Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1, Part 8

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 8
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 8


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


The regiment remained at Indianapolis, on duty, until December 25th, and during that time Companies E, F, G and I were detached for duty as provost guards. December 25, 1863, the other six companies left Indianapolis, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel James McManomy, and proceeded to Shepardsville, Kentucky, arriving there on the 28th. From that time until January, 1864, these companies were engaged in guarding the line of the


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Louisville & Nashville railroad and the Lebanon branch thereof. While en- gaged in this duty, detachments of the command had several skirmishes with the enemy. About the middle of January, 1804, the several companies were concentrated at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, under command of Col. Israel N. Stiles, and on February 25th marched toward Knoxville. Tennessee. That place was reached on March 15th, after a march of one hundred and eighty- five miles, over almost impassable roads. After a day of rest, the regiment mnoved on to Mossy creek, from whence, on April Ist, it marched to Bull's Gap, and was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division of the Twenty- third Army Corps. April 23d it moved in the direction of Jonesboro, march- ing one hundred miles in four days, and burning the bridges and destroying the tracks of the Tennessee & Virginia railroad for many miles. Then re- turning to Bull's Gap on the morning of April 28th, the regiment, on the same afternoon, commenced its march towards Georgia to join the army of Gen- eral Sherman, then about to enter upon the Atlanta campaign.


"The Twenty-third Corps effected a junction with that army at Red Clay, Georgia, on May 4th, and on the 9th and Ioth the Sixty-third occupied a position on the left of the line during the action of Rocky Face Ridge, losing two killed and four wounded. After the battle it moved through Snake Creek Gap to Resaca, and in the engagement at that place on the 14th the brigade to which the regiment was attached, with the Sixty-third in the front line, charged across an open field more than half a mile, under a terrific fire from the enemy, taking a portion of the rebel works. Iis loss was eighteen · killed and ninety-four wounded; total one hundred and twelve. On the 16th the regiment moved from Resaca, wading the Ostanula river and crossing the Coosawattee, overtaking the enemy at Cassville on the 18th. It drove the enemy all the next day, and on the 20th reached Cartersville, remaining there until the 23d. Crossing the Etowah river and Pumpkin Vine creek, it moved forward and went into an intrenched position on the Dallas line on the 26th, behind which the Sixty-third lay, under fire of three batteries, until relieved on June Ist. Its loss at this place was sixteen wounded.


"After this it lay in line of battle from June 3d to June 6th, behind works of its own construction, losing one killed and one wounded. It was then held in reserve until the 15th, when it was placed in the front line near Lost Moun- tain, losing six killed and eight wounded. On the 17th it moved forivard to the Kenesaw line under brisk fire, but without loss. It crossed Noses creek on the 20th under heavy fire, losing two in missing. On the 27th it made a flank movement on the left of the enemy's line at Kenesaw, losing two killed


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and one captured. The regiment then remained in its intrenchments until July Ist, losing two wounded, and on the 3d made a reconnaissance, discover- ing a long line of rebel works along Nickajack creek. On the 6th it crossed this creek, passed through an abandoned rebel line, and crossed the railroad below Marietta. On July 8th it forded the Chattahoochee river, wading the stream neck deep, with a rapid current, without losing a man, and being the first troops to cross. Moving forward toward Atlanta on the 17th, it came in sight of that city on the 20th, and on the 22d, in the engagement in which the lamented McPherson fell, the division to which it was attached moved to the left in support of the Army of the Tennessee. On the 23d it went into posi- tion on the right of the Seventeenth Ariny Corps, in the front line, and fell back on the contraction of our lines on July 26th. On the 28th it made a reconnaissance, losing one killed and one wounded, and on the night of Aug- ust Ist moved to Utoy creek. On the 6th it supported Reilley's brigade of the Third Division of the Twenty-third Corps, losing three wounded. On the 9th the regiment was transferred to the Third Brigade, Third Division of the same army corps, Colonel Stiles taking command of the brigade, and from that time until August 18th was in various positions along the Sandtown road. From the 18th to the 28th it was on duty along the Campbelltown road, mak- ing daily reconnaissances to the Newman road.


