USA > Indiana > Adams County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 29
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 29
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
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FIRST STEPS IN ORGANIZING WELLS COUNTY
An act was passed, and approved February 2, 1837, to organize Wells County May 1st following, appointing David Bennett, sheriff, to notify the electors to meet at the house of Robert C. Bennett, to elect three commissioners, and also appointing five commissioners, non-residents, to locate the county seat. As these five commissioners
PRESENT WELLS COUNTY COURT HOUSE
for some cause failed to meet, a special act of the Legislature was passed, and approved January 20, 1838, appointing Zachariah Smith, of Adams County, Christopher Hanna, of Jay County, Champion Helvy, of Huntington County, William Kizer, of Randolph County, and John Rogers, of Grant County, commissioners to locate the per- manent seat of justice for Wells County. Having been duly notified by Isaac Covert, by this time elected sheriff, of their appointment, four of them came, the absent member being Zachariah Smith.
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HOW BLUFFTON WON THE COUNTY SEAT
The contestants for the county seat of government were Bluffton and Murray, and at first the four commissioners were evenly divided between the two points. Their first vote was taken about dusk in the. evening. Mr. Abraham Studabaker, whose land lay at Bluffton, con- ferred with Daniel Miller, of Adams County, who also owned prop- erty near Bluffton, and was present at the county seat contest. The result of the deliberation was that Miller should immediately post off on horseback to Adams County, and fetch in Smith, the absentee, in time for the final vote in the morning.
It was a very cold March morning; ten inches of snow was on the ground; not a single road had been cut ; and there were only traces through the timber. Mr. Miller followed the Wabash fourteen miles, to the residence of Peter Studabaker, where he obtained a fresh horse, and on he pushed twenty miles more to the St. Mary's River, near the state line, where he found his man, at 3 o'clock in the morning. Returning with him, they again obtained fresh horses at Peter Studa- baker's, and reached Bluffton before the commissioners met in the morning, after the messenger had traveled nearly seventy miles, mostly during the night, through a deep, unbroken snow and severe cold. The vote thus procured cast the die in favor of Bluffton. One histo- rian says that the victory was won for Bluffton by the $270 cash which Messrs. Bennett and Studabaker donated.
REPORT OF THE LOCATING COMMISSIONERS
The report of the commissioners reads thus: "We met at the house of Robert C. Bennett, in said county of Wells, on the first Monday of March, 1838, and have selected the west half of the north- east quarter of Section 4, Township 26, Range 12, for the site for the seat of justice of Wells County, which land was donated by Abram Studabaker with a reserve of two choice lots. He also donated 31.90 acres off the east end of the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 33, Town 27, Range 12 east. Robert C. Bennett donates the southeast fraction of the northeast corner. Studabaker and Bennett also donated $270 in cash.
"Signed, March 9, 1838, Christopher IIanna, John Rogers, William Kizer, Zachariah Smith, Locating Commissioners."
FIRST COUNTY BOARD
But county government did not wait for the locating commissioners to do their duty. Long before the county seat was located the citizens,
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in June, 1837, proceeded to elect their County Board of three com- missioners, namely, Solomon Johnson, James Scott and R. C. Bennett, Sr., for three, two and one years, in the order named. At this election six or seven non-resident land-holders living in Ohio were permitted to vote, especially as they intended soon to move into the county, among them being Dr. George T. Riddile, Adam Hatfield and John Greer.
ITS FIRST MEETING
The first acts of these commissioners, as condensed from their journal, were as follows:
The Board met Friday, July 21, 1837, at the house of R. C. Bennett, in accordance with the above recited act, and produced the certificates of the sheriff that they had been duly elected and qualified. David Bennett produced his commission appointing him sheriff (signed by Governor Noble) until the next annual election. Bowen Hale also produced a similar document appointing him clerk of Wells County. Both were certified to as having taken the oath as required by law. This being done, the Board was organized, with Solomon Johnson as president.
