USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 20
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In 1832 Daniel Hunter erected a double log house for hotel pur- poses, on the Indianapolis and Lafayette road. It was a much traveled thoroughfare and he found the business very profitable. Soon a little ham- let sprang into existence, and it was naturally named after the landlord and was styled Huntersville. For a time it grew and prospered up to the most sanguine expectations of its founders; but when the St. Louis & Chicago railroad line passed through the county, leaving it off its route, it went into decay, and now not a vestige of its former greatness ( ?) exists.
The first birth within Lauramie township, as now described, was the male child born to Mrs. James Cole, the date being in 1829.
The first death in the township was an aged lady-a Mrs. Waters, who
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was buried on the farm of James Cole, and was subsequently removed to the Bareus burying ground.
The earliest mail facilities was a postoffice established at the house of Hezekiah Hunter, at Huntersville. He remained in charge of the office until 1838, when George W. Anderson became postmaster, serving eighteen months. The office was then changed to John Kilgore, who remained in charge of the mail until the completion of the railroad, when it was removed to the new town of Stockwell.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
The largest town within this township is, in point of population, Clark's Hill, with seven hundred fifty people. It was laid out 1850-51. by Daniel D. Clark, the proprietor of the land upon which it is situated. He gave it its name in honor of his own family name. The first store opened at that point was by E. J. Loveless, who kept a stock of general merchandise, and in addi- tion thereto was largely interested in grain dealing and owned a large ware- house. Other pioneer dealers were: Messrs. Clark. Mitchell & Clark and Alfred Caves, warehouses and stores. The first hotel was opened by James Buckley in 1853, and conducted by him four or five years. Then W. S. Bryant became its proprietor. The first church in the village was the Methodist Episcopal, built under the supervision of Alfred Caves, in 1855. and was also occupied by the United Brethren denomination. In 1860 the Catholic congregation erected a church building, and in 1870, the Christian church was built through the untiring zeal and efforts of Samuel Otterman.
George Wright Grand Army Post was established and numbered 185. in December, 1882, by Capt. J. B. Shaw, of Lafayette.
Stockwell, which is a rival to Clark's Hill, and in the eighties was by all odds the most important place in the township, was platted about 1850. Reuben Baker was the original proprietor. He named his town "Baker's Corners." After a few years he disposed of his land and interest in the hamlet to a company composed of Robert Stockwell, William F. Reynolds, Moses Fowler, Rev. John L. Smith, Hon. Albert S. White and Rev. James Courtney, who prosecuted the work already commenced by Mr. Baker. The name of the town was changed to Stockwell. It was then known that it would become a station point on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis & Chicago railroad-then being constructed. Its business grew with the county. and it has now come to be a first-class trading place and supplies the ordinary
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merchandise wanted by the farmers of that section of the county. Its pres- ent population is between five and six hundred.
Monroe, now a hamlet of about three score people, is on the line of the railroad, in the northeast portion of the township, and on the old state road between Lafayette and Indianapolis. It was laid out in December, 1832, by William Major, who owned the land upon which it is located. Prior to rail- road times it was a town of considerable importance, and bid fair to be- come a good town of the county. The railroad diverted the line of trade and its business was forever blighted. The first store operated at Mon- roe was opened by William McBride, who removed to Illinois about three years later. Reuben Baker then opened a store in the same building, which was later purchased by C. P. Lee. Alexander Hutchinson then bought the building and conducted a grocery store for several years. The pioneer physician of the village was Dr. Benjamin Carter, who located there in 1832. He was succeeded by Dr. M. Baker within a few years. Dr. Umphrey and Dr. Ferguson were also early doctors of Monroe.
Concord, now defunct, was laid out in 1831-32, by James B. Johnson, who owned several thousand acres of land, upon a part of which tract he concluded to found a town. There he erected a mill which was the chief industry of the place. The town was situated on section 2, township 21, range 4 west. in the northwest corner of Lauramie township. Before the completion of the Wabash and Erie canal, he enjoyed a favorable pros- pect of having a town of much importance. At present the section is known only by its being a beautiful agricultural section, with happy farm homes on every side.
Yorktown is another village located on section 21, range 3 west.
The church history of Lauramie township will be found largely in the "Religious Chapter" of this work.
