USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
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SIXTEENTH BATTERY, LIGHT ARTILLERY.
Captains-Charles A. Naylor, Charles R. Deming, Benjamin W. Liver- more ; first lieutenants-Henry F. Jennings, Claudius Dutiel, John S. Patton, Benjamin R. Cunningham: second lieutenants-Frederick Strum. Samuel M. Wilson, James C. Chidester, Frederick W. Hoff and others.
The Sixteenth Battery was mustered in March 24, 1862, taken to Wash- ington, District of Columbia, participated in the battle of Slaughter's Moun- tain ; skirmishes along the Rappahannock, in one of which, with but four effective guns, it withstood the concentric fire of sixteen of the enemy's guns for nine hours; skirmishes at Sulphur Springs ; battle of Groveton ; defense at Washington: battles of South Mountain, Antietam: skirmishes at Snicker's Gap. Virginia, and was mustered out June. 1865.
LOYAL CITIZENS AND OTHERS.
In Tippecanoe, as most every county in the country, there were loyal and disloyal characters at work, either to build up or destroy the Union. There were here found members of the Knights of the Golden Circle and an oppo- sition to President Lincoln and the Republican administration. There were some arrests made for disloyal expressions made by "copper-heads" who in cases were imprisoned a short time. Drafts were made under all three of the general orders for drafting ; but there was no opposition to this mili- tary process in Tippecanoe county.
While the soldiers were in the field, those who remained at home and who possessed the spirit of patriotism and loyalty to the flag were kept busy
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attending to the wants of the families represented at the firing front. Where the "war widows" and children were unable, the townships and county provided for their support. Aid societies and festivals of every con- ceivable sort, where money could be raised, were the order of the day. Money and supplies were forwarded to the battle fields and to the hospitals in large amounts. One must have lived in the days of that long-drawn- out war in order to get a true conception of the suffering and sacrifice, in both treasure and blood, that it cost to settle for all time the question of "States Rights" and human slavery on American soil.
The number of men furnished from Tippecanoe to suppress the Rebellion was seven thousand, three hundred-a good sized army of itself.
WHAT IT COST THE COUNTY.
The "minute books" of the county commissioners of Tippecanoe county for the years during the Civil war period have many entries concerning appropriations and payments of large bills for the enlistment and support of the soldiers who went to the front from this county. The minutes of the June session of 1863 disclose the fact that the board, up to that date, had paid out over nineteen thousand dollars for this purpose.
From February to April, 1864, all soldiers who volunteered from this county received one hundred dollars bounty. and the number who took advantage of this sum was one hundred and eighty-seven. Being short of funds, a warrant was issued for this sum and the same drew six per cent. interest until paid.
May 2, 1864, the county commissioners borrowed ten thousand dollars of John Purdue to help pay the indebtedness caused by the war. This drew six per cent. and was to be paid within two years.
It was also in May, 1864, that four hundred and eighty men were called into the field for one hundred days from this county. Each was allowed fifty dollars from Tippecanoe county as a bounty ; and each soldier's wife was given one dollar a week and each child, under twelve years of age, was granted fifty cents a week, while the volunteer received his thirteen dollars per month while in the service of his country.
Again in 1863-that darkest of all days in the Rebellion-this county was compelled to borrow fifteen thousand dollars from the First National Bank. The soldiers also loaned ( or went without the money due them) to the amount of seven thousand, seven hundred dollars, this sum coming from one hundred and fourteen soldiers.
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The record shows that in 1864 the soldiers' bounty had reached an aggregate of fifty-six thousand, four hundred dollars in this county.
Another entry in the 1864 minute book states that forty-one thousand dollars was needed at one of the board's sessions in order to balance the "Military Appropriation Account" in Tippecanoe county.
After the January call in 1865, by President Lincoln, for three hundred thousand more troops, the county commissioners agreed to pay volunteers the sum of four hundred dollars bounty. Jacob Pyke was appointed pro- vost marshal, who, with three citizens from each township, were to look after the matter of bounties and the payment of the same at date of enlist- ment.
These items are but a part of the expenditures noted in the county records of this county from 1862 to 1866.