"On the 28th of August it moved out toward the Atlanta and Macon rail- road, striking the West Point road on the 30th at Rough and Ready station. The next morning the regiment engaged in destroying the railroad, and in the afternoon marched toward Jonesboro. On the 2d of September it marched to Lovejoy's and was held in reserve on the 3d and 4th. On the night of the 5th the regiment started back to Decatur, reaching that place on the 8th, where it made an intrenchment and well fortified camp, in which it rested from the labors of the Atlanta campaign.


"The Sixty-third remained in this camp until the 4th of October, when its corps moved with the other forces under Sherman to meet Hood's attempt upon our communications, and from that time until the 7th of November it marched rapidly and constantly almost every day. It then left Dalton for Nashville by rail, and on reaching that place moved to Pulaski, arriving there on the 15th. On the 22d it fell back before Hood's advancing army, reach- ing Franklin on the morning of the 30th of November, skirmishing with the enemy, on the march, and losing at Columbia three killed and three wounded. On the 30th it participated in the battle of Franklin, its position being on the left of the line, behind well constructed intrenchments. The regiment, though


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repeatedly assaulted, lost but one killed and one wounded. At midnight it crossed the Harpeth river, and reached Nashville the next morning, where it remained in position until the 15th of December. On that and the following day it participated in the operations on the right of our lines without loss, the forces on its left and right having compelled the enemy to retire before its brigade was ordered to advance. On the 17th the regiment joined in the pur- suit of Hood, going as far as Clifton, on the Tennessee river, from whence it started for Alexandria, Virginia, on the 16th of January, 1865. Sailing trom Alexandria on the 3d of February, it arrived near Fort Fisher, North Carolina, on the 7th and landed on the gth. On the 12th and 14th of Febru- ary it participated in the difficult but unsuccessful attempt to turn Hoke's position, and on the 16th crossed to Smithfield. The next day it moved up to Fort Anderson, and engaged the enemy on the 18th, losing one man wounded. On the 19th it pursued the retreating army, having one man wounded on the march, and overtook it at sunset at Town creek. On the 20th it fought the rebels, losing one man killed and one man wounded, and on the 21st advanced to within sight of Wilmington. Marching into Wilmington on the 23d, it re- mained in camp until March 6th, when it moved toward Kingston, reaching that place on the 12th, after a severe march of one hundred miles through swamps and mud, the men wading Trent river before daylight on the morning of the 11th.


"On March 20th the regiment started for Goldsboro, reaching there the next day. Here the regiment remained until April roth, when it moved to Raleigh, where it remained until May 5th, when it moved by rail to Goldsboro. At the latter place the regiment remained until June 21, 1865, when the com- panies still in service were mustered out, the battalion of four companies, A, B, C and D, having been mustered out on May 20, 1865, at Indianapolis. On returning to Indiana, the regiment was present at the reception given it in the capitol grounds, at Indianapolis, and soon after was finally discharged from service."


While it is impossible to give the list of men making up the soldiery from Fountain county, belonging in this regiment,


"Each soldier's name Shall shine untarnished in the rolls of fame, . And stand the example of each distant age; And add new lustre to the historic page."


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THE SPANISHI-AMERICAN WAR.


Short and decisive as was the war with Spain, over the sinking of the battleship "Maine" in Havana harbor, in 1898, it took men to work out the problem of final victory, which was accomplished by the sinking of the great fleet in Manila bay, in the far-away Pacific ocean, by gallant, brave and intelli- gent Dewey.


Fountain county responded quickly to the call for troops, who found their places with the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Regiment, for the most part. This regiment was formed of the Second Regiment Infantry, Indiana National Guard, and was composed of companies from Indianapolis, Rochester, Frankfort, Franklin, Winchester, Covington, Sheridan, Martinsville, Kokomo and Crawfordsville. The regiment arrived at Camp Mount April 26, 1898, under orders from the Governor, for the purpose of being mustered into ser- vice of the United States. After the physical examination of officers and men, the regiment was mustered into the volunteer service of the United States on May 10, 1898, and left for Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Georgia, on May 16th, arriving there on the 18th, and went into camp. Broke camp at Camp Thomas August 25th, under orders to proceed to Camp Poland, Knoxville, Tennessee, where it arrived August 26th. Having been ordered home for muster out, the regiment left Camp Poland on September 12th and arrived at Camp Mount on September 14th. The regiment was furloughed for thirty days from September 17th and was finally mustered out and dis- charged November 4, 1898. This is the record made by the office of the adjutant-general for Indiana, soon after the end of the war.


