History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 29

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 680

USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 29

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164

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

Haskins, 32°, M. and G. O .; J. P. Hannan, 32°, G. C .; M. D. Condiff, 32°, G. C. and K. of S .; Henry Beharrell, 33°, G. T .; C. F. Cutter, 32°, G. E. and A .; George. Ehrhart, 32°, G. H .; H. J. Reamer, 32°, G. S. B .; Louis Goodbub, 32°, G. C. of G .; L. L. Gorner, 32°, G. S.

Mount Moriah Chapter Rose Croix, No. 5, meets the first Wednesday in February, May, August and November. The officers are: George H. Koch, 32°, M. W. and P. M .; George Ehrhart, 32°, S. W .; J. P. Hannan, 32°, J. W .; J. Losey, 32°, G. O; H. Beharrell, 32°, treasurer; M. D. Condiff, 32°, secretary; H. J. Reamer, 32°, H. O. S. P .; W. W. Tuley, 32°, M. of C .; L. L. Gormer, 32°, C. G.

Burning Bush Lodge of Perfection, No 7, A. and A. S. Rite, meets the first Monday in each month. George H. Koch, 32°, T. G. P. M .; J. P. Hannan, 32°, B. P., Louis Goodbub, 32°, G. S. W .; Frederick Wunderlich, 32°, G. J. W .; C. C. Haskins, 14°, G. O .; M. D. Condiff, 32°, G. S .; H. Beharrell, 32°, G. T .; George Ehrhart, 32°, G. M. of C .; John Nafus, 32°, G. C. of G .; H. J. Reamer, 32°, G. H. P .; L. L. Gormer, G. T.

Zerubabel Council, Princes of Jerusalem, meets first Wednesday in January, April, July, and] October. The officers are: George M. Ehrhart, 32°, M. E. Sor. P. G. M .; John P. Harman, 32°, D. G. M .; Louis Goodbub, 32°, M. E. S. G. W .; George H. Koch, 32°, M. E. J. G. W .; M. D. Condiff, 32°, G. Sec. K. of S. and A .; H., Beharrell, 32°, G. Treas .; W. W. Tuley, 32°, G. M. of C .; H. J. Reamer, 32°, G. M. of E .; L. L. Gorner, 32°, Gen Sen.

All the Masonic lodges above named met at their hall, located on the southwest corner of Pearl and Market streets. The Independent Grand Imperial Council of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine, for the State of Indiana, holds its annual meetings in June in New Albany.

In addition to the above, there is a colored lodge known as St. John lodge, No. 8, Free and Accepted Masons, whose meetings are held the first Monday in each month, at their hall on the west side of State street, between Elm and Oak. This lodge claims to work under dispensation granted by the Grand lodge of England.

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.

There are eight lodges of this order in the city, and the Mutual Benefit Association.

The first lodge of Odd Fellows here, and the first in the State of Indiana-New Albany lodge, No I-was organized November 12, 1835, and was re-organized August 13, 1851. It meets every Monday evening. Charles W. South, N. G .; William Scales, R. S .; J. B. Friend, treasu- rer.

New Albany lodge, No. 10, meets every Thurs- day evening. William R. Graves, N. G .; George Larke, V.G .; J. W. Buck, secretary; C. E. Jones, P. S .; I. G. Strunk, treasurer.

Hope lodge, No. 83, meets every Friday even- ing. E. W. Fawcett, N. G .; R. M. Wilcoxson, V. G .; Andrew Fite, R. S .; J. B. Banks, P. S .; J. WV. Seabrooks, treasurer.

Humboldt lodge, No. 234 (German), meets every Wednesday evening. Jacob Weber, N. G .; M. Fronmiller, V. G .; Jacob Young, R. S .; Charles Fogel, P. S .; John Irion, treasurer.