1. Ordered that W. H. Parmalee be appointed agent of the three per cent fund donated to the county by the state for roads and bridges. He accepted and gave bond.
2. That Adnah Hall be appointed treasurer of Wells County. He also accepted and gave bond, in the sum of $3,000.
3. That David Whitman be appointed assessor and collector of revenues for the county. His bond was fixed at $800.
4. That for county purposes there be levied 18 cents on each $100 valuation, and 50 cents on each poll.
MODERATE TAXES
For several years taxes were often settled for by a promissory note, endorsed by two good men. Adnah Hall, treasurer, had a little book of blank notes printed and bound for the purpose, with his name as payee. For the first three years after the organization of the county it is said that the treasurer kept his office in his jacket pocket, but was never corrupted or approached with a bribe while discharging his trust. The fees of the office for a while necessarily exceeded the funds in the treasury.
As at that time the Government lands were exempt from taxation
-
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five years after entry, there were but three tracts of land in the county subject to taxation. The first tax duplicate was made out on a single sheet of paper.
ELECTION DISTRICTS AND TOWNSHIPS
The fifth order made by the board next day was that Wells County be divided into two election districts, by a line commencing on the southern boundary of the county and running north between what is now Chester and Nottingham townships, and Harrison and Liberty townships; thence east two miles between Harrison and Lan- caster townships; thence north to the county line. The territory on the east of this line was designated as Harrison Township, aud that on the west as Rock Creek Township.
Since then the townships have been set off as follows: Jackson, September 4, 1837; Jefferson, March 3, 1840; Nottingham, January 4, 1841; Chester and Lancaster, March 1, 1841; Liberty, June 8, 1841, and Union, June 7, 1847-immediately after the land there came into market, subsequent to the extinguishment of the Indian title. Jackson has been called the "lost township," because the counties around it happened to be so formed that it could not be attached to any one of them without forming a geographical projection.
OFFICIAL BOWEN HALE
At the above session of the board, Bowen Hale was granted a license for one year, for the sum of $5, to retail merchandise and foreign groceries "not a product of the State or of the United States."
On September 4, 1837, the board met, and "on motion took their seats." Bowen Hale was allowed $56 for books for the use of the office, and other stationery, namely, inkstands, ink powder, etc.
SURVEYOR CASEBEER AND THE FIRST PUBLIC ROAD
John Casebeer was appointed the first surveyor, and the first road established in the county was that part of the state road leading from Greenville, Ohio, to Marion, Indiana. The expense of location through Wells County was $56.621%. The next located in the county was the Fort Recovery and Huntington Road, at the November session, 1837. For the opening of this road the board appropriated $1,000 of the three per cent fund.
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VARIOUS OFFICIALS APPOINTED
David Bennett was paid $32.50 in full for his services as sheriff; Solomon Johnson, $8 for his services as commissioner; David Whit- man, $6.56 for his services as "assessor of the revenne" of Wells County for 1837. John Casebeer was appointed assessor for 1838, and Thomas T. Smith school commissioner-the first in the county.
In August, 1837, an election was held, when Isaac Covert was chosen sheriff, and James R. Greer associate judge.
March 9, 1838, Mr. Greer was appointed county agent, and gave bond in the sum of $5,000.
BLUFFTON SURVEYED AND PLATTED
John Casebeer was allowed $38, May 7th following, for surveying and platting the site of Bluffton. The recorded plat bears the date March 23, 1838.
In January, 1839, the commissioners offered a premium of $1 for each wolf killed, the evidence of killing being the presentation of a fresh scalp. Adam Hatfield presented the first one the following May.
FIRST TREASURY REPORT
At the close of this year Adnah Hall, treasurer, made his report, covering a period from November 6, 1838, to November 6, 1839, which showed that there had been received into the treasury from all sonrees the sum of $1,419.40. His commission was $19.43; notes $301. Total assets of the county $1,701.41. This was principally derived from fines and sales of lots.
