USA > Indiana > Vigo County > Terre Haute > The history of early Terre Haute from 1816 to 1840 > Part 7
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In 1827 the Old brick school house was built on the north- west corner of Fifth and Walnut streets. The location now is occupied by the Catholic Female Academy. If I am rightly informed, a portion of the old wall of the brick school house was built into, and constitutes a part of, the wall of the Academy building. This our first public school house was intended for church, for Sunday school, as well as day school purposes. The prime movers in this enterprise were : Judge Amory Kinney, John F. Cruft, Elijah Tillotson, Moody Chamberlain, Thomas Houghton, Russell Ross, Enoch Dole, and Matthew Stewart. It stands on record that " the people liberally all contributed their mite to this im- portant building." Some subscribed brick, others lumber, and still others a certain number of days' work." It is added : " little money was subscribed."
Mr. Charles T. Noble was among the carly teachers in this school. He was not only active himself, but instrumental in interesting others in school work. He came to Terre Haute in 1823 and in 1825 became a permanent resident, till his death. He spent the early years of his manhood as a teacher, but afterwards was active in town affairs. He never lost his interest in children, as many who were once small boys can testify.
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Mr. Nathaniel Preston was another teacher in the Old brick school house. He taught there till he entered the State Bank as a clerk. He was afterwards elected as cashier. Mr. Preston was a native of Vermont, and was married in Terre Haute to Miss Charlotte Wood. Their home first was in the Bank building, now the Old Curiosity Shop. Afterwards he purchased the stone residence with its extensive grounds on Poplar street, where he lived until his death. For many years Mrs. Preston has been a member of the Rose Ladies Aid Society and still discharges the exacting duties of a cor- porate member.
Still another teacher in this school was Hon. W. D. Gris- wold. whose name will appear among the lawyers. He was a native of Vermont, and a personal friend and schoolmate of Mr. Preston. They were both educated, and were typical Terre Haute gentlemen.
Among the boys who attended school in this building, and made their mark in the world, were such men as: Gen. Charles Cruft, mention of whom will be made in the chapter below on Courts and Lawyers. Mr. Cruft began the study of the classics here under Mr. W. D. Griswold. Francis S. McCabe, D.D., was a Terre Haute boy. He was a pupil of Charles T. Noble in the Old brick school house. He also reckons W. D. Griswold as one of his early teachers. Mr. McCabe was graduated from Wabash College in 1846, and was honored with the title of D.D. by the same institution. He was graduated from the Theological Seminary, at Au- burn, N. Y., in 1852. He served the Presbyterian church of Peru, Indiana, from 1852 to 1867; the First Presbyterian church of Topeka, Kansas, from 1868 to 1880, and the Third Presbyterian church of the same city from 1880 to 1887. Dr. McCabe was born in Terre Haute in 1827. Throughout his long life he has been recognized as a man of more than ordinary ability, and of sterling worth. In Mr. McCabe our little brick school house made a valuable contribution to the churches of Kansas City and of the whole state, as he has been since 1870 Stated Clerk of the Synod of Kansas.
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Rev. Welton M. Modesitt is another village boy, who at- tended school in the Old brick school house. He came with his parents to Terre Haute in 1816. He was the son of Dr. Charles B. Modesitt. one of the carliest pioneers of the town. Welton was educated for a lawyer and graduated from the State University at Bloomington, and entered at once upon the study of law at Cincinnati, Ohio. He practised law in Terre Haute for three years, when like many before him he switched off into the ministry. His theological course was pursued at Lane Theological Seminary, in Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1846. Four years were spent with the Congregational churches of South and West Vigo, . when Mr. Modesitt removed to the State of New York. He served two years in the Union army as chaplain of a New York regiment, made up of men from Buffalo and vicinity. From loss of eyesight, he was compelled to retire from the active ministry. Notwithstanding advanced age and com- plete loss of eyesight, he enjoys his annual visits to his Terre Haute relatives and friends.
Mr. C. W. Barbour, one of Indiana's prominent lawyers, was in his early boyhood a pupil at the Old brick school house. Further notice of him will be found in the chapter on Courts and Lawyers.
