THE INDIANA QUARTERLY
MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
VOLUME II
1906
GEO. S. COTTMAN
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
INDIANAPOLIS
by the late Ig-natius Brown.
THE INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Vol. II MARCH, 1906 No. 1
THE OLD INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA
BY CHARLES B. LASSELLE
[This account of the early traders of Indiana was written nearly fifty
years ago by Charles B. Lasselle, of Log-ansport, now eighty-five years
old. He is of a French family of traders that has been identified with the
Wabash valley for more than one hundred and twenty-five years, and has
himself been a life-long student of the earlier history of the valley and a
collectpr of documents bearing upon the same; hence he speaks as an au-
thority upon this all-but-forgotten early trade. — Editor.']
OF the early pioneers of our State, there is no class whose his-
tory, if known, would be more interesting- than that of the
old Indian traders. Par in advance of the prog-ress, chang-es and
improvements of civilization, they beheld our country in all the
wildness, g-randeur and solitude in which the God of nature
placed it; and they comming-led freely and familiarly with the
aborig-inal owners who have forever disappeared from its face.
In point of time, they were among- the first, if not themselves
the first, of the explorers of the country, and are known to have
visited and traded with the Indians within our borders about a
centur}' previous to our Revolutionary War. They have alwaj^s
occupied a prominent position in the early historical events of
the country, as a controlling- medium in the relations betv/een
the whites and Indians. But althoug-h — whether French,
Eng-lish or Americans — they have g-enerally been men of educa-
tion and g-eneral intellig-ence, yet such have been the peculiar
nature and vicissitudes of their calling, that they have left us
very few records of their experience.
The earliest traders were French, and came mostly from Mont-
real, in Canada. From this place they transported their mer-
chandise up the St. Lawrence and across the shores of the Lakes,
to their posts in the West, by means of the simple canoe. At
first, and before the introduction of horses, the difficulties of
passing- Niag-ara Falls and the portage between the head waters
THE INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Vol. II MARCH, 1906 No. 1
THE OLD INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA
BY CHARLES B. LASSELLE
[This account of the early traders of Indiana was written nearly fifty
years ag-o by Charles B. Lasselle, of Log-ansport, now eig-hty-five years
old. He is of a French family of traders that has been identified with the
Wabash valley for more than one hundred and twenty-five years, and has
himself been a life-long- student of the earlier history of the valley and a
collectpr of documents bearing- upon the same; hence he speaks as an au-
thority upon this all-but-forgotten early trade. — Editor.']
OF the early pioneers of our State, there is no class whose his-
tory, if known, would be more interesting- than that of the
old Indian traders. Far in advance of the prog-ress, chang-es and
improvements of civilization, they beheld our country in all the
wildness, g-randeur and solitude in which the God of nature
placed it; and they comming-led freely and familiarly with the
aborig-inal owners who have forever disappeared from its face.
In point of time, they were among- the first, if not themselves
the first, of the explorers of the country, and are known to have
visited and traded with the Indians within our borders about a
century previous to our Revolutionary War. They have always
occupied a prominent position in the early historical events of
the country, as a controlling- medium in the relations betv/een
the whites and Indians. But althoug-h — whether French,
Eng-lish or Americans — they have g-enerally been men of educa-
tion and g-eneral intellig-ence, yet such have been the peculiar
nature and vicissitudes of their calling-, that they have left us
very few records of their experience.
The earliest traders were French, and came mostly from Mont-
real, in Canada. From this place they transported their mer-
chandise up the St. Lawrence and across the shores of the Lakes,
to their posts in the West, by means of the simple canoe. At
first, and before the introduction of horses, the difiiculties of
passing- Niag-ara Falls and the portage between the head waters
2 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
of the streams running- into the Lakes and the Mississippi were
surmounted by carrying- the canoes and merchandise by means of
the men employed in the voyag-e. The Normandy horse, whose
descendents have long- been known as the Canadian and Indian
ponies, having- been introduced into Canada, was afterwards, and
probably about 1720, brought to the West, and made to serve as
pack-horses for all land transportation. And such were the
principal modes of transportation in the West, at least in Indiana,
from about 1680 to about 1812. The Canadian cart, samples of
which are yet to be seen about the old French settlements, had
indeed been used about the villag-es in the early day; but there
being- no roads of any leng-th, other than the narrow Indian
trail, they could not be used for distant transportation.
We can scarcely realize, at this day, the extent to which the
Indian trade was carried on, both in the amount of g-oods sold,
and the furs and the peltries received in exchang-e. When the
country was first visited by the traders, the animals affording-
these commodities were found in g-reat abundance. The Buffalo
rang-ed in larg-e numbers over the prairies of Illinois and those
of our own State bordering- on the Wabash, as well as in the
forests in the vicinity of the salt spring-s. The Beaver, the re-
mains of whose dams are yet to be found in many parts of the
State, especially in the northern portion, was to be found in
many of the northern streams. The Bear, Elk, Deer, Panther,
Otter, Wolf, Wildcat, Fox and Raccoon, were also to be found
in considerable numbers in various portions of the State. The
Indians not having- any weapons with which to take these ani-
mals but the simple stone-headed arrow, nor any clothing- but
the rude elk or deer skin, the introduction of the g-un and mer-
chandise by the traders, soon afforded both parties a rich har-
vest. And althoug-h the amount of furs produced was after-
wards very much diminished by the destruction of g-ame, yet it
still continued larg-e for a long- time; and the trade yet yielded
the traders larg-e g-ains so late as about the year 1838, when the
principal body of the Pottawattamie tribe of Indians emig-rated
west of the Mississippi.
It is perhaps impossible to state, at this distance of time, who
was the first trader within the limits of our State, or when or
where he traded. It is quite probable, however, that the northern
INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA 3
portion was traversed by some of their clerks, called ^'couriers
des bois'^ (woods rang-ers, ) between the years 1660-70; and it
is certain that some of La Salle's men traded in the vicinity of
the St. Joseph of Lake Michig-an, in the year 1680. But the
first of whom we have any definite account was the Sieur
Juchereau, Lieutenant General of Montreal, who, we are told,
established a trading- post "on the Wabash," in the name of a
company, for the collection of buffalo skins. There has indeed
been some doubt as to the locality of this spot; but, coinciding-
with Judg-e Law in his address to the Vincennes Historical
Society, 1839, for the reasons therein g-iven, together with
others, and especially the coincidence of its date of settlement
with that of Vincennes, as g-iven by its ancient inhabitants,*
the writer deems it conclusive that the town of^ymcennes is the
site of this trading- post. ^^ «r' sJ^OO
The Sieur Juchereau arrived at this spot, at the head of thir-
ty-four Canadians, on the 28th of October, 1702, for the purpose,
as mentioned, of trafficking- for buffalo skins, and such was his
success in the trade that in a little over two years afterwards
there were collected at the post, at one time, upwards of thir-
teen thousand of those skins. t How many had been collected in
the meantime and shipped off, is unknown. The establishment,
however, soon met with disasters. Juchereau died ; and, al-
thoug-h he was succeeded by another, a Mr. Lambert, yet the
hostilities of the Indians forced them to abandon it as a trading-
post, and Lambert with forty men descended to Mobile — then the
headquarters of Louisiana — in the winter of 1705. The above
mentioned number of skins having- been left at that post, they
were neg-lected by the ag-ents of that company, and were event-
ually lost. I
For a long- while after Juchereau's settlement at Vincennes,
we have no particular account of any other; althoug-h there
must have been traders soon afterwards — at least by 1721
— at the villag-e of St. Joseph,! Ke-ki-ong--a, We-ah-ta-non
and Vincennes; as the three former places were well known to
♦Dillon's Historical Notes, p. 100.
tCortainly a very interesting statement, in view of our meager knowledge of the buffalo
in Indiana.— ^di^or.
tLa Harpa's Historical Journal, pp. 7.5, 88-89.
§Near the present town of South Bend.
4 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
the early French writers,* and the latter had also become a mili-
tary post in 1716. t
Of those who traded at the above named and other points,
from Juchereau's time until the date of Governor Harrison's list
of 1801-2, the following- only are known to the writer: —
At ViNCENNES, Antoine Drouet de Richardville traded previ-
ous to the year 1764; but how long- before is unknown. He had
also traded, many years before, at Kaskaskia; and a promissory
note, in the possession of the writer, which was g-iven to him in
the manner of those times, mig-ht be produced here as an ancient
writing-, and as the earliest specimen of the commercial paper of
of the West, known, it is believed, to the public. It reads thus:
"I, the undersig-ned, under my ordinary mark, owe to Sir
de Drouet Richardville the sum of thirteen livres in beaver or
other peltries, which I promise to pay in the course of the year
seventeen hundred and thirty-nine. At Kaskaskia, April 21,
1738. his
Witness: Dela X Vigoiek.
M. P. Beaubien." mark.
John Bt. Bosseron traded at the same place (Vincennes)
about 1760 to 1780; Francis Bosseron and Ambrose Dag-enet
from about 1775 to about 1790, and John M. P. Leg-ralle,
Adhemer St. Martin and Lawrence Bazadone, at times embraced
in the latter periods. Two of these traders. Major Francis
Bosseron and Col. J. M. P. Leg-ralle (usually spelled Legras),
also took a prominent part in the Revolutionary scenes about
Vincennes in 1778-9, and rendered very valuable services in the
American cause. There was a Piankashaw villag-e adjoining-
this place, but the trade also extended to other tribes.
At Ke-ki-ong-a, ;{: Joseph Drouet de Richardville, the father
of the late Chief of the tribe, traded from about 1750 to about
1770; Peter F. La Fontain traded from about 1775 to
1795; John Beaubien traded during- the same period; James
Lasselle traded from 1776 to 1780. This individual having- been
an officer in the Canadian militia, was appointed to the superin-
tendency of this "post" as an ag-ent of Indian affairs, and re-
*Charlovoix, p. 189.
fLa Harpe, p. 1"23.
tWhere Ft. Wayne stands
INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA 5
sided here with his family; but he was forced to abandon it pre-
cipitately on La Balme's expedition in the fall of 1780. David
Gray, as one of a company, also traded here about the year 1786.
At We-ah-TA-non, Francis, Peter and Nicholas Berthelet,
three brothers, traded from about 1776 to 1780. A Mr. Piett
also traded here at an early period, but the precise time is un-
known. This place is said to have been a very early trading-
point, and Captain Crog-han, who visited it in 1765, says of it in
his journal, that "the g-reat plenty of furs taken in this country,
induced the French to establish this post, which was the first on
the Wabash; and by a very advantageous trade, they have been
richly recompensed for their labor."
At Ke-na-pe-ka-me-kong-a, or Eel River town, an old Miami
villag-e on Eel River, about six miles above the present town of
Logansport, there were also traders at an early period. But the
only one now known was James Godfrey (father of the late
War Chief of the tribe), who traded from about 1775 to 1791,
when the village was destroyed by General Wilkinson.
Besides those above mentioned there were many other traders
at these and other places, and at other periods of time; but per-
haps the above meager list is all that can now be furnished of the
individuals.
TRADERS LICENSED BY GOVERNOR HARRISON.
I have in my possession a list of Indian traders that were
licensed by Governor Harrison in 1801-2. The original docu-
ment is in the handwriting of John Rice Jones, who acted as
amanuensis for John Gibson, then Secretary of the Territory.
Nearly all in this list had traded with the Indians previous to
this date and continued to do so afterwards. They are as fol-
lows, as given in the orig-inal:
Licenses granted by the Governor to Indian traders:
1801— November — . One to Todd to trade with the
Dela wares on Blue River, where the road to Louisville crosses
that river, (Note 1).
20th. One to Ambrose Dagenet to trade with the Miami na-
tion at their town of Terrehaute, (2).
26th. One to L'Espagnol to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Packang-ahelis, (3).
6 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
27th. One to Henry Mayrans to trade with the Miami nation
at their town of Terrehaute.
27th. One to Le Claire to trade with the Kickapoo na-
tion of Indians at their town, (4).
27th. One to Francis Bonins to trade with the Potawatimie
nation at their town of Quinquiqui, (5).
27th. One to Thos. Lusby to trade with the Kikapoes at
their town.
27th. One to Jno. Bt. Petrimean to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Mississippi, (6).
27th. One to Francis Lafantazie to trade with the Potawat-
imie nation at their town of Chipaille, (7).
28th. One to William Morrison to trade with the Indians in
the neig-hborhood of Kaskaskia, (8).
30th. One to Etienne Bisayon to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Telipockshy, (9).
30th. One to Antoine Lasselle to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Nantico, (10).
30th. One to Antoine Lasselle to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Grand Marias, (iO).
30th. One to Louis Boure to trade with the Potawatimie
nation at their town of Coeur de Serf, (11).
30th. One to Hyacinth Lasselle to trade with the Miami
nation at their town of Massissinoui, (12).
30th. One to Baptiste Boismier to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Chatag-nier, (13).
30th. One to Benoit Besayon to trade with the Potawatimie
nation at their town of Kel Creek, (14).
30th. One to John and William Conner to trade with the
Delaware nation at their town of Petchepencues, (15).
30th. One to John and William Conner to trade with the
Delaware nation at their town of Buckengelaus, (15).
December 4th. One to Baptiste Bino to trade with the Pota-
watimie nation at their town of Tippiconou, (16).
4th. One to Baptiste Toupin to trade with the Kikapoe
nation at their town.
4th. One to Francis Meilleur to trade with the Kikapoe
nation at their town of Vermillion.
5th. One to Charles Johnson to trade with the Miami nation
at their town of Terrehaute.
INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA 7
8th. One to Peter Thorn to trade with the Delaware nation
at their town on the Ohio river, opposite the town of Henderson,
in the State of Kentucky,
12th. One to Frederick Fisher to trade with the Delaware
nation at their town of Buckeng-elis.
12th. One to Frederick Fisher to trade with the Shawnee
nation at their Old Town, (17).
12th. One to Samuel Harrison to trade with the Cherokee
nation at their town of Massac, (18).
12th. One to Michael Brouillet to trade with the Miami
nation at their town of Renaud, (19).
12th. One to Louis Severs to trade with the Miami nation
at their town of Little Wabash, (20).
12th. One with Jos. Dumay to trade with the Delaware na-
tion at their town of White River Ferry.
15th. One to Germain Charbonneau to trade with the Miami
nation at their town of Chipaille.
15th. One to Jannet Fillet to trade with the Delaware nation
at their town of White River.
i802 — January 7th. One to Joseph Numonville to trade with
the Ottowa nation at their town of Machekig-on, (21).
7th. One to Joseph Bailey, to trade with the Ottowa nation
at their town on the Grand River, (22).
7th. One to Joseph Pirig-aure, to trade with the Potawatimie
nation at their town of Kiakiki, (23).
7th. One to Joseph Machard, to trade with the Potawatimie
nation at their town of Kiakiki, (24).
7th. One to Joseph Ricard, to trade with the Ottowa nation
at their town of Grand River, (24).
7th. One to Ktienne Lamorandiere to trade with the Pota-
watimie nation at their town Kickalimazo, (24).
7th. One to Peter Prejan, to trade with the Potawatimie and
Ottowa nations at their town on the River St. Joseph, (25).
7th. One to John Griffin to trade with the Potawatimie na-
tion at their town of Kiakiki, (25).
The above list comprises the most of those who traded within
the present limits of the State, for some years previous to its ter-
ritorial date and until the commencement of hostilities in 1811; al-
thoug-h there were some others afterwards licensed by Governor
8 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Harrison and b}^ the Superintendent of Indian Affairs at Detroit.
The war of course put a stop to the trade during- its continuance;
but on its close in 1815, it was resumed — g-enerally bj new traders
— to a much less extent. The old traders, as before remarked,
having- with great unanimity taken up arms for the protection
of the frontiers ag-ainst the Indians, the survivors had too
much lost the confidence of the Indians to make it pleasant or
profitable to resume the business.
At Fort Harrison it was resumed in 1815, mostly with the Del-
awares, Pottawattamies, Shawnees and Kickapoos, and was con-
tinued at that point until about 1820. The principal traders here
at that period were Pierre La Plante, Etienne Bisayon, Wal-
lace, Anthony Lafons, Gilbert, Rollon and Michael
Brouillet. About this period the Shawnees, Kickapoos and Del-
awares removed from the limits of the State, except a few of the
latter near the eastern boundary, leaving- only the Pottawattamies
and Miamis, with whom the trade was continued in the north-
ern portion of the State — the former mostly inhabiting- the coun-
try on the Tippecanoe, the Kankakee and the St. Joseph rivers;
the latter that on the Wabash, Kel, the little St. Joseph and the
the St. Mary rivers.
John B. Richardville, the late Chief of the Miamis, traded
with that tribe, at Fort Wayne, from about 1815 to 1836.
David Conner traded mostly with the same tribe, at the villag-e
on the Mississinnewa, from about 1815 to 1846.
Alexis Coquillard and John E. Swartz traded with the Miamis
and Pottawattamies, on the Little St. Joseph, about forty miles
from Ft. Wayne, from 1817 to 1821.
Coquillard and Francis Comparet traded — the former at South
Bend with the Pottawattamies; the latter at Ft. Wayne with the
Miamis— from 1821 to 1835.
John B. Duret, as ag-ent of the American Fur Company, trad-
ed, mostly with the Pottawattamies, at a spot on the southern
bank of the Wabash, a short distance above the mouth of Rock
Creek, in Carroll county, from 1820 to 1823.
Georg-e Cicott traded with the Pottaw^attamies, at a villag-e of
that tribe on the north bank of the Wabash, nearly opposite the
last named place, from 1820 to 1823, and then till 1827 on his re-
serve near Georg-etown.
INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA 9
Edward McCartney traded with both tribes, on the north and
south banks of the Wabash, about a mile below the present
town of Log-ansport, from about 1820 to 1828.
Hollister and Hunt traded, mostly with the Miamis, at Ft.
Wayne, from about 1820 to 1828.
John B. Godfrey and James Peltier traded at the same place,
during- about the same period, as the last named.
William G. and Georg-e W. Ewing-, brothers, traded at the
same place, from 1822 to 1828, and continued the trade after-
wards — the former at Fort Wayne till 1845, and the latter at
Log-ansport till 1838.
John D. Doure traded at Fort Wayne from 1822 to 1838.
Barnet and Hanna traded at the same place from 1824 to 1828.
Hanna and Hamilton traded at the same place from 1825 to
1830.
John B. Jutrace traded with the Pottawattamies at a spot about
three miles southwardly of the present town of Plymouth, from
about 1825 to about 1835.
David Burr traded, mostly with the Miamis, at the site of the
present town of Wabash, from 1826 to 1839.
John McGregor, with the same tribe, at Miamisport, near the
present town of Peru, from 1827 to 1834.
Jesse Vermilya, with the same tribe, at the river Aboite, in
Allen county, from 1827 to 1844.
Hug-h B. McKeen, with both tribes, at the present town of Lo-
g-ansport, from 1827 to 1828.
Antoine Gamelin and Richard Chabert, mostly with the Pot-
tawattamies, about a mile below the same place, on the north
bank of the Wabash, during- about the same period.
Joseph Barron, mostly with the same tribe, a short distance
below Log-ansport, from 1827 to 1838. This trader had com-
menced life among- the Indians on the Wabash, mostly as a clerk
for the traders at an early day, and acted as an able interpreter for
the Government for a period of more than forty years. He was
one of the interpreters at the celebrated council at Vincennes,
in 1810, between Tecumseh and Governor Harrison, and is said
to have contributed much to their reconciliation by correctly
g-iving- the lang-uage of Tecumseh, which had been misinter-
preted by another. His biog-raphy alone, if fully written, would
10 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
furnish a very interesting- chapter in the history of the country,
as would indeed many of those already named; but a brief ref-
erence, only, can be made of them in this short sketch.
Chauncy Carter traded with both tribes at Log-ansport from
1828 to 1830.
Francis D. Lasselle traded Vv^ith the Miamis on White River,
and at Ft. Wayne, from 1828 to 1836.
Allen Hamilton and Cyrus Taber — the former at Fort Wayne,
the latter at Log-ansport — traded with both tribes from about
1828 to 1838. This firm, and that of W. G. & G. W. Ewing-, above
mentioned, carried on the trade much more extensively than
any other of the modern traders, and by means of its profits
and dealing-s in lands amassed much wealth.
Charles Conway traded with the Miamis, at Miamisport,
near the present site of Peru, from 1829 to 1832.
Henry Ossem and Richard Chabret traded with the Potta-
wattamies at Turkey-creek Prairie, in Kosciusko county, from
1830 to 1835.
William S. Edsall, with the Miamis, at Huntington, from
1834 to 1837.
Alexander Wilson with the same tribe, at Peru, from 1834 to
1845.
Daniel R. Bearss, with the same tribe, at the same place, from
1834 to 1857.
Moses Folk, with the same tribe, at the same place, from 1839
to 1857.
James T. Miller, with the same tribe, at the same place, from
1836 to 1857.
The Pottawattamies having been removed to the west of the
Mississippi, in the year 1838, and the main part of the Miamis
in 1845, the trade has been gradually diminishing since the for-
mer period, so that now it is, confined in a limited extent to the
Miamis, who inhabit their reservations in the country lying
south of the Wabash, between the towns of Peru and Fort
Wayne. Indeed it may be said that the Indian trade proper,
that is, the trafi&c with them for furs and peltries, has ceased to
exist since the part removal of the Miamis, — a tribe which, as
they were the first known inhabitants of the country embraced
within the limits of the State, are the latest survivors of all
INDIAN TRADERS OF INDIANA 11
their red cotemporaries, and which, by their g-eneral g-ood char-
acter and condition, bear testimony that they have not materially
deg-enerated by a long- intercourse with their ancient friends and
patrons, the old Indian Traders.
1. Nothing- known of this trader. The locality of his trad-
ing- place would be in Washington county, near the town of
Fredericksburg-.
2. This Terrehaute was inhabited by the Weah branch of
the Miamis, and was situated near the present town of Terre
Haute, which was named after it.
3. Properly Buck-ong--a-he-las, so called after the chief of
the Delawares, on the head waters of White river, and probably
near the present town of Muncietown. The true name of this
trader is believed to be Simon; that of L'Kspag-nol [Span-
iard] being- a nickname.
4. Nothing known of this trader. The Kickapoos had several
villages on and near the Vermillion rivers in Vermillion county.
This was probably the principal one, in which the Chief resided,
who was called by the traders Jose Renard [Joe the Fox], the
same who led the attack on Ft. Harrison in 1812.
5. Kankakee, on the river of that name; but its location
unknown.
6. This place is supposed to have been on the Mississippi, in
Lower Illinois, as the Delawares also inhabited that part of the
country. This trader afterwards traded at Chepaille.
7. This trader continued to trade here until his death in 1806.
This place, pronounced Shepoy, was on the V/abash river, in
Warren county, about a mile above the present town of Indepen-
dence.
8. Kaskaskia, Illinois.
9. The locality of this place is unknown. He afterwards
traded at Fort Harrison in 1815-20.
10. An old trader on the Miami of the Lake. These places
were in Ohio.
11. This trader afterwards (from about 1803 to 1809) traded
at Ft. Wayne, and kept pack horses and a warehouse for the de-
posit and transportation of merchandise and peltries in transit
at the portage between the Miami and the Wabash. The local-
12 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
ity of Coeur de Serf, properly Coeur de Cerf [elk's heart], was
on the Elkhart river.
12. This trader (late Gen. H. L., of Log-ansport), was born
at the villag-e of Ke-ki-ong--a in 1777, from which, as before men-
tioned, his father was oblig-ed to flee on La Balme's expedition
in 1780. He returned to the Wabash in 1795, and traded at Che-
paille, at the mouth of the Little Vermillion, at Mississinnewa,
and at Vincennes. This trading- place (Mississinnewa) was at
the settlement or villag-e of the late Chief Godfrey, a few miles
above Peru.
13. This trader and his trading- place are both unknown to
the writer.
14. An old trader; he also traded with the Miamis in 1807.
When the hostilities commenced with the Indians in 1811, nearly
all the traders offered their valuable services as scouts or soldiers
in the defense of the country. Mr. Besayon, having- with others
joined Colonel Hopkin's expedition up the Wabash in 1812, was
in the'detachment of about seventy mounted men which fell into
the ambuscade of about 500 Indians in the ravines of the Wild
Cat, called by the survivors "Spur's Defeat" (about seven miles
northeastwardly from the present town of Lafayette). He was
captured in the retreat by the Indians, who, well knowing- him,
and reg-arding- him as a kind of traitor to them, condemned him
at once to the most cruel of deaths — the fag-g-ot and stake.
They bound him to a tree, piled combustible material about him,
to which they set fire, and were proceeding- to enact the scenes of
triumph and torture usual upon such occasions; but a young- war-
rior who yet reg-arded him with affection, and desiring- to relieve
him from so horrid a fate, hastily snatched up a rifle and shot
him dead. Eel creek, on which he traded, is now the Eel river
which empties into White river, but the locality of his trading-
place is unknown.
15. John and William Conner, brothers, were old traders, and
were prominent men in their day. William, especially, rendered
much service as interpreter and otherwise at several treaties
with the Indians. Petchepencues was probably intended for
Ponceaupichou, or, as sometimes called, Ponce-passu, the old
name of Wild Cat creek, on the head waters of which some of
WILD ANIMALS OF INDIANA 13
the Delawares lived.* The other villag-e is, properly, Buck-ong--
a-he-las, before mentioned.
16. This villag-e of Tippecanoe was on the Wabash, a few
miles below the mouth of the Tippecanoe river.
i7. The site of the present Shawneetown, on the Ohio, in
Illinois.
18. In Massac county, Illinois.
19. This trader traded in 1804 with the Kickapoos on the
Vermillion, and at Fort Harrison after the war. It is sug-gfested
that the name of this trading- place thus given is a mistake,
and should read Renard, a Kickapoo village, so called after their
Chief, [Note 4.]
20. Nothing- known of this trader. His trading- place was
on what is now called Little river, a head stream of the Wabash.
21. In the present State of Michig-an.
22. Also in Michigan.
23. Kankakee.
24. In Michigan.
25. The St. Joseph of Lake Michigan.
WILD ANIMALS OF INDIANA.
Apropos to Mr. Lasselle's article on the old fur traders, the
editor recalls a small account book and a number of other papers
that came to his notice some time since. These records, dated
1859, were left by A. B. Cole, of Noblesville, an agent who pur-
chased of local trappers and transferred his peltries to the
Ewing- fur company, of Port Wayne. What animals contrib-
uted to this branch of commerce, tog-ether with their compara-
tive numbers and values, is shown by these old leaflets, of which
the following- is a sample:
Invoice of furs and peltries sold Ewing-, Walker & Co., by
Conner, Stevenson & Cole:
*Mr. Lasselle errs here. The Conner trading post was on White river, four miles below
the present site of Noblesville.— ^rfi?o?-.
14 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
2795 First lot raccoon skins $1,871 00
184 Second lot raccoon skins 89 00
259 Third lot raccoon skins 46 62
102 First lot fox skins 76 50
18 Second lot fox skins 7 00
48 First lot wildcat skins 36 00
3 First lot wolf skins 1 50
943 First lot deer skins 707 25
112 Winter and towhead skins 35 00
75 Spotted fawn skin s 15 00
802 First lot mink skins 601 50
182 Second lot mink skins 68 25
142 Third lot mink skins 17 75
1 Cub bear skin 2 50
1 Second quality fisher skin 1 00
13 Otter (best) skins 104 00
Total $3,679 87
According- to this invoice, raccoon, deer and mink skins were
considerably in excess of any other kind. The deer hair was of
little use, the value being- in the skin, which was extensively
utilized for wearing- apparel and other purposes. The raccoon
and similar furs were largely made into felt and used for a
species of hat which went by the name of beaver.
How abundantly our forests teemed with fur-bearing animals
will be apparent when we reflect that for nearly a century and a
half the fur trade, with its insatiable demands, invaded the ter-
ritory and carried on the process of extermination. During- the
French occupancy pirog-ues of the Canadian wood-rangers car-
ried hence untold thousands of bales of skins. After them the
Mackinaw Company, the American Fur Company and John
Jacob Astor extended their traffic into this region, drawing- to
Detroit and Canada, by way of the Wabash, vast quantities of
beaver, otter and other less valuable peltries. Yet later (in the
twenties) the houses of G. W. and W. G. Kwing were estab-
lished at Fort Wayne and Log-ansport, and these houses, extend-
ing- their agencies throug-h the State, assumed considerable pro-
portions. These two brothers are said to have amassed fortunes
that aggregated about two million dollars.
The persistency with which many of the native fauna clung-
to their once wild haunts long- after civilization supplanted the
WILD ANIMALS OF INDIANA 15
wilderness is worthy of note. In Indiana wolves have been
reported from various localities within the last few years; the
Canadian lynx has been killed in Tippecanoe and Montg-omery
counties within the last twenty years; wildcats were occasionally
seen in Franklin county as late as 1869, and doubtless much
later in some parts of the State; a bear was found in LaGrang-e
county in 1876, and deer have been seen much later. The same
is true of the otter and the badg-er. The red fox is still hunted.
The late Georg-e W. Pitts, of Indianapolis, who during- the
thirties and forties trapped and hunted extensively along- White
river, has stated to the writer that the larg-er and rarer animals
were driven out of Marion county and the adjoining- territory at
a comparatively early date. Wolves, he said, had disappeared
by 1835; the latest bear he knew of was seen in 1838; his father
shot a catamount about 1828. The latter animal was very rare
at that date, but wildcats remained until the early forties. Deer
were shot as late as 1847; porcupines he remembered seeing- in
1835; beavers, once plentiful here, according- to him, were ex-
tinct by 1830. Beaver at that time led all other pelts in value,
being- worth from $6 to $10. Otter came next, bring-ing- $2.50 to
$3; but a decade or so later otter rose to $10 or $12, by reason of
the Russian demand for our best furs.
An odd and somewhat ludicrous wolf trap was described to the
writer by Mr. Pitts. A hollow shell of a tree was selected and
a hole larg-e enough to admit a wolf's head cut three or four feet
from the g-round. From the hole downward a slot was made
wide enough for the animal's neck to slip down. By way of bait,
blood was smeared about the opening and a pieceof meat placed
in the hollow of the tree. The wolf, in his efforts to get at the
meat, thrust his head in at the hole, and, his neck slipping down
the slot, was held as if in a stanchion. The rearing up again
with his head in the tree was a difficult if not impossible feat.
Another trap, much used by the Indians, was made of such
materials as the woods afforded, and was at once simple and
effective. A number of sticks were driven in the ground to
form a semi-circular pen, at the open end of which were placed
two forks or crotches, one on either side. A pole was laid on
these forks and another on the ground directly beneath, forming
a kind of sill across the entrance to the pen. The next feature
16 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
was a heavy pole, or small log, for a deadfall. This was sus-
pended from a piece of grapevine or strip of linden bark, which,
passing up over the pole in the forks, was looped over a trigger.
This trigger was simply a light stick, which reached down to a
third small pole placed against the sides of the forked posts near
the ground, which, preventing the weights from pulling the trig-
ger over the top pole, was in turn held in place by the pressure
of the trigger. The bait was placed in the pen. The game,
venturing in at the entrance, his foot or body pressed down the
small pole over which he must step; the trigger was released
and the deadfall quickly pinned him to the sill on the ground.
These traps would be made of any dimensions, and for all sizes
of game, from rabbits to bears.
SQUIRREL ''BURGOO/
^"'HE following description of an old-time squirrel "burgoo"
was gleaned by a newspaper reporter some years since from
Samuel Corbaley, of Indianapolis:
"I was born in Wayne township in 1834, and can remember
when, in the early forties, the squirrels (black and gray) were
so plentiful they almost destroyed the j^oung corn. I think it
was the spring of '43 that my father's neighbors proposed to kill
all the squirrels around his farm if he would furnish the bread
for a burgoo. A day was appointed, and corn bread enough
for a small army baked by my mother and the neighbor women.
Three large iron sugar kettles, filled with water, were hung up
near a spring. Beverly Ballard, a Kentuckian, was appointed
chief cook. The neighbors, with rifles, approached the farm
from every direction, and there was a continuous fusillade until
10 o'clock, when, by agreement, the hunters met, and threw
down not less than two hundred squirrels. As they were skin-
ned and washed, they were handed over to the cook for boiling.
Then followed a feast. Soup was served in tin cups; squirrels
were taken out whole with pointed sticks, and corn pone was
served with soup made hot with home-raised pepper.
"After dinner the targets were set up and there was a test as
to the best shot ; and many times the center was hit at a dis-
tance of twenty, forty and fifty yards."
MEMOIR OF DA VID HOO VER 17
MEMOIR OF DAVID HOOVER.
[David Hoover was one of the first and best known of the pioneers of
the upper Whitewater. As is related below, he penetrated to the spot
where Richmond now stands and settled there in 1806; was the original
surveyor of the town when it was founded, and g-ave the place its name.
It may be added that he was a citizen of the county for sixty years, and
occupied various public trusts, being- successively justice of the peace, as-
sociate judg-e of the Wayne County Circuit Court, and clerk of that court.
•The latter office he held nearly fourteen years. His memoir, not intended
for publication originally, was printed in pamphlet form in 1857, by Mr.