Prominent among the officers of the Regular army and volunteer ser- vice, who went from, or have been citizens of Tippecanoe county, are the following :
Brigadier-General Joseph J. Reynolds, Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis John- son, Major of Marine Corps Henry G. Ellsworth, all of the Regular army ; and Brigadier-General Isaac N. Stiles, Colonel W. B. Carroll, Tenth Regi- ment ; Colonel W. C. Wilson, Fortieth and One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiments ; Colonel W. C. L. Taylor, Twentieth Regiment ; Colonel M. B. Taylor, Tenth Regiment ; Colonel C. G. Thompson, Seventy-second Regiment ; Colonel G. O. Belim, One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment ; Colonel Job Vanatta, Fifteenth Regiment: Col. James Tullis, Seventh Regiment, Iowa volunteers.
TIIE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
Tippecanoe county furnished her full quota of volunteers during that short, but decisive, war with Spain in 1898. That war was officially declared by President William McKinley, April 25. 1898. As soon thereafter as the demand was made by the governor of Indiana, troops were in readiness. The volunteers were made up here as all over the country, by drawing upon the National Guards. Five regiments went from Indiana, the One Hundred and Sixtieth being the one in which most of the Tippecanoe men served. These National Guard regiments changed their old numbers for the ones of the Civil war-commencing to number where the Civil war regi- ments left off, thus the Third Regiment, the first to be mustered, took on
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the name of "One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Regiment of Volunteer In- fantry." and so on through the list of regiments.
The One Hundred and Sixtieth was largely from this and adjoining counties and had previously been styled the Fourth Regiment of National Guards. It was made up of men from Marion, Decatur, Warsaw, Lafayette, Tipton. Bluffton, Ossian, Columbia City. Huntington. Anderson and Logansport.
This regiment arrived at Camp Mount. April 26. 1898. under order from the Governor, for the purpose of being mustered into the service of the United States, and after a most rigid physical examination of both officers and men, the regiment passed muster and became soldiers of the United States, in fact. May 16th the regiment left Camp Mount and proceeded to Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, Georgia, where it arrived May 18th. There it received orders to proceed to Porto Rico and left camp July 28. 1898, going to Newport News, Virginia, at which place they arrived July 30th, but there received orders to not proceed to Porto Rico, but later was ordered to Camp Hamilton, Kentucky, where they remained until November 9th. Two days later the regiment was in Columbus, Georgia, where it continued until January 15. 1899, and was ordered to proceed in three sections to Matanza, Cuba, where they were united January 27th, and went into camp and remained in Cuba until March 27. 1899, and then had orders to proceed to Savannah, Georgia. to make preparations to be mustered out. The regiment arrived at Savannah March 29th, and on April 25th was fully mustered out.
OFFICERS.
The officers of this regiment were as follows:
Colonel. George W. Gunder: lieutenant-colonel. William L. Kiger; majors. Lawrence E. Harter, John J. Bockman. Edward P. Miller ; sur- geon. John J. Kyle; adjutant, Henry F. McFeely; quartermaster. Ran som Allen : chaplains. Welford D. Weaver and William J. Vigus.
Company C of this regiment was made up by men from Tippecanoe county, largely. This command. as Guards, had been organized June 25, 1895. Its officers were : Captain, Thomas R. Marks, Lafayette : first lieuten- ant. James L. Glasscock : second lieutenant, Charles A. Hubbard. Lafayette; first sergeant, Albert M. Hopper, Lafayette ; quartermaster sergeant, Leander J. Penrod, Lafayette ; sergeants, Gilbert P. Newsom. W. Newton, John C. McGrath, Lafayette : John P. McCauly, same place, and Fred S. Hencke. The corporals were George A. Duffy, Lafayette : John Madden. Romney ; John T.
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Hogan, Lloyd Lucas, and Oliver P. Throckmorton, of Lafayette. The musician was Amos Mitchell ; artificer, William H. Mills: wagoner, George Nichols.
The company consisted of the above officers and ninety-two private soldiers. They all returned, suffering no loss by death. While they saw no fighting, they were well qualified and bore well their part in the great army that was placed in the field ready for active duty within an almost unheard-of time. That short war decided many great international ques- tions and has placed the country higher among every nation on the globe. It was fought to protect the humane interests at stake in Cuba, and was the direct result of the sinking of the battle-ship "Maine," but really was caused by the three-hundred-year yoke of oppression upon the part of Spain among her subjects in Cuba, which cause this country could stand no longer as a Christian, civilized nation. It proved to be a war on the waters, more than upon land, and was suddenly terminated when Admiral Dewey sighted and sank the Spanish fleet off the coast of Manila.
SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
There are at least five Revolutionary soldiers' graves in Tippecanoe county-they are as follows: One at Conroe named Jacob Kesler, who died August 12, 1843, aged eighty-six years: Jacob Lane, Nathan White, George Rank and George Stoner, all interred in Greenbush cemetery, Lafayette.
SOLDIERS OF THE WAR OF 1812.
The following soldiers of the war of 1812-14 are interred in the cem- eteries at Lafayette: David W. Parker. Thomas Rogers, William Barbec, John Golden. Truman Bates, John Redfourn. William Cunningham, R. W. Thompson, William Ruby, James Emerson, Capt. A. F. Knight. W. E. Rank, David Henderson. Archibald Hatcher, Lemuel De Vault. Charles B. Naylor, Andrew Hickenlooper, Elias Bedford. Abraham Fry, William Taylor, Philip Weaver, William Bullock. Newbury Stockton, Peter Leslie, William Wood, Thomas Goldsbury, William G. Emerson, Isaiah Hannold, Hiram Bales, John Schmidt, Robert Marshall. Zebulon M. P. Hand and- Stuart. All but two or three of the above are resting within the enclosure of Green- bush cemetery.
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SOLDIERS OF THE BLACK HAWK WAR-1832.
At this date ( 1909) there are interred in the cemeteries of Lafayette the following Black Hawk war soldiers: Joseph Goldsbury, William M. Jenners, Maj. Daniel Mace. John L. Pifer. Obed Underhill. Benjamin Bow- ers, Gen. Jacob Walker, John McCormick. John Taylor. John Pettit, Sam- uel C. Armstrong. Washington G. Glaze, John Gouldy.
UNION SOLDIERS OF CIVIL WAR.
Of the seven thousand soldiers who went from Tippecanoe county and helped save the Union from 1861 to 1865. over six hundred are sleeping in Greenbush cemetery today. Two hundred and fifty more lie in Springvale cemetery ; one hundred in the Catholic cemetery, and twenty-five in the German cemetery.
SPANISH-AMERICAN SOLDIERS.
Up to July. 1909. there had been but one burial of Spanish-American soldiers from this county and he was F. R. Temple.
LAST MEXICAN SOLDIER IN LAFAYETTE.
In July, 1909. it was believed that only one Mexican soldier was still living in Tippecanoe county-John Fitzsimons, who was then eighty-three years of age, born in Troy. New York. 1826, but was reared near Canton. Ohio. He was left an orphan at the age of early youth, and when nineteen years old enlisted in the United States army to engage in war with Mexico. He enlisted at Massillon. Ohio, as a member of Company K. Third Ohio Regiment of Infantry.
GENERAL GRANT'S CAREER STARTED AT LAFAYETTE.
The book which the reader now hokls is probably the first history con- taining a true account of how Gen. U. S. Grant decided to enter the Union army in time of the Civil war, as a colonel from Illinois, the significant event having happened at the city of Lafayette.
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The facts from which this narrative is written have been carefully gleaned and locally verified by those still living here and who are familiar with all the incidents. It was first brought out many years ago by Hon. Robert R. Hitt, then chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, at Washington, who gave Grant's own version of it.
