USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Poems and sketches: consisting of poems and local history; biography; notes of travel; a long list of Wayne County's pioneer dead, also many names of those who lost their lives in defense of their country during the late rebellion > Part 13
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Baptist church, called Salem, now stands. The second church organized was a New-Light congregation, and held meetings in a log school house that stood two miles south of this place. Among those who were members of that congregation, Mrs. Miller, mother of Sol. Mil- ler, is the only one that is now living. Their first preacher was Samuel Boyd, who was a Revolutionary soldier. The third church to organize was the Metho- dist ; they organized in Joseph Bowen's house, and among the first members were Joseph Manifold, Benja- min Parson and wife, Sammy Pollard and John Doan. The fourth were the Dunkers, generally known now as the "Dunkards; " they organized in John Ritter's house, which is still standing, being the old log house that stands a short distance east of E. B. Reynolds' present home. Among their first members were Ritter, John Hardman and David Hardman ; David and Aaron Miller were their first preachers. These were the four churches that occupied the entire religious field from I822 to 1830. The Methodists and Dunkers all wore plain clothing, and the Methodists would not license a preacher who refused to wear plain Quaker clothing. Class meetings were held with closed doors, and the Dunkers and New-Lights washed feet at church ser- vices, regularly, every three months. The Methodist ministers always preached from one hour to an hour and a half, and the Baptist sermons often lasted two hours and a half, and members complained when the
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sermons were short. The Methodists held a revival every preaching day. The first " squire " elected was named Bedford, whose first case was a quarrel between two neighbors, over the shooting of a dog ; each man had a lawyer ; Bedford dismissed the case because he could find no dog cases in his law book, and divided the costs of the case between plaintiff and defendant. Old Saulsbury, six miles south of Richmond, was the first county-seat of this county. In those early days there were no saloons, but whisky was used freely in almost all houses, and not even a preacher could get his harvest cut unless he supplied a liberal supply of run1. There were no divisions or classes of society, as now- all mingled, socially, on a common ground. " Big dinners " were common, and every one in the community was invited. At the weddings the preacher kissed the bride, and the old folks all went home soon after supper, while the young people always indulged in sports of some kind, all night. When the organiza- tion of a Sunday-school was first proposed, the idea was strongly opposed by many church members, and on account of such oppositions, there were no such schools till in 1836. In 1840 the Washingtonian tein- perance movement was started, and in 1854 the legis- lature passed the Maine temperance or prohibition law, but it was pronounced unconstitutional in less than a year. The first sermon ever preached in Hagerstown was by John Kiger, a Methodist, who is still living, and
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is ninety years of age. The second sermon was by John Sullivan, a Methodist minister ; he organized a church, among the first members of which were Greens- bury Savoy and wife, Bazel Taylor and wife, Worley Williamson and wife, Ezra Doughty and Elijah Castator.
HISTORICAL.
RECOLLECTIONS
AWAKENED IN THE MIND OF A FORMER RESIDENT BY THE BURNING OF THE CENTERVILLE SCHOOL- HOUSE .- A BIT OF HISTORY.
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS, NOV. 9, 1891.
Editor the Telegram:
I noticed the account in your columns of the buril- ing of the public school building at Centerville. It awakened many recollections in my mind, and, though rather too late to give them in detail, as I would like to, I am unwilling to let the occasion pass without adding somewhat to the facts given by you, for, as you say, the building possessed great historic interest.
The name and style of the original building was " Wayne County Seminary." My first recollection dates back to 1834, when, a small boy, I accompanied my oldest brother, John, who was one of the actors, to witness a performance of the " Centerville Thespian Society," in the upper story.
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Among the early teachers of the Seminary, prior to Mr. Hoshour, my memory recalls the name of Royal T. Wheeler, afterwards Chief Justice of the Republic of Texas ; George Fairchild, James B. Haile, Nathan Smith, and G. Smith, a Methodist preacher, brought up a few miles above Richmond.
Mr. Hoshour took charge in 1836, and continued four years. It was to his administration that most of the pupils, of more or less note, whom you enumerate, belonged. But you are mistaken as to one - George W. Julian-he was not a pupil of the Seminary, but. after the usual country school probation, graduated at Friends' school, hard by West Grove meeting-house. I notice in Mr. Hoshour's autobiography an addition to your list, in the person of Mr. Rariden's protégé - the son of a Miami chief - mention of whose death I noticed not long since. I remember him well. I anı not sure as to the succession after Mr. Hoshour, but Rawson Vaile occupied that position during several years of the forties ; he was, I think, the last teacher in the Seminary.