Isaac H. Julian. Very few of these pamphlets are now in existence and a
special interest may attach to the reprinting of the memoir by reason of
the centennial anniversary of the settlement of Wayne county, which oc-
curs this spring. — Editor. A,
I THINK it is Lawrence Sterne who says that — among- other
thing-s which he mentions— every person should write a book;
and as I have not yet done that, I am now g'oing- to write one.
As it has always been interesting- to me to read biog-raphical
sketches, and historical reminiscences of byg-one days, I have
concluded that some information concerning- myself and family,
mig-ht, perhaps, amuse some of my descendants, at least. The
name is pretty extensively scattered throug-hout this country;
such information may therefore be of some interest to them, as
it may enable them to trace back their g-enealog-y to the orig-inal
stock,
I was born on a small water-course, called Huwaree, a branch
of the Yadkin river, in Randolph county. North Carolina, on the
14th day of April, 1781; and am now in the seventy-third year
of my ag-e. It is customary, in personal sketches of this kind,
to say something- of one's parents and education. I can only say,
that my parents were always considered very exemplary in all
their walk throug-h life. As to education, my opportunities were
exceeding-ly limited; and had it not been for my inclination and
perseverance, I should, in all probability, at this day be number-
ed among- those who can scarcely write their names, or perhaps
should only be able to make a "X," in placing- my sig^nature to
a written instrument. In order to show the state of society in
my early youth, as an evidence of the intellig-ence of the
18 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
circle in which I was raised, I can say of a truth, that I never
had an opportunity of reading- a newspaper, nor did I ever see a
bank-note, until after I was a man g-rown.
As to my ancestors, I know but little. If my information is
correct, my grandfather, Andrew Hoover, left Germany when a
boy; married Margaret Fonts, in Pennsylvania; and settled on
Pipe creek in Maryland. There my father was born; and from
thence, now about one hundred years ag-o, he removed to North
Carolina, then a new country. He left eight sons and five daugh-
ters, all of whom had large families. Their descendants are
mostly scattered through what we call the Western country.
Rudolph Waymire, my g-randfather on my mother's side, emigrat-
ed from Hanover in Germany, after he had several children.
He used to brag- that he was a soldier under His Britannic Maj-
esty, and that he was at the head of the battle of Detting-en in
1743. He left one son and seven daughters by his first wife.
Their descendants are also mostly to be found in this country.
My father had a family of ten children, four sons and six
daughters. In order to better our circumstances, he came to the
conclusion of moving to a new country, and sold his possessions
accordingly. He was then worth rising* of two thousand dol-
lars; which at that time, and in that country, was considered
very considerably over an averag-e in point of wealth. On the
19th of September, 1802, we loaded our wag-on, and wended our
way toward that portion of what was then called the North-
western Territory which constitutes the present State of Ohio.
Here permit me to make a passing remark. I was then in the
twenty-second year of my age. I had formed an acquaintance
and brought myself into notice perhaps rather more extensively
than falls to the lot of most country boys. Did lang-uag-e afford
terras adequate to describe my sensations on shaking hands
with my youthful compeers, and giving them a final farewell, I
would gladly do so. Sufl&ce it to say, that those only who have
been placed in like circumstances, can appreciate my feeling-s on
that occasion. And althoug-h I have lived to be an old man, and
experienced the various vicissitudes attendant on a journey
through life thus far, I yet look back to that time as the most
interesting scene through which I have passed. My mind at this
day is carried back to my early associations and school-boy days,
MEMOIR OF DA VID HOO VER 19
to my native hills and pine forests; and I can say that there is
a kind of indescribable charm in the very name of my natal
spot, very different from aug-ht that pertains to any other place
on the g-lobe.
After about five weeks' journeying-, we crossed the Ohio river
at Cincinnati, then a mere villag-e, composed mostly of log-
houses. I think it was the day after an election had been held
at that place for delegates to the convention to form a Constitu-
tion; at any rate a Constitution was formed the following- win-
ter, which was amended only within the last few years. After
crossing- the river, we pushed on to Stillwater, about twelve
miles north of Dayton, in what is now the county of Montgom-
ery. A number of our acquaintances had located themselves
there the previous spring. There we encamped in the woods
the first winter. The place had proved so unhealthy that we
felt discouraged and much dissatisfied, and concluded not to
locate there. My father then purchased two hundred acres of
land, not far from Lebanon, in Warren county, as a home, until
we could make further examinations. John Smith, afterward
one of the proprietors of Richmond, purchased one hundred acres
in the same neighborhood, with similar views. Our object was
to find a suitable place for making- a settlement, and where but
few or no entries had been made. But a small portion of the
land lying- west of the Great Miami, or east of the Little Miami,
was settled at that time. We were hard to please. We Caro-
linians would scarcely look at the best land where spring- water
was lacking-. Among- other considerations, we wished to g-et
further south. We examined divers sections of the unsettled
parts of Ohio, without finding- any location that would please
us. John Smith, Robert Hill and myself partially examined the
country between the Falls of the Ohio and Vincennes, before
there was a line run in that part of the Territory; and returned
much discouraged, as we found nothing inviting in that quarter.
Thus time passed on until the spring- of 1806, when myself
and four others, rather accidentally, took a section line some eight
or ten miles north of Dayton, and traced it a distance of more
than thirty miles, throug-h an unbroken forest, to where I am
now writing. It was the last of February, or the first of March,
when I first saw Whitewater. On my return to my father's, I
20 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
informed him that I thought I had found the country we had
been in search of. Spring- water, timber, and building- rock
appeared to be abundant, and the face of the country looked de-
lightful. In about three weeks after this, my father, with sev-
eral others, accompanied me to this "land of promise." As a
military man would say, we made a reccmnoissa^ice , but returned
rather discouraged, as it appeared at that time too far from
home. Were it necessary, I might here state some of our views
at that time, which would show up our extreme ignorance of
what has since taken place. On returning from this trip, we
saw stakes sticking among the beech trees where Eaton now
stands, which was among the nearest approaches of the white
man to this place. With the exception of George Holman and
a few others, who settled some miles south of this, in the
spring of 1805, there were but few families within twenty miles
of this place.
It was not until the last of May or the first of June that the
first entries were made. John Smith then entered south of
Main street, where Richmond now stands, and several other
tracts. My father entered the land upon which I now live, I hav-
ing selected it on my first trip, and several other quarter sections.
About harvest of this same year, Jeremiah Cox reached here
from good old North Carolina, and purchased where the north
part of Richmond now stands. If I mistake not, it had been
previously entered by John Meek, the father of Jesse Meek, and
had been transferred to Joseph Woodkirk, of whom J. Cox made
the purchase. Said Cox also entered several other tracts. Jere-
miah Cox, John Smith, and my father, were then looked upon as
rather leaders in the Society of Friends. Their location here
had a tendency of drawing others, and soon caused a great rush
to Whitewater; and land that I thought would never be settled
was rapidly taken up and improved. Had I a little more vanity,
I might almost claim the credit (if credit it be) of having been
the pioneer of the great body of Friends now to be found in this
region; as I think it very doubtful whether three Yearly Meet-
ings would convene in this county, had I not traced the line be-
fore mentioned.
I was now in the twenty-fifth year of my age, and thus far
had been rather a wayfaring disciple, not doing much for my-
MEMOIR OF DA VI D HOO VER 21
self or any other person. Having- now selected a spot for a
home, I thoug-ht the time had come to be up and doing-. I there-
fore married a g-irl named Catharine Yount, near the Great
Miami; and on the last day of March, 1807, reached with our
little plunder the hill where I am now living-. It may not be
uninteresting- here to name some of the first settlers in the dif-
ferent neig-hborhoods. On the East Fork were the Fleming-s,
Irelands, Hills, Wassons, Maxwells, etc. At the mouth of Klk-
horn were the Hunts, Whiteheads and Endsleys. In this neig-h-
borhood were the Smiths, Coxes, Wrig-hts and Hoovers, several
of whom commenced operations in the woods in the spring- and
summer of 1806. This may emphatically be said to have been
the day of "log--cabins" and log--rolling-s; and, althoug-h we were
in an unbroken forest, without even a blazed pathway from one
settlement to another, we yet enjoyed a friendship, and a neig-h-
borly interchang-e of kind offices, which are unknown at this
time. Althoug-h we had to step on puncheon floors, and eat our
corn-bread and venison, or turkey, off of broad pieces of split
timber, and drive forks in one corner of our cabins, with cross
timbers driven into the walls, for bedsteads, there was no
g-rumbling- or complaining- of low markets and hard times. The
questions of Tariff and National Bank were truly "obsolete
ideas" in those days. It was the first week in April before some
of us commenced operations in the woods; but we mostly raised
corn enoug-h to do us. There was, however, no mill to g-rind it,
and for some weeks we g-rated all the meal we made use of.
About Christmas, Charles Hunt started a mill, on a cheap scale,
near the mouth of Elkhorn, which did our g-rinding- until J. Cox
established one near to where Richmond now stands, and which
novv^ belong-s to Basil Brig-htwell.
The Indian boundary was at this time about three miles west
of us. The Indians lived on White river, and were frequently
among- us. They at one time packed off 400 bushels of shelled
corn, which they purchased of John Smith. In 1809 a purchase
was made, called the "Twelve Mile Purchase, "^ and a g-oodly
number settled on it before it was surveyed; but the war of 1812
coming- on, the settlers mostly left their locations, and removed
to places of more security. Those who remained built forts and
"block houses." The settlers in this neig-hborhood mostly stood
22 INDIA NA MA GAZINE OF HIS TOR Y
their ground, but suffered considerably with fear. Georg-e
Shug-art then lived where Newport now stands, some miles from
any other inhabitant. In the language of the Friends, he "did
not feel clear" in leaving- his home, and he manfully stood his
g-round unmolested, except by those whom we then styled the
"Rangers," from whom he received some abuse for his boldness.
The Indians took three scalps out of this county, and stole a
number of horses. Candor, however, compels me to say that,
as is usually the case, we Christians were the aggressors. After
peace was made, in 1814, the twelve mile purchase settled very
rapidly.
It will not be amiss, at this stage of our narrative, to state
that when we first settled here, the now State of Indiana was
called Indiana Territory, and we belonged to Dearborn county,
which embraced all the territory purchased from the Indians at
the treaty of Greenville, extending from the mouth of the Ken-
tucky river to Fort Recovery. The counties of Wayne and Frank-
lin were afterwards formed out of the northern part of this ter-
ritory. Although Governor Harrison had the appointing power,
he gave the people the privilege of choosing their own officers.
An election was accordingly held, when it was found that Peter
Fleming, Jeremiah Meek and Aaron Martin were elected Judges,
George Hunt, Clerk, and John Turner, Sheriff. County courts
were then held by three associate judges, and county business
was done before them. One of the first courts held in this coun-
ty, under the Territorial government, convened under the shade
of a tree, on the premises then belonging to Richard Rue, Esq.,
Judge Park presiding and James Noble prosecutor. In order to
show the legal knowledge we backwoodsmen were then in pos-
session of, I will relate the following case. A boy was indicted
for stealing a knife, a traverse jury was empaneled, and took
their seats upon a log. The indictment was read, and, as usu-
ual, set out that the offender, with/t>ra' and arms, did feloniously
steal, take, and carry away, etc. After hearing the case, the
jury retired to another log to make up their verdict. Jeremiah
Cox, one of the jurors, and afterwards a member of the conven-
tion to frame a Constitution, and of the Legislature, concluded
they must find the defendant guilty, but he thought the indict-
ment "was rather too bad for so small an offense." I suppose he
MEMOIR OF DA VI D HOO VER 23
thoug-ht the words "with force and arms" uncalled for, and
thoug-ht rig-htly enough, too.
Some further illustration of our leg-al knowledg-e and the spirit
of our leg-islation at this time may be interesting". Althoug-h
the Friends constituted a larg-e portion of the inhabitants in this
quarter, there were in other parts of the county men in whose
craniums the military spirit was pretty strong-ly developed, be-
fore the war of 1812 was declared. When that came on, this
spirit manifested itself in all its rig-or. The Friends were much
harassed on account of their refusal to do military duty. Some
were drafted, and had their property sacrificed, and at the next
call were ag-ain drafted, and fined. Four young- men were
thrown into the county jail during- the most inclement cold
weather; fire was denied them until they should comply; and
had it not been for the humane feeling- of David F. Sackett, who
handed them hot bricks throug-h the g-rates, they must have suf-
fered severely. Suits were subsequently broug-ht ag-ainst the
officers for false imprisonment. The trials were had at Brook-
ville, in Franklin count3\ They all recovered damag-es, but I
have every reason to believe that the whole of the damag-es and
costs was paid out of the moneys extorted from others of the
Friends. To cap the climax of absurdity and outrag-e, the g-en-
tlemen ofi&cers arrested an old man named Jacob Elliott, and
tried him by a court-martial, for treason, found him g-uilty, and
sentenced him to be shot! but g-ave him a chance to run away
in the dark, they firing- off their g-uns at the same time. It would
fill a considerable volume to gfive a detailed history of the noble
patriots of those days, and of their wisdom and valorous exploits;
but this must sufi&ce.
Connected with this subject, permit me a word respecting- my
own course. I think it is well known that from first to last I
stood by the Friends like a brother (as I would ag-ain do under
similar circumstances), and used my influence in their favor; yet
from some cause, best known to themselves, I have apparently
lost the confidence and friendship of a g-ood number of them.
The most serious charg-e which has yet reached me, is that I
have not g-ot "the true faith," and not that I have done any-
thing- wrong-. Of this I do not complain; but must be permit-
ted to say that their course towards me was rather g-ratuitous.
24 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
I feel confident that they can not in truth say that they have
at any time received aug-ht but disinterested friendship from me;
and if some of them can reconcile their course toward me with
a sense of duty, and of doing- by me as I have at all times done
by them, I shall therewith be content.
In 1816 we elected deleg-ates to the convention which formed
our late Constitution, and named the State Indiana. On the
third day of February following-, I was elected Clerk of Wayne
Circuit Court, and by favor of the voters of the county, held the
office nearly fourteen years. I was prevented from serving- out
my full constitutional term of of&ce, by a deceptive ruling- of the
Court, which I have no fears will ever be hunted up as a prece-
dent in a similar or any other case.
I was almost the first man who set foot in this part of Wayne
county, and have been an actor in it for more than forty ^'^ears.
It may not be out of place here for me to say, that I feel con-
scious I often erred throug-h ig-norance, and perhaps throug-h wil-
fulness. Yet (and with g-ratitude be it spoken), it has fallen to
the lot of few men to retain so long- the standing- which I think I
still have among- all classes of my fellow citizens. I believe it is
a privileg-e conceded to old men to boast of what they have been,
and what they have done. I shall therefore take the liberty of
saying-, that I have now seven commissions by me, for ofi&ces
which I have held, besides having- had a seat in the Senate of
this State for six years.
I will add, that in the employ and under the direction of John
Smith and Jeremiah Cox, I laid off the city of Richmond, did all
their clerkingf, wrote their deeds, etc. If I recollect rig-htly, it
was first named Smithville, after one of the properietors; but
that name did not g-ive g-eneral satisfaction. Thomas Robbards,
James Peg-g-, and myself, were then chosen to select a name for
the place. Robbards proposed Waterford, Peg-g-, Plainfield, and
I made choice of Richmond, which latter name received the pref-
erence of the lot-holders.
I have some fears that the preceding- remarks may be looked
upon as betraying- the vanity of an old man; but I wish it dis-
tinctly understood, that I ascribe the little favors which I have
received, more to surrounding- circumstances, and the partiality
of my friends, than to any qualification or merits in myself.
MEMOIR OF DA VID HOO VER %^
There are several other subjects connected with the early his-
tory of Wayne county, on which I could dwell at some leng-th.
I could refer to the first dominant party, their arbitrary proceed-
ing- in fixing- the county seat at Salisbury, the seven years' war
and contention which followed, ending- with the final location of
the shiretown at Centreville.^ But as the rival parties in that
contest have mostly left the stag-e, and the subject is almost
forgotten, I think it unnecessary to disturb it.
A leng-thy chapter might be written on the improvements
which have been made within the last fifty years in Wayne coun-
ty (to say nothing of the rest of the world), in the arts and
sciences generally, but as I do not feel myself competent to the
task, I shall not attempt it.
And now, in bringing this crude and undigested account of my
experience to a close, short as it is, it gives rise to many serious
reflections. When I look back upon the number of those who
set out in life with me, full of hope, and who have fallen by the
way, and gone to that bourne from whence there is no return-
ing, with not even a rude stone to mark the spot where their
mortal remains are deposited, language fails me, and indeed
there is no language adequate to the expression of my feelings.
I shall therefore drop the subject, leaving the reader to fill up
the blank in his own way.
In conclusion, let me say a word about my politics and re-
ligion. In politics, I profess to belong to the Jeffersonian
school. I view Thomas Jefferson as decidedl}^ the greatest
statesman that America has yet produced. He was the chief
apostle of both Political and Religious Liberty. My motto is
taken from his first Inaugural: "Equal and exact justice to all
men" — and I will add — without calling in question their political
or religious faith, country, or color.
And here I wish it distinctly understood, and remembered,
that I stood almost alone in this section of the State, in opposi-
tion to our ruinous system of internal improvements, concocted
and brought about at the sessions of the Legislature in the years
1835 to 1836; which resulted in the creation of a State debt
which the present generation will not see paid; and which has
verified the text in the old Book to the very letter, which says
that the iniquities of the fathers are visited upon their children
to the third and fourth generations.
26 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
As to religion:
Happy is he, the only happy man,
Who, from choice, does all the g-ood he can.
"The world is mj country, and my relig-ion is to do right." I
am a firm believer in the Christian religion, though not as lived
up to by most of its professors of the present day. In the language
of Jefferson, I look upon the "Christian philosophy as the most
sublime and benevolent, but most perverted system that ever
shone on man." I have no use for the priesthood, nor can I
abide the shackles of sectarian dogmas. I see no necessity for
confessions of faith, creeds, forms and ceremonies. In the most
comprehensive sense of the word, I am opposed to all wars,
and to slavery; and trust the time is not far distant when they
will be numbered among the things that were, and viewed as
we now look back upon some of the doings of what we are
pleased to style the dark ages.
Note 1. — Among the first settlers of the twelve mile purchase,
rather in the vicinity of Centreville, were Danial Noland, Henry
Bryan, Isaac Julian, William Harvey, Nathan Overman, George
Grimes, etc. Other pioneers, whose names I can not now recall,
were thinly scattered over other portions of the "purchase." — I.
H. J.
Note 2. — The county seat was finally established at Centre-
ville in April, 1820. The first court held in Wayne county, as
appears from the records, met at the home of Richard Rue, Feb-
ruary, 1811. Wayne county was organized in November, 1810.
JUDGE HOOVER S RECORD AS TO LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE, PEACE
AND FREEDOM.
Appended to his Memoir, Judge Hoover copied the following
Memorial and postscript, prepared and subscribed by him at an
early period of our history, which he seemed to think should go
with it, as showing more positively his position in regard to the
matters referred to in the same. It may with propriety be add-
ed, that at an early day in this county, Anti-Slavery and Peace
Societies were formed, of which Judge Hoover, Elder David
Purviance, and other prominent citizens in various parts of the
county, were leading members:
MEMOIR OF DA VI D HOO VER 27
To William Henry Harrisoft, Governor of the Indiana Territory^ the
Legislative Cou7icil, and House of Representatives, at Vincenyies
met:
The Memorial of the Society of Friends of the said Territory
respectfully represents:
That few if any of the present members of the Leg-islature,
we presume, are altog-ether unacquainted with the conscientious
scruples of Friends ag-ainst bearing- arms, or acting- in any man-
ner as military men, ever since they became a relig-ious society.
And considering- the penalties and suffering-s they have hereto-
fore been subject to on that account, there is no room left to
suppose that their declining- to act in that capacity proceeded
from obstinacy, or a disreg-ard to the laws of their country.
They conceive that, notwithstanding- they have always declined
the use of the sword, they have not been useless citizens; and
that the indulg-ence which has been granted to conscientious
people in other governments, has not in any manner been prej-
udicial to the real interest of those countries, but rather that
it has been a means of inducing- useful citizens to settle and im-
prove various parts thereof. Nor does it admit of a doubt, that
penal laws, designed to force people to act in violation of what
they believe to be their duty to their Maker, never did and
never will promote the true interest and safety of any country.
And although heavy fines have heretofore in some cases been
impressed for non-attendance of musters, and often doubled by
unreasonable seizures, to the great distress of some poor families;
yet it seems hardly probable that the public have been much, if
at all, benefited by these extortions. Your memorialists, there-
fore, can not suppose that it can be a desirable object with a
free and enlig-htened people, to subject any denomination of
Christians to penalties and sufferings, either in their persons or
property, on account of their religious opinions, which can never
be injurious to the country at large, or to any individual. All
of which we submit to the Legislature, that they may make
such amendment of the present militia laws as to them may seem
reasonable and just.
And your Memorialists, etc.
P. S. — The laws subjecting- the Quakers to fines for not mus-
tering were repealed; but after the battle of Tippecanoe, they
wpre re-enacted with a veng-eance.
2^ INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
OLD SETTLERS' MEETING.
[Extract from an account of the first Settlers' Meeting- in Wayne coun-
ty, and probably the first in the State, taken from the Richmond Jeffer-
sonian of September 13, 1855,]
PRESIDENT, David Hoover; vice-presidents. Smith Hunt and
John Peele. After prayer, some interesting- portions of the
proceedings of the first Board of Commissioners of Wayne coun-
ty, dating- as far back as 1817, were read, vi^hich were illustrat-
ed by relations of divers incidents of those early days by Messrs.
Rariden, Test, Newman, and others.
John Beard, of Milton, was then called on for his "experi-
ence." He gave an account of his removal to this region, and
the gratification he felt in exchanging the red soil, full of flint
stones, of his native Carolina, for the black and fertile lands of
Indiana. In the vigor of youth, he regarded not the Herculean
labors and hardships which then rose before him, for, to use his
own words, he "felt that he had a fortune in his own bones."
He declared that, although looking back from the present time
the lives of the pioneers might appear by no means enviable, yet
they did not so seem to these who experienced them. Mr. Beard
added, among other interesting facts, that a little daughter of
his own was the first white person who died in the present limits
of Wayne county-|in 1807); and that the first settlers had to go
either to Lawrenceburg or Hamilton to mill.
Mr. Beard was followed in similar details of experience by
Smith Hunt, Henry and Frederick Hoover, John Peele, Jeremiah
L. Meek, and others.
Perhaps both the oldest man and theoldest settler present was
Hugh Cull.
The next meeting is appointed for the last Sunday in Septem-
ber, 1856, at Centreville. The idea of such meetings is highly
laudable, and we trust that hereafter, due efforts will be made
to enlist the interest and presence of as many of the early set-
tlers as possible, so as the more effectually to further the objects
proposed by these social reunions of the rapidly diminishing rem-
nant of the men and women to whom the present generation
are so much indebted.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS.
EARLY INDIANAPOLIS.
THE FLETCHER PAPERS.
[In 1879 there was published in The Indianapolis News a series of
articles by the Rev. J. C. Fletcher on Early Days in Indianapolis. These
papers, some twenty-five in number, were printed at intervals from March
to September, making-, in the ag-gregate, an amount of matter wholly
beyond the limits of the space to be spared in this magazine. Much of
this matter was second-hand, and a repetition of facts that had already
been published in the city histories. On the other hand, not a little of it
was based upon two documents of antiquarian value, which are to the
present day kept in private possession as being, in the main, of family
interest only. These are the journals of Mr. Calvin Fletcher, the elder,
and his wife, which record happening's in the new capital at a very early
day. These journals, where quoted directly or where drawn upon, afford
glimpses of life, society, conditions and events that are wholly fresh and
a distinct contribution to the source material of Indianapolis history.
Such matter as has, in my judg-ment, this distinct value, I have selected
from the series, making free with the text in the matter of abridgement.
The student who may wish to make use of the full text, may do so by
aid of the references given. The full series may be found in issues of
the above paper for March 10, 15, 22, 29; April 4, 12, 19, 26; May 10, 17, 24;
June 7, 14, 21, 28; July 5, 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9, 16, 25; September 10, 19.
The portions selected will probably run throughout this year. — Editor.^
First Religious Items — First Sale of Lots — First Frame House — First
Private Libraries — The ''Collins Axe" — Judge Mcllvaine' s Cot-
ton Crop — Pioneer Industry — Tallow and Culture — Social Life —
Christmas Party and Barrel of Cider — New Year''s Ball, the First
Great Social Event.
From the News of March lo, i8jg.
IN perusing-, recently, a brief diary kept by my mother (who
died in 1854) I found several interesting- relig-ious facts and
data in connection with the history of Indianapolis.
My father was married to Sarah Hill, in Urbana, O., May 1,
1821. He made a preliminary visit to Indianapolis in Aug-ust of
that year. On September 19, accompanied by my mother, he
began his second journey to Indianapolis, arriving- here in nine
days. On the first day of October he rented a log- cabin on
block 70, lot No. 2. In my father's journal, date of Dec. 31,
1821, I find this entry:
30 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
"I am now situated on block 70, lot No. 2, in a little cabin,
16 X l7 feet, belong-ing- to a Mr. Cap, of Cincinnati."
It was here that mj mother beg-an the brief diary referred to.
The persons most frequently mentioned in the diary are Mr.
James Blake, Mr. and Mrs. Paxton, Dr. Coe, Mr. and Mrs. Now-
land, Mrs. Bates, the Hawkins's, B. F. Morris, Dr. Dunlap, the
Bradleys, the Yandes's, and Judg-e and Mrs. Wick.
These are the relig^ious data I have spoken of:
"Sunday, Nov. 18, 1821. I attended prayer-meeting- at Mr.
Stevens'.
"Sunday, Nov. 25. I attended preaching- at Mr. Hawkins',
where I heard a very g-ood sermon by a Newlig-ht minister. The
text was: 'See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools but as
wise, redeeming- the time, because the days are evil.'
"Sunday, Dec. 30. I heard a sermon delivered by a Newlig-ht
minister which I did not think commendable, but we must al-
low for it, as it has not been but about three months since he be-
g-an to speak in public.
"Sunday, May 12, 1822. I attended preaching- in the Gov-
ernor's Circle. It was the first sermon ever delivered at that
place. Rev. Mr. Proctor took his text from the 30th chapter of
Proverbs, and 17th verse: 'Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.' In the afternoon he delivered an-
other sermon from Luke XV :7: 'I say unto you that likewise
joy shall be in heaven over one sinner who repenteth.' The
preacher is a Presbyterian and a very g-ood orator.
"Tuesday, 14th. In the morning- it rained and in the afternoon
it was clear but muddy. Mr. Fletcher attended preaching- at
the schoolhouse. The sermon was delivered by Mr. Proctor,
who took for his text Ps. 42, 1st verse: 'As the hart panteth
after the water brook, so panteth my soul after thee, O God!'
"Monday, the 20th of May. Rainy and disagreeable. Rev.
Mr. Proctor, Dr. Coe, Mr. Linton, Mr. Fletcher and myself all
dined at Mr. Nowland's.
"Tuesday, 21st. I rode (horseback) out in the country about
two miles to Mr. Burton's with Mr. Paxton and Mrs. Nowland.
May 28th. This day we moved into Mr. Blake's house* and
took possession for one year.
*0n Washington street west of Illinois.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 31
"Friday, 31st. This day Mr. Fletcher started on the circuit.*
We arose early in the morning-. It was quite pleasing- to hear
the birds. How cheerfully they sung-! Their notes were so
mingled that a person could not distinguish one bird from an-
other. This day Mr. Rice, a Presbyterian preacher, and Dr.
Coe dined with Mr. Blake and myself.
"Sunday, 9th June. Mrs. Wick and I attended Methodist
preaching.
"Sunday, 16th June. In the morning Mr. Blake went to Sab-
bath school. t
"Sunday, 12th July. This day attended Baptist preaching- at
the schoolhouse. * * * Camp meeting- commenced the 13th
day of September and held four days.|
"Sunday, April 15th, 1823. Our school commenced, which, I
hope, will be of great benefit to the children of our town."§
I find three funerals recorded in my mother's journal, as fol-
lows:
"Sunday, March 24, 1822. Attended a funeral and a bur-
ial. || I did not see a single tear shed in the whole assemblage,
except by Mrs. Nowland, when she showed me where her child
was buried.
"Sunday, 12th of July, 1822. This day Mr. Jones departed
this life, about 8 o'clock in the morning-. * * * He is to be
buried this afternoon.
"Monday, November 11, ('22). About two o'clock p. m. Mr.
Nowland departed this life, and, it was said, very happily. He
said he 'had made his peace with God, and was willing to g-o.'
"Tuesday, November 12. Rev. Mr. Proctor delivered a very
pathetic sermon on the occasion [of Mr. Nowland's burial].
His text was: 'It is better to go to the house of mourning- than
to the house of feasting.' "
♦Under the old constitution, the president circiiit judge held courts over an extensive
territory, and it was a custom of the lawyers to travel with him throughout the judicial cir-
cuit.— £'df?or.
tThe first mention of a Sabbath school in Indianapolis.— J". C. F.
JWas not this the first camp meeting held in Marion county?— J". C. F.
§This doubtless refers to the re-commencing of the Sunday-school begun June 26, 1822.—
J. C. F.
IjWho the person buried was I have no means of knowing.— iT. C. F.
32 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
From the News of April 4.
On the 8th of October, 1821, Indianapolis was to have her first
great g-athering". It was on that day that the sale of lots of the
newly laid out capital took place. Carter's and Hawkins' tavern,
Nowland's and other boarding- houses were crowded. In her
journal Mrs. Calvin Fletcher wrote:
"October 8, 1821. The sale of lots commenced near our house.
A large concourse of people were present."
This could not have been far from Washington and Missouri
streets, as block 70, lot 2, is west of Missouri, on the south side
of Washing"ton. The sale, as my father once informed me, be-
gan upon a day that was overcast and gloomy. The wind was
high, and while the auctioneer was urging the bidding a limb
was wrenched from its place in the trees overhead, and one of
the bystanders came near being killed. The sales continued for
a week, and no less than 313 lots were disposed of. The total
which these slices of Indianapolis amounted to was $35,596.25,
but the cash payment received at the time by the agent was only
20 per cent., the remaining four-fifths to be paid in four annual
instalments. The average price of lots was about $113. The
highest priced one was that on the northwest corner of Wash-
ington and Delaware streets, which broug-ht $500. It is probable
that the price paid was owing to the fact that the court house
was to be built on the opposite square and it would be valuable
as a tavern or dram shop site.*
In his journal, date of October 1, 1821, my father says: "I
found the place very sickly," but it appears that after the week
of the sale everything put on a better face. My mother speaks
of the beauty of the Indian summer. Much of the bright foli-
age, however, was not to be stripped by the blasts, for the woods
were resounding with the stroke of the ax and the crash of
falling trees.
The favorite ax of those days was the "Collins ax," manufac-
tured at Hartford, Conn. It seemad to me very strange in after
years to find in the great valley of the Amazon that there was
one American manufacture which Shefiield and Birmingham
could not drive out. The Indian of the Amazon cleaves his way
through matted jungles with a "machete" made by Collins & Co.,
*Ignatius Brown says $560 for this lot. The site has been for years and is now occupied
by a saloon. — Editor.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 33
while the knife and hatchet, and the instrument with which he
grubs up the ipecacuanha, are all manufactured by the same
house which, more than a half-century ag-o, furnished the axes
that chopped down the trees in the streets of Indianapolis.
Cabins arose as if by magic, and one man, Colonel Paxton, had
the audacity to begin a frame house on the south side of Wash-
ington street (near Illinois), This building, before it was finish-
ed, was sold to Mr. James Blake. My father and mother were
to be the first occupants, and here my brothers, Elijah and Miles,
and myself were born. The main body of this magnificent resi-
dence was one story high, and consisted of two rooms, neither of
which could have been more than fifteen feet square, connected
by a covered space with a kitchen. My mother in her journal
speaks of moving from their smoky cabin to this frame house in
May, 1822, while my father has left in his diary a copy of the
agreement by which he rented the house from Mr. Blake. As it
illustrates the prices of board and rent at that day I copy the
contract. It sets forth that:
"The said Blake convenants and agrees to give to the said
Fletcher possession of the frame house standing on block 67, lot
12, as soon as it shall be fixed convenient for a family to dwell
therein, together with the said lot, which the said Fletcher is to
have and enjoy for the term of one year from and after the time
he takes possession. In consideration of the above premises he,
the said Fletcher, is to board the said Blake during the year, *
* * and the said Blake is to give the said Fletcher ten bushels
of corn as a further consideration of board; and the said Blake
is to have the privilege of the east room of said house in com-
mon with said Fletcher, together with the stable and said lot."
Colonel Blake was the first in Indianapolis to have a non-pro-
fessional collection of miscellaneous works that might be called
a library. My father and Mr. Merrill were next in the list with
literary works, Mr. Merrill's collection being the larger. Gold-
smith's "Animated Nature" and the "Arabian Nights' Enter-
tainments" were the first books, except the Bible, read to me by
my mother, that made an impression upon me.
