Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1, Part 6

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 6
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 6


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


It was at this session that the justices adopted the letters "L. S." endosed within a pen serawl, as the official seal of Fountain county, used by the officials generally for some years thereafter.


The next meeting of the board was on July 24. 1826, at the house of Isaac N. Spining, when the county was divided into five townships, Shawnde. Richland, Troy, Wabash and Cain. Elections were ordered at the house of Joseph Collier in Shawnee; at the house of Ezra Rowley, in Richland: in


FOI NTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIASA.


Troy, at the house of a settler in Covington. in Wabach, at the holy of


Thomas Gillam, and int Caby at the boa e of Mathen Walls. Dadel Varde


venter was appointed agent for the company, and Janus freye weasier The fint act of the justices at this meeting was to gra I women with thecost to "vend foreign merchandise" do one year, for which he peil ion collins, and their next act was to grant the same man license to "retail -pi ation- Epors" for one year, for which he paid five dollars. The was required to give bon in the sum of five hundred dollars, with Stephen Taylor and Joseph ( The as his sureties. This was evidently the first liquor license ever granted in Fountain county.


t the second day of this session of the board the Following orders were


made. "Ordered that the seat of justice of Fountain county be known and designated by the name of Covington." "Ordered that the agent cause the seat of justice of Fountain county to be surveyed, and a correct plat made ont, so as to be returned to this board at theht next session."


Here, a. in most counties in the country, the county seat was not located without a considerable struggle, and it was a bone of contention for any years. This one subject has caused much commotion it the county at differ- ent periods in its history. The chief objection brought against Covington has ever been that it was located at one side of the county, bounce was not "en- venient to many within the limits of the same. This, however, has materially changed since the days of numerous railroad systems traversing the domain of the county.


county taxes for the year 1826, and the rate of taxation was hyed as follows : Richard Hicks was appointed, at this session, collector of state and


One horse, etc.


Each work ox


Fach two-wheeled carriage Each four-wheeled carriage


Each brass clock


Bach gold watch Each poll


$0.3712


.181/2


1.00*


1.50


1.00


.25


1.00


.25


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Each silver or pinch-back watch


The September session of 1826 was largely occupied in highway matters, looking after taxes, etc. The first viewers for the Covington and Craw fords- ville highway were appointed at this session. They were named as: Will- iam White, Benjamin Kepner and Edward McBroom, and they were ordered


62


FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIVAL


to view the road beginning where the road leading from Craw tepleville 1. 1- seeis the line of Montgomery and Fountain county m schimmel, to main 19. tange 6, called the Goal Creek road, denne "target and hot he's salom Mendenhall's, fence to Millar Chehanny's Fosse; there fre and best way to Covington. This road was subsequently marked of ! located as " " state road" by Gorge Stecky. Jonathan \ Powers and ( nh Brown, commissi mars appointed by the Lagelatine. These early ready care hand out haphazard fro more seulement to another and were often in a very undesirable monte, and many are still so located


It was at this session that the first rates for ferrying were fixed and day were in part as follows: Each four-horse wagon, seventy five cents; each two-horse wagen, fifty cents; each man on horse-back, a shilling; each foot- man, six and a quarter cents; cattle, each head, four cents. hogs and sheep. two cents each.


The commissioners who were appointed to locate the county seat were Daniel C. Hults. Lucius II. Scott and David! Sigler, aud they were each al- lowed thirty three dollars for their services, at the November, 1826, session.


The first fence viewers were appointed at the January term. 1827. It was the duty of such officials to settle all difficulties as to the cost for maintain- ing or building partition fences, and to determine whether a fence complained of was lawful or unlawful in its construction.


It was at the last named session that it was "ordered that the clerk give notice that proposals will be received in Covington, at the next term of this court, for building a court house."


At the March session, 1827, appeared the report of the receipts and ex- penditures of this county for the current year just ended. This was in strik- ing contrast to the long array of figures now shown by county officials. The receipts then for the year mentioned were only $79.93, while the expenditures were $58,9934 cents. The treasurer was allowed the sum of $1. 181/2 for col- lection fees. The contrast between those years and the times in which we now live is very marked. In 1826 receipts for the county were $79.93, as against $90,653.18 in 1911. Going back to the year 1880, it is found by rec- ords that the receipts from all sources were $39,068.63. These figures show much concerning the growth and material development of Fountain county. In 1912 there remained on hand in the treasury, according to the anditor's annual report, the sum of $6,8.43.18.