At the November session, 1839, Bowen Hale, clerk, reported that he had proenred for the county a metallic seal, and the following description of the design was ordered to be placed on the minutes: "A sheaf of wheat is the main design ; a plane, a rake, a pitchfork ; surrounded by the following words: 'Commissioners of Wells County.' " Prior to this date a scrawl seal had been used in official business.
THE FIRST COURT HOUSE AND JAIL
Thus the government life of Wells County has been brought into its third year. Its officials, not yet seriously pressed by their duties, had provided themselves with headquarters, the appointments of
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which were measured by the very limited capacities of the county treasury. The first court house was situated on the west side of Main Street, between Market and Wabash streets. It was built of square hewn logs, was two stories high, the first floor being occupied for courts and all sorts of meetings, and the upper by one or two county offices that were in existence at that time.
On June 18, 1838, the commissioners ordered that John R. Greer, county agent, should advertise for the letting and building of a court
CUSTER
INTERIOR OF OLD COURT HOUSE
house in Bluffton, ou the first day of August next. Specifications : The house to be built of hewn logs, 18x24 feet, two stories high, and covered with 3-foot boards, nailed on; floor to be oak or ash; with six 12-liglit windows, four below and two above, and stairs to upper room. Also one jail, of hewn timber one foot square, 18x20 feet, two stories high.
These structures were accordingly built, and were therefore very similar in appearance. They were erected by David Whitman, an old farmer residing in the country a few miles from Bluffton. The
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jail was situated some twenty rods to the south, on the southwest corner of the lot, where the present court house now stands. Both these buildings were destroyed by fire many years ago.
THE SECOND ( BRICK) COURT HOUSE
On April 24, 1843, the board of commissioners contracted with Almon Case for the construction of the second court house at $5,000. He sold the contract to George W. Webster, of Marion, Indiana, who completed the structure in 1845; it was accepted by the board Oeto- ber 4, that year, and at the time it was one of the finest court houses in Northern Indiana; but the times have now far outgrown it. It was built of brick manufactured near by, fronted the east, with four large, tall columns forming the main portico, two stories high, the lower for court and the upper for county offices ; but the upper story was partly abandoned. The county offices were accommodated in smaller briek buildings adjoining or on the premises.
About the years 1855-56, a brick jail was built a little south of the court house, but subsequently it was temporarily occupied by some of the county offices.
PRESENT JAIL AND SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE
The third and present jail and sheriff's residence was built in 1880, at a cost of $21,400. Its dimensions were 44x80 feet, and 75 feet from the ground to the top of the spire; two stories high, mansard roof, of slate, cellar throughout, walls of brick, and the exterior of the French renaissance style. It is situated one square southwest of the court house. Jonathan P. Smith, of Bluffton was the contractor, and E. I. Hodgson, of Indianapolis. arehiteet.
THE COURT HOUSE OF THE PRESENT
By the late '80s the court house had become so dilapidated, not to say unsafe, that the projeet of providing a new one, and a building more suitable to the standing of Wells County, was made a legal issue. The result was that, in 1888, at the February term of the Circuit Court, Judge Henry Y. Saylor, issued an order from the bench condemning the old court house, and the Board of County Commissioners were, in a way, forced to erect a new one. The corner- stone of the structure now occupied was laid August 29, 1889, and it was dedicated by the bench and bar of the county on the 2d of
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March, 1891. The total cost of the new court house, including erec- tion and furnishings, was $140,000. Commissioners W. H. Rupright, Charles Scotten and Nathaniel MeIntire awarded the contract, and accepted it complete in behalf of the county. The bills were O. K.'d by Charles M. Miller as county auditor. A general description of the court house of 1891 gives its dimensions as 87 by 135 feet; its chief constructive material sandstone; height of tower, 130 feet; interior finish, quarter-sawed oak; style of exterior architecture, Romanesque. Since the court house was completed more than twenty-five years ago, numerous improvements have been made in its heating, lighting and sanitary conveniences. Among the late additions to its utilities as a public building are the pleasant rest room provided for women and girls and the G. A. R. headquarters furnished the few remaining veterans of the Civil war.
