USA > Indiana > The Indiana gazetteer : or, topographical dictionary of the state of Indiana, 1850 > Part 5
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An association called the North-western Academy of Natural Sciences, was formed in 1846, by the Faculty, and other friends of general science. It has already a large collection of specimens in Geology, Natural His- tory, Sc., and a valuable library.
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WABASH COLLEGE.
This institution owes its origin to a few friends of sound learning, who were among the early settlers of the upper Wabash valley. Convinced that the interests of educa- tion demanded the establishment of a College in the northern half of the State, they matured their plans and then made public the long cherished scheme of laying the foundation of an institution which should be, to the fu- ture generations of this fertile valley, what the older col- leges have proved to the communities in which they have been located. When it was founded, there were but two colleges in the State, and both of them were in their infancy, and in the southern part. It was designed to supply the educational wants of the prospectively richest and most densely settled portions of Indiana, and was located so far from then existing institutions as to show that its founders were prompted by no sinister motives and sought no conflict with similar enterprises for the patronage of their fellow citizens. Aiming at the spe- cial advancement of no particular sect or party, either in religion or politics, but seeking to promote the moral and intellectual culture of the rising generation, the founders of Wabash College evinced the purity of their motives and the patriotism of their enterprise, by associating the institution with the name of the noble stream from whose fertile valley its future pupils were to be gathered, and by placing it under the control of no ecclesiastical association.
Untrammelled and independent of sectarian dictation, they determined that the Bible, both in the original and vernacular tongue, should be the text book of morals in their institution, and its principles should be daily incul -. cated as the only true basis of a virtuous character. Con- vinced that they would most effectually accomplish their object and subserve the best interests of sound learning and the real welfare of society, not by encouraging su- perficial attainments through the adoption of an abbre- viated and deceptive course of study, but by requiring
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that length of time and extent of intellectual culture which would most effectually develop and discipline the mental powers, they prescribed such a period and variety of preparatory and undergraduate studies, that those who completed them, may fearlessly challenge comparison with the alumni of any College in the Union.
With such enlarged and liberal views and generous impulses, the trustees of the institution repaired to the site selected for the College buildings, and there, in the primeval forest, with uplifted hands and pious hearts, they commended the infant enterprise to the guidance and blessing of Almighty God. Thus were its foundations laid with prayer, and its rising walls committed to the smiles and protection of a benignant Providence. From this expose of the motives and views of its founders, its character and destiny may be readily inferred.
It is situated at Crawfordsville, Montgomery county, on the great western mail route from Indianapolis to Springfield, Illinois, forty-five miles from the former, and twenty-seven miles from Lafayette. Being located at the intersection of the above mail route with the railroad from New Albany to Lafayette, it possesses every desir- able facility for access, and is unsurpassed for beauty of site and salubrity of location, there not having been a single death among its students for the last ten years, and only two during the sixteen years of its operations, and both of them by consumption.