Mr. Benjamin Hayes deserves to be numbered among our earliest teachers. He taught on the corner of Third and Oak streets. He came with his wife from New England, but the exact date is not known. School teaching was not, as with so many others, a stepping-stone to something supposed to be better ; but it was his life work. It would be interesting to know how many of the old residents to-day can say: "I went to school to Benny Hayes." Doubtless there are many, some of whom would add: " when he taught in the County Seminary," others, "when he taught in the white frame school house on the northwest corner of Sixth and Cherry streets." while still others, " when he taught in the basement of the Congregational church." Mr. Hayes's dictum was : " A boy must go through the arithmetic three times, and do every
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sum, before he can be said to know how to cipher." He was not a man of fine finish, but of strength. He possessed a sturdy character, and was a man of great moral worth. When age began to overtake him, he took up his residence with his son at Normal, Illinois, where he remained till his death. As it was most befitting, his remains were brought back to Terre Haute for burial. He rests in Woodlawn Cemetery.
About the year 1835 or '36, Miss Phoebe Miller, a sister of Mr. Joseph Miller, a pork merchant, taught a school for small children on West Chestnut street, opposite the residence of her brother. The school house was small and built of logs, with a puncheon floor. The children sat on long wooden benches, without backs, with their feet dangling towards the floor, except when they stood up in line before the teacher, and spelled to their own delight : b-a, ba ; b-e, be; b-i, bi; or, b-a, ba, ker, ker, baker.
Later a Mr. Moses Beach, a Jersey man, kept a school in the south part of the village, below Mr. Murrain's tan yard. This teacher's pride was to make good readers and spellers ; and the ambition of the scholar was to "go up head," by spelling down his less successful competitors. To reach the head of the class was no small triumph, especially if the class was made up of some " good spellers." But to hold the place on Friday night, and take your place at foot of the class on Monday morning, was a triumph worth all it cost.
In the early forties, there was a more pretentious school taught by an Episcopal clergyman in the McCall building, which still stands on the southeast corner of Third and Ohio streets. His name was Rev. Robert B. Croes, who was highly respected not only as a minister but as a competent teacher.
Perhaps the best classical teacher of those days was Mr. Provost. He taught in the basement of the Congregational church. He was a teacher by profession, scholarly and suc- cessful. He won the regard of his pupils; and doubtless there are many yet living who would gladly hear concern- ing his welfare after he left Terre Haute. He was a gen-
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tleman of the old school, somewhat precise in speech and manner. He was careful of his dress, which was plain and in the best of taste. He had one peculiarity, at least, which is a very small thing to recall and especially to record; but it made a deep impression. He wore his hair parted behind. This was evidently a fad of the day. I now recall but one or two other gentlemen in the town who affected this style. Possibly there were more, but why magnify so small a matter. His school was well patronized.
One cannot think of the Provost school without recalling many of the boys and girls who were in attendance. I have one specially in mind. He was a small boy, among small boys, and we called him Bill. As we grew older, we softened it down to Will, and then, as evidence of great respect, to William E. To aid in sketching his character by a single stroke of the pencil, I would quote a verse from one of Wordsworth's beautiful sonnets, which reads:
" The child is father of the man."
The truth here expressed is proverbial, and finds a good illus- tration in the example before us. To know the man is to have known the boy, as there exists the greatest similarity. In externals as to build and general address, they were the same. The same also in style of dress, plain and becoming. Then as to character, there were the same elements of up- rightness and manliness. He was as willing then as now to do you a favor. Many of his friends to-day might insert between these lines marked examples of this characteristic. Then, the standing of the boy in school was typical of the standing of the man, in our community. To know therefore the man, in the person of Hon. William E. McLean, is to have a very correct idea of Mr. Provost's pupil, whom we as small boys called, Bill.
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CHAPTER XVI
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL TEACHERS-CONTINUED
IN hastily passing I must not forget to mention a school taught by Seymour Gookins in the basement of the Congre- gational church. Mr. Gookins stood high in the community, not only as a teacher, but as a man. Like all good teachers he had the interests of his scholars at heart.