COUNTY INFIRMARY AND ORPHANS' ASYLUM
The County Infirmary and Orphans' Asylum is located a few miles southeast of Bluffton, on the southwest quarter of section 23, Harrison Township. The original farm of 156 acres was purchased in 1864, and the main building of the Infirmary, a substantial brick structure, was completed in 1875 at a cost of about $16,000. Various improvements have been made, including the installation of a modern steam heating plant, electric light plant, individual baths, and toilet accommodations within doors. In 1900 the large barn was destroyed by fire and a new building erected soon after at a cost of $6,000. The County Infirmary has accommodations for about sixty inmates. For the past forty years the superintendents of the Wells County Infirm- ary have been as follows: Amos Warner, two years; Joseph Cobbin, two years; Amos Rowe, nine years; David Gottschalk, nine years; John Ditsler, twelve years; Adam Hesher, three years, and James Hesher (present incumbent), four years. The two superintendents last mentioned are father and son. It may be added to the account bearing on the present status of the Infirmary that the raising of live stock has been carried on with marked success for a number of years past. Last year Mr. Hesher sold 140 head of cattle from the Farm, for which the county realized over $6,000.
ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICIALS, 1837-1917
The auditors, treasurers, clerks, recorders, surveyors and sheriff's of Wells County commenced to serve in 1837, and have continued in
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unbroken lines for the past eighty years. The county elerk has al- ways been rather a dual official, as he has performed the duties at- taching to strictly county matters and, in addition, those connected with the Circuit Court of Wells County. The first county clerk also acted as auditor, and for at least four years was the most important official connected with the county government.
Auditors-Bowen Hale, 1837-41; Lewis S. Grove, 1841-50; James Dailey, 1850-59 ; John MeFadden, 1859-63; Theodore Horton, 1863-67 ; Samuel M. Dailey, 1867-71; Michael C. Blue, 1871-75; George E. Gardiner, 1875-79; Elmore Y. Sturgis, 1879-83; Naaman T. Miller, 1883-87; Charles M. Miller, 1887-91; William H. Ernest, 1891-95; George W. Studabaker, 1895-99; William A. Marsh, 1899-1903; Clement S. Brineman, January 1, 1904-08; Orin D. Garrett, 1908-12; L. A. Williamson, 1912-14; Clement T. Kain, appointed December, 1914, for unexpired term, ending December 31, 1915, and elected for term 1916-20.
.Clerks-Bowen Hale, 1837-55; George MeDowell, 1855-59; Thomas L. Wisner, 1859-67; James R. MeCleery, 1867, died in office, April, 1874; William J. Craig, 1874-82; John H. Ormsby, 1882-90; Albert Oppenheim, 1890-94; Robert F. Cummins, 1894-98; James C. Hat- field, 1898-1902; Hugh D. Studabaker, 1903-07; Augustus N. Ples- singer, 1907-11; Adalgo Waudel, 1911-15; Herman F. Lesh, 1915- -.
Treasurers-Adnah Hall, 1837-48; Henry Courtney, 1848-50; Wil- liam H. Deam, 1850-55; John Wandle, 1855-59; Peter Studabaker, 1859-62; Elijah A. Horton, 1862-64; Jacob V. Geary, 1864-66; Wil- liam H. Deam, 1866-70; John Ogden, 1870-74; Lemuel Bachelor, 1874-78; Lawson Popejoy, 1878-82; James P. Deam, 1882-86; John E. Sturgis, 1886-90; William Cover, 1890-94; Benjamin F. Kain, 1894-98 ; Eli C. Bierie, 1898-1900; Amos G. King, January 1, 1901-05; Edward Saurer, 1905-09; William J. Dustman, 1909-13; James A. McBride, 1913-17 ; Ervin Lesh, 1917- -.