The Preparatory department was opened in Decem- ber, 1833, with twelve students. It was incorporated in January, 1834, and organized as a College in the autumn of 1835, by the appointment of Rev. Elihu W. Bald- win, President, and John S. Thomson, E. O. Hovey, and Caleb Mills, Professors. A large brick edifice, 106 feet long, forty-eight feet wide, and four stories high, was erected in 1836-7, in the midst of a beautiful native grove, on the ample grounds appropriated for the Col- lege buildings. This edifice was consumed by fire in September, 1838, together with the Philosophical appa- ratus, the College and Societies' libraries, of about 3000 5
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volumes. Encouraged by the sympathies and proffered aid of the patrons of the institution, and the friends of learning in different parts of the country, the trustees made immediate arrangements to rebuild and repair the loss. This was effected in one year, involving an ex- pense which its friends, at that period of commercial embarrassment, were unable fully to meet, and rendered it necessary to effect a loan of $8,000 from the Sinking Fund of the State of Indiana. On this loan the trustees paid nine per cent. interest, in advance, for three years, amounting to $2,160. By special act of the legislature of 1841-2, the payment of interest was suspended for five years, till the amount, principal and interest, in January, 1847, was $10,620. In the summer of 1846, a few friends of the institution purchased Indiana State bonds, without the knowledge of, or any conference with, the trustees of the College, and presented them to that body on condition that they would be of any ser- vice to them in the settlement of their loan with the State. If no advantageous use could be made of them in that settlement, they were to be returned to the do- nors. The trustees presented a memorial to the legisla- ture of 1846-7, requesting the passage of a law autho- rizing the Sinking Fund commissioners to receive eight one thousand dollar State bonds, with their accumulated interest, in part payment of the debt. A bill in accord- ance with this memorial was introduced into the Senate, passed through its several readings, was thoroughly dis- cussed, and passed on the 31st of December, forty-one voting for it and nine against it. On the Ist of January, it was received in the House, referred to the committee on education, went through its several readings, and after thorough discussion, was passed by a vote of forty-nine to forty-eight. During the pendency of the bill in the House, an effort was made to defeat it by an appeal to sectarian bigotry and influence. This opposition ac- counts for the vote in the House on its final passage, and also subsequently led to a motion in the Senate to sus- pend the operation of the law for one year. The result
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of this motion was a thorough and searching investiga- tion of the whole subject, which served to demonstrate the equity and justice of the provisions of the law, and to exhibit the generosity of the trustees in their offer to educate, free of charge for tuition, one student from each county in the State, for five years, to become a common school teacher. The provisions of the law furnish ample guaranty, that the Sinking Fund will never lose a cent by this mode of settlement, unless the State of Indiana repudiates; for the bonds are held by the commissioners as evidence of a subsisting indebtedness of the State to that fund, the suplus of which, alone, is applicable to the common school fund. The following exhibit of the mode of settlement, shows that the trustees paid the State of Indiana every dollar of their indebtedness to her, either in cash or her own obligations, and then made a donation to the cause of common school educa- tion in the form of gratuitous instruction of teachers of more than $9,000. The College debt was $10,620, which was paid with eight State bonds, and the interest on the same, amounting to $10,400, and the balance of $220, in cash. These simple facts will enable every one to ar- rive at a proper estimate of the character of the opposi- tion, and the source whence it originated.
The institution is now furnished with a valuable Philo- sophical and Chemical apparatus, a rich Mineralogical and Geological cabinet, a College library of about 4,000 vol- umes, and Societies' libraries of about 1,500, an aggre- gate of valuable books seldom found in the possession of a new college in so early a period of its history. The plan of the building is such that it affords accommoda- tions of a very superior character. It contains forty- eight suits of rooms for the occupancy of students. Each suit consists of one study room, of ample dimensions, and two bed rooms, furnished with chairs, table, stove and bedsteads for single beds. Provision is made for a thorough ventilation of the rooms, which has contri- buted in no slight degree to the remarkable health en- joyed by the students.
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INDIANA GAZETTEER.
Commencement and Vacations .- The commencement is on the Thursday nearest the 20th of July, follow- ed by a vacation of nine weeks, at the expiration of which, the college year begins. This is divided into three terms of about thirteen weeks each, succeeded by a recess of one week at Christmas, and two weeks during the first of April, and closed by the long vaca- tion.
College Bills and Other Expenses .- Tuition in the Preparatory department is $18.00 per annum, or $6.00 per term; and in the College department is $24.00 per annum, or $8.00 per term. Room rent is $3.00 per term, and the charge for incidentals is $1.00 per term. All these bills are payable in advance, each term. Board in private families is from $1.00 to $1.25 per week. The expense for board is materially lessened by associations for the purpose, also by individ- ual self-boarding. The former mode reduces it to an average of about eighty cents per week, and the latter to fifty cents. Wood and lights will average $3.00 per year. Washing is fifty cents per dozen. Text books in the collegiate course, when procured from the text- book library, will cost about $2.00 per annum. Books are procured and sold at cost to students, thereby dimin- ishing very materially the expense for the implements of study. This expose shows that the annual expense for College bills, wood, board, lights, and washing, is less than $100.