From the News of April 12.
In October, 1821, there were three weeks of beautiful weath-
er, and my mother says in her journal, under the date of Octo-
ber 27:
34 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
"This day is very pleasant and rather smoky. It appears
like Indian summer. We have had very little rain in this place
for about three weeks. This has made it very favorable for
those who have moved in and are building-."
Under such circumstances Indianapolis may be said to have
beg-un her existence. The sale of more than three hundred lots,
but few of which were purchased on speculation, broug-ht hith-
er those who were to be permanent settlers. There seemed to be
a most kindly disposition on the part of the people toward each
other. Visits were the order of the day and mutual aid was
never withheld. There was not a capitalist in Indianapolis —
but few were even with the world — and there was not a man or
woman, however exalted their social position in the land w^hence
they came, but put his or her hand to work in the frontier life
of the New Purchase. In her journal I find my mother writing-
on the 1st day of November, as follows.
"This day I was spinning- wool at Mr. Mcllvain's."
This Mr. Mcllvain was the earliest justice of the peace in
Indianapolis. He was an uprig-ht, Christian man, who had been
associate justice in Ohio and was afterward elected one of the
associate judg-es for Marion county. His log- cabin stood not far
from the present site of the Second Presbyterian Church. One
of my earliest recollections is that of a visit to Judg-e Mc-
llvain's. He cultivated the ground that is around the church,
and produced the usual crop of corn and potatoes. He also was
the first to raise poultry on an extended scale. There was one
crop that was unusual, and which, I presume, he was the first
and the last to raise in Indianapolis. My father informed me
that when he first came here, in the summer of 1821, he found
Judg-e James Mcllvain living- at the place I have indicated, and
that, among-st other thing-s he had planted, was quite a larg-e
patch of cotton. This cotton came to maturity in the autumn,
and served the purpose, when spun, of candle wicking-.
I spoke of the alacrity with which new Indianapolitans aided
each other and turned their hands to everything-. I g-ive a few
instances, quoting- from my mother's journal:
"November 5, 1821. Mr. Fletcher has been helping- Mr.
Blake husk corn." Again: "Friday, December 7. We killed a
beef. Mr. Paxton and Mr. Blake helped to butcher it." Again,
under the date of November 24: "Mrs. Nowland was making a
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 35
bonnet. She came to me to know whether I could make it. I
did not understand it, but g-ave her all the instruction I possibly
could." Other entries are: "I was very much eng-ag-ed in try-
ing- out my tallow;" "To-day I dipped candles;" "To-day I
finished the 'Vicar of Wakefield';" and, "I commenced to read
the Life of Washing-ton." There was also an inkling- of a sing--
ing--school in "I borrowed of Mr. Blake a sin g-ing- book." There
are afterwards notices of the sing-ing--school, where all that
could sing- joined for mutual improvement. One of the leading-
sing-ers was Henry Bradley, who was one of the early pillars
of the Baptist church in Indianapolis.
The reference in this journal to dinner parties, teas, quilting-s,
etc., are exceeding-ly numerous. Good feeling- pervaded the
whole community. While there was g-enuine western hospital-
ity, there were some other motives at the bottom for such con-
stant courtesy on the part of many of the new-comers toward the
rank and file. There was to be an election of county officers in
the spring- and hence the endeavor on the side of certain g-entle-
men to win over by politeness and attention every voter and his
wife. _ 687355
The first mention of any musical instrument in the journal is
in an entry of December 27, 1821:
"I was sitting- by the fire and Mr. Fletcher was reading- Rob-
ertson's history of America when the news came that Mr. Blake
had returned from Corydon. Mr. P. has g-one to see him, and
when I write a few more lines I will go also, althoug-h I feel
very much fatig-ued, for it is a long- time since I have heard the
fiddle played. I think it will seem very melodious, and I am
just about to start to hear it."
But while there were plenty of calls, visits, etc., the g-reat
social events of the winter were the Christmas and New Year's
parties. The former was a "stag-" party, and the latter was a
ball. My father's journal is more full in reg-ard to Christmas,
1821:
"This day I g-ot up at sunrise. I visited several of my neig-h-
bors, who all appeared friendly. About ten o'clock I went to the
river" [on the banks of which there were then more cabins than
elsewhere]. "I found at Mr. McGeorg-e's a larg-e collection of
men, principally the candidates for the new county offices. The
36 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
county is just being- laid off. McGeorg-e had the only barrel of
cider in town. I suppose it to have cost him about seven dol-
lars. In the liberality of the candidates the barrel was unhead-
ed, and all promiscuously drank. But as the cider was frozen,
the dogf-irons were put red-hot into the barrel. After having-
drank heartily of the cider they took brandy, which soon pro-
duced intoxication. A friend of mine, having- in some way
made a mistake as to its inebriating- qualities, took too much.
I therefore left the company and came home with him. I found
a g-reat deg-ree of accommodation and courtesy used among- all
classes. The candidates led the concourse from one place to an-
other till sundown."
The ladies on that Christmas appeared to have had a very un-
ostentatious time of it, for they spent the daj' in much quiet
visiting-.
"Tuesday, Christmas," writes my mother, "Mrs. Bradley and
Mrs. Paxton came and spent the day with me. They dined v/ith
me. Then Mrs. B. and I went to Mrs. Paxton's, where we both
took tea. After remaining- a while I returned home, and then
went to the Nowland's. I then came home ag-ain and read a
chapter in the Bible, etc."
The crowning- social occasion of the season was a New Year's
party g-iven at Mr. Wyant's cabin, of which occasion Colonel
Blake was the master, as he was of most public assemblies.
I have now before me the invitation to that first party of a
ceremonious kind ever g-iven in the New Purchase. This is the
first invitation of a formal nature ever penned here. There was
no printing- press at that time in Indianapolis, and there was
evidently but very little writing- paper. The paper is four by
two and three-quarter inches, and the invitation, written in a
clear hand, reads:
"The company of Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher is requested to a
party at J. Wyant's, Tuesday, the first day of January, 1822, at
3 o'clock p. m. Manag-ers, A. W. Russkll,
K. A. SCUDDER."
"Indianapolis, December 28, 1821."
We can see how democratic were the hours in those primitive
days. This party or ball beg-an at three p. m. and concluded at
midnig-ht.
\_To be continued, \
SOME OLD INDIANAPOLIS DOCUMENTS 37
SOME OLD INDIANAPOLIS DOCUMENTS.
R. ALBERT JOHNSON, of Irvington, has in his posses-
iVi sion a mass of papers dating- back to the early twenties,
and belong-ing- orig-inallj to his father and grandfather, who
came to Indianapolis soon after its founding-. These are leg-al
documents, receipts, orders and miscellaneous scraps, which, be-
sides the many autog-raphs, have an interest because of little
sidelig-hts they throw on the transactions and primitive business
methods of our earlier days when money was scarce and a system
of payment in commodities more or less necessary. The fol-
lowing- are samples:
"On demand, I promise to make for Jeremiah Johnson, or or-
der, four pair of g-ood shoes, two pair of coarse, strong- shoes,
two pair, if wished, fine shoes — (?) and bound. Witness my
hand and seal, this 21st day of September, 1824.
"Samuel Johns."
"Mr. James Cooley please pay to Jeremiah Johnson, the
bearer of this, ten pairs of coarse shoes ag-reeable to our ag-ree-
ment. * * * William Kennard."
"June 21, 1822."
"Mr. William Bay — Sir: You will please to pay to Jeremiah
Johnson 157 bushels of sound corn on my account.
"John E. Bary."
"Ten days after date I promise to pay to Jeremiah Johnson
100 pounds of g-ood merchantable wheat flour.
"Isaac Cool."
The following- itemized bill g-ives an idea of the then market
prices of various commodities:
4 lbs. coflFee $1 00
X lb. tea 31X
4 lbs. sugar 50
1 lb. wroug-ht nails 7A%
200 seg-ars 50
50 lbs. biscuit 2 50
1 bushel meal 25
3 lbs. butter 18^
1 peck salt 25
1 augur 50
2 lbs. nail 25
Cable (boat rope) 1 32
38 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
The leg-al instruments and forms were pretty nearly as crude
as those used in private business. The official reports of the
county officers were written on ordinary sheets of writing- paper,
disting-uished only by a faint, half-leg-ible seal, and the tax re-
ceipts were on rag-g-ed scraps of sheets, printed, when printed at
all, in a style that would, at the present day, excite the derision
of an apprentice in a country office. A manuscript tax notice
written by Jeremiah Johnson when he was collector for Marion
county states that "I will receive taxes at my house on Penn-
sylvania street, in Indianapolis, until the first day of July next,"
after which date "two per centum commission will be added to
the amount of each person's tax." An interesting- g-limpse of
the county revenue from taxables is g-iven by a document which
is worth g-iving in full:
"The State of Indiana, Marion County.
"This certifies to the treasurer of Marion county that Asa B.
Strong-, collector of the revenue of said county for the j^ear 1833,
is charg-eable for county purposes with —
1,740 polls at ZlYi. cents each $ 652 50
1,839 horses at YlVz cents each 229 87.5
564 oxen at 6X cents each 35 25
86 silver watches 21 50
4 g-old watches 2 00
25 brass clocks 12 50
1 two-wheeled pleasure carriage 1 00
4 four-wheeled pleasure carriages 6 00
Stud horses 51 00
Resident town lots 165 65.5
Non-resident town lots 57 83
6,325 82-100 acres first-rate (resident) land at (40) . . 25 30.3
80,132 80-100 acres second-rate (resident) land at (30) 204 39.8
10,814 .06-100 acres third-rate (resident) land at (20) 21 62.8
1,538 95-100 acres first-rate (non-resident) land
at (40) 6 15.5
26,694 78-100 acres second-rate (non-resident) land
at (30) 80 08.02
782 acres third-rate (non-resident) land at (20) 1 56.4
Road tax on non-resident land 87 80.1
Total $1,689 94.1
"In testimony whereof, I, James M. Ray, clerk of the Marion
Circuit Court, do hereunto set my hand and seal of ofl&ce this
May 15, A. D. 1833. James M. Ray, Clerk:'
REMINISCENSES OF AMOS HANWA Y 39
An amusing- sample from the collection is an invitation to a
social function sent out by Governor Noah Noble. Typography
as an esthetic art seems to have been unknown in the West in those
days, and this, set up in big- body type, is printed haphazard
somewhere near the middle of a g-enerous sheet out of all propor-
tion as to size and margin. It evidently was an eatablished
form with the Governor, for his name is affixed in type instead of
chirography and the blanks left for date and hour are filled in
by his hand. It reads:
"Indianapolis, December 16, 1834.
"Sir — You are requested to unite with gentlemen of the Leg-
islature and others in a social party at my house on Wednesday
evening, 5 o'clock. N. Noble."
REMINISCENCES OF AMOS HANWA Y.
From Paper read before the Indiana Centennial Association, July 4, igoo.
I CAME to Indianapolis with my father's family on the 21st of
June, 1821, being then a boy in my fifth year. The family
had lived in Vincennes several years before that time. Our
voyage here was in an Olean Point flatboat. We went down the
Wabash to the mouth of White river and came up to Indianap-
olis, the boat being- poled along- up the stream the entire way.
I think, from what I have heard, that as much as three weeks
were occupied in the journey from Vincennes. My father and
Mr, Burke pushed the boat up-stream.
There were eighteen houses here at that time, all cabins.
They were built along- the bank of White river, extending about
from the place of our landing to a point near where the Vanda-
lia railroad bridg-e is situated. Among- these eig-hteen famlies I
remember John and Michael and David Van Blaricum, Daniel
Yandes, Dr. Isaac Coe, John McCormick, Isaac Wilson, a Mr.
Concord, Bethuel Dunning, the ferr^-man, Obadiah Harris, a
Mr. Frazier, Jeremiah Collins and a Mr. Keeler.
The White river bridge was built in 1832 and 1833. The fine
poplar timbers of this bridge where whip-sawed on the bank
40 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
where the bridg^e was to be, on a frame, reaching- out from the
bank there. The timber was got up the river eight miles and
hewed about square, from a foot to three feet square, in the
woods, and I rafted it down to the place where it was whip-
sawed into proper shapes.
I saw the Delaware and Miami tribes of Indians pass through,
g-oing West. They camped by the river, and in the morning
all of them went in swimming. They said they never swam in
the evening or at night. There was a large tribe of them, over
a thousand, I think, all friendly.
Camp meetings were held by the Methodists every year. The
first one was south of town, on the Three-notch Line (now South
Meridian street). It was on Kelly's farm, and a great crowd
attended. The Methodist preachers were g-reat enthusiasts,
men of power, eloquence and earnestness. They did important
work in bringing the people to the support of good government,
morality and religion. Among- the great men who preached
there were John Strange, Edwin Ray, Jaraes Havens, Edwin
Ames and James Armstrong. The next camp meetings were
held for years on the Military Park ground, near the canal.
Afterward the meeting was on the land occupied by the Deaf
and Dumb Asylum, and next it was in the grove on the land at
the then north end of Illinois street, at old First street.
The National road was g-raded through Indianapolis in the
year 1832, I believe, and some years after the grading the road
from East street to Big Eagle creek, west of town, was macad-
amized. The broken stone was put on in strata of three inches
at a time, three times, nine inches in all. Each layer was set-
tled by use for a time, and then the next was put on. After this
little patch of macadam stone was put on, Jackson and Van
Buren vetoed all the National road bills, so it was a very bad
road till the State g-ave it to a plank-road company, and the
people soon rode on a plank floor, which was good till it rotted
or wore out.
THE EARL V SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 41
THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF INDIANA.
FROM THE PAPERS OF D. D. BANTA.
[The most ambitious and best known work on education in Indiana is that
by Prof. Richard G. Boone, which appeared in 1892. The same year, but
prior to the printing- of Mr. Boone's book, Judge D. D. Banta, then of the
Indiana University Law School, an old-time resident of Johnson county,
and author of a history of that county, published in The Indianapolis
News a series of papers on this important subject. Judge Banta's style of
treatment and the ground he covers are so widely different from those of
Professor Boone that it is so much new matter to one familiar with Boone.
The articles, largely anecdotal and revealing an intimate knowledge of
pioneer life and early happenings, give a graphic view of conditions
not to be gleaned from a more formal work based wholly upon scholarship.
They have a value all their own, and should be of interest to all educators.
The series contains too much matter to be reprinted entire in this maga-
zine, but I have taken the liberty to preserve the substance of them and
those parts that seem to me most valuable as real contributions to our
school history. By the references given the reader who wishes can consult
the original, to be found in files in either the State Library or the City
Library in Indianapolis. There are ten of the articles, which appear in
The News of 1892, under date of January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17,
24; March 16, 23. The articles will run in these pages throughout the
year. — Editor.]
Educational Status of the Pioneers — First Schools in the State — Dis-
tances to the School — Private Houses, Barns., Mills, etc. , as School-
houses — Rudeness of the First Houses Built — Curious Styles of
Building.
THKRE is a class which entertains the belief that the early
settlers of Indiana were not as well educated as were the
early settlers of her sister States. I think this belief was quite
g-enerally entertained a half century ag-o, and, perhaps, even
later by the people of these sister States. I do not know why
this belief should be held by any one to-day. I know of no rea-
son why the Indiana pioneers should not be considered as the
equals in every respect of the pioneer settlers of any of the
other States at that period.
42 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
It is stated by Gilmore, in "The Advance Guard of Western
Civilization," that of the 256 settlers who moved in 1779-80 to
the after site of Nashville, all but one could write his name.
Of thirty-six settlers on the north side of the Ohio, within the
present boundaries of the State of Ohio, who sig-ned the petition
directed to Lieutenant-Colonel Harmer, in i765, one only sig-ned
by his mark. Mr. Roosevelt, in writing- "The Winning- of the
West," had occasion to examine a g-reat many documents written
and signed by the pioneer Tennesseeans and Kentuckians, and
he g-ives testimony as following-:
"In examining- orig-inal drafts of petitions and the like, sig-ned
by the hundreds of orig-inal settlers of Tennessee and Kentucky,
I have been struck by the small proportion — not much over
three or four per cent, at the outside — of men who made their
mark instead of sig-ning-."
I have no doubt that the same fact would appear from an
examination on as larg-e a scale of orig-inal documents signed
by the Indiana pioneers. I have done a little of that kind of
work myself and have found the same result that Mr. Roosevelt
did.
Of course, all the schools of the pioneering- period were infe-
rior to the schools of to-day. In methods and appliances the
schools of the two periods were as wide asunder as the poles,
but in results, take it school for school and month for month, I
am inclined to think the difference was not so very marked.
Dr. Boone, in his "History of Education in Indiana,"* does not,
as I remember, discuss this question, but if he did he would
hardly ag-ree with me. Nevertheless, the evidence is abundant
that the pioneer schoolmasters were, in g-eneral, fairl}^ efficient
workers in the schoolroom.
However much or little of school training- the Indiana pio-
neers had, of two facts, I think, we may be assured: 1. They
differed, as a class, in no respect as to their education, from the
pioneer settlers of any other State of that period. 2. The sen-
timent quite g-enerally prevailed among- them, as it did with the
people of all other States, of an earnest desire that their chil-
dren should enjoy far more excellent educational privileg-es than
♦This allusion is to Dr. Boone's MS.
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 43
had fallen to their own lot. Or, in other words, they enter-
tained, in common with all the United States people of their day,
the American idea of the g-reat value of school training-. Of the
truth of these two propositions I think there can be no doubt.
Dr. Boone, in his history, makes it quite plain that later on in
Indiana there came a time when there was a seeming- indiffer-
ence in educational affairs that was not at all creditable to the
people of the State, but that charg-e can not in justice be laid to
the door of the first comers. The truth is, that long- before any
steps had been taken in Massachusetts or New York, or anywhere
else in the western world, looking- to a free-school system to be sup-
ported by the State, Indiana, in her org-anic law, had made pro-
vision for a system of free education, commencing- in the town-
ship schools and ending- in the State University, and but for the
g-reat poverty of the people, which rendered the scheme abso-
lutely impracticable, there can be no doubt that there would
have been a free-school system in active operation in this State
twenty years or more before the first blundering- steps were tak-
en toward it in any other State.
If one would take the time for it he mig-ht secure quite a
varied and extensive assortment of "first schools" in the State.
Mr. Randall Yarbro, who came to Clark county in 1810, said:
"What was probably the first school in Indiana was opened in
1811 in Jeffersonville, near the river bank." From a work en-
titled "Indiana Methodism" I quote: "The first school of any
kind in the territory of Indiana was taug-ht one and a half miles
south of Charlestown, in 1803." In the summer of 1796 Volney
visited Vincennes, and declared that nobody ever opened, a school
among- the French there till it was done by the Abbe R. [Rivet],
a missionary banished hither by the French Revolution; and he
adds the further statement that "out of nine of the French scarce-
ly six could read or write, whereas nine-tenths of the American
emig-rants from the east could do both." From the testimony of
John Tipton, a capital-site commissioner, we are warranted in
believing- that a Frenchman taug-ht school in an Indian villag-e,
situated on what is now the northwest corner of Johnson county,
before M. Rivet's day.*
*For what Tipton says, see Vol. I, No. 1, p. 13, of this magazine.
44 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
The first school within the present borders of the State was
a French school, probably at Vincennes, and the first Ang-lo-
American school was taug-ht in Clarksville, whose settlement
was beg-un not later than 1785, and probably two or three years
before that. At any rate, the place was a "small town" in 1789,
and althoug-h it was never a place of more than a few log- houses,
we mig-ht safely assume that schools of some sort were provided
for the children of the settlement, for this would accord with
what I believe to have been the unvarying- American practice.
After the peace of Greenville, in 1795, the Clark's Grant settle-
ment naturally g-rew faster than it did before, and in 1800 its pop-
ulation numbered 929. Surely there must have been schools
maintained by this time. But we are not left to conjecture
merely. Prom the old records of Clarksville, kept from the first,
there are frequent entries relating- to the schoolhouses and school-
masters almost from the very first.
The presumption is next to conclusive that a school was opened
in Dearborn county prior to 1802. In the spring- of 1796 six-
teen families moved across the Big- Miami and became the first
settlers of Dearborn county. They had settled on the Ohio side
of the Miami three years before, and during- their three years'
sojourn there they org-anized a school and broug-ht in the first
schoolmaster known to that part of the country, one Isaac Polk,
who "was known far and near as Master Polk." What these six-
teen families who moved on southeastern Indiana soil in the
spring- of 1796, and who were joined by four or five of the fami-
lies of the Ohio neig-hborhood the same year, did in the matter
of schools, the muse of history, unfortunately, has not seen fit
to say. We are left to conjecture, but with the record made
during- the three years of their residence in Ohio, we may feel
very confident that the year of their moving-, or at farthest the
following- one, marked the advent of the schoolhouse in southern
Indiana.
From The News of January 20, iSg2.
Without further discussion, we may accept that in g-eneral,
whenever and wherever a neig-hborhood contained enoug-h chil-
dren to warrant the enterprise, a schoolmaster was secured and
a school was opened. But it must be remembered that neig-hbor-
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 45
hoods in the early days covered far wider reaches of country
than is g-enerally the case now. To that schoolhouse south of
Charlestown referred to in the "History of Methodism in Indi-
ana," D. W. Daily, of Clark county, went when a small boy,
walking- a distance of three miles through the woods. Young-
Daily's school path, like thousands of others, was not very
plain, and was sometimes crossed by wild and savag-e beasts.
His devoted mother, realizing- the dang-ers that beset her boy,
went with him part of the way every morning-, carrying- her
young-est born in her arms, and every evening- she met him on
the way as he returned to his home. One of the first schools
taug-ht in Spencer county drew children to it from a distance of
four miles in every direction; and it was by no means uncommon
for school children to trudg-e, morning- and evening-, three and
four and even more miles to attend their schools.
In the beg-inning-, houses were not built exclusively for school
uses, if an unoccupied cabin or other place v/as found available
for the purpose. The first school taug-ht in Martinsville, certain
chroniclers say, was a summer school on a g-entleman's porch,
by Dr. John Morrison. There are others, however, who insist
that the first school was taug-ht in a barn by James Conway.
Barns were not infrequently turned into summer schoolhouses
during- the pioneer educational period. The first school taug-ht
in Newburg-, Warrick county, was in John Sprinkle's barn, and
many other barns were g-iven up during- part of the temperate
season to the pedag-og-ue and his pupils. Mills were also utilized
on occasions. The first school ever taug-ht in the Eng-lish lan-
g-uag-e in the town of Vevay was by John Wilson, a Baptist min-
ister, in a horse mill. An early school in Waynesville, Barthol-
omew county, was taug-ht by a retired distiller in a blacksmith
shop, which school, for reasons not stated, was attended by
young- men and boys only. In Spencer county a deserted tan-
nery was utilized. In Knox, in Jackson, and perhaps elsewhere,
the old forts, after the close of the Indian wars, were turned
into schoolhouses. In the towns of Franklin, Brownstown, and
some others, the log- court-houses were occupied between courts.
In Dubois county Simon Morg-an, the county recorder, kept
school for many years in the recorder's office. John Godlove,
46 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
of Delaware county, taug-ht one of the first schools in the pre-
cincts of his own kitchen, while in every county south of the
Wabash, and, doubtless, north of it also, abandoned cabins of
one kind or another, were quite frequently used for school
purposes.*
The appropriating of the mills and the forts, of the barns and
old cabins for schools was, however, the exception and not the
rule. The rule was that if a house of some kind was not found
ready-made when the time for org-anizing- a school came around,
those expecting- to be its patrons usually made short work of build-
ing- one. The first were the plainest and cheapest form of log-
cabin. The neig-hbors of the Stotts settlement on White river,
in Morg-an county, beg-an and finished ready for occupancy their
schoolhouse in one day. Of course, it was the rudest of log- cab-
ins, but it may well be supposed that there were hundreds of not
much if any better in Indiana from first to last. I have been
told of one such that was built and occupied in White River
township, in Jackson county, at a very early day. It was a pole
cabin without window, floor or chimney. The fire was kindled
on a raised clay platform or hearth in the center, and the sparks
and smoke escaped throug-h a larg-e opening- in the roof. The
children sat on benches next the walls, facing- the center, and
studied their lessons by the lig-ht that came whence the smoke
escaped. The house was modeled, evidently, after a hunters'
camp. In another part of the same county, a first temple of
learning- was erected and finished without windows or opening-s
for the lig-ht to come in save at the door and the wide throat of
the enormous chimney. A similar one was a schoolhouse in
Nashville, this State. We usually associate with the primitive
schoolhouses the "g-reased paper windows," but the truth is,
"paper g-lass" marked a step in the process of the evolution of
these structures. In the history of Spencer county the statement
is made that the first schoolhouses had uncovered opening-s
throug-h which the lig-ht entered. There were first schoolhouses
elsewhere in the State that w^ere without windows. The paper
covering-, made translucent by a free use of hog-'s lard or bear's
♦Apropos, it may be mentioned that Hanover College had its beginning in the little three-
room residence of Dr. John Finley Crowe. When Mrs. Crowe's domestic duties made it
necessary, the class of six boys repaired to the loom-house, a log structure of one room de-
voted to the family weaving.— i'diior.
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 47
oil, had not yet been thoug-ht of, but was to come as an improve-
ment and mark an era in the improvement of schoolhouse archi-
tecture. The settlement of Spencer county was beg-un as early
as about 1812, and the statement may well be true, for its
earliest-built schoolhouse belonged to the first of the Territory.
In Blue River township, Hancock county, the first one was
built of log-s and had five corners. It was not chinked and
daubed, had no windows, and but one door. This must have
been as late as 1830. The uncovered opening's of the Spencer
county houses are sug-g-estive of the portholes in the blockhouses
built during- the early days as a protection against the Indians.
It is a well-known fact that after the final cessation of Indian
hostilities the old forts were in some instances converted into
schoolhouses, and I find it recorded that a school was taught in
1808 in the dwelling house of John Widner, "which house was
almost a fort," having been constructed with special reference
to making resistance against attacks of Indians. Indeed, there
is direct authority for the statement that schoolhouses were con-
structed in Washington county with portholes for shooting at
the Indians, and if in Washington county, we have good reason
to suppose that they were likewise so constructed elsewhere at
the same time. I have not come across any record or tradition
to show that a cabin full of school children was ever beleaguered
in Indiana, or even that the schoolmasters of the State ever at any
time carried rifles to their schools with which to defend their
scholars in case of attack; but when we remember how very
few of the specific acts of a man or of men, which belong to
every-day life and are not required by some law to be entered of
record, find their way into history books, we can see that school-
masters may have gone armed to their schools here in Indiana,
and the fact remain unknown; and I have no doubt they did.
While the old schoolhouses were, whatever their dimensions,
generally rectangular in shape, this was not always true. I
find an account of two in Orange county, in Northwest and
Southeast townships respectively, that seem to have been five-
sided, one end being built "in the shape of a fence corner for
a fireplace." This unique style of architecture may have been
practiced elsewhere. In fact, a five-cornered schoolhouse was
erected in Hancock county as late as 1830.
48 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Can those who attended the old cabin schoolhouses ever forg-et
the total want of everything" connected with them that was cal-
culated to cheer and comfort the young-ster in his ascent of the
hill of knowledg-e? No attempt, whatever, was ever made by
the men who constructed these houses toward beautifying- them
in any deg-ree, and, judg-ed by the standards of to-day, not much
was done with a view to securing- the comfort of the children.
The following- description of an old time schoolhouse and its
furnishing-s is taken from "Recollections of the Early Settlement
of the Wabash Valley," by Sanford C. Cox:
"The schoolhouse was g-enerally a log- cabin with puncheon
floor, 'cat and clay' chimney, and a part of two log-s chopped
away on each side of the house for windows, over which g-reased
newspapers or foolscap was pasted to admit the light and keep
out the cold. The house was generally furnished with a split
[splint] bottom chair for the teacher, and rude benches made out
of slabs or puncheons for the children to sit upon, so arrangied
as to g-et the benefit of the hug-e log- fire in the winter time, and
the lig-ht from the windows. To these add a broom, a water-
bucket, and a tin cup or gourd, and the furniture list will be
complete."
The writer omits one important adjunct, viz., the writing-
table or bench, as it was in some schoolhouses not inappropriate-
ly called. This usually consisted of a broad board, sawed or
sometimes rived, nailed to stout pins driven into holes bored in
the logs at a proper slant upward beneath the long window.
In the absence of a suitable board, a puncheon hewn to a smooth
face, or even a half-log so hewn and mounted upon pins driven
into the wall or upon stakes driven into the earth, was made to
serve the purpose of a lighter writing table.
It would be a waste of words to point out the squalor and dis-
comfort of the old cabin schoolhouses. Most of us, however,
who caught glimpses of learning within their portals in our
younger days, think we treasure very tender recollections of
them, but I suspect the tender recollections are of the youthful
friendships we then formed, and of the surrounding woods and
streams that witnessed indulgence in all manner of lawful sports,
without a shadow of fear of trespassing on the rights of others.
\To be continuedJl
INDIANA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Published at Indianapolis, Indiana.
George S. Cottman, Editor and Proprietor.
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
THE RICHMOND CENTENNIAL.
Just now there is, perhaps, more local history interest in Rich-
mond and Wayne county than in any other part of the State,
because of the centennial anniversary of the settlement of that
locality. The following- brief statement from Mr. Cyrus W.
Hodg-in, president of the Centennial Association, will g-ive an
idea of the movement:
"The first white settlers on the site of Richmond came there
in 1806. This year, 1906, is therefore the one hundredth anni-
versary of the event. At its meeting- in November, 1905, the
Wayne County Historical Society appointed a committee to con-
sult with the City Council and a number of other org-anizations
concerning- an appropriate celebration of the centennial of the
beg-inning- of the town. The Council approved, and appointed a
cooperating- committee. A Centennial Association has been
org-anized, consisting- of representatives chosen by nearly one
hundred fraternal societies, churches, and literary, charitable
and business org-anizations. A number of standing- committees
have been appointed to promote various phases of the plan, and
the work of preparation for the event is now well under way.
"There will be six days devoted to the celebration, beg-inning
September 11, and closing- on Sunday, the 16th. It will be a
time of home-coming for former residents, and a program of ex-
cellent variety and high character will be presented for the en-
joyment of all. Old Richmondites are invited to send for an-
nouncements."
From this it will be seen that there is promise of a general
awakening in Richmond along this line. Indeed, the editor will
personally testify to this, for in a recent visit to "The Queen of
all the Hoosier Plain" he found not a few citizens deeply en-
grossed in the past story of their community, and all available
sources are being drawn upon. Old newspaper files are being
50 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
hunted up, and the people are urg-ed to ransack their chests and
attics in search of papers and relics. The first Richmond direc-
tory, published in 1857, contains a history of the place, by John
T. Plummer, which, like Ig-natius Brown's directory history of
Indianapolis, is the one upon which all the subsequent histories
have been based. If any one in or out of the county has one of
those directories, now is the time to find a market for it. The
press, particularly Tne Su7i- Telegravi, is pushing- the movement
along- with enthusiasm, and will be an effective instrument in
promoting- popular interest by its publication throug-h the sum-
mer of reminiscences and history papers g-leaned from old res-
idents and students of the earlier day.
WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN IOWA.
Iowa is one of the States young-er than Indiana where they
have come to perceive the value of their own history and have
taken steps to preserve it. In connection with their State Li-
brary they have a Historical Department, and to these are de-
voted a handsome edifice of imposing- proportions. Moreover,
from this Historical Department is issued a quarterly historical
mag-azine {A7inals of Iowa) ^ which is one of the best of its kind
published in the country. With the State support back of it, it
is enabled to add to its letter-press many illustrations and charts
— a very desirable feature which, so far, this mag-azine has not
been able to do, except in a very limited way. A letter to the
editor of Annals, Mr. Charles Aldrich, relative to the local his-
tory interest there, has elicited the following- reply:
"Your letter of the 28th ult., came yesterday. You asked me
how I started this work. It was simply by g-iving- a boy's auto-
g-raph collection, and being- oblig-ed to come here and see that it
was taken care of, where it woilld otherwise have been utterly
wasted. In order to g-et a case for its reception, I had to 'hang-
around' the capitol some little time at my own expense. It did
not seem that I could leave the collection ung-uarded without dan-
g-er of its destruction, so I stayed and stayed. A little investi-
g^ation showed me that the State was doing- nothing- at that time
to preserve the materials of its history, so in a small way I be-
g-an to 'beg-' files of newspapers, books, pamphlets and public
documents which were out of print, and which were not other-
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 51
wise much esteemed, but which contained some of the materials
that a State historian would require. I found that Wisconsin
had the histories of seventy Iowa counties, while our State Li-
brary contained but half that number, with only one dilapidated
volume on North American Indians, and on several tribes that
had made their homes in what is now Iowa.
"Gradually, these ideas forced themselves upon me, and before
I was hardly aware of it, I became a collector. I soon begfan to
receive prehistoric stone implements, arms which were in use in
the civil war, specimens of birds and animals, minerals, fossils,
ancient implements and furniture, etc., etc. Seeing- what I was
doing-, the Leg-islature finally g-ave me the use of three vacant
rooms in the basement of the capitol building-. Looking- back
upon those days it seems an incomparably short time until the
rooms were filled to overflowing-. Then, g-radually the idea of a
building- for this special purpose seemed to be evolved, and mat-
ters prog-ressed in the usual way until June 17, 1899, when the
cornerstone of the present edifice was laid by Governor Shaw.
