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I HISTORY OF f
I MITCHELL I
Reprinted From The Mitchell Tribune
1916
M AND
I Marion Township !!|
I INDIANA I
By James W. Edwards ifi
(1!
I t
I I
'- I
1493172
COULD one have witnessed all the
changes which have taken place in this
community since its first settlement a little
over one hundred years ago, its former ap-
pearance would seem as a dream or
romance. We find it difficult to realize the
features of the dense wilderness which was
the abode of our parents and grandparents.
One hundred years ago my grandparents
on my father's side left their mountain
home in North Carolina to make their fut-
ure home in what was then the territory of
Indiana. They brought with them my
father who was then but a small child.
THE FIRST SETTLERS
It is not from personal recollection
that I shall write these items of local
history, but from facts and incidents as I
gathered them from old settlers in years
long since gone by. Often in my boyhood
days have I listened to the old pioneers,
my father and grandfather in particular,
relate their early experiences and describe
the condition of the country as they found
it a century ago; so often that I sometimes
imagine that I can see conditions as they
were and the country as it was then.
THURSEY WAY
Oldest person in Lawrence county and
perhaps the oldest continuous resident of
the state. She is nearing her 103th birth-
day and at this time (June 1916) is quite
active in both mind and body.
It should be remembered that at the be-
ginning of the last century there was not a
single white inhabitant in what is now Law-
rence County, and for several years after,
none in that part of the county embracing
what is now Marion Township and while
this part of the county had always belong-
ed to, or at least claimed, so far as we have
history to guide us, by various Indian
tribes, the first settlers found but little ev-
idence of any of them having lived here.
This part of the country it seems had been
claimed by several tribes but permanently
occupied by none. The early settler found
no remains of Indian villages, nor was any
land cleared to indicate that the red man
had ever lived here. Occasionally the re-
mains of a wigwam was found and the
abundance of Indian arrow-heads and In-
dian axes found would indicate, however,
that roving bands of Indians had been here
perhaps, during the hunting seat^ons. And
while we have but little evidence from
which to conclude that this community was
ever permanently occupied by the red man,
we have still less evidence that it was ever
inhabited by that prehistoric race called
Mound builders. So we can but conclude
that the first settlers were those people
who came here in the early part of the last
century to make this their permanent home.
Previous to the year 1813 there was not a
permanent settler, so far as I have ever
heard, in what is now Marion Township.
The first settler was a man by the name
of Phillips, who built a cabin in the year
1813 on the hill above and a few hundred
yards west of the spring which is the head-
water of Rock Lick creek. Phillips after-
ward entered the land where he built his
cabin and made his home for many years.
It should be noted that until the year 1813
all the land, comprising what is now
Marion 7 ownship, belonged to the govern-
ment. So the first settler could choose his
own location.
THE FIRST HOMES
Beginning with the year 1815 and for
several years after, quite a number of home
seekers arrived in this locality to make
their home in this unbroken wilderness; a
country covered with a primeval forest of
the finest timber; everywhere a heav>
growth of poplar, oak, ash, walnut, hickory,
in fact, all kinds of deciduous trees; a
country in its pristine glory. To destroy
this fine forest was the first work of the
pioneer after building his rude cabin. To
build the cabin I speak of, was the work of
but very few days. Usually a shack, or as
they called it those days, a "make shift
cabin" was built. As your readers have
perhaps never seen a cabin of this kind I
shall give a short description of one as I
remember the way it was described to me.
A place having been selected which was al-
ways near a spring of water, a large tree
was chopped down and a log cut from it to
make the back part of the cabin. At a
distance of eight or ten feet from the log
or back of the cabin two stakes were set in
the ground a few inches apart and at a dis-
tance of eight or ten feet from these, two
more stakes were placed to receive the
poles which were to form the sides of the
cabin. The whole slope of the roof was
from the front to the back. The roof was
made of rude slabs, or if the building was
n
^^t
^^^^HB'/t
ELI AND ISOM BURTON
Pioneer citizens of Marion township. They
were twins and the fathers of Dr. Isom
Burton and Martin A. Burton, who have
been two of Mitchells prominent citizens
and business men. In the above portrait
Eli wears the white trousers (tow linen) the
cloth probably woven by his mother. He
is the father of Dr. Isom Burton.
done in the Spring, bark peeled from hick
ory trees was used. The front was left en-
tirely open. If the weather was cold, a fire
was built directly in front of the opening;
the cracks between the poles were filled
with clay; dry leaves were secured for a
bed and the cabin was ready to occupy.
This kind of a domicile was as a rule, re-
placed by a better one in a short time,
though some families spent at least one
winter in this kind of a shack before a bet-
ter one was built in regular log cabin style.
As I stated previously a fire was made
in front of the cabin, or shack in winter to
keep out the cold. I should have added
that a fire near the cabin at night was al-
ways necessary to frighten the wild beast
away. All species of wild animals are eas-
ily frightened by fire. If the early pioneer
had occasion to go very far from his cabin
at night he always carried a torch for fear
he would meet one of the wild beasts that
were then plentiful in this community.
HOUSE BUILDING
After building the temporary cabin that
I have described and having rested a few
days from the fatigue of his long journey
from his Virginia or North CaroHna home
the settler looked around for a location for
a better cabin where he expected to make
his permanent home. If the spring and
surroundings where he built his shack suit-
ed him, he located there, if not he selected
a more desirable place in the near neighbor-
hood. As I have previously said he prac-
tically had his choice of location; I am
speaking now of the time when but little of
the land in this community had bsen enter-
ed. Having decided upon a place to build
the house which was perhaps to be his home
for many years, he proceeded to cut the
timber and clear the underbrush from a
spot a few feet in circumference. He also
cut down any tree that leaned over the
place where he had decided to build. He
then cut the logs that formed the walls of
his cabin and selected a tree four or five
feet in diameter from which he made boards
for the roof. The boards were usually four
feet long and rived with a frow. These
boards were used without planing or shav-
ing. Next, puncheons for the floor were
prepared. This was done by splitting logs
from trees about twenty inches in diameter
and hewing the faces of them with a broad-
ax. After preparing the building material
described and hauling it on a sled to the
place he selected, he is now ready for the
house raising. He invited the few scatter-
ing neighbors who lived within a radius of
several miles. When the neighbors assem-
bled two of them were selected for end men
whose business it was to notch and saddle
the logs and put them in their proper place.
The roof was formed by making the end
logs shorter until a single log formed the
comb of the roof. On these logs the boards
were placed and instead of being nailed,
they were held in place by long poles as
weights. The walls were built solid, that
is they had no openings for a fireplace or
windows. The doorway, the cabin seldom
had but one, was made by cutting the logs
on one side so as to make an opening about
three feet wide A similar opening, but
wider, was cut at the end for the chimney
which was built of logs to the height
of about five feet and made large so as to
admit of a back and jambs of stone. The
remainder of the chimney was built of
sticks and clay. The door was made of
slabs that had been split from a tree and
smoothed with a drawing knife. The only
nails in the entire building were used in
making the door. For a window a section
of a log, four or five feet long, was cut out
and a piece of greased paper pasted over
the opening.
THE FURNITURE
As the early settler brought no furniture
with him, it was necessary to make it from
such material as he could find. A table
was made of a split slab and supported by
four round legs set in auger holes. Three
legged stools were made in the same man-
ner. Bedsteads were made by setting up
a stout post in a corner of the cabin about
four and one-half feet from one wall and
six and one- half feet from the other with
two large holes bored into the post about
two feet from the floor; then holes were
bored into the logs of the walls and poles
were inserted. On these poles, lengthwise,
rails were laid and across the rails split
boards were laid and the bedstead was com-
plete. On the boards a rough tick, filled
with dry leaves or corn husks completed
the bed.
Cooking utensils consisted of a skillet, a
baking pot or Dutch oven, as it was called,
one or two iron pots and a large iron ket-
tle, gourds being used as cups and dippers.
Stoves were unknown and all cooking was
done about the fire of logs in the fireplace.
The cabin being completed and furnished
the family moves in. The excitement of
the long journey from their former home
and the novelty of plunging into an un-
known forest being over, what a feeling of
lonesomeness must have come over these
pioneers I imagine that the most promi-
nent feature of these wilderness homes was
its solitude.
WILD ANIMALS ABOUND
The solitude of the night was interrupted
by the hoot of the ill-boding owl, the howl-
ing of wolves or the frightful scream of the
murderous panther. Often the growl of
the bear was heard at the cabin door, or the
blood -shot eye of the catamount was seen
peering through the openings of the cabin.
The days if possible, were more soHtary than
the nights. The gobbhng of the wild turkey,
the cawing of the crow, the woodpecker
tapping the hollow tree, or the drumming
of the pheasant did not enliven the scene,
nor was the situation without its dangers.
The settler as he was going about his work,
or, while engaged in the hunt, did not know
at what tread he might be bitten by the
poisonous copper-head, or rattlesnake; nor
at what moment he might meet the hungry
bear. If out at night, he knew not on what
limb of a tree over his head the blood-
thirsty panther might be perched ready to
spring upon him. Exiled as they were from
society and the comforts of life the situation
of the settler and his family was perilous.
The bite of a serpent, a broken limb, or a
siege of sickness in the wilderness without
medical skill was not pleasant to contem-
plate. Such was the situation which con-
fronted those brave people who built the
first cabins in this community.
I deem it proper just here to say that
there is but one living witness to the early
conditions that I have described and that
is Aunt Thursey Way who has lived in this
community more than one hundred years.
This aged veteran is plodding feebly by the
last milestone of life. Eternity will soon
close around her and then the only know-
ledge of early times and deeds will be from
fragmentary sketches of history. Mrs, Way
is past 103 years. There may be others
living in Indiana who are as old but per-
haps not one who has lived as long in the
place he now lives and who has seen as
much Hoosier history made as has Mrs.
Wa>.
The settlement of a new country in the
immediate vicinity of an old one is not at-
tended with many difficulties because sup-
plies can be obtained from the older settled
community, but the task of making new
homes in a wilderness, as remote from civil-
ization as this, was quite different, because
food, clothing and other necessities were
obtained with great difficulty, and while
these pilgrims of the forest could feast their
imagination with the romantic beauty of
their new surroundmgs, they had difficulties
before them which required the bravest
heart to overcome.
They were exiles from society, schools and
church. The clothing they brought with
them soon became old and ragged. The
scant supply of meal they had provided un-
til a field could be cleared and a crop of
corn raised, was soon exhausted. It was
not uncommon for a family to be without
bread for weeks or even months. The lean
meat of the deer and the white meat of the
wild turkey were used as a substitute for
bread. 1 he flesh of the bear and the
squirrel was the only meat, and that often
had to be eaten without salt. At the time
I mention, salt could not be obtained near-
er than Louisville, Ky. It was sold by the
bushel and the price was sometimes seven
dollars for a bushel weighing eighty-four
pounds. To provide food for the few do-
mestic animals they brought was also quite
: problem. Many of these died of actual
starvation during the first winter. I am
speaking now of the winter of 1816 and
181/. We have neither record nor tradi-
tion of any families having spent the winter
in this ccmmunity previous to that time.
Two cabins had been built here before the
dates mentioned, but it is said the owners
did not spend the winter here The two
settlers I refer to were Lewis PhiUips, of
whom previous mention has been made, and
Samuel G. Hoskins. who built a cabin in
1815, on Rock Lick creek near the old
Crawford homestead. It should be noted
that Phillips and Hoskins, with their fam-
ilies, were the only settlers in the territory
of Marion township at the close of the year
1815.
During the year of 1816 as many as
twenty five or thirty families arrived here
and most of them built cabins and made
this their permanent home. I cannot name
them all but will give the names of a few
and tell where they located: Jacob Piles
built a cabin on the south-west corner of
the farm now owned by Oscar Gaines.
George Sheeks located on Rock Lick creek,
near the Finger cemetery. John Sutton
and his father-in-law Thomas Rowark, set-
tled on what is known as the Denton Sheeks
farm. William Erwin built a cabin on what
is known as the Widow Dodd farm. My
grandfather, William Edwards, settled a
short distance south of what is now tht-
Edwards cemetery. Neddy Edwards built
a cabin about one-half mile south of this
on the farm now o ned by Noble L. Moore.
Charles Toliver, the father of Aunt Thursey
Way, located on the south-west corner of
the farm now owned bv Isom L. Burton,
near the residence of John Isom. Aunt
Thursey has lived for nearly a century
within about a mile of the place where her
childhood days were spent. John McClean
a school teacher, located near the residence
of the late John Murray. About one-half
mile south of the last named place James
Fulton built a cabin and a few years later
a distillery. Zach Spurling built a shack,
in which he lived for several years, about
two miles west of where Mitchell now stands.
Thompson Conley built a cabin not far
from the Bryantsville and Hamer's Mill
road and near the Elkin spring. This was
afterward the home of the Rev. David El-
kin, who preached Lincoln's mother's fun-
eral. Joel Conley located on the old Con-
ley homestead, near the Conley cemetery.
William Maxwell and William Baldwin lo-
cated on what is now the Reuben Miller
farm. There were a number of other fam-
iUes located here during the year 1816 and
whose names I cannot give.
A majority of the settlers entered the
land where they located within a year or
two after their arrival, but some of them
occupied the land for years before acquir-
ing a title to their homes. Perhaps this
question is asked. Where were these pion-
eers from and why did they leave homes of
plenty to build new homes in the wilder-
ness? It was the voice of opportunity, the
lure of land and the ambition to do some-
thing for their children, were the leading in-
centives that prompted these hardy people
to leave their former homes and endure the
hardships and privations in a new country.
So strong is the tie of property, especially
in land, that men will endure almost any
kind of hardships to secure it. Nearly all
the families who came here to find homes
during the years 18 16 and 1817 were from
Ashe county. North Carolina, or Grayson
county, Virginia. Tlese two counties,
although in diffeient states, are separated
only by an imaginary line. Thus it will be
seen they were people who had lived under
the same environments before emigrating
here where all were necessarily surrounded
by the same conditions
What I shall say of the civilization of
the pioneers will also apply to those who
followed them for several years afterward.
It is a prevalent opinion that people who
are the first inhabitants of a wilderness
country, such as this community was dur-
ing the first few decades of its settlement,
were of the ignorant and lower class. This
is far from being true. In this electric
light, automobile and railroad age, the
early pioneers living or dead, receive but
little credit for the actual intelligence
possessed. History must do justice to the
noble men and women who braved the
hardships that our foreparents endured.
In spite of their rude surroundings these
people were given to hospitality and as
freely divided their rough fare with a
stranger as with their neighbor, and would
have been offended had they been offered
pay. Other characteristics were industry,
1493172
honesty, candor and steadiness of deport-
nrient For quite a period of time they
knew nothing of courts, lawyers, magis-
trates, sheriffs or constables. They were a
law unto themselves. Every one was at
liberty to do whatsoever he thought was
right in his own eyes. It is the history of all
sparsely settled communities where all are
well known to each other, public opinion
has its full effect, and to some extent,
answers the purpose of legal government.
That was especially true of this community.
The turpitude of vice and the majesty of
morality were then more apparent than
now. The crime of theft was almost un-
known. Our fore-fathers, so far as I have
ever heard, had a kind of hereditary de-
testation of a thief. Gambling with cards,
and such games as progressive euchre and
five hundred were then unknown. They
are some of the blessed gifts of modern
civilization.
CLEARING OF THE VIRGIN FOREST
The early settlers usually arrived here
either in the summer or early fall. Nothing
could be done in the way of planting a crop
JAMES \A/. ED\A/ARDS
the first year on account of the lateness of
the season and also on account of the
country being covered with timber. The
pioneer selected and marked off a piece of
ground that would make a suitable field;
this selection was usually near his cabin.
Any of the older men now living will tell
you that to go into a primeval forest and
cle&r a field even with the improved tools
in use at the present day is no small task.
Our grandparents knew of but two tools to
use in clearing, the axe and grubbing hoe;
cross cut saws were not in use then The
first step in clearing the ground was to cut
away the under growth. Then a few of the
straight grained trees were cut down and
made into rails to make a worm fence
around the field before planting a crop of
corn. The remainder of the timber was
either chopped down or deadened by
girdling or burnmg. To clear a field of ten
or twelve acres was the work of the first
winter.
