USA > Indiana > Pioneer history of Indiana : including stories, incidents, and customs of the early settlers > Part 32
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The first sale of lots at Indianapolis was a spirited af- fair. Many of them sold for five hundred dollars and. some that are now located in the most valuable portions of the city sold as low as thirty dollars. It was difficult to gather to- gether a sufficient number of bidders in that remote section to sell the lots at a very advantageous price. Everybody in- terested in the capital bought all they could pay for. As soon as it became known that the capital was to be at that point, there was a rush of settlers to that section and nearby country. Nearly all of them adopted the same tactics that all early settlers did, of purchasing forty acres of land out of a hundred and sixty acres which they located and intended to purchase as soon as they could in any way secure the means. This was true of all the country around Indianapolis for many miles and very soon speculators started out to select lands in the country around where the new capital was located.
The first of these were three or four from Louisville, Kentucky, who were acting as agents for large land syndi-
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cates in the east and were preparing to locate some land ten or fifteen miles to the south-east of Indianapolis. They were met by some of the squatters, who had bought small pieces of land, who told them there was much better land than they were preparing to select nearer the capital. Accepting this ad- vice and the guidance of these citizens, they started out to examine some lands, and while in a dense wilderness they were fired on by a concealed foe, several shots passing very near their heads. This was evidently done by men who wished to drive them out of the country and it had the de- sired effect, they reporting at Louisville that they had been fired on by Indians.
The settlers in the country in the meantime were making every effort to secure the land they wanted, but for fear of trouble from the land sharks and of losing the land they wanted to purchase, some of which they had made improve- ments on, they determined to form an organization for self protection and to that end they called a meeting of all the citizens in the surrounding country to assemble at a given point. They called themselves "Home Defenders." Every- thing that took place at this meeting was to be a profound secret. They resolved that these land sharks should be de- feated in their attempts to purchase the lands these farmers had selected even if they had to kill them to accomplish their object. They selected three of their most resolute men to keep a lookout for the agents of these land syndicates. They organized a company of thirty men who were dressed in reg- ular Indian costumes and when needed they were to be painted and wear all the paraphernalia that the Indian wore to make them look as dangerous and hideous as possible. They had another company of twenty-five men who were dressed in the home spun wear of the pioneer, hunting shirts and coon-skin caps. Having their organization in readiness, they sent their spies out in various directions to watch for these dressed-up dandy agents, many of them wearing the stove-pipe hats of that period, whom they knew would come by the way of the White water country from Cincinnati or from Louisville over the beaten trace which
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had been made through Jackson county that crossed the east fork of the White river not far from Columbus, Indiana. Having a detachment of mounted men who were all the time in touch with their spies who would notify all the organiza- tions at the earliest possible moment when they should find out that any of the speculators were coming into that section, the main body of these people returned to their homes. Everything went on very quietly for some time, until finally one day several of the detachment left on duty came into the set- tlement and notified all the citizens to assemble at a point formerly selected, as the speculators were coming.
These speculators traveled in a body of from fifteen to twenty men, in order that they might be company for each other and that they might be better able to defend them- selves as each of them had on his person a pair of pistols or some weapon of defense. These men were coming by way of Wayne county, there being a trace from Cincinnati through the White Water valley, up to that country.
