USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 33
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The society moved on well and great interest was taken in matters until one of the society's members, in May, 1848, was charged with misconduct- conduct truly unprofessional. A committee was appointed to examine into the case. The committee finally reported and it was laid on the table. The accused then tendered his resignation, which was also laid on the table along with the report. This disease becaine infectious, for another member of the society was charged with violating their code of ethics. These things caused the young society to sicken and die, like many another infant. before it had ended its second summer. It died July 8. 1848. of what the laity would term an "inward fit." but what they called internal commotion.
It may here be stated that in that medical society was the cream of the medical profession in Indiana at that date. No city then presented men who surpassed them in point of attainment, and it seems strange, when looking back from this day, that they would permit such an organization to go down, especially when it was not only a benefit to themselves, but to the general community. On the roll of members appear the names of Doctors
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D. S. Clark, D. Jennings, Joel B. McFarland, Merrill Halliday, L. C. Rey- nolds. L. Fairman, C. F. Wilstach, Isaac Smith, Luther Jewett, D. T. Yeakel. Andrew Taylor. R. M. O'Ferrall, John S. Davis, Samuel Wilgers, James Donovan, E. Deming. J. M. Havens, Richard R. Stone, Robert Shaw, Luther Bensie and Thomas Chestnut. Many of these men were far advanced in intellecttiality. They were the pioneers in medicine in Indiana and were very aggressive, which may account, in part, for their numerous misunder- standings and which finally made the rupture in the society which they had formed in good faithi.
Nothing more was done in way of medical societies until 1866, when on November 23d, two of the junior members of the society, recognizing the spiritual injunction "that it was not good for man to be alone," much less doctors, and also that "in unity there is strengthi," issued a call for the physicians to meet at Dr. Chestnut's office. November 30th, to consider the matter of forming a medical society. The profession responded to the call, nearly all members turning out. Dr. Chestnut was elected chairman and Dr. J. P. Wallon secretary. The society was finally fully organized, con- stitution and by-laws having been perfected after many night sessions, run- ning up to February 7. 1867, when medical subjects were first commenced to be discussed. At that meeting in February was discussed an essay by Dr. Beasley on "Chloroform in Labor." The paper in April of that year was on "Cholera." Many of the older members had gone through such epidemics and the discussions were animated and interesting, from the fur- ther fact that the disease seemed to be coming to our shores from the Orient at that time. Things went on nicely in the meetings until the latter part of 1867, when some member was again charged with bad conduct, as had been the case in the first society, but after an investigation the whole matter was "whitewashed." This society, like its predecessor, was full of public-spirit and they failed to hold their usual monthly meeting on account, the min- utes say, of the grand political rally of the Republican party on a day in October, 1868, during the exciting "Grant, Colfax and Peace" campaign. The doctors evidently believing it wiser to save the country from ruin than the people from death, they said "What will be the use of living if we have no country ?"
March 2, 1869, a member sent in a communication tendering his resig- nation, at the same time criticising the action of the society in rather sharp terms. It was referred to the censors, who brought in a report censuring him as sharply as he had criticised the society. As a result one faction with- drew, and thus crippled, the remaining membership languished and ere
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long went the way of all the earth. The epitaph that marked the grave of Medical Society No. 2. in Tippecanoe county read "Died for want of atten- tion." That was a large society-took in all the county and was in fact too large to be of practical service. It existed a little more than three years.
The experience had not been any too flattering, although the physicians one and all had to admit that the idea of medical societies was one that had come to obtain in the minds of the higher class of medical men and that they believed in them, if they could be properly conducted. But not until the latter part of 1875 was another attempt made to organize again. At that date the plan suggested by the State Medical Society was adopted, and at first all seemed to be harmonious, but it was not long before the same spirit of intolerance prevailed that had caused difficulty in previous organi- zations. The result was that this society died before it had lisped its first sentence. The junior members felt the need of some such organization and numerous plans were discussed, and finally, on the evening of March 1, 1877, there met at the office of Dr. Vinnedge, Drs. Wiley. Seawright, Yount and Beasley. The latter physician was chosen chairman and Dr. Yount secre- tary. They moved with great caution, remembering the sad fate of other societies founded in the county for a like purpose. One matter they were agreed upon from the start and that was that no member would be allowed to enroll his name unless he possessed some other evidence than that of a "painted sign" that he was competent to practice medicine. March 8th of the same year another session was held and the committee reported on con- stitution and by-laws. The chief difference in these instruments from those of previous societies was that they required evidence of the good moral char- acter of would-be members and also that they be graduates of some reputable medical school or college. Another provision was that any number might constitute a quorum, except in the matter of changing the constitution. Dur- ing the summer of 1877 the society had a membership of but five, one of whom was absent from the city, leaving but four for actual work. The meet- ings were kept up and a part of the time but two doctors were present. The next winter the membership increased to eleven, all of whom were willing workers. This society was incorporated and its constitution recorded. Since then the medical society of this county and city has been fraught with more or less success and well attended.