The Preparatory and Collegiate departments are un- der the sole charge and instruction of the Professors, involving an amount of care, time and labor unknown in those institutions where the Preparatory department is placed under the sole and exclusive care and instruction of an individual. It is the intention of the trustees to secure an increased attention to the proper training of those students, who contemplate engaging as common school instructors, either temporarily or permanently.
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GENERAL VIEW OF THE STATE.
The present draft of from four to six hours per day, they are now compelled to make on each of the Professors, forbids enlargement in this important department of their labors; but they fervently hope that a generous public will not long permit this desire to remain ungrati- fied by withholding the means of support for additional instruction.
Some idea of the results of sixteen years' labor may be obtained from the following facts gathered from its history. Ten classes have been graduated with high promise of usefulness in the several professions they have entered, or are preparing to enter. There have been connected with the institution from its foundation to the present time, (May, 1849,) 610 individuals for a longer or shorter period. Of these more than 230 were hope- fully pious when they left the institution, and more than ninety of them became so while connected with it, who subsequently became members of Churches of four denom- inations. Thirty-four are ministers of the gospel of seve- ral branches of the church. One hundred and five have taught schools. Two are professors in two of our colleges, and others are engaged in various departments of instruc- tion in our own and other States. The time required to complete the preparatory course of study is from two to three years.
The number of students during the past year was 148, being a considerable advance on that of any other year, showing a gradual and healthful progress, and an in- creasing appreciation of the value of a thorough educa- tion on the part of the community at large.
The present members of the Faculty are,
Rev. CHARLES WHITE, D. D., President.
Hon. HENRY L. ELLSWORTH, Lecturer on Agriculture.
EDMUND O. HOVEY, M. A., Professor of Chemistry and Geology.
WILLIAM TWINING, M. A., Professor of Mathematics, Natural Philoso- phy, and Astronomy.
CALEB MILLS, M. A., Professor of Greek.
SAMUEL S. THOMSON, M. A., Professor of Latin.
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INDIANA GAZETTEER.
NEW ALBANY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
This institution is under the care of seven Synods of the Presbyterian Church, (Old School), viz: Indiana, Cincinnati, Missouri, Illinois, Northern Indiana, Ken- tucky and West Tennessee. It was commenced at Han- over, by the Synod of Indiana, in 1832, and continued at that place till 1840, since which time it has been car- . ried on at New Albany. The first professor, Rev. John Matthews, D. D., was elected in 1831, and remained in connection with the seminary from the time he entered on his duties until his death, which took place in May, 1848. The Rev. George Bishop, A. M., was elected a professor in 1834, and within about two years was re- moved by death. After his decease, instruction in his department was procured temporarily until 1839, when the Rev. James Wood, D. D., was elected professor, and he occupies that position at the present time. In 1848, the Rev. Erasmus D. MacMaster, D. D., and the Rev. Daniel Stewart, A. M., were elected, and the three gentlemen last named constitute the present Faculty. Dr. Wood fills the chair of Dogmatic and Ecclesiastical History, Church Government, the Sacraments and Pastoral The- ology; Dr. MacMaster the chair of Didactic, Casuistic and Polemic Theology ; and Professor Stewart the chair of the Original Languages of the Sacred Scriptures and Oriental Literature. The chair of Biblical Criticism, Hermeneutics and Sacred Rhetoric, is to be filled by a professor to be nominated by the Synod of Kentucky -- the right of nomination having been given by the direc- tors to that Synod on condition that the Synod raise the endowment requisite for his support. Until the chair is filled, its duties are discharged by professor Wood.
Since the foundation of the seminary, 124 candidates for the gospel ministry have pursued their professional studies within its walls, most of whom are now success- fully laboring in the cause of Christ, either as pastors, professors and teachers, or missionaries.
The plan of the Seminary and the course of study are
.
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GENERAL VIEW OF THE STATE.
substantially the same as at Princeton. Three years are required to complete the course. The Seminary year commences on the last Thursday of September, and closes on the last Thursday of May. No charge is made for tuition, but each student is required to pay $8.00 per year to the general expense fund. The price of board is $1.50 per week. Other incidental expenses are about the same as at other places in the west.