Of the early teachers, there were, also, editors, viz : Mr. Haile, of the People's Advocate ; Mr. Hoshour, of the Wayne County Chronicle, and Mr. Vaile, of the Free Territory Sentinel and the Indiana Free Democrat.
I think you are mistaken as to the date of transfer to the Methodists ; at any rate, I find the name changed to "Whitewater College and Whitewater Academy,"
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with Thomas H. Lynch in charge, in 1849. In 1850 Cyrus Nutt and James A. Beswick were called to the position, and the institution was known as " White- water Female College and Academy." The two following years were the palmy ones of its history. The first commencement, in the summer of 1851, passed off with great eclat. The society of young ladies of the institution, known as the "Sigournean Society," was really quite brilliant in its personale. The first graduates were Misses Gertrude Newman and Kate Woods. The next session turned out about a dozent.
I shall not undertake to trace regularly the further course of Whitewater College. In 1858 A. C. Short- ridge was the principal, his chief assistant being Miss Emily Huntington, a Connecticut lady -since, as Emily Huntington Miller, an authoress of note. She resides at Evanston, Illinois. During the early years of the war, William H. Barnes presided. He was a scholarly gentleman, author of a "History of the Thirty-ninth Congress" and other works of value. Having removed to Richmond at the beginning of 1864, my recollections along this line close here.
ISAAC H. JULIAN.
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A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA.
HOW IT WAS MADE FIFTY YEARS AGO.
SAMUEL CALDWELL MEREDITH, FORMERLY OF WAYNE COUNTY, RELATES THE INCIDENTS OF A MEMORABLE JOURNEY - GOLDEN STATE PRICES.
In the winter of 1849 the late Andrew F. Vaughan, of this city, Daniel Storms, of Hagerstown, and Samuel Caldwell Meredith, of Centerville, agreed to go to Cali- fornia together, aid each other on the way, and care for each other, if any got sick. And now the last men- tioned of the trio, who is the father of William H. Mere- dith, superintendent of the government bureau of print- ing and engraving, and who had himself been in the newspaper business at Centerville, since 1835, has written up the trip, at considerable length, for the Indianapolis News, from which the Telegram takes the following quoted extracts :
In 1835 Mr. Meredith started the People's Advocate in Centerville. It was Democratic in politics, did not pay, and he changed it to the Wayne County Chronicle, which was a Whig paper. Then Mr. Meredith removed to Illinois, and it was succeeded by the National Patriot,
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which failed. Next, in 1841, Mr. Meredith started the Wayne County Record, which, old printers say, has never been surpassed, for typographical appearance, in this county. During his absence in California, it, as the Whig organ, was conducted by D. B. Wood and John B. Stitt. Subsequently Mr. Wood went to Cali- fornia, where he was killed, and Mr. Meredith returned to resume the publication of it, but it lost money, and in 1852 he sold it to D. P. Halloway, of the Richmond Palladium, and removed to Indianapolis, which has since been his home.
In the beginning of his narration, Mr. Meredith says : "Storins went to see friends in Ohio, and was to meet Vaughan and myself at the Gault House, in Cincinnati. I left Centerville early, on the morning of October 24, in a spring-wagon, for Richmond, and from there went to Cincinnati in an omnibus. On October 26 we procured passage on a steamboat to New Orleans for $20, and left Cincinnati on the 27tli, at 3 o'clock, arriving in New Orleans November 5. On November 14 we got a passage on the steamship Alabama, for Chagras, at $45, and arrived there on November 23. We paid $10 each for a canoe to carry us to Gorgonna. Here we hired mules or horses to carry our bag- gage to Panama. We left Gorgonna on November 29, at 8 o'clock. Two trunks and several small packages constituted a load for one horse. We went on foot, and didn't let the baggage get out of our sight.
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"Arriving at Panama, I met Colonel Elliott, who informed me that Dr. Waymann, Hiatt Jemison and others, who had left Wayne county four weeks before I did, were there. I found that living was high, the health bad, and that there was no chance of getting passage in a steamer for several months, so that we had better go in a sail vessel. The fine ship, Sea Queen, of Dundee, Scotland, was to leave on the next Tues- day. We were advised to purchase second-hand tickets from speculators, and go with all our Indiana friends.