In the month of June, 1909, there were forty-seven active and five hon- orary members belonging to this society. The officers at the same date were as follows: President, Dr. A. W. Schreiber; vice-president, Dr. Earl Van Reed; secretary, Dr. William M. Reser; treasurer, Dr. Charles Hupe; cen-
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sors, Dr. George F. Beasley, Dr. W. S. Moffitt. Dr. W. H. Peters; Dr. Moffitt, delegate.
The society meets twice each month-second and fourth Mondays. All doctors of medicine may be members, of whatever school.
After all these long years of eventful history, with adverses and pros- perous times, the society is now well established and doing much good in the medical fraternity of Tippecanoe county.
PRESENT-DAY PHYSICIANS.
Ackerman, August C., graduated from Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, in 1883.
Allder. Alfred E., University of Michigan, 1903.
Arnett, Arett C., Indiana Medical College, School of Medicine at Pur- due University.
Baker, Erasmus S., West Point, graduated from Hospital College of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, 1907.
Baker. E. S., Lafayette, graduate of Rush Medical College, 1898.
Baugh, S. L., Shadeland, graduate of Rush Medical College, 1901.
Beasley, George F., Lafayette, Rush Medical College, 1864.
Biddle. Frank M., Battle Ground, Fort Wayne Medical College, 1895. Bitting, Arvill W., West Lafayette, Medical College of Indiana, 1900.
Brown, William W. C., Lafayette.
Butler, William F., Medical College of Indiana. 1895, practices at Stockwell.
Campbell, Robert M., West Point, graduate of Medical College of Indiana, in 1895.
Campbell, William S., graduate of Rush Medical College, 1885.
Crockett, Franklin S., Medical College of Indiana, 1903.
Crouse, Jerome H., Dayton, graduate of Rush Medical College, 1868 (deceased).
Cunningham, Samuel R., graduate of Medical College of Indiana, 1899. Davidson, Edward C., University of Michigan, 1891.
Dienehart, Michael.
Driscol, Charles C., graduate of Kentucky School of Medicine, Louis- ville, 1893.
Fox, S. R., College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk, Iowa.
Gray, Frank P., Medical College of Ohio, 1876.
Gray, James A., graduate of the Medical College of Indiana, 1875.
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Hannell, Roy V., graduate of Medical College of Indiana, 1903.
Hillis, James D., University of Michigan, 1880.
Hiner, F. T., West Lafayette, graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1877.
Holman. W. Frank. Clark's Hill, a graduate of Louisville (Ky.) Medical College, in 1906.
Hopper. M. S., Medical College of Ohio, 1881.
Hupe, Charles, Greiswold Medical College of Prussia.
Jeffers, Francis Marion, Odell, graduate of Hospital College of Louis- ville, 1900.
Keiper, George F., University of Michigan, 1890.
Kern, Charles Bruce. Homeopathic College, Chicago, 1898.
Kirkpatrick, George W.
Lairy. Manson. Medical College of Indiana, 1893.
Levering, Guy P., Medical Department of University of Pennsylvania, 1899.
Little, John V., Medical College of Indiana, 1879.
Littler, John M., Kentucky School of Medicine, 1879.
Lofland, William A., West Lafayette, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1889.
Lyle, Urban A .. Medical College of Indiana. 1903.
Mace. William D., Medical College of Indiana. 1889.
Mayfield, Ambrose M., Montmorenci, Kentucky School of Medicine, 1894.
Mayfield, Clifford Hill, Lafayette, Medical College of Indiana, 1906. McBride, William F., Dayton, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1895. McCabe, James E., Buck Creek, Medical College of Indiana, 1903. McCray. Ora Lee, Romney, Medical College of Indiana, 1904.
McMahan, Adah, Northwestern University. Chicago, 1897.