The township now has good public school buildings with an enrollment of five hundred ten pupils within its borders.
CHAPTER IN.
MILITARY HISTORY.
Tippecanoe county not having been settled until after the two great wars with England-the Revolution and the war of 1812-14-its military history is confined to the Indian wars, the war with Mexico, the Civil war and the Spanish-American war, all of which are treated in this work. The Indian wars having been mentioned at another place in the work, the other conflicts will be taken up in this chapter in the order in which they were fought, which will bring the Black Hawk war first. It should be said in passing to the subject that in each war in which Indiana, including Tippe- canoe county has participated. that she has furnished men and munitions of war equal, if not greater in proportion to her wealth and population, than any other state within the Union, which galaxy of states she has ever upheld and bravely defended. From Gen. William Henry Harrison down through the long list of Civil war soldiers, this state, with others, has furnished her full share of patriotic sons, many of whom have laid down all that was sacred and dear to them-even life itself, and murmured not at the sacrifice made. With the biographies and mention in the general chapters of this work will be found the names of many of the illustrious dead and some who still survive both the conflicts of the war with Mexico and the Civil strife engaged in between '61 and '65.
No generation will look back with shame at the military record of the Hoosier state. Her early pioneers were men of undaunted courage; they were the people who saw the receding forms of savage Indians as they hid a long farewell to their vast and beautiful hunting grounds and wended their way toward the setting sun, to and far beyond the "Father of Waters." They were descendants of the brave and patriotic men who declared and finally gained their independence over the mother country. Then it is not strange that when assailed by traitors at home and outlaws on our south- western borders. that the people of Tippecanoe county rallied around the flag, which by their devotion and sacrifice has come to be revered as no emblem on earth, save the Cross alone, is honored in this the first decade of the twentieth century.
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THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
In 1832 occurred the Black Hawk Indian war, and many troops went to the scene, and the supposed scene of this war. Old Chief Black Hawk and his followers were unwilling to leave the lands on the eastern bank of the Mississippi river, which had been ceded to the United States by a treaty with the Sacs and Foxes held at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
The commanding officer at Fort Dearborn ( Chicago) gave out the intelligence that fifteen persons had been murdered on Hickory creek, and that the hostile Indians were assembling within forty miles of Chicago. This news flew with great rapidity.
On Sunday morning, May 18, 1832, the people of the west side of the Wabash river were thrown into great consternation on account of a report reaching them that a large hostile band of Indians had approached within fifteen miles of Lafayette and killed two men. The alarm soon spread through Tippecanoe and adjoining counties. Several brave commanders on the west side of the Wabash, in Tippecanoe county, raised troops to go out and meet the enemy, and dispatched an express to General Walker, with a request that he should hold himself responsible for calling out the militia of this county, to equip themselves instanter, and march to the aid of their bleed- ing countrymen. Thereupon General Walker, Colonel Davis, Lieutenant- Colonel Jenners, Captain Brown, of the artillery, and various other gallant spirits, mounted their war steeds and proceeded to the army, and from thence upon a scout into the Grand Prairie to discover. if possible, the num- ber, situation and intention of the Indians.
Old men and women and children, to the number of over three hundred, flocked to Lafayette and the surrounding country on the east side of the Wabash river. One incident occurred during this scare and hastily-made stampede that really has a place in the annals of Tippecanoe county. The same is taken from pioneer Sanford Cox's "Old Settlers."
"A Mr. D-, who with his wife and seven children, resided on the edge of Grand Prairie, west of Lafayette, in a locality particularly dan- gerous, made hurried preparations to fly with his family to Lafayette for safety. Imagine his surprise and chagrin, when his better half told him she would not go one step-and that she did not believe in being scared at trifles, and that in her opinion there was not an Indian within one hundred miles. Importunity proved of no avail and the disconsolate and scared husband and father gathered up all the children except the babe and bid his wife and infant
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child a long and solemn adieu, never expecting to see them again, unless per- haps he might find their mangled remains, minus their scalps. On arriving at Lafayette .his acquaintances rallied and berated him for abandoning his wife and child in the hour of peril; but he met their jibes with a stoical indifference, averring that he should not be held accountable for her obstinacy. As the shades of evening drew on, Mrs. D --- felt lonely, and the chirp- ing of the frogs and notes of the sad voiced whippoorwill increased her lone- liness until she half way wished she had accompanied the rest of the family in their flight. After staying a few hours in the house without striking a light. she concluded that perhaps the old adage 'discretion is the better part of valor.' was true, so she arose, took some bed clothes from off one of the heds, passed out. fastened the door of the cabin, and hastened with her babe on her bosom to a sinkhole in the woods, some few hundred yards from the house. in which she said that she, with the infant, slept soundly until sunrise the next morning."