"We procured, from speculators, tickets on the Sea Queen, at $250 each, and on the 4th of December went on board. On the 9th of January, 1850, the ship ran into the entrance of the harbor at San Fran- cisco, at 4 o'clock in the evening, and, after the anchor was cast, the passengers manifested their joy by giving three cheers, and three times three. I found a board- ing house, the price being SIS a week, the best I could find. I was very thankful that I had been permitted to get on shore, after the many dangers through which I had passed, from home to the Golden Gate.
" In a letter to my family, dated San Francisco, January 14, 1850, there are these expressions : 'By the blessing of Divine Providence I have been per- mitted to put my feet upon the shores of California. Labor here, of all kinds, is high. One dollar an hour for work on some of the streets, in the inud ; for wheel-
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ing sand down hill, in a dry place, 50 cents an hour. Sweet potatoes sell here for 25 cents a pound ; Irish potatoes, 20 cents ; onions, $1.25 ; vinegar, 50 cents a quart ; brandy, $1.25 a quart. I saw a horse, not half as good as James Pritchett's, sell for $150 ; another horse, just arrived from New South Wales, for $1,300, in1 Centerville would be $60 to $75 ; another horse, from the same place, sells for $700. I have seen better look- ing sell for $30 or $40. Rent for a house, about like Dinwiddie's shop, but not so good, $4,000 a month. A room, like our smoke-house, $50 a week. Flour, per hundred, $12 ; per barrel, $20 ; fresh pork, 50 cents to 75 cents a pound ; beef, 25 cents to 50 cents a pound ; butter, from $1 to $1.50 per pound ; sugar, 30 cents ; coffee, 121/2 cents ; cheese, 30 cents to 40 cents ; tallow candles, 60 cents ; bread, 30 cents for a small loaf ; pies, $1, and not good at that ; wood, $40 a cord, $1 for an armful ; small premium cook stove, $100 ; molas- ses, $2.50 per gallon. I saw a deer, with the hide on, sell for $40 ; wild geese, $2 ; ducks, $1. Eggs have fallen very much ; they are now worth 25 cents eachı ; a month ago they were wortlı $1 each. Tin cups, 25 cents each ; coarse boots, from $12 to $20 a pair, such as I can buy at home for $1.50 or $3 a pair ; silk hand- kerchiefs, 75 cents to $1, a fine article, and other things in the same proportion. The papers here cost 12, 25 and 50 cents each.'
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" I left Centerville October 24, and arrived in San Francisco on January 1I, being eighty days, at a cost of $412.
"Now, in 1891, persons can go in a palace car, have all the luxuries of a fine hotel and sleeping cars, for $100."
And now, in 1896, a round-trip ticket may be had for a little over $100, with the privilege of a six months' stay. Verily, times have changed.
WESTERN SKETCHES.
AN OLD-TIME ELOPEMENT.
--
To the Indianapolis Journal:
About the year 1817 there came from Kentucky to Wayne county, Indiana, a young man by the name of John Bailey. He was industrious, active and thrifty, and in those primitive times acquaintances were readily made throughout the entire settlement. It was not long before John was a favorite at corn-huskings, apple-cuttings, quiltings, and wool-pickings, and, what would naturally follow, he was soon desperately in love, the object of his devotion being the daughter of one of his neighbors, Mr. Lamb, whose residence was on Greensfork, between where the towns of Washington and Williamsburg, Wayne county, are now located. But "the course of true love never did run smoothly," and in this case, although John was favored with Patsy's love and esteemed by the best men in the community, he met with a stern and posi- tive refusal on the part of the parents.
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He was called away to his old home in Kentucky, a journey which, in those days, required considerable time. As "star routes," like railroads, were then unknown in this State, he could have no word from Patsy during his absence.
"With many a vow and locked embrace, Their parting was fu' tender."
John was detained at his old home in Kentucky much beyond the time appointed for his return, and when he arrived again at the home in the forests of Wayne county, he learned that Patsy had promised to become the wife of another, and that the day appointed for the marriage was a week from that time, the license having been already procured. If "love laughs at locks and keys," what would it do in a country where locks and keys were all unknown ?