The first bridge built in this county was over the waters of Coal creek, "at or near White's mill." and William White, Thomas Gillam and Jolm Simp- son were appointed superintendents to "build" it. It was completed in 1828.


FOUNTAIN AND WARRE COL STUS, INTE ...


The last meeting of the board of indices in the county was held in Jis.


The lar-iness of the county from that time on has been conducted by .


The first board of county commissioner was made up of the following


gentlemen . Frederick C. Paine. Surgel Archer and Lare Colonial 11my


The present (1912) counts commissionos are: Willing . Wright.


James A. Copeland and Lewis B. Waggoner.


TOTAL TA FABLES BY TOWNSHIPS


In 1912 the following showing was made of the taxable property in the


810.18=


1,358,000


708.775


031.7-10


1,477, 1IO


1,853,820


2,184,665


2,192,915


1,115,080


2,231.210


83,800


$15,395,100


follows :


1827


1829


1830


1831


1832


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Total


Millcreek


Fulton


Wabash


Cain


Troy


Richland


Shawnee


Logan


Davis


From 1827 to 1836, by years, the revenues collected by the county were as


2.321.00


1,686.00 1,817.00


1,854.09


1


1


1


1


1


1


1833


1834


1835


1,270.00


1.775.00


1


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1820.


board of coarty commissioner


served until November, 1832, after which the board consisted of fach T. Wikoff, James Frazier and Faac Colman.


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79.34


1,069.00


1,169.00


$


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COUNTY REVENUES.


Jackson


several townships within Fountain county :


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Van Buren


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1836


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64


FOUNTAIN AND WARKA - COUNTIES, INDIANA.


From 1837 to 12 pm it amounted to535000; from 8 to 18 it onthe a aggregate of $60,00; from 1855 to 1800, it was 82 3.000; Film 1870, $520,000 From 1877 10 1880, nousive, 827 3,000.


While the records have not beardsearched for the inter ening cy. date, the above paragraphs show the revenues for the last fiscal war all . which shows a gradual, healthy growth and a general willingme- even the part of the people to pay for maintaining a ga 1 county government. applies to the masses, but not to all individual taxpayers in the county.


COUNTY BUILDINGS.


Fountain county has had numerous county buildings and the following will give an outline of them, when erected and their cost, with as much con- corning their b.story as the author believes is of practical knowledge and ger- cral interest to the average reader of local history.


The first court house in this county was ordered erected by the board of justices, March, 1827. It was located on let number 120 in Covington. "to be of frame, twenty fect wide by twenty-six feet long, two stories high, lower story ten feet in the clear, second story eight feet in the clear, three opening: in front and back in each story, weather boarding planed, and to show six inches to the weather. One door in the back and front in the lower story, with single architrave-casings with a solid cornice, the cant-mold to project four inches, the facia to project ten inches, the bed-moll to project four inches. There shall be two panel-doors, six panels in each; the windows in the lower story twelve lights each. There shall be laid two go . and sufficient floors laid on good solid sleepers; the plank of said floors not to exceed nine inches in width and one and a fourth inches thick: also good and sufficient joists. The windows in the lower story shall be completed ; good and sufficient window sash and glass."


At the same session last mentioned, it was ordered that "the undertaker" of the court house enter into bond and security to complete the same by the first Monday in September. 1827, and that he would receive the donations which were then made or promised in money, or material, or labor, to aid in the erection of the house, in compensation in whole or in part for building the same. Abraham Griffith was the lowest bidder for the construction of the court house, and the contract was awarded to him for three hundred and thirty-five dollars. Under this sort of conditions Mr. Griffith erected the first temple of justice in Fountain county. The lot upon which this building stood was for many years afterwards known as the business house of James


FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTER INEENS


G. Hardy, mer Print and gran produce dede. and it ka. ! poch far and De as the Indian Stone. In 1828 it was determined in the Boss ! that it necessary for the court house to have a chimies, and it was ordered fint a brick chimney. "wit. wo fire-places, the lower one to be well flared and full feet in the back." should be built. In September of the year, the court house. for ane new unknown reason, was removed to andfly: lot, or to a point che where on the same lot. The contract was let at four dollars to the county agent.