Mitchell, Emma Josephine. University of Michigan, 1901. Morrison, John S .. Medical College of Ohio, 1897.
Motter, Thomas S., Dayton.
Mugg, Henry W., Clark's Hill. Medical College of Ohio, 1902.
Nesbitt, William S., Kentucky School of Medicine, 1887.
Pearlman, Samuel, Medical College of Indiana. 1901.
Peters, Walter HI., Medical College of Ohio, 1886.
Pyke, Albert D., Romney, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1880. Reser, William M., Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia, 1903. Schaible, Emil, Bellevue Hospital Medical College. New York city, 1889.
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Schill, C. W., Louisville Medical College, Kentucky, 1876.
Seawright, Samuel R., Indiana Medical College, Laporte. 1849.
Shafer, J. Walter, Rush Medical College, 1900. Shoup, A. W., Battle Ground, Louisville Medical College, Kentucky. Schreiber, Adam W., Medical Department of Washington University, 1903.
Simison, J. F., Romney, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1860. Smith, John M., Ilahnemann Medical College, Chicago, 1869. Sparks, Milton W., Louisville National Medical College, 1896.
Tea, Roger S., Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1886.
Terry, Oliver P., Marion-Sims-Beaumont Medical College. St. Louis, Mo., 1906.
Test, Erastus, 1873.
Thompson, Franklin B., Medical College Indiana, 1882.
Thompson, G. W., Stockwell, Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, 1897.
Throckmorton, G. K., Medical College of Indiana, 1887.
Throckmorton, Ora E., Battle Ground, Central College of Physicians and Surgeons, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1897.
Tilson, Washburn, Chicago Homeopathic College, 1891.
Tubbs, George Riley, Cairo, Hospital College. Louisville, Kentucky, 1900.
Van Reed, Earl. Medical College of Indiana, 1905.
Venneman, Robert T., Medical College of Evansville, Indiana, 1881. Vinnedge, William W., Medical College of Ohio, 1869.
Wagoner, Robert H., Colburn, Medical College of Indiana. 1903. Walker, William S., Medical College of Indiana, 1887.
Ware, William H. Monroe.
Washburn, George W.
Washburn, S. S., University of Louisville, Kentucky, 1861.
Wells, Albert A., Long Island College Hospital of New York, 1878. Westfall. A. B., Kentucky School of Medicine. 1890. Wetherill, Richard B., Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. 1883. Whalen, Thomas Henry, Illinois Medical College, 1898.
Widdop, Mary L., Medical College of Indiana. 1902.
Wilson, Milton C., Medical College of Indiana, 1882.
Worcester, William W., American Medical Missionary College. Chicago, 1901. Wray, Curtis M., Monitor, Indiana Medical College. 1906.
Webster, John C., Lafayette, Rush Medical College of Chicago, 1870.
CHAPTER XVI.
AGRICULTURE-SOCIETIES OF THE COUNTY.
Agriculture has been the base of all the growth and prosperity of Tippe- canoe as well as most all of the counties within the state of Indiana. It was the soil and timber intermingled one with the other, and the numerous streams and springs found gushing forth here and there throughout its territory that attracted the first settlers hither. It was because of its pro- ductive soil that white men saw fit to have the Indians removed to other parts of the country, that the hunting grounds of the latter might become subdued into harvest fields of golden grain and great fields of waving corn. No systematic record of the early farming operations was kept and the pioneer who plowed and sowed and gathered in the first crops of this county has long since been gathered to his fathers and sleeps the sleep that knows no waking, but that they who tilled this soil were men of intelligence and unyielding energy, is known from very many incidents recorded. Farming was not at that day as advanced, as a science, as in the later decades. Men were without the machinery now used; the hoe and hand rake, the scythe and grain sickle were their only aids : and everything had to be accomplished by the hardest kind of labor, but notwithstanding this, the lands were sub- dued and what was a wilderness was in time made to blossom like the rose.
But little attention was paid to the care of the virgin soil or the science of tillage and crop rotation. Hence there was no need for the early set- tlers to form "Agricultural Societies." But as the settlement took on age and government lands were a thing of the past, each land owner saw the need of husbanding what he possessed and dividing it up into tracts for pasture and grain growing. It was then that men saw the value of exchang- ing ideas and learning the methods of one another and profiting by each other's experience. At least, whatever may have been their practice, there is no record or other evidence of organizing themselves into societies for mutual benefit until about 1840, and these only go to show that such efforts were then made without indicating the progress attained, and are now treasured only as relics of curiosity rather than of history. The most notable of such curiosities is a silver medal, for many years in possession of H. T. Sample, which had been awarded for some premium given at one of the "Fairs," probably 1840-the first.