Since then, our prog-ress has been quite rapid. Our museum has
developed until it has become an object of State-wide attrac-
tion, not to the people of wealth and to those who travel
widely, but to the common people of Iowa.
"If I can do anything- further to assist you, it will afford me
very g-reat pleasure."
"P. S, I had almost forg-otten to mention your admirable
uxag-azine. You are doing- splendidly and it oug-ht to command
support. If you can continue it as you have started, it will be
a g-reat help to your other work. In fact, I am of the opinion
that our Aimals of Iowa has done more to develop and expand
this work than almost any other instrumentality except the
museum. It bring-s to us exchang-es with more than three hund-
red newspapers and historical mag-azines, not only throug-hout
the United States, but in foreig-n countries. It serves to preserve
many of the materials of history, and we now have a constant
demand for back numbers from schools, colleges and libraries,
as well as individuals, all over the country. I have been com-
pelled to reprint several numbers. I think I mentioned your
magazine when it was first started, for I have a distinct recol-
lection that it greatly pleased me."
52 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
WORK OF THE MONROE COUNTY SOCIETY.
The Monroe County Historical Society, org-anized but a year
ag-o, has maintained the vig-or with which it started out, and
in a prog-ram recently issued for 1905-1906 we find an admira-
ble showing-. The meeting-s are held monthly throug-hout the
year except Aug-ust, and at present not less than fifteen papers
have been prepared or are promised. Those that have been read
are: ''Reminiscences of Indiana University Forty Years Ag-o"
(published in Vol. 1, No. 3, of this mag-azine); "Hon. James
Hug-hes," by Henry C. Duncan; "The History of the Blooming--
ton Water-Works," by Ira C. Batman; "James Parks, Pioneer,"
by Jonathan W. Ray; "Old Water Mills in Monroe County," by
Williamson B. Seward; "My Grandmother Seward's Stories of
Pioneer Times," by Miss Marg-aret McCulloug-h; "Early Elec-
tions in Monroe County," by Frank C. Duncan; "Sketch of
Dudley Chase Smith, of Vermont," by his son, Dudley F. Smith;
"The Rog-ers Family in Monroe County," by Leonidas D. Rog-ers;
"My Grandmother Elizabeth Grundy Dunn," by Mrs. Elizabeth
Dunn Leg-g-.
Those on the prog-ram yet to be read are, dates and subjects,
as follows:
March 16, "The Blooming-ton Christian Church," by Amzi At-
water; April 20, "Notes from the Journal of Dr. Theophilus A.
Wylie," by Mrs. Louise Wylie Boisen; May 18, "The Univer-
sity in the Later Fifties," by Judg-e John C. Robinson; June 15,
"A Sketch of Austin Seward," by Henry C. Duncan; July 20,
"Monroe County Stone Quarries," by Williamson B. Seward.
To quote from the prog-ram:
"A number of subjects are in contemplation from which the
prog-ram for the year 1906-1907 will be made up. Among- these
are 'The Monon Railroad,' by Mr. Carter Perring-; 'The Blooming--
ton Public Schools from the Records of the School Board,' by Mr.
W. A. Rawles; 'The Immig-ration of the Scotch-Irish Presbyteri-
ans to Monroe County,' by Mr. J. A. Woodburn; 'The Old Monroe
County Female Seminary,' by Mr. Amzi Atwater; 'The History
of Org-anized Charities in Blooming-ton,' by Mrs. Minnie B. Wal-
dron; 'Company K, 14th Indiana Volunteers in the Civil War,'
by Miss Mary Kelly; 'The Beg-inning-s of the City Hospital,' by
Mrs. Maude Showers.
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS S3
"The society hopes to secure in time, a history of each re-
ligious denomination in the county and of individual congre-
g-atious. It seeks the cooperation of clerks of sessions and of
cong-reg-ational secretaries and pastors to this end.
"It is the intention of the society to preserve typewritten cop-
ies of all the papers read before the society, to be bound in an-
nual volumes.
LOCAL HISTORY CONTRIBUTIONS.
POST VINCENNES — A SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE RELATING TO
ITS ESTABLISHMENT.
A pamphlet of some fifteen or twenty thousand words bearing-
this title has recently been issued by F. A. Myers, of Evansville.
As the sub-title implies, it is a study in the sources that touch
upon the old post, and particularly upon the date of its establish-
ment. There is ample evidence in the text that the study has
been searching- and painstaking-, and it has much collateral in-
formation that is of interest. Just what it adds to the subject
only an expert could tell. We frankly confess ourselves some-
what stupid in the attempt to ^^i at the merits of this particular
kind of a question. The date of the establishment of Vincennes
is involved in much haze, and the probabilities are that it will
never be less hazy. The evidence at best but affords grounds
for surmise, and the surmising varies with the ingenuity of the
investigator, just as, in the contentions that spring up, the most
ingenious reasoner triumphs quite regardless, perhaps, of the
actual facts in the case. Mr. Myers takes vigorous exceptions
to certain conclusions of Mr. J. P. Dunn on this subject, but we
think he might have presented a clearer summary of his own ar-
gument, the exact scope of which is uncertain on a casual read-
ing. The pamphlet, nevertheless, we repeat, is a careful and
lengthy study of the question from such data as exist, and as
such should be in the collection of every one who is gathering
Indiana material. The author's address is 724 Upper Third
street, Evansville, Ind.
Newspaper Articles. There is much, in fact, a surprising
amount, of valuable history material being continually publish-
ed by the local papers throughout the State. Very often this is
$4 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
riot preserved, even by the publishing- papers, and in a short
time passes into utter oblivion. We shall be g-lad to receive
for notice in these pag"es any articles of note that have been so
published, either recently or at any previous period. Some have
been received and we here give them space.
The True Site of Fort Knox, by Dr. Hubbard M. Smith, in the
Sunday Commercial^ of Vincennes, January 7, 1906. In this article
Dr. Smith proves by good documentary evidence that Fort Knox
(the American fort in that locality that succeeded to Fort Sack-
ville) Wcis located at Vincennes, about two hundred yards below
the present foot of Hart street. It has been generally believed
that this fort stood at a point some three miles up the river,
but Mr, Smith makes it tolerably clear that the establishment
located there was not the fort, but a garrison, and that there has
arisen a confusion respecting the two. He makes an appeal to
the Daughters of the Revolution to place a marker at this site,
as they have already marked old Fort Sackville.
TJie George Lay Raid, a series of ten papers by John T.
Campbell, in the Rockville Republican, May 9 to July 11, 1894.
This series makes an interesting chapter in our civil war his-
tory and recounts Mr. Campbell's experiences as an of&cer with
the disaffected element in Parke county. The articles give a
graphic idea of the spirit of the times and the serious proportions
of organized rebellion in that locality. Some of these papers,
we believe, may still be procured. Mr. Campbell's address is
The Soldiers' Home, Lafayette.
The Unnamed Anti-Slavery Heroes of Old Nezaport, by Dr. O. N.
Huff, in the Richmond Sun- Telegram, December 25, 1905. This
rather lengthy paper is a valuable contribution to the anti-slavery
history of Wayne county, in that it preserves a record of the
names and services of active workers in that cause who have
received little or no credit in the histories previously written.
There is quite a list of these names, and the part some of them
played makes an interesting story.
The New Harmony Papers. The New Harynony Times is doing
a good work by giving to the public documentary material from
the rich collection in the New Harmony Library. The journals
of William Owen and William Pelham, from the original manu-
scripts, have been running for some months, and the reminis-
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 55
cences of the late Victor Duclos have been recently begun. All of
these papers deal with the famous Rappite and Owen commun'-
ities and have a far more than local interest. The Duclos ar-
ticles will be followed by a diary of James Bennett, who went to
California across the plains in 1849, and Mr. Wolfe, the editor,
promises that it will offer '*a rare addition to the information
that has been left of the once unknown West."
The Genesis of Methodism in Richmond, by the Rev. O. S. Har^
rison, in the Sun- Telegram, February 14, 1906, is, as the title im-
plies, a local contribution to the history of the State, and as
such will be of interest to the student of that subject.
Edward Swanson^ the romantic story of a strange character who
was hang-ed for murder in Rushville, in 1829 — a series of arti-
cles by Dr. John Arnold, in the Rushville Graphic^ in August
and September, 1897. These papers contain considerable lore of
Rush county. Dr. Arnold also published a series of '•Reminis-
cences" in the Rushville Republican^ beginning January, 1875.
INDIAN MOUNDS IN DEKALB COUNTY.
Editor the Indiana Magazine of History: —
References in the December number of the Indiana Quarterly
Magazine of History, to the old Indiana Torture Stake near
Muncie, have suggested to me an explanation of a discovery
made by me while examining some of the mounds in DeKalb
county. I examined a great many of these mounds. Most of
them contained human bones, fragments of pottery, and an oc-
casional arrow-head, stone hammer, or stone flesher.
Two of these mounds were on the bank of Cedar creek, about
one-half mile northwest of Waterloo. Large trees were grow-
ing around them, and quite a large tree grew about in the cen-
ter of one of them, — the smaller of the two. The large mound
was about twelve feet in diameter, and about four and one-half
or five feet in hight. It contained the skeleton of one person,
apparently buried in a sitting posture. The other contained
the remains of a number of persons. The bodies had apparently
been placed in a heap on the ground, and covered with earth.
Fractures of some of the skulls indicated violent deaths. Above
the earth covering the bodies was a layer of stone and over this
more earth and a thick layer of charcoal mingled with charred
56 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
frag-ments of human bones. At that time, after a careful ex-
amination, I concluded that these mounds marked the site of a
battle; that the victors of those left in possession of the field
had made these mounds the burial place of their dead, and had
burned the bodies of their dead enemies on the mound above
them. The description of the old torture stake at Muncie sug--
g-ests that instead of the bodies of their dead enemies, they may
have burned living- victims. Very respectfully,
Robert W. McBridk.
Indianapolis, Januai"}' 10, 1906.
STATE TKACHKRS' HISTORY SECTION.
The ninth annual meeting of the History Section of the In-
diana State Teachers' Association will meet at the Claypool
Hotel, in Indianapolis, on Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28,
1906. Following is the program:
Friday, 2:00 p. m. — Report of committee on local history, C. W, Hodgin,
chairman; discussion opened by Prof. W. S. Davis, Richmond Hig-h
School (Professor Davis is chairman of the History Committee of the
Richmond Centennial Association, and will show what may be done,
by what Richmond is preparing- for her Centennial next September);
report of committee on history in the grades. Prof. E. W. Kemp,
chairman; general discussion; appointment of committees.
6:00 P. M. — Dine together at the Claypool.
8:00 p. M. — Joint session of the History Section and the Indiana Histori-
cal Society; paper, "Making a Capital in the Wilderness," by Judge
Daniel Waite Howe, president of the Historical Society; talk, "Work
of the Historical Society," by Hon. J. P. Dunn, its secretary; talk,
"Aims of the History Section, and Possible Ways of Cooperation
Between the Two Societies," by Dr. James A. Woodburn; general dis-
cussion.
Saturday, 9:00 a. m. Address, "An Experiment with History in the
Grades," by Prof. Henry Johnson, of the Eastern Illinois State Nor-
mal School; general discussion; address, "Evolution of the Present
Wave of Reform," by Hon. E. B. Swift; election of officers; miscel-
laneous business.
Headquarters at the Claypool, which furnishes free Assembly Room,
and offers a $2.50 rate, two in a room; S3.00, one in a room.
All teachers of history and related subjects are cordially invited to par-
ticipate in the pleasure and profit of all the sessions.
GEORGE W. JULIAN, W17-1899
THE INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Vol. II JUNE, 1906 No. 2
GEORGE W. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESSIONS.
BY HIS DAUGHTER, MRS. GRACE JULIAN CLARKE.
"The dear and g-ood paternal imag-e."
— Dante.
OF my father's political career I could have no knowledg-e at
first hand, because it was mainly finished before I was old
enoug-h to remember. I knew him only as an old man and a
semi-invalid; but these two facts, coupled with the sudden death
of my mother in 1884, brought me into very close and intimate
relations with him. And it is my conviction that his public
services, valuable and disinterested as they were, were yet not
so remarkable as was the man himself, which prompts me to g-ive
to his friends this little sketch of my father as he appeared to me,
supplemented by a few facts gathered from him and from others.
Life was truly a boon to him, increasing- in value with the
years. It was, moreover, a momentous reality, an experience
not to be idly or carelessly passed throug-h, but a privileg-e into
which should be crowded as much of useful achievement as
possible. It was not mere existence that he loved. Activity
was his delig"ht, and he fretted under enforced idleness. He
dreaded unspeakably the loss of his faculties, and during- the
last few years the words of John Quincy Adams about his
"shaking- hand, darkening- eye and drowsy brain" seemed to
possess new meaning- for him. Ever on the alert for sig-ns of
failing- mental power, he was a severe task-master to himself, for
he believed that he could at least hinder the ravag-es of time by
keeping- his mind employed. It is probable that the final catas-
trophe was precipitated by the continuous strain, during- exces-
sively warm weather, occasioned in the preparation of a book re-
view for The Dial. This meant double work for the brain g-rown
slug-g-ish with ag-e and supported by an increasing-ly feeble body.
Althoug-h stinted in sleep for more than thirty years, and
58 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
bowed down by growing- infirmities, my father manifested a
certain pug-nacity in facing- distressing- conditions that not only
made them bearable, but lent a sort of color to life. It was not
a part of his philosophy to ignore evil and unfortunate circum-
stances, as it has become fashionable nowadays to do, but rather
to face them in all their might and ug-liness, and then set to
work to overcome them. Among the lines that he repeated
oftenest were these from Browning's Easter Day:
"A.nd. so I live, you see.
Go throug-h the world, ti'y, prove, reject,
Prefer, still striving- to effect
My warfare; happy that I can
Be crossed and thwarted as a uian,
Not left in God's contempt apart,
With ghastly smooth life, dead at heart,"
When attacked by the grippe, which occurred quite regularly
during the last few years, he would keep his room at first with
rather a bad grace, for he loved to be down among his books,
where he could see people; but presently, having become ad-
justed to the situation, he would set himself to pointing out its
pleasant features — the east and south windows, the open fire,
the pictures on the walls, — pictures of the capitol and of the
Thirty-first Congress, of Horace Greeley, Thaddeus Stevens and
others. Sunshine was a perpetual delight to him, and the fleet-
ing- g-lory of the dawn was worth a g-reat effort to behold.
Once, when he was recovering- from pneumonia, I was shocked
and a bit provoked, on g-oing- into his room very early in the
morning, to find him standing- at the window g-azing- out, al-
though it was quite cold and he was not dressed; but he won
forgiveness by hurrying- back to bed, saying g-aily: "I had to
get up to see 'jocund day standing tiptoe upon the misty mountain
tops'!" The branches of the maples as they swayed to and fro
outside his window spoke a languag-e very sweet and quieting,
and the birds were a constant source of pleasure to him. The
sight of a storm seemed to fascinate him, and he would g-o from
one room to another to g-et new views of it, his face wearing a
look of mingled aw^e and delight. The twilight hour was a
precious time; he liked then to have a loved one beside him, by
the fire in winter and under the trees in summer, and to sit in
GEORGE IV. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESS 10 1\ S 59
silent meditation, or repeating- poetry, or talking- of the day's
doings and the morrow's plans. Always a great walker, he
rather prided himself on his three miles a day at eig-hty, and
his figure was a familiar one in all parts of the villag-e. But al-
though "the old perfections of the earth" appealed to him more
and more with the passing- years, they never took the place of
human society. "What should we do without people?" he mur-
mured, g-azing- out at neighbors passing- by, on the day before
he laid him down for the last time. Unfailing- courage, and
ever-fresh enjoyment of nature and of the varying- phases of hu-
man experience, were among his most pronounced characteristics.
Children came very close to him, and he had the art of enter-
taining them without apparent effort. He had a fund of bear
stories, and there was a favorite tale about Captain Scott and the
Coons. General Putnam and the Wolf was another thrilling- re-
cital. In relating- these there was more or less dramatic acces-
sory, and when the gun went off, "she-bang-!" was alwa3's the
climax.
Whatever my father did he put his v/hole heart into. He
worked impetuously and indefatigably, and he played as he
worked. In his youth he had enjoyed the g-ameof Town Ball,
and his special delight always as a recreation from intellectual
labor was to toss a rubber ball against the house, keeping- it on
the bound sometimes ten or fifteen hundred times. The g-ames
of Base, and Hide and Seek, and Blind Man's Buff were also
favorites; but it was largely his own enthusiasm and the aban-
don with which he entered into them that made them fascinat-
ing. This it was that made his society so engaging, — the en-
thusiasm he felt for people and thing-s, coupled with an air of
wisdom, as of one having- a horizon much wider than the av-
erage, every-day horizon.
His opinions were uttered with a freedom and spontaneity that
were refreshing, and yet with a seriousness and tone of authori-
ty that were the fruit of deep thinking and long- experience. It
was Miss Catharine Merrill, for fifty years a teacher of English,
who said that he talked in such complete sentences that they
had the quality of literature. I believe he never spoke without
previous thought.
In all his talk there was a deep relig-ious vein, a spirit of faith
60 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
in the Eternal Goodness, that was tonic in effect. In his article
entitled "A Search After Truth" he called himself a Theist,
and expressed his belief in personal immortality on the strength
of the human affections and because he could not think that "the
unappeasable hunger of the soul for so priceless a blessing was
implanted to be ungratified." He believed in the simple hu-
manity of Jesus and in the renovating- and ever-uplifting power
of his life and teachings in raising the world to higher and yet
higher conditions. The life and suif erings of the Nazarene were
habitually in his thovights, and the story of the crucifixion al-
ways brought tears to his eyes. Perhaps the most touching and
terrible passage in literature, to him, was the sentence, "My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" This picture of awful
agony and utter loneliness was one not to be dwelt on, that yet
laid hold of the heart and imagination.
Reverence was a marked characteristic of my father — rever-
ence for God, and Truth, and Duty. He was a good deal of a
hero-worshiper, too, and certain names were always spoken with
tender regard and a glow of pride. Among these were Plato,
Dante, Bruno, Milton, Mazzini. But all his heroes did not belong
to the past. He had numerous idols among the men of his own
time. Over the mantel in his library hung portraits of William
Ellery Channing, Theodore Parker and Ralph Waldo Emerson,
saint, reformer and seer, as he called them. It was not his priv-
ilege to have known John Quincy Adams, the latter having
died the year before my father entered Congress. But Mr.
Adams's character impressed him as few others did, and he was
almost as familiar with his career as with the alphabet.
Charles Sumner was another statesman of Abdiel-like propor-
tions, whose greatness seemed to tower higher with the reced-
ing years.
Deference to old people was a trait always observed in my
father, — so I am told by his surviving cousins. The loneliness
of the aged, even in the most favored conditions, appealed to him;
and the sight of age coupled with want caused him a pang only
equaled perhaps by the spectacle of a mind in ruins. To see
one whom he had known in the vigor of manhood fallen into a
condition of mental decay was not only unspeakably sad, but it
seemed to fill him with a sort of awe.
GEORGE W. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESSIOAS 61
My father was fond of the theater, particularly in middle life,
when he went as a relaxation from the work and worry connected
with the war period. Joseph Jefferson as Rip Van Winkle he
went to see annually, if possible, and he liked to repeat Rip's
farewell as he departed in the storm, and his beseeching- words
to his new-made friends in the mountains: "Boys, do not leave
me." The elder Sothern as Lord Dundreary pleased him infi-
nitely, and he imitated to perfection the puzzled look of Dun-
dreary when the latter attempted to repeat proverbs. The fun-
ny little hop, or skip, that v/as also characteristic of Sothern in
this part, he could rehearse capitally, and did so during- the last
weeks of his life. The Booths, father and son, and Fanny
Kemble, were favorites. Edwin Forrest as King- Lear he never
missed an opportunity of seeing-, and I think he felt real pity for
the man or woman who had never heard Forrest's tone when he
called on the dead Cordelia to "stay a little." To the end of his
life he spoke with enthusiastic delight of Jenny Lind and Christine
Nillson. He had not what is called a cultivated ear, his taste
being- for simple thing-s, especially for the Scotch ballads. His
voice was sweet and melodious, and he sang- almost every day.
Sometimes it was a hymn that he had learned in childhood, but
more often it was one of Burns's song-s, — the Banks o' Doon, Auld
Lang- Syne, or Hig-hland Mary; and his voice rang- out with
peculiar fervor to the thrilling- strains of Bannockburn.
In his youth he had committed to memory a g-reat deal of poet-
ry, and this he retained in large measure to the last, while he
reg-ularly added to his stock from the g-ood thing-s that appeared
from time to time. As he lay awake at nig-ht he would repeat
pag-e after page of Paradise Lost, and occasionally some frag-
ment that he had learned some fifty or sixty years before would
come floating across his memory, called from its hiding place
none knew how. Until within the last fifteen years, if asked
who was his favorite poet after Shakespeare and Milton, he would
probably have said Tennyson; but about 1885 he became inter-
ested in the poetry of Robert Browning, from which he derived
great pleasure, and he repeated more of Browning, I think, than
of Tennyson thereafter. "In Memoriam" remained without a
rival in his regard, but there was a certain strength, a tone of
courage, about much of Browning's work that touched in him a
responsive chord.
62 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
He had a peculiar regard for books. They almost seemed to
possess sentient life, and he could not endure to see them tum-
bled about carelessly. In the primitive society of his young-
days books were very rare and precious, and he never ceased to
regard them in that light. He cared greatly for philosophy,
history, biography, and sermons of men like Martineau and
Channing. Novels he knew little about, and he used to say that
his early education along this line had been neglected; but I
fancy he did not realize how vast and important was the field
from which he was thus excluded. He had, of course, read cer-
tain classics, such as Tristram Shandy, Don Quixote, Les Mis-
erables, Consuelo, and a number of George Eliot's, and he did
not forget them, as habitual fiction readers do.
With his tall figure, which attracted attention wherever he
went, there was a remarkable dignit}^ of mein, and also a frank-
ness of manner that, as was said of Uncle Toby, "let you at once
into his soul." Like Uncle Toby, too, there was something about
him, at least in later life, that seemed to make a special appeal
to the unfortunate and unhappy. I often regretted this, because
it added to the burdens on his heart. People used to come to
him for counsel and advice on all sorts of topics, even those who
did not know him well, feeling instinctively his friendly spirit.
Perhaps one reason for this was his manifest sincerity and
earnestness. He had no patience with vain, silly people, and
when they endeavored to talk with him, it was apt to be a very
one-sided affair, for his part of the conversation consisted large-
ly of monosyllables and grunts. But he always sought to intro-
duce higher and worthier themes than the ordinary chit-chat.
He often read to a caller an extract from a book he was perus-
ing, or something timely from a magazine or newspaper. He
nevermade people feel small; he was tookindly and gracious for
that. There was, however, a reserve about him that made him
appear austere and unbending to those who did not really know
him. This was chiefly due to a native shyness that he never
outgrew, — a timidity against which he always struggled, but
which was, in fact, one of his most winning qualities.
In his prime his hair and beard were black, but they began to
whiten rather early. His eyes were hazel, remarkably clear,
and they retained their yomig look to the very last His smile
GEORGE IV. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESSIONS 63
was the most unclouded I have ever seen, beg-inning- with the
eyes, and then all at once suffusing- the whole face with sunshine.
A more agreeable household companion than my father it is
impossible for me to imagine. There was a bird in his bosom
whose song- could not be quenched. Pain aad sorrow did some-
times silence it, but n<:)t for long. He had that attribute com-
monly possessed by the young-, the ability to lose himself in a
ray of fancy at any moment. He took great delig-ht in words,
and the dictionary was consulted many times every day, up to the
last three or four days of his life. He had a fashion of appl)nng-
a g-reat variety of proper names to me, and when I entered his
room each morning I was playfully addressed by a different ap-
pellation, — almost any name, from "Pio Nono" down to that of
the Washing-ton printer v^ho used to print his speeches and
whose un-euphonious palronymn was "Pokenhorn." The nu-
merous little attentions which his weakness rendered necessary
were always kept from being- irksome by the relation of an amus-
ing anecdote or reminiscence. Sometimes he would imitate the
tone and manner of Henry Clay as he addressed the Senate, or of
an old Virginia planter whom he had once known; ag-ain, he
would be Hamlet, or Lear, or one of Milton's devils. It was
something different each time, so that there was the temptation
frequently to prolong the task for the sake of the entertainment.
His sense of humor was of the keenest, and his laugh was
hearty and contagious. As he grew older, people became more
and more attentive to him, and he was sometimes much enter-
tained by the superlative exertions of street-car conductors and
other kind persons who evidently thoug-ht him even more frail
than he really was. The old gentleman up at Catawba Island
who carefully lifted his foot for him when he was about to step
aboard the boat was never forgotten, and the laugh occasioned
by that performance betokened no lack of g-ratitude for the intend-
ed service.
He was everywhere a favorite with servants, because he en-
deavored to make as little trouble as possible and never omitted a
"Thank you" or a word of appreciation where it was due. The
maid who waited upon him at breakfast was as sure of a cheery
"Good-morning" as was the guest who sat at table. His tastes
in the matter of food were simple in the extreme, bread and
64 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
milk forming- the basis of each meal. He never used tobacco,
and while not pledged to total abstinence as to spirituous liquors,
his use of them was almost wholly medicinal. Coming of a
Quaker ancestry, all display of whatever sort was distasteful
to him, and to be in debt was a condition he could not endure.
I think he was peculiarly free from little eccentricities, such as
characterize many old people, a sound common-sense being- one
of his chief endowments.
Laundresses were the objects of his particular consideration
and pity, and although very fastidious about his wearing ap-
parel, I believe he never threw aside a garment without a sig"h
at thought of the work he was making- necessary. He liked to
listen to the sound as the clothes were rubbed up and down in
the tub; it carried him back to the days when his mother did
the washing- for her little family.
His father died when he was too young- to have really known
him, and with his strong affections he lavished a double love
upon the parent who was left to bear the burden of life alone.
His face glowed with filial pride when he spoke of her struggles
and sacrifices, and I am sure that one of the chief pleasures
of his life was the satisfaction she took in his success. His first
g-reat sorrow was on the occasion of the death of John M. Julian,
the g-ifted brother whose early taking--off cast a shadow that
never vanished from my father's path. His own immediate
family was four times visited by death, in the loss of his first
wife and two children and of my mother. I saw him in one of
these bereavements, and the unselfish heroism of his attitude
was a lesson for a lifetime. He liked sometimes to talk to a
sympathetic listener of the loved ones gone, and so I came to
know very well his brother so long- lost, and the wife of his
youth, as he called her; and it is hard to realize that I never
actually saw "Louie," the little son who died when only nine
years old, so habitually was he in my father's thoug-hts and con-
versation. With his larg-e heart and sensitive nature he felt
keenly the sorrows of others, and his words of condolence were
always fitting- and full of meaning-.
It was his custom to take note of anniversaries. The 19th of
April, the 17th of June, and such dates were always observed in
some way. Anniversaries of events in his own life he would also
GEORGE W. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESSIONS 65
call attention to, as, for instance: "My child, sixty years ag-o
to-day my brother John died," and then he would talk of his
brother's character, or describe his appearance. Ag-ain he would
say: "Fifty years ag-o to-day I was first married," and he would
g-o on and tell about the wedding-, — how "Father Hoshour" of-
ficiated, how his girl wife looked, in her white frock, and how,
of the gay company then assembled, all but two or three had
passed to the Great Beyond.
It has been said, and I think truly, that a man's relations to
woman, how he reg-ards her and how he acts toward her, are the
most sig-nificant things about him. My father certainly drew
to him g-ood women wherever he went, and his "five hundred
lovers" were the subject of inexhaustible raillery on the part of
my mother, who thoroughly enjoyed this side of his make-up.
It was no show of gallantry on his part that won the favor of
the other sex; but there was about him a certain indefinable air
of g-oodness, together with the artlessness of a child, and an
ever-ready and boundless sympathy or fellow-feeling-, that ap-
pealed at once to some men, but more often to the finer intui-
tions of women. One of these friends writes: "I can never
forg-et the culture tone that characterized him as one met him in
society and in his home, — the absolute lack of that coarseness
that is so much a part of our modern politician. Without know-
ing his history, I could as easily have said that he was a poet or
litterateur.^^ His daug-hter's friends felt for him a g-enuine af-
fection, and he was seldom too absorbed in any task to stop and
chat with them. "He seemed so much more than father," said
one of them; "no, not that, but all that a father could be — the
fullness of fatherhood."
His ideal of womanhood was the highest; yet it was not sen-
timentally rose-colored. He was fortunate in being- all his life
associated with hig-h-minded, self-reliant, g-entle woman, and
it was this association, reinforcing- his own best judgment, that
early convinced him of the right and duty of woman to share
equally with man in the civil and political life of society. He
carried on a most interesting correspondence with Lydia Maria
Child, chiefly on political topics, during the years from 1862 to
1878. He was a g-reat admirer of Lucretia Mott, seeking- her
council in early manhood and enjoying- her friendship until her
66 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
death in 1880. Besides these well-knovv'n names, there was a
long- list of women friends with whom he was on terms of de-
lig-htful intimacy and comradeship. He liked to make social
calls, and this was a practice kept up till the last, especially in
his own neighborhood.
A word in regard to the two women most closely associated
with my father. He was first married at the ag-e of twenty-
eight to Miss Anne E. Pinch, who was ten years young-er.
She is said to have been very beautiful, of the blond type, g-ay
and impulsive in disposition, with a certain shy winsomeness
that made for her friends wherever she went. She was
thoroug-hly interested in public affairs, and accompanied him to
Washing-ton during- his first term in Cong-ress, where she enjoyed
meeting- and hearing- the g-reat men of the day. She died of
consumption in 1860. It is interesting- to note that the friend
to whom my father turned most frequently in his sorrow was
Mr. Gidding-s of Ohio (whose daug-hter was afterwards to be-
come his wife) — "Father Giddings," as he always called him,
between whom and himself there was a strong- bond of sympa-
thy dating from their first meeting-, at the Buffalo Convention
of 1848. Giddings was a believer in spiritualism, and he tried
to enlist my father in this, to him, satisfying- and comforting-
faith. He had known and admired Mrs. Julian, and hence he
felt a certain near and personal interest in the case. But my
father was so constituted that it was impossible for him to ac-
cept anything- bordering- on the mystical and supernatural,
his practical mind instinctively turning- away from the "twi-
lig-hts of thoug-ht" to the clear sunshine of reason, and resting
in an abiding trust that steadily grew throughout the years. In
regard to the various so-called demonstrations of spiritual me-
diums, I have heard him quote Emerson's words: "Shun them as
you would the secrets of the undertaker and the butcher. * * *
The whole world is an omen and a sign. Why look so wistfully
in a corner? Man is the image of God. Why run after a ghost
or a dream?"
His consolation had to come through the softening effect of
time and by plunging with all his might into the duties of his
public position. The war was coming on, and he gave his days
and nights to Congressional labors. One thing he never learned,
GEORGE W. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESSIONS 67
and that was to work in moderation. It was during- these years
that he laid the foundation for the sleeplessness and other mala-
dies that pursued him to the end of his days. From scrap-books
I find that newspapers began to note his break-down in 1865,
and soon afterwards he entered upon those persistent and weary
efforts to repair his once hardy and robust constitution.
A little more than three years after the death of his first wife
he was married to Miss Laura A. Giddings, whom he met for
the first time in 1862 in Washington. She was the youngest
daughter of his old friend, and was twenty-two years my fa-
ther's junior. But there did not seem so great a disparity of age,
because my mother was very tall and had a marked dig-nity of
bearing. This at once impressed everyone who met lier,^a
stateliness that was as native to her as the air she breathed, but
that seemed somehow to set her apart from all other women.
She had dark eyes and hair, her face being one that depended
largely for its beauty on the play of expression. She had been
educated at Oberlin and x\ntioch Colleges, and had spent a num-
ber of seasons with her father in Washington and Montreal,
thus receiving- a training in political affairs that was quite un-
usual at that time among women. On account of her father's
ill health she had also learned to look after his physical comfort
and to save his strength in all possible ways. This tender care
she transferred to her husband, and for twenty years was his
constant companion and his trusted advisor on all questions,
public and private. She read to him, wrote at his dictation,
looked up authorities, and was completely a part of himself.
Like my father, she cared greatly for society, and the deafness
that came upon her within the last ten years of her life was a
severe trial. But her husband's gifts as a reporter went far to
atone for what she had thus missed, and his efforts along this
line were richly rewarded by her manifest delight in the narra-
tions. She died, as her father had done, of angina pectoris,
which came without any warning.
As a public speaker, my father had the advantage of a full,
rich voice and a remarkable fJow of language. He spoke slowly,
with little gesture, but always earnestly. He never ranted,
his style and manner being those of familiar, friendly con-
versation. The log-ical faculty was well developed in him.