The little town of Lafayette literally boiled over with people and patri- otism. A public meeting was held at the old court-house. Speeches were made by sundry patriotic individuals, and. to allay the fears of the women, an armed police was immediately voted to be called the Lafayette Guards. An organization immediately took place. Thomas T. Benbridge was elected captain and John Cox lieutenant. Captain Benbridge yielded the active drill of the guards to his lieutenant, who had served two years in the war of 1812. After the meeting at the court-house. the guards were paraded on the green, where the Purdue block later stood, and put through sundry military evolutions by Lieutenant Cox, who proved to be an expert drill-master, and whose shrill clear voice rung out on the night air. as he marched and counter- marched the troops from where the old paper mill stood to the Main street ferry. Every old gun and sword that could be found were brought into requisition, with a new shine on them.
General Walker. Colonel Davis and Colonel Jenners, with other commis- sioned and non-commissioned officers, joined in a call on the people of Tippe- canoe county for volunteers to march to the protection of the frontier settlers. A large meeting of the citizens assembled on the public square in Lafayette, and over three hundred volunteers, mostly mounted men, with an alacrity that would have done much credit to old veterans, were ready to risk their lives in defense of the frontier.
The first night they camped about nine miles from Lafayette, near the edge of Grand Prairie. After placing out sentinels for the night the troops retired to rest. A few of the subaltern officers, without consulting their su-
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perior officers, very indiscreetly concluded to try what effect a false alarm would have upon the sleeping soldiers, and a few of them, with others initi- ated into the important secret, withdrew to a neighboring thicket, and from thence made a charge on the regular picket guards, who, after hailing them and receiving no countersign, fired off their guns and ran for the colonel's marquee in the center of the encampinent. The aroused colonels and their staff, who had been kept in ignorance of the ruse, sprang to their feet. shout- ing "To arms; to arms!" and the obedient and panic-stricken soldiers seized their guns, and demanded to be led against the invading foe. A wild scene of disorder ensued. Amid the din of arms, firing of guns, and loud commands of officers, the raw militia felt that they had already got into the red jaws of an Indian battle. One of the alarmed sentinels, in getting to the center of the encampment, leaped over a blazing camp-fire, and lit full upon the breast and stomach of a sleeping counsellor of the law, who was no doubt at that moment dreaming of vested and contingent remainders, rich clients and good fees-which in legal parlance was suddenly stopped by the hob-nails in the stogas of the scared sentinel.
The next morning the officer in command administered a salutary repri- mand to the getter-up of the false alarm of the previous night-showing the glaring impropriety of such conduct, and the bad consequences that might have resulted from such insubordination, and plainly gave them to under- stand that if they or others attempted the like again, they might expect the most rigorous penalty of a court-martial.
Monday morning an express was received from his excellency. Governor Noble, of Indiana. to Brigadier-General Walker, approving the measures adopted by our officers, for the safety and repose of our frontiers, and direct- ing him to call out his whole command, if necessary, and supply our men with arms and provisions, procuring them by seizure or otherwise. On the next day four baggage wagons were dispatched, and such stores, provisions. and other articles as were necessary for the comfort and convenience of our fellow citizens in arms were at once loaded for the march westward. Enough provisions were had to last a month.
On Tuesday, May 31st, a fine-looking squad of mounted men from Putnam county, Indiana, commanded by Colonel Sigler, passed through La- fayette for the hostile Indian region ; and on the 13th of June Colonel A. W. Russell, commandant of the Fortieth Indiana Militia, passed through Lafay- ette, with three hundred and forty mounted volunteers, from Marion, Jolin- son and Hendricks counties. Several companies from Montgomery, Foun- tain and Wayne counties hastened to the relief of the frontier of Illinois and
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Indiana. The troops from Lafayette after marching to Sugar creek. and remaining there a few days without finding an enemy, or very strong proba- bility of finding any east of the O'Plein river, were ordered to return by General Walker.