LOG-ROLLING
By the next spring the settler was ready
for his first log-rolling. A day was set for
the rolling and the neighbors for quite a
distance were invited On such occasions
as house- raising and log-roHings, each
neighbor was expected to do his duty faith-
fully. If he failed to do so without an
excuse, when it came his turn to need like
help from his neighbors he felt the punish-
ment in their refusal to respond to his call.
As some of the young people who read this
perhaps have but little idea of what a log-
rolling consisted of, I will describe one.
First, the logs were cut or burned off so
they were not more than twelve or fourteen
feet in length. This was done previous to
the day fixed for the rolling. Each man
who was to take part in the work armed
himself with a hand spike made of dog
wood or sassafras. One of their number
was selected as captain whose duty it was
to direct the work. If the logs were very
thick on the ground the captain would
direct that four logs be placed side by side,
then three smaller ones on top of these,
then two more on top of the last three. A
single log on the top of these would com-
plete the pyramid, Usually all the logs in
an ordinary clearing, as the first fields were
called, could be piled reaoy for burning in
a single day, but if more time was required
it was freely given. Men would go miles
to help and often worked three or four
weeks in this kind of work. After the logs
were piled it required several da\ s to burn
the log heaps and brush and get the ground
ready, as we would say, for the plow. But
the kind of plow then in use. which con-
sisted of a small piece of steel fastened to a
wooden mould board, could be but little
used in a new field. So the preparation of
the ground for the first crop of corn, as
well as the cultivation, had to be done
mostly with the hoe. This was a slow and
laborious method, but necessity knows no
law.
OBTAINING FOOD
When the corn was nearing the roasting
ear stage a battle royal would begin be-
tween the farmer and the varmints, as the
squirrels and raccoons were called, as to
which was entitled to the corn. These
animals were very plentiful and both were
very destructive to growing corn. The
children, as well as the men and women,
every day in the week would march around
tYe field making all the noise possible with
cow-bells, horns, clap-traps and dogs to
scare away the squirrels. At night fires were
built all around the field to frighten the
raccoons and other animals away. In spite
of all this much of the corn was destroyed
before it was ripe enough to gather. As
has been previously noted, many families
had been living for some time without
bread and had become sickly and, as they
expressed it, tormented with a sense of
hunger How eagerly these people must
have watched the growth of the corn. Hew
delicious must the roasting ears have tasted.
What a jubilee they must have had when
the corn had acquired a sufficient hardness
to be made into Johnny cakes by the aid
of a tin grater. The question will be asked.
"What is a grater and how could meal be
made with it?" A grater is a circular piece
of tin perforated with a nail or punch from
the concave side and nailed by its edges
to a block of wood. The ears of corn were
rubbed on the rough edges of the holes
while the meal fell through them on the
block to which the grater was nailed. This
was indeed a slow way of making meal,
but it was the best they could do. When
the corn was too hard to be ground with
the grater, the hominy block was used.
This was made of a large block of wood
about two feat long with an excavation cut
or burned in one end, wide at the top and
narrow at the bottom so that the action of
the pestle on the bottom threw the corn up
the sides toward the top of the excavation
from whence it continually fell down into
the center. Thus the whole mass of grain
was equally subjected to the strokes of the
pestle. In the fall of the > ear while the
corn was soft the block and pestle did fairly
well, but this method was very slow when
the corn became hard. As the mills for
grinding grain, which were built in this
part of the country after a few years of its
early settlement were usually located on
small streams which, in dry or very cold
weather, could not run on account of the
lack of water, the grater and hominy block
were used at intervals for many years.
For several years after the first settlement
the farmers did not attempt to raise wheat,
so that corn meal was their only de-
pendence for bread
PLOWING, PLANTING, HARVESTING
AND THRESHING.
Previous to the last sixty years, wheat as
well as all other small grain, was sown
broadcast and usually covered over with a
wooden tooth harrow or with a brush pull-
ed around by horses or oxen.
For the first fifteen or twenty years after
this community was settled, all reaping was
done with the historic sickle. It seems in-
credible to think that almost all the im-
provements that have been made in agri-
cultural implements, have been made dur-
ing the last seventy-five or eight\' years.
Less than eighty years ago the old sickle
was still used that had been in use in Egypt
before the pyramids were built; it had been
in use long before the christian era — in fact
before authentic history began. For thous-
ands of years it had been the only reaper.
The plow that was used here less than a
hundred >ears ago with its wooden mould
board, was but little different from the
plow that was used in the fields of Boaz.
In the memory of some few persons, yet
living, wheat was threshed by tramping,
just as it was in the days of Moses.
No wonder that agriculture, unaided by
intelligent inventors, had made no advance-
ment. It has been little more than half a
century ago that the scythe and cradle
came into general use. Farmers then con-
sidered it a model of usefulness and a great
labor saver. The scythe and cradle was
used almost exclusively in reaping in this
community until about the year 1850 when
a clumsy reaper called the Kentucky Har-
vester came into existence and was used
on some of the larger farms. A few years
later a machine called the Dropper came
into use This machine did not bind the
bundles but dropped them off to be bound
by hand. Then came the self binder which
is now in use The first binders used wire
instead of twine to bind the bundles. It
was many years after this community was
first settled that a threshing machine was
used. In fact threshing machines were not
used here until about the year 848. Un-
til then, the grain vvas threshed either with
a flail or tramped out with horses. The
first machine used in threshing was called
the 'Ground-Hog". This machine sepa-
rated the grain from the straw but did not
separate the grain and chaff This had to
be done by running the grain and chaff
through a fan, which was turned by hand.
MAKING LUMBER
All the lumber used in this community,
for many years of its early existence, was
sawed by whip saws, as they were termed.
The process of making lumber with a whip
saw, as I have had it described to me, is
something like this: A frame work for the
purpose was built on a hill side high enough
for a man to stand under and work. The
log that was intenaed to be made into lum-
ber was rolled upon this frame and the saw-
ing was carried on by two men, one above
and one below the log. A long, thin saw
was pulled up and down through the log
by these men, much after the fashion of
the old upright raw that some of the older
people remember seeing at Hamer's miU a
half century ago. It would require of two
men a daj' of hard work to saw as much
lumber as an ordinary saw mill would saw
in ten or fifteen minutes.
It is said that necessity is the parent of
invention. This was surely true of the
early pioneers. Money with them was
very scarce, so it became necessary for them
not only to do their own tailoring and shoe
making, but to tan their own leather. A
tan vat could be seen at nearly every home.
This was a large trough that had been hewn
from a poplar log, sunk to its upper edge in
the ground. A quantity of white oak bark
was easily obtained in the Spring when the
clearing was being done. This, after being
dried, was shaved and pounded on a block
of wood with a maul or axe. Ashes were
used instead of lime for taking off the hair.
The blacking for the leather was made of
soot and bear grease or lard Leather made
in this way, while coarse, was good.
WEAVING CLOTH FOR CLOTHING.
The clothing worn for many years was
of domestic manufacture. Almost every
house contained a loom and every woman
was a weaver. Girls \vere taught how to
weave and spin at a very early age Lm-
sey, which was made of flax and wool was
about the only article of clothing. Every
family raised a small field of flax. Many
who read this have never seen a field of flax.
The seed was sown in April or May and
covered with a wooden tooth harroA'. In
August or September it was ready to pull.
This was a slow process as it had to be
pulled much as we would pull weeds from a
garden. After being pulled it was bound
into bundles like wheat or oats. After a
few days drying it was taken to the thresh-
ing floor and by the use of the flail the seed
was separated from the stem, It was then
scattered out on the ground in order to rot
the woody portion, where it remain sd about
a month. It was then taken to the flax
brake and the woody part broken into small
bits then with a large wooden dagger, call-
ed a singling knife, these bits were separat-
ed from the flax. The next process was to
separate the flax from the tow, which was
done by pulling it through the teeth of the
hackle. The flax was then ready to be
wound aiound the distaff and spun into
thread ready for the Iooti. Flax was al-
ways spun on what was called the little
wheel, 1 will not attempt to describe any
of the tools just mentioned, but suggest
that someone make a flax brake, a flail, a
singling knife and hunt up a hackle and a
little spinning wheel and have them on ex-
hibition at the centennial celebration, that
I understand is to be held here sometime
during the present year.
HOW PIONEERS OBTAINED TITLE
TO THEIR LANDS.
As was noted in a previous sketch the
early settler could make practically his own
selection as to a place to build a cabin for
his hf me and to clear fields for a farm. It
should be understood however that simply
occupying the land gave no legal claim to
ownership. While all the land in this
community prior to the > ear 1 81 5 was
termed public land, it had to be purchased
or entered, as it was called, before any
individual could acquire title ro it. At
that time there was no preemption law that
gave one a right or claim before others. To
properly understand how the title to land
here in Indiana was acquired it is necessary
to go back to a period which antedates the
admission of the State, and eve ^ before its
formation as a territory.
At the formation of the government all
lands not owned by individuals belonged to
the states within whose limits they were
situated. The claim of the states however
was subject to the claim of various Indian
tribes. At the time I mention, what is now
Indiana was a part of Virginia. This state,
a few years later ceded its claim to the
Federal government and it became a part
of the North West Territory. A few years
later a part of thi vast domain was sur-
veyed and offered for sale to individuals.
It is curious however to look bark at the
first awkward attempt at legislation govern-
ing the sale of public lands. The earliest
law passed by congress for the sale of
government lands provided for its disposal
to purchasers in tracts ol^ not less than four
thousand acres each, and did not allow the
selling of a smaller quantity. This law, as
can readily be seen, prevented persons of
moderate means from ever requiring free-
holds and would have enabled a few
persons of wealth to have been the only
freeholders. Had this law remained on the
statute books this country would have been
like Mexico, a land of landlords and serfs
The law was unpopular in the extreme
The first step toward a change in this
objectionable system of disposing lands was
made by William H. Harrison when he was
a territorial delegate m congress. In 1800
the law referred to was changed so that
Government lands could be entered in
tracts as small as forty acres. Before land
could be sold by the Government it was
necessary that it be surveyed. This was
done by surveyors employed by the
Government. The first work of these sur-
veyors was to establish a base or starting
point from which to measure. To do this
it was necessary that two lines be located.
One. a meridian line which runs north and
south; the other, a base line which runs
east and west. From the point where these
two lines cross all the land in this part of
the country was surveyed. The meridian
line used in the survey of the lands in this
community is the east boundary of Mitch-
ell, and the base line is eighteen miles south
of here.
The next work of the surveyors was to
divide the land into units six miles square
called townships. The townships were
then divided into thirty-six equal parts
called sections. The sections are one mile
square and contained six hundred and forty
acres. The lines dividing the sections were
marked through the timber land, such as
the land here was, bv blazing and cutting
notches in trees. These were called witness
trees. When no trees were on the line
those nearest on both sides were blazed in
such a way as pom ted to the line the sur-
veyor had established. If a tree stood at
the precise spot where a corner was to be
made, as was sometimes the case, it was
marked in a pecuUar manner to indicate
that it was the corner of a section. When
theie was no tree to mark the corner, a
large stone with the proper numbers placed
on it was set to indicate the corner. The
suryeyor made a record of trees marked
and stones placed. This record was called
'field notes. ' The surveyors were also
required to make a plat or drawing of the
land surveyed. A copy of this plat and
field notes was placed on file in the land
office in the district where the land was
offered for sale or entry. By noting care-
fully the marks on the witness trees and
the numbers on the corner stones, and com
paring them with the field notes and plat
at the land office, the early settler had but
little trouble in locating the land he desired
to enter.
The land office, where the early settlers
from this p rt of the country procured titles
to their homes, was at Vincennes. Although
it is but sixty-five mibs from here, yet to
make the trip at the time I mention was
quite a difficult task. 1 here was no road,
simply a trail leading from here to guide
the pioneers and that was, lor a large por-
tion of the way, through unbroken forest
and over a very rough and hilly country.
As the two branches of white river and a
number of creeks had to be crossed and as
there were no ferries or bridges it was quite
a problem to cross the rivers and creeks
when making the trip especially when they
were swollen, which in those days was often
the case.
THE ENTRY PRICE OF LAND
The entry price of land prior to 1820 was
two dollars per acre. One-fourth to be paid
when the certificate of purchase was issued,
the remainder in two annual payments.
After 1820 the price was one dollar and
twenty-five cents per acre, all paid at time
of entry. In every congressional township
one section number 15 was reserved for the
benefit of public schools and was called
school lands. These lands at first were not
subject to entry, but were leased for a
number of years. The person leasing them
was required to make certain improve-
ments each year, that is, to clear so many
acres and to plant so many fruit trees.
These lands were afterward sold and the
money placed to the credit of the public
school fund which was the begmning of the
splendid school system we now have
Very few of the pioneers had sufficient
money when arriving here to make full
payment on land, and were given simply a
certificate of purchase which secured the
land to them for a certain length of time,
when, if they met the other two payments,
they received a patent, as a government
deed was called. If thej^ tailed to meet
either of these payments they forfeited the
land and the money they had paid, and all
the hard work in clearing and improving it
was lost.
Most of the early immigrants to this
community were very poor, and, as I have
stated, had only money to make the first
payment on the land they had selected for
a home, depending on making the money
to meet the deferred payments when they
became due. This they found to be quite
a difficult task. It was all they could do
for a few years lo clear the land and raise
produce enough for their own use. and if
they had raised a surplus, there was no
market for it. The only way they could
procure money was by selling the skins and
furs of wild animals. And so it happened
when the payments became due and de-
linquent, many of the settlers were on the
point of losing their homes. Through the
efforts of William Henry Harrison, who
was formerly the territorial governor of
Indiana, but who at the time I mention
was a member of congress, a system of re-
lief wa^ devised which, by extending the
time of payment, enabled most of the
people to save their homes. General
Harrison was born and reared in a log
cabin in the wilderness and knew some-
thing of the trials and hardships of pioneer
life. ^
After 1820 the credit system was abolish-
ed, and the price of land, as has been
stated, was fixed at one dollar and twenty-
five cents per acre instead of two dollars,
the former price.
The immigration to this part of the
country for the first few years was slow
and tardy in its movements. Up to the
year 1820 there had been less than forty
land entries in what is now Marion town-
ship, which contains more than sixty-five
sections of land. This is little more than
one purchase for each thousand acres em
braced in the township, and some of the
persons making these entries aid not live
here During the :. ear 1820 there were
but four entries of land made in this
locality. These entries were made by
Thomas Bulitt, Aaron Davis, Robert Hall
and Zebedee Wood Mr. Bulitt, two years
prior to this, had built the mill long after-
ward known as Hamer's mill, and the land
he entered was adjacent to this property.
Aaron Davis located on White river, near
where the road leading from here to Bed-
ford crosses the river, Robert Hall entered
a part of the land now owned by Clay
Wright and Mrs. Henry Trueblood and
built there the fiist house of hewn logs
that was built in this community. He
also was the first pioneer to venture away
from a spring or stream, and it is s&id, dug
the first well that was dug in this entiie
vicinity. Zebedee Wood located near
where Woodville was afterward located.
Mr. Wood was the first gun-smith to locate
here, and to his honor be it said, was
among the first to depart from the custom
of having whiskey at house-raisings and
log-rollings.
During the twenties quite a change came
over the community. A number of the
cabins once so solitary became the nucleus
of a little settlement. After the settlers
had secured titles that were undisputed to
their homes they began to plant orchards
and make other improvements.
The year 1826 was especially eventful, for
in that year more settlers arrived than dur-
ing any two years previous. Among these
were the Bass families, the Field families,
and quite a large number of the Burton
families. It was also during that year that
the first postoffice this community ever had
was established It was located at Hamer s
mill and called Mill Spring. Hugh Hamer
was the first postmaster.
DEVELOPMFNT OF THE COUN 1 RY
The question has been doubtless asked,
why have I presented this portrait of the
hardships, privations and crude manner of
living of our fathers and forefathers^ If
so, may I not ask, why are you pleased
with reading the horrors of war and the
account of the butchery and carnage of
battles? Why are you deHghted with the
fictions of poetry, the novel and rom nee?