After the men who had organized to defend their homes had been in camp some time and had all their preparations made, one of their spies rode hurriedly up and told them that the land sharks were coming and would be in the neighborhood, where they had selected to receive them within two or three hours. Three men were sent back to meet the speculators proposing to act as guides for them and show them the best lands to select from. They were rid- ing leisurely along looking at lands, having a jolly, social time, when all at once they heard several shots fired not far away, and they saw a number of backwoodsmen, riding at breakneck speed across their front, stopping every little while and firing back. These backwoodsmen apparently, were being pursued by some men who were yet in the dis- tance. They halted not far from the place where these speculators had stopped and leaving their horses in the hands of a few men to hold, they rushed back and selected places to defend themselves, seeming to be waiting for the coming ene- my whatever it was. In a few minutes a large body of In- dians came rushing over the brow of the hill screaming and
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whooping as Indians do. The white men fired several shots at them which seemed to stop the advance of the Indians. The pioneers went to the point where their horses were left and got onto them and rode in among the speculators and told them that they had been assailed by a strong body of In- dians, two of their men had been killed and that they were not strong enough to hold their ground as the Indians out- numbered them two to one and appealed to the speculators to form and help them protect their homes. About this time the Indians were seen coming, whooping and firing as they came, the pioneers firing back at them, at the same time ap- pealing to these speculators to get in position and help them drive the Indians back. This was a little more than the speculators had bargained for. Ther turned and took their back trail at the best speed their horses had in them. They were followed by the pioneers who tried to prevail on them to -"Stop! Be men and help us defend our homes." The In- dians all the time, whooping and yelling and firing, many of the balls coming in close proximity to their heads. These agents lost all thought of honor and determined to take care of themselves only. The white soldiers kept up with them for some distance in their mad race, finally cursing them for a lot of cowardly, speculating villians. They halted their detachment and as the Indians came up, they fought a sham battle of no mean proportion. The speculators made good their retreat and did not halt until they reached Cincinnati: It was said afterward that in the woods in eastern Marion and the western part of Hancock county, many "plug" hats were found which had been worn by these gentry. The farmers returned to their homes and were never bothered again by speculators, purchasing their homes and living happily.
66 'HOOSIER."
It was in 1830 that the word "Hoosier" became known as meaning Indiana people. In 1833 the New Year's address, published by the Indianapolis Journal, contained a poem written by John Finley, of Richmond, Indiana. The poem was entitled, "The Hoosier's Nest." The word "Hoosier"
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evidently was intended to convey the meaning of an uncouth, crude, uncultivated people who lived in Indiana, and the "smart set" of other parts of the United States had tried to construe the word to express odium on our people. When taking into consideration the advanced steps taken by our state in educational matters, these attempts have been as a boomerang and only reflect upon those ignorant enough to attempt to cast the odium. There is no Indianian today of any note who does not accept the term "Hoosier" and is proud of the name. In the early days men who went from Indiana to California, when in answer to the question, "Where are you from?" said "Indiana," the reply would be, "A Hoosier from Posey County, Hooppole Township." Much of such slang was originated by the Pittsburg coal boatmen.
"Hooppole Township" came to be used in this way: In the early boating days of this country, Mt. Vernon was a head centre for the gathering of flatboat crews. At one time a large coal fleet had landed at that point from Pittsburg and a number of the boatmen had gone up into the town and filled up on fighting whisky. They soon raised a disturbance and started in to clean out the town. At that time there were some large cooper shops in the lower edge of the village next the river and some twenty-five or thirty coopers were working there. As the boatmen and citizens were having the battle, these coopers, with a stout hooppole, went to the relief of the officers who were trying to quell the disturbance, and with these formidable weapons gave the Pittsburg boatmen a chastising which they remembered for all time afterward. Hence the name of "Hooppole Township, Posey County."
In 1821 there were several counties organized :. Bartholomew County. containing 405 square miles. Decatur County, containing 380 square miles. Green County, containing 540 square miles. Henry County, containing 385 square miles. Marion County, containing 400 square miles. Park County, containing 440 square miles. Putnam County, containing 486 square miles. Rush County, containing 414 square miles. .
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Shelby County, containing 408 square miles. Union County, containing 168 square miles.
In 1822 the following counties were organized: Johnson County, containing 320 square miles. Montgomery County, containing 504 square miles.
In 1823 the following counties were organized: Hamilton County, containing 400 square miles. Hendricks County, containing 380 square miles. Madison County, containing 390 square miles. Vermilion County, containing 280 square miles.
In 1824 the following county was formed: Allen County, containing 672 square miles.
In 1825 the following counties were formed: Clay County, containing 360 square miles.
Fountain County, containing 390 square miles.