Grant had attended and graduated at West Point Military School and received a commission as second lieutenant in the regular army, but had given up such commission and was living in Galena, Illinois, and anything but a successful business man, but who was striving to make an honest living for his little family, when the Civil war broke ont. He then put in an application for some military appointment, with the department at Wash- ington, but had not as yet heard from it. At West Point he was a class- mate of Gen. Joseph Reynolds, of Lafayette, Indiana, and he made the lat- ter general a visit here soon after the breaking out of the war, and while here in Lafayette, or possibly just as he was starting, he received a telegram from Richard Yates, then governor of Illinois, asking him to become the colonel of the Twenty-first Illinois Regiment, with instructions to answer by wire. As a guest of General Reynolds, they remained up most of the night in thoroughly discussing this matter, and Grant had about concluded to decline the acceptance of the position, saying that had it been for the command of a single company of men he might have accepted, but to have charge of a thousand men, after having been so long out of the army ser- vice, he could not for a moment think favorably of it. But just at this juncture, when he was about to send his message to Yates, General Rey- nolds' older brother joined them in the little brick house then occupied by the Reynolds family, on lots now used by the Foster Furniture Company's block. This latter gentleman was William F. Reynolds, then president of the railroad company, whose line ran through Lafayette, and a man of high standing and much manly force of character. He spoke up and remarked, "Young man (looking Grant over carefully), you have been trained at the government school and at public expense. and if you don't know how to command, who does? To whom are we to look in such times of peril-can't you accept? You have got to. What's a thousand men? I give orders to that many men myself, and a railroad is not so much different from an army. Give me a telegraph blank. I will write your answer."
The answer said he would accept and do what he could. Grant coolly signed.
"The cold steel-gray eye of that old railroad president looking into mine," said Grant, in relating the incident. "seemed to send some of that determined confidence in myself into my spirit."
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The sending of this Lafayette telegram, accepting the office of a colonel to which he was at once commissioned, was the starting point in the military career of one who became our great chieftain, and whom the people made twice their president. So that in associating Grant with West Point, St. Louis and Galena, the word Lafayette should always be added, for here it was that a decision was made upon which possibly the fate of a nation was hanging as if in a balance-who can tell?
CIVIL WAR ITEMS.
Saturday, April 15, 1865, a draft took place to free the townships of their last quota of men for the Civil war. It was believed enough might enlist without this, but had to be on the safe side and obey orders of the governor of the state. Col. James S. Williams and James Roseberry, Esq., were appointed as a committee to draw the names.
The following day news was received from the war department to the effect that no more drafted men would be required, as peace was then in sight-after the four long years of strife between the North and South.
In the month of March, just preceding the close of the war. Fairfield township still had two thousand. three hundred persons subject to draft and only one-third of this great number of able-bodied men had contributed toward the military fund for securing bounties, etc., for raising recruits in this county. For this shirking in time of war. the editor of the Lafayette Courier took exceptions and severely criticised them.
March 18. 1865. gold closed on the exchanges of Wall street, New York, at one dollar and sixty-seven cents. It had been as high as two dol- lars and eighty-seven cents.
That there was a disposition on the part of some of the citizens of Lafayette, and in other sections of Tippecanoe county, to let some other man do the hard fighting in the South, may be judged from the fact that so many business men and professionals here organized themselves into an associa- tion known as the "Fairfield Township Draft Association," whose busi- ness was to charge a fee of fifty dollars, to be expended in securing sub- stitutes in time of drafts. A notice of such organization was published in the Courier many months in 1864-65. It was signed by John S. Williams, president ; David McBride, treasurer ; and E. H. Langhans as secretary. The office of this society was situated on the south side of the public square. It should be stated, however, that many of its members were old men, and
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could not well leave their families at home alone, and hence were to be ex- cused from any blame that might otherwise be attached to them for not being more patriotic. But this did not apply to all by any means.
April 19, 1865, seven men were hung at Camp Burnside, Indianapolis, and two at Camp Carrington for expressing gratification over the death of President Lincoln.
CHAPTER X.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-CIIURCII HISTORY.
That the religious element has always predominated in Tippecanoe county will be seen from the facts that follow in this chapter. The early pioneers, although busy about the care and perplexities of making suitable homes for themselves, as a rule, had reverence for sacred things and encouraged and supported religious efforts, of whatever denominations it might be that sought to gain foothold within the county. Both the Catholic and Protestant denom- inations were very early in this fickl and with the passing years have been the means of spreading their doctrines to a good degree in each of the thirteen townships. The Methodist circuit rider and the Presbyterian ministers were the pioneers to enter this county and plant churches of their respective denom- inations. The Methodist appears to have been a few months in advance of any other denomination, aside from the Friends who organized in 1827.
The following history of Protestantism and the founding of the Method- ist churches within the county is from the pen of Rev. George W. Switzer, D. D., who has served in this conference as pastor and presiding elder (now called district superintendent ) for many years and is thoroughly informed concern- ing the work of Tippecanoe county religious societies.