I am attempting to give facts and facts
only as I understand them. I am en-
deavoring to depict a state of society and
manner of living that have long since
ceased to exist and are fast vanishing from
the memory of man I hope these sketches
and descriptions of earl\ times will give
the young people who mav read them a
knowledge of the advantage of living in a
community blessed with all modern im-
provements, and prevent them from think-
ing that former times and conditions were
better than the present.
It is especially befitting that in this
centennial year of our State and the
centennial year of the settling of this
community we should inquire who the
men and women were who came here when
this was a wild and rugged wilderness.
This IS now a prosperous and progressive
community, and surelv the people who laid
the foundation for its development are
worthy of our study and consideration.
The history of this community is
evolution. Present prosperity and present
conditions have come only from exertion,
privation and sacrifice. No thmking
peison can be insensible to the pleasure of
the study which deals with the aspirations
and efforts ol those people who, many
years ago, laid so well the foundation upon
which has been built the civilization we
now enjoy. It is eminently proper that
we should know something of those people
and trace and record the social, industrial
and political progress of the community in
which we live. So far, I have spoken only
of the hardships and tiials of the early
settlers. But these conditions were not
always to exist. As time went on some
of the settlers built mills, not such as we
have today, but they filled a much felt
want. Some of the early mills were run
by water; others, by horse power Some
of the old people now living can remember
when baskets of corn were brought in to
be shelled by the bright blazing fire-place.
After supper the entire family would assist
in shelling the corn from the cob It was
then placed in a bag and the next day the
settler placed it on the back of a horse and
a boy mounted behind it and st&rted to the
mill which was often quite a distance.
When he arrived at the mill he would
probably find others there before him and
would have to wait sometimes two or three
days for his turn.
CORN THE CHIEF PRODUCT
For many years corn bread was the
staple food, and it was made in the
simplest manner. The meal was mixed
with salt and water and made into a stiff-
dough which was placed on a clap-board
two or three feet long and about an inch
thick This was placed before a hot fire
in the fire place. When partly baked it
was turned on the board and the other side
was placed toward the fire. When baked
in this manner it was called "Johnny
Cake." Sometimes the dough was made
into what was called a pone and baked in
an oven If baked in this manner it was
called "corn dodger."
For several 3^ears of the early settling of
tHs locality corn was almost the only grain
raised, and there was but little, if any,
market for it. Sometime during the early
twenties a whiskey distillery was built at
Hamer's cave by a man named Montgomeiy
who bought considerable corn and distilled
it into liquor. A year or two later Hugh
Hamer commenced building flat boats at
the old boat yard near where Mill Creek-
empties into White river, and shipped corn
and other produce to New Orleans. From
this time on the settlers found a market
for their corn and other produce Tha
price, however, was often very low. Some-
times not more than ten cents per bushel
was paid for corn.
FIRST POSTOFFICE ESTABLISHED
It was in the year 1826 that the first
postoffice was established in the town-
ship. Previous to that time the pioneers
of this part of the country had been as
completely cut off from their old home and
friends as if an ocean rolled between them
Although the privations and suffering of
the early immigrants did not last man\
years it was quite a long while before they
were permitted to enjoy what might be
termed the luxuries of life. Matches,
which we consider a necessity, were un-
known to them. Fire was kept from day
to day and from year to year by covering
heaps of coals in the fire place or by setting
fire to hickory logs and stumps in the
v/oods and fields near the honne. If the
fire went out they had to kindle it by the
use of the flint and steel or go to a neigh-
bor and borrow. For a number of years
after the first settlement, the people had
no candles nor lamps. Their cabins were
lighted by the blaze from the open fire-
place or by what they termed the tallow
dip, which was made by saturating a rag in
tallow or bear grease and burning it. A
few years later candle moulds were brought
into use, and for many years candles were
used for lights. It was not until some time
m the fifties that coal-oil lamps were
brought into use.
IMPROVEMENT OF HOMES
As time went on conditions that I have
been speaking of changed. By and by
many of the cabins gave place to hewed
log houses, some of them with an upper
room which was reached not by a stair-
way, but by a ladder on the outside of the
house. This upper room was called the
loft. After a fe^v > ears even the little
cabins in the woods began to look more
homelike We should bear in mind that
the people of those early days were much
like the people of the present time, it was
the circumbtances and surroundings that
made them different. Although without
the means to provide themselves with fine
clothing and elegant homes, yet they loved
the beautiful. After a few years the yards
of their humble homes were made fragrant
by wild roses, daffodils, sun flowers and
other old fashioned flowers. Indian-creepers,
wild mornmg-glories and other bloommg
vines clambered over the walls of the
cabins, and Mary m her vine covered
cabin in those days was as happy as she
would be in her vme clad cottage today.
EARLY SCHOOLS
The people who settled here in early days
had little time, for several years to thmk
of education. It kept them^ busy to clear
the ground and provide food and clothing
for their families. Children assisted in the
work on the farm and as it was such a
difficult task to prepare the land for culti-
vation, that had schools been situated in
their midst the children, who were old
enough to do any kind of work, could not
have been spared to attend school. The
people of this community, as have been
previously stated, for several years had
been completely cut off from communicat-
ing with the rest of the world and had not,
perhaps, read a newspaper for years. The
opportunity for reading and studying at
home was very limited. In those days a
family library usually consisted of a Bible,
a hymn book, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
and sometimes outlines of Ancient History.
It is worthy of special note that under
these difficulties and limitations the Ameri-
can thirst for education was alive and the
pioneers of the forest longed for the oppor-
tunity of educating their children. While
none of these people had been instructed in
classic lore, yet, they were as a rule, people
of ordinary intelligence and some education
and as soon as the bread and butter issue
was not a problem, the education of their
children was first in their mind. At that
time it was almost impossible to obtain
books, slates, pencils, pens and paper, and
for several years their use was limited to
those who had brought them from their old
homes. For quite a number of years after
Indiana become a state there was no pub-
lic school system and no public funds to
pay teachers or build school houses. For
several years the few school houses, that
were built in this community, were built by
the men in the locality where they were
located, and the teachers for a number of
years, were paid b\' private subscription.
When the people of a neighborhood decided
to build a school house, a site would be
selected as near the center of the neighbor-
hood as possible. Then a day would be
agreed upon for the men to meet and buiid
the little structuie that was to be a neigh-
borhood or community school house. As
the country became more densely populat-
ed, a few school houses were built of hewed
logs but most ol them were made of round
logs with clapboard roof and puncheon
floors. The boards on the roof were fas-
tened down with wooden poles and wooden
pegs. Almost h If of one end of the house
was taken up by a fireplace and stick and
clay chimney. A section of the log was
cut a^vay on one side to form a window.
Over this opening stiff paper was placed
which had been greased to make it trans-
parent. For a writing desk split boards
that had been smoothed with a drawing
knife were placed on pegs which had been
inserted in auger holes in a log beneath the
window. The door was made of slabs and
hung on wooden hinges. The benches were
made of logs split into halves and the split
side smoothed with a broad axe and sup-
ported by pegs driven in the round side.
The school house was now complete
and the people of the neighborhood were
just as proud of it as we are of our elegant
school houses of toda\ .
A school house of this kind was by no
means a conafor table place for children to
spend eight or ten hours a day. This was
especially the case in winter time. The
wind whistled about the little structure
and found plenty of open space, or "cracks"
as they were called, so the scholars, as well
as the teacher, often suffered with cold in
spite of the blazing fire in the big fire place.
It was the custom, in those days, to study
the lesson aloud, that is, the pupils spelled
and read their lessons, when studying, in an
audible tone, and .sometimes, when study-
ing their spelling lessons, could be heard
for quite a distance from the school house.
A school conducted in this way was termed
a loud school. When a teacher applied for
a school he was always asked the question:
whether he wanted to keep a loud or silent
school. In those days, except in spelling,
the pupils did not recite in classes, but in-
dividually. When reciting the spelling les-
son there was always a head and foot to
the class and a record was usually kept of
the one who received the largest number of
head marks during the term of the school
and sometimes a prize was given to the
lucky one. The spelling class recited twice
each day; just before the noon recess and
again just before the school was dismissed
for the day. Every scholar, from the small-
est to the largest, was required to stand up
and spell m one of the two or three classes.
The one who was at the head of the class
at the close of one recitation went to the
foot in the next. When one missed a word
it was passed to the next in line, and the
one who spelled it correctl> stepped up
above the first one who had missed. To
have gone to the head the most times in a
term of school was considered quite an
honor.
In studying reading, each pupil was per-
mitted to use any kind of book that he
happened to have Often the New Testa-
ment was the only reading book in the
school room When the weather was warm
all the pupils, and sometimes the teacher,
went to school barefooted. In winter time
the boys wore home-spun and home-woven
linsey or jeans coats and pants, made after
the pattern of their fathers, with "gallow-
ses" that their mothers had knit of home-
spun yarn, crossed in the back and fastened
to the pants with wooden buttons. Instead
of hats they wore coon skin caps.
SCHOOL GAMES
Not only did the methods of teaching
and studying in the early schools differ
from the methods ot the present day, but
there vv^as also quite a difference in the
games played during the schoDl. Such
games as foot ball and basket ball were
unheard of then The games in vogue in
early time? for the large boys were
"shinny," bull pen and town ball. The
smaller boys would play hat ball and three
cornered cat-ball. The large girls would
skip the rope, or rather the grape vine they
would Lise for a rope. The little girls
would play "ring-a round-a-rosey. " If the
teacher permitted the boys and girls to
play together, which was not often the
case, the whole school would join in play-
ing "ant-ny-over. '
On each Friday afternoon the children
would recite declamations and dialogues.
One of the most delightful features of the
early schools was the spelling bee or, the
spelling match as it was then called. When
it was announced that there would be a
spelling match on a given night the people
came for miles away, not in automobiles or
carriages, but walked or rode in wagons or
sleds, drawn sometimes by horses, but
oftener by slow plodding oxen. The
manner of conducting a spelling match was
sometning like this: Two leaders would be
selected to "choose up,' that is, to divide
the spellers into two companies who, as
thev were chosen, took their places en
opposite sides of the school room, which
was lighted by tallow candles or by a
blazing fire in the fire place. The words
were pronounced from a spelling book by
the teacher. Those who misspelled a word
took their seats. This was kept up until
the last speller on one side was "turned
down" as it was termed. The way some
of the pupils could spell in those times
would be a surpri e to the people of today.
It often happened that page after page,
and sometimes the entire spelling book,
would be learned by heart To be a
champion speller was considered quite an
honor. This was a worthy ambition, now
much fallen into decay.
Of the qualifications of the early teachers
not much can be said. In fact, for quite a
number of years no qualification at all was
required except that he be able to read
and write and cipher. He was also re-
quired to know how to make "quill pens."
These were made with a sharp knife from
goose quills, as the long stiff feathers which
grow on the wings of the goose are called.
Steel pens were not used for many years.
Ink was made at home either from ripe
polk berries or from little balls that grew
on oak trees called "ink balls." The rules
that the teacher or Master, as teachers
were usually called, were very severe. A
bundle of switches were a necessary part of
the school furniture. Nor were they
neglected, but were used upon the least
provocation without mercy There were
some "Masters" who made regular rounds
of the school room and whacked each of
the larger boys over the shoulders whether
he deserved it or not. The small, timid
boys were usually punished by being made
to sit with the girls. Harsh and even cruel
as those teachers seem to us at this day to
have been, most of them had a sincere
desire to help the children placed in their
charge, and to inspire in them a desire for
education and a wish to better their
condition.
As has been stated, for quite a number
of years after Indiana became a state there
were no public school funds, and teachers
were paid altogether by the patrons of the
school. The pay. however, was very small
often not more than ten dollars a month.
Teachers in early days usually "boarded
around," that is. they boarded among the
families of the neighborhood; a week here
and a week there until they had spent a
week with each family, anci then they
would begin a second round. While those
early teachers had but little knowledge fo
books, andj their methods of discipline and
instruction were crude, yet most of them
had what we do not find in all the teachers
ofto d&y. "common sense, ' which covered
a multitude of other deficiencies.
TURNING TEACHER OUT
A common practice in almost all the old
time schools was to "turn the teacher out"
at Christmas time till he agreed to treat.
Sometime^ cakes and cider were demanded,
and occasionally candy could be procured.
If the teacher could outrun the boys or
outwit them in any way and gain
admittance to the school room by some
strategy, the school would lose the treat.
This, however, did not often happen, for
while the boys were chasing the teacher,
the girls would see that the school house
door was kept securely barred.
As time went on the interest in education
increased among the pioneers. Larger and
better school houses were built. Until
some time in the forties all the school
houses that were built were of logs, but
they answered the purpose for which they
were erected, very well.
In the year 1845 the Legislature of the
State passed a law establishing a free school
system with the provision rhat it should
not be enforced except in such counties as
adopted it bj' a vote of the people. It seems
strange to us now that more than half the
counties of the State voted to reject it.
.Although this county voted to adopt the
system it was by no means unanimous.
Many of the people who lived here then
had come from states that had no free
school system, and they were opposed to
taxing themselves to educate other people's
children. Previous to the year 1845 all the
school houses that were located here were
called neighborhood or community school
houses as they were built by the people
living in the community or neighborhood.
After the public school system referred to
was adopted they were termed public or
district school houses, as they were built
with public funds.
Until this time each school had been
conducted just as the teacher and the
patrons desired. There had been no
uniformity of text books, bnt each pupil
had been permitted to use any text book
he happened to have, and but little qualifi-
cation had been required of teachers. It
is true that for several years each township
had what was called a "board of educa-
tion,' consisting of three trustees elected
by the voters, who were supposed to con
duct examinations and pass on the qualifi-
cation of teachers. It often happened how-
ever that no member of the board could
either read or vvrite, so the examinations
the teachers underwent were surely very
superficial
In the \ ear 1827 congress gave its con-
sent to the State to sell the lands that had
been set apart as school lands, and as soon
as these lands could be disposed of and the
mone}^ loaned and interest collected, there
was a small amount of pubic funds that
could be used to help pay teachers. This
added to private subscriptions would, in
some instances, provide for a three months
school during the year. This was regarded
as quite a long term. In the absence of
records I think I am safe in saying that
prior to the year 1860 the average school
term of Marion township did not exceed
three months. It is surprising that the
early teachers could have accomplished so
much For it is true strange as it may
seem, that out of these old time schools
came many boys and girls with enough of
the rudiments of knowledge to enable them
to beccme useful, intelligent and successful
men and women in the various walks of
life. While not intending to criticise the
present methods of teaching, yet I think
the teaching in the early schools was more
practical than the teaching of the present
day; that is, it better fitted the pupils for
the duties of the great, busy world in which
they wt le to live I think it is also true
that parents in early times took, as a rule,
more interest in the education of their
children than at the present time. How
many parents of today would send their
children to school where they had to walk
through the mud and snow two or three
miles to reach a school house, and make
the money to pay their tuition the hard
way the pioneers had to make theirs ?
As years rolled on geography and
grammar were taught in some of the
schools. Later, geography and grammar
schools were held at night in many of the
school houses where, seated around the
open fire in the fire place, the children
would pore over the mysteries of these
subjects
In a few of the schools debating or
literary societies were organized. Some
times two or three schools would unite and
organize a society with a 'constitution and
by-laws.' These societies, which always
met at night, were often kept alive during
the entire year. Perhaps the most noted
one of these societies that was established
in this community was organized and met
at what was called the "Dave Dobbins"
school house, which was situated about
four miles west of Mitchell. Once a week
after a hard day's work the young people
of the community, and often the older
ones, would wend their way to that old
school house, which was surrounded by
wood.-, to discuss and to hear discussed the
important subjects of the day, National
problems, such as 'Should foreign immigra-
tion be prohibited?" the slavery question,
the temperance question, the tariff, and
other leading topics of that time were
debated and settled in a masterful manner.
William H. Edwards and Isom Burton are
the only persons n jw living, so far as 1 am
informed, who were members of that
society and took part in its debates
Another feature of the early schools that
1 must not fail to mention is the school
exhibition that was held on the night of
the last day of school. This was looked
upon as a great occasion, and pupils and
teacher would spend weeks in preparation.