68 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
and all who have described his speaking bear witness to his mas-
tery of the weapons of irony, sarcasm and invective, as well as
a certain sly humor that was quite irresistible. This last is the
quality that most impressed me as I listened to him during three
presidential campaigns, — humor, and an air as if he were talk-
ing with friends at the fireside. In reading his speeches I
think one would infer his familiarity with the Bible, Milton
and Carlyle, his style somehow suggesting these models.
His last sure grasp of things was on Wednesday, July 5, 1899,
when he was about the house as usual, only seeming very tired
and lying down a great deal. The next day he did not leave his
bed, and on Friday, the 7th, at a few minutes before eleven he
breathed his last, his age being eighty-two years, two months
and two days. Death came to him not unkindly, but as a friend
whom he welcomed. In his rambling talk the day before, his
mind had rapidly gone over his whole life, — the early years on
his mother's farm, political conditions in the old Burnt District,
the war and reconstruction, etc. He frequently spoke of the
beautiful day, and asked if I were "a spirit from another world."
About noon, as he lay looking at me, I began to repeat a favor-
ite verse from Browning's Earth's Immortalities:
"So, the year's done with!
(Love me forever!)
All March begun with,
April's endeavor;
May-wreaths that bound me
June needs must sever!
Now snows fall round me,
Quenching June's fever —
(Love me forever!)"
He gave the alternate lines, joining in faintly with the "for-
ever" at the close. He became quite unconscious towards eve-
ning, and remained so till the end, when a look of recognition
came into his eyes and he was gone.
At the funeral, three days later, he lay on the library couch,
as friends were wont to see him, and there was naught to in-
dicate anything unusual but the flowers that were everywhere,
and the stillness. Frederic E. Dewhurst, of Plymouth Church,
Indianapolis, spoke briefly and fittingly of his life and character.
GEORGE W. JULIAN: SOME IMPRESSIONS 69
and two hymns, "Nearer, My God, to Thee," and Chad wick's
"Song- of the Silent Ones," were rendered. It was regretted
that Jenkin Lloyd Jones, of Chicag-o, who had been invited to
assist in the services, was unable to come.
The actual presence of death has an impressiveness all its own.
But the hush that fell upon us when we realized that his spirit
had departed was sweetened with gratitude, not only for the
long and dedicated life, but for the manner of its close. After
a full, rich day, the sunset was unclouded. One of the saddest
spectacles, my father thoug-ht, was that of an aged man whose
work was finished, lingering on and long-ing- for release. In 1890
Stephen S. Harding, then eighty-three and blind for years,
wrote him a most pathetic letter, which he closed as follows:
"When you hear of my demise, which will be before long-, strike
hands with some old friend and thank God it is all over!" So
we were g-rateful that in his case the summons came in the
midst of activity and cong-enial surrounding's, when life, thoug-h
complete, had not lost its relish. But it is not strang-e, so tire-
less and irrepressible was his spirit, that to those who loved him
the idea of death is lost sig-ht of in the thought of continuing
growth and development. As Emerson said of his brother, "I
read now his pages, I remember all his words and motives, with-
out any pang, so healthy and human a life it was."
70 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
MR. JULIANAS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
The subject of the foreg-oing- "Impressions" left in the pos-
session of his daug-hter, Mrs. Clark, a manuscript autobiog-raphy
which affords some intimate g-limpses of an interesting- career.
Mr. Julian's progress from the humblest estate to eminence by
the sheer force of a conquering- will and strong personality makes
a life story that is inspiring- and stimulating-. When he was
about six years old his father died and his mother was left, all
but penniless, with a family of children to provide for. The
autobiog-raphy describes the battle of life at this period as a
battle for life. The family wrung- such support as they could
out of a barren farm. They wove their own cloth for the home-
made g-arments and eked out their slender income by weaving-
for the neig-hbors, while the boys occupied the rainy days weav-
ing- straw hats. In the spring- the sug-ar g-rove was made to
yield sweets for their table and as much additional revenue as
possible.
In such a life there was little to foster an interest in books,
and small chance to g-ratify such an interest if aroused. Never-
theless, the interest was nourished in this family,* and the di-
vine spark found fuel to feed upon. The MS. tells us how
young- Georg-e raised his first funds for the indulg-ence of a g-row-
ing- passion. "I g-athered each year," it says, "a larg-e crop of
walnuts — one fall as many as sixteen bushels — and sold the hulls
at Nathan Bond's carding- and fulling- mills, at six cents per
bushel, for money with which to buy books and stationery." He
attended the country school of winters, and thoug-h he speaks of
himself as an unpromising- dullard, yet by virtue of a "dog-g-ed
perseverance" he applied himself to his studies with an assiduity
that soon broug-ht him abreast of his teachers. "I renounced,"
he says, "the society of my playmates and g-ave myself wholly
to my books. My Sundays were especially set apart for study,
and I was up till a late hour in the nig-ht poring- over my tasks
*It should be noted that these aspirations were not contined to George. John, the eldest
brother, evinced unusual endowments ; Jacob became a jurist, and Isaac, still living, a
journalist and writer of both prose and verse.
MR. JULIAN'S A UTOBIOGRAPHY 71
by the light of a fire kept up by 'kindling's,' which I reg-ularly
prepared as a substitute for the candles we could not afford."
At the ag-e of eig-hteen he taug-ht school, and was, doubtless,
far more proficient than the averag-e country teacher of that
day. Having- no instructor, he studied by himself, as best he
could, rhetoric and log-ic, natural philosophy, chemistry, astrono-
my, mathematics and surveying-, and seems to have made con-
siderable prog-ress in these abstruse branches. A list of his
g-eneral reading-, also, reveals the solidity of his acquirements.
Among- those enumerated are: Russell's History of Modern
Europe, Hume's History of Eng-land, Gibbon's Decline and Fall
of the Roman Empire, Goldsmith's histories of Greece and Rome,
Plutarch's Lives, the Eng-lish poets, Locke's Essays, Aber-
crombie on the Intellectual Powers, Watts on the Mind, Combe
on the Constitution of Man, Dr. Spurzheim's works on phrenolo-
g-y and education, Paine's political works, Godwin's Political
Justice, Sterne's v^^orks, Don Quixote, Fielding-'s novels, Ossian's
poems, etc.
Mr. Julian repeatedly speaks of an abnormal timorousness and
self-distrust that seemed an almost insuperable obstacle to his
advancement. The assertiveness and efficiency as a public
speaker that disting-uished him in later years was acquired only
by the most rig-orous training- and persistent self-conquest.
When, by the advice of a friend, he turned to the study of law,
it was with so little faith that he pursued his reading- secretly
and half ashamed. To pass an examination and secure a license
to practice was the easiest part. In the assurance necessary to
the young- lawyer he was utterly lacking-. By way of cultivat-
ing- it he hung- about the courts at Centerville, trying- to famil-
iarize himself with the customs of the profession, and a litttle
later on, after he had removed to Greenfield, he tells of a "dark
lyceum" — an altog-ether novel institution consisting- solely of
himself and one other bashful young- man who soug-ht to eng-en-
der courag-e by making- speeches at each other, which forensic
efforts were carried on in a dark room so as to reduce the em-
barassment. By way of adding- dignity and impressiveness to
these meeting-s they were presided over by a "premier," whose
duty it was to "preserve order and decide the debated questions."
Each speaker, after his turn on the floor, would become the
72 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
premier and let the other descend from the chair and make his
argument. The progress attained by these half ludicrous, half
pathetic and wholly earnest efforts was so slight that the auto-
biographer is moved to speak of it as "all in vain," and he adds:
"Sometimes, in my despair, I felt that I must break the chains
which bound me, but I was powerless to do so, and no word of
encouragement from any quarter cheered me. If I had had a
single trusted friend to say to me, 'Be of courage; fear not; you
can conquer,' it would have lifted a great weight from my heart
and opened the pathway to my deliverance."
His first case in court is described by Mr. Julian. "It was
tried," he says, "before a country justice of the peace, and N.
W. Miner, of Dublin, was the opposing counsel. We were both
frightened as if panic-stricken, and it now seems to me so ri-
diculous that I almost doubt my own recollection. The justice
was a good-natured old farmer who knew less law than either
of us and whose judgment of our rhetoric was quite indifferent.
The amount involved was only a few dollars, and in no case
could there be serious consequences to body or soul; and yet, in
opening our case and making our speeches we fairly quaked
with nervous fear."
Mr. Julian's career, from his entrance into politics, in 1840, is
traced in his published volume, "Political Recollections." The
autobiography, dealing with personal matters prior to that date,
is chiefly valuable as a record of a self-made man, and as show-
ing how such a man, gifted with native force and strong will,
can, in the face of many handicaps, hew his way grimly to
a place in the front ranks. Dealing with the development of a
man who accomplished things, it has the germaine biographical
value, and if published (especially if edited with reference to
matter already published) would make a desirable addition to
the biographical literature of the State. G. S. C.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 73
EARLY INDIANAPOLIS.
THE FLETCHER PAPERS— SECOND INSTALMENT.
The First Wedding Celebration ajid the First ''Poem" — The First
Campaign: Whitewater vs. Kentucky — Nnmerozis Candidates —
First Political Pamphlets and ''Handbills'' — Voting Precincts —
Flection and Successful Candidates — Citizens' Resolutio7is Against
Campaign Methods.
From the Indianapolis News of April ig, i8jg.
THE earliest marriag-e in or around Indianapolis was undoubt-
edly that of Jeremiah Johnson and Miss Jane Reag-an, which
took place early in 1821. In this case Johnson walked all the
way to Connersville and back — about 120 miles — for his license,
and then the lovers had to wait weary weeks before the first
clerg-yman (Rev. Mr. McClung-) came along-. The second mar-
riag-e has been more fully recorded. One of the early settlers
here was Mr. Thomas Chinn, from Virg-inia, who was the first
person that imported blooded stock into Indianapolis. All the
old boys will recall his fine stallion, "Black Hawk," and his
g-ig-antic bull, "Walk-in-the-Water." Mr, Chinn built him a
log- cabin on the bank of Pog-ue's Run, on what was afterward
called "Noble's pasture." That log- cabin, with its g-reat split
puncheon floor, I remember was still standing-, thoug-h unin-
habited, in 1834. Now, Mr. Chinn had a smart, brig-ht-eyed
daug-hter, named Patsy. One of the young- men who came to
settle in Indianapolis was Uriah Gates. He and Miss Patsy
soon found that their "hearts beat as one," and on the 22d of
January, 1822, the second wedding- in Indianapolis came off.
Justice Mcllvain tying- the nuptial knot. The town was so
small that everybody was invited. My mother in her journal
says:
"Tuesday, January 22, 1822. Mr. Gates was to-day wedded
to Miss Patsy Chinn, both of Indianapolis. I attended the wed-
ding-. It was a very disagreeable day, but notwithstanding-
there was a g-reat concourse of people present. Wednesday, 23d,
I attended a party at Mr. Reag-an's, for Mr. R. g-ave the newly-
74 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
married couple an infare. We danced until ten o'clock, and
then came home." This wedding- was described to me by my
father as a great affair. There was plenty to eat and drink,
and what the French call the piece de resistance consisted of a
g-ood-sized porker roasted whole, mounted on the table with a
large apple in its mouth.* The first copy of the Indianapolis
Gazette appeared January 28, 1822, and contains the wedding
announcement and an original poem written for the occasion.
[See note at end of this instalment.]
From the News of April 26.
At the first election in Indianapolis there was an army of
ofl&ce-seekers. That they began skirmishing a long time in
advance can be seen by the account which I gave of the Christ-
mas of 1821, when candidates bought the only barrel of cider
in town and treated the sovereigns, who afterward anchored the
cider down with brandy and "bald-face." The "ball" at Wyant's
(on New Year's day) was a social affair nominally, but there,
too, were many of the candidates with their most affable smiles.
In a recent interview with Mrs. Martin (daughter of George
Smith, one of the founders of the Indianapolis Gazette) I ascer-
tained that she was present on that occasion and took her part
in the dance. Mrs. Martin says that she went to Wyant's in Hog-
den's "carriage." This last she describes as a great "lumbering
thing," like the "mud wagons" employed by the old stage com-
panies in the spring and winter. The supper prepared on this
New Year's day, 1822, for the robust ancestors of many of the
present Indianapolitans was also described by her. There was,
she said, in the open fireplace an immense kettle or cauldron,
which contained no less than sixteen gallons of coffee, and there
were pans, skillets and other vessels in which were biscuits,
sweet bread and that best of all cakes, the real old pound-cake.
That New Year's party was composed of every grade in society,
so that the candidates had an excellent opportunity to see the
people, for my father told me that invitations were extended to
everybody, down to the humblest inhabitant of the meanest log
cabin on the donation.
On that memorable Christmas, 1821, a number of the candi-
dates had already declared themselves, and my father records
the following:
•See Nowland's "Early Reminiscences," pp. 128-130.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 75
"I will here mention the names of some of the candidates for
office in our new county. For associate judg-es, James Mcll-
vain and Mr. Patterson; county clerk, James M. Ray, Milo R.
Davis, J. Hawkins, et al.; for county commissioners, Messrs.
Hog-den, Osburn and Morrow."
In his journal for the 3d day of January, 1822, my father
writes:
"Kept close in the morning and wrote letters. In the after-
noon visited the river (the larg-est part of the population was on
the east bank of the river). I find the people much ag-itated
about the approaching- election." The candidates, it seems,
were not the only canvassers. The people were in that business,
for my father continues: "There is much canvassing- of the
character of the candidates and their elig-ibility. There is
hardly a man in town but offers himself for some office, either
civil or military."
The divisions were not according to the political parties of
the day. They were local, or, rather, geographical. My fath-
er informed me that the combatants were ranged under the
titles of "Whitewater" and "Kentucky." The emigration from
those two sections was simultaneous. The people from White-
water were as clannish as those from Kentucky, and each wish-
ed to have the distribution of the public loaves and fishes. The
Whitewater party had some advantage over Kentucky, in that
it had received some accessions from people from Ohio and
Pennsylvania who had resided long enough in the eastern part
of the State to qualify them as voters, while many of the Ken-
tuckians had not resided a year in the State. The Whitewater
people were consummate politicians. They had been led and dis-
ciplined by such men as Jonathan Jennings, the two Nobles and
Jesse B, Thomas previous to their arrival in the New Purchase.
My father informed me that these were men of talent, and that
greater adepts at political warfare never lived.
From the News of May lo.
The politicial war-horses of Whitewater and Kentucky did a
great deal of vigorous pawing in February, 1822. The pro-
prietors of the Indiana Gazette wisely considered that they would
not be too partisan. They decided that both parties, if they
wished the benefit of the art of printing, must pay the printer.
76 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
It was the fashion of the day in the east and in the newer States
of the west to issue pamphlets. The first author of a pamphlet
or of any other publication (except the Gazette) in Indianapolis
was not from New England or from New York, but from Ken-
tucky. The late Morris Morris was our first author. The
g-reatest battle to be fought at the election of 1822 was, with-
out doubt, to be over the clerkship for the new county. White-
water and Kentucky chose their best men. The first selected a
young man from New Jersey. He was of undoubted gifts; he
had studied at Columbia College, New York; he was a fine pen-
man, and had a neatness of dress and address not often found
on the frontier. He had resided in the southern part of the
State, and had been deputy clerk at Lawrenceburg and Conners-
ville. This was James M. Ray, a quiet young man but a
famous "still hunter." The Kentucky party also selected a
strong man. One of nature's noblemen was Morris Morris, who
came to Indianapolis from Carlisle, Kentucky, in October, 1821.
It seems that the battle must have been already sharp long be-
fore Sheriff Hervey Bates issued, on the 22d of February, the
proclamation for the election, for I find in my mother's journal
the following entry, telling of an evening of a busy day. Under
date of January 30 she says:
"Mr. Morris has written a pamphlet and had it put in print.
Mr. Fletcher has just jeft me to write an answer to it, and I am
all alone this evening." Again she writes:
"Saturday, February 2. Mrs. Buckner dined with us, and
after she went away Mr. Osburn came and staid all night."
The husband of Mrs. Buckner was one of the candidates for
county commissioner. The Mr. Osburn mentioned was another
of the candidates for commissioner. He was a mercnant and
quite a politician, and no doubt was at my father's that evening
to consult on the reply to Morris Morris's "pamphlet." This
reply appeared in the shape of a handbill, for my mother writes
the next day:
"Sunday, 3d of February. The handbill came out in opposi-
tion to what Mr. Morris wrote."
While my father was never a violent partisan, he had decided
opinions. In this election he was a Whitewater man, and took
a deep interest in the formation of the county, but he sought
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 77
no ofl&ce, and as earlj as November 8th, 1821, he writes: "I
find there are much strife and contention among-st the citizens of
this place. I sincerely hope to escape all censure by asking- no
favors for myself."
In those days it is evident that the Sunday was not observed
as strictly as at present. On several occasions in the campaig-n
I learn from my mother's journal that the "printing- office was
visited by her in company with her husband on that day." On
February 15 she writes: "Mr. Morris's second handbill came
out." "Handbill" can not be taken in the usual acceptation of the
term. It was larg-er than what we as present understand as
such, and is used indiscriminately with the word pamphlet. It
was half the size of the Gazette, printed on one side, and was
usually nailed up in a public place. On the same date the
journal continues as follows: "I went to bed early, but Mr. F,
was writing- an answer to the handbill, and did not g-o to bed
that nig-ht. Sunday Mr. F. went to bed early in the afternoon
and slept till 8 P. M., when I awakened him and we both went
to the printing- office and staid until 2 o'clock in the morning-."
The dairy further reads:
"Monday, 18th February, 1822. In the morning- the handbills
came out, and great was the mystery. Curiosity was aroused to
know who the 'Leg-al Voter' [doubtless the sig-nature] alluded
to when he mentioned 'Col. Puff-back, Captain Swell-back and
myself.' "
Skipping- over many pag-es which refer to long- consultations
and threatened suits for slander, I come to Sunday, March 31st,
the day before the election, when my mother records: I spent
the day very unsatisfactorily, for there were so many candidates
coming- in that I could neither read nor write nor do anything-
else."
On April 1st came the shock of battle. There were thirty-
three candidates recorded in the Gazette, but in the journals I
find there are others mentioned which would make up the num-
ber to nearly forty, In 1846 I had an interview with Mrs. Pax-
ton on this election, and she remarked: "I wondered at that
time where all the voters were to come from, for it seemed to me
that almost every man in Indianapolis was a candidate for of-
fice." There were five for county clerk alone (the clerkship
78 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
was for seven years). It will be remembered that Marion
county was then five times its present size, comprehending- the
present county, with the addition of Johnson, Hamilton, and
parts of Boone, Madison and Hancock. The voting- precincts
were announced in the proclamation to be at Indianapolis,
Finch's (near Noblesville), Page's (Strawtown), Anderson and
Pendleton.
It is thirty-three years since [in 1846] after a conversation
with my father, I published in the Indiana Journal on account of
this first election, and in that communiction I used this descrip-
tion of the place where the election was held in Indianapolis,
viz.: "The election was held in the house of General John Carr,
which stands in the rear of Beck's g-unsmith shop, nearly op-
posite the of&ce of H. P. Coburn, Esq."* That description would
not answer for the present g-eneration, but when I state that the
double hewed-log cabin of General Carr stood on Delaware
street nearly opposite the west end of the court-house, all can
understand.
If whisky plajed its part at McGeorge's, down at the river,
in 1821, it performed a greater part on the 1st of April, 1822,
when, it is computed, the quantities drank must be reckoned in
barrels. Kentucky was not to be outdone by Whitewater in the
matter of political hospitality. The political issues were en-
tirely geographical and liquid, and Whitewater and whisky
carried the day against Kentucky and whisky. The successful
candidates were overwhelmingly Whitewater. James Mcllvain
and Eliakim Harding were chosen associate judges; James M.
Ray was elected clerk; Joseph C. Reed, recorder; Messrs. Os-
burn, McCormick and McCartney became the first commissioners.
James M. Ray received the highest vote in the wide district,
viz., 217 votes out of 336. In the Indianapolis district (an area
as great as the present county) the number of votes was 224,
which shows that the population of what we now understand as
Marion county was but little more than 1000. The party lines
of Kentucky and Whitewater were kept up about three years,
but were then harmoniously fused.
Among the defeated candidates for recorder was Alexander
♦This reveals the authorship of an anonymous series to be found in the Journul of the
date mentioned. See note at end of this instalment.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 79
Ralston, to whom, more than any other person, we owe the beau-
tiful plan of Indianapolis. While there are many of our streets
bearing- the names of individuals, there is not even an alley
named in memory of the man who planned the city.
Note. — The earliest historical account of Indianapolis known
to us appears as a series of unsigned articles in the Indianapolis
Journal. These contributions, under the heading- of "Indian-
apolis a Quarter of a Century Agfo," appeared irreg-ularly in both
the weekly and the tri- weekly editions from November 4, 1846, to
March 23, 1847. Sundry correspondences between that series and
the one here published identifies Mr. J. C. Fletcher as the author
of the earlier one. Most that is in that series is comprehended in
this, but in the former are at least two items that we reg-ard as
rather a "find." The first of these, taken from the Indiana Ga-
zette^ is of considerable interest in connection with the strenuous
Kentucky and Whitewater campaign and the accompanying-
candidate nuisance. It is an account of "a meeting- of the in-
habitants of this county, over which Dr. S. G. Mitchell presided
and Dr. Coe acted as secretary." At this meeting "sunday res-
olutions were passed condemning the soliciting- of votes of elec-
tions by the candidates for public of&ces, either from favor, flat-
tery, promises, entertainments, treats or rewards, as anti-repub-
lican in its principles, injurious to the public peace, interests
and morals, troublesome, deg-rading- and corrupting to the candi-
date. And," concludes this presumably disgusted conclave, "we
do resolve that we will withhold our support from all who in the
future resort to such practices." [See tri- weekly /i?z^r;za/ of No-
vember 27, 1846.]
The other historical bit is of literary interest, as it is the
first "poem" written, or at least published, in Indianapolis. It
celebrated the Gates-Chinn wedding- described by Mr. Fletcher
and Mr. Nowland, and appeared in the first number of the Gazette.
As a literary curiosity it speaks for itself:
"Come Hymen, now, and bear thy sway
In Indianapolis,
And hasten on the wished-for day
That crowns the nuptial bliss.
80 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
May conquering- love lend his aid,
And lead direct to thy altar
The sacred virg-in, the experienced maid,
The trembling youth and batchelor.
But all ye powers of mortal joy.
Come bless the wedded pair;
Give them bliss without alloy,
Peace and health and pleasing- care."
It may be added that the second output of the muse was also
inspired by Hymen, for some months later, in connection with
the wedding- announcement of William C. McDoug-al and Cyn-
titha Reagan, appeared the following:
"Hail, g-enerous youth, and hail thou lovely fair,
Love, joy and peace be now your only care.
The wished-for day hath fixed the sacred tie.
And g-iven you mutual, full felicity.
Long- may Aurora shine amid the spheres,
And see your joys increase through length of years.
When sweet reflection views the day that's past.
Be each succeeding happier than the last."
There was no relation, seemingly, between the quality of the
poetry and the after happiness invoked by the poets, for though
this second effusion limped much less painfully over the metrical
road, Cyntitba, in due course, left McDougal's bed and board,
and he advertised her, warning the public not to trust her on
his account. Mr. and Mrs. Gates, on the other hand, journeyed
amicably together through their lives, leaving children and
their children's children, who at the present day make part of
our population.
Who these first versifiers were is forever lost to history. — Edi-
tor.
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 81
THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF INDIANA,
FROM THE PAPERS OF D. D. BANT A -SECOND INSTALMENT.
The Pioneer School Childre?i — Winter Schools aiid Hardships of the
Little Folks — Early Teachers — Their Character and Inefficiency
— Their Status with the People — Their Pay — Queer Characters
and Customs.
From the Indianapolis News of February 3, i8g2.
BEFORK advancing- upon the "masters," the books, the meth-
ods, the manners and the customs of the pioneer schools,
something- oug-ht to be said of the pioneer children who made
these schools a necessity.
Let me recall the reader's attention to the long- paths that
ofttimes stretched their serpentine ways between the cabin homes
and the cabin schoolhouses — two, three and even four miles
long, they sometimes were. In g-eneral it was a fall or winter
school that was kept — most generally a winter, for every child
big- enough to work was required at home to aid in the support
of the family. We of to-day, with our farms all made and with a
superabundance of farm machinery, can scarcely conceive of the
extremities to which the pioneer farmers were often driven to
secure the planting-, tilling and harvesting of the crops. And
so the children, in the beg-inning, could be spared best in the
winter seasons, and in consequence the country schools were in
g-eneral, winter schools.
Happy were those children who had a fall school to attend!
The long- and winding school-paths threaded a region of de-
lights. What schoolboy or schoolgirl of those far-off days can
ever forget the autumnal wood with its many-hued foliage, its
frag-rant and nutty odors, its red, ripe haws, and its clusters of
wild grapes; its chinquapins [acorns of the 'pin oak] and its
hickory nuts? And think of the wild life that was part of it all!
Gray squirrels barked and chattered from tree to tree, while the
voices of glad birds were heard amid the branches from sun to
sun. And the school-paths themselves! Were there ever such
paths as those winding over hill and throug-h hollow, and filled,
82 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
as they were, with dainty, rustling- leaves that were as cool and
soft to schoolboy foot as silken carpet?
But how different the winter school! When the snow came,
blockading the paths, how it tried the temper of the young folk
who were limited to one pair of shoes per winter. And how in-
finitely worse was it when the winter rains came. The whole
face of the Indiana earth, whether along the country roads, in
the cleared fields or in the woods, was filled with water like a
sponge, and the most careful of school children seldom failed to
reach school or home with feet soaking wet. Fifty years ago it
was not the fashion for boys to wear boots. For that matter
there were few men in the country places that wore them, while
boot or bootee for girl or woman was not even to be thought of.
Riding astride or making a speech would have been no more
shocking, and so boots were seldom or never seen in the school-
room, but it was the custom of both boys and girls, on occasion,
to draw over the ankle and the top of the shoe a sock or stocking
leg, or a piece of cloth, which, being v\^ell tied to shoe and ankle„
kept the dry snow out of the shoe fairly well.
I have known boys and girls to attend school in the fall long-
after the hard frosts came, and even after the ice began to form,
with their feet encased in old socks or stockings so badly worn
at the toe and heel as to be fit for no other purpose than wearing
in this manner, and so common a'n occurrence was it that no one
thought it worthy of special attention. Sanford Cox, in his
"Wabash Valley," draws a graphic word picture of the town of
Lafayette, as it appeared to him about 1825, in which he tells
us that he had "often" seen the Lafayette juveniles skating upon
the ice, "some with skates, some with shoes, and some bare-
footed." It would seem that if the boys of Lafayette were of
such hardy nature we might expect to find in some other places
satisfactory evidence that the winter weather did not deter the
barefooted from attending school. I have, accordingly, care-
fully looked through such records as have fallen in my way, and
candor compels me to say that I have found only one other in-
stance. This is related by the author of the "History of Monroe
County," who says:
"It was then the custom to go to school, winter and summer,
barefoot. That seems unreasonable, but it was done, and how?
THE EARL V SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 83
The barefooted child, to beg-in with, had g-one thus so long- that
his feet were hardened and calloused to resist the cold by several
extra layers of epidermis. He could stand a degree of cold
which would apparently chill him to the bone, and could walk
for some time in the snow and frost without suffering- more than
he could bear with reasonable fortitude. When he had to do
extra duty in the snow and cold, however, he would take a small
piece of board, say a foot wide and two feet long-, which had
been seasoned and partially scorched by the fire, and after
heating- it till it was on the point of burning-, he would start on
the run toward the schoolhouse, with the hot board in his hand,
and when his feet became too cold to bear any long-er, he would
place the board upon the ground and stand upon it till the
numbness and cold had been partly overcome, when he would
again take his 'stove' in his hand and make another dash for
the schoolhouse. * * * Sometimes a flat, light piece of rock
was substituted for the board and was much better, as it re-
tained heat long-er."
While we may feel assured that there never was a time when
it was the fashion in Indiana generally for the children to attend
school in the winter-time barefoot, nevertheless I have no doubt
that during- the territorial and early State periods it so frequent-
ly occurred as to occasion little or no remark.
I find but one reference as to the buckskin clothing worn by
school children during the earlier periods mentioned. In the
early schools of Vanderburg county the local historian tells us
that the boys wore buckskin breeches and the girls wore buck-
skin aprons. Though this is the only statement found by me,
yet there was a time when buckskin clothing must have been as
common with school children, especially boys, as it was with
their fathers.
From the News of February lo.
One of the greatest drawbacks to the efficiency of the pioneer
schools was the want of competent teachers. This want was
felt from the very beginning- and continued on down for many
years. "The pioneer teachers were g-enerally adventurers from
the East, or from England, Scotland or Ireland, who soug-ht
temporary employment during^ winter, while waiting- for an
opening for business," said Barnabas C. Hobbs on one occasion.
84 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
The Southern States furnished their quota, and western Penn-
sylvania was not behind any section of equal area in the num-
ber sent forth to become educators of the youth of the land. Of
course there were many of the old-time teachers who were ad-
mirably equipped for their work, and who did it so well that they
found a place in the lasting- remembrance of their pupils; but
while this is true, it is, on the other hand, equally true that the
admirably equipped teachers were the exception. So loud were
the complaints of the inefficiency of the school teachers throug-h-
out the State that they reached the ears of the Governor, In his
annual messag-e to the leg-islature, in 1833, Governor Noble thus
calls attention to the subject:
"The want of competent teachers to instruct in the township
schools is a cause of complaint in many sections of the State,
and it is to be reg-retted that in employing- transient persons from
other States, containing- but little qualification or moral charac-
ter, the profession is not in that repute it should be. Teachers
permanently interested in the institutions of the country, pos-
sessing- a knowledg-e of the manners and customs of our extended
population, and ming-ling- with it, would be more calculated to
render essential service and be better received than those
who come in search of employment." And he proposes as a
remedy for the evil the establishment of a seminary for the spe-
cial training- of our native teachers, or the incorporation of the
manual labor system with the preparatory department of the In-
diana Colleg-e at Blooming-ton.
In the begfinning- of our State's history and for many years
thereafter the people held in slig-ht esteem the vocation of the
pedag-og-ue. Not because he was a pedag-og-ue, but because he
did not labor with his hands. Lawyers and ministers and even
doctors who did not show their mettle now and then by acts of
manual labor were very apt to receive less favor at the hands of
the people than otherwise. An Indiana Secretary of State once,
while in office, kept a jack for breeding- purposes, and he caused
the announcement to be made throug-h the newspapers that he
g-ave to the business his personal attention. It was considered
a very proper thing- for a Secretary of State to do. This one
was an invincible politician before the people. It is related of
an early Posey county teacher, one Henry W. Hunt, that when
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 85
he first applied for a school the people looked upon him as a "lazy,
trifling-, g-ood-for-nothing- fellow who wanted to make his liv-
ing without work." What was true in Posey in pedagog-ue
Hunt's case was generally true in every pedag-og-ue's case through-
out the State.
Teachers quite often in those days went on the hunt for their
schools. They were a kind of tramp — homeless fellows, who
went from place to place hunting- for a job. When the prospect
seemed good the candidate would write an "article of agree-
ment," wherein he would propose to teach a quarter's school at
so much per scholar. With that in hand he tramped the neig-h-
borhood over, soliciting- subscribers, and, if a stranger, usually
meeting with more scorn than g-ood-will. He was too often es-
teemed a g-ood-for-nothing who was too lazy to work. "The
teachers were, as a rule," says the historian of Miami county,
"illiterate and incompetent, and selected not because of any
special qualifications, but because they had no other business."
The only requirements were that the teachers should be able to
teach reading-, writing- and ciphering. The teacher who could
cipher all the sums in Pike's arithmetic, up to and including- the
rule of three, was considered a mathematician of no mean ability.
The wages paid the ordinary teacher were not usually such as
to give respect to the profession. One of the curious chapters
of the times is the low wages paid for all manner of intellectual
labor. The Governor received only $1000 per year, and a judg-e
of the Circuit Court but $700. Teachers were by no means an
exception to the rule. Rev. Baynard R. Hall, the first principal
of the State Seminary, at Bloomington, came all the way from
Philadelphia to accept of the place at a salary of $250 a year,
and John M. Harney, who subsequently made such a fig-ure as
editor of the Louisville Democrat, walked all the way from Ox-
ford, O., to apply for the chair of mathematics at a like salary,
also, of $250 per annum. Jesse Titus, an early schoomaster in
Johnson county, taught a school during- the winter of 1826-'07 at
$1 per scholar, which yielded him $6 per month, out of which he
paid his board of $1 per month. The first school taught on the
present site of Moore's Hill was by Sanford Rhodes, in 1820, at
seventy-five cents per quarter for each pupil, which was paid
mostly in trade. In 1830 John Martin taught in Cass county at
86 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
$8 per month. Seventj-five cents per quarter was a price quite
commonly met with as late as 1825, or even later, but the price
varied. In some sections $1 per scholar seems to have been the
ruling- price, in others $1.50, while in a very few instances $2 was
paid. In many cases, probably a majority, the teacher was
oblig-ed to take part of his pay in produce. I find wheat, corn,
bacon, venison hams, dried pumpkin, flour, buckwheat flour, la-
bor, whisky, leather, coon skins and other articles mentioned as
thing's g-iven in exchang-e for teaching-. "At the expiration of
the three-months' term," says one writer, "the teacher would col-
lect the tuition in wheat, corn, pork or furs, and take a wag-on-
load to the nearest market and exchang-e it for such articles as
he needed. Very little tuition was paid in cash." One school-
master of the time contracted to receive his entire pay in corn,
which, when delivered, he sent in a flat-boat to the New Orleans
market Another, an Orang-e county schoolmaster, of a some-
what later period, contracted to teach a three-months' term for
$36.50, to be paid as follows: $25 in State scrip, $2 in Illinois
money, and $9.50 in currency." This was as late as 1842, and
there were seventy school children in his district.