Jerusalem Encampment, No. 1, meets every first and third Tuesday in each month. L. Bir, C. P .; George Edmondson, H. P .; George Lark, S. W .; Alexander Webster, J. W .; James Phillips, S .; W. M. Mix, F. S .; E. Wattam, treasurer.

Pierce Encampment, No. 100, meets every second Wednesday in each month. Christ Whiteman, C. P .; George Webler, H. P .; Conrad Kraft; S. W .; Philip Schneider, S .; Stephen Scharf, treasurer.

Ruth lodge, No. 1, Daughters of Rebekah, meets every second and fourth Tuesday in each month.

New Albany Degree lodge, No. 1, meets every second and fourth Saturday in each month.

Odd Fellows Mutual Aid Association of New Albany, meets first Thursday in each month. J. B. Mitchell, president; Llew Russell, vice president; William M. Mix, secretary; Charles F. Jones, treasurer.

The place of meeting of the above-named lodges is at their hall on Market street, north- east corner of Bank.

The following colored lodges of the city claim to work under charter granted by the Grand lodge of England :

Edmonds lodge, No. 1544, meets first and third Tuesday in each month at hall, west side State, between Elm and Oak.

St. Paul's lodge, No. 1540, meets second and fourth Wednesday in each month at hall, north- east corner Lower Fourth.

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.

The first society of this secret and benevolent order in New Albany was instituted in Septem- ber, 1870, since which time its growth has been so rapid that there are now three lodges in this city. Their hall is situated on State street, be- tween Main and Market.

Friendship lodge, No. 10, meets on every Wednesday evening. C. M. Nutt, C. C .; John Stafford, V. C .; Thomas Parke, P .; Louis Brown, K. of R. and S .; J. B. Banks, M. of F .; Andy Weir, M. of E .; Theodore Deming, trustee; Nor- man Campbell, P. C.

Ivanhoe lodge, No. 15, meets every Monday evening. P. C. Smith, C. C .; George H. Ed- mondson, V. C .; Albert Young, P .; H. M. Cooper, K. of R. and S .; R. Robinson, M. of F .; P. H. Barrett, M. of E .; John Seabrook, trustee; H. Stacy, P. C.

Rowena lodge, No. 28, meets every Friday evening. Brewer S. Senix, C. C .; E.A. Graham, V. C .; George H. Beers, prelate ; James W. Buck, K. of R. & S .; W. A. Loughmiller, M. of F .; James Phillips, M. of E .; E. Wattam, trus- tee ; W. A. Manor, P. C.

· KNIGHTS OF HONOR.

New Albany lodge, No. 922, meets every Tuesday night at hall, Cannon block, east side of Pearl, between Main and Market street.

Osceola lodge, No. 47, meets every Wednes- day night at hall, Cannon block, east side Pearl, between Main and Market.

IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN.

Pawnee tribe, No. 37, meets every Wednes day evening at hall, Market, northwest corner of Pearl.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

Red Ribbon Reform club meets every Thurs- day evening at hall, south side of Main street, between Pearl and Bank. C. W. Cottom, presi- dent ; W. H. Stevens, secretary and treasurer.

Ladies' White Ribbon club, meets the first Tuesday in each month, at hall, Bank, southeast corner of Spring.

Ladies' Christian Temperance union, meets every Thursday afternoon, at hall, southeast cor- ner of Spring.

TEMPLE OF HONOR AND TEMPERANCE.

Dudley Temple of Honor and Temperance,

No. 7, organized in 1848, meets every Wednes- day evening, at hall, Nos. 273 and 275 Main.

New Albany Council No. 3, Temple of Honor and Temperance, meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month, at 273 and 275 Main.

Excelsior Social Temple No. 8, Temple of Honor and Temperance, meets every Friday evening of each month, at hall, 273 and 275 Main.