HISTORY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN TIPPECANOE CO., INDIANA.
(By G. W. Switzer.)
The history of the Methodist Episcopal church in Tippecanoe county is contemporaneous with the civil and social history of the county. The Metho- dist church was the pioneer church. Rev. Hackaliah Vredenburg is known to have preached to the scattering settlers of the little town of Lafayette as early as in the autumn of 1825. soon after the town had been laid out. Before that dlate. in 1824. there had been preaching by Methodist ministers, who in the in- terests of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, had visited the pioneer settlers and had gathered into some humble home the people and held religious service. The first presiding elder visiting the county was the Rev. James Armstrong, who came in 1825. as the presiding elder of the Crawfordsville district, of which La- fayette and Tippecanoe county was a part. These men. Vredenburg and Arm-
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strong, were the first two ministers of official appointment within the county, according to the best information from the most reliable records. The re- ligious meetings were held in private houses, or in the old log court house, until the first church was built, which was in 1830. It stood on the south end of the lot on the southwest corner of Main and Sixth streets, fronting east on Sixth street. This was the first organization of the Methodist societies within Tippecanoe county. In writing the history, after more than eighty years, much that would be of interest and value has passed into tradition and can- not be gotten with authentic facts. There was a romance in the beginning, in all that pertained to the lives of the early settlers. Not less romantic is the story of the ministers who came in the interests of religious promotion. They were men of noble character. broad sympathies, possessed of fine abil- ities, called with a high calling from God, heroic in spirit, enduring hard- ships, sharing the simple but genuine hospitality of the pioneer folk, bringing a glimpse of life from the world outside the settlement, instructing in the teachings of the Holy book, calling men to repentance and faith in God. build- ing up the believers, ministering to those in sorrow, warning the hardened and impenitent, and they were men whose lives fitted into the construction of the new civilization.
The history of these men. the results of their work, through the religious denomination known as Methodists, is the purpose of this paper as a part of the history of Tippecanoe county.
Having given the history of the beginning, I now take the development of the Methodist church in the life of the county. The beginning in the first church built in 1830 grew into a larger church on the corner of Ferry and Fifth streets. The old church was moved to the back end of the lots purchased and fronted on Ferry street in 1836, and remained the place of worship until- 1845 when the larger brick church was erected and completed at a cost of about eight thousand dollars. The building of Trinity church was begun by the purchase of a lot on the corner of Sixth and North streets in 1868. The church was built and the chapel was completed and dedicated February 24. 1872. Bishop Thomas Bowman officiating. The church was completed and on March 23. 1873, dedicated, the Rev. Bishop Thomas Bowman officiating. For thirty-six years this church has stood for the use of the service and wor- ship of AAlmighty God, and the history of its influence for good. as it has touched the lives of the multitude, can never be written. The St. Paul's church was first known as the "Eastern Charge," organized by members separating from the old Fifth street church. in the year 1850. The lot for the building was on the southeast corner of Ninth and Cincinnati streets. The name was
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changed to that of Ninth Street church. It was a splendid building, two stories high, with basement rooms for Sunday school and social and business meetings, and a large auditorium in the upper floor. The building was com- pleted, and dedicated in 1854. For more than forty years it was a busy work- ing church. A new lot was purchased on the corner of Tippecanoe and Eleventh streets, for a new and modern building which was completed and dedicated in February, 1897. This building was one of the most complete church buildings in Lafayette. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1899 but was rebuilt and is now in use by a faithful people.
The Congress Street church was formerly organized September 21, 1867. For many years previous there had been a mission and preaching by pastors of different Methodist churches, who were sent to the "hill" for religious work. With organization, began a growth that has resulted in a strong and vigorous church with four hundred members. The Sunday school has now an average attendance of almost three hundred members. This church is in a part of the city with a growing population, and is well serving its divine purpose.
In West Lafayette, while there was but a small population, a Methodist church was organized in 1869. A church was built and dedicated January 23. 1870. This served well its purpose until the congregation grew too large to be accommodated when a lot was purchased on the corner of Main and South streets and a building with accommodations for large work was erected. This building. costing about twenty-five thousand dollars, was dedicated on January 23. 1898. These four churches within the city, have now about two thousand members.
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