Besides the list would not be complete without the mention of a classical school taught by Prof. Moses Soule. About this time the days of subscription schools were being num- bered. The growth of population demanded an increase of facilities for all classes of children. Far-sighted citizens real- ized that unless public provision was made, their children would grow up in ignorance. So as early as 1835 a meeting was called at the Court House, for the purpose of consider- ing the propriety of erecting a County Seminary building. This was by no means a rash move for already "public funds provided for in the different sales of real estate, had become sufficient to justify the step." In due time, there- fore, a contract was entered into with William Naylor and William Wines to build the Vigo County Seminary. Ac- cordingly it was erected on the high ground now occupied by the State Normal School. This was a step in advance, but there were better things in store. Without attempting to trace the story of the purchase of the County Seminary by the city; and how by striking hands with the State, there was secured to the city the State Normal School; I would simply add that the demand for free schools was everywhere. It was voiced in the legislature by statesmen, as well as by public educators; also by the public press. One of the causes that did much towards waking up the people on the subject of free schools, was a Series of Papers
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addressed to the legislature, signed by " One of the People." The part that Terre Haute had in this, was that while the papers were penned in the neighboring town of Crawfords- ville, by Caleb Mills, D.D., a professor in Wabash College ; yet through the instrumentality of Mr. Israel Williams, who was a special friend of Prof. Mills, and was then a prominent fork merchant of our city, the articles were published in pamphlet form in the office of David S. Danaldson.
Besides, the matter of free schools was no new thing to Terre Haute educators. In 1827 an advertisement appeared in our village paper, signed by Charles T. Noble and Samuel Hedges, which reads in part as follows: "The subscribers believing that schools in which youths are taught those branches that enable them to transact the customary business of life, are preferable to those Sunday schools, at which recitations in spiritual hymns and songs are the principal exercises, do hereby give notice, that they will attend at C. T. Noble's school room, on Sunday of each week, and give in- struction gratis in the branches usually taught in common schools, and in algebra . * Strict attention will be paid to scholars that may be put under our care * * . "
Certainly as an advertisement the above is unique, and withal significant. Sunday schools were evidently a well known institution in early Terre Haute. But passing the question here raised, my object in citing the above is to show that there was already, in the minds of active educators, a necessity that some steps should be taken by which free in- struction might be given to children, whose parents were not able to pay the required quarterly tuition. While the step proposed was inadequate, yet the suggestion must have been far-reaching, showing that something ought to be done, which could not be effected by an individual, but by a com- bined effort of all the people, by subjecting themselves to taxation. This in the course of time was done, thus making Indiana one of the leading states in the way of free schools. But here as before, the tracing of the particulars is chrono- logically beyond my limit; yet I must add, that while the
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movement in our locality was hampered at the first, in its final success it has filled our city, to the great joy and benefit of all, with school houses, school teachers and school children.
Again there has always been a prevailing idea, that Terre Haute would become an educational center ; hence various efforts have been put forth to establish institutions of a high grade, to accommodate those from a distance as well as those at home. About the year 1835 an effort was made to found a Seminary for girls on South Sixth street. It was an individual enterprise. I am assured by Mr. John W. Cruft that the two-story double frame house, which stood for so many years on the northeast corner of Sixth and Oak streets, and occupied by his father as a resi- dence, was originally built for a girls' school. The testi- mony of Rev. Aaron Wood in regard to this seminary is, that Rev. Smith L. Robinson was appointed to preach in the Terre Haute district. He also projected a female seminary, and had ample subscription, and a house erected. A lady principal was sent for, and came by stage from the far off State of Maine, but she died in a few days after her arrival. Rev. Mr. Robinson was called away into another conference, and so while this effort was a failure, it shows, at least a de- sire for a school in Terre Haute for young ladies.