New Albany Puritas lodge, No. 15, Independ- ent Order of Good Templars, meets every Tues- day evening, at hall, Pearl, southeast corner of Spring. Organized in 1856.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

This society was first organized about 1858, and made considerable progress prior to the war. That great struggle caused the suspension of many enterprises, and among others, the Young Men's Christian association of New Albany. In 1868 it was again organized, with the follow- ing officers: D. W. Voyles, president; William Day, vice president; William C. Shaw, recording secretary; Charles Stewart, corresponding secre- tary; and James G. Shields, treasurer. For some reason this organization was not a permanent one, and it was a third time organized June 9, 1871, and became a corporate body October 17, 1871. The association has a large and active membership, a library, and a public reading- room, where a large number of newspapers and periodicals are on file for the accommodation of the public.

SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY.

This society was organized in 1866, with John Sloan, M. D., president, and E. S. Crosier sec- retary. The society has a considerable collec- tion of specimens of the stone age, shells, fishes, birds, reptiles, and insects of various kinds, as well as in mineralogy, fossils, geology, Indian remains, etc., and the nucleus of a library.

OTHER SOCIETIES.

There are many other secret and benevolent societies in the city, of which the following are the principal: American Bible society; Meth- odist Episcopal Church Extension society; Ger- man American School society, organized in 1866; Workingmen's Library association; New Albany Medical society; New Albany Township library, with about fifteen hundred volumes; American Protestant association; St. Joseph's Benevolent

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

society; United Order of American Mechanics; St. Patrick's Benevolent society, organized in 1866; the Druids (German), organized in 1860; New Albany Rifle club; First German Benevolent so- ciety, organized in 1851; Harugari society; Jae- ger Verein; French Benevolent society; Inde- pendent Turner society, organized in 1868; Ship Caulkers' and Carpenters' union, organized in 1863; Engineers' association; Puddlers' union; Typographical union; Glass Blowers' union; Cordwainers' union, and many other unions of the several trades.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The first society of this character here was or- ganized in May, 1857. It officers were, Thomas H. Collins, president; William B. Lent, vice- president; Noah H. Cobb, treasurer; Peleg Fiske, recording secretary; W. W. Tuley corresponding secretary. At their first meeting the members discussed the propriety of having a field exhibi- tion the coming fall, and also the propriety of purchasing ground for that purpose, a committee reporting that ground suitable could not be had at less than from $150 to $400 per acre. Sub- sequently Thomas H. Collins, Martin Verry, and Thomas Dewey were appointed a committee to purchase grounds " whenever sufficient money was subscribed by the citizens of the county to pay for them." Many members advised against holding a fair alone, as the county was too small, and advocated uniting with Harrison or Clarke counties.

In the spring of 1858 the present fair grounds were purchased-or sixty-three acres were pur- chased at that date, nine acres being subsequent- ly added. The sum of $7,500 was paid for this ground, or was to be paid for it, and $3,000 were immediately expended in the erection of suitable buildings and in preparing the grounds for use. The first fair was held in the fall of 1858, and the second in the fall of 1859, neither of which was so successful as to enable the society to get out of debt. In the spring of 1860 the society niade an effort to get the State fair to the New Albany grounds, and in order to accomplish this object agreed to raise $5,000 for a premium list and give the State fair all the receipts. This was a bad bargain for the society, and was instru- mental, together with the breaking out of the war, in successfully ruining the society. The State fair did well, taking away $8,000 gate

money. The ground was heavily mortgaged, and the society was unable to pay for it. No fairs were held during the war, and nothing done in the way of settling up affairs; and in 1866-67 the mortgage was foreclosed and the property passed into the hands of the original owner, David Hedden. During the war the grounds were used as a camp for the soldiers. They have since changed owners, passing from Mr. Hedden to Bela C. Kent, and then to W. C. DePauw, the present owner. No fairs have been held since those named, and no agricultural society is at present in existence in the county. The grounds are in good shape for a fair, having an amphi- theater and all the necessary buildings, an ex- cellent race track a mile in length, and a good fence around the whole. The grounds are only partly cleared, and in the grove of fine trees are held pic-nic parties and public meetings of various kinds.