A larg-e per cent, of the unmarried teachers "boarded around,"
and thus took part of their pay in board. The custom in such
cases was for the teachers to ascertain by computation the time
he was entitled to board from each scholar, and usually he se-
lected his own time for quartering- himself upon the family. In
most instances, it is believed, the teacher's presence in the fam-
ily was very acceptable. The late A. B. Hunter, of Franklin,
once taug^ht a school under an ag-reement to board around, but
one of his best patrons was so delig-hted with his society that he
invited him to make his house his home during- the term, which
invitation the young- man g-ratefully accepted. It was not the
practice for the married teachers to board around. If not per-
manent residents of the neig-hborhood, they either found quar-
ters in the "master's house," or in an abandoned cabin of the
neig-hborhood. Quite common was it to find a "schoolmaster's
house," which had been erected by the district, hard by the
schoolhouse, for the use of the married masters.
The school terms were usually called "quarters." There were
two kinds of quarters known in some localities — the "long- quar-
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 87
ter" and the "short quarter." The long- quarter consisted of
thirteen weeks, and the short quarter of twelve weeks.
Notwithstanding- the people were inclined to look upon the
pioneer schoolmasters as a lazy class, yet they were looked up to
perhaps as much if not more, than in these days. I have already
said that the presence of the schoolmaster as a boarder in the
family of his patron was welcome, for he was generally a man
of some reading, and his conversation was eagerly listened to by
all. Books and newspapers were scarce in those days, and so
conversation was esteemed more than it is now.
A few years ago I had occasion to look into the standing and
qualifications of the early teachers of my own county, and on
looking over my notes I find this statement: "All sorts of
teachers were employed in Johnson county. There was the
'one-eyed teacher,' the 'one-legged teacher,' the 'lame teacher,'
the 'teacher who had fits,' the 'teacher who had been educated
for the ministry but, owing to his habits of hard drink, had
turned pedagogue,' and 'the teacher who got drunk on Satur-
day and whipped the entire school on Monday.' " A paragraph
something like this might be truthfully written of every county
south of the National road, and doubtless of every one north of
it, but as to that I speak with less certainty, for want of knowl-
edge. The lesson the paragraph points to is that whenever a
man was rendered unfit for making his living any other way, he
took to teaching. Mr. Hobbs, I believe, states that one of his
first teachers was an ex-liquor dealer who, having grown too fat
to successfully conduct that business any longer, turned school-
master. It is related of the first teacher of the first school in
Clay township, in Morgan county, that he was afflicted with
phthisic to such a degree that he was unable to perform manual
labor; but he was a fairly good teacher, save when he felt an at-
tack of his malady coming on. "That was the signal for an in-
discriminate whipping." The first schoolmaster of Vanderburg
county lived the life of a hermit, and is described as a "rude,
eccentric individual, who lived alone and gained a subsistence
by hunting, trapping and trading." John Malone, a Jackson
county schoolmaster, was given to tippling to such excess that
he could not restrain himself from drinking ardent spirits during
school hours. He carried his bottle with him to school but he
88 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
seems to have had reg-ard enoug-h for the proprieties not to
take it into the schoolhouse, but hid it out. Once a certain
Jacob Brown and a playmate stole the bottle and drank till they
came to g^rief. The master was, of course, properly indig-nant,
and "for setting- such an example," the record quaintly says,
"the boys were soundly whipped." Wesley Hopkins, a Warrick
county teacher, carried his whisky to school in a jug-. Owen
Davis, a Spencer county teacher, took to the fiddle. He taug-ht
what was known as a "loud school," and while his scholars
roared at the top of their voices the g-entle pedag-og-ue drew
forth his trusty fiddle and played "Old Zip Coon," "The Devil's
Dream," and other inspiring- profane airs with all the raig-ht and
main that was in him. Thomas Ayres, a Revolutionary vet-
eran, who taug-ht in Switzerland county, reg-ularly took his
afternoon nap during- school hours, "while his pupils," says the
historian, "were supposed to be preparing- their lessons, but in
reality were amusing- themselves by catching- flies and tossing-
them into his open mouth." One of Orang-e county's early
schoolmasters was an old sailor who had wandered out to the
Indiana woods. Under his encourag-ement his pupils, it is said,
"spent a larg-e part of their time roasting- potatoes." About the
same time William Grimes, a teacher still further southwest,
"employed his time between recitations by cracking- hickorynuts
on one of the puncheon benches with a bench leg-."
\To be continued.^
RIVER A A VIGATION I A INDIANA 89
RIVER NAVIGATION IN INDIANA.
I'^HE story of transportation in Indiana properly begins with a
consideration of the rivers, for though their uses in this con-
nection was but a passing phase (barring the Ohio), and "navi-
gation in Indiana" now sounds oddly to us, they were at one time
of considerable importance in our export trade. They certainly
occupied a large space in the hopes of the pioneer fathers.
Prospectors who traversed and reported upon the country before
the coming of the settler dwelt upon the question of the streams
and their navigability as a very important factor in the coming
occupancy; and for some years after the occupancy the stren-
uous insistence in considering "navigable" streams that
would seem hopelessly useless for such purpose ofttimes ap-
proached the ludicrous. For example, Indianapolis for nearly
two decades after its founding, would have White river a high-
way of commerce in spite of nature and the inability of craft to
get over ripples, sandbars and drifts. As early as 1820 it was
ofl&cially declared "navigable;" in 1825 Alexander Ralston, the
surveyor, was appointed to make a thorough inspection of the
river and to report in detail at the next session of the legislature.
The sanguine hopes that were nourished at the young capital
are evidenced by existing records. An editorial in the hidiana
Journal oi March 26, 1831, says:
"For three or four years past efforts have been made by Noah
Noble to induce steamboats to ascend the river, and * * *
very liberal ofifers have been made by that gentleman to the first
steamboat captain who would ascend the river as far as this
place. * * * As early as February, 1827, he offered the Ka-
nawha Salt Company $150 as an inducement to send a load
of salt, agreeing to sell the salt without charge."
In 1830 Noble offered a Capt. Stephen Butler $200 to come to
Indianapolis, and $100 in addition if Noblesville and Anderson
were reached, though what efforts were made to earn these
bonuses is not known. From time to time the newspapers made
m INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
mention of boats which, according^ to rumor, g-ot "almost" to
the capital, and eventually one made for itself a historic repu-
tation by performing- the much-desired feat. This one was the
"General Hanna," a craft which Robert Hanna, a well-known
character in early politics, had purchased for the purpose of
bringing- stones up the river for the old National road bridg-e.
The Hanna, which in addition to its own loading-, towed up a
heavily-laden keel-boat, arrived April 11, 1831, and, according-
to a, contemporary chronicle, "every man, woman and child
who could possibly leave home availed themselves of this op-
portunity of g-ratifying a laudable curiosity to see a steamboat.
* * * On Monday evening- and during the most of the suc-
ceeding- day the river bank was filled with delig-hted spectators."
Captain Blythe and the artillery company marched down and
fired salutes. The leading- citizens and the boat's crew peppered
each other with eleg-ant, formal compliments, and the former, in
approved parliamentary style, "Resolved, That the arrival at
Indianapolis of the steamboat General Hanna, from Cincinnati,
should be viewed by the citizens of the White river country and
of our State at larg-e, as a proud triumph, and as a fair and un-
answerable demonstration of the fact that our beautiful river is
susceptible of safe navig-ation."
A public banquet in honor of the occasion was arrang-ed, and
the visiting- navig-ators invited to attend, but they were in haste
to g-et out of the woods while the water mig-ht permit, and so
declined with reg-rets. Legend has it that the boat ran ag-round
on an island a short distance down river, and lay there ig-nomini-
ously for six weeks, and that was the last of the "proud triumph"
and White river "navig-ation."
Many are familiar, throug-h Maurice Thompson's "Stories of
Indiana," with the Wabash river craft that attempted to es-
tablish a "head of navig-ation" above Lafayette, and, after
heroic strug-g-ling-s, was finally hauled ing-loriously up to Lo-
g-ansport by a hawser and a dozen yoke of oxen.'^ In a book
descriptive of the West, written by Jacob Ferris, as late as
1856, is the following- account: "The river navigation of Indi-
ana is rendered difficult by frequent shallows. The boats are
of light draft, flat-bottomed, with paddles placed across the
*For original account, see Cox's "Recollections of tho Wabash Valley."
RIVER NA VIGA TION IN INDIANA ^1
stern. * * * j^ ha.s been said of the Indiana boats that, in
making- headway down stream, they contrive to keep up with
the current. They draw about as much water as a sap trough.
When they get stuck in the sand all hands will jump out and
push them off. It is related of an exasperated Hoosier, who had
refused to pay his fare till there should be some prospect of get-
ting- somewhere or other, that, being- ordered ashore from the
middle of the river, he stepped into the water, seized the craft
by the bows, and g-ave it a shove down stream, stern foremost^
When it worked back to the point he held it there, puffing and
fluttering-, the captain 'cussing,' till a compromise was effected,
and the Hoosier hired for the rest of the trip to help the engi-
neer."
But despite these and many similar absurdities, the Indiana
streams were a factor, and an important one, in our earlier com-
merce. The number of rivers and creeks that have been de*-
clared "public hig-hways" by our legislators is a matter for sur-
prise. An examination of the statutes through the twenties and
thirties discloses from thirty to forty. According to Timothy
Flint, who wrote in 1833, the navig-able waters of the State had
been rated at 2500 miles, and this estimate he thought moder-
ate. These streams rang-ed in size from the Wabash to insig-
nificant hill drains that run down the short water-shed into the
Ohio, some of which, at the present day at least, would scarce
float a plank. Such streams were, however, supposed to have
sufi&cient volume during high water to float flatboats, and the
purpose of the legislation was to interdict impeding of the water-
way by dams or otherwise, and the clearing of the channel was
under State law. To this end many of these streams were divid-
ed into districts, as were the roads, and "worked"— i. e., cleared
of drifts and other obstructions by the male residents living- ad-
jacent to either shore. This service varied with various localities
and ranged from one to three days' labor a year from citizens
residing- one, two and three miles back. These workmen were
exempt from road duty. By an act of January 4, 1828, $1,000
was appropriated for the improvement of the two forks of White
river, and they were to be "worked" by the various counties
throug-h which they ran. Boards of justices were to appoint
supervisors and establish districts, and citizens within two miles
on either side were to work the rivers three days in each year.
92 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
It is probable that most of those declared navig-able bore on
their swollen tides at one time or another boats laden with the
produce of the country, and an examination of the various his-
tories reveals that very many of our counties thus found, thoug-h
irregularly, an important outlet for their exports.
The "Emigrant's and Traveler's Guide" a book published in
1832, gives some information on this point. "Hundreds of fiat-
boats," we are told, "annually descended the Wabash and White
rivers. * * * The trade of this river (the Wabash) is be-
coming immense. In 1831, during the period which elapsed from
the 5th of March to the 16th of April, fifty-four steamboats ar-
rived and departed at and from Vincennes alone. It is also esti-
mated that at least 1000 flatboats entered the Ohio from the
Wabash in the same time. * * ♦ in February, March and
April of this year there were sixty arrivals of steamboats at
Lafayette."
This showing of a thousand flatboats in less than a month
and a half, is no mean one, and shows conclusively the value of
the rivers in the early stages of our commerce. Not less inter-
esting is the g-limpse which this writer gives us of the character
of the commerce. One-tenth of the flatboats, he tells us, was
estimated to be "loaded with pork at the rate of 300 barrels to
the boat." Another tenth is said to have been loaded with lard,
cattle, horses, oats, cornmeal, etc., and the remainder, making
by far the largest export, with corn in the ear. Sometimes we
hear of more curious cargoes. The inhabitants of Posey coun-
ty seem to have had a reputation among the facetious river
men for "hoop-poles and punkins," and in the history of Jack-
son county we learn that the first flatboat cargo from Medora,
in that county, was hickory-nuts, walnuts and venison hams.
The value of produce and stock sent annually to market from
the valley of the Wabash by flatboats was estimated by Ferris
at nearly $1,000,000.
While there were other kinds of boats, the flatboat was by
far the best craft for the Indiana rivers, by reason of its light
draft, its carrying capacity and its cheapness of construction.
The huge tulip poplars that abounded in our forests, easily
worked with the ax, afforded slabs long and broad enough for
the sides, and the simple attaching of planks to these for the
RIVER NA VIGA TION IN INDIANA 93
bottom, ends and deck could be readily accomplished by the
pioneer with such tools as were at his command. When finished,
it was a mere float, or lig-hter, flat-bottomed and strong- enough
to stand any amount of ordinary thumping- as it drifted down
with the current.
An individual, or often several individuals, would knock to-
gether one of these, load it with the surplus produce of a
neighborhood, and ride down with the freshets. The port was
usually far-away New Orleans, from whence the boat was not
supposed to return. After the disposal of its cargo it was sold
for whatever it might bring, and the merchant returned by
steamboat, usually to the Ohio river port nearest his home,
thence across country. Sometimes, however, boats came up our
rivers laden with imports. These seem mostly to have been keel-
boats, a long, narrow craft with a keel, much lighter than the
flatboat. The ascent, a most arduous and snail-like task, was
effected by poling, where the current permitted, and by "cor-
delling" where it was swift, the latter process being a towing by
hand, one end of the hawser being secured to a tree, to make
sure of the distance gained. Two or three of these keel boats
are recorded as finding their way to Indianapolis soon after its
founding, the principal part of the cargoes being salt and whisky
— two very precious articles.
The late Mr. Alexander Conduitt, of Indianapolis, who as a
young man was a "sailor" on White river, has described to the
writer the flatboats common on that stream. They were about
fifteen feet wide; those built at and below Spencer were eighty
feet long, and those for the river above Spencer were sixty feet
long. A sixty-foot boat would carry 500 dressed hogs.
THE WABASH RIVER.
Such part as was played in Indiana's commercial development
by the steamboat was confined virtually to the Wabash and Ohio
rivers. This at one time was of considerable importance to the
northern and western portions of the State. Lafayette was
practically the head of navigation on the Wabash; and, prior to
the construction to that point, in 1843, of the Wabash and Erie
Canal, it depended much upon the river for an outlet. The
"Traveler's Guide," quoted above, speaks of sixty arrivals of
94 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
steam craft there within three months in the year 1832, and one
writer tells us of sixteen steamboats lying- at the wharves there
at one time.
With the opening of the Wabash Canal, however, the trade of
the valley was diverted eastward and the importance of the riv-
er waned. Neither then nor thereafter, however, even to the
present day, has the agitation for its improvement ceased. In a
report on the subject in the Documentary Journal of 1837 men-
tion is made of the loss annually suffered on the river. During-
the preceding season, it is stated that not less than fourteen flat-
boats with valuable cargoes had been wrecked by snags, and be-
cause of the damages the high rate of insurance and of pilotage
was a heavy tax. The impediment known as the ' 'Grand Rapids, "
above the mouth of White River was, in particular, a menace to
navigation. For the improvement of these rapids Indiana and
Illinois have legislated conjointly, and of appropriations, both
State and Federal, many thousands of dollars have been expend-
ed upon the river. Since 1872 more than $800,000 has been ap-
propriated and more than $200,000 expended upon the locks at
Mt. Carmel. In 1890 an examination of the channel between
Lafayette and Terre Haute, with a view to reestablishing navi-
gation, was made under direction of the United States Engineer's
oflBce, but it was found that part of the stream was "not worthy
of improvement, as at low water navigation was impracticable;"
at high water the numerous low bridges were "complete obstruc-
tions to any navigation," and the probable benefits to commerce
were "too slight to be worthy of consideration."
Note. — Appended is a list (probably only partial), compiled
from our statutes, of streams that have, at one time or another,
been declared navigable by the Indiana legislature:
White river from its mouth to the main forks; the west fork
to the Delaware towns (Muncie); the east fork to the main fork
above the mouth of Flatrock.
Muscatatuck, from the mouth to main forks; the north fork to
Vernon, and the south fork to the mouth of Graham's fork.
Big Blue river from mouth to Fredericksburg.
Whitewater, from State line, and the west fork to northern
boundary of Fayette county.
Loughery creek, from mouth to Hartford.
RIVER J\A VIGATION IN INDIANA 95
Anderson creek, from mouth to forks.
Poison creek, from mouth to Cummin's mills.
Oil creek, from mouth to Aaron Cunning-ham's mills.
Raccoon creek, from the Wabash to the mills of Brooks, Rob-
bins and Rose.
Big- creek, from mouth to Black's mill.
Patoka river, from mouth to Moseley's mill.
Indian creek, from mouth to Dickerson's mill.
Indian Kentucky creek, from mouth to Brooks's mill.
Little Pig-eon creek to Barker's mill.
Big- Pig-eon creek to Fairchild's mill.
Big- Sand Creek, from the Driftwood to forks.
Sug-ar creek, from Blue river to Houg-h's mill.
Busseron creek to Eaton's mills.
Lick creek to Lost river, and Lost river to Sherley's mill.
Mississinewa river to Lewallen's mill, in Randolph county.
All of Blue river in Shelby county. Sug-ar Creek, in Shelby
county. Brushy Fork, of the Muscatatuck. Eel river to Gray's
mill in Putnam county. Fourteen Mile creek. Black, Beanblos-
som. Twin, Cliffy, Salt, Log- Lick, Plum and Big- Indian creeks.
Anyone erecting- dams or otherwise impeding- navig-ation on
these streams was subject to a fine from SIO to $500.
The locations of the mills named being- in larg-e part lost to
memory, the actual mileag-e declared navig-able is now past
determining-. G. S. C.
THE FIRST STEAMBOAT ON WHITE RIVER.
FROM THE JOURNAL OF AN OLD PILOT.
AN old pilot's journal written in the seventies by John Scott
Elder, an Ohio river pilot who was born in Lexing-ton, Ky.,
in 1802, g-ives the following- interesting- account of the first
steamboat trip made on the waters of White river:
"In 1829, I continued on the steamboat 'Victory,' running- up
and down the Ohio river until near the last of Aug-ust; then the
'Victory' laid up to repair. I then went aboard of the steam-
boat 'Traveler,' William Sanders, master, bound for New Orleans.
96 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Yellow fever was rag-ing- in New Orleans at this time. After
our safe return from New Orleans, I asked Captain Sanders for
my discharg-e: he would not hear of it, and went up to Louisville
— our boat was lying- at Shippingsport. When he returned he
said: 'I have g"ot a full load to g-o up White river to Spencer.'
White river empties into the Wabash river near Mt. Carmel,
through on the opposite side of the river; Spencer is in Indiana.
So we loaded the boat with salt, and went on our way, Henry
Christopher was still my pardner, and neither of us was ever
up White river, but we went on our way up the Wabash to Mt.
Carmel, then up the White river. White river is a small stream
and very crooked; we went over mill-dams, though the water
was hig-h, and we finally arrived at Spencer. The steamboat
'Traveler' was the first steamboat that ever turned a wheel on
White river; William Sanders, master.
"The water commenced falling so we had to hurry out our
load of salt, and g-o out of the river as soon as possible. Cap-
tain Sanders said we would run down the river about thirty
miles, land some passeng-ers, and stay there all nig-ht, as we had
told him we could not run in the nig-ht. It was Christopher's
first watch. We went on down White river and landed the pas-
seng-ers, some time in the fore part of the nig-ht. The Captain
then said, 'We will g-o on to-nig-ht. Christopher said nothing,'
and away we went. I told Christopher if he could stand it, I
could. So my pardner stood watch until twelve o'clock and
then called me up. When I took hold of the wheel I do not
think I was ever in such a bad fix in my life, for a man that is a
pilot can generally see the river all the way ahead of him.
However, I told my pardner that I would go it blind, if there
was ever any one time in my life when I longed for the light of
day that was the time. So we continued on down and I heard
the chickens crow, then I knew it was not long until daylight.
The first thing I knew we went into the Wabash river, then I
was all right. The Wabash, after White river, appeared to be
as wide as the Mississippi and we went on our way rejoicing to
Louisville, without accident." Emma Carleton.
GRA VES OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS
GRAVES OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
IN Vol. I, Nos. 2 and 3, of this mag-azine, were published lists
i of Revolutionary graves located in Putnam and Floyd coun-
ties. The following- list is the fullest, up to date, of these
g-raves as located in various parts of the State by members and
chapters of the D. A. R. It is taken from the First Annual Re-
port of the D. A. R. State Historian, Miss Eliza G. Browning-:
Aivi^EN County. The Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter reports
a larg-e number of Revolutionary soldiers buried at Harmersford,
but is unable to g-ive the names.
Floyd County — 6. Located by Piankeshaw Chapter. Jos-
eph Bell, Joshua Fowler, Richard Lord Jones and Benjamin
Buckman, all in the New Albany cemetery; Jacob Garrison,
Galena; Gabriel Poindexter, Floyd Knobs.
Crawford County — 1. Piankeshaw Chapter. Jeremiah
Wrig-ht, Fredona cemetery.
Clark County — 20. Twelve located by Piankeshaw Chapter.
Harrison County — 18. Piankeshaw Chapter. Charles Dyer,
Bethlehem cemetery, near Crandall; Joshua Bennett, Samuel
Raug-h and Patrick Hunter, Presbyterian cemetery at Rebobeth;
Hinson Johnson, Blunk's cemetery, Webster township; Peter
Deatrich, George Krone and Charles Georg-e, family burying-
g-round one mile south of Elizabeth. David Trout, Luther's
Chapel; John Williams, Goldsbury farm, three miles south of
Fredricksburg-; John Smith, near Corydon; Cooper, near
Hancock's Chapel; Henry Funk and Daniel Funk, west bank
of Big- Indian Creek, near New Amsterdam; Abraham Harmar
and Joseph Harmar, Thompson's burial lot; John Long, High-
fill farm, near Corydon; Philip P. Stine, near same place.
Huntington County — 1. Huntington Chapter. Elijah Mitch-
ell, Good cemetery, Warren township.
Jennings County — 1. Mrs. W. A. Guthrie, of John Paul
Chapter. Darby McGannon, family burial ground on McGannon
farm.
Marion County — 8. Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter. John
Morrow, Crown Hill cemetery; Isaac Wilson, family yard, Indi-
98 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
aoapolis; Oliver, Taffe, John Georg-e and Edmund C.
Johnson (see Indianapolis News, Aug-ust 10, 1878). Robert Dick-
erson (see Indianapolis Joiirnal, April 2, 1829; Thomas Hanna,
Greenlawn cemetery.
Jefferson County — 19. John Paul Chapter, Madison. Col.
John Paul, George Benefield, Jacob Bishop, Georg-e Kenneth
Blake, Arnold Custer, Alexander Chambers, William Campbell,
John Dickerson, James Jackson, David Jones, Thomas Jame-
son, McMullen, William Rog-ers, Thomas Rowland,
Thomas Ramsey, Jesse Spann, Jesse Vawter, Remembrance
Williams and William Hall. Biog-raphies of each of these com-
piled.
Monroe County — 5. Blooming-ton Chapter. William Burch
and Henry Barber, near Stamford; Isaac Van Buskirk, near
Gosport; John Campbell and Andrew Ferg-uson (latter colored),
Blooming-ton cemetery.
Montgomery County — 12. Dorothy Q. Chapter. Jacob
Miller, Sebastian Stonebraker, Samuel Greg-ory, William Mason,
James McArther, Robert Gott, Alexander Foster, Presly Sims,
John Hardee, John McNulty, Samuel Newell and John Snoddy.
Noble County — 2. (Names not sent in).
Orange County — 2. Information furnished by Blooming-ton
Chapter. John Riley, Paoli cemetery; William Moore, Livonia
cemetery. William Moore's g-rave was located by the Piankeshaw
Chapter.
Owen County — 7. Spencer Chapter. James Bryant and
Peter Witham, Spencer cemetery; Joshua Kelley, two miles
north of Spencer; Ninian Steele, four and a half miles north-
west of Gosport; Andrew Evans, Asher farm, near Gosport;
John Snoddy, four miles north of Gosport; Thomas Ashbrook,
Secrest cemetery near Ramona. John McCulloug-h, James
Carpenter, Little, Nye and Witham are names of
men buried in Owen county who are said to have been Revolu-
tionary soldiers, but this is tradition and no proof is had of their
services.
Porter County — 2. Valparaiso Chapter. Henry Bolton and
Jones.
Rush County — 2. Mrs. W. A. Guthrie, of John Paul Chap-
ter, and Miss Eliza G. Browning, of Caroline Scott Harrison
GRA VES OF RE VOL UTIONAR Y SOLDIERS 99
Chapter. John Riley and Georg-e Brown, family burial lot, Rich-
mond township.
Scott County — 1. Piankeshaw Chapter. Amosa Mitchell,
Friendship g-raveyard, below New Frankfort.
■Tippecanoe County — 5. Gen. de La Fayette Chapter.
Jacob Lane, Nathin White, Georg-e Rank, Georg-e Stoner and
Jacob Kaiser, Greenbush cemetery.
Washington County — Piankeshaw Chapter. Jacob Doan,
near Hardinsburg. Total, 117.*
Of further D. A. R. work in Indiana the report says:
"Lafayette, Spencer and Crawfordsville Chapters have erect-
ed monuments to the Revolutionary dead in their counties; to
the efforts of Piankeshaw and Ann Rog-ers Clark chapters we
owe the tall shaft that marks the scene of the Pig-eon Roost
massacre; the John Paul Chapter, of Madison, has rescued the
old cemetery in their city, and converted it into a beautiful park;
the Lafayette Chapter gfave to the battleship Indiana a hand-
some silver loving- cup. Of the efforts of the chapters to stimu-
late patriotism and the study of history, here are some of the re-
sults: Evans ville has g-iven medal and books as prizes for es-
says on historical subjects; for the same purpose Lafayette has
g-iven books, a steel eng-raving- of Gen. de Lafayette, and a flag-;
Crawfordsville has awarded medals; Hunting-ton has g-iven a
money prize, pictures and a flag-, and books to their city library;
John Paul Chapter has erected a flag-staff and presented to each
of the eig-ht hig-h schools in their county a framed copy of the
Declaration of Independence; Rensselaer has g-iven a picture to
a school; Paul Revere Chapter has g-iven a framed copy of the
Declaration of Independence to the Muncie Public Library; the
the Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter has bent its energ-ies toward
raising- larg-e sums for Continental Hall; the General Arthur
St. Clair Chapter, remembering- that our motto is 'home and
country,' has contributed a substantial sum of money to the
new Methodist hospital in Indianapolis, in addition to their work
for Continental Hall. In this hospital will be a room named the
'General Arthur St. Clair' room, and in this way they have erect-
ed a monument to the hero whose name the chapter bears."
*To the above list we would add the name of William Crawford, buried in the Bryan
graveyard, near Centerville. For sketch of Crawford see Young's History of Wayne County,
p. 176.
INDIANA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Published at Indianapolis, Indiana.
George S. Cottman, Editor and Proprietor.
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
A DELAYED ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
An acknowledg-ment of favors received should have appeared
in the last number of this magazine, but was unintentionally
omitted. The magazine last year barely paid expenses, and,
much as the publisher desired to keep it up, its continuance
seemed impracticable. That it has continued to exist is larg-ely
due to the friendly aid of several well-wishers who added to
their personal subscriptions a number of extra ones, thus swell-
ing the subscription list very materially and putting- in the
hands of the publisher a fund sufficient, in addition to the reg-u-
lar list, to defray the publishing expenses for the current year.
This was done without any soliciting on the part of the publish-
er, and that men of such character should have thought the
publication worthy of their voluntary support and endorsement
is the most gratifying result, so far, of our effort to promote
an interest along this line. We here make mention of the gen-
tlemen to whom our thanks are due:
Messrs. A. W. Butler, W. E- Henry, J. Frank Hanly, Charles
J. Buchanan, Geo. W. Benton, Daniel Wait Howe, John H. Hol-
liday, C. B. Coleman and T. E. Hibben, Indianapolis; Mrs. Mil-
ton Shirk, Peru; Mr. Fremont Goodwine, Williamsport; Mr. J.
A. Woodburn and the Monroe County Historical Society, Bloom-
ing-ton; Mr. Cyrus W. Hodgin, Richmond; Mr. F. B. Shutts, Au-
rora; Mr. Robt. S. Taylor, Fort Wayne, and Mr. Geo. B. Lock-
wood, Winona Lake.
To Messrs. W. E. Henry and A. W. Butler we are especially
indebted.
THE RICHMOND CENTENNIAL.
The plans for the Richmond Centennial anniversary, to be ob-
served next September, still go enthusiastically on. The pro-
gram has been arranged, and committees for the many branches
of work organized, while the local press from time to time
GRA VES OF RE VOL UTIONAR Y SOLDIERS 101
publishes historical matter calculated to arouse the public in-
terest in the movement, and the town, seeming-ly, is being-
searched for relics, historical documents and all kinds of tribu-
tary material. An important feature of the occasion will be a
"Centennial History" of the city, under the charg-e of a History
Committee, in which the various phases of development will
be carefully dealt with by those most competent for the
tasks. With the effort that is being- made to g-et at all existing-
material, it is probable that the book will contain much of real
historic value hitherto unused.
LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES IN INDIANA.
By request Prof. Cyrus Vv''. Hodg-in, of Richmond, supplies
us with the following- information:
"The local historical societies in this State that are at present
active, so far as we have been able to learn, are located in the
following- counties: Elkhart, Grant, Henry, Kosciusko, Mon-
roe, St. Joseph, Wabash and Wayne. The facts of the history
of the Klkhart, Grant and Kosciusko societies are wanting-.
The Wayne county society was org-anized first in 1882 within
the Old Settlers' org-anization. It was reorg-anized in 1901 and
incorporated in 1902. It has rooms in the court-house at Rich-
mond, assig-ned to it by the county commissioners, who recently
appropriated $250 to furnish suitable cases for its collection.
Its collection of books, files of papers, volumes of mag-azines and
various relics, numbers between six and seven hundred. This
does not include the papers that have been read before it. Its
meeting-s are held quarterly, that in November being- called the
annual meeting-. It is supported by membership fees.
"The Henry county society was org-anized in 1887 and incor-
porated in 1901. It is housed in a valuable property purchased
for the purpose by the county commissioners at a cost of $5000.
It is supported, however, by membership fees and special con-
tributions. It has a valuable collection.
"The society in St. Joseph county is known as the Northern
Indiana Historical Society. It aims to work the field of the
entire State. It has for its quarters the entire second floor of
the public library building- in South Bend. Its collection is said
to contain the larg-est number of historical publications and the
102 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
most interesting- historical relics in the State. The annual meet-
ing occurs in February.
"The Wabash society was org-anized and incorporated in
1901. It has been g-iven the use, by the county commission-
ers, of Memorial Building in the city of Wabash, where it has
beg-un a collection of historical materials. This society does
not collect membership fees, but each member must 'pay for one
share of stock in the association.' Among- its officers are a
historian and an archaeologist. The annual meeting- is held in
Wabash in October. Special meeting-s may be held at such
times and places as the board of directors may desig-nate.
"The Monroe county society was organized in 1905. It is
maintained by a membership fee. The meetings are held
monthly in the lecture-room of the Kirkwood Avenue Chris-
tain Church in Blooming-ton. The topics in its programs indi-
cate that much good investigation is being- made in the history
and biography of the county."
PRESERVATION OF THE FRIGATE "CONSTITUTION,"
Since our last issue the Northern Indiana Historical Societ}"
has put into circulation the following circular which we are
glad to reprint. All local societies should indorse the memorial:
" Zb the Senators a7id Representatives from hidiana:
"The Northern Indiana Historical Society at a special meet-
ing- of its executive committee held this day, unanimously adopt-
ed the following- memorial:
"The members of the Northern Indiana Historical Society
hereby strongly indorse the movement for the preservation of
the U. S. Frigate 'Constitution,' now lying- at the Navy Yard at
Charlestown, Massachusetts, — a war vessel around which cluster
many memories of the early days of the Republic, — the vessel
which, by its destruction of the British warship 'Guerriere, g-ave
to the war of 1812 its first victory, and encouraged the nation to
renewed and ultimately successful efforts, after the early and
discouraging events of the war.