The second court house was the result of the action of the board in the spring of 1829. when that body believed the county wealthy enough to own a better building. Hence the county agent was anthorized to contract for one hundred and twenty thousand "good bricks for a court house "


The first clerk's office was crected at a cost of forty dollars and was built by the clerk upon his own lot, with the stipulation that when a clerk's office was built upon the public square he was to refund to th county the forty dollars and keep the building erected by himself as his own property.


In November, 1830, the commissioners adopted the plan and specifications for "a new court house," to be erected of brick, with a stone foundation ; the building to be erected on the center of the public square, and the county agent was authorized to receive bids for the ( astruction of the same. Notice was given in the columns of the Western Register and the Free Press.


In 1831 an act of the Legislature was passed providing for the relocation of the county seat, upon certain conditions, among which was the matter of damages caused by the relocation, and Thomas Brown, Peter Hughes and Peter Rush were appointed to value the town lots in the town of Covington, and to make an estimate of how much less value said property would be hy the removal of the county seat. Their estimate was $9,721, and it was re- turned to the board May, 1831. By this legislative act commissioners were appointed with power to examine the situation in the county and report upon the same. They made the following report which for the time being settled the county seat question :


"To the Honorable the County Commissioners of Fountain County :


"The undersigned, Reuben Reagan, Joseph Potts, George W. Benneheld and Zabina Babcock. a majority of the commissioners appointed by an act of the Legislature of the state of Indiana, entitled 'An Act to provide for the re- location of the seat of justice of Fountain county,' approved January 29. 1831, ask leave to report that they did, on the first Monday of June, A. D. 1831, convene at the town of Covington, and after first taking the several


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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES. ENEL.


oaths required by law, proceeded to earnan, the situation of the camilo, wolf Wednesday, the 8th day of the said month. They common ly agren they the town of Covington be and remain the perinat of wall of my life of county, and that the plat of said town beret ford taunted Is und rette for plat of said county seat, and that the said place m all respect remiam astW previou, to the passage of the act above referred to.


"In testimony whereaf we have herenato set our brands and feel in 8th day of June, .A. D. 1831.


"REUBEN REAGAN, ( Scal) "JOSEPH Ports. ( Seal) "GEORGE W. BENALMAD, (Seal ) "ZABINA BABCOCK." (Scal)


The building of the court house was retarded by this county seat context and legislative act, so the building was not completed until 1833. The records are silent as to the cost and builders.


In March, 1812, an order was made for the erection of a building for the use of the clerk, recorder and auditor, on the public square, east of the court house, to front east, thirty-eight feet long and twenty-five feet wide. This was created and served many years, and will be remembered by aged men who were boys when it was erected. Its cost has been lost in the passing of years and mix-up of public records.


In May, 1856, the commissioners set about to provide for the building of a more spacious and up-to-date court house. They contracted with James G. Hardy and Albert Henderson for the delivery of three hundred thousand brick, at five dollars and eighty-five cents per thousand, to be used in the building of a new court house, and in June, 1856, they employed Isaac Hodg- son as the architect. In September, that year, a further contract was made with Messrs. Hardy and Henderson to furnish all the brick necessary to be used in the building, at the same price, and the contract was let to Lewis Toms, for the erection of the structure, at $28,785.50, and he was to accept and pay for the brick to be furnished under the Hardy and Henderson con- tract. The architect was to have four and a half per cent. on the cost of the building for his services in superintending its construction.