CEMETERIES.

Mr. Cottom thus writes regarding the cem- etries of New Albany: "There are in the vicinity of the city four cemeteries. These are the North- ern burial-ground, under the control of the city, but really the property of lot owners. This is a most beautiful cemetery, very finely laid off, and ornamented with forest trees, evergreens, and flowering shrubs. It contains a large number of very fine monuments and other memorials of the departed, who there await in the silence of death the great awakening. It has been a public burial ground for over thirty years. The St. Mary's cemetery is owned by the St. Mary's Catholic church, and is a beautifully laid off and orna- mented burial ground.

"Holy Trinity Catholic cemetery is also loca- ted near the city, and is a beautiful spot.

"The Soldiers' National cemetery is located a short distance east of the city, upon an eminence overlooking one of the finest landscapes around the falls of the Ohio. Within this cemetery three thousand galla nt soldiers, who lost their lives in the late civil war, sleep in death, to hear of wars no more. The Government has decorated this cemetery in a manner to make it one of the most beautiful in the country. An elegant house stands upon the grounds, in which the sexton of the cemetery, a soldier appointed by the Govern- ment, resides. A large number of wealthy and prominent citizens have formed a cemetery asso-

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

ciation under the name of Forest Hill cemetery, and will purchase from two hundred to two hun- dred and fifty acres of land, which they will plat and decorate in a manner to make it as attractive as any cemetery grounds in the country. The capital stock of this company is $150,000.

THE TAX ASSESSMENT FOR 1881.

Floyd county-Number of polls, 2,481; male dogs, 1,269; female dogs, 111; value of lands, $1, 121,045; value of improvements on lands, $275,300; value of lots, $1,981, 165; value of im- provements on . lots, $2,239,433; corporation stock, $979,275; personal property, $2,546,345; total taxables, $9, 142,565. The total taxes to be collected on this assessment is $76, 117.61. Of this the city of New Albany has the following : Polls, 1,498; male dogs, 395; female dogs, 152: value of lots, $1,924,295; improvements on lots, $2,098,205; corporation stock, $979,275; per- sonal property, $1,463,350; total $6,465, 125, upon which the taxes are $47,300.87.

POPULATION.

The following table shows in a condensed form the population of New Albany, at the dates named : in 1840, 4,226; in 1847, 5,996; in 1850, 8,181; in 1852, 10,968; in 1853, 13,500; in 1854, 16,590; in 1870, 15,396; in 1880, 17,570.

CHAPTER VII. NEW ALBANY-FERRIES AND STEAMBOATS.

FIRST FERRIES.

"Ferry rights" were among the most import- ant considerations in the purchase of land on the river bank, and were always mentioned in the deed conveying the land, and thus transferred from one owner to another. It was many years before ferrymen were compelled to pay for the establishment of a ferry other than as above mentioned, but during these years there was lit- tle to be made out of the business. Ferries that · were established prior to the establishment of the town or county were not compelled to pay license.

There is little doubt that Moses McCann was the first regular ferryman in this neighborhood; but his landing was at Clarksville, then the only

village on this side of the river for many miles. There was no occasion for any one to cross the river at any other point for a number of years after Clarksville was established.

Martin Trublood, son of the old miller, was probably the first to establish a ferry at New Albany. This was prior to the purchase of the ground by the Scribner brothers, and was mainly for the convenience of the few squatters around Trublood's mill on Falling run. After the Scribners purchased the land of John Paul they had control of all ferry rights along the river at this point as far as their land extended. It is probable that the first man to secure the right to run a ferry of the Scribners was a Mr. Sproud, and no doubt Martin Trublood retired from the business at that time. "Sproud, the ferryman," was a well-known character for a number of the first years of the existence of the new town. Although Trublood's ferry was the first at New Albany, it was not the second one in this neigh- borhood; that honor probably belongs to the Oatmans, who established their ferry prior to 1811, probably as early as 1808, or even earlier, below New Albany some two or more miles. The Oatmans entered some land below the John Paul tract and were in the habit of carrying emi- grants across at that place long before there were any permanent settlers on the site of New Albany. This subsequently became a noted crossing place, and "Oatman's ferry" is promi- nently mentioned in all the early records of the county.