Perhaps some ola man who reads this will
recall the time when a boy I e appeared on
the stage at one of these exhibitions and
began in a loud and shaky voice "Sink or
swim, live or die, survive or perish " Some
imitator of Spartacus would urge his
Gladiators on to battle, and Patrick Henry
would demand either liberty or death. The
Turk then as now —
,'At midnight in his guarded tent.
Lay dreaming of the hour
When Greece her knee in suppiiance bent.
Should tremble at his power. "
The small boy who "Liked to see a little
dog and pat him on the head," and the
little girl telling of "Mary's lamb with
fleece as white as s ow,'' were sure to
appear on the stage. But all this to the
reader, perhaps, seems like echoes from a
forgotten world. \es. there were merry
and happy times in those long gone-by-
days in spite of the toils and hardships,
and many a tired man and woman, when
enfeebled by age, has looked back upon
them with pleasurable longing.
"Backward, turn backv/ard
O time in your flight.
Make me a child again,
Just for tonight."
This community has, from its earhest
settlement, kept constant and steady step
in the march of education. Within a very
few 3'ears after its first settlement the rude
huts that were to be used for school houses
were built m several localities. Although
each of these schools of "ye olden time"
has its tinge of history, its interesting past,
yet to trace the origin and history of each
one would be almost an impossibility, and,
were it possible the result would scarcely
justify the extraordinary undertaking that
such a task would require. I will, how-
ever, give a short sketch of a few of the
very early schools and one or two of the
schools of a later day. As no records were
kept of the early .schools I necessarily have
to rely on tradition for the information that
I shall give.
The first school that was taught in what
is now Marion township was taught in a
little log house which was situated about
two miles south of Mitchell on the farm
now owned b-. the Jenkins brothers. The
first teacher was John McClean, who
taught a short term in the year 1824.
What little salary teachers in early times
received was paid altogether by the patrons
of the school, and it is said that McLean
agreed to take the larger part of his salary
in such provisions as he could use in his
family. The second teacher was Samuel
Dalton, a one legged man, who teught two
or three terms Dalton's successor was a
man named Evans, whose career as a
teacher was short, teaching but one short
term. William Bathay was the third
teacher. Bathay taught thre^ terms, and
it was said of him that he was a good man
and a good teacher. The last pedagogue
to hold forth in this little log structure was
a We shman by the name of Watkins, who
taught four terms. It was said of Watkins
that he was a good scholar and a teacher
ot more than ordinary ability.
In the year 1823 the second school house
in this community was built near the Elkin
Spring, about five miles northwest of
Mitchell. The first teacher to teach there
was an Irishman named Wood, who taught
but one short term. Wood was succeeded
by a young man by the name of William
Bathay, Jr , who was a son of the teacher
Bathay previously mentioned. The third
and last teacher to teach at this little hut
was a man named Crump, who taught
three terms, and was regarded a good
teacher. All the teachers that I have
mentioned, as well as all the pupils who
attended their schools, have long since
passed to the Great Beyond.
Joe A. Burton has kindly handed me a
short history of the schools he attended in
his boyhood days, which I am sure is in-
teresting: 'The old log school house on
my father's farm was built in 1839. It
was a small building about twenty feet
wide and twenty two feet long. It had two
windows, one in the north end and one in
the south ena. On the east side one whole
log was cut out and a row of glass put in
to give light. The teachers ^vho taught
there were: John McClain, a Mr. Weir,
Jesse Archer, Mr, Bridges and Allen C.
Burton, who taught the last school that
was taught in that primitive little school
house Shortly after, a larger and better
house was built on the "Bald Knob" which
is about a half mile south of where the old
house stood The first to occupy tht- new
house was William A Burton, the second,
James Madison Baker, third, William Ken-
nedy, fourth and last James McConnaha.
While the last named teacher was teaching,
the house burned. I remember the teach-
er, Mr. Weir, as being very harsh and cruel,
and one day when a boy named Isom Cox
committed some offense, he gave him an
unmerciful whipping. I can remember see-
ing the blood run down his heels after he
had whipped him The bo\ s father made
complaint and a meeting of the patrons was
called. it was agreed that if the teacher
would leave the country there would be no
prosecution. Weir left, and I think with
out his pay. I remember seeing the large
boys at Christmas time take the teacher.
Allen C. Burton, to my father's spring to
duck him if he didn't agree to treat Just
as they were in the act of putting him in
the water lie gave them a half dollar with
which to buy two bu.-hels of apples to treat
the school. The last day I wore a dress
was while attending Archer's school "
All the teachers whose names are men
tioned here, are long since dead, and the
pupils who attended their schools that are
still living are: Joe A. Burton, Zack Bur-
ton, Riley D. Burton, Nancy Conley and
William O'Dell
When the school house burned, which
was in the early fifties, a frame school house
was built to take its place a short distance
east of "Bald Knob'' and has long been
known as the Burton school house. This
was, perhaps, not only the fiast frame build-
ing erected in this township, but was also
the first one to be built with public funds.
FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL
Another log school house built about this
time was known as the Woodville, or Sutton
school. It was in this little log structure
that the first Sunday 5^chool in Lawrence
County, south of White river, was organ-
ized. This Sunday School was kept alive
ior several years by Harlan Pope and Owen
Bruner, its Superintendents. These two
pioneers were intelligent, upright and re-
ligious men. Both were teachers and did
much for the educational uplift of the com-
munity. This little log building was used
as a school hou.-e until the year 1852. The
teachers who taught there were: Owen
Bruner, Arthur Howell, G. W Dodson and
Harlan Pope, who taught several terms.
These teachers are all dead and so far as I
know, there are but thrre of the pupils now
living, who attended the school, Aaron
Pless, Mrs A Wood and W. H Edwards.
The second irame school house built in
Marion township was located a shoit dis-
tance west of Mitchell and was known as
the "Hardin Burton'' school house The
teachers who taught there were John D.
Carter, Daniel Watkins, Henry Burton,
George Miller, Mary F Minter, John Bene
diet, Joe A. Burton and Monroe Pless
The different schools taught there were
largely attended. Two of the teachers, Joe
A. Burton and Henry Burton, are still liv-
ing. In 1961 the school district was chang-
ed and the school house abandoned. Short-
ly afterward it was moved to Mitchell to be
used as a residence, where it still stands on
east Warren street. This is the only one of
the f chool houses ol the long ago that is still
standing and if some of the old pupils, who
are now living, could visit it, they would,
perhaps, find their names deeply carved on
its ceiled walls.
"The old school house, the cradle of youth;
Thy benches hard, rigid and straight;
Not less hard was thy teaching and truth
Which has made great men for the state."
CHURCHES
\ large per cent of the early settlers of
this communitv were christian men and
women or at least had been reared in chris-
tian homes. It is no wonder that they
regarded it one of their greatest hardships
that they were for so long a time deprived
of the privilege of attending religious ser-
vices. For several years after this com
munity was first settled there was no public
religious service of any nature. Sunday
was considered simply as a day of rest for
the older people and a day of play for the
children.
THE FIRST PREACHER
The first minister of the gospel to visit
this community so far as I have been able
to learn wad a man named Abram Mitchell
who held several meetings in the cabins of
the 5^ettlers as early as 1821. Soon after
this another itinerant preacher by the name
of William Noblitt came and held services
in several homes and also preached a few
times in the grove. Perhaps no class of
men in early times was more deserving of
respect, or accomplished more good than the
devoted pioneer preachers. Although most
of them were uneducated and lacked cul
ture, yet the\ did an almost incredible
amount of useful work under extremely
difficult conditions. These men devoted
their lives to the cause of Christianity.
They traveled from home to h )me on horse
back over rough roads, often with no road
at all except a blazed bridle path to guide
them As a rule they were kind and sym-
jiathetic and made themselves pleasant and
agreeable wherever they went The lonely
pioneer family considered it quite a treat
to have a preacher for a guest, and he was
always welcome. The ministers of early
times considered it their duty to advise
and counsel the people in all affairs, either
religious or secular. They considered them-
selves servants of the people, and for all
this they received as pay a bare subsistence.
THE FIRST CHURCH
The first church to be organized in this
community was christened the "Spice
Valley Baptist Church." The church was
organized in 1822 and has been kept alive
for almost a century, as it is the oldest
church organization in the county and,
perhaps, the oldest country church in the
State. I shall give a more detailed history
of it than space will permit me to give of
the other churches of the community.
It was about seven years after the church
was organized before a church building was
erected. In winter time the people met
for worship in the homes of the members,
and in the summer they met either in the
grove or in William Maxwell's mill shed.
In 1829 a small log meetin' house," as a
church house was called in those days, was
built. This little hut, like most all other
buildings of that day, was built of round
legs with a puncheon floor and stick and
clay chimney. Near this little church a
small spot of ground was cleared, a rail
fence built around it, and in this little in-
^losure they would bury their dead. Once
a month on the Sabbath day, in winter and
in summer, the people for miles around,
dressed in their best homespun clothes,
wended their way through the woods to
this little house of worship. They had no
carriages or buggies m those days, so they
came either on foot or on horseback. Some-
times the father and mother would ride the
same horse, each holding a child before
them. If evening services were held the
time would be announced as "early candle
lightin' " The only lights they had then
were candles and tallow dips.
This little church house was surrounded
by thick spreadmg trees, and in summer
time the songs of the birds flitting among
the boughs were just as sweet as the music
furnished by a modern church choir. They
had no choirs then and, as many of the
people had no hymn books, the preacher
would alwa\'s line the songs to be sung.
He would also request the audience to sing
either in the "long metre" or "short metre."
During the long existence of this church it
has managed to have services at least once
a month, except at short intervals All of
its earlj'^ pastors have long since gone to
their reward.
The first pastor to sei ve this little church,
which is now almost a century old, was
Abram Mitchell, who began his work in
1823 and served as pastor several years.
The second pastor was Thomas Vandiver,
who continued as pastor eight years. In
1835, and during Vandiver's pastorate the
little log church house burned, A man
named Ballard was teaching school in it
when it burned. A brick building was
erected soon after. The third pastor was
Joseph Odell, who served continuously for
twelve years. It is said of him that he
was a man of more than ordinary ability,
a warm hearted minister, a fine orator, a
good exhorter or evangelist and a highly
esteemed pastor. There are a few persons
yet living who can remember this old
pioneer preacher as he wojld preach of the
duty of right living and the importance of
preparing for the Judgment and Eternity.
They can. perhaps, recall hearing him
speak of his toils, his travels his perse-
cutions and his welcomes. His earnestness
in presenting gospel truths took deep hold
on the minds of the people, and during his
pastorate the great revival of 1842 occurred
during which seventy-five persons were
baptized and received in the church. The
fourth pastor was Hardin Burton. Uncle
Hardy, as he was familiarly called, was
VA ell known and highly esteemed, He
served the church as pastor at different
times for many years The fifth pastor
was Jacob Crabbs, who was called in 1853
and served three years. In 1856 a man
named Moses Edwards, a graduate of an
eastern theological college, was called and
served as pastor one year. Other preachers
who have served the church as pastor at
different times are William Baker, R M
Parks. Volney T. Baker, Nat Williams
Isaac Carothers, A J Essex, Thomas J
Swan, Wright Sanders, W. L Green, C. J
Bunnell, David Blankenship, Walter Pack
L. S Sanders, E. A Howard, P. B. Shoe
maker, Warren A. Sanders, H T, Stevens
J. N Nicholson, and Henry B. Sanders
who is the present incunnbent.
The second church house built in Marion
township was known as Hicks' Chapel or
Rock Lick Church. This building, which
was made of hewed logs, was built in 1845.
Although the buildi.ig and ground was
owned by the Methodists. > et it was a
union church building. An old colored
man. named John Barnett, deeded the
ground to the Methodists, with the proviso
that the Baptists could use the building to
be erected when not in use by the Metho-
dists. ?o the two denominations organized
a church, one known as Hicks' Chapel, the
other as Rock Lick Baptist Church.
Although both denominations held services
there for several years, I can give the
names of but few of the pastors. Rev.
Samuel Hicks preached for a number of
years for the Methodists, and Isaac
Carothers, Thomas Robinson, William
Baker and David Elkins preached for the
Baptists. Both churches have long since
disbanded and the church building torn
away.
The next building erected for church
purposes in the community was known as
the Cross Roads Church. This little church
house, which was built in 1847, was
situated at the cross roads a short distance
south of the present home of C. F Lewis.
This was owned jointly by the Baptists
and Presbyterians. The preachers who
preached at this church during its short
existence were Elder John Tiffany for the
Presbyterians, and Rev John Blackwell for
the Baptists. Mr. Blackwell was the
father of our townsman, Harrison Black-
well. In 1849 the church house burned
and both organizations disbanded.
The next church in the community was
known as thr Freedom Baptist church,
which was organized in 1850 In 1851 a
substantial frame church building was
erected about one mile south of Mitchell.
I cannot give the names of all the pastors
who served this church during the several
years of its existence, but will mention the
fcllowing; Thomas Robinson, R. M. Parks,
W. L B3«^ton, J B Porter, Albert Ogle, A.
J. Essex and W. L Green.
The next was a Presbyterian church or-
ganized in 1855 in an old log school house
situated about two miles north of MUchell.
A fuller history of this church will be given
in connection with the history of the
churches of Mitchell
The next church in the community was
christened the Liberty Baptist church or-
ganized in 1870. This has been a prosper-
ous church from the beginning and in 1873
erected a good frame building which was
remodeled and rebuilt in 1914; The church
has had for pastors. William Baker, V. T.
Baker, Wright Sanders, Issac Carothers,
Edker Burton, J. M. Stalker, F. Dame. E.
H. T' cker Rev. Groves, C. F. Pack W. E.
Monbeck, W. A. Sanders and Henry B.
Sanders This is a flourishing church, wide
awake to its opportunities and has perhaps
the largest Sunday school attendance of any
rural chuich in Southern Indiana. In the
early seventies a Methodist church was or
ganized and a 'church building erected on
the Mitchell and Bedford road near Red
Cross and called Wesley Chapel. This has
always been, as I am informed, a circuit
church and I am unable to give the names
of the ministers who have served as pastors.
Services are still held there and the church
has been productive of much good in the
community.
There have been oiher attempts to build
churches in the township but no others
than the ones mentioned have ever been
built so far as I am informed. In all the
churches that I have mentioned Sunday
Schools were organized These early day
Sunday Schools were attended by both old
and young. Sunday School lessons then
were not outlmed with "Golden texts" and
instructions for studying as they are today.
This would have been of little use however
for many who attended Sunday School
then could read but little and some of them
not at all. Those who could not read
brought spelling books with them and for
them classes were formed and they were
taught to spell and read Those who could
read were assigned lessons in the New
Testament. In addition to the Sunday
School and churchservice that they had in
early days the people would often meet at
the homes where they would read the Bible
and have song and prayer service. If they
could have a minister with them they would
have a sermon. One of the pioneer preach-
ers of this communit} who spent much of
his time preaching at the homes of the peo-
ple was David Elkins. This devoted old
preacher before emigr ting here was a
neighbor and friend of the Abraham Lincoln
family in Kentucky. A biographer of Lin-
coln says:
Local History of National Interest.
"From David Elkiiis. the itiiin'aiit preach-
er, .Ihraham Liven] ii leai^ned nnicJi, Ids de-
sire for knon-Jedge orereoming his tii}hi difij."
Agaii) ill,' sanir aiiilior in si»'uk'iitg of Mrs.
Lincoln's drolli saiis. "nl llnil iiinr no minis-
ter nuts nrnr in rnndnei the funeral srrrirr and
oat nf the depths of his soriuar .Ihrahani
irrote his frsi li-ticr io Parson Da rid F.I kins
of Kcnia rkif . i ni jil ni'i n g liini In mine and eon-
dnei (I memorial serriee ai his m niher' s grave .