"The society urges that the members of Congress from Indi-
ana favor the appropriation added by the Senate to the naval
appropriation bill for the repair or rebuilding of the famous frig-
ate, that it may be an object lesson, showing what in 1812 was
LOCAL HISTORY CONTRIBUTIONS 103
considered a well-equipped vessel of war, thus illustrating- the
marvelous progress which steam and steel have wrought in na-
val architecture in a sing-le century. The frigate 'Constitution,'
so long as she is afloat, will serve to recall a naval victory which,
small in itself when won, was the foundation of the maritime
power of the nation.
"And, said society earnestly requests and urg-ently petitions
the members of Cong-ress from Indiana to use every honorable
effort and influence within their control to secure so liberal an
appropriation as may be necessary to fitting-ly restore and per-
manently preserve the frig-ate 'Constitution' for the purpose
above set forth, and as an inspiration of patriotism to the youth
of our country. Timothy E. Howard, President.
"George A. Baker, Secretary y
LOCAL HISTORY CONTRIBUTIONS.
The Moravian Missio?i on White River. — In the Indiayiapolis News
for March 17, 1906, Mr. J. P. Dunn has an interesting- contribution
in which he discusses the martyrdom of Christian Indians among
the Delawares of White river, under the instigation of the nefari-
ous "Prophet," and the Moravian Mission that was established
among these people early in the nineteenth century. Hitherto
the chief, if not the sole authorities, touching upon these
matters have been John B. Dillon, the Indiana historian, and
John Heck welder, the Moravian missionary. To these have
recently been added the original reports of the mission, which
were discovered in the archives of the Moravian church, and
which it is the intention of the Indiana Historical Society to
publish. That they will add new information to our rather
meager knowledge of the Indians of Indiana is to be expected.
The site of the old Moravian mission, like that of Ouiatenon, is
somewhat uncertain, though tradition places it on White river
about two miles east of Anderson. A witchcraft craze, inaugu-
rated by the Prophet, who, with his brother Tecumseh, was
then located among the Delawares, so discouraged the mission-
aries that their establishment was discontinued in 1806. In
subsequent history so little mention is made of it that its ex-
istence is practically forgotten.
In this connection, it may be said that such authorities as we
104 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
have upon the subject seem to be quite uncertain as to the dis-
tribution of the Indians along White river. Chief Anderson's
town and the Munsee town, at or near where Anderson and
Muncie now stand, are frequently spoken of in local chronicles,
but to most of the others there is very little allusion. Accord-
ing- to a United States survey map made in 1821 there was a Lit-
tle Munsee 1'own, near Anderson's villag-e, and a Buck Town a
little farther up the river. In a former number of this maga-
zine (see Vol. I, No. 4, p. 176) were published some communica-
tions reminiscent of an old Indian torture stake that stood for
a number of years after the whites came into the country. This
was on the river, about three miles southeast of Muncie. Prom
one of these letters, written by Samuel Cecil, who for many
years owned the land, it is pretty conclusive that an Indian
town of some permanence stood at that place, and that a stake
for torturing prisoners was a notable feature of it. Mr. Cecil
says that the villege was known as Old Munsey, or Old Town
Hill, and that it antedated the Munsey that stood just across
the river from the present city of Muncie. In Henry county they
have a tradition of a town that stood not far from the site of
New Castle, and which remained there for some time after the
coming of the whites. Judge Martin L. Bundy who, we believe,
has a personal recollection of them, af&rms that they were Sen-
ecas. The Indians who were murdered near Pendleton, in 1824,
are also said to have been Senecas. The Senecas belonged to
the Iroquois confederacy, and this dual tradition would seem to
indicate that Iroquois were to be found among the Algonquins
of this section. Strawtown, in Hamilton county, is also said to
have been originally "a flourishing Indian town," and there are
vague reports of others on the river at the north and south boun-
dary lines of Marion county.
The Union Literary Society. — We are in receipt of an interest-
ing article with this caption, written by Philander Outland, of
Richmond, and published in the Sun-Telegram for November 22,
1902. The Union Literary Society, or Institute, more properly
speaking, was a school in Randolph county, established by the
Friends in 1845, and was, perhaps, the first institution of the
kind in the State to throw open its doors alike to white and col-
THE SNOWFALL IN OCTOBER, 1869 105
ored pupils. It was commenced in a two-story hewed-log- build-
ing-, "located in a dense forest," and in this primitive seat of
learning- many a youth of the under race was g^uided toward a
broader life. An account of the school, written by Professor
Ebenezer Tucker, its principal, may be found in the History of
Randolph County, but Mr. Outland, a colored man who was ed-
ucated there, deals freshly and more at leng-th with its special
service to the colored race. Neg-ro pupils attended the school
not only from the territory immediately surrounding-, but from
Richmond, Log-ansport and Indianapolis, this State, and from
Dayton, Piqua, Cincinnati, and Shelby and Mercer counties,
Ohio, while some came from Mississippi and Tennessee.
Baber'' s History of Green Co7inty.—M.r. Henry Baker, of Worth-
ington, sends us a copy of the little paper-bound History of
Greene County, the authorship of which is accredited to "Uncle
Jack Baber," and which was published at Worthington in 1875.
Some of the best local history we have is to be found in pam-
phlets or small, unpretentious volumes published by the authors,
and Baber's is one of this class. It is evidently written by a
reminiscent who is thoroughly familiar with the community in
which he has long- lived, and the text, which rambles along in a
g-ossipy style, contains many minor incidents and anecdotes
that bring- the people of Greene county close to the reader. The
book is now hard to find.
THE SNOWFALL IN OCTOBER, 1869.
Frotn Indiana Farmer, November 11, 1905-
I SEE in the last issue of the Farmer, C. H., of Ohio, wants to
know the exact date of the deep snow that fell in October of
1868 or 1869. As I have been keeping- a record only since 1872,
I can rely only on my memory for the information wanted,
which was in 1869, the day of the week or month not remem-
bered. If I knew the day of the month I could tell the day of
the week. I well recollect a snow in 1843, when I was just
turned into my twelfth year, that for severity has perhaps never
106 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
been equalled. The day of the month or week I fail to recollect,
but from an old man of my acquaintance and several years my
senior, I learned it was the 4th. I have a vivid recollection that
will remain with me as to snow while the trees were in full leaf.
From my diary of 1880 I see that two inches of snow fell on the
forenoon of October 19th (Tuesday), and that at noon the sun
came out and the snow went like a white frost. I reg-ret that
I didn't keep a diary of my school days, just as every young- man
should. I find it a g-reat source of satisfaction now in my old
ag-e for reference. Henry Baker.
Worthington. ^
THE INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Vol. II SEPTEMBER, 1906 No. 3
THE EARLY NEWSPAPERS OF INDIANA,
BEGINNINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF JOURNALISM.
IN view of the illiteracy with which early Indiana has (justly
or unjustly) been accredited, the ubiquity of the newspaper
press, almost from the beg-inning-, is a matter for surprise. We
have abundant evidence that in our pioneer population there
was a larg-e element of intellig-ent and thinking- men. The man
of this type, with the alert American sense of citizenship and
with a lively curiosity about the news of the world (whetted,
perhaps, by his isolation), tog-ether with his zeal for local de-
velopment, demanded an org-an to promote his political opinions,
to keep him in touch, in some fashion, with the outside world,
and to advocate the public wants. As a consequence, g-enerall}^
speaking-, wherever he went and established his rude beg-inning-s
of a civil and social life, the printing- press followed hard after.
These journalistic beg-inning-s are very difficult to trace
because of the meag-erness and uncertainty of the records.
Many a paper that had its little day and was once part of the
history of its community has passed utterly away, leaving- not a
number nor even a memory in the minds of men to tell that it
ever existed; and the only proof of its existence often is indirect
and obscure. Others have chang-ed their names, sometimes
repeatedly, while still retaining- their newspaper identity, and in
a study of the subject this is confusing-.
The sources for such a study are, mainly, the newspaper
directories, local histories. United States census reports, old
g-azetteers and nev/spaper files. The first of these are of little
historical value, and the local histories are not always reliable
and sometimes wholly silent as to the papers of their localities.
The most valuable of these sources are old newspaper files, for
in them, thoug-h frag-mentary and incomplete, we find not only
many of the publications themselves, but allusions to and adver-
108 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
tisements of other contemporaneous papers. From these various
authorities I have compiled a list of about 250 periodicals,
mostly newspapers, published in this State prior to 1850. The
list is, probably, not complete, nor always accurate as to dates,
etc., but is, I think, about as trustworthy as it can be made
from the source material available. To g-ive anything- like
detailed information about these many ventures is, of course,
out of the question here, but their chronological and, in some
cases, g^eographical distribution ma}^ be briefly g^iven. For
convenience they may be considered by decades.
First Decade. — From 1800 to 1810 the only publication in
the Territory of Indiana was the bidiana Gazette and its succes-
sor, the Western Sun, of Vincennes. This paper was established
in 1804 by Elihu Stout, who shipped a printing- outfit from
Frankfort, Ky., by way of the Kentucky, Ohio and Wabash
rivers. This sheet antedated the first one in St. Louis by four
years, and seems to contest the claim to priority with the first
in the Louisiana Purchase, as the earliest New Orleans papers
were in 1804. These were Le Monite^ir, a French publication,
and i\\G:_ Louisiana Gazette. Of the first I have not found the ex-
act date; the latter was first issued in July of the year g-iven.
The Indiana Gazette was burned out and re-established as the
Western Sun. Subsequently it became The Western Sun a?id
General Advertiser, Jones' Vincennes Sentinel, The Viyicennes Indi-
ana Patriot, The Courant a7id Patriot, and, finally. The Western
Sun again, which name it still bears. Two or three in Ohio
preceded this one.
Second Decade. — By 1810 the St. Louis paper, and ten in
the Eng-lish, French and Spanish lang-uag-es that had been start-
ed in New Orleans, had all suspended. The one in Indiana
Territory sturdily persisted in living-, in spite of the disaster b}'
fire that overtook it almost in the start, and during the second
decade others came to keep it company. The record we have of
them is scant, but the following- are mentioned in local histories
and elsewhere:
The Corydon Gazette, 1814; The Plaindealer and Gazette, Brook-
ville, 1815 or 1816; The Republican Banner and The Indiana Re-
publican, Madison, 1815 and 1816; The Indiana Register, Vevay,
THE EARL Y NEWSPAPERS OF INDIANA 109
1816; The Centinel, Vincennes, about 1817 (partial file in State
Library); The Vevay Reveille^ i8ij; The Indiana Oracle, Law-
renceburg-, 1817 or 1819; The Intelligencer, Clark County (prob-
ably Charlestown), 1818; The E7iquirer and Indiana Telegraph,
Brookville, 1819. There is also vag-ue mention of one, name not
given, conducted at Jeffersonville in 1820 by Georg-e Smith and
Nathaniel Bolton, who a little later founded the first Indianap-
olis paper, the Gazette; and one at New Albany by Ebenezer
Patrick.
Third and Fourth Decades. — At the beg-inning- of this ar-
ticle I said that wherever the pioneer went the printing- press fol-
lowed hard after. This, perhaps, is an over emphasis of the ar-
gument if we construe "hard after" as immediately. Just at
this point we have an interesting revelation as to the time nec-
essary for the creating of a journalistic field. It should be
noted that the dozen or so papers above given were confined to
the south third of the State. In 1820, the whole central portion
of our Territory was thrown open to settlers and there was an
influx of population that spread as far north as the Wabash.
There seem reasons why the newspaper press should spread ac-
cording-ly, but by my notes I find that while during the third dec-
ade the number of papers was trebled, only four of them were
in the "New Purchase," as the newly opened country was called.
These were the Indiayiapolis Gazette (see Note 1), The Western
Ceiisor and Emigrant' s Guide, which became the Indianapolis Jour-
nal, the Lafayette Journal, and the Pottawattomie and Miami
Times, of Logansport (Note 2). During these ten years many
thousands of settlers had come in, and there are reasons for be-
lieving that many papers were taken and read, but for some
reason the conditions seem not to have invited journalistic ven-
tures until the beginning of the next decade. In the early thir-
ties they began to spring up and during these ten years one hun-
dred new papers came into existence, by far the larger part of
which were in the central and northern localities, and scattered
pretty well over these portions from Columbus to Michigan City,
and from Henry to Parke counties. From 1840 to 1850 I find
added to the list at least one hundred and fourteen more, and of
these comparatively few are located in the older parts of the
State (Note 3).
110 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
As stated above, the number of periodicals that I have found
trace of as existing- in the State prior to 1850 is something- like
250. There were certainly some in addition to these that have
quite disappeared from mortal ken. Many were ephemeral, and
the mortality among them is indicated by a comparison of the
number I find with those g-iven on the United States census.
This comparison can not be made throug-h that medium until
1840, when the census first deals with the periodicals of the
country. Up to that period, according to my research, at least
134 had been established, but the total number existing- in the
year mentioned is reported in the census as 79, while against
the 250 that had been in 1850 only 107 remained.
Drawing- still further upon these census reports, we find some
interesting- figures touching the output of the press, not only as
to increase but as to character. In the beginning all periodicals
were weekly newspapers. By 1840 a differentiation had begun,
and along- with 69 weeklies there were 4 semi- and tri-weeklies
and 3 classified as "periodicals," presumably literary. In the
following- decade the daily makes its appearance, and by 1850
there are 9 of these, along with 95 weeklies, 2 tri-weeklies and
1 semi-monthly, with a total circulation of 63,138. In 1860 there
were 186, with the political weekly still in the ascendancy, but
showing an intrusion into the field of 6 religious and 5 literary
weeklies and monthlies, and with an aggregate circulation of
159,381. During the sixties there was a much heavier rate of
increase, the census of 1870 showing- 293 and a circulation of
363,542. The next ten years the advance was more marked yet,
and by 1880 had reached the number of 467, with a circulation
of 661,111. By this time the dailies had increased to 40, and
the monthlies to 27. The tables of 1890 show 680 newspapers
and periodicals, with a circulation of 1,292,418; those of 1900,
887, and a circulation of 210,805, or an output during the entire
year of 175,432,092 copies.
One of the interesting- phases of journalistic history is the
differentiating process above referred to, one aspect of which af-
fords an important sociolog-ical datum as indicating chang-es in
the attitude of the public. Not only has the weekly, in large
measure, g-iven place to the daily, and the daily fallen into
classes, as morning- and evening, but there have been chang-es
THE EARL Y NEWSPAPERS OF INDIANA 111
of a deeper sig-nificance. In the earlier times the journal was,
first of all, a party org-an, with all the rabid partizanship that
that implies when the party org-an is in its worst estate. Even
the news, where possible, it seemed, was twisted to subserve
party ends, and as a concomitant, savag-e political rancor was
the order of the day. The modern newspaper is not all sweet-
ness and ligrht, but one could hardly imag-ine, for example, the
hidianapolis Journal in its latter days admitting- to its columns,
as it does in the issue of November 3, 1836, an open letter ad-
dressed to "the Lying-, Hireling- Scoundels who do the dirty work
as Editors of the Democrat.'''' The pioneer reader was nothing-
if not a partisan, and the acrimony with which both editors and
contributors expressed themselves is an index to the moral spirit
of the times. Not only political differences but personal animos-
ities were aired in the public columns with a brutal rancor and
ferocious hate based, so far as one can see in the controversies,
on little cause.*
So little was the old journal a newspaper, in the modern
sense, that local news, or, indeed, any kind of news other than
political was hardly thoug-ht worth the space. The thing-s that
would now have peculiar historical value, had the papers
chronicled them, are provoking-ly scant. What local matter
there was had no separate department, but was usually
scattered down the editorial column, and matters that we now
reg-ard as of interest and importance often had little or no
mention. For example, one would think that the people, and,
as a consequence, the press, would have been very much
interested in the admission of the State to the Union, and in the
convention that framed the first Constitution, at Corj^don; but
in the files of the Wester7i Sun of that period (the only paper of
that date available) very little is said about the convention, and
the first conspicuous indication of statehood is the budding-
forth, more than a month after the convention, of notices of
candidates inaug-urating- the g-rand rush for office. The
startling- earthquake shocks of 1811-'12, the equally startling-
star shower of 1833, and other notable occurrences are dismissed
•Governor James B. Ray was a past-master at this gentle art of vituperation, and an open
letter of his to James Noble, then United States Sonator, published in the Indianapolis
Journal of March 3, 1830, is a good example of the fierceness I speak of.
1 12 INDIA NA MA GAZINE OF HIS TOR Y
with little more than a mere mention, though they unquestion-
ably occupied a large place in the public mind at the times.
The first venture, perhaps, in the local field was The Loco-
motive, a little weekly, unique for that day, which was launched
in 1845 as an amateur performance by three apprentices in the
bidiana Journal office, of Indianapolis. It died a couple of
times, but was revived, enlarged a little, more maturely edited,
perhaps, and proved a "go." It was wholly local and literary,
with much of the society column feature, and, according to
Berry Sulgrove, "covered so well a field completely neglected by
the grave political organs that it soon began to pay." It was,
he adds, "the first paper that the women and girls wanted to
read regularly."
The early newspaper did not, however, wholly neglect litera-
ture. Indeed, it sometimes filled in with a disproportionate
amount of reading matter of this sort, not only from the writers
of the day, but from those of the past, as in the case of the
Ripley Cotinty Index, which published in a serial form the
whole of "Pilgrim's Progress." Love stories, often serials, not
unfrequently occupied the first page. There was also, usually,
the time-honored Poets' Corner, affording a chance to budding
rhymsters, and showing that the muse, though humbly subordi-
nate, was not quite forgotten. In The Western Sun, of
Vincennes, this latter department was headed the "Poetical
Asylum."
THE INDEPENDENT PRESS.
The development of the independent newspaper during the
last third of a century is one of the interesting journalistic
phenomena. Prior to that period there were in this State
several so-called independent sheets, but these were, without
exception, I believe, simply neutral and not aggressively inde-
pendent, as the modern usage of that term implies. The most
noteworthy of these was the hidependent Press, established at
Lawrenceburg in 1850, by Henry L. Brown and James E. Goble,
and edited by Oliver B. Torbett. From the salutatory and a
long communication to the editor in the first number on the
needs of an independent press, one would think that the paper
had naturally risen out of a growing demand for such; but Mr.
Brown, one of the founders, now (or until recently) living in
THE EARL V NE WSPAPERS OF INDIANA 1 1 3
Indianapolis, explains that the independence of the new paper
was larg-ely accidental. The Democratic field was already
occupied; there was no encourag-ement for a Whig- org-an in
that county, and hence the remaining- alternative. This is one
of the most interesting- papers of its period, and its superiority
over the majority of its contemporaries alike in the matter of
news, literature and miscellany, doubtless accounted for the
measure of success to which it attained.
The independent movement which avowedly takes an active
part in all political issues and makes a virtue of the "flopping-"
which so excites the scorn of the staunch partizan, was inaug--
urated in this State by John H. Holliday who, in 1869, es-
tablished the Indianapolis News. Beingf a man of ideas, and
with the boldness to experiment with these, he launched a paper
that in several respects occupied its own field. It is supposed
to have been the only two-cent paper, outside, possibly, of
Chicag'o, that existed west of the Alleg-heny mountains. Prior
to the war cheap papers had sprung- up, but the advance in cost
of material, particularly of white paper, in the war period, had
driven them out. It was made an afternoon paper because day
labor cost less than nig-ht work; and, finally, it was made an
independent paper because Mr. Holliday preferred and believed
in that kind of a newspaper. It may be added that the
proprietor secured for it the Associated Press dispatches, which
advantag-e no previous evening- publication here had enjoyed.
Just how far the well-known success of the News is attributable
to its political independence and how much to g-ood business
manag-ement is not obvious, but its success in the independent
field has doubtless been a strong- influence in developing- the
movement. Others followed the lead of this pioneer in its
venture, and that they met a "felt want" would seem to be
indicated by the fact that by 1903, according- to Lord & Thomas's
Pocket Directory of that year, there were in the State no less
than 219 independent journals, not counting- those that professed
a qualified independence, such as "Republican-Independent"
and "Democratic-Independent." These are scattered pretty
well over the State, and 185 of them (34 not being- returned) had
an ag-gregate circulation of 266,103.
114 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
OTHER CHANGES AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.
Other notable chang-es in the journalistic character and tone
have grown up, revealing- chang-es in the modes of thought of
the people and a broader development. Whatever other objec-
tionable elements have come to the fore in modern newspapers
of a certain type, politics as a controlling- force and as an
excuse for the existence of an org-an no long-er occupies the
prominence that it once did. The function of the political
journal is subordinate to that of the newspaper, and along- with
this chang-e goes a marked melioration of the political rancor.
As a purveyor of news and of opinion the journal of to-day in
its influence undoubtedly outweig-hs all other literary ag-encies
in the g-eneral effect upon public thoug-ht — which certainly will
not seem an over-statement when we consider that the aggreg-ate
circulation of the newspaper in Indiana at the last census
amounted to one paper for each 1.19 persons.*
Another side of the newspaper business may be referred to.
By the census of 1900 the 887 publications mentioned were
represented by 4,084 wage-earners, whose ag-g-regate wag-es for
the year amounted to $1,784,059. There was a further
investment in 25,546,899 pounds of paper, and the total income
from advertisements, subscriptions and sales was $3,912,514.
Add to this, as the value of land, building-s, printing- material,
etc., $4,792,139, and we get an approximate idea of the in-
dustrial importance of this branch of the publishing- business.
These fig-ures also include the class of publications called peri-
odicals, but these, by comparison with the newspapers, are incon-
siderable. They do not include book or job printing-.
HUMORS OF PIONEER JOURNALISM.
The introduction of the pioneer press into the wilderness was
marked by peculiar hardships owing- to the remoteness from
sources of supplies and g-eneral lack of facilities. The trans-
porting- hither of a printing- plant was of itself no small under-
taking-, and stories of mishaps and difficulties have survived.
When The Westeryi Register came to Terre Haute in 1825, it was
by wag-on over primitive roads, and the whole kit, press, type
*In newspaper reading, as given by the census tables of 1900, Indiana ranks sixteenth In
the Union.
THE EARL Y NEWSPAPERS OF INDIANA 115
and paper for the first issue, was upset in fording- a stream.
The consequent delay in the paper's initial appearance was
explained as due to "circumstances beyond our control" — a
comprehensive and oft-used excuse which the first printers
probably kept "standing-." This was only the beg-inning- of this
journal's difficulties. Often the stores and shops of the town
had to be ransacked for ordinary wrapping- paper to print on;
sometimes only a half sheet was sent out, and sometimes no
paper could be issued at all. The first paper in Martinsville,
printed on a small wooden press, also frequently depended upon
store paper.* When Milton Greg-g- boug-ht a second-hand print-
shop at Brookville to start The Western Statesjnan at Lawrence-
burg-, he sent "a wild Hoosier teamster" for the outfit, and the
latter, laying a quilt upon the floor, emptied thereon in one pile
the various cases of type, both body and job. It was three weeks
before Greg-g^'s printers g-ot the pi distributed. The first paper
in Rushville, The Dog-Fennel Ga2ette{\), published by one Wick-
ham in 1832, seems, from the unique name bestowed upon it, to
have been consciously g-rotesque. What the eccentric father of
it used as bed for his press we are not told, but it is affirmed
that for his pressing- power he utilized a heavy pole, one end of
which was attached to a tree. Placing- the form under the pole
near the tree, so as to g-et a g-ood leverag-e, he would squeeze off
his impressions. The sheets were distributed printed on one
side, and his patrons, after reading-, would return the paper to be
printed on the other side for another issue. This quite equals
the old jest among- the fraternity about sheets that are worked
with swamp mud on a cider press. A copy of The Dog-Fennel
Gazette would be an interesting- find.
That these early ventures in the journalistic field should have
exercised their function in a primitive manner and made a
rather sorry shift g-enerally is not surprising-, the wonder, indeed,
being- that the mortality among- them was not g-reater. In The
Bloomingto7i Post for Aug-ust 30, 1832, nearly three editorial
•In the Indianapolis Journal of May 8, 1K28, I fiud mention of a paper mill at Madison.
A futile attempt to establish one in Richmond in 1S2S was followed in 1830 by a successful
venture. (Young's Wayne County, p. 389.) The United States Census returns of 1840 report
three of these mills in the State— in Jefferson, Franklin and Wayne counties (Madison,
Brookville and Richmond.) The aggregate capital invested is given as .$68,739, and the
value of production for the last year as .$86,4.57.
116 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
columns are g-iven to the status of the press. It is bitterly
complained that "interlopers," not practical printers but "quack
doctors, half-read lawyers and pretended literary characters,"
had invaded the journalistic field to the demoralization alike of
the journal and of the leg-itimate printers' chances, which latter
are represented as slim at best.
To beg-in with, the munitions of war for their crusade ag-ainst
darkness was an exceeding-ly uncertain quantity, for thoug-h
their subscription rates were hig-h compared with the news
weekly of to-day, and the advertising- patronag-e was often
liberal, the editor shared with business men at larg-e the
embarrassments of scant cash and delayed payments. Indeed,
the sentiment seemed to prevail that the newspaper man and
the doctor could wait for their pay a little long-er than any one
else. We find that rather extraordinary inducements were
offered for advance payments, and the clause as to arrearag-es is
one of the proofs of the frequency of arrearag-es. The
acceptance of all sorts of produce, from cordwood to maple
sug-ar, was common, and if we may judg-e by the long-
continuance of the custom, yet more in vog-ue with printers than
with merchants. A notice to be found in an old number of the
Brookville Indiana American announced that it will accept "the
following- currency at par, for subscription or advertising, to-
wit: Maple Sug-ar, Molasses, Country Linen, Jeans, Chickens,
Butter, Cheese, Wood, Dried Apples, Dried Peaches, Corn,
Wheat, Flour, Cornmeal, Pork, Beef, Oats, Hay, Bacon, or most
any other mechanical production," and The Bloomington Post of
October 26, 1838, advertises that "persons expecting- to pay for
their papers in produce must do so soon, or the cash will be ex-
acted. Pork, Flour, Corn and Meal will be taken at the market
prices. Also, those who expect to pay us in firewood must do so
immediately — we must have our wood laid in for the winter
before the roads g-et bad." The same paper for July 6, 1838,
after repeated appeals to creditors, resorts to this heroic measure:
"The Black List. — We have forwarded accounts to several
persons indebted to us for Job Work, Subscriptions, etc., and we
are sorry to say that they pay little or no attention to them.
We take this opportunity to inform those g-entleraen that if they
any long-er neglect to remit to us the amount of our accounts we
THE EARL Y NE WSPAPERS OF INDIANA 117
will forthwith place their names in bold capitals on the 'black
list,'' as scoundrels and swindlers."
Three weeks later the editor began his black list, but whether
or not it had the desired effect is a matter lost to history.
Akin to this is the wail of the Madison Indiana Republica?i for
July 26, 1817, which says:
"Mr. Clerk, I wish you to discontinue my dunning adver-
tisement. My debtors pay no attention to it. Be so g-ood as to
inform the Sheriff that I wish to see him. Yours truly,
"B. Young."
Nor was this all, nor, perhaps, the most serious of the printer's
troubles. His most avowed function was to suppl}' people with
the news, and the difficulties in obtaining- the news were most
discouraging. For example, when the Indianapolis Gazette was
started there was no regular mail to the town, and for the first
three or four months of its existence it had to appear irregularly
and as it could secure matter. Its launching, indeed, seems to
have been a cause in determining the first mail line, for soon
thereafter the citizens of the place held a meeting to consider
the situation, decided upon establishing a route to Connersville,
sixty miles away (there to connect with the government service),
and themselves employed a man to carry the mail and open a
post-office. After the government established a regular route the
delays necessitated by bad roads were multiplied by indirect and
circuitous carriage. An editorial in the Western Censor and Emi-
grant's Guide about that time complains that its exchanges,
instead of coining as directly as possible, were carried by round-
about routes and got to their destination usually two weeks
later than need be, and this fortnight, added to the several
days that "need be" by the best possible service of the day, gives
an idea of the antiquity of most of the "news" when it reached
the readers. The great source of the foreign intelligence was,
of course, the exchange which had already served its readers at
points farther east or south, and so the interior readers were a
stage further removed from the actual events of the world.
Of the exchanges drawn upon, that most frequently quoted is
Niles'' Weekly Register, a most excellent and valuable compendium
of news and history, which comprised a wide range of subjects.
This periodical, a weekly publication of sixteen octavo pages.
118 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
was issued at Baltimore from September 7, 1811, to August 27,
1836, by Hezekiah Niles, and from that date to June 27, 1849,
was continued by a son, W. O. Niles. Among- the journals of
that day it stood alone as a repository of all sorts of information
proper to a paper of its kind. It is to-day one of our most val-
uable collections of records, and as such is prized by historians.
Fifty bound volumes of the work may be found in the State
Library.
NAMES OF PAPERS.
The names of papers in Indiana have been exceedingly varied,
but a dozen or so have been distinct favorites. Of these, Herald
and Gazette are perhaps most in evidence, with Democrat,
Times, Sentinel, Journal, and (a little later) Republican, fol-
lowing- hard after. Banner, Register, Chronicle, Courier, States-
man and Observer also make something of a showing. The
name Telegraph appears at least three years before the introduc-
tion of Morse's method of telegraphy, and a number of Re-
publicans were in the field years before the birth of the Re-
publican party, which in turn gave name to so many papers.
Of unusual names a list might be given, a few of which are The
Comet, The Westetn Constellation, The Corkscrew, The Dog-Fennel
Gazette, The Bridget of Fu?i, The Whig Rifle, The Coon-Skin7ier,
The Loco77iotive , The Busy World, The hidiana Blade, The Chrono-
lype. The Broad Axe of Freedom, The People's Friend and The Hoo-
sier. The first one with the last-mentioned name was launched
at Greencastle by ex-Governor James B. Ray and W. M. Tanne-
hill, as early as 1833.
NOTES.
1. — The Indianapolis Sentinel is often referred back to the Ga-
zette of 1822 as its beginning, but this is certainly by a liberal
construction as to what constitutes newspaper identity. The
Indiana Democrat, which immediately succeeded the Gazette, was
not a continuance of the latter sheet. Smith and Bolton, of the
Gazette, dissolved partnership in 1829, and a letter from each in
the issue of July 23, sets forth the reason. Smith wished to
support Andrew Jackson. The Gazette had from the beginning
been non-partizan, and Bolton wished to continue this policy.
Smith further announces himself as one of several who proposed
THE EARL Y NEWSPAPERS OF INDIANA 119
to establish '■^iw this place" a new paper, to be called The Jack-
sonian. No paper by this name appeared, but The Indiatia Dem^
oeraf, occupying the proposed field, did appear in 1830, and at
once swallowed up the Gazette. It thus had a separate origin
and was brought into existence for a new purpose. Bolton was
subsequently one of the proprietors of this paper. Even the
relationship between the Democrat and the Sentinel, which suc-
ceeded it in 1841, is by no means so clear as is generally supposed,
for the first issue of the Sentinel is Vol. I, No. 1, and in the
* 'prolegomena" of that number it is evidently regarded as the
launching of a new paper.
2. — The Northwestern Pioneer, established at South Bend in
1831 by John D. and Joseph H. Defrees, is often cited as the first
paper north of the Wabash river. It should be noted that the
Pottawattomie and Miami Times, started at Logansport by John
Scott in 1829, was north of, or at least on the north bank of the
Wabash. There are various loose statements as to the dates of
founding of several papers now existing. The Richmo7id Palla-
dium, dating back to 1831, claims to be the oldest, barring the
Western Sun, Earlier dates are claimed by the Vevay RevielU,
1817; the Terre Haute Express, 1823; ihe Lafayette Journal, 1829;
and perhaps by others. It may be noted that of the three papers
last mentioned, none is included by those names in the list of
1833, given below. The Western Register, of Terre Haute, was
established in 1823, but had either ceased to be or had changed
to The Wabash Courier hy 1833, as that is the only Terre Haute
paper given in said list. The Courier probably became the Express
in 1840, as the name of Thomas Bowling is connected with both
of them. T/iQ Register, of 1823, was founded by John W. Osborne,
one of the most notable of the early journalists of Indiana.
3. — What is probably the first directory of Indiana newspapers
ever compiled is to be found in a gazetteer of 1833, published by
Douglass & Maguire, proprietors of the hidiana Journal. This
table, compiled by newspaper men, whose exchange list seems
to have included all the papers of the State as they appeared,
was doubtless not only correct but practically a full list of the
publications then in existence. As such it is a document of
value, and I give it in full:
120 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
A TABLE CONTAINING A LIST OF NEWSPAPERS IN THE STATE OF
INDIANA, PLACES WHERE PUBLISHED, AND THE NAMES OF
THE PUBLISHERS.
Indiana J mmial^ Indianapolis, Douglass & Mag-uire.
Indiana Democrat, Indianapolis, Morrison & Bolton.
Wester7i Titnes, Centre ville, Hall & Boon.
Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Tig-ar & Noel.
Richmond Palladizim, Richmond, D. P. Holloway.
Liberty Portfolio, Liberty, Leviston & Walters.
Star and Senti7iel, Philomath, S. Tizzard.
Indiana American, Brookville, C. F. Clarkson.