The library contains upwards of 2,600 volumes, and the number is constantly increasing. To these the stu- dents have free access, without charge. Rooms are likewise provided and furnished with beds and bedding, and the gratuitous use of them is granted to the regular members of the Seminary. In order to obtain admission to the institution as a regular member, the applicant must be a candidate for the gospel ministry, and furnish satisfactory evidence of his being a communicant in some evangelical christian church, and of his having either graduated at some college, or gone through a thorough course of classical and literary instruction. But any per- son who sustains a good moral character is permitted, if he desires it, to attend the recitations, lectures, and other exercises of the Seminary.
Thirty-two thousand dollars have been secured to- wards endowing the institution. Of this sum $10,000 was given by Elias Ayres, Esq., of New Albany, de- ceased, as a foundation for one professorship. The other $22,000 has been raised in Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Illi- nois, and in the east. A small amount has been raised in Tennessee, but no general effort has yet been made to collect funds for the Seminary in that State. The same remark applies to Kentucky, where it is expected the entire support of one professor will be obtained as soon as a suitable man is nominated, and the requisite exer- tions are made to raise the endowment.
A beautiful and conspicuous site has been purchased, overlooking the three cities of New Albany, Louisville, and Jeffersonville, and affording a commanding view of the falls of the Ohio, and of the river itself for several
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miles in extent. As soon as sufficient means are obtained for this purpose, a commodious building will be erected on the new site, the library increased to 10 or 12,000 volumes, and every facility furnished to render the insti- tution as attractive to the student as any seminary in the United States. The present site is pleasant, and the ac- commodations, as far as they go, inviting. They are sufficient for forty students, and will be enlarged imme- diately, when more than this number shall enter the Seminary.
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS-CIVIL DIVISIONS.
By the Constitution of the State of Indiana, the rights and privileges usually guarantied in other states to the citizens, are to be observed and protected here. The powers of the government are to be divided into Legis- lative, Executive, and Judiciary, and to be confided to separate bodies of magistracy, neither to interfere with the other, except when expressly permitted. The Legis- lative authority is vested in a General Assembly, consist- ing of a Senate and House of Representatives; the former is chosen once in three years; it is not to be less than one-third, nor more than one-half the number of the Representatives, and each Senator must be over twenty-five years of age, and have resided two years in the district from which he is chosen. The House of Representatives is not to exceed one hundred in number. Each member must be twenty-one years of age, and have resided one year, next preceding his election, in the county from which he is chosen. Senators and Repre- sentatives are to be apportioned every five years accord- ing to the number of voters in their respective districts; the election is to take place on the first Monday of Au- gust, and the General Assembly is to meet on the first Monday of December, annually, unless otherwise directed by law. Members of the Legislature can hold no office under the General Government, nor any under the State, except a militia office, nor can any collector or holder of public money have a seat in the Legislature, until he
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GENERAL VIEW OF THE STATE.
has accounted and paid over all dues. Laws and Reso- lutions passed by the Legislature, before taking effect, are to be presented to the Governor and approved by him, or being disapproved, are to be passed again by a majority of all the members elected to both houses.
The supreme executive power of the State is vested in a Governor, chosen every three years, but cannot hold office over two terms in succession. He must be at least thirty years of age, a citizen of the United States ten years, and a resident of the State five years next preced- ing his election. He is to nominate the Judges of the Supreme Court, to be approved by the Senate; to fill vacancies in offices occurring during the recess of the Legislature, when they are to choose the officers; and he has the full power of pardoning and reprieving crimi- nals, and of remitting fines and forfeitures. His salary is neither to be increased nor reduced during his term of office, and he is to hold no other office at the same time.
A Lieut. Governor, with the same qualifications as the Governor, is to be chosen at the same time, who is merely the President of the Senate, except when a va- cancy occurs in the office of Governor, when he sup- plies it.
A Secretary of State is to be chosen by the Legisla- ture every four years, and an Auditor of public accounts and a Treasurer of State every three years.