D is recorded ihat ahnut ia-n hundred people
gathered some weeks later in j>a rtici p'lte in
Ihe service cnnd acted liij tlie Fev. Elkins who
had cnine ])}ore than a hundred miles if) solace
fItU ff'iuh'v In^tirf of <i l)(>ti." If is not geiic.r-
((II 11 k-iioiru I hut this old minister is buried in-
a null' iD'OlccI I'd ijrii i-r- ijii rd some five miles
ivfsi of Milrhi'll . Such however is true his -
torij and ])<'!' pi II >J out from nmong the aecumu-
Ir/tion of iveeds. Inishrs and hriiirs in that
badly ne fleeted ornrr ,/ard is a little nn/rJ.'er
bearing the i nscri ]ition " Dovid Ellyins :I /•'. C.
Mil. irirr of /SI J. '•
y'lie Lincoln famili/ moved from Kentucky
to Spencer Co.. Indiana in IS 16 fJncoln.
ivastheu about right years old: about a ijear
later Mr. Klkins com jil yi n g irith the reijuest
of the letter set out on horseback for the home
of Ihe Lincolns. ) oung Lincoln al the same
time, not hiiri no recei red a rejilij to his letter.
started to visit Rev. Elkiiis irith a vicir to in-
ducing him to come to Indiana and pay the
tribute of respect that he fell iras due the
memoi']/ of h is mollier. Some udiere on Ihe
road Ihe Iwo met and KIkins returned irith
Lincoln and preached the funeral at the Lin-
coln home, adiich is near Lincoln City in
Sjieiicer count y. LJIkins. alio iras a sol d i er in
the irar of IS\J. moved to a farm about four
miles noj'tha-esi pf .Mitchell some time in ih.e
forties. He died in ISr,] and is buried in Ihr
little cemrlrry abore men Honed . II is remein
bered thai KIkins often spoke of the 10 year-
old lad irho a-as so dei-oted to his mother.
David Elkins is well remembered by a
few people still living here. They are W.
H. Edwards, Henry J. Tirey, Aunt Phoebe
Burton and Aunt Hannah Burton.
MARION TOWN5HIP.
The territory embraced in what is now
Marion township was originally a part of
Clark and Knox counties. All of that part
of the township west of the Meridian, which
is the east boundary of the corporation of
Mitchell, was a part of Knox county and
the part which is east of the Meridian line
was a part of Clark county.
In 1808 the territory on the east side be-
came a part of Harrison county and re-
mained so until 1813, when it became a
part of Washington county.
In 1815 Orange county was formed and
all the territory embraced in what is now
Marion township became a part of Orange
county and so remained until January 17,
1818, when Lawrence county was formed.
When Lawrence county was organized
Marion township was constituted a voting
precinct but was not named as a township
until 1826, being, until that time, apart of
Bono township.
The township was named after General
Francis Marion, of Revolutionary fame. Iii
Size, it is one of the largest townships in
the county and, with the exception of
Shawswick, is the wealthiest township in
the county. It is something over eight
miles square and contains about sixty six
square miles or sections of land.
The first election held in the voting pre-
cinct, which was afterward Marion town-
ship, was held at the residence of Samuel
G. Hoskins, on the first Monday i.i August
1818. At that election thirteen votes were
cast. The names of the voters were: Ar-
thur Dycus, Robert Erwin, William Erwin,
Samuel Hoskins, Joseph Pless, James Bos-
well, Joseph Bosweli, Elijah Murray, James
Mathis. George Sheeks. John Finger, Joseph
Culbertson and Thomas Rowark. At that
time there were two parties. Republican
and Federalist. Ten of the votes were cast
for the Federalist and three for the Repub-
lican party. The voting place for the town-
ship continued at Hoskins residence, which
was then on the meridian road in the ex-
treme north part of the township, until he
moved on what is now the Mitchell and
Bedford road where Jacob Colglazier now
resides, at which place elections were held
until 1842 when the voting place was chang-
ed to Redding thence to Woodville and in
1856 was moved to Mitchell. There was
but little interest taken in politics in this
township until the election in 1836 when
General Harrison who was the idol of the
pioneers, was the Whig candidate for Presi-
dent when quite an interest was taken, and
again in 1840 the township gave a majority
for "Tippecanoe and Tyler too". In the
Presidential election in 1844 it gave a ma-
jority of Its votes for Henry Clay. In 1848
Zachariah Ta> lor carried the township. In
1832 the vote of the township was Pierce
109 votes, Scott 248 votes. In 1856 James
Buchanan received 148 votes Willard Fil-
more 219 and John C. PVemont ]7. Ab
Gross, east of Mitchell, is the only one of
these living who voted for Fremont. The
father of Postmaster J, T. Dilley was large-
1}' instrumental in persuading Mr. Gross to
vote for Fremont
It was during this campaign that the first
political club called the Lincoln Republican
Club, was organized in the township. Silas
Moore was President and W. H. Edwards
then too >oung to vote, was Secretary. Mr.
Edwards is the only surviving member of
this club.
The result of this election in this town-
ship was that Lincoln received 217 votes.
Douglass 167. Breckinridge 37 and Bell 79.
In 1864 Lincoln received 298 and McClellan
132 votes. In 1868 the vote was for Grant
386 and Seynmour 205. In 1872 Grant re-
ceived 410 and Greely 249 votes. The re-
sult of the election in 1876 was Hayes 458
andTilden267 votes. In 1880 Grarfield
received 459 and Hancock 259 votes. It is
not necessary that I give the results of later
elections as records, kept on file in the office
of the township tiuster, and county clerk,
are of easy access.
INDUSTRIES.
Of the early industries of the township
not much can be said. For many years
agriculture was the principal occupation of
the people of the township To find a
market for their surplus corn was quite a
problem. This was partly solved by the
erection of a few mills and distilleries. The
mill erected near the source of Mill creek
was one of the earliest, as well as one of the
best mills erected in the county, and the
people of a a large scope of country were
its patrons for many years and until as late
as the year I860.. On the tract of land
where this old mill has stood for nearly a
cenlurv, is the famous Homer's cave and
the beautiful glen known as Hamer's Hol-
low, As early as the year 1817 a small
corn mill was erected near where the old
stone building now stands. This mill was
run by water conducted from the cave by
troughs hewn from logs. A man by the
name of Wright was the first miller. In
1818 the stone mill mentioned was built and
equipped with the best machinery known
in that day, and the mill became the most
noted place in the township. There were
other mills built in the township, but they
were of an inferior kind and of very limited
capacity. In the early twenties a man by
the name of Dennis Frost built a small mill
and distillery at Tomlinson's spring near
where the Lehigh crusher now stands. A
small mill with an overshot wheel was built
in 1824 at Donaldson's cave. A distillery
and carding machine was built in connect-
ion with this mill in 1835. The interior of
this cave shows that at one time gunpowder
was manufactured there, but of this there
is neither history or tradition. Within this
picturesque cavern the roar of a magnificent
cascade may be heard. In the cave is
found a well formed hall twelve feet high,
three hundred feet long and nearly fifty
feet wide. Other distilleries, grist mills and
saw mills too numerous to mention have
existed at different places in the township,
but they have long since disappeared.
This township, as has been previously
stated, was originally heavily timbered with
almost every variety of timber. The work
ing of this, after the completion of the rail-
roads which ran through the township, was
quite an industry until these fine forests
were almost destroyed, since when more at
tention has been given to cultivation and
fertilization of the soil, and while the im-
provement in the methods of farming has
been slow, yet is steady and perceptible.
MUSTER GROUNDS
Marion township, like all other portions
of Indiana in early years, was required by
law to organize its militia and meet at
least once every three months to drill or
muster as it was then called. The place
designated as ' mueter grounds" for this
township was in a field on the farm now
belonging to Frai^k Mitchell and just across
the road from the residence of Jake Col-
clazier. This militia, which was composed
of ell able bodied men between the age of
18 ?.rd 45 years, was organized into
companies and regiments under the
command of a captain, colonel or major.
As no records were kept it is impossible to
give the names of many of the officers who
at various times were in command in this
township. It is known however that John
Sheeks was a colonel, Alfred Burton a
major and Henry Miller, Sr. a captain.
Each man who drilled was required to
furnish his own gun. but it often happened
that some of the men had no gun to furnish
and, as he was required to have something
with which to go through the manual of
arms, a broom stick or corn stalk was
frequently used. At that time the memory
of the Revolutionary war and the war of
1812 were fresh in the minds of the people,
and for several years quite < n interest was
taken in these drills or musters. As years
rolled by and these memories began to
subside, the active interest in the musters
subsided also, and finally degenerated into
a mere farce, and the day that had been
formerly looked upon so proudly degene-
rated into a day of horse racmg. shooting
matches and fist-fighting. Sometime in the
early forties the militia was disbanded, and
muster day became a thmg of the past
THE WARS
This township sent a number of soldiers
to the Mexican war, but I can give only
the following names: Samuel Brooks,
George Wright, and three brothers, Charles,
Henry and Wesley Edwards.
It was in the war of the Rebellion that
the township made a record that is excelled
by no other township in Lawrence county,
and by but few in the State. It is a
matter of regret that a complete history of
the part the township took in that terrible
struggle cannot be given. Much valuable
matter such as accounts of meetings held,
relief committees organized, speeches de-
livered, disloyalty displayed, war meetings
called, and a hundred other personal notes
and observations which are of local value,
are nearly all lost to history. It is also a
matter of deep regret that but few of the
heroic acts of the private soldiers of the
township can be given. It was the men in
the trenches who won the battles, and many
a heroic deed that would thrill the hearts
of the young people of today was performed
by men who held no commission and who
carried the musket and not the sword.
Space will not permit even the mentioning
of the names of all the boys who enlisted
from this township and served either dur-
ing all or a part of the great conflict.
It is perhaps the prevailing opinion of
most people who have no personal recollec-
tion of the state of affairs that existed in
this community at the beginning and dur-
ing the early years of the war, that every-
body here was loyal to the union cause.
This, I am sorry to say, was far from the
case. In Marion township, as well as in
other parts of the State, public opinion in
regard to the war was divided. It looks
peculiar to the people of the present day
that so many thinking persons during 1860
and 1861 were in doubt as to what position
to take. This state of affairs led to ani-
mated discussions, bitter feelings and some-
times to personal encounters. An attempt
was made at night to destroy a Lincoln
flag pole which had been erected on Main
street. Things remained in an unsettled
and gloomy state until the morning of
April 15. 1861, when the news of the fall of
Ft. Sumpter reached here and created the
wildest excitement. Business of all kinds
was almost entirely suspended. Farmers
unhitched their horses from the plow and
hurried to town to learn the details.
Crowds gathered on the streets and listened
to talks from such men as Silas Moore,
Hugh Hamer, Jonath&n Turlcy and other
political leaders. Arrangements were made
for a mass meeting to be held the following
night in Johnson's hall, the hall over the
City Drug Store. A large crowd gathered
at the time appointed, and the excitement
was at a high pitch. Hugh Erwin was ths
principal speaker and fired the audience
with such expressions as, "Shall we permit
this glorious union to be destroyed and
wiped out by traitois^" *'Will we, as
loyal men, look quietly on and see the
American flag insulted and trailed in the
dust?" "If war is necessary that this
union, the heritage of our Revolutionary
fathers, shall be preserved let it come. I
repeat it. Let it come." Within a very
few days steps were taken to raise volun-
teers, and a heavy list was enrolled. As
many as fort}/ or fifty left their homes here
within a ^veek aftar the fall of Ft. Sumter,
most of them going to Indianapolis in the
hope of gettiiig into service there. Under
the shadows of the great war which is now
engaging the attention of the world, the
boys who fought the battles of our own
war and who saved the nation, must not
be forgotten. To them we owe a debt of
gratitude that can never be paid. It re-
quired bravery and sacrifice on the part of
these young men, whose average age was
but twenty years when the war cloud burst
forth in cyclones of fire and battle, to put
away their schocl books, lay down their
farming tools, leave the work shop, bid
good bye to home and loved ones and
rush to their country's rescue. It was no
holiday affair to exchange a comfortable
home and the healthful climate of a
northern state for the hot swampy and un-
healthful climate of the south land.
The sacrifice of life from disease alone
abundantly attest the hardships and peril
through which they passed. And while we
honor the living heroes and scatter flowers
on the graves of the soldiers v^ho are buried
in our midst, we should not forget to pay
homage to the memory of those who were
left on the southern battle field, or who
starved to death in southern prison pens,
or died of disease, and who are sleeping in
deserted and forgotten graves, where the
moaning pine and the stately magnolia
sheds their perfume over them, and the
mocking bird chants the sad requiem of
death. Although the brave boys are gone
their memory should be as a precious jewel
in the bright casket of memory.
"On fame's eternal camping ground,
Their silent tents are spread. "
The exact number of soldiers that Mit-
chell and Marion township furnished dur-
ing the Civil War connot be definitely given,
as quite a number left the country to enter
companies raised elsewhere, and, for whom
the township received no credit. The first
enrollment of the township, which was tak-
en in 1861 showed that the township con-
tained three hundred and forty-five men
between the ages of 18 and 45 years. As
near as can be ascertained, about three
hundred of these enlisted some time during
the war. Although, as has been previously
stated, quite a number left home immed-
iately after the fall of Ft.Sumpter, it was
not until early in June 1861 that any of
them succeeded in being mustered into ser-
vice. The first to enter service frcm this
township were George Hamer, Hugh Hamer,
John Richards and Irve Tinsley, who en-
listed in the i5th regiment.
John Richards was the first man from
Marion Township to receive a wound while
on the field of battle. He now lives in Mit-
chell. Columbus Moore, later known as
Captain Moore, was perhaps the next to
enlist from here, enlisting in the 16th regi-
ment. After serving a few months. Cap-
tain Moore returned and raised a company
of one hundred men for the three year ser-
vice. This company met and organized
under a spreading beech tree that stood on
the lot on West Main St, where Joe Chess
now lives, and John Riley of Mitchell made
a speech. The officers selected and after-
ward formally elected and commissioned
were Columbus Moore, captain; William
Mannmgton, 1st Lieutenant; Milton N.
Moore, 2iid Lieutenant. After selecting
their officers the boys marched proudly
down Main Street, stopping at the resi-
dence of Silas iMoore, when Mrs. Moore,
after giving them some motherly advice,
presented the company a beautiful flag.
Captain Moore, in behalf of the Company,
accepted the flag and pledged that, while
life remained in a single member of his
company, the flag should never trail the
dust As far as 1 can ascertain, the mem-
bers of this company who were from Mit-
chell and Marion Township were:
Marion Beaslej- Satn Erwin
John Alexander Alex Leach
George Bass Mole Nugent
Harrison Blaokwell Gus Nugent
Jackson Beaslev Tom Paterson
Dave Blackwell Ed Riddle
Frank Crawford E!za Smith
Jesse Cokenhour Abner Stevens
Henr.y Dodson Ben Blackwell
Isaiah Dougherty Joe Stroud
Lee Davis Robert Stroud
John Davis John VV. Slieeks
E. P. Eversole David Snow
Mike Earl John Winegar
George Flora William Wease
W. H. Hilton John Webb
Dave Hixon Joseph Yandell
William Haraer David Tanksley
William Eiwin John Daysou
John Tanksley
The officers of the company, Captain
Moore, Milton N. Moore and Wm M n-
nington were also from Mit'.'heli. Perhaps
no company from the state participated in
more hotly contested battles than did this
company. lu the Battle of Richmond, Ky.
the company of less than one hundred men
lost twenty five, either killed or wounded,
A historian, in writing an account of the
surrender of Vicksburg, Miss, says, "Capt.
Moore, a brave officer of the 16th Indiana
regiment, was 'Officer of the Day' at Vicks-
burg on the night of the 3rd da\ of July
1863, and on the memorable morning o ithe
4th day of July conducted Gen. Bowen and
Col. Montgomery, Chief of Staff, to Gen-
eral Pemberton, blindfolded, through our
lines to the headquarters of Gen Burbridge
to await an audience with General Grant.
AH the brave boys whose names I have
mentioned as belonging to this company
have fought the last battle of life and
answered the last roll call except three,
namely, Harrison Blackwell, William. H.
Hilton and Ben Blackwell.