The Covert College for Young Ladies, built on South Sixth street was for a decade of years, a success, and proved a most desirable addition to our city, as it brought to us teachers of talent, and accomplishments. The standard of the school was high and it attracted students from a distance. Rev. John Covert, the founder and president of the school, had the reputation of being a superior financier, and yet the school in time went down. The building still stands and is occupied by St. Anthony's Hospital. Very much of the above might be said in regard to the effort to build up Coates College which was located in the residence formerly occupied by Judge S. B. Gookins, on Osborn, between Third and Sixth streets. But the effort is of so recent a date. I can only refer to it.
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It is known possibly, to only a comparative few, that Mr. Chauncey Rose seriously contemplated founding and endowing a College for young ladies in Terre Haute. He gave the matter much thought as to its internal workings; also as to the plans and specifications of the buildings. He went so far as to make ample provisions for the same, in his will. But afterwards, he changed his mind, as every think- ing man has a right to do, and instead, substituted for it, the Rose Polytechnic Institute, a school of technology for young men. The great success of this institution, argues that Mr. Rose made no mistake in changing his purpose, and yet there is a lingering thought as to what might have been, had a Western Wellesley College been planted in the Mississippi valley, on Fort Harrison prairie, in the town of Terre Haute. In its inception, though the Polytechnic Institute had a rival, it has none now, as it stands in the fore front with the leading technical schools of the country, and so far upholds the idea, that Terre Haute is and of right ought to be, an edu- cational center.
The same may be said of our State Normal School which from its foundation has always been prosperous but never more so than at the present, under the successful manage- ment of a Terre Haute boy, a son of a pioneer phys- ician. The father gave his son the advantages of the public schools of the day, and then proposed to make a farmer of him, but the young man possessed of a natural thirst for knowledge soon returned and was enrolled as a member of the first graduating class of the State Normal. This was a good beginning for William W. Parsons. He was afterwards connected with the school as professor, vice president and president. To this last position which he still occupies, he was elected in 1885, to succeed President George P. Brown. Terre Haute has reason to be proud and is proud of the State Normal School.
There is one other school that has done its full share in building up the reputation of Terre Haute as an educational center. The story of its founding and marvelous growth,
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reads more like a fairy tale, than actual history. That an accomplished daughter of one of Napoleon's generals should leave her native land accompanied by five others like minded with herself, to found an institution of learning in the woods of Indiana, seems more romantic than historic. And so in- stead of a literal wilderness, where these good women actually engaged, as veritable pioneers, in gathering the brush into heaps for burning, we find now extensive grounds elegantly laid out, also green houses and flower gardens that bespeak taste and refinement. So likewise instead of the single house which good farmer Thralls was willing to share as a shelter for these pioneers, and the little log chapel, and simp'y the foundations for the academy building; we find buildings along side of buildings, in the best style of architecture, with every possible convenience for carrying on the work of edu- cation.
The plain history of St. Mary's Institute which was planted in the woods of Indiana, four miles west of Terre Haute. reads : " that on Oct. 22, 1840, six sisters of Provi- dence, who came from France through the earnest solicita- tion of the Bishop of Vincennes, also by the cooperation of Father Bateaux, arrived by stage at St. Mary's, which was to be their future home. Mother Theodore, the founder of the institution, is said to have been a woman remarkably en- dowed with gifts both of intellect and heart. She laid broad foundations for Christian education, and refined womanhood, and St. Mary's Institute shall ever stand as a noble monu- ment to her wisdom, sacrifice and zeal.
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CHAPTER XVII
EARLY COURTS, LAWS AND LAWYERS
ONE of the first necessities of organized society is a court of justice. So we find that one of the first moves, while as yet we were a territory, was the organization of courts of law. As a local member of society, the individual for protection, yields his rights into the hands of society, as represented by legal tribunals. Such surrender implies presupposed in- telligence, and uprightness, on the part of the community. Security of individual rights and local order go hand in hand.
