the start. This was all attended to and the name "Covington" given as the county seat. Already a number of squatters had settled here, awaiting the decision as to the county seat. Among them were John Gillam, in a small log cabin, standing where now the jail is located. He worked by the day at clearing and any work he could secure; he had a large family and was very poor. Also Joseph Griffith and his son Barton, who were really the first actual settlers on the town plat. Griffith removed to Illinois, where he died. The son, Barton, remained and became a manager for Joseph Sloan, and while making a trip to New Orleans, was taken ill and died.


The first merchant was Daniel Landers, who had a store at "log town," Indianapolis, and he concluded to start a branch at Covington. He sent out Joseph L. Sloan, who made the trip in October, 1826, across the country, bringing a load of goods with him, and chopped a large part of his way through the dense forests. Upon his arrival, he secured the services of Messrs. Gillam and Barton Griffith, to assist him in making a place in which to store his merchandise. So, aided by Anderson White from Coal creek, seven miles away, with his ox team, Joseph Baum, James Bilsland, Lucas


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Nebeker, James Whitley, Joseph Shelby, John Steeley and a few others, who lived in the "Bend," came hurrying to the spot to take part in the erection of the first 'business house" in the county scat. The building was fourteen by eighteen fect in size, one story high, of unhewed logs. daubed with muid. The shelving was made of riven boards, and nails brought by Sloan, which were very rare in those days. This soon became the center of attraction, and farmers came from far and near to the "store."


The next to make his settlement here was David Rawles, who, with his family, came upon a barge or flat-boat from Terre Haute, and secured about the same men as before mentioned to help him erect his place of business, which was a hotel. It was a sixteen-foot-by-twenty-four, two-story-high log building, with a rail pen, clapboarded, and near by the main building, in which his good wife cooked. The first boarders were Mr. Sloan, the "merchant" and his clerk.


In 1827 there came into the new town Andrew Ingram and Daniel Rogers, both attorneys at law ; John McKinney came and started his tannery; Frank Merrill opened the second store, and Doctor Hamilton also arrived with his "pill-box" that year. It is related that the yarns spun at the Hotel de Rawles by the farmers, the merchants, the lawyers and doctor were worth one's hear- ing for a pleasant pastime. A moot court was organized and was presided over by the landlord, who was ever afterwards called "Judge Rawles."


Doctor Hamilton was born in Saratoga, New York, in 1800, and was educated and talented. He was Covington's first doctor and also ran a small drug establishment; he was county land agent for nearly a score of years. The first steamboat was witnessed by every one within the sound of the shrill whistle. It arrived in 1826 and the people were allowed to go all over the boat and were royally treated by the captain, at last retiring satisfied that they had seen "the wonder of the age."


By 1830 the population of Covington had reached about one hundred and ยท seventy-five people, yet it constituted but few families. The growth was slow, as there was no means of transportation except the river, wagon, and slow stage coach, that later made its appearance. The chapter on railroads and canals will tell of the first and all subsequent railroads entering this city.


POSTOFFICE, MILLING, ETC.


A postoffice at Covington was secured in 1826. The stage ran from Terre Haute to Lafayette twice each week. The first postmaster was Joseph L. Sloan, the first merchant. He was succeeded by David Rawles, the land- lord, and he by Jacob Tice, who gave way to Charles Stafford; then Tice was


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reinstated and served until he was superseded by R. M. Nebeker, who was post- master in 1880. Since then the postmasters have included these; Lewis Neheker, Charles Gwynn, W. F. Vogt. James Simmeran, Fletcher \ Boyd, since 1807. The office safe was blown open in April, 1903. and four han- dred and twenty-eight dollars taken. 'The present number of rural delas ies is seven. Year's business, coding July, 1912, was $5.171.52.


The first saw mill was built in about 1834 by Joseph L. Sloan. It was an extensive mill and with it he cut tens of thousands of feet of linker for the pioneer settlers. He also had a distillery near it. Both were destroyed by fire. The first steam grist-mill was built about 1836 by Nichols & Company ; it had two run of burrs and stood near where the canal was later excavated. Jt burned and was never rebuilt, but a brewery took its place, and this. 100, was burned. The next mill was built by Abram Gish. This was a writer mill, built on the canal soon after its excavation. It was sold and a steam mill erected by Mr. Gish. The Covington Mill was built in 1855 by a mill- wright and machinist. In 1868 J. M. Rhodes established his carriage factory, and in 1869 H. M. Clark began to make tile and brick. The Covington bridge over the Wabash river was commenced in 1850 by George Nebeker and three other men. Its cost was twenty thousand dollars.