Stroud's ferry landed about where the ferry- landing now is, at the foot of Bank street. It was superseded by a ferry established by the Scribners themselves, this ferry being propelled by horses working on a tramp-wheel as before mentioned.

As all the early ferries have been mentioned in the early history of New Albany township and city, it is not necessary to go into details here. John Connor early took hold of the ferry busi- ness in New Albany, and. was succeeded by his son, Thomas, who has continued it to this day. Epaphras Jones, Caleb Newman, and Charles Paxson were among the earliest ferrymen here. After the establishment of the county in February, 1819, the records of the county commissioners show what ferries were established. The subject of ferries came up in the following spring, as

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

soon as the ice was out of the river. Then it was that all the ferries along the river within their jurisdiction were granted licenses upon applica- tion, entered upon the records, taxed, and thus became regularly established and recognized. Thus it appears that Oatman's ferry, "established on fractional section number seven, township Three, south of range Six east," Is made a public ferry, at the third meeting of the commissioners, in May, 1819. At the same meeting the peti- tion of "Charles Paxson, Mary W. Smith, Phoebe Ann Smith, Rebecca Smith, and Catharine Smith, heirs of Stephen Smith, for a ferry across the river Ohio at New Albany," was considered, and the ferry established under the name of Charles Paxson & Co., John Connor's ferry having been previously established and made a public ferry. The records further state that Mr. Connor, feeling himself aggrieved by the establish- ment of Paxson's ferry so near to his own, appeals to the court for redress of grievances, entering into bond of five hundred dollars, with Sylvester Perry, Thomas Aborn, William L. Hobson, Elijah Matthews, Joseph Whitcomb, Abraham Buskirk, and Thomas Hand as sureties.

At this same meeting Caleb Newman's ferry was also recognized as a public ferry.

It was during this meeting, also, while the commissioners were upon the subject of ferries, that they established the rates to be charged by ferrymen in carrying passengers and freight. The following is copied from the records:

ORDERED, that the following rates be established and observed at all the ferries in Floyd county on the Ohio river, viz: For each four-wheeled carriage and wagon, fifty cents; for every horse of said wagon or carriage, twenty-five cents; for a two-wheeled carriage or cart, thirty-seven and a half cents; for a single horse, mule, or ass, Iwelve and one- half cents; for every person except the driver with the team, twelve and one-half cents; for every head of neat cattle, twelve and one-half cents; for every sheep, hog, or goat, six and one-fourth cents; for every barrel of flour or liquids when taken over withont a carriage, twelve and one-half cents; and all other articles in the same proportion.

Other ferries were established from time to time, at different points along the river. Thus it appears that in May, 1827, Peleg Underwood is granted a ferry-right across the river from New Albany. In May, 1824, William Wright is granted a ferry-right across the mouth of Silver creek, at the place where John Carson and Rich- ard Aston's old ferry had been, mentioned in an- other chapter.

In May, 1821, Epaphras Jones sent a petition to the commissioners asking for a ferry-right across the river from his town of Providence, which, however, was at that time refused. In August of the same year Mr. Jones was more suc- cessful, and the application is granted with the statement that "the ferry is to be across the river Ohio from his land in the town of Providence, situated on lot letter D in the Illinois or Clarke's Grant in New Albany township."

In 1824 Caleb Newman's ferry is vacated. In May, 1821, the following appears on the records: "Ordered, that the ferries be taxed as follows: Smith & Paxson's, $15; John Connor's, $15; George Oatman's, $10; Snider's, $5; Newman's $5." This record probably includes all the fer- ries then in existence and within the jurisdiction of the commissioners. Quite a number of per- sons engaged in the ferry business from time to time. At present there are two fine steam ferry- boats running, and the business is managed by Moses Irwin. These boats have attachments for fire purposes, and in cases of fire in the neigh- borhood of the river banks render most efficient service. The new bridge, whose corner stone has just been laid will, probably, somewhat re- duce the ferry business, and may put an end to it.