The troops all acquiesced, except about forty-five horsemen, who filed off, and said they would form an independent company of volunteers and would proceed beyond Hickory creek where the depradations had been com- mitted by the Indians. This company was organized by the election of Sam- uel McGeorge, a soldier of the war of 1812, captain, and Amos Allen and Andrew W. Ingraham, lieutenants.
Although the main body of troops from Lafayette returned within ten days, yet the alarm among the people was such that they could not be in- duced for some time to return to their farms, where they were greatly needed to attend to the growing crops.
While this was a genuine "Indian scare." it is not to be wondered at. for it must be remembered that the pioneers of Tippecanoe county and all northern Indiana had not many years prior to this Indian outbreak, been through the horrors of real Indian warfare, and it could not be forgotten by them and their children. However, by the cool-headed way in which the officers and the newspapers of the state handled the matter, and after scouts had been repeatedly sent to and returned from the seat of Indian troubles in Illinois and Wisconsin, where old Black Hawk was finally captured, at Bad Axe creek, the fever and excitement finally subsided and settlers went back to cultivate their new farms.
THE WAR WITH MEXICO.
From the close of the war with England in 1812-14-the war of 1812. so-called in history-this county was at peace with the nations, up to 1846. when war was declared against the Republic of Mexico, growing out of border difficulties in what is now known as Texas. The Mexicans had in- truded and overridden the rights of the citizens of this country to an extent that war had to follow to maintain our rights. The result was the annexa- tion of a large amount of territory to the southwest, including the present state of Texas. That was also a conflict of but about two years' duration. The state of Indiana at that date was financially crippled. and. not looking for war, was illy provided for the equipment of her share of the army re- quired to subdue the Mexican government. The state was compelled to borrow money. The Governor sent out circular letters to the various state
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banks, requesting a small loan of each bank. Several banks refused to loan for this purpose, and among these banks may be named the ones at Michi- gan City and Vincennes, but be it said to the credit of Lafayette that she cheerfully responded. as will be seen by the following correspondence had between the Governor and the Bank of Lafayette :
BRANCH BANK OF INDIANA, Lafayette, June 11, 1846.
SIR :- Your favor of the 3d instant is at hand and considered by our board of directors last evening. We have a demand for all our money in carrying off the produce to markets, yet our board feels willing to tender a part of the money on hand as a necessary aid in meeting this emergency and have therefore instructed me to advise you that your draft on us for the purpose specified in your communication, will be honored to the amount of, say five thousand dollars ($5,000), relying with full assurance and confi- dence in the general government making the necessary appropriation for re- funding the same at an early period.
I am respectfully, your obedient servant,
CYRUS BALL, Cashier.
To His Excellency, James Whitcomb. Governor of the State of Indiana.
Extortion .- As will be seen by the following from the Indiana Democrat files of September 4, 1846, the sutlers in the army at that period were hard- hearted and extortionate in their prices.
"Almost every letter from the volunteers complains of the unmerciful extortion practiced upon them by the army sutlers. It is shameful. In many cases articles of bulk and great weight are necessarily high, but how they could have the face to charge ten cents a sheet for letter paper for the sol- diers to write home on. we cannot conceive of. A ream of such paper costs but three dollars, and when sold out at ten cents a sheet amounts to forty- eight dollars. The government has the credit of providing for the wants of her men in the field and it ought to do it and not allow them to be subject to such outrageous extortion."