In March, 1857, Mr. Toms notified the board that he could not fulfill his contract, and he was released therefrom upon the payment of $150. The contract was then let to James G. Hardy for $33.500. With slight changes while in course of construction, the building cost a total of $36.500. In Janu- ary, 1860, the first day of the circuit court in the new building. the structure


67


FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.


caught fire and was partially destroyed, nothing being left hat portions of the walls and the foundation. Measures were at once taken to rebuild, and a contract was let to James H. Thomas to do the work and finish the work, fur. nishing materials needed for SepSe; this was increased by changes which brought the cost up to $18,194.05. Joseph Nelson was the superintendent and Mr. Hodgson the architect. Its total cost, including the first structine (the one burned), was $54,624.05. It was finished and first occupied in January, 1861. and, with certain repairs, has served the county until the present time ( 1912). Its walls echoed to the tread of Civil war soldiers, being opened as it was at the commencement of that conflict.


COUNTY JAILS.


Fountain county has had four jails, as follows: The first was authorized by the board of justices in July, 1827, and the specifications called for the following structure: "The walls to be of good, thick, sound oak timbers. fourteen, inches square, to be raised on a foundation of good stone work. The walls to be dove-tailed at the corners and petition [partition] ; the timber to be let down close. Said jail to have two rooms; one, ten feet by twelve in the clear, the other eight feet by twelve in the clear; the lower floor to be of the same timber, twelve inches thick, strongly fastened to the sills. The upper floor of the same timber, twelve inches thick, let down two inches on the wall ; one round of timber to be raised on the upper floor. The roof to be raised on the same, of good joint shingles; the doors to be of double thick timbers, six inches thick, and well spiked with good iron spikes, to be hung with good and sufficient hinges, and barred and locked with good and sufficient bars and locks; to have one window in each room, nine by eighteen inches in the clear ; to be grated with iron grates one and one-fourth inches square, the spaces one inch square." Peter H. Patterson became the "undertaker of said jail" for the sum of $181.50. Hence it will be observed that the county's first court house and jail cost the county $516.50, which left little for "graft."


In January, 1837, it was deemed wise to provide a better prison-house for the violators of law and order in the county, and a contract was awarded by the commissioners to William Titus for $1.700. It was completed for that sum and turned over to the county in January, 1838.


Four years later better jail facilities were needed-that is, a suitable jail-house was demanded and a contract was let to William S. Patterson to bild a sheriff's house in front of and adjoining the jail building, eighteen by twenty feet in dimensions on the ground, and two stories high. This building was completed at an expense of $397.50.


68


FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.


In December, 1850, it was decided that a new jail was really a neces ny to this county, and an order was made to build one of dressed stone, one story high, twenty-five by twenty seven feet on the ground, with three cells, six by ten feet, and a half in front of the cel- right by twenty-four feet. There was also a dwelling house to be attached to the jail. The comract for building the jail was let in March, 1851, to Useph L. Slom and its cost was $3.120. This served until in the seventies, wilt the commissioners were called upon to look into the matter of a new jail. In April. 1873, the commissioners niet in special session and adopted specifications for a new prison and sheriff's residence, and in May, the same year, the contract was let to John McManomy at $49.399.95. At the same session the architect was required to change the plans so as to reduce the cost to $37,500.


To meet the expense of buikling these structures, etc., the county was bonded in the sum of $100,000, the bonds being ten per cent. ten-year bonds. They found a ready sale and all had been disposed of before any objection (legally) was made. At the September term of circuit court, however. snit was commenced to enjoin the county commissioners from going ahead will the buildings. The work was then far advanced and the contractors had been paid the sum of $38,000. The court honored the injunction and work had to stop. The original contract had been decided to be void on account of its being made prior to six weeks after advertising for bids, as was provided in the statute. By a little juggling and fine legal work on the part of the commissioners and contractor, the work was finally completed at a total cost of $106,889.08. The erection of so costly a building caused much stir in the county, and bitter feelings were necessarily engendered, but many of those who took part in the affair have long since left earth's shining circles and, with a mantle of charity, the actors and actions are now covered in a sleep that knows no waking. Thus the county secured its present jail and sheriff's residence. /


THE COUNTY POOR FARM.