In 1826, Tippecanoe County, containing 504 square miles. In 1820 the population was 147,178. The increase for the next three and a half years was very light, as that embraced one of the hardest financial periods in the state's early history.
The administration of Governor Hendricks was a wise and careful one. No man was more respected and none more worthy of it. He was ever on the lookout for the interests of his state and its people.
From 1816 to 1821 the Legislature was organized with ten Senators and twenty-nine Representatives. By ap- portionment law made by the Legislature at Corydon in 1821, the Senate was increased to sixteen members and the House to forty-three members. The men composing the General Assembly were not always men of profound learn- ing, but in most cases were the best men of the section in which they lived. At that time politics had not invaded this country in any serious degree and the difference between the men was usually local. These lawmakers had to face the dishonest actions of men who had been entrusted with the banking interests of the state and the unfavorable condition brought about by the paralyzing situations that our manu-
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facturing interests were in and the consequent hard times, the want of a market put upon our people.
Portions of the new country had settled up previous to these hard times very fast, and in that day what was termed a neighborhood was a cluster of families over several quarter sections of land, and most likely there was a wilderness of six to eight miles between them and the next neighborhood. Around the most important towns they were much closer to- gether. These pioneers were very short of money, but they had their guns and were good marksmen. The country at that time was at peace with the Indians. The greater por- tion of all of them had moved to the west and northwest to better hunting grounds, where there were no white people.
In Madison County in 1824 there were two or three fami- lies of friendly Indians who had located a camp on Fall creek and were hunting in the surrounding country. These Indians had a large amount of valuable furs. This becoming known to some parties, it aroused their cupidity and they resolved to kill the Indians in order that they might secure the booty. The history of this murder and the trials which followed are so well told by the Honorable Oliver H. Smith in his "Early Indian Sketches," that it is thought best to here produce it-also a letter from Mr. Smith to the author in 1856 in rela- tion to this matter. The letter speaks for itself:
Indianapolis, Ind., February 10, 1856.
MR. WM. M. COCKRUM,
Oakland, Gibson County, Indiana-
My Dear Young Friend: Your letter of recent date is before me. Certainly I recollect you. You drove me too many times over the hills and bad roads of Gibson and Pike Counties for me to forget you so soon. Your good mother I shall always re- member for the kind and thoughtful attention she showed for my comfort during the many weeks I was at your father's home.
Let me say, you are very young yet. The first dawn of manhood is just opening to you. It is reasonable to conclude that you will grow old. If you do, you will then realize that the best friend
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that God gave you was your mother. There could be no misfortune or sorrow, disgrace or evil, come to you but your mother would stand by you. Others may leave, but a mother's love endureth beyond the grave.
Your request for the trial of the men for kill- ing the Indians and their execution and the story of Doderidge being treed by his own dogs for a panther, which I told you, I would have copied from my MS., but I can do better than that; I will publish a book, "Early Indiana Sketches," during the next year and will send you a copy; you then may use the two articles and as many others as you care to, if you conclude to put your data into book form. Just such hunting stories as your father tells so well is the sort of material that the young people will read. In writing a book, the author must write for the young to read. They soon will grow old and still other young people take their places.
I hope that you may, in the near future, visit us, and come on the Evansville, Indianapolis and Cleveland Straight-Line Railroad.
Very truly yours, OLIVER H. SMITH.
Following is a history of the trial and execution of sev- eral white men for the murder of Indians in Madison County in 1824, the only case of the'sort in the State or Territory of Indiana; related by the Honorable Oliver H. Smith.
At the time of the Indian murders of Fall Creek, the country was new and the population scattered here and there in the woods. The game was plenty and the Indian hunting grounds had been forsaken by many of the tribes. The white settlers felt some alarm at the news of an Indian encamp- ment in the neighborhood and although they were all friend- ly a watchful eye was kept on all their movements. The county of Madison had been organized but a short time be- fore. Pendleton, with a few houses at the falls was the seat
*AUTHOR'S NOTE .- Mr. Smith at that time was the President of the Evansville, Indianapolis and Cleveland Straight-Line R. R. (now Evansville & Indianapolis R. R.)