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The record shows that March S, 1851, a meeting was held in La- fayette with the view of making some organized efforts to promote the indus- try of agriculture in Tippecanoe county ; and on the first Saturday of the fol- lowing April an agricultural society was formally organized, the leading spirits of which were: Hon. Henry L. Ellsworth, president; Dr. Furman Leaming. John Levering, Henry Oilar, vice-presidents; Thomas T. Ben- bridge, treasurer: Dr. O. L. Clark, corresponding secretary ; Joseph J. Bing- ham, recording secretary ; the council consisted of Dr. Turner Welsh, Andrew Insley, George S. Foreman, Lemuel Devault. Samuel Elliott, Ebenezer King, John Fisher, Allen Lloyd, John Barnard, Canada Fink and Benjamin Eastburn. With such gentlemen heading the project, it is not to be won- dered at that their efforts resulted in the holding of successful annual exhibits. of such superiority that the State Board of Agriculture was induced to hold its annual State Fair at Lafayette in the autumn of 1853, and achieve- ment then, and for many years afterwards, counted as conclusive evidence that the farmers and business men of Tippecanoe county were fully alive to the object they had in view, and the same has always been referred to with a just pride by the farmers of the county.
Really the society in this county held its first exhibit, proper, in 1852. It was for that day a most interesting and highly successful farm exhibit. The premiums were indeed liberal and all paid in full at the close of the fair. Five dollars was the highest prize given for the best ear of corn; the larg- est given for any animal produced in the county was three dollars, while the total amount paid out for the premiums that year was one hundred and fourteen dollars.
Fairs were held with varied success and failure until 1859, when by reason of an improper system of management, the enterprise was aban- doned.
While it may be supposed that the interest and development in agri- culture was the thing lacking to make these fairs succeed, such was not the fact, for really the methods of farming and general onward march of the great industry of agriculture had made, and was then making, its most rapid strides, so much in advance of the men who had been in charge, as officers, that the tiller of the soil cut loose from such organizations and headed on for conquests not yet dreamed of by the agricultural officers in charge of the annual exhibits.
The actual burdens of managing a county fair usually devolve on a very few men, and for several years prior to 1859 such duties rested largely on the shoulders of William K. Rochester and Thomas T. Benbridge, the
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former being secretary and the latter the treasurer, who by their unselfish labors, in the cause of husbandry, earned the gratitude of all interested in the advancement of Tippecanoe county farming.
Father H. T. Sample was a faithful worker also.
In 1867-two years after the close of the Civil war, when things had been settled down to a peaceful state and returned soldiers again took the plow by the handle and sought to gain a livelihood by agricultural pursuits- a few citizens in the southern part of this county again took steps to organ- ize a county society, and succeeded in securing suitable grounds, about ten miles south of Lafayette, for the purpose of holding their annual fair. This movement met with a hearty response from the better element of farmers and business factors throughout the entire county. But after four years it was evident that the people would not longer support a fair located at so great a distance from the county seat. Accordingly, in 1871. the Tippe- canoe County Agricultural Association was duly incorporated under the laws of the state with a paid-up capital of ten thousand dollars, divided into four hundred shares of twenty-five dollars each. This money was expended for improvements made on the grounds that had been furnished by the county, which were located at a place adjoining the city of Lafayette to the southeast on the Mayflower gravel road. The management boldly as- sumed the indebtedness equal to the capital stock and invested the money in the further improvements of the grounds. These improvements were of the highest fair-ground grade within Indiana: for beauty and adapta- bility. the association was unrivaled by any in the entire country. Subse- quently seventy-three acres more land was purchased and added to the orig- inal grounds. This was studded with a fine growth of beautiful forest trees, making one of the most delightful pleasure parks to be found any- where. A half-mile speeding track was made wide enough to allow ten trotters abreast in harness, without danger of collision. Up to 1887 there had been expended over thirty thousand dollars on these grounds and the improvements thereon.