All Judges hold their offices seven years. The Presi- dent Judges are chosen by the Legislature, and the Asso- ciate and Probate Judges by the people. Clerks of Courts and Recorders are chosen by the people for seven years, Justices of the Peace for five years, and Sheriffs for two years. White male citizens of the United States who have resided in the State for a year, may vote in the county where they reside.
The Militia choose their own officers, except that the commissioned officers of the respective brigades and divi- sions choose their own Brigadier and Major Generals.
There is to be but one Bank in the State, which shall
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INDIANA GAZETTEER.
be denominated the State Bank, and which shall not have exceeding a branch for three counties.
It is made the duty of the General Assembly to pro- vide for a general system of education. Ten per cent. of the donations for county seats are to be reserved for County Libraries, and all fines and forfeitures are appro- priated for County Seminaries. Slavery is for ever pro- hibited.
The State is at this time divided into ninety counties, and each county is divided into townships, of which there are usually from five to fifteen in each county ; the subdivisions being made by the county authorities, and for the public convenience. Several cities have been incorporated in the State, by special charters from the legislature, and a large number of towns have also been incorporated in the same way, or under the provisions of a general law which authorizes these incorporations, and gives them the power, under some restrictions, of making their own by-laws. These cities and towns usually in- clude but a small part of the civil townships, and the residents of the city or town, as the case may be, almost uniformly elect their own officers. All these will be particularly described under the proper names. The State is at present divided into ten Congressional Districts, which, as they will be changed after the election for the year 1849, will not be specially described.
The judicial districts, or circuits, are also subject to change, but the changes hereafter will probably be much less frequent. The first circuit consists of the counties of Benton, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Tippecanoe and Warren; President Judge, Isaac Naylor; time ex- pires 1852.
The second circuit embraces the counties of Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Orange, Scott and Washing- ton ; William T. Otto, President Judge; time expires 1852.
The third circuit embraces the counties of Bartholo- mew, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio and Switzerland; Court- land Cushing, President Judge; time expires 1852.
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GENERAL VIEW OF THE STATE.
The fourth circuit embraces the counties of Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vander- burgh and Warrick; James Lockhart, President Judge; time expires 1853.
The fifth circuit consists of the counties of Boone, Ham- ilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion and Shelby; William J. Peaslee, President Judge; time expires 1850.
The sixth circuit embraces the counties of Fayette, Henry, Rush, Union and Wayne; J. T. Elliott, President Judge ; time expires 1851.
The seventh circuit embraces the counties of Clay, Knox, Parke, Putnam, Vermillion and Vigo; John Law, President Judge; time expires 1852.
The eighth circuit embraces the counties of Carroll, Cass, Fulton, Jasper, Miami, Pulaski, Wabash and White; Horace P. Biddle, President Judge; time expires 1854.
The ninth circuit embraces the counties of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Laporte, Lake, Marshall, Porter and St. Jo- seph; E. M. Chamberlain, President Judge; time ex- pires 1850.
The tenth circuit embraces the counties of Brown, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan and Owen; David McDonald, Pres. Judge; time expires 1853.
The eleventh circuit embraces the counties of Black- ford, Delaware, Grant, Howard, Jay, Madison, Randolph and Tipton ; Jeremiah Smith, President Judge; time ex- pires 1853.
The twelfth circuit consists of the counties of Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley; James W. Borden, President Judge ; time expires 1855.
The thirteenth circuit consists of the counties of Dear- born, Decatur, Franklin and Ripley; George H. Dunn, President Judge; time expires 1854.
POPULATION.
The population of the Territory of Indiana in 1800, was 4875 ; in 1810, 24,520; in 1816, when the Constitution was formed, it was estimated at 65,000; in 1820, it was
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INDIANA GAZETTEER.
147,178; in 1830, 343,081; in IS40, 685,866; and if there was the same relation to the Presidential vote in 1848 that there was in 1840, the population on the 7th No- vember, 1848, was about 916,000; but as the interest and excitement were the greatest at the former period, the population at this time must be about 1,000,000; and at the next census it will be at least 1,060,000. The votes for Governor in 1816, were 9,145; at the election in 1848, they were 153,462.
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