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of the new county. Anderson on White river was a small village; Chesterfield and Huntsfield were not heard of. There were only a few houses between Indianapolis and . the falls and still fewer in other directions from the capital.
Early in the spring of 1824 a hunting party of Seneca Indians, consisting of two men, three squaws and four child- ren, encamped on the east side of Fall Creek about eight miles above the falls. The country around their camping ground was a dense, unbroken forest filled with game. The principal Indian was called Ludlow and was said to be named for Stephen Ludlow, of Lawrenceburg. The other man I call Mingo. The Indians commenced their season's hunting and trapping-the men with their guns and the squaws setting the traps, preparing and cooking the game and caring for the children, two boys some ten years old, and two girls of more tender years. A week had rolled around and the suc- cess of the Indians had been very fair with better prospects ahead as spring was opening and raccoons were beginning to leave their holes in the trees in search of frogs that had begun to leave their muddy beds at the bottom of the creeks.
The trapping season was only just commencing. Ludlow and his band wholly unsuspicious of harm and unconscious of any approaching enemies, were seated around their camp fire, when there approached through the woods five white inen -Harper, Sawyer, Hudson, Bridge Sr., and Bridge Jr. Harper was the leader and stepping up to Ludlow, took him by the hand and told him his party had lost their horses and wanted Ludlow and Mingo to help find them. The Indians agreed to go in search of the horses. Ludlow took one path and Mingo the other. Harper followed Ludlow; Hudson trailed Mingo, keeping some fifty yards behind. They traveled some short distance from the camp when Harper shot Ludlow through the body. He fell dead on his face. Hudson, on hearing the crack of the rifle of Harper, immediately shot Mingo, the ball entering just below his shoulders and pass- ing clear through his body. Mingo fell dead. The party then met and proceeded to within gunshot of the camp. Sawyer shot one of the squaws through the head. She fell
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and died without a struggle. Bridge Sr. shot another squaw and Bridge Jr. the other one. Both fell dead. Sawyer then fired at the eldest boy, but only wounded him. The other children were shot by some of the party. Harper then led on to the camp.
The three squaws, one boy and the two little girls lay dead but the oldest boy was still living. Sawyer took him "and knocked his brains out against the end of a log. The camp was then robbed of everything worth carrying away. Harper, the ringleader, left immediately for Ohio and was never taken. Hudson, Bridge Sr., Bridge Jr., and Sawyer were arrested and when I first saw them they were confined in a square log jail built of heavy beech and sugar-tree logs, notched down closely and fitting tight above and below on. the sides. I entered with the sheriff. The prisoners were all heavily ironed and sitting on the straw on the floor. Hudson was a man of about middle size, with a bad look, dark eyes and bushy hair, about thirty-five years of age in appearance. Sawyer was of about the same age, rather heavier than Hud- son but there was nothing in his appearance that could have marked him in a crowd as anything more than a common far- mer. Bridge, Sr. was much older than Sawyer, his head was quite grey, he was about the common height, slender and a little bent while standing. Bridge, Jr. was some eighteen years of age, a tall stripling. Bridge, Sr. was the father of Bridge, Jr. and the brother-in-law of Sawyer.