John was determined to see, once more, the object of his affection, regardless of father's frown or mother's anger. Accordingly, on Sunday evening, he went to the home of her whom he feared had proved forever faithless. There he met the happy man who had, as he supposed, supplanted him in the affections of the young Hoosier lass. There was but one room in the house, and John had no opportunity to speak with Patsy. Unwilling to abandon so good a cause, how- ever, without one more desperate effort to effect his purpose, he remained over night.
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While the family slept, he lay with one eye open. In the stillness of the night Patsy slipped quietly to his bed-side, and whispered to him the story of her thraldom. She was to be an unwilling bride, in four days from that time. John's courage did not fail him, but he said, "Meet me at Billy W.'s to-morrow." She promised ; but alas ! when the girl came, her father accompanied her and refused to allow her to see John. The situation was now becoming desperate ; but John proved equal to the emergency, and arranged with a mutual friend to notify Patsy that he would be at a place agreed upon, near her father's house, on Tuesday before the day arranged for her marriage to his rival. He had brought with him from Kentucky a splendid horse, full of spirit, and of great power of endurance.
At the appointed time John appeared at the place designated, mounted upon his good horse, "Ball." Patsy saw him, and picked up a bucket and started to the spring, as all supposed, for a bucket of water. She had not gone half way to the spring, however, until, in her haste and excitement, she dropped the bucket and started to run. It was mid-winter, and a heavy snow covered the ground. She lost her bonnet before she reached the fence, where Ball stood, ready to receive his precious load. But, all unconscious of her loss, with her hair streaming in the winter wind like a flag at half-mast, she continued the flight.
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Her mother discovered the fugitive at this time, and started in hot pursuit. John always declared that Patsy never, before nor since, mounted Ball so nimbly as on that occasion, and that Ball never walked up to the fence so readily. The nearest settlement to which they could fly was seven miles distant, and through an almost unbroken wilderness.
When Patsy was fairly mounted behind John, the race began in earnest, Ball taking in the situation at a glance. He laid back his finely formed ears and turned his splendid eyes upon them, as much as to say, " Hold on to me, and I will carry you safely through the perils of the journey." And they did hold on to him, and most nobly did he do his duty. Over hills and through streams he sped like an arrow, " his nostrils drinking- in the breath of their own swiftness." With every jump he appeared to laugh defiance at his pursuers, who soon abandoned the chase. Before nightfall they stopped and borrowed such articles of clothing as were necessary for the journey. They then pursued their way through the forest for several miles, stopping over night with the father of the late Jehu T. Elliott, Judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana, and at an early hour the next morning they again mounted old Ball and resumed their way to Salisbury, then the county-seat of Wayne county, but now a well cultivated corn-field, there not being one stone left upon another where once flourished that town. By 9 o'clock the next morning
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they had procured the necessary license, and were married by a local preacher then living in the place. In the course of a week they returned to the vicinity of the home of the young wife's parents, where they were hailed with greater delight than a hero of a hundred battles would now be greeted.
John and Patsy lived in that community for more than sixty years, bringing up a large family of honest and intelligent sons and daughters, all of whom are married. Their children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren are scattered over many counties of Indiana, and are known as among the good people of the State.
CAMBRIDGE CITY, IND., MAY 1, 1884.
E. B. H.
EARLY RAILROAD HISTORY AT RICHMOND, INDIANA.
[ A brief statement of some facts relating to the early history of the Indiana Central Railroad at Richmond, Indiana ; written, at the request of an official of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, to be placed in an exhibit at the World's Fair, Chicago, Illinois. Written October, 1892.]
Mr. J. E. Watkins, Special Agent, Altoona, Pa .:
DEAR SIR - In compliance with your request of a recent date, to furnish such information and relics per- taining to the early history of the "Central road "- now a part of the Pennsylvania system -as I may be
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in possession of, I have to say that, after a lapse of nearly forty years, there is comparatively little left, of either information or relics, that is obtainable here. Much of the former has been blotted out by time, and few of the latter have been preserved. Most of the older people who took an active part in the affairs of the time have departed to that bourne from which no traveler returns, and of the few remaining ones whom I have seen I can obtain little definite or satisfactory information of value; and as I was then but little more than a boy, struggling to obtain a livelihood on a meagre salary, and all my time occupied in the service of others, I had neither the opportunity nor inclination to become informed about the leading enterprises of the day.