Reeorders-Bowen Hale, 1837-51; Wilson M. Bulger, 1851-59; Samuel M. Dailey, 1859-63; Wilson M. Bulger, 1863-71; James R. Bennett, 1871-79; David E. Bulger, 1879-82; E. B. MeDowell, 1882- 87; John C. Baumgartner, 1887-91; William F. Guyones, 1891-95; John F. Stine, 1895-99; John Miller, 1899-1903; John II. Crum, January 1, 1904-08; Josiah Feeser, 1908-12; John B. Kreigh, 1912-16; Daniel T. Brinneman, 1916- -.
Surveyors-John Casebeer, 1837 ; Sylvanus Church, ----; Sam- uel G. Upton, 1853; George P. Mann, 1853-57; Elijah A. Horton, 1857-62; James A. Gavin, 1862-67: Michael C. Blue, 1867-71 ; Finley H. Rhodes, 1871-73; James P. Hale, 1873-77: John E. Beil, 1877-83;
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T. W. Barton, 1883-87: Gabriel T. Markley, 1887-90; William A. Kunkel, 1890-94; John H. Trostel, 1894-98; B. A. Batson, 1898-1902; Daniel O. North, January, 1903-07; H. B. Sark, 1907-11; Charles W. Decker, 1911-15; Thomas C. Guldin, 1915 ----.
Under a general state law, passed in 1881, the public ditches of the county were placed under the direct control of drainage commis- sioners, appointed by the Circuit Court, through which body said ditches are authorized to be established. Theretofore the ditches were constructed by petition in the Commissioners' Court, and were under the general supervision of the county surveyor. These matters are taken up more in detail by County Surveyor Guldin in his article on the "Artificial Drainage of the County."
Sheriffs-David Bennett, 1837; Isaac Covert,. 1837-41; Lewis Linn, 1841-43; Isaac Covert, 1843-45; Lewis Linn, 1845-47; Isaac Covert, 1847-49; Amza White, 1849-53; Michael Miller, 1853-57; Evan H. Phillips, 1857-59 ; Michael Miller, 1859-61; Nathaniel DeHaven, 1861- 65; Manuel Chalfant, 1865-67: Isaiah J. Covault, 1867-69; Manuel Chalfant, 1869-71; Isaiah J. Covault, 1871-73; William W. Wisell, 1873-77 ; James B. Plessinger, 1877-81; M. M. Justus, 1881-85; Henry Kirkwood, 1885-89; James T. Dailey, 1889-93; George W. Huffman, 1893-97 : William Higgins, 1897-1901; James R. Johnston, January 1, 1902-06; William A. Lipkey, 1906-10; Freeman Carlisle, 1910-14; John A. Johnston, 1914-18.
SOME OLD-TIME OFFICE HOLDERS
Besides the many old settlers noticed in the previous chapter, many will query what has become of the old-time office holders.
Amza White, elected sheriff in 1848, died many years ago. His widow and children long resided in Bluffton.
Joshua R. Randall, candidate for representative in 1848, lived on a farm six miles northeast of Bluffton, forty years thereafter.
James Bell, county commissioner, 1849-'51, was a station agent at Keystone in the late '80s.
James L. Warden, prosecuting attorney in 1851, afterward circuit and supreme judge, was an able and honorable jurist. He died at Fort Wayne, when he was judge of the Superior Court of Allen County.
Thomas L. Wisner, who was in office much of his life, lived in Bluffton as late as the '90s.
Ellison Covert and Joseph Gorrell resided at Ossian.
Nun McIntyre and Joseph A. Williams are not living.
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James Fulton died in the early '80s.
William A. Deam lost a great deal of property in Wells County, but did well in Wichita, Kansas.