The greater portion of the men from Fountain county went as members of Company G, organized at Covington, May 20, 1893, and was assigned as Company G, Second Infantry, Indiana National Guard. The date of enroll- ment into the service of the United States for service in the Spanish-American war was April 26, 1898. Most of the officers were residents of Covington and were as follows: Captain, William G. Miles; first lieutenant, George X. Miller; second lieutenant, Ora L. Clark; first sergeant, Mark W. Savage; quartermaster sergeant, Louis S. Sweet; sergeants, Lewis H. Evans, Thomas A. Bostic, Frederick C. French, George W. Hendrix; corporals, Joseph M. Rhodes, Reuben M. Dellaven, Herbert R. Rabb, John M. Adamson, Charles J. York, William W. Zufall; musicians, Arthur W. McDonald, Louis G. Boothroyal; artificer, George C. Hendrickson; wagoner, George W. Rogers; privates : John W. Adams, Robert E. Alexander, John Berkley, Charles C. Bennett, Charles A. Bever, Frank Bever, Edward M. Booe, Henry C. Coopage,


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Charles M. Cox, Clinton Crockett, Charles F. Crane, Scott Crowe, Thaddeus Crowe, Wiley B. Crowder, Omer P. Dale, Richard M. Denman, John A. Diffenderfer, George W. Earl, Walter B. Ellsberry, Harry L. Evans, John W. Hoover, Eugene Hyde. John O. James, Charles W. Johnson, Charles A. Lay- man, Frank Lee, John W. Madosh, Lewis T. Martin, Terrell W. McKeenhan, George Mealey, Holford M. Meeker, Isaac M. Miller, Charles E. Murphy, William M. Nichols, Marion Picket, Oliver A. Pritchard, George Rhodes, Abraham L. Ricketts, Frank A. Riggin, James E. Rogers, Seward B. Walker, Edward Walther, Harry F. Weber, Ralph A. Yeley. Recruits : John C. Appel- get, Arthur Baldwin, Allen W. Banks, Homer A. Bingham, Roy Cooper, Alonzo Crowder, Elmer Crane, George V. Dengler, Benjamin F. Dill, Grant Dunbar, Lucius B. Foster, David Gebhart, Zacharialı Jenkins, Joseph N. Jones, Dennis Mahoney, Joseph Fitzpatrick, Harry H. Fuller, Charles A. Godwin, William R: Gookins, Charles A. Gordon, Hardy Grady, Mathias C. Grady, Charles F. Hall, Joseph W. Hendrickson, Henry D. Hoon, Fred W. Samuels, William Snodgrass, Charles A. Songer, Walter O. Stuart, William Steinhauer, Scott Thomas, Elmer C. Thompson, Beecher Troutman, Charles W. Vande- vender, Robert H. Wanleer, Thomas C. O'Brien, John Rogers, John W. Runkle, Claude F. Schmidt, Charles P. Shepard, Melvin C. Shaffer, George H. Shoemaker, Oliver L. Spinning, Frederick A. Tate, Frederick C. Wyand, Fred L. Webb.


Those who died from this company, while in service, were Lucius G. Boothroyd, musician, September 19, 1898, at Indianapolis, and Clarence C. Wiley, private, September 19, 1898, Indianapolis. .


The ages of the men in this state, who served in the late war with Spain, were as follows: 1,509 were aged from 18 to 21 ; 3,228 were from 21 to 25; 1,544 were from 25 to 30; 589 were from 30 to 35; 297 were from 35 to 40; 13I were from 40 to 45; II were from 45 to 50; 7 were from 50 to 55 ; 4 were from 55 to 60; one was between 60 and 65 years of age. There were 1,520 laboring men; 1,223 farmers; 404 students; 598 clerks; 204 machinists; 203 carpenters and 134 blacksmiths. There were 5,228 natives of Indiana.


CHAPTER VI.


PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY.