STEAMBOATING.

McMurtree, in his Sketches of Louisville, published in 1819, says the first boat to pass down the Ohio river was the Orleans, a small boat of about four hundred tons, constructed and owned by Mr. Fulton. It left Pittsburgh, where it was built, in December, 1812, [October, 1811,], and arrived in New Or- leans about the 24th of the same month. As it passed New Albany, some of the inhabitants who had never seen nor perhaps heard of such a thing, were greatly frightened at the whistle, as the little boat let off considerable steam in the neighborhood of the Falls, it being supposed to be a somewhat difficult and dangerous undertak- ing to pass this natural obstruction. At this time the southwestern country, along the Lower Mississippi river, was being shaken with the great earthquake, and the little boat arrived at New Madrid just in time to witness the great shaking-up of that place. This great earthquake began December 16, 1811, at 2 A. M., and the earth continued trembling, without much inter-

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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

mission, until about May, 1812, a period of nearly five months. The greatest destruction was in the neighborhood of New Madrid, but the shocks were very unpleasantly felt at New Al- bany, and hundreds of other places along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The Orleans con- tinned running on the Lower Mississippi, be- tween Natchez and New Orleans, about two years, when it was wrecked near Baton Rouge. Mr. McMurtree gives the name, number, date, and tonnage of all the boats built on the river prior to 1819, when his book was published. From this it appears that but two boats were built at New Albany prior to 1819; these were the Ohio (No. 18), built in 1818 by Messrs. Shreve & Blair, and the Volcano (No. 20) by Robison & DeHart, in the same year. The first was about one hundred and forty feet long and a boat of four hundred and forty-three tons, and the last of two hundred and fifty tons. The carpenter who built the Ohio was Joseph McClary, and Samuel Marsh did the carpenter work on the Volcano, as- sisted by his brother-in-law, Daniel Seabrook, yet living in New Albany. Captain Henry Shreve, of the Ohio, was long and popularly known on the Ohio river as a successful captain, and as a builder of many steamboats. Mr. Seabrook says the lumber for the Ohio and Volcano was sawed out by hand with "whip-saws," there being, it seems, no mill in successful operation at that time.

In the year 1819 two boats were built in New Albany, but the name has not been ascertained. From 1820 to 1825 but one boat appears to have been built here, but from the latter date to 1830 twelve were built. It was about this time ascer- tained that the very best of ship timber existed on the bottoms north of New Albany, and there being a demand for steamboats, the business grew and developed rapidly. Six of these twelve boats were built by Washington Garrison, who hailed from Cape May. He located his establishment at Gut ford on Silver creek, in the midst of the best ship timber. It is said his boats were roughly built, but strong and substantial. As fast as they were completed he floated them down Silver creek to the Ohio, where he sold them.

The following table taken from a map of the county published in 1854, gives the tonnage, value and number of boats launched at New Albany up to the date the map was issued :

No.

Tonnage.

Value.

Prior to 1820. .

880

$ 75,856

From 1820 to 1825.

130

11,206

From 1825 to.1830.

2, 124

183,089

From 1830 1Q 1835

4,381

377,642

From 1835 to 1840.

8,294

714,942

From 1840 10 1845.

15.768

1,359,202

From 1845 to 1850.

23.087

1,990,099

From 1850 to 1854.

26,652

2,297,403

Total.

249

81.316

$7,009.439

It will be seen from this table how rapidly the business of ship-building developed, and to what great proportions it grew. From the following communication, published in the Ledger-Stand- ard in 1877, it will be seen this list is continued until 1867 :

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History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 29

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co. Number of Pages: 680

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 680