MUNICIPAL HISTORY,


Covington existed from 1828 to 1851 without any kind of an incorpora- tion. There were no public improvements made, save those few made by the county authorities. A bill passed the Legislature in 1851, entitled "A bill to incorporate the town of Covington in the county of Fountain." This bill pro- vided for the election of a recorder, treasurer and five trustees, and the first annual election was held in March, 1851. The bill was signed by Joseph A. Wright, governor of Indiana. John M. Hall was elected the first recorder (the chief office in town) and three of the councilmen were Henderson, Bils- . land and Foster. The rosters of officers, in municipal affairs, as well as in school matters, here in Covington were never well kept by the city and school authorities, and most of them were lost within a few years after being made, hence the handicapped position of he who writes local history in Covington. In August, 1855, it appears that the first police protection was given the town.


Covington became a chartered city in the month of June. 1888, since which date public affairs have gone forward with much more regularity. The first meeting of the city council was held July 2, 1888. The mayors who have served are as follows: June, 1888, to May, 1889. John B. Martin : May. 1889.


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to May, 1891, H. H. Stilwell; Mal 1891, to May, 1801, George W_Martin; May, 1894, to May. 1998. A. T. Livengood: May, 1808, 10 August, 190}, William H. Miles; August, 1904, to September, 1900; Oliver S. Jones; Septem- ber, 1906, to September, 19to, Evan W. Heath; September, 1910, to Septem ber, 1914. T. H. McGeorge.


WATER AND ELECTRIC LIGHTS.


Covington was provided with a system of water works in (893. A stock company, made up largely of Chicago capitalists, in 1892 incorporated and issued bonds for fifty thousand dollars and took a franchise running twenty years. Next year (1913) the city of Covington will take over the plant, to- gether with the electric lighting plant in connection, both having been installed the same year. The water plant has a stand-pipe and pumping station, the height of the stand-pipe being one hundred feet. At present there are almost three hundred water customers; about seventy fire-plugs for street uses and between four and five miles of water mains in the various streets. The water comes from good deep wells and springs and is the purest of the water works systems in the country.


PRESENT INDUSTRIES.


In 1912 the industries of Covington were not numerous. They consisted chiefly of the following : A large brick and cement block factory, a fruit and vegetable canning factory, the usual retail stores, the shops and offices for the trades an. professions, the numerous automobile garages, the grain and coal warehouses, etc. The county seat is the chief attraction for the general public.


CHAPT. R XML


THE CITY OF ATTICA.


Beyond question, Attica is the largest incorporation within Founta : county, today. It is also noted for its enterprise and good business men, whe believe in building up a modern city by modern methods. It was laid out in 1825 by George Hollingsworth. The first town latting extended from the corner of Brady street and Washington, west on the latter to the Wabash river. thence north to Ferry street, thence east to the alley running west of the oll Revere house, thence south, on a direct line to place of beginning. It is situ- ated in the northwest part of Logan township, on the Wabash river and the old canal, and is one of the old town-sites in this section of the state, having once tried to outrival Lafayette. In 1910 it had . 535 population, but is now approaching the four thousand mark.


The first store was opened here by William Crumpton, at the corner (i Mill and Perry streets. Crumpton was postmaster at the time, and mails were carried on horseback from Indianapolis to Covington, and thence on up to Attica. The village then had one mail a week and now has more than half a dozen daily. Harmon Webb conducted the first hotel of the place, which was a little log house facing the river, on Main street. In 1825, aside from the store and hotel mentioned, there were three general stores and three saloons. 1826 saw some improvements ; a still-house and grist-mill was erected near where the water-works stand, the burrs for this mill being formed from "nigger-head" stones ; a cabinet-shop, a tan-yard, and a fanning-mill factory were also started, the latter by Orin Arms. For a number of years the town plat was covered with forest trees and underbrush, with foot-paths running from one part of the place to another.