From the earliest period in the history of Fountain county its populace. as a general rule, have been favorable to the securing of good educational facilities, and have not refused to vote money for the carrying on of the public schools, since that system was first really established as a part of the policy of Indiana. At first, when the old subscription schools obtained here, there were some who did not favor taxation for common schools, but it was not long before this notion was outgrown and since then our taxpayers have not begrudged the school-tax levy.


Many of the first to settle in this county had none too good an educa- tion themselves, but all possessed sufficient knowledge to desire that their children should have more and be better equipped for the great contest of life.


The first schools taught in Fountain county were not of a very high order, and it is related that the rod was looked upon as important as the text books, yet from these early schools went forth into the world men who have been a credit to almost every station in life, and not a few have become ex- ceptionally famous. With the flight of years many advancements have been made, until today the school system as carried on here ranks well with any of the counties in the great commonwealth. Her certified and commissioned, or union, schools have proven a good thing for both taxpayer and student. Nearly every township in the county has its own high school now; and pupils can have the advantages of such grades and yet board at home, as they are provided by public funds with the necessary transportation to and from these central school houses. In what is termed the consolidated schools, Indiana has proven them to be highly advantageous. Children are doing better work than it is possible for them to do in one-room buildings. Better teachers can be employed and more time can be given to individual pupils than is possible in the old-fashioned district school. The increase of more than six thousand students in the high schools of this state in the last two year is due in great part to the work of these consolidated schools.


While the matter of wages will ever be a source of debate and legisla- tion, especially as between the two sexes, until woman has been given the right of suffrage, yet of late years the trend of public opinion has been to


FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.


pay for the actual work performed, whether such work be done by a man of a woman. Women are paid better now than years ago, men also, but there is still room for advance in wages, thus securing a higher quality of instructors. But that improvement has come, there is no question, as will be seen from the following agitation which was going on in Fountain county a: far bael a: 1880, when the former county history was jibtished, for m the chapter ou education in: that local history appears the following paragraph:


"We have much room to grow yet: we have not yet learned to pay woman for the same work in the school room the same wages we give a man : nor do we yet fully appreciate that teaching school is one of the highest of employments, requiring the best talent in the land, and that the position of teacher should be made one of such honor and emolument as to attract the best intellect in the world. We need, also, to have more fully developed the idea that the chief purpose of education is to elevate men and women in the scale of life, to increase their power and capacity, and to make them more useful to their fellow creatures. It belongs to the public school to encourage that true independence and self-reliance which should characterize the Ameri- can citizen, and to teach that no one, no matter what his station is or may have been, is disgraced or does an unbecoming thing by engaging in any sort of honorable labor."


FIRST SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY.


While it is not the object, even were it possible, to trace out the schools in every nook and corner within this county, from the first down to the present, it will be of value and interest to many in the several townships to give what can be obtained correctly, concerning the first school in each town- ship and treat the educational affairs of the township in a general way, con- cluding with some statistics regarding the present public schools in each town- ship.


The first school house was erected in Shawnee township in 1824, near Coal creek. on land that George Stewart entered. The next year one was built near the southern line of the township, on section 11. One was built in Rob Roy in 1828. Later on, one on the south side of Big Shawnee on the Attica and Newtown road. These were built of logs which the settlers made common cause in drawing together and lifting to their places in the building. They were not commodious, but served well to tide over the requirements of the times. John H. Martin was the first master to teach in this township in the Stewart school. Other early teachers included those at Rob Roy, in the


FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.


person of Rufus A. Lockwood, who became an eminent lawyer in California and lost his life at sea coming around South America for home, the ship sinking, drowning passengers and nearly all the crew. He had a national fame and brought law and order out of mob-rule in California. His only son is a well-to-do farmer in Tippecanoe county now.


In Van Buren township the first school house was erected in 1825, not far from Chambersburg. It was a log building, with split timbers for seats, greased paper for window lights, and the ground for a floor. It did not have the accustomed big fire place. A bank of earth was thrown up against the building on one side, inside the house, where a fire was built, the smoke es- - caping by an opening in the roof. Teachers then did much outside work, and it is stated that in this district the teacher frequently went out and washed sheep and tied up wool at noon time and plowed corn before and after school. Sometimes the boys got tired waiting for the master to come back and went home, which greatly disturbed the teacher.