The second company organized at Mit-
chell was Co, *H' 67th reg. This company
which was composed almost entirely of bo\ s
from Mitchell and Marion township was
organized in August, 1862. The company
met and elected its officers in the basement
of the old Baptist church. The officers
elected were: David Kelly, Captain; Allen
C. Burton, 1st Lieutenant; Gordon Burton,
2nd Lieutenant. The company was com-
posed of one hundred and one young men.
all from Mitchell and Marion Township,
except a few from Spice Valley and Bono
Townships. The following names were en-
lolled as members oi this company:
D.ivi.i Kelly Alexander F.dwaids
Allen C P,urt()ii Gordon Edsvards
Tliomas Beasley Ben Legg
John Beasley Frank LaoKey
William Brown Laniska Loniax
David G Burton Samuel Lynn
W. A. Burton Sharp Lynn
Gordon Burton Solomon Lynn
Riley D. Burton John Mahan
Isom Burton Tom Melvin
Hugh H. Burton Joseph Miller
Alex Bundy Joseph Morris
Denton Bundy Abe Murray
William Cox Wesley Murray
Richard Cox Elijah Mclntire
William H. Brewer Hugh McNabh
William Carpenter Volney Moore
Robert Cassaday Simpson Pope
Eli Clark Jacob Sloan
Josiah Cleveland George Smith
Sol Con ley Hiram Sperelin
Frank Conley William Talbott
Jas. L. Cunningham Henry Tomlinson
John Dewherst William Tomlinsoi
Allen Edwards, Jr. Oliver Turner
Wesley Edwards John T. Williams
David B. Edwards Temple Wright
This company left Mitchell for Madison,
Ind., to be mustered into service August
12th, 1862, A large crowd gathered at the
depot to see the boys off. The occasion,
though enthusiastic, was sonowful and im-
pressive, and scores wept bitter tears for
dear ones they never again expected to see.
It was hard indeed to see them go. There
were fathers, husbands, sons and brothers
going away to die, perhaps on a southern
battlefield or in a rebel prison pen, or re-
turn witii an empty sleeve or broken con-
stitutions. The person who has now pass-
ed middle Hfe, but who was only a small
child then, cannot forget the scene that
was stamped upon his memory that day.
He remembers how, with eager eyes and
throbbing heart, he saw his father or broth-
cr enter the car to be taken away, perhaps
never to return.
Let not the conditions of life of the old
veterans prevent us from paying them the
honor that is justly due them. And while
on Decoration Day we beautify the graves
of the dead soldiers with fragrant flowers,
let us not forget to salute those who are
still living.
COMPANY "H 67"
Company "H. 67 ' regiment left Mitchell
as has been stated. August 12th, 1862 and
went directly to Madison, Indiana, where,
on Augujit 19th, it was mustered into ser-
vice and the boys became full fledged sol-
diers. Two days later the company receiv-
ed orders to strike tents, pack knapsacks
and prepare to march; just where, none
but a fey/ of the officers knew. It was soon
found, howewer, that the destination was
at some point in Kentucky, which proved
to be Mumfordvilie where they were or-
dered in an endeavor to check the Rebel
army under General Bragg in its march
toward Louisville. Arriving at Mumford-
vilie on August 28th the boys realized that
they were in the enemy's country without
military drill or dicipline and liable to be
attacked at any time On September 14th.
Bragg's army, which was about five times
greater than the Union forces, made
its appearance and completely surrounded
the Union forces After three da\ s of al-
most continuous fighting against such great
odds, the entire Union army, at that place,
was compelled to surrender.
I cannot give a detailed history of com-
pany "H" and the regiment of which it
was a part, but will say that no regiment
from the state deserves more honor than
the 67th, and it is a matter of local pride
to know that tne boys Irom Mitchell and
Marion township were always at their post.
After their capture and parole at Mum-
fordvilie they were permitted to return
home, remaining until the following Dec
ember, when they were exchanged and
with other companies of the regiment were
ordered first to IndianapoHs and from there
to Memphis, Tenn. The next battle the
company was engaged in was at Chicasaw,
Bayou and Arkansas Post, where two mem-
bers of the company were killed and others
wounded. Other battles in which the com
pany took a part were at Port Gibson,
Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, siege
and capture of Vicksburg, Grand Coteau,
La., where a part of the company was cap-
tured by the Rebels, Sabine Cross Roads,
Cane River and Alexandria, The company
also took part in the movement against
Fort Margain and Fort Gaines and was in
the campaign against Mobile. The com-
pany in its nearly three years of service was
engaged in seventeen hotly contested battles
besides many skirmishes, was under fire one
nundred and forty seven days and traveled
more than seventeen thousand miles; surely
an honorable record. In December 1864,
the ranks of the 67th regiment of which
company "H" was still a part, had become
so diminished by Rebel bullets and death
by disease that it was consolidated with
the 24th Indiana regiment. At that time
Captain David Kelley, who had proven
himself to be a brave and cautious officer,
was made Major of the new regiment.
The company was mustered out of service
July 19th, 1865, lacking just one month of
serving three \ears. Only thirty-two of
one hundred stalwart young men who con-
stituted the company when it enlisted, an-
swered roll call that day. If the roll of the
company was called today, only ten would
answer "here", the other ninety having an-
swered the roll call "up yonder". The
members of the company still living, so far
as I am informed are: Isom Burton, Joe
A. Burton, William H Edwards, Alexander
Edwards, Richard Cox, Laniska Lomax,
William Garyes. Riley D. Burton, Gordon
Burton and Ab Cross.
In addition to the two companies, which
were made up and organized here, quite a
number of Mitchell and Marion township
boys enlisted at different times of the war
and performed gallant service in other reg-
iments. In addition to the names already
mentioned of Mitchell and Marion Town-
ship soldiers 1 will give the following list
which I fear is not complete:
I*](l\v;ii'(l Antoiiipsld Samuel ('()nl<
Asa Dean .Toliu Cook
William Coleman (ieo. VV. Cook
Creorge Wood William R. Hamer
William Edwards Daniel W. Burgess
Tom Edwards Jol n Burgess
Isaac Edwards Corbin Flora
Capt. Hugh Erwin William Flora
Capt. .loshua I'.idd William Davis
Capt. Ai). Miller E. Z. J^ogan
Van B. Kelly Henry Morris
William Murpljy Ben Morris
Washington Stroud William Muis
William Pliipps George Sutton
Isaiah Bhipps Jordon Sutton
.lim Spiliei't Dave Ferguson
Marion Brown Dave Blackvvell
Henry B>rown George Bass
William Ard Isom B«.ss
William Boyd William Hamilton
Tom l->oyd Joe Toliver
.Tames Davis J. W. Manington
Levi Clark William M. Munson
Robert Dodson Nathan Osborn
Sol Harris Charley Harnard
A. W. Jones James Owen
Bent Jones Tlunnas Jones
Hugh Tirey Cal Cox
William H. Tirey Andy Noe
E, Tirey John Hull
S. Osborn John Reeves
AD. Bless Henry Ward
Anslem Wood Kenhen Haft
Eingley Wood Cljarley Emiis
T .]. Toliver Samuel Hosteller
Harry Walker D.iu Hosteller
Wesley Walker Henry Isoni
Henry Walker Fred Haverly
Elijah Walker Caswell 11 Burton
William Mcnyhan jj^^g,, ^ ,>„^,f„„
John Mead
William Erwin
Martin Hall
Jacob Blaekwell ^- H. Crawford
Cla> Wright J- VV Chess
Green Wright David Carbin
Theie are doubtless puite a number of
others whose names I fail to recall. Mit-
chell and Marion Township surely did a
noble part during the great struggle. Be-
sides furnishing so large a number of sol
diers the township contributed five thous-
and dollars bounty and one thousand dol-
lars relief fund for soldiers. The ladies of
the town and township also did noble work.
They fed the soldiers as they passed through
on the trains and during the Morgan raid.
They were in full sympathy with the Chris-
tian and Soldier's Aid Societies and assist-
ed them greatly in relieving our brave
soldiers on the battle field and in the
hospitals.
THE BIRTH OF MITCHELL
iy ITCHELL is, at present, the only
"— ^^^ town in Marion township, three older
towns having fallen into decay. These
towns were Redding, Woodville and Juliet.
Of these, Redding is the oldest, having
been laid out in 1842 by John R. Nugent
and Robert Porter. When it was platted
it consisted of 84 lots. For many years
Redding was the principal trading place for
the people of the county south of White
river. It was also, for many years, the
voting place for the voters of Marion town-
ship. Although the town was christened
Redding the postoffice established there
was called "Sinking Springs". John R.
Nugent was appointed postmaster and
served until the postoffice was discontinued.
Mr. Nugent wcs also the principal mer-
chant of the town. The town and post-
office both have long since pass*?d into his-
tory. The second town to be established
in the township was Woodville, which was
laid out by Edwin Wood in 1849. A post-
office was established there and Mr. Wood
was commissioned postmaster and served
until the office was moved to Mitchell.
Woodville consisted of 58 lots, lying on thr
two sides of what is called Main street
through which the Monon railroad runs
The location of the B. & O. railroad sound-
ed the death knell of Woodville and it has
long since ceased to exist. Juliet the third
town was laid out in 1850. For almost two
years Juliet was the terminal of the Louis-
ville, New Albany and Chicago Railroad,
now called the Monon, and was quite a
business place. Goods were shipped there
by railroad and hauled from there in wag-
ons to Bedford, Bloomington and to many
other towns north. Stage lines were also
established from there almost to Chicago.
John D. Thomasson was the principal mer-
chant of the thriving little burg and was
also the first postmaster to serve the peo-
ple there. The completion of the railroad
north ruined the prosperity of the town
and early death was its fate.
The next town established in Marion
township was Mitchell, which was laid out
September 29th 1853 by John Sheeks and
G. W. Cochran. Mitchell was named in
honor oi O. M. Mitchell, who was the chief
engineer in the location and construction of
the Ohio and Mississippi Railway, now the
B. & O. S. W., and who also surveyed and
platted the town. The streets of the orig-
inal town plat running east and west are
Vine, Baker, Frank, Mississippi Avenue.
Main, Warren, Brook and Oak. Streets
running north and south were not named
but numbered consecutively from one to
eight. In 1859 West Mitchell was laid out
by Jonas Fmger. which added one hundred
and fifteen lots to the original plat. The
streets of the addition were named Brady,
Stevens and Finger. Since then quite a
number of other additions have been made
until the town now occupies more than a
section of land.
Where Mitchell now stands was originally
a dense forest of large trees. The first of
these trees to be cut down was in 1849
when work was commenced on the right of-
way of what is now called the Monon Rail-
way. During the same year a little spot
was cleared and a log cabin built near
where Bottorff-Simmen's store now stands.
The first to occupy this log cabin was an
Irish school teacher named John White.
Mr. White did not remain here until the
town was laid out and G. W, Dodson was
perhaps the first settler of the town proper.
He was followed by Albert Johnsou, Marion
Brady, Amzi Munson, Silas Moore and
John Fitzpatrick. Robert Stroud was the
first to purchase a lot after the town was
platted, but did not locate here until sev-
eral years later,
Mrs. W. T. Moore and Miss Lillie Brady
were the first two children born in Mit-
chell. The first sermon preached here was
by a Presbyterian minister named Bishop.
The sermon was preached from a stand
which was erected near where the Grand
hotel now stands. Dr. Rariden gave the
first temperance lecture from a stand on
the lot where the Arlington hotel once stood.
The first school taught in Mitchell was in
the old brick school house now occupied by
the colored Baptist church. The teacher
was Miss Jane Sheeks, afterward Mrs. Jane
Marley. This was a subscription school.
The first free schcol was taught in the same
building with Eli Baldwin as the the teach-
er. The first church built here was the old
Methodist church building now owned and
occupied by the Church of Christ. The
early meichants were Silas Moore and John
R. Nugent. The first druggist was G. W.
Dodson- Samuel Cook and Dennis Cole-
man were the first blacksmiths and J. T.
Briggs was proprietor of the first hotel.
Dr. Bulkley, Dr. A. L. Goodwin, Dr. New-
kirk and Dr. J. T. Biggs were the early
physicians. Dr. Craig ^vas the first Den-
tist. Lorenzi Coppersmith was the first
to practice law here.
The growth of Mitchell for the first few
years was slow but steady and in the year
1860 when the first cerisus was taken it con-
tained six hundred and twelve people. On
December 23rd, 1864 Mitchell was incor
porated as a town and an elsctioa was held
soon after, for the election of town officers.
The first officers elected were, for Trustees,
Joshua Budd, Robert Barnard and Z. L.
Warren. A. T. McCoy was, at the same
time, elected Clerk, but resigned at the
first meeting of the council and Henry
Manington was appointed to fill the vacancy.
One of the first acts of the council was to
purchase grounds for the cemetery, which
is now one of the most beautiful and well
kept cemeteries in the state, and is admir-
ed and favorably commented upon by all
visitors. The Civic League, an organiza-
tion of Mitchell ladies, has been a moving
spirit in beautifying the cemeteiy.
Mitchell remained an incorporated
towa for forty-three years. On July 29,
1907 an election was held to determine
whether it should remain an incorporated
town or should be incorporated as a city
under the statutes of the state. The result
of the election was a large majority in
favor of incorporating as a city. The town
was then divided into three wards and an
election ordered to be held August 23, 1907
to elect a mayor, clerk, treasurer and five
couDcilmeD, one for each ward and two at
large. The result of this election was for
mayor, William L. Brown; treasurer, Harry
V. Shepherd; clerk, Cl\ de Burton; council-
men, Thos, W Welsh, William H Dings,
John L. Holmes, John B. Sims and John A.
Dalton. William L. Brown resigned before
completing his term and Clyde Burton be-
came mayor. Mr, Burton resigned in a
short time and William E. Stipp was ap-
pointed to fill the unexpired term.
When Mitchell became a city it had a
population of more than three thousand
people. This was quite an increase from
the time it was incorporated as a town and
an increase of more than a thousand during
the five years just previous.
For many years there was but little
manufacturing done in Mitchell and con-
sequently but little demand for labor. In
fact, previous to the year 1863 there was
no manufacturing established here at all.
and there was but little inducement for
laboring men to locate here, except to work
on the railroads.
It should be noted here that railroads
and their equipments were quite different
sixty years ago, from what they are today.
What was called a good railroad when the
two roads passing through Mitchell were
built, would be considered quite a bummy
affair today. This is especially true of the
Monon. Instead ol heavy steel rails, such
as are now used, flat iron bars about the
weight of the tires on a wagon, were spiked
to wooden stringers braced apart and bound
together every six feet to v/ooden cross
ties.
Soms of ths older psopls can remember
the first little wheezy engines used by this
road with their balloon shaped smoke
stacks and their canvas covered bow topped
cabins which were about the size and shape
oi an ordinal y wagon bed. The first
freight cars were small and light, having a
capacity of not more than seven or eight
tons. A train of ten of these cars, when
loaded, was considered quite a heavy train.
For the first year or two of the road's exist-
ence there were but two regular passenger
trains on the southern division of the road
but some of the freight trains had a pas-
senger coach and were called mixed trains.
The limit of a passenger train was fifteen
miles an hour and it usually took all day
to make the run from here to New Albany.
As there were no telegraph or telephone
connecticns at that time, trains were run
according to a printed schedule. They
were expected to pass at specific sidings but
if one reached the sidiiig first, the orders
were to wait ten minutes and if the other
train could not be heard or sighted, to pro-
ceed cautiously to the next siding. When
this was done a member of the crew was
sent ahead to be on the lookout for the be-
lated train. Passenger trains were required
to stop for passengers whenever and where
ever flagged. As the engines, u-cd to pull
the passenger trains, as well as the freight
engines, burned wood for fuel, frequent
stops had to be made to load the tender
with wood. Water for the boilers was pro-
cured from ponds or creeks near the rail-
road by carrying it in buckets. The brake-
men called this "jerking water ', which gave
the road the nickname "Jerkwater railroad '
In the work of procuring ^vood and water
the passengers would often assist.