The records of the various companies sent to the Mexican war are in no way as clear and correct as those of later wars, but from the best possible evidence it is believed that the following is nearly a correct list of the men who served in that war from Tippecanoe county:
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John Barth, of Lafayette, who died at Vera Cruz, Mexico, January 4. 1848; Thomas Billingsley, Lafayette, died of yellow fever, at Vera Cruz, Mexico, February, 1848; Joseph Ball, Stark Bethel, John R. Bancroft, who died at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, November 8, 1846; Calvin L. Bruner, Felix Brandrey, George W. Blue, who died at Pueblo, Mexico, April 10, 1847: Asa T. Corkins, Henry Cole, Michael Craver, Thomas Cooper, de- serted in 1848: Jefferson W. Evans, James Freeman, Peter Gearhart, Ed- ward Galloway, L. R. Hibbard, Joshua Il. Howard, died at Camp Wash- ington, March 29, 1847: John Ilacketon, from Americus, Martin P. Howard, Joshua Hallowell, George W. Hall, James H. Haltz, Charles E. King, died at Vera Cruz, Mexico, April 24, 1847: Barton Lucas, Dennis Lairy, died at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, July 7, 1847 : Clark Layton, Jacob Loucks, John Loring, Israel More, John Nelson, Jr .. Adam S. Ogg. Benjamin Parker, James S. Pierce, died on board the steamer "Prairie Bird." January 1, 1847; Andrew Park, Willis Pruitt. John Ray, James M. Sherry, William Salt- house, William A. Smith, William E. L. Smith, William Simmons, Wil- liam Thompson, David R. Wheeler, Robert Williams and Thomas II. Wickersham.
The only survivor of the war with Mexico, still living within the county, in July, 1909, was John Fitzsimons, who was living with his daughter, in Lafayette, aged about eighty-three years, but in the possession of all his mental faculties and a good degree of his bodily strength and vigor. He en- listed near Canton. Ohio, in the Third Ohio Regiment, in 1846.
TIIE CIVIL WAR.
The cause and outcome of the Rebellion which engaged the mind's and heart's best efforts, between April 12. 1861, and April, 1865, from one end of this Union to the other, is a subject well known to almost any student of American history and will not here be related. Suffice to say that attending the scenes of the first volunteering in Lafayette or Tippecanoe county, nothing of great historic interest occurred. Among the first in this county to tender his services to his country at the outset of the Civil war was the county auditor, Chris Miller. It was he who posted the first notice calling for men. He entered the Union army, received a severe gunshot wound in the shoul- der. was sick a long time, "was given up to die and finally went into convul- sions. While suffering in one of these spasms he straightened out with a tremor as if in the throes of death, when the doctor pronounced him gone. Mr. Frazier, standing by and perceiving that life was not extinct, held his
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ear down close to his lips to hear what words he might utter, when poor Miller exclaimed in a faint whisper, 'My God! I am not dead yet!' And he actually recovered. in part, and survived for several years."
Three days after President Lincoln's call for seventy-five thousand men to suppress the rebellion of the South, John Levering went into the regular service, remaining throughout the entire conflict of more than four years.
The best that can be written, at this late date, of that war as connected with Tippecanoe county, will be from such statements as are found on file in the state and United States adjutant-generals' reports. There were sev- enteen regiments represented from Tippecanoe county and two batteries of artillery. From out these many companies and regiments went forth to battle many who never returned to the home and fireside of their native state. By the wayside, on the hills, in the morass and in the pestilential swamp, in the Golgothas around the prison pens of Dixie. they sleep unshrouded, un- coffined and unknown, there to rest until the dissolving circles of time shall burst their sealed graves and bid the earth reveal her guilty secrets. No mound marks the spot where their sacred ashes repose today. No gentle hand scatters flowers over their narrow homes. None go to weep where they rest hidden from sight and knowledge, but perchance the busy husband- man plows o'er the spot where they lie in silence, and the wind in the tall grass chants their solemn requiem.
"On Fame's eternal camping ground Their silent tents are spread ; And glory guards with solemn sound The bivouac of the dead."
NINTH INFANTRY-THREE-YEARS MEN.
Company A of this regiment contained several patriotic men from Tippe- canoe county. Thomas Madden was elected first lieutenant at the organiza- tion, and subsequently promoted captain. The colonels of the Ninth Infantry were Robert H. Milroy, who was promoted to brigadier-general within three weeks after mustering : Gideon C. Moody was the other colonel of this regi- ment. The regiment was first organized as "three-months men." but reor- ganized at LaPorte. August 27, 1861, for three years' service, being mustered in three weeks later. It was then ordered to West Virginia and remained at Cheat Mountain for winter quarters until January, 1862. During this time the regiment participated in the battles of Alleghany and Greenbrier. In
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