It is believed from the best of information that at the date of the organi- zation of this agricultural association there was not a single specimen of thoroughbred cattle in Tippecanoe county, but early in the eighties there were numerous ranches and farms in the county, the owners of which were making a specialty of thoroughbred cattle. First premiums were taken at the leading fairs of this and other states from stock raised in this county. From the modest sum of money paid for premiums in 1853. the sum had increased in 1885 to six thousand dollars, and the year later reached ten
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thousand dollars. The gross receipts at the state fair held at Lafayette in 1855 were six thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars, while the gross receipts of the Tippecanoe county fair amounted to twelve thousand dollars in 1887.
The liberality of the exhibitors has been remarkable in this county. Twenty and more years ago, there were several full herds of cattle repre- senting Kentucky. Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, and from out this vast aggregation of stock, the finest came from the herds of this county.
In the line of horses, Crouch & Woodcock, of Lafayette, were the chief. while Moses Fowler, also of Lafayette, and Samuel Moore, of Otter- bein, had many fine animals. To the southwest of Lafayette, Adams Earl away back in 1886 had one of the finest herds of Herefords to be found in the entire world. The chief growers of fine grades of sheep were at that date A. Henderson and Mortimer Levering. Up to about 1888 there were many animals of the thoroughbred strains of stock imported to this county, but since about that time none have been shipped in, as the pure blood was already established here, and the stock men here have long since become exporters to all parts of this country, instead of importers. This is especially true of cattle.
In the eighties there arose a difference of opinion regarding the tem- perance question in this county, and for a year or two the Agricultural Society interests suffered heavy loss, the receipts being cut down to a low figure. But after that unfortunate period had passed by, the society again built up and the debts incurred were all paid in full and the annual exhibi- tion of 1887 was one of the best ever attended of any held up to that date in Tippecanoe county.
At present the Agricultural Society is in a prosperous condition. In 1905 the society expended ten thousand dollars in improvements on its grounds which now have a fine grand-stand and half-mile track, said to be superior to most every one in the state.
At the 1908 annual exhibit, the total receipts were eleven thousand, nine hundred ninety-five dollars and fifteen cents. The amount paid in premiums, including speed, was five thousand, seven hundred sixty dollars and forty-five cents. The attendance was thirteen thousand persons. The fair is fixed to be held as near the first of September as possible, the pres- ent year being the forty-third annual exhibit. Entries are made from North Dakota to New York and from Canada to Alabama. The fair is open to the world.
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The officers for 1909-this year-are as follows: President, H. B. Lyman ; vice-presidents. John P. Foresman and Bennett Taylor ; treasurer, C. F. Jamison; secretary, C. W. Travis. The paid-up capital stock of the society is now fifteen thousand dollars. The following is a list of the directors : Henry Anderson, Alvin C. Baker, W. S. Baugh, James Ball, Thomas W. Burt, John Borum, John M. Cason, Walter B. Curtis, Jeptha Crouch, A. L. Clark, Perry Davis. John P. Foresman, D. H. Frazer, L. M. Heffner, D. J. Harrington, C. F. Jamison, C. F. Johnson, S. S. Kirkpatrick, Charles Kurtz, H. B. Lyman, Henry Leaming, W. C. Mitchell, S. C. Marks, Thomas Murdock, Henry A. Miller, Henry W. Marshall, John Martin, Jr., George L. Marshall, Lawrence McClure, James McBeth, Theodore McCabe, Henry C. Nelson, William S. Nevill, Franc B. Parker, Robert Prass, John F. Ruger, Henry Rosenthal, Mrs. E. E. Reynolds, R. W. Sample, W. W. Smith, W. V. Stuart, Allison E. Stuart, Prof. J. H. Skinner, Bennett Taylor, John H. Taylor, C. W. Travis, Dr. H. E. Titus, Perry Thompson. J. Lynn Van Natta, Mrs. W. W. Vinnedge, Adam Wallace, Mrs. W. Bent Wilson.
STOCK RAISING.
The growing of livestock in Tippecanoe county has for many years been carried on in a very extensive manner. Perhaps no single county in the entire country produces more fine horses than does this. The Lafayette Stock Farm is the largest importer of fine horses in the United States. It was founded about 1885 by Jeptha Crouch. It is situated near the eastern line of the city and comprises six hundred acres and has barns to accommo- date three hundred horses : all barns are lighted by electricity and this subtle fluid is used as a power about the premises in more ways than one. Sixty men are here employed in the busy season of the year. Horses go from here to every state in the Union.
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