Some time previous to the year 1850, the people of this region of country began to be interested in the construction of railroads, as you will see by the list of names attached to the enclosed ticket of invitation, which tells its own story. The names are leading ones, and on that account, alone, may be of interest as mementos of the past.
The "Central road " was completed to Richmond some time during the summer or autumn of 1853, when James M. Brown, of the firm of Brown & Morrow, pork-packers, temporarily took charge, as agent, here, transacting the business in his own office, which was located in a frame building, I think, on the west side
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of Fort Wayne Avenue, about one hundred yards southwest of the present passenger depot. When I succeeded Mr. Brown, I continued to occupy his office for several weeks, until the freight and passenger stations were ready for use, when I purchased, of William T. Dennis, Esq.,-our present State Fish Commissioner, who was then in the hardware trade in this city - an iron safe, a copying-press, letter-book, and sundry other matters pertaining to the office. I also procured a desk and stool, set up a stove, and was furnished a lot of Indiana soft coal, and concluded by employing three men to assist in handling freight, making transfers, and switching cars about the yard, for such a thing as an engine for the purpose was not known here at the time. The men employed were : Henry Koehring, afterwards long employed at the Hutton Coffin Works, as engineer, and now in the service of Mr. George H. Knollenberg, dry goods merchant, of this city, as night watchman. The second party was one Fred Schultz, who continued in the service a short time and of whose subsequent history I know nothing. He was soon after succeeded by Thomas Clarke, who continued to serve while I remained in the office; I think he finally became conductor of a passenger train on the "Chicago road ; " he has been dead for some years. Last, but not least, is William Zeek - a most faithful and reliable German - who has continued at his post from the
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autu11111 of 1853 down to the present hour. If any man in the service deserves to be retired and pensioned the remainder of his days, he is that man.
The writer not only furnished and managed the first freight office of the road here, but was also its first ticket agent as well, working faithfully, late and early, and many a time on Sunday, and all for the munificent sum of $3313 per month, the men receiving $30 for a like term of service.
Hon. John S. Newman was the first president of the road, and Samuel Hanna its first treasurer - both residents of Centerville, this (Wayne) county. With the former I was well acquainted ; the latter I rarely ever met. I herewith enclose a letter from Mr. Newman, and a receipt from Mr. Hanna, both in their own handwriting. The "contingency " Mr. Newman refers to was my request for an increase of salary, which was not granted, and I soon after retired from the service. I was immediately tendered a position in the Citizens' Bank, as book-keeper, under Morrisson, Blanchard & Co., of this city, where I remained two years, when I engaged - and successfully - in business for myself. My successor in the office was a Mr. John Lynch -for many years past of Washington, D. C. - and he was succeeded by Mr. S. F. Fletcher, of this city [recently deceased].
The first passenger station was a sınall brick struc- ture, not exceeding twenty by seventy-five feet in size,
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having a wooden platform extending around it, with extensions at either end for the more convenient hand- ling of trunks and express matter. The old freight depot was not above half the size of the present one.
That you may see what manner of men officiated as the servants of the road here at that time, I send you three photographs-one of the writer, one of Henry Koehring, and another of that very faithful servant, who is still with you, Mr. William Zeek.
I am fully aware that this is a very meagre and unsatisfactory return to your request for information relating to the road's early history here, but to the lapse of time and a general lack of interest in what does not immediately concern us, must be charged both the defects and deficiencies of this showing.
Very truly yours, GEORGE P. EMSWILER.
POSTSCRIPT. - Since writing the foregoing I have learned that Mr. Fred Schultz-one of the three hands first employed by me, and whose subsequent history I had lost sight of-engaged in the cigar trade after leaving the railway service ; later on was married and removed to Lewisville, Henry county, where he kept a village store and tavern for a number of years, and, finally, purchased and located on a farılı on Eel river, this State, where he died, some years ago.
EMSWILER.
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ALTOONA, PA., NOVEMBER 16, 1892.
Mr. G. P. Emswiler, Richmond, Ind .:
DEAR SIR - I wish to thank you very much for your kindness in sending me description of early history of Indiana Central Railroad, as well as the photographs, old envelopes, etc., which reached me safely yesterday morning. Yours very truly,
J. E. WATKINS,
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