William Kirkwood, father of Henry Kirkwood ( formerly sheriff), lived south of Bluffton, ten or twelve miles.
George P. Mann (surveyor), John Wandle, Sylvanus Church and Samuel Decker have been dead many years.
Lewis Prillaman moved to his farm three miles above Bluffton, where he resided many years.
Wilson M. Bulger, David Peppard, Nelson Kellogg and Michael Miller resided in Bluffton, retired from the activities of a business life.
David Truesdale lived five miles north of Bluffton.
James Dailey, father of Hon. Joseph S. Dailey, had a home north- east of Bluffton.
John R. Coffroth became a prominent lawyer in Lafayette, Indiana.
EARLY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS OF THE COUNTY
The first school in Wells County was taught by Jesse B. McGrew. in 1837, on the farm of Adam Miller, above Bluffton, on Six Mile Creek, in the south part of section 11, Harrison Township. Another school, one of the earliest, if not the second, was taught on a place adjoining the above, where David Powell's tannery afterward stood for so many years.
In 1841 a schoolhouse was built on the land of William Studabaker, north of Bluffton. Wonderful to relate, it had a real stove! The first teacher to grace this sehool was Charles Grimes, at from thirty to thirty-eight dollars per term of seventy-eight days, with board 'round. His near successors were Lewis Prillaman and Abraham Studabaker.
In 1843 a schoolhouse was erected on the land of Thomas W. Van Horn, about four miles above Bluffton, in which the teachers were Henry Prillaman, John H. Moore and Ellison Covert.
Of course, all these and other early schools were supported by private subscriptions, and their standard was largely determined by the intelligence and generosity of neighborhood citizens. Besides those mentioned, Charles F. Cruickshank, Absolom Brewster, Asa Coho, George C. Fellows, James Turner, W. P. Mann, Henry Atchi- son, James Ferguson and Ann Maria Fields wielded the birch and ruler, with milder forms of oral discipline. The last named taught a school in the rear of T. L. Wisner's residence, at Bluffton, and put her own case by saying that she occasionally "had to use Bireh Tea in order to preserve the peace."
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The first school commissioner, Judge W. H. Parmalee, was an energetic, efficient officer. He received $238.79 for school purposes, but how the money was obtained the records do not show.
TENDENCY OF LATE YEARS
Of late years the county systems of schools, as well as the metro- politan boards of education, have made special and progressive efforts to give the pupils under their jurisdiction a practical training in those subjects upon which, in all probability, they should be best in- formed, in order to develop into useful members of the home com- munities. How the county superintendent of schools and his teachers co-operate with the county agent, representing the Federal Depart- ment of Agriculture, has already been described in detail.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM
How the broad historic development of the county system has progressed since it was placed under a responsible superintendent, more than forty years ago, is thus set forth by Superintendent Huy- ette in his last report to the State Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, which was transmitted to the Indiana General Assembly in January, 1917: "A school, which is claimed by some to be the first in the county, was taught by Jesse MeGrew, in 1837, east of Bluff- ton, in a schoolhouse which stood on the Adam Miller farm, in Harri- son Township. It was a log building, eleven by eighteen feet in size, with a clapboard roof, held on with weight poles. The seats were arranged in semi-circular form about the fire-place; the writ- ing desks were of hewn slabs, pinned to the walls, and a row of back- less benches in front of them for use of the more advanced pupils; this was the typical schoolhouse of the period.
"In the early days, the teachers were licensed by an officer called the school examiner, and there was no uniformity; sometimes a few questions, more or less remotely connected with schoolwork, were asked and the applicant granted a license; some examiners maintained a high standard of scholarship for the times, yet it was frequently the case that very erude scholarship passed all right before the examiners.
"In 1873 the law was changed, the office of county school su- perintendent was created and this officer took the place of the ex- aminer. Since this law was passed, the following persons have held the office of county school superintendent: J. S. MeCleery, John H.
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