The news of these Indian murderers flew upon the wings. of the wind. The settlers became greatly alarmed, fearing the retaliatory vengeance of the tribes and especially of the the other bands of the Senecas. The facts reached Mr. John Johnston at the Indian Agency at Piqua, Ohio. An account of the murders was sent from the agency to the war depart- ment at Washington City. Colonel Johnston and William Conner visited all the Indian tribes and assured them that the government would punish the offenders and obtaining the promises of the chiefs and warriors that they would wait and see what their "Great Father" would do before they took the matter into their own hands. This quieted the fears of the
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settlers and . preparation was commenced for the trials. A new log building was erected at the north part of Pendleton with two strong rooms, one for the court and one for the grand jury. The court room was about twenty by thirty feet with a heavy "puncheon" floor, a platform at one end three feet high, with a strong railing in front, a bench for the judges, a plain table for the clerk, in front on the floor a long bench for the counsel, a little pen for the prisoners, a side bench for the witnesses and a long pole in front, sub- stantially supported to separate the crowd from the court and bar. A guard by day and night was placed around the jail. The court was composed of Wm. W. Wick, presiding judge, Samuel Holliday and Adam Winchell associates. Judge Wick was young on the bench but with much experience in crim-
inal trials. Judge Holliday was one of the best and most conscientious men I ever knew. Judge Winchell was a black- smith, and had ironed the prisoners. He was an honest, frank, rough illiterate man, without any pretensions of legal knowledge. Moses Cox was the clerk. He could barely write his name and when a candidate for justice of the peace at Connersville, he boasted of his superior qualifications, saying: "I have been sued on every section of the statute and know all about the law, while my competitor has never been sued and knows nothing about the statute." Samuel Cory was a fine specimen of a woods' Hoosier. tall and strong-boned, with a hearty laugh, without fear of man and beast, with a voice that made the woods ring when he called the jurors and witnesses. The county was then prepared for the trials.
In the meantime the government was not sleeping. Colonel Johnston, the Indian agent, was directed to attend the trials to see that the witnesses were present and to pay their fees. General James Noble, then a United States Sen- ator, was employed by the Secretary of War to prosecute, with power to fee an assistant. Philip Sweetzer, a young son-in-law of the General, of high promise in his profession, was selected by the General as his assistant. Calvin Fletcher was the regular prosecuting attorney, then a young man of more than ordinary ability and a good criminal lawyer. The
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only inn in Pendleton was a new frame house near the creek, still standing by the side of the railroad bridge.
The term of the court was about being held. . The Sun- day before the term commenced, the lawyers began to arrive and, as the custom was in those days, they were invited out to dine on the Sabbath by the most wealthy citizens as a favor and compliment, not to the lawyers but to their hosts. We had a statute in those days imposing a fine of one dollar on each person who should "profanely curse, swear or damn," and making it the duty of all judges and magistrates to see that the law was enforced upon offenders in their presence. Judge Holliday invited Calvin Fletcher, the circuit prosecut- ing attorney, and his Indianapolis friend, Daniel B. Wick, the brother of the Judge, to dine with him. The invitation was accepted, of course, there being no previous engagement in the way. Dinner was announced; Judge Holliday asked a "blessing" at the table-Mr. Fletcher declining. The Judge had killed a fat goose for the extraordinary occasion, which was nicely stuffed with well-seasoned bread and onions and placed in the center of the table. Mr. Wick, who was not a church member, fixed his eye an the goose and said, by way of compliment, "That's a damned fine goose, Judge." "Yes, it is a fine goose, and you are fined one dollar for swearing." Not a word more was spoken at the table. Dinner over, Judge Holliday said, "Squire Wick, pay me the dollar." "I have not a cent with me, Judge." "Perhaps Mr. Fletcher will lend it to you." Mr. Fletcher: "I really have with me only sufficient to pay my tavern bill." Judge Holliday: "What is to be done?" Fletcher: "Lend him the money, Judge, take his note or bind him over to the court." "I'11
bind him over; you'll go his security?" "The rules of the court forbid lawyers to go security for anyone, but you can go it yourself; just draw the recognizance, 'Daniel B. Wick and Samuel Holliday appear before Samuel Holliday, associ- ate judge of the Madison circuit court, and acknowledge themselves to be indebted to the state in the penalty of twenty-five dollars each for the appearance of Daniel B. Wick at the next term of court to answer." The reasonable
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proposition of Mr. Fletcher was at once accepted by all par- ties. The recognizance was taken in due form and forfeited at the next term of court by the absence of Mr. Wick. Judg- ment was rendered against Judge Holliday for twenty-five dollars. A petition to the Governor was drawn and signed by the whole bar; a remittance soon followed.
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