During the succeeding years a great rivalry sprang up between Attica and Rob Roy, while Williamsport, on the west side of the Wabash river, made loud pretensions. In fact it was some time before Attica people could find merchandise suited to their taste without going over to Rob Roy for it. Rob Roy seemed for a decade and more to be the fortunate site, but all was changed when the Wabash and Erie canal was completed to Attica. Then Rob Roy began to decline, and not a few of her merchants removed to Attica ; hotels lost the trade; store rooms were left vacant or moved, and grass soon grew in the once busy streets. Williamsport, too, had her day of struggles


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and lost in the fair, but spirited contest. It conceived the idea of a "side-cut" to the canal that should give her water transportation to the lakes, and con- structed one, but before many years Attica had the trade and as repairs had to be made on the "side-cut," the expense was too great and the locks rotted down and were never rebuilt. Lafayette also sought to injure Attica and by the building of the New Albany & Salem railroad ( Monon route ) she finally thwarted the plans of Attica and became the chief city in this portion of Indiana.


In 1847. on the completion of the canal, stage companies had a rival to count with, and business in Attica became brisk. Warehouses, stables and docks were built, and the hum of busy traffic was heard along the tow -path trail. The news of the day came by packet then, and upon the arrival of a boat carrying mail, the populace ran to the landing with eagerness. With the completion of the canal, there arose a bitter fecling between the residents of Covington and Attica, the former thinking that the latter were really trying to keep the waters of the canal from flowing as far as Covington. Soon, there were three hundred armed men with "blood in their every eye," under leadership of Edward Hannegan (later United States senator) with the avowed purpose of filling the lower level before the upper was filled. The first to spy them, says a writer of long ago, "was Jehu Wan 'y, who lived on the bluff across the brow of the hill on the opposite side of e river. He hastily grabbed up a couple of shot-guns, an old 'yager', a pistol or two. and came down to the riverside as fast as a horse could carry him, and right on through the waters of the Wabash, throwing the water around like a crazy acting steam- boat. The army from Covington made a direct march to the locks, and at once opened the flood-gates. At that time there were twenty or thirty canal boats lying in the upper level, and the letting out of the water would leave them on the rough bottom of the canal. A crowd was gathered and several fights ensued, in which Ezekiel McDonald was knocked into the canal, and Henry Schlosser, John Leslie and others were slightly injured. The boatmen hear- ing the racket, came down, swearing, and took a hand, but the superior num- bers of the invaders prevented them from shutting the gates, and they were compelled to resort to strategy. Several of them slipped away and commenced hauling straw and pitching it into the canal above the locks. This soon had the effect of corking up the flood-gates and the water ceased to flow toward Covington. This canal war was carried on in threats for some time after this episode, but not in open hostility. The matter was finally compromised after Hannegan's return from Berlin, where he was sent as United States minister, and the two towns have ever since gotten along without any physical collision, although many hot controversies might be related."


(10)


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MANUFACTURING.


From an early day Attica bas supported several small manufacturing plans, which have been of much commercial value to the place, in ider giver it a name to the outside world. The first of these factores were the distillery and grist-mill, which, though rude in construction and limited in capacity, we. good in their day. These were built by Joseph Collyer in 1830. Five voir. later William Crompton built the pioneer grist-mill, with sawing machine"; attachment, which was propelled by steam power. From that date on to 18cy the industries of the town grew steadily, and then in a few years began to wane, but by 1879 they again took on new life and have kept advancing until the present day. Attica has the advantage over other towns, in that she gets a variety of transportation facilities. Thirty-two years ago a directory of the town gave its industries as: A flouring mil, with a capacity of nearly two hundred barrels a day ; the Fisher, Arbogast & Co.'s carriage works; Hess & Harvey's wagon factory, which also made farm implements ; John Schuessler's foundry and machine shop; David Smith's wagon and plow works; Charles Shipp's wagon and carriage works; Trullinger's drain tile factory, turning out one hundred thousand f. annually, besides lesser industries. Today, the city is the home of the following industries :


The National Car-coupler and Steel Works, with J. W. Harrison as the manager. This was located here through the efforts of the business men of Attica in 1905, and now employs about three hundred workmen.


The Attica Bridge Company located here about 1897 and have been highly successful. It is now their intention to seek a wider field of operation and will remove to St. Louis.


The Postom building and paving brick blocks, so famous throughout the country, are a product of Attica. These large works located here in 1907, as the work of the Business Men's Association. The daily capacity of this plant is fifty thousand brick.


There are smaller industries here, including a planing mill, and a poultry warehouse where large amounts of live poultry are handled and shipped.


Among the old-time hotels may be recalled the Indiana house, 1830; the Revere house, or Attica hotel, opened in 1835 by William Farmer, the same being burned in 1846; the Exchange house, opened in a three-story brick struc- ture on the corner of Main and Perry streets, by Monroe and Sapp, which con- tinned till 1856. This building, with merchandise, was burned January 16. 1864. In 1852, the well known St. Charles house was erected by May &


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Whitchall. About that time the Attica Hotel Company built the Revere house, which was opened in 1853, by Smith & Son.