In Covington and Troy township, the earliest school was taught in the temporary frame court house, and here it is supposed the first term was taught by William Robe. Before many years a small brick building was provided in the south edge of town, and in 1843 a larger frame structure was built. Benjamin Rankin taught in 1845, and was succeeded by Rev. C. F. Smith, who was terribly beaten by the rough boys. In 1862, a brick school house was erected having six departments, but within a few years this proved too small and the board then built a new one. "John McMannomy and E. H. Nebeker were the contractors. This building, which was erected in 1876, was destroyed by fire on Memorial day, 1910, and a new structure is now being built to take its place. Besides this a beautiful high school building stands on the same street, farther to the west. This is modern in every particular.


The first school in Attica, Logan township, was erected on the north- west corner of what is now called Washington square. The first teacher of which there is now any authentic account was Thomas McFerren, in 1832, who afterwards served as postmaster at Rob Roy for forty years. In 1839 a frame school building was erected and in 1849 the South brick building was constructed, and in 1851 the Canada building was provided, Thomas M. Coen being the first to teach therein. In 1867 a forty-thousand-dollar im- posing building was erected, the same having ten rooms and capable of seat- ing five hundred pupils. This school edifice was highly complimented by the state authorities.


The schools in Richland township have been thoroughly treated by pioneer teacher (son of the first teacher at Newtown) Charles R. McKin-


·


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ney, in the history of that township elsewhere in this work. It should be stated here that Richland is a banner township in all that relates to public schools.


In Davis township schools were secured as soon as a sufficient number of people had arrived to maintain them. Soon after the first settlers came in. vacant cabins were converted into school rooms. Just who the first teacher was, or where such schools were held, is now unknown. The present high standing shows that the people have taken much interest in such important matters. One of the earliest, however, was in the Shawnee settlement. The building stood in a little grove, just in the rear of the Salem church building. and was a long hewed-log cabin, built by Andrew Round on a five-acre lot he then owned. Here were held spelling schools and religious services, as well as the regular day school. School commenced here about 1829. The Rev. James Kinkennon taught three of the early terms. He was one of the numerous New Light preachers of this county. Sanford Calvert also taught in this rude building. In 1837 a large brick building was erected on the cor- ner west of Salem church, and this served almost a score of years. It should be understood that the early schools were all of the "subscription" type, free schools not coming in till much later.


In Cain township the school history has been one fraught with many disappointments, but has finally come to the usual standard. A writer in 1880 had this to say concerning the schools at that day, and the opposition met with in trying to advance in the years before and after the Civil war :


"Here the school term is limited by the amount of school funds available, one hundred twenty and one hundred twenty-five days being the lesser and the greater limits. In the year 1856 the entire school fund was only forty dollars in the township. Of the eleven schools in the township ten have (in 1880) male teachers and one a female teacher. These have been selected by reason of their fitness. There are four hundred entitled to school privileges in this township. In the Hillsboro school the average attendance is sixty. In 1863 came to the township W. F. Ensminger, at the request of the county officers, who made him county examiner, now known as superintendent. The schools were in a deplorable condition on account of the Civil war that had just closed and left matters in an unsettled state. In his efforts to reform abuses he met with much bitter opposition, and was even threatened with personal violence; but the bitterness that had been engendered has long since subsided, and harmony and co-operation have superseded strife. Mr. Ensminger en- tered upon his duties at an auspicious time. It was the commencement of a new era in education in Indiana. The proclamation that had freed the slaves


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of the country, no less struck the shackles of bondage from the mentality of the then rising young, to whose ardent visions new aims and new opportuni- ties were unfolding in bewildering profusion; but the means, the facilities, by use of which they could hope to accomplish these aims, or improve their opportunities, and to make of themselves more than 'underlings,' were widely lacking or inadequate. New teachers, new methods, new text-books, wherefrom knowledge less antique than old Rome itself could be acquired, were the demand of that hour, and truth demands the statement that to the impulse the public school system received from the impact of warring civiliza- tion, is due the unprecedented progress education has made and is now mak- ing in our land."




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