The provisions which are made for caring for the unfortunate poor in any county are but an index to the truc character of its people. The question of how to best do this, and to make each citizen pay his share and to cause the poor of the community to feel that they are entitled to such aid at the hands of their fellow citizens, is no easy task, and it has long been studied from different standpoints. Then, again, there are difficulties arising out of the fact that unworthy poor sometimes work their way into such homes or asylums and are a burden to the taxpayers, when in fact they are able to


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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTYE. INDIANA.


support themselves. No the American objects to caring for the man of woman, young or old, who is helpless and unable to work, but most people dislike to care for the indolent and shiftles who have never made an heppie attempt at keeping themselves.


The first house provided for the poor of Fountain confit was completed in March. 1837. Its size and cost is now unknown. It is certain that it stood northeast from Covington, about two miles distant. This served well its Immane purpose until during the days of the great Civil war. In about 180: the county purchased the present county farm, lying three miles north of Cox ington, and the next year a contract was let for the erection of an asylum for the poor. The contractor was Nathaniel Morgan, of Crawfordsville; and the price was eight thousand seven hundred dollars. It was well and substantially constructed and has served until the present time, but in 1904-5 the county erected a substantial two-story brick structure for the use of the men of the institution, costing more than five thousand dollars. The superintendent re- ceives an ammal salary of seven hundred twenty dollars. The average num- ber of inmates for 1012 has been thirty-six. In the month of August there were only eighteen males and thirteen females in the institution. The ages of men ranges from forty to eighty-four years, while the women aged-from twenty-six to seventy-two years. The farm consists of two hundred and seventy-five acres of excellent land. The farm is not quite self-supporting, but almost so one year with another, owing to the crops maturing or not maturing properly. he present and very capable superintendent of the county farm is Samuel H. Sowers, who has managed the place for the last four years and more.


OLD COUNTY SEMINARY.


Among the county buildings of which few of the present generation know anything whatever was the county seminary, built under the law of 1843, which act provided that each county within the state should have a "seminary." In June, 1844, the board of commissioners appointed John Ham- ilton, Benedict Morris and William Hoffman a committee to superintend the building of a county seminary, with powers to adopt plans and specifications for the same. Finally, the contract was awarded to William S. Patterson and John Bilsland, at one thousand sixty-four dollars. The county seminary sys- tem proved a dismal failure and this building was used, until destroyed by fire, for the common schools of Covington.


CHAPTER IV.


COUNTY, STATE AND NATIONAL OFFICIALS.


While statistics are usually considered dry reading, there are certain topics which must necessarily come under this heading, that are invaluable as a means of ready reference. Within this range may properly come elections and lists of public officials, which, in this latter instance, embrace the names of men who have held either county, state or national office, thus representing the people of Fountain county, directly or indirectly. The subjoined is as near a complete list of such officials, with data concerning the ternis they served, as the present records of the state of Indiana afford :


PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.


Beginning with 1848, the following will show the political complexion of Fountain county in the selection of presidential electors down to the pres- ent time :


Votes.


Votes.


1848-Cass electors 1,343


Taylor electors 901 VanBuren clectors I 38


1852-Pierce electors 1,496 Scott electors 1,023 Hale electors 64


1856-Buchanan electors 1,588


Fremont electors 1,606


Fillmore electors 36


1860-Lincoln electors 1,656


Douglas electors 1,360 Breckenridge electors 269 Bell electors 26


1864-McClellan electors 1,818 Lincoln electors 1,562


1868-Seymour electors 2,059


Grant electors 1,729


1872-Grant electors 2,014 Greeley electors 1,672


O'Connor electors 17


1876-Hayes clectors 2,247


Tilden electors 2,203 Cooper electors 220


1880-Hancock electors 2,261


Garfield electors 2,257


Weaver electors 544 1884-Grover Cleveland 2,476


James G. Blaine 2,271


John P. St. John 4


B. F. Butler 369


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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.


Votes.


1888- Grover Cleveland 2,525


Benjamin Harrison 2.608


National ticket 113


Prohibition ticket 3ª


1892 -- Grover Cleveland


2,319


Benjamin Harrison 2,379 James B. Weaver ( Peo- ple's ) 3-23


John Bidwell ( Pro.) - 72


1900-William Mckinley - 2,981 William J. Bryan 2,862 J. G. Wooley ( Pro.) - 98




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