The present hotel is the Hotel Attica, and there is need of more hotel accommodations in this sprightly little city.


TRANSPORTATION FACILITE.S.


The bark canoe having disappeared, early in the twenties the founder of Attica, Mr. Hollingsworth, established a ferry, propelled by poles. It ran from shore to shore, just between the mouth of Pine creek and the present railroad bridge over the river. This served till 1843, when Green built a horse ferry system, below the wagon road. The Wabash river was then the only outlet to the outside world. In high water many boats were seen at the Attica wharf. The citizens used to construct rude rafts, load theni with corn. wheat, apples, etc., and push them down to New Orleans, where ready sale was made. In 1847 the great water-way, the Wabash and Erie canal, was completed to Attica, giving the town an outlet to the gulf of Mexico on the south and to the great lakes on the north and east. This took most of the river traffic, but in 1856 the Toledo, Wabash & Western railroad reached Attica, when the shrill whistle drowned forever the noise of the mule-driver along the winding tow-path of the canal. For further account of the railroads at Attica, see chapter on Railroads and Canals.


MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.


Attica was first incorporated as a town in June, 1849, by the board of county commissioners. The place was made into five districts and the trustees were as follows: Joseph Poole, Stephen Kennedy, Isaac Coleman, John R. Campbell, Edward Wilson. The following town officers were then elected by the people: President of the board, Stephen Kennedy; C. F. Currier, clerk; N. C. Porter, treasurer ; J. P. Wamsley, marshal; J. V. Hoffman, collector ; Alva Tuttle, assessor; Kersey Bateman, commissioner.


The first ordinance passed was in relation to cleaning up the town, in view of the approach of the dread AAsiatic cholera epidemic, then threatening the country. It was believed then, as well as by some at this advanced day. that a town should have saloons where one might purchase liquor and get drunk if he so desired. Hence it was that a revenue was received by the issuing of a liquor seller's license to J. W. Townsend and E. Briggs, who paid into the new treasurer the suin of twenty-five dollars per annuini.


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The town ran ou until 1866, when a charter was obtained for a "city." The first mayor was John Gass, and the council ten were Joseph Peacock and L. B. Lindsly, first word ; James Melo fald and Edward Wilson, second ward. James Aylsworth and Levi Coffman. rd ward.


The present (1912) city officials are as follows: Mayor, Will B. Reed : treasurer, C. O. Holm; clerk, Samuel Turman; attorney. Charles R. Milford.


The water works system at Attica was, a third of a century ago, con sidered her greatest municipal achievement and possession. It was as early as 1835 that water was first brought into the town by Levi Hollowy, who leased the MeDonald springs, later owned by the city of Attica. Hle thoroughly seasoned logs and then by hand bored them into water-pipes, which he laid. bringing the water down the ravine and across to Main street. After forty years under ground, pieces of this piping were found in a fine state of preserva- tion. After operating this water-plant for a number of years, he leased to a stock company, which corporation brought the water up the hill, and ran a line of pipes as far south as the Jan,. s B. Walker's property. These pipes. of a more modern make, furnished the purest of water for the people of Attica, as it was brought from cold springs. Up to 1858 the water continued to gladden the heart of the residents and strangers within the gates, but finally the logs rotted in some of the streets and were never replaced. and soon the first water-works went into decay. Marshall M. Milford and J. L. Stand- ard aud a few more thoughtful citizens, at their own expense, brought, through iron pipes from the springs, water to the top of the hill, in order to keep the water flowing and preserve the validity of the lease. In 1873 the city council took the matter in hand, and finally laid pipes from the Milford hydrant down Main street, and later conveyed it to Jackson and Mill streets, locating several public hydrants. This was not sufficient and in 1875 the practical work of furnishing water was begun in dead earnest, and resulted in the purchase of the springs, the building of a reservoir at the foot of the hill, another large one at the top of the hill, and purchasing two Dean pumps to force the water front the lower one to the upper one, whence the supply of water was distributed to all parts of the city. The business section of town was one hundred and forty feet lower than the upper reservoir. Up to 1880 the entire cost of this system of natural water-works had been forty thousand llars. Again in 1807. ths works were located at the river front and enlarged to present capacity, and an electric lighting plant attached which now supplies the city with both water and light at a cheap rate. Power is also generated by electricity and sold to whoever wants it for printing presses and all small machinery.




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