The General Assembly convened at Corydon in August, 1814, divided the territory into three circuits, and " invested the Governor with power to appoint a President judge in each circuit, and two Associate judges of the circuit court in each county." Among other requirements these President judges were to be "learned and experienced in the law." There was more or less dissatisfaction in the workings of the judiciary system as it existed in the territory. In 1816 there were important changes made, so that the judiciary powers of the State were vested in "one Superior Court, in Circuit Courts, and such inferior courts as the General As- sembly might establish The Circuit Court was to consist of a President and two Associate Judges ; the Pres- idents of the Circuit Courts were to be elected by the General Assembly, in joint session, and the Assistant Judges by the voters of the counties. Each county was to have two As- sociate Judges ; the President alone or in connection with one of the Associate Judges could hold a court and the two As- sociates in absence of the President could hold a court, but could not try capital or chancery cases."
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The existence of Associate judges explains one thing in the early history of our town, which to many who were uninitiated, was inexplicable ; and that was the fact of there being so many gentlemen who were always addressed and known as judges ; and yet they never laid any claim to being lawyers by profession. Among these were such men as Judge Deming, of whom mention has already been made; Judge Jesse Conard, whose name will properly appear in the chapter on Newspapers and Editors; Judge James T. Moffatt who was born in New York city, Oct. 2, 1791. He resided for some years in New Jersey, whence he moved to Vincennes, Indiana, in 1818, after stopping a short time in Ohio. In 1829 he came with his family to Terre Haute. He purchased property on North Second street, and built a brick house, which was the home of the family for many years, till he moved into his new house, on the north side of Mulberry, between Sixth and Seventh streets. Judge Mof- fatt was a carriage maker by trade, but having a taste for politics, he served for many years as Probate or Associate judge. From 1837 to 1843 he served his district in the State senate. He was a delegate to the Whig convention in Baltimore when Henry Clay was nominated for the presi- dency. In 1849 he was appointed Postmaster of Terre Haute, which position he held for four years. Judge Moffatt was a member of the City council for several terms. He was an active Mason. Mr. Moffatt was faithful in all the public trusts committed to him. He died in 1861.
Judge Randolph H. Wedding was another one of the hon- orable Associate judges. He came into Indiana in 1817. For the most part he resided in Parke county. " His life was re- markable for the sterling traits of character he exhibited, and for the stirring scenes in which he was a prominent actor."
Another prominent pioneer and Associate judge was John Jenckes, who was born in Providence, Rhode Island, 1790. As a prospector he was on the ground as early as 1816, but did not settle permanently until 1818. He purchased prop- erty east of the town. He served as Associate judge in the
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first court held in the county. He was elected as State senator while yet the State capital was at Corydon.
Judge John H. Watson was a banker, and his name will appear in the chapter on Banks and Bankers, and yet we understand as an Associate judge, he could sit on the bench, and rightly be called judge.
There were others who as prominent citizens were honored by seats on this bench, but the above are sufficient to illustrate the one thing in question ; also how in those early days men of stalwart characters were appreciated.
The first Circuit court in Vigo county was held on the fourth Monday in April in 1818, before Moses Hoggatt and James Barnes as Associate judges. They adjourned to meet at the house of Henry Redford on the following day, and here among other business, an application for divorce came before the court, brought by Eleanor Garber against Peter Garber alleging abandonment. Evidently the court did not propose to be hasty, as it allowed the case to go over to the next regular term of court when it was duly granted.
The first term of the Circuit court before a full bench was held at the house of Henry Redford in Terre Haute, on July 24, 1818. Thomas H. Blake, President judge of the first Judicial circuit, presiding.
Before proceeding further, one word should be spoken in regard to the early laws of Indiana, for prior to courts and lawyers there must be laws. In 1807 we read in Dillon : " The common law of England, all statutes or acts of the British parliament made in aid of the common law, prior to the fourth year of the reign of King James the First (and which are of a general nature, not local to that kingdom), and also the several laws in force in this territory, shall be the rule of decision, and shall be considered as of full force, until repealed by legislative authority, or disapproved of by Con- gress." To illustrate the majesty of the law, and to show its far-reaching influence, take the single enactment in the ordi- nance of 1787, containing the provision by which the North- west territory ceded to Congress by the Commonwealth of
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