In 1856 and 1857 an apology for a
telegraph line was constructed along both
railroads passing through Mitchell. The
lines consisted of a single strand of common
wire strung ou black-jack and sassafras
poles such as are now used by farmers for
telephone poles. For several years the
telegraph messages wer?, what was termed,
sight-written; that is, were compressed on
a long, narrow white paper ribbon by run-
ning it through a little dot and dash re
ceiver and then cutting it out and trans-
lating it from a code. The early telegraph-
ers here were Charles Moler, Mr. Hayward
William and Joe Yandel for the O. & M.
Wheeler Putnam was perhaps the first to
serve the Monon and served for quite a
number of j^ears The first ticket office of
the Monon was in a room of the old
Arlington Hotel The road was operated
for many years before building a depot
here. Silas Moore was the first agent of
this road and also the first to serve the
O. & M. in the same capacity, but seived
that company but a short time until he re-
signed and was succeeded by A. M. Mills-
paw. Other lailroad men who were promi-
nent in the early history of Mitchell were
Jo.-hua Budd, Harve Marley, James Mann-
ing, Mr. Lovejoy, A. T. McCoy, William
Humston, I. H. Crim and Robert L.
StroL,d.
For many years there was no method
of turning a locomotive and the engines
had to run backward while going in one
direction. Later a turn table was built
near the Monon depot. Engines were run
upon this and men then turned them
around. A little later the "Y ' was dis-
covered. This discovery is said to have
been made by a boy playing with his to} s.
FIRST MERCHANTS
A complete directory of the early mer-
chants of Mitchell carmot be given. Silas
Moore was perhaps the first merchant to
locate here and, in connection with his son,
the late Milton N. Moore, continued in
business for many years. Other early mer-
chants were John R Nugent, Robert Harn-
ard. Z. L. Warren. G. W. Dodson. J. T.
Biggs, George Webb and others. As the
amount of money in circulation, prior to
1860, was very small, a large percent of the
business transacted by the merchants was
by barter, very little money changing
hands. Farmers would bring in to ex-
change for goods such articles as butter,
eggs, wool, home-made Jeans cloth, woolen
socks and stockings knit by hand, dried
fruit, feathers and, last but not least, gin-
seng, which once grew in abundance in this
community and was always in demand
In 1870 the following persons and firms
were ens:aged in b siness here; drygoods
and groceries, Crim & Burton, Henry Clark.
Emsley Wood, Sheeks & Monroe, Moore &
Bro. ; Groceries, Allen Edwards & Henry
Mannington; Stationers, Anderson & Ham-
ilton; Boots and Shoes, Wood and Brother;
Milliners, Mrs. E. A. Brown, Mrs, Tanks-
ley, Mrs. Moffit, Mrs. Newby and Mrs.
Gresham; Tinware and Stoves, Hill &
Owen; Physicians, A. L Goodwin, M. D.
Grim, J. Trush, E. S. Mclntire, W. A.
Burton, J. B. Larkin. J. T. Biggs and Isom
Burton; Dentist, J. H. McPheeters; Under-
taker and Cabinet Maker, A. P Adams;
Harness Makers, Rice M. Brown and Wm.
M. Munson; Shoemakers, M. G. Keane,
Ghris Vossler, Fred Brown, Amzi Munson;
Lawyers, Wm. H. Edwards and Gharles G
Berry; Flour mill, D. Kelly & Co; Druggist.
G. W Dodson and Burton & Burton;
Hotel keepers, Jas. Richardson Sarah Day-
son and I. B. Falkner; Blacksmiths, Hugh
McNabb, Sam Cook, Dennis Coiemar,
John Lasweil, James Head and Kin Owen;
Butchers, Sant McNabb, Dave Ferguson
and Cole Smart. As we scan ths above
list we find but two names whose faces are
familiar to the people of Mitchell today,
W. H. Edwards and Isom Burton. Span-
ning a decade and a half a directory of
Mitchell in 1885 would show the following
named persons and firms doing business
here: Dry Goods, A. Wood & Co.; Jas. D
Moore, iVloore & McPheeters. Malott &
Glover; Groceries, Edwin Wood, Burton &
Malott, Jas. H, Brown. E. P. Eversole;
Drugs, W. A- Burton, Isom Burton, W. H.
Tapp, G. W. Dodson, J. T. Biggs; Hard-
ware, Gus Davis, Crawford & Son; Milli-
ners, Mrs. S. E. Newby, Mrs, Tanksley,
Mrs. Williams; Stoves and Tinware, Jos-
Dale; Grist Mill, David Kelly; Saw Mill,
Charley Lemon; Bank of Mitchell, Milton
N. and Wm. T. Moore; Sdddler and Har-
ness, Wm. M, Muneon, Rice M. Brown;
Stave Factory, Tilson Harlan; Editors-
Commercial, John V. Smith, Times, Chas.
L. Yockey; Marble Shop. Ed J. Salyards;
Book Store, Geo. Wood; Jewelers, S. F.
Martin, Chas. L, Barton; Lawyers Wm.
H. Edwards. Chas. G. B^rry; Physicians,
J. L. W. Yost, J. B. Larkin. G. W." Burton,
E. S. Mclntire, Jas. C Pearson, A. J. Mc-
Donald; Lumber Dealers, Viimedge Bros.;
Shoemakers. Lyman Beebe, Chris Vosler,
Amzi L. Munson; Ministers, Pastor cf Bap-
tist Church, Rev. Davis, Presbyterian,
Rev. iMcKee, Methodist R'^^v. Hutchinson.
For future reference the following busi-
ness directory July 10 IS* 1 6 is given;
Banks
The Bank of Mitchell
The First National
Hardware
H. H. Crawford
Bottorff — Sinimen Co
Clothing
Jacob Effron
Ceoil Murray
Furniture
VV. M. Shanks
J. M. Card well
J. VV. Howe
C. E^ Harrison
Dry Goods
Braraan's Dept Store
Harry Chappie
E. Sharashewsky
G. Miehael
Grocers
I.. B. Mather
A. R. Ewing & Sons
J. F. Mathews
Bramans
Wm. Morarity
Sarah Alvey
Ben Deitendorf
Holmes Brothei-s
Chappies
J. D. Sanders
W. F. Lagle
Chas, Coyle
L. A. Morgan
S P. Corn well
J. Hildehrand
Wni. Sutton
Druggists
VV. R. Richardson
Jesse Godwin
Carr & Jones
City Drug Store
Restaurants
Evans & Gordon
Lyman Ficklin
Deputy Restaurant
Josiah Be vers
Jewelers
N P. Martin
Harry Clements
Insurance
J. H. Landreth
E. P. Moore
T. J. Wood
Joe Keane
Dentists
J. B. Gamhrel
R. J. Seigmund
Novelty Stores
Claude Bryan
C. D. Nangle
Wir. . Mantler
T. J. Wood
Barbel's
John Clark
Fred Parrot
J as. Lcwery
Pruett Bros.
Allspaw & Hopper
Milliners
Garages
Miller & Alexander
Frank Ghastain
Mrs. K. B. Miseho
Earl Trabue
Mrs Joel White
Deiseher & Reed
Miscellaneous
Mrs. Hubbard
Mitchell Hardwood
Lumber Co.
Newspapers
The Commercial
The Tribune
Mite h e 1 1— Hostetler
Lumber (-o.
0. F. Thome, Flour,
Lawyers
Feed, etc.
•1. H. Edwards
Van Wray,
Giles & Doman
Meat Market
C. Faris
The Mitchell Tele-
Harold Kelley
phone Co.
Lehigh Portland Ce-
Physicians
ment Company
J. D. Bvrns
Heise Bro.-. Ice Plant
J. C. Kelly
Sherwood's Livery
W. 0. Sherwood
John Schamer, Har-
J. A. Gibbons
Geo. Gibbons
ness
Smith & Smith, Pho-
J. S. Atehinson
tographers
H. S. Scheibe, Tailor
Blacksmiths
Coal Dealers
A. D. Sanders
T. W. Welsh
Sam Gray
Doane & Routh
John Rodarmel
Joe K*^ane
Pool Rooms
J. F (^)llier
Hotels
Lynn Terrell
The N( w Putuam
Jacob Irwin
The New Grand
MITCHELL CHURCHES
The oldest building in Mitchell now
used for church services, is the little brick
building belonging to tne Colored Baptist
Chinch which was built in the year 1855
and is located near the cement mills. This
little structure was originally a school house
and used for that purpose for many years.
It was in this school house the first Sabbath
School in Mitchell was organized, which
was in the year 1859, This was organized
on a union basis. Silas Moore Vv^as the
superintendent and Ollie Owen the first
secretary. In the latter part of the same
year a denominational Sunday School was
organized by the Methodists. William
Meris was the first superintendent of this
school
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The oldest church organization is the
Presbyterian. The history of this church
begins with the organization of ihe Presby-
terian church in a little log school house a
mile and a half north of Mitchell, on the
24th of Jan. 1855 by Rev. John A. Tiffany
and Rev. John M, Bishop. Those who
took part in the organization and became
members of the new church were John L.
Dodson and wife, J. H, Crawford and wife,
G. W. Dodson, Elmira Braxtan, Agnes
Cook and Mary J. Pless. Mrs. Solomon
Bass was the ffrst to be received into the
church by examination and Baptism. Ser-
vices were held in the rude school house for
two or three years and a small frame
church building was started at Woodville
but was never finished. In 1839 the meet-
ing place of the church was changed to
Mitchell and during that year a frame
building was erected on the lot where the
present building stands. This building
was dedicated January 8, 1860. In 1870
this frame building was moved away and
a brick structure erected in its place. In
1875 a steeple was added to the building in
which a town clock was placed. The same
building of 1870 with alterations and im-
provements is still in use. The Presby-
terian Sunday School, while not large, is
fully as vigorous as any in Mitchell and
for several years maintained a rest station
in Korea for missionaries in foreign fields.
Rev J. M, Bisphop preached for the
church as a supply until May 11, 1864
when Rev. Thomas A. Steele, who had ac-
cepted a call, began his labors. Mr. Steele
served the church faithfully and earnestly
for fourteen years and was respected and
loved, not only by his own congregation
but by the people of the town and com-
munity at large. He is lovingly remem-
bered by many of the older people here.
Pastors of the church since then have been
Rev. Telle 1879 to 1882; Rev. McKee 1883
to 1884; J. H. Reed 1885 to 5887; W. E. B.
Harris 1887 to 1890; H. J. Van Dyne 1891
to 1896; William Hall 1896 to 1898; G. W.
Applegate 1898 to 1900; H. C. Johnson
1900 to 1904; E. O Sutherland 1905 to
1907; S. M. Morton 1907 to 1912; Rev.
A. F. Davis was called in 1912 and is still
pastor. Ou Jan. I, 1870 Silas Moore and
wife made the church a gift of $2,000. The
late Milton N. Moore also left, by his will,
a sum for the benefit of the church. This
bequest is to be kept intact, nothing but
the interest being expended.
METHODIST CHURCH
The Methodist Church of Mitchell was
organized in the spring of 1856 by Rev.
G. F. Culmer of the Orangeville circuit.
The church was organized at the fall con-
ference the same year. In a grove near
where the present church stands the first
quarterly meeting was held in 1856. In
1858 a frame building was erected, the
building now used b}^ the Church of Christ.
In 1874 the present building was completed
at a cost of $8,000. Of this sum Jacob
Finger contributed $2,000. On a slab in
the east wall of the chuich building may
be seen this inscription "Jacob Finger,
M, E. Church." Rev. Charles Cross and
Rev. W. S. Carter preached for the church
until 1858 when Rev. Francis Walker was
appointed by conference as pastor, followed
by J. M. O. Fling in 1860; A. J. Clark in
1861; J. W. Julian 1862; W. M. Zaring
1863, J Wharton 1865, I. N. Thompson
1866, W P. Armstrong 1868. Edward
Hamer 1870, John Poucher 1871, F. A.
Friedly 1873. W. R. Halstead 1876, J. H.
Ketcham 1879. M. S. Heavenridge 1880,
J. W. Asbury 1881, H. J. Barr 1882, F. A.
Hutchinson 1883, R. A. Kemp 1884, John
Speer 1885, S. W. Troyer, Geo. Reed, H. S.
Headen 1890. A. L Bennett 1895. W. M.
Zaring 1896, E. C. Jordon 1899, E, H.Tav-
!or 1S02. W. N. Gaither 1904. M S.
Heavenridge 1905, D. P Holt 1909. R. R.
Bryan 1911, W. R Ashby 1913, C. S
Whitted 1913. Mr. Whitted is the present
pastor.
Recently the interior of the church build-
ing has been redecorated and is one of the
prettiest church auditoriums in this part of
the state. The Sunday School is one of
the most prosperous in the city The work
of the church is ably supported by a capa
ble official board and a most efficient
Ladies' Aid Society.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
On the 30th day of January. 1854 the
iohowing named prrscns met in the old
Pre^byterian church building and organized
the Mitchell Baptist church: John Ed-
wards, Lucy Edwards. Alien C. Burton,
Adaline Burton, Rachael Pless. Mary Pless,
Thomas Giles, Adaline Giles, Maggie Giles,
Mary Giles, Matilda Dodeon. Ann M. Giles.
Mary Montonya, Simpson Bui ton, Carrie
Burton, Sar h Blackwell Hugh McNabb,
Sarah McNabb and Kate Owens.
A brick building, known as the Mitchell
Baptist Semi/iary. had previously been
erected. It was understood when this
building was erected that the Baptist church
should one be organized here, should have
the use of the second story for church pur-
poses. The newly organized church at
once took steps to fit this room for church
services, and soon after extended a call to
Rev. Wright Sanders, as pastor. Rev.
Sanders served four years, being followed
b' Rev. Albert Ogle in 1868, Rev. A J
E^sex in 1871. Rev. Noah Harper m 1876
Rev. W. L. Gtecne in 1879. Rev. G. C
Shirk m 1881. Rev, B. J. Davis in 1883,
Rev. A. C. Watkins in 1887. Rev. C. M
Carter m 1888. Rev D M. Christy in 1891
Rev. I A. Heily in 1892. Rev. J B Thomas
in 1894. Rev. J. M. Kimbrough in 18
Rev. E R. Clevenger in 1901, Rev. G. O.
Webster in 1905, Rev C L. Merriman in
1106, Rev. C. A Sigmon in 1S08. Rev. W.
E. Denham in 1911, Rev. C Bebb in 1912
Rev. and Creed W. Gawthrop in 19i3.
On the 15th day of December. 1901. the
old seminary and church building was de
stroyed by fire and very soon after, the
present structure, which is modern in every
detail, was erected. The new buildiug cost
about ten thousand dollars, to wnich has
been added improvements amounting to six
thousand dollars.
From its incipiency, except for short in-
tervals, the church has maintained all time
preaching and for more than fifty years has
kept alive a flourishing Sabbath School,
which now has an enrollment of more than
three hundred. The membership of the
church is four hundred and fifty,
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
In the month of May, 1906, the First
Christian Church, of Mitchell, was organ-
ized. For almost a year the congregation
met in a hall for worship. In 1907 the
church completed a building on the corner
of Frank and Eighth streets at a cost of six
thousand five hundred dollars Pastors of
the church have been: Rev. E. S. Lewis in
1906, Rev. I. Konkle in 1907, Rev. R. J.
Bennett in 1908, Rev. H. A. Wingard in
1910 Rev. E. E. Petticord in 1913 and
Rev, A. J. Cook, the present pastor.
The growth of the church has been al-
most phenomenal. Although but ten years
old it is one of the largest churches, in point
of number, in the city, and maintains a
Sabbath School with an average attendance
of more than three hundred.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Catholic church building here was
erected in 1871 The lot, upon which the
building stands, was donated by Col. John
Sheeks. Several years after the church
was built it was remodeled and enlarged
and a substantial rectory was built at a
cost of four thousand dollars. The church
property is nov/ worth ten thousand dollais.
The present priest in charge is Father Eise-
man
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
On the 24th day of January, 1874, about
fifteen persons met in Amos Adam's furni-
ture store and with the assistance of Rev.
William B. Chrisler, of Bedford, organized
the Church of Christ. In November of the
same year the chuich purchased the old
Methodist church building on east Main
street. Since purchasing the building it
has been remodeled and refurnished. The
church was organized with but fifteen
members, but now has a membership of
more than a hundred and is wide awake to
its opportunities.
LEHIGH CHAPEL
The Lehigh Chapel church building is
located in east Mitchell, near the cement
mills. The erection of this building is due
to the generous and philanthropic people
of the Lehigh Portland Cement Company.
The Salvation Army has its headquarters
at this building and hold regular services
there. Much good has been accomplished
in Mitchell by this organization.
THE HOLINESS CHURCH
The Holiness Church is located on the
corner of Fourth and Frank streets. These
people have a substantial frame building
and a large membership. The church is
said to be in a flourishing condition
COLORED BAPTIST CHURCH
Sometime in 1866, through the influence
of Rev. Simpson Burton, a church of the
Baptist denomination was organized here
composed of colored people These people
have, for many years owned their own
house of worship, which is the old brick
school house on east Main street.
COLORED METHODIST CHURCH
The colored Methodist people also have
a church organization here and own a brick
building on Warren street.
Both colored churches maintain Sabbath
Schools. The first sabbath school com-
posed of colored people, in Lawrence county
was organized by D. M. Alter and his
daughter Maggie, in the brick building now
owned by the colored Baptist people.
SCHOOL?
In the fall of 1859 Simpson Burton re
alizing the need of better educational fac-
ilities in Mitchell and surrounding com-
munity organized a private school in a
dwelling house on the corner of Main and
9th street. He had for his assistant Miss
Mary Montonya who taught the primary
department. In the spring of 1860 Prof.
Burton with others began organizing a stock
company to erect a building to be known
as the Mitchell Baptist Seminary The
first meeting for this purpose was held in
the old Freedom Church. Steps were taken
at this meeting to raise funds to erect a
substantial brick building which was finished
in the fall of 1860. This building was de-
stroyed by fire in 1902. Many were the
heart aches when it was learned that the
old Seminary had been destroyed.
The first session of school in the Sem-
inary building began in October 1860 Vv'ith
Simpson Burton as principal, assisted by
Carrie Graves and Mary Montonya Prof.
J. K. Howard was afterward added to the
faculty and for several years the school was
conducted by and flourished under the
direction of Burton and Howard Per-
haps no school in the state did better and
more thorough work than did the old Semi-
nary. The war of the rebellion together
with the public free school system caused
the attendance to decrease and in 1868
Burton and Howard gave up the school.
Two sessions were taught during the fol-
lowing year by Prof C. L. Donaldson It
is eminently proper in connection with the
history of this school to say that too much
credit cannot be given to Simpson Burton,
No history of this community could be
properly written without giving a large
place to the life and work of this noble man
In thinking of the educational history of
Mitchell and community in the memory
of those who arc no longer young, he stands
out alone and apart from all others as a
beuefactor and leader of the community in
an educational way. In zeal and devotion
to high ideals inspiring others to make the
most of themselves he was unsurpassed.
His career was a short on?, dying at the
age of thirty-nine, but as a benefactor in
the town to this da}^ pre-eminent and un
challenged. He had worked his way by
reason of great persistency and self sacrifice
through Franklin College, graduating from
that institution in I860. Returning home
he became profoundly impressed with the
need of better educational facilities for the
young people Oi the town and cornmunity.
The common schools with short terms and
limited courses of study and poorly pre-
pared teachers afforded the only opportun-
ity of education here at that time. The
high school had not come into existence.
He conceived the idea of establishing at
Mitchell a school for higher learning. In
the interest of his undertaking he canvass-
ed the entire community. Everyone had
great confidence in him as a man. His
zeal, his unselhsh devotion to a good cause,
his untiring energy, his high ideals pro-
foundly impressed every one with whom he
came in contact. He went mto the homes
and talked to parents and children and in-
spired them to cultivate higher ideals of
living. As a teacher he was eminently
successful and will ever be tenderly remem-
bered by his many pupils. And to this it
should be added that theie are many that
are nearing tne close of their earthiv career
who will say that whatever success has
come to them sn this life they are greatly
indebted to the teacher of their youth.
Were I asked the question, "Wiiat man h.^s
performed the greatest service in this com-
munity", the answer would be, without a
moment's hesit tion, "Simpson Burton."
In the spring of 1865 a school was organ-
ized by the Prr.-bylerian Church congre-
gation aud was called the "Mitchell Select
School." A bUiaW frame building was
erected on the back of the lot where the
Presbyterian Church now sta:id«. The
teachers for the first year were Miss Anna
Balantine and Miss Mary Alter (Barton )
Subsequent teachers were Miss Maria
Sheely, Miss Mattie Brown and Mrs.
Plumer
S I. NORMAL
Mitchell lost its most valuable asset
when the Sjuthern Indiana Normal College
buildi g was destroyed in August 1900. An
effort was made to laise funds to rebuild
and $14,000 were in sight, but the m.atter
was there dropped.
Students cams from many states to at-
tend the Normal, and the entire commun-
ity was raised to a much higher moral and
intellectual plane than it has since occupied.
There is still a great demand and a rips
field for a similar institution in this part of
Indiana.
The first building stood oii Nineth street
between Main and Warren, and three cot-
tages were made from this old frame build-
ing. The new building, a substantial brick,
occupied the present site of the south side
school building
Prof. W. F. Harper, now of Pomona,
Cal , contributes tlie following. He was
the first President of the College:
"The institution \v,-is rst:in!isliHi] April 6, 18S0,
lUii] was (Inly in('()fi)(M-Mte(! on June Ttli of tti.-it
year. J.N. Sell)y wastlie moving- spii'it in the
esra,Mislinu-ut of the in^tilulion .Mr. St-lhy re
mail eil hut a lirief I iii;(^ hownvef. and when the
iii.'<tituti')u was ineorpmated I was eleeted as its
president. Dr 11 L. Kuiiherlin was pres.(h-ar of
the Boaid of Tiaisiees. Dr. -i L W^ Yo.>t, viee
president; .1. Y Bates, treasurer; Dr. (I W.
Burton, secretary. IV'ilton N. Moore, at that time
the leading merchant of Mitchell, was the largest
contributor toward the ei-ection of the building.
Indeed, except for Mr. Moore's libei-alitj-, it could
not have been erected. W. G. Anderson, who at
that time was conducting a wholesale book and
stationery business, was one of the chief boosters.
Allen C. Burton, James D. Moore, M. A. Burton,
Anslem Wood and E. P. Eversole wei-e members
of the first Board of Trustees. These were all
devoted and faithful supporters of the new insti-
tution.
Many men of prominence in Southern Indiana
were our friends from the beginning. I ncnll
especially. Professors eT. M. Bloss, of Evansville;
L'ichard Owen, of New Harmony: J. A. Wood, of
Salem; J. W. 0. Springston. of Leavenworth; and
R. A. Ogg, of New Albany. Most of these were
superintendents of selu ols in their respective
towns and cities. Judges W. R. Gai-d:er, of
Washington; E. V. Pierson, Bedford; Hon. A.
Guthrie, Tunnelton ; Col. Louis Brooks, Shoals,
and many others. There were some choice people
in the first faculty. Prof. W. E. Lugenbeel was
our professor of mathematics and natural science.
He was one of the most thorough instructors I
have ever known and a man of very high ideals.
FIRST GRADED SCHOOLS
Previous to the year 1869 the only pub-
lic schools in Mitchell were the schools held
in a little brick building in east Mitchell
and a small frame building situated at the
corner of Ninth and Warren streets. As
both of these were township district schools
the length of the terms t ught were very
short. In 1869 a board of education was
appointed and steps taken to organize a
graded school for the town A substantial
frame building was erected on the lot where
the little frame school house stood for so
many years and in October 1869 the fir^-^t
session of the graded school began. This
gave Mitchell the honor of being one of the
first towns in the state to adopt the graded
school s\ stem The first superintendent
was Prof. McLaulin. The school has been
ably conducted from its beginning. In
1881 it was admitted as a standard high
school, its graduates being admitted with-
out examination to all colleges and univer-
sities of Indiana Ohio, Illinois and Ken-
tucky. The first to graduate from the
school was Mrs. Ella Munson Bennett who
graduated in 1876 The graduates last
year numbered fifteen. The total number
of graduates since the school was organized
is three hundred and forty nine. The city
now has three substantial brick school
buildings. Eight teachers are employed
giving instruction in high school work, sup-
plemented by an able corps of teachers in
the grades. More than one hundred fifty
pupils will be enrolled the coming year in
the high school alone. Prof. Robt Tirey
is the present superintendent The city
also maintains a school for colored children.
NEWSPAPERS
The newspaper, next to the school and
church, has always been a potent factor in
advancing the best interest of the town and
community. The first newspaper estab-
lished in Mitchell was in 1863 and called
the Mitchell Republican. J. M. Griffin
was editor, propiietor and printer. The
life of this paper was only six months.
Sometime during the next year the Mitch-
ell Commercial was established by Wood-
ard & Rumrill. A year later these gentle-
men sold out to Professors B'.irton, Howard,
and King who conducted the paper a little
over a year when Charles G. Berry took
charge and was its editor for several years.
Subsequent editors have been E. S, Mc-
Intire, W H. Edwards, W. T. Moore. Geo.
Z. Wood, J. V. Smith, E. L. Lee, Hane &
Thurston, McShane & Thurston, Wool-
heater & Chitty, and Howard Chitty, who
is the present editor and proprietor. The
Commercial will soon celebrate its fiftieth
birthday and is the oldest newspaper in
southern Indiana. In 1876 a paper was
established here by Charles Yockey and
J T. Biegs called the Mitchell Times. Dr.
Biggs later conducted the paper alone, as
editor and proprietor but in 1884 sold out
to Charles Yockey who conducted it uutil
failing health compelled him to give it up.
July 11 , 1899 the first number of the Trib-
une madr; its appearance, Moore and Tank-
sley as proprietors. W. T. Moore was
editor and T. J. Tanksley did all the work
except the writing. The paper was first
printed on a Washington hand press in the
room now occupied by Will Morarity on
Main street, Moore and Tanksley retired
and the paper was owned and edited by
T. J. Wright Later it was owned by
Sam Thurston and P, M. McBride. For a
time A. N. Palmer was associated with Mc-
Bride as editor. Following this P. M. Mc-
Bride owned and published the Tribune
until August 1907. Since which time it
has been ed'ted and published by W. E.
Stipp.
INDUSTRIES
Mitchell is justly proud of its factories
and especially the great lime and cement
plants located here. The manufacture and
use of cement in this part of the country is
of comparatively recent date. Until recent
years the Amerieaa Portland Cement in-
dustry was confined to a small locality
known as the Lehigh Cement District in
eastern Pennsylvania named after the
Lehigh Valley in which district the natural
cement rock of the eastern United States
was first developed. As cement is a heavy,
bulky commodity it does not bear distant
railroad transportation except at prices al-
most prohibiting its general use. So that
it was to the mutual interest of both manu-
facturer and consumer that raw material be
located and developed in the manufacture
of cement as near a center of distribution
and consumption as Vv^ould eliminate as far
as possible the high freight cost of this use-
ful article. Recognizing this fact the Le-
high Portland Cement Company began to
prospect in many localities for suitable raw
materials and through the active efforts of
Noble L. Moore and John H. Edwards,
were attracted by the enormous beds of
limestone near Mitchell and the extensive
beds of shale near here. An investigation
followed which i-esuUed in locating their
first western mill at Mitchell in 1901.
They commenced the manufacture of
cement at this mill which has a capacity of
two thousand barrels per day, in August
1902. The use of cement increased enorm-
ously and to supply this increasing demand
the same company built a second plant
here in [905. This plant has a capacity of
four thousand barrels per day. The daily
product of the two plants is over six thou"
and barrels which makes this one of the
most important cement producing centers
west of the Alleghanies. The amount of
limestone and shale used in the manufact-
ure of this cement is about 80/^ limestone
and 20/r shale. This mixture requires a
thorough grinding to a high degree of fine-
ness, previous to burning. This and other
processes necessary in rhe manufacture of
cement call for the heaviest crushing and
grinding machinery and a very large ex-
penditure of power and labor. The amount
of coal used at the plants here approximates
sixteen thousand tons per month while the
amount of limestone and shale used is more
than two thousand tons per day. The
operation of the mills and quarries gives
employment to six hundred or seven hund-
red m^n at a monthly pay roll of over forty
thousand dollars. The manufactured pro-
duct requires the best railroad equipment
for shipping and with an average of one
hundred and seventy-five barrels to a car-
load the daily requirements are thirty or
forty first-class box cars During the busy
season of the year the shipments often
amount to as much as twelve thousand
barrels per day. Nearly every city, town
and hamlet in the states of Indiana, Illinois,
Ohio, Kentucky, southern Michigan and
southern Wisconsin are familiar with cement
made at Mitchell.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
These Sketches of Local History be-
gan when this community was an un-
broken wilderness, and with Mitchell
when it was practically a forest. Long
years have sped away. The unbroken
wilderness has been transformed into
beautiful fields, orchards and gardens,
and where a little over a half century
ago was a dense forest we now have a
thriving and beautiful city. On al-
most the very spot where less than a
century ago nothing could be seen but
the thin wreaths of smoke which as-
cending, marked the spot where the
pioneer had built his cabin, now huge
volumes of smoke from our great
manufacturing plants almost obscure
the sun, while the ceaseless roar of
tireless machinery proclaims to us the
Empire of Mechanical Genius,
When the history of the community,
as I attempted to give it, began, the
hiss of the rattlesnake, the howling of
wolf, and the scream of the panther
could be heard, where now patriotic
songs of Sunday school bands can be
heard which speak to us of Christian
civilization. The little cabin which
was the home of our forefather no
longer exists The httle field and
truck patch which gave him a scanty
supply of bread and vegetables have
been swallowed up in the extended
meadow, orchard and grain field.
We must remember that these great
changes have not taken place in a
moment's time; not by the magic
hand, but by the patient toil of brave
and sturdy men and women. It was
these noble men and women who
swept away the forest and laid so well
the foundation for the comforts and
civilization we now enjoy.
In giving these sketches to the read-
ers of the Tribune it is my sincere
hope that they have derived as much
pleasure from reading as I have in
writing them. One pleasure, at least,
results from studying the past history
of a community which has made as
many changes as ours has; it lengthens
the retrospect of lives With me I am
sure it has had that effect, and did not
the definite number of my years teach
me to the contrary would think myself
much older than I am. The experien-
ce of those who have been reared in
large cities or old settled communities,
where from year to year the same un-
changing aspect of things presents it-
self, is said to be quite different. There
life passes away as an illusion or dream
not having been presented with any
striking events or changes to mark its
different periods and give them an
imaginary distance from each other.
With them life ends with a bitter com
plaint of its shortness. Could one have
witnessed all the changes in our com-
munity and city that I have described
from time to time they would have
been gradual and scarcely preceptible.
But the view from one extreme to the
other is like the experience of crossing
one of the great lakes, Vv^ith the Cana-
dian wilds upon one shore and the civ-
ilization and enlightenment of our own
country upon the other. To those of
us who have spent our lives here, as
we look back over the history of the
community and realize that not one of
the early pioneers is now living, we
cannot avoid the most serious reflect-
ious. We cannot fail to be reminded
of an ancient Greek General who,
when he saw from a high hill, the
plains covered with his soldiers and the
sea with his ships he, in the pride of
his heart, pronounced himself the most
favored of all mortals. But reflecting
that in a few short years to come not
one of the many thousands he then be-
held would be alive, he burst into
tears at the brevity of human hfe and
the instabiHty of all human things.
If in reading these sketches there has
been created in the minds of the
readers a local veneration and respect
for the memory of the pioneers, who
by toil and hardship, have made our
country what it is today, then the
writing has not been in vain.
There is a tendency on the part of
some to depreciate our own city and
surroundings There should be in-
stilled in the minds of the boys and
girls in our schools a love and pride
for Mitchell and surrounding commun-
ity and a desire to know more of
their history and tradition. They
should be taught that our city can be
made as beautiful, our orchards as
productive, our fields as fertile and
our people as talented as are to be
found anywhere. To cherish the past
should be our pleasure, to improve the
present our aim, and to anticipate
more glorious changes in the future
our brightest hope.
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