Indiaiia Palladium, Lawrenceburg", D. V. Cully,
Westerti Statesman, Lawrenceburg-, D. S. Major.
Switzerland Monitor, Vevay, R. Ransdall.
Weekly Messenger, Printer's Retreat, Keen & Child..
hidiana Republican, Madison, Arion & Lodg^e.
New Albany Gazette, New Albany, Henry Collins.
Western Coura?it, Corydon, Ladd & Jones.
Paoli Times, Paoli, W. A. Bowles.
Annotator, Salem, Allen & May.
Far West, Bloomington, Brandon & Deal.
Columbus Chro?iicle, Columbus, L. L. Dunkin.
Western Sun, Vincennes, Elihu Stout.
Vincennes Gazette, Vincennes, R. Y. Cadding-ton,
Wabash Courier, Terre Haute, Thomas Dowling.
Wabash Herald, Rock ville, Marts & Comingore.
Lafayette Free Press, Lafayette, J. B. Semans.
Wabash Mercury, Lafayette, R. R. Houston.
Cass County Times, Log"ansport, Scott & Burns.
Record, Crawfordsville, I. F. Woods.
Federal Union, Knigfhtstown, James Silver.
Democratic Republicayi, Shelbyville, Churchman & KendalL
ADDENDA.
Since writing- the above I have found a copy of the Western
Eagle, Madison. This paper dates back to 1813, and probabh-
was the second one established in Indiana Territory.
Perhaps the only copy in existence of the first paper issued in
Indianapolis (No. 1 of the Indianapolis Gazette^, is in the pos-
THE FIRST PRINTERS IN INDIANAPOLIS 121
session of Mr. Georg-e T. Porter, of Indianapolis. In the hidi-
anapolis Press, December 19, 1899, is an interesting- account of
this pioneer sheet, with matter quoted from its columns.
The Indianapolis Gazette from 1824 to its period of ceasing-, and
also the Western Censor ayid EmigranV s Guide (complete), the
forerunner of the Indiana Journal, are in the City Library of Indi-
anapolis. This library has by far the fullest collection in ex-
istence of Indianapolis newspapers. Locked in these files is
matter of inestimable value in its relation to the development of
the city. Unfortunately, the incomplete and wholly inadequate
catalog-ue furnished by the library is practically no g-uide to the
collection, and does not even indicate the presence in it of some
of its rarest possessions; hence the usefulness of the collection
is by no means what it mig-ht be.
George S. Cottman.
THE FIRST PRINTERS IN INDIANAPOLIS.
GEORGE SMITH AND NATHANIEL BOLTON.
From The Indianapolis Sentinel, August 27, iSgg.
GEORGE SMITH was born in Lancaster, Pa., and while quite
young- learned the printing- trade with one of the Bradfords,
the colonial printers in Pennsylvania. In the earlier part of
this century he removed from Philadelphia to Chillicothe, O.,
and while living- there married Mrs. Nancy Bolton, a widow,
whose maiden name was Cox. She was a sister of Nathaniel
Cox, one of the early pioneers and hunters of Indianapolis.
"Uncle Nat Cox," as he was familiarly called, was a carpenter
by trade, but was excessively fond of hunting-, and in his day
had no equal in central Indiana as a first-class "shot'' with the
rifle, the only species of firearms then in use in the West.
Mrs. Bolton's only child by her first husband was Nathaniel
Bolton, who was born in Chillicothe, O., July 25, 1803. Eliza-
beth Smith, his half-sister, was born in the same town February
17, 1809. Her father had become the owner of a printing office,
which was, almost always, in the same house in which they
lived. Mr. Smith was a man of fair education, very industrious.
122 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
a master of the art of printing-, a g-ood writer, of untiring energy,
and was well liked by all of his acquaintance. Like all printers
of that period and some of later years, he was by force of circum-
stances and disposition unsettled as to location, often going from
one town to another, not only as a mere journeyman printer, but
as the owner and publisher of his own newspaper.
The daughter Klizabeth grew up to be a remarkably intelli-
gent and observing woman, of clear memory, full of wit and
humor, whose conversations relating to the early settlement of
Indianapolis were always interesting to listeners. A short time
before her death she noted down in a book many interesting par-
ticulars of her earlier life, and it is from this book, now in
possession of her daughter, Mrs. Maria Goldsberry Tanner, of
this city, widow of the late Major Gordon Tanner, and mother of
George G. Tanner, of the firm of Tanner & Sullivan and late
surveyor of customs at Indianapolis, that many of the incidents
herein related have been obtained by the kind permission of Mrs.
Tanner. Elizabeth's earliest recollections were of the printing-
office, wherein most of her childhood was spent. She was prob-
ably the first female typesetter in all the western country. When
she was about three or four years old her father moved to Worth-
ington, a small place near Columbus, O., and then back again
to Chillicothe. At this place the famil}' lived quite a while,
Nathaniel going- to school to a Presbyterian minister, receiving
some instruction. His practical education, however, was in the
printing office. The little girl took great delig-ht in helping
her father and brother in the printing office as much as her age
would permit.
In 1820 Mr. Smith caught the emigration fever. The "new
purchase" of land from the Indians in the neighboring State of
Indiana was then attracting much attention, and Mr. Smith de-
termined to leave Ohio and try his fortune in the Hoosier State.
At Cincinnati he arranged for passage down the Ohio river on
the steam packet General Pike, but was compelled to cancel the
contract and change his plans of travel by reason of the timidity
of Mrs. Smith, who, on first seeing a steamboat, declared she
would not go aboard of what seemed to her a dangerous craft.
While there they all visited Wells's type foundry, which was a
novelty and a great object of interest to Nathaniel and Elizabeth,
THE EARL Y NEWSPAPERS OF INDIANA 123
they witnessing- for the first time the process of making- moveable
types.
Other means of transportation than that of steamboat was
obtained, Mr. Smith arrang-ing for the accommodation of his
own and another family on an Allegheny river timber boat from
Olean, N. Y., and on this they floated down the river quite com-
fortably. The rude craft had fireplaces at each end large enough
to do their cooking-. Uncle Nat Cox steered the vessel. On
reaching- Ghent, Ky., the rough weather compelled a "tie up,"
and the occupants went ashore, where they were entertained a
few days by a family of former acquaintance in Chillicothe. The
storm abating-, they returned to the boat and floated down to
Jeffersonville without further delay or trouble.
At Jeffersonville a wag-on was hired in which they proceeded
to Corydon, the then seat of g-overnment of the new State. Not
liking- the place, Mr. Smith arranged for a partnership with a
Mr. Brandon, and, returning- to Jeffersonville, they opened a book
and job printing- office, in which Mr. Smith made more than ex-
penses. His objective point on first coming to Indiana was the
capital of the State, the location of which had in 1820 been set-
tled by the commissioners fixing it at the junction of Fall creek
and White river, and naming- the town Indianapolis. The family
remained in Jeffersonville during- the summer of 1821, awaiting-
the announcement of the first sale of lots at the capital. The
lots having- been surveyed and laid out, the first sale was held
in October, 1821. Mr. Smith attended this sale, walking- all the
way there and back. He purchased two lots, on one of which
stood a buckeye cabin built by a squatter, who, g-etting- home-
sick, deserted it and returned to his home in Kentucky.
Some weeks after Mr. Smith's return he removed the family
and his little printing- office and some "plunder" to Indianapolis,
the journey being- a remarkable one. Inside of a large four-horse
wagon was stored the type, cases, stands, press and other ma-
terials of a primitive printing- office, a meag-er lot of household
effects and wearing- apparel, and the family, or rather such of
them as rode, the male members walking- most of the way.
The route was over a "blazed trail." The only towns they
passed throug-h were Paoli, Bedford and Brownstown. The re-
maining portion of the journey was made through an unbroken
124 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
wilderness of dense growth, wholly unsettled. They camped out
two nig-hts during- a heavy snowstorm and suifered other pri-
vations.
Late one cold, stormy night, about two weeks before Christmas,
they drew up in front of their cabin and took possession. With
plenty of wood, they soon had a good lire and their first supper
in Indianapolis. This was served on a store g-oods box for a
table, with smaller boxes for seats, there being but one chair in
the house. The little cabin had but one room, which served for
the printing office, bed-room, dining-room and kitchen, Eliza-
beth describes her bedstead as having been made of two old sugar
troughs with rails and short boards laid crossways, on which was
placed a g-ood feather bed "made up nice." The father and
mother's bed was composed of tw^o buckeye log's and rails, over-
laid with brush. With the printing press and stands for two sets
of type cases but little room w^as left for lodg-ing-, cooking- and
eating; but they managed to make themselves comfortable,
though compactly housed. A Dr. Scudder, who had his office
in a near-by cabin, kindly let them fix up a bed there for Uncle
Nat Cox and a journeyman printer who had been hired for a
while.
Thus was inaugurated the first printing oflice from which was
issued the hidianapolis Gazette, the first newspaper ever published
in the new town of Indianapolis, the proprietor of which was the
editor, publisher and printer all combined in himself. Writing-
his own editorials, he would then set them up in type, make up
the forms and work off the paper on a tw^o-puU Ramage hand
press. The forms were inked by hand with buckskin balls
stuffed with wool and gfreased with coon oil to soften them when
not in use. The composition rollers were then unknown. The
first or outside forms of two pages were printed the first part of
the week and the corresponding- inside forms were struck off
usually on Friday and the paper circulated Saturday morning-.
Nathaniel Bolton had remained in New Albany to finish some
work on printing the law^s of the State. After completing- this
job, he found a man g-oing to Indianapolis with a lot of horses,
who allowed him to ride one, and on reaching- there he joined
Mr. Smith in the work of the publication of the Gazette, and
afterward became first a partner and then sole proprietor.
THE FIRST PRINTERS IN INDIANAPOLIS 125
The first residence and printing- office herein described was on
Maryland street, just below the crossing- of Missouri street, and be-
tween that place and the old cemetery Mr. Smith opened up a
fine sugar camp.
During the winter of 1821-'22 Elizabeth Smith, then about
thirteen years old, learned to set type, and did considerable work
in assisting her father and brother in getting- out the paper. In
1824 her father bought a lot cornering- on Georg-ia and Tennessee
streets, on which now stands St. John's Cathedral and other
buildings connected with that parish. On this lot he built a
house into which he moved the printing office and residence.
After this removal Elizabeth quit typesetting.
This same year Washington and Meridian streets were opened
and the trees, stumps and undergrowth removed. The first court-
house was built about the same time, and in it was held the first
legislative session at the new capital.
Mr. Smith soon after became a judg-e of the Marion circuit
court, retiring from the printing- business and surrendering- the
proprietorship of the Gazette to his step-son, Nathaniel Bolton.
As a judicial officer he served with great ability and fairness.
Mr. Smith died April 10, 1836, after a lingering- illness, aged
fifty-two. According- to his last request he was buried at Mt.
Jackson, the name g-iven to the farm on which he last resided.
The remains were afterv/ard removed to Greenlawn cemetery.
Mr. Bolton succeeded to the ownership of this farm, and here
he and his wife, Mrs. Sarah T. Bolton, kept a tavern for nine
years. At the same time Mr. Bolton kept up his journalistic
work, while Mrs. Bolton wrote many of her earliest poems during-
the leisure hours from the labors incident to the farm and tavern.
In the fall of 1845 Mr. Bolton sold to the State the farm as a site
for the Indiana Hospital for the Insane, the selling price being-
$5,300.
The difficulties of obtaining- news at the commencement of Mr.
Smith's newspaper enterprise were g-reat. The nearest post-office
was Connersville, sixty miles away. The enterprising- publisher
however, established a private mail, employing- a man to g^o there
every four weeks to bring the letters and newspapers.
In December, 1822, President James Monroe sent to Congress
one of his short messages, a copy of which reached Indianapolis
126 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
in February, 1823, and was published in instalments in two or
three succeeding- numbers of the Gazette.
Soon after a regular United States mail route was established,
and then mails reached Indianapolis from the East every two
weeks, unless detained by hig-h waters.
Mr. Smith's father broug-ht in a wag-on from Spring-field, O.,
driven by himself, the white paper on which the first issues of
the Gazette were printed. After Mr. Bolton became sole proprie-
tor in 1824 the Gazette office was removed, first to a house on the
corner of Washington and Tennessee streets on the State House
square, and then to the south side of Washington street a few
doors west of the court-house.
When I came to Indianapolis in 1837, a boy of nine years of
age, I made the acquaintance of Mr. Bolton and his partner,
John Livingston, the proprietors of the Democrat, and for a
few years worked in their printing office as a roller boy, printer's
devil and carrier of the paper. At that time the old double-pull
Ramage press was still in the office, and many a time have I
inked the forms thereon, as a roller boy. This work was then
done with rollers make of glue and molasses, in the molding of
which I always had a hand. During my employment I made
several trips to the Mt. Jackson farm, on foot, for "copy" and
"corrected proofs."
The Indiayia Democrat was continued by that name until 1841,
when George A. Chapman, publisher of a paper at Terre Haute,
and Jacob Page Chapman, his brother, publisher of a paper at
Evansville, purchased the Democrat, adding to its material all of
their types and presses, and changing the name of the paper to
The Indiana State Sentinel. They continued to own and publish
the paper until 1850, when I became the purchaser of the name
and good will of the paper, for which I purchased an entirely
new plant of presses, types and printing materials.
Austin H. Brown.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 127
EARLY INDIANAPOLIS.
THE FLETCHER PAPERS— THIRD INSTALMENT.
Character of the Early Settlers; High Standard of hitelligence — Mu-
tual Helpfulness — Intellectical a?id Social Culture — Hinting In-
cident; George Smith's White Swan — Sugar-Making — Daniel
Yandes' s Big Log Contract,
From the Indianapolis Neivs of Jiuie 2, iSjq.
WHAT society was in Indianapolis in 1822-23 I mig-ht illus-
trate very fully from the letters and journals of my parents.
In a letter written to a lady in Virg-inia under date of January
17, 1822, my father defends Indianapolis from the exaggerated
reports of a few disappointed ones — reports which for many a
day gave a bad name to Indianapolis — and he afterwards speaks
of the character of the early settlers. "You have been informed,"
he writes, "that we have a large swamp in the rear of our town.
I am happy to inform you that this is not exact information.
Our town, like all newly-settled places, requires seasoning before
a person can be strictly healthy. I am much pleased with the
inhabitants of this new purchase. As I told you in one of my
letters, we have none here but independent free-holders, and a
much more enlightened set of people than any other I have seen
in the western country. We have all the emancipators from
Kentucky, who are of the sober class. We have likewise the
industry of the State, such as never owned slaves, either from
poverty or conscientious scruples, and we have the thrift of Ohio.
Our laws and constitution are truly Republican. Debts are easily
collected; all fines on military delinquents and for misdemeanors
are appropriated to the use of the county seminaries in this State."
My father's judgment of the class of people who first settled
here was an intelligent one, for he was well acquainted with new
towns in Virginia, some of the old towns in Pennsylvania, and
with the people of Ohio in such places as Urbana, Columbus,
Dayton and Bellefontaine. He therefore, when he wrote, had
in mind a comparison between the inhabitants of the above-
named towns in Ohio, and the early Indianapolitans when he
128 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
places the latter as "a much more enlig-htened set of people than
any other I have seen in the west." There must have been a
certain intellectual activity and a moral bent at the very outset
which manifested itself not merely in political meetings but in
town meeting-s for the promotion of civil affairs; in debating-
clubs for exercising-, if I may so say, in mental gymnastics; in
religious meetings, and in a class for the study of the Bible
before a regular minister settled down to parish duties. These
things make up the staple of my mother's journal. Already I
have recorded the inauguration of the new year (1822) by the
party al Wyant's. Now we are told how, on January 26, "Mrs.
Henry Bradley came and staid with me until eleven o'clock, while
Mr. Bradley and Mr. Fletcher went to the debating society."
Again: "On Tuesday, the 29th of January, I attended a quilting
party at Mr. Buckner's, and there met a number of ladies who
were formerly from Kentucky." Individual neighborly help, as
well as combined aid, was the order of the day, as we may see
from the entry of January 20, viz: "Arranged some candle wick
for Mrs. Foote," and, at a later date: "Had Mr. Blake get me
some bean poles."
Not only were there practical mutual aid societies, but mutual
improvement societies. February 18, 1822, my mother writes:
"I went to Mrs. Buckner's and assisted her in finishing her quilt;"
and, on Saturday, 9th of February, "Went to the singing school."
The debating club is mentioned again. Then the social visits:
"Monday, February 11. Took tea at Mr. Steven's, who will
move to-morrow two miles into the country." "Tuesday, 12.
I have had a very pressing invitation to-day to go a-visiting with
Mrs. Nowland and Mrs. Bradley to Mrs. Yandes's; but I do not
feel well enough to go." "Wednesday, the 13th of February. Mr.
and Mrs. Paxton came and took tea with us, and then Mr. P. and
Mr. F. went out hunting, returning at ten o'clock."
I suppose from the hour these pioneers went out hunting and
from the shortness of their stay that they must have gone coon
hunting. Coons could then be "treed" at a good many places
within the limits of our solid blocks on Washington, Market,
Maryland, Missouri and Meridian streets.
Among the curious hunting incidents of those days was the
shooting of a swan by George Smith (our first printer). One
EARLY INDIANAPOLIS 129
morning- in the spring- of 1822 he started for the wild woods in
the vicinity of the present King-an's pork-house, and following-
down the left bank of the river he saw in the water a flock of
white swans. Mr. Smith succeeded in bag-g-ing- the larg-est of
the flock. My father informed me that this magnificent bird
was of the most beautiful plumag-e and of wonderful size. This
is the only visit of swans to Indianapolis that I ever heard of.
Among- other of the earlier recreations must be counted the
fishing- excursions in the spring-time, rambles after raspberries in
the summer, and g-athering- of wild g-rapes in autumn. More like
work were sug-ar-making-, g-ardening-, and the drying- of pump-
kins. My mother writes:
"Monday, March 10, 1822. I beg-an sug-ar-making-."
This was in the vicinity of Missouri street and south of Wash-
ing-ton. Some at that time tapped the maple trees in the very
heart of our present city, and others went into the dense woods
north, east and south. "March 24, 1822," is the date recorded
by my mother when she "walked more than a mile to a sug-ar-
camp." This probably refers to a sug-ar-camp in the vicinity of
Fletcher Place Church, on Virg-inia avenue. Here it was, ac-
cording- to Mr. John H. B. Nowland, that his father first "made
sug-ar at an old Indian sug-ar-camp," in the spring- of the previous
year. In 1846 I took notes of my father in reg-ard to the spring-
of 1822, and he informed me that the fine sug-ar g-rove that occu-
pied in and around what is now known as the Governor's Circle
was, in 1822, used as a sug-ar camp, and that the trees were
tapped some five or six feet from the g-round, and the troug-hs
for catching- the sug-ar water were scaffolded up by poles to keep
the hog-s from drinking- nature's nectar. Mrs. Paxton, he said,
made sug-ar from the primeval forest trees that occupied the
site of our State House and contig-uous portions of Washing-ton
street, while Mr. Nowland's camp was further out in the country,
and they were busily eng-ag-ed in boiling- the water down to syrup
in a g-rove not far from where Judg-e Stevens at present resides.*
Sug-ar-making- and g-ardening- did not prevent social visiting-,
which seemed to be g"oing- on every day, in the forenoon as well
as the afternoon and evening-. Everybody at that time called
the whole of the afternoon evening-.
*This probably means the old Stevens residence on New Jersey street below South.— ^dtto/-.
130 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
On the 13th of April my mother writes: "The waters are very
hig-h at this time, and have been for a week back. Mr. Leving-ton
and many other men have been ten miles up the river, on the
public lands, cutting- saw-log"s for several weeks. They made
a contract with Daniel Yandes to deliver him 2,000 log-s at one
dollar per piece, and since the rain the saw-logs are coming- down
the river." This, I presume, was the big-g-est contract up to
that time made in Indianapolis. The log-s were doubtless for
the most part poplar and walnut.
The waters continued hig-h for a week or more, for on the first
of April it is written that "Mrs. Wick and Miss Carter went with
me to the river. We had the pleasure of riding- up to the mouth
of Fall creek and back ag-ain to the ford on a flatboat." The
"ford" was not far from the Vincennes railroad bridg-e.* The
flatboat was the larg-est vessel seen on our river at this point.
I can remember the fiatboats that went from here with produce
to "Orleans." The last that I can recall was navig-ated to the
mouth of the Mississippi by "old Van Blaricum," the father of
"Mike" and "Bill." When he returned he brought with him the
first oranges and cocoanuts that ever came to Indianapolis. Old
V. B. was a kind man to little children, and on his return from
"Orleans" he took delight in inviting them to his house to show
them his stock of tropical fruits and to gladden their child-hearts
with presents.
*Berry Sulgrove speaks of this ford and also of one where the Lafayette road crosses the
river (see History of Marion County, p. 13). J. H. B. Nowland (see "Prominent Citizens," p.
10) says that the mouth of Fall creek was the crossing-place of White river, long used by the
Indians, and he has described to me personally a bar at the mouth of the creek at which
various Indian trails converged. From this convergence one might reasonably infer that
the Fall creek bar was the only fordable spot in this locality, at a day when the river flowed
much more water than at present, but the using of others by our first-comers somewhat nega-
tives this theory. Which illustrates the difficulty of getting at historical ''facts." — Editor.
[ To be continued.}
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 131
THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF INDIANA.
FROM PAPERS OF D, D. BANTA-THIRD INSTALMENT.
The Book Famine i?i Pioneer Days — Scarcity of School-books; Those
Used — Preemineyice of Spelling — The McGuffey Readers; Their
Excellence — Home-made Writing Materials — The Difficulties of
Arithmetic — Popular Opinion of Grammar — ''''Loud Schools''^- —
The Reign of the Switch — A Few Anecdotes.
Front the hidianapolis News of February 24., i8g2.
HOW hungry did some who were boys here in Indiana fifty
years ag-o become for something- fresh and entertaining- to
read! Often have I heard that lover of good books, the late A.
B. Hunter, of Franklin, tell the story of a book that was owned
by a man living- on the outskirts of his neig-hborhood. He had
read everything owned by the neighbors that he cared to read,
and now came the story of a new book — one unlike anything-
that he had thus far seen, and he was wild to get hold of it. At
last there came a day when his father could spare a horse from
the plow, and young Hunter went in pursuit of the new book^
which was found, borrowed, and subsequently read with a zest
almost unknown up to that time, for it was one of Sir Walter
Scott's immortal stories.
It seems to me that scarcely any other thing so distinctly marks
the difference between the present and the past of which I am
writing, as the great scarcity of reading matter in that past com-
pared with its great abundance now. I think it not too much to
say that in my own "Shiloh neighborhood," all the books, ex-
cluding Bibles, hymn-books and spelling-books, owned by the
neighborhood, could have been packed in a bushel basket. I call
to mind '*Hozzy's Life of Marion," "Trumbull's Indians,"
"Carey's Olive Branch," a "Natural History," "Western Ad-
venture," a * 'Life of Selkirk, " ' 'Young's Night Thoughts, " ' ' Jose-
phus," and "Pilgrim's Progress," and that was about all. No
wonder if a boy living in that neighborhood would become so
hungry for something to read that he had recourse to the inside
of the lid of a certain big box in which was stored the family
linen, that he might read the two exposed pages of a copy of the
132 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Western Lumi?iary that had been pasted thereon. The story
may seem incredible, but that boy thus read the two pag-es of
that old luminary many a time, and every time he did so he im-
ag-ined he found a freshness in it that was charming-.
But it is to the school-books, or rather want of school-books,
of that time that I wish to call attention. There were compara-
tively^ few school-books published in those days. Every school
child, at least after learning- the letters, was expected to have a
spelling--book, and Dillworth's and Webster's American were
used in the beg-inning-. The child who had not been taug-ht his
letters out of a Bible or hymn-book at home, usually broug-ht
a primer. I have, however, seen a paddle with the alphabet
pasted thereon used instead of a primer or spelling-book. I
never saw Dillworth's. Webster's elementary spelling--book, the
most wonderfully successful strictly educational book that was
ever published in America, at an early day occupied the entire
field in Indiana, and practically held it until the appearance of
McGuffey's Eclectic Speller, which was published somewhere
about 1850. The elementary served the double purpose of spelling--
book and reading--book. The old schoolmasters placed g-reat
stress on spelling-. The custom, it is believed, existed universally
in the country schools, at least up to and for some time after 1850,
for the whole school to stand up twice a day and spell for head,
A half-day in every week was gfiven to a spelling--match, besides
which nig-ht spelling--schools were of frequent occurrence. No
one ever g-rew so larg-e or so learned that he was exempted from
the duty of spellingf. I have known the head man of a long- row
of pupils to spell the first word without dictation, after which
the next in line would spell the next word, and so on down to
the foot, and then from the head on down ag-ain. The words in
the elementary spelling--book were g-enerally written in a sort of
rhythmical order which made them easy to memorize. There
were spellers who claimed to know the book by heart, and there
were still more who claimed to be able to spell correctl}^ every
word in it.
I have said the elementary spelling--book was used as a reader
as well as a speller, and so it was. On nearly every page was
reading- matter made up of moral sentences in each of which was
usually found one or more words belong-ing- to the annexed spell-
THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 133
ing- lesson. It was the practice to teach a pupil to spell first,
after which he mig-ht read. Some teachers, after the scholar
had learned to spell sufl&ciently well, required him to pronounce
the words in the book at sig-ht, and after he was able to do this
sufficiently well he was formally set to reading-. The "pro-
nouncing- lesson," as it was called, may have had its uses, but I
have no doubt that many a pupil was reading- quite well at home
before being- allowed to read at school. Do I not remember the
first reading--lesson in the elementary spelling--book? No matter
if the pupil could pronounce at sig-ht all the words in the book,
Charles Disbrow, of blessed memory (my old teacher), insisted
that he who was g-oing to take the long- leap into the reading-
world should read the first lesson. As the boy who could read
the Testament at home and pronounce all the words of the spell-
ing--book at school stepped up to read his first and formal lesson,
consisting- of words of three letters, how silent that hitherto loud
school would become, and how loud his own voice would sound
as he read:
"She fed the hen.
"The old hen was fed by her.
"See how the hen can run."
Was ever ordeal worse than that? After the book had been
read throug-h and through, say half a dozen times, another reader
was in order, provided it could be had. There were few school
readers in those days. Here and there was to be found an old
copy of the "English Reader" or the "Columbian Orator." Rev.
George K. Hester tells us that he read a dream book and "Gulli-
ver's Travels." I have seen Gulliver myself in the schoolroom;
and so of the "Life of Marion," "Pilg-rim's Prog-ress," histories,
sermon books and the Holy Bible. Henry Eaves, a pioneer
schoolmaster of Switzerland county, in his extremity, took the
Frankfort Argus into his school, which served the uses of a
"reader." About 1835 B. T. Emerson's readers came into use
to a limited extent. Somewhat later — five years, perhaps^ —
McGuffey's Eclectic Series appeared and ultimately occupied the
field to the exclusion of all others. The introduction of this
series marked an era in the schools of the State. They were of
incalculable benefit to the people of the western country. I think
it not too much to say that the hig-her readers of the series did
134 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
more to cultivate a taste for the better American literature than
any other books of that day. But for them the names of Perci-
val, Bryant, Long-fellow, Hawthorne, Irving-, Paulding and other
American authors of the first half-century would have been known
to few indeed of the school children of Indiana of thirty and forty-
years ago.
The pupil having learned to read sufficiently well, he v»ras next
set to writing. The mothers usually made the copy-books by
sewing a few sheets of foolscap together. The geese furnished
the quills that were fashioned into pens, and the ink was home-
made. Maple bark, sumach and oak balls and vineg-ar were the
materials out of which most of the ink of that period was made.
In its season pokeberry juice was sometimes used, but, notwith-
standing itsornamental capabilities, its use was never very gener-
al. It was too apt to sour. The inkstands were generaly home-
made also. A favorite inkstand was a section of a cow's horn,
sawed off and fitted with a wooden water-tight bottom. Another
favorite one was made of lead or pewter. Many of the boys of
the old school days understood the art of casting inkstands. The
pupil's first exercise in writing was the making of "pot-hooks
and hangers." In the fulness of time his teacher would set him,
his best round-hand copy, and in doing so he never failed of
placing before the eyes of the scholar some moral or patriotic
precept worthy of his remembrance, such as, "Commandments ten
God gave to men;" "Eternal viligance is the price of Liberty;''
"Washington was the father of his country;" "Evil communi-
cations corrupt good manners."
: The next thing in order for the boys was arithmetic. Not
many girls gave any attention to this study. Not much was
ever said about it as a girls' study, but I think it was generally
considered that the girls did not have "heads for figures." In-
stead of arithmetic they took to geog-raphy and grammar, when
they took to anything. It was the practice with a good many
teachers to require their arithmetical scholars to copy all the
"sums" in a "ciphering book." Mr. George Adams, who attend-
ed school in Johnson county away back in the twenties, had, a
few years ago, such a book, and judging from it the writer must
have understood fairly well his subject. Students in arithmetic
never recited — they simply "ciphered." The teacher seldom paid
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 135
any attention to them unasked. The boys usually helped each
other, but when help failed in that quarter the teacher would,
on request, "work the sum." The majority of teachers thoug"ht
they had done all that was necessary when that much was done.
Sometimes a boy would "sneak" his arithmetic and slate into
the school and "cipher" for a considerable time before the teach-
er discovered it. I did this myself, and traveled over addition,
subtraction, multiplication and short division, before my teach-
er let on that he knew what I was about. I had reached long-
division, which I found so very hard that I broke down at it in
despair. Washing-ton Miller, my old teacher, seeing- my trouble,
came to me, and without any reproaching- g-ave the needed as-
sistance, and thence on I was recognized as an arithmetical stu-
dent. My friend, Mr. Hunter, who is mentioned above, went
to school to a teacher who did not pretend to teach arithmetic
beyond the "sing-le rule of three." Young- Hunter had ad-
vanced beyond that. He took his seat in the schoolhouse, how-
ever, and ciphered away till he went throug-h the book. There
was a greater variety of arithmetics than any other school-book.
Pike's was the one most generally in use. The familiar pag-es
of a copy of this old veteran are now before me. Their matter
consists of abstract rules and of examples. I am not much sur-
prised that I stalled on the lon;^ division hill on that school day
so long- past. "Take for the first dividend as few of the left
hand fig-ures of the dividend as will contain the divisor, try how
often they will contain it, and set the number of times on the
rig-ht of the dividend," and so on. Not a word of explanation;
no development of the process; nothing but the abstract rule.
The other arithmetics of the time were Smiley's, Bennett's,
Jess's, Dillworth's, Western Calculator, and probably some others.
Smith's and Ray's appeared shortly before 1840, and in five or
six years the latter had the field.
The geog-raphies used were Moore's, Woodbridg-e's, Smith's
and Olney's. These were the only school-books illustrated save
the few pictures in the spelling--books, and there were very few
children who did not delig-ht to turn the leaves of a g-eography
and look at its pictures. Lindley Murray's English grammar
was the first in the field; after that came Kirkham's. There
was not much studying- of either g-eography or grammar in the
136 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
early days. As to the former, it was considered a proper enough
study if one had the time to spare for it, but by some the study
of the latter was deemed useless waste of time. As late as 1845
the trustees of Vevay in employing- a teacher required in the
written contract that he should "not teach grammar."
From the News of March i6.
The first schools I attended were "loud schools." Ivoud schools
were the rule in the beginning here in Indiana; silent ones were
the exception. The odds in the argument were believed to be in
favor of the loud school. A celebrated Scotch teacher, Alexander
Kinmont, of Cincinnati, as late as 1837, would conduct school
by no other method. He claimed that it is the practical, philo-
sophical system by which boys can be trained for business on a
steamboat wharf or any other place. Both boys and girls spelled
and read at the tops of their voices, on occasion, and sometimes the
roar of their lesson-getting could be heard for a half to three-quar-
ters of a mile. It is not much wonder that Owen Davis took his
fiddle to school and solaced himself by playing airs while his
scholars were shouting over their lessons. The teacher of a loud
school who would keep his pupils at work labored under a great
disadvantage. The idler who was roaring at one word, or over a
line of poetry, or trumpeting through his nose, was, for aught
the teacher knew, committing his lesson. It was said of one boy
in an Orange county school that he "repeated the one word
'heptorpy' from morning- till noon and from noon till night in
order to make the teacher believe that he was studying his lesson. '"
Fifty or a hundred years ago the swishing of the switch was
heard everywhere, in the family circle and in the schoolhouse,
throughout the length and breadth of the laud. The fathers
made their children "mind." The switch was the usual instru-
ment, and its prompt and free use doubtless gave birth to such
expressive phrases as "a lick and a promise," "the word with
the bark on," and "tan your jacket." The schoolmaster, stand-
ing in the place of the parent, punished as freely and savagely,
and usually with the full approval of the parent. One of the
most curious phases of the flagellating period was the almost
universal prevalence of the sentiment that the schoolmaster who
neglected the frequent use of the rod was a failure as a teacher.
I had a friend who, much less than fifty years ago, was in the
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 137
habit of occasionally playing- pedag-og-ue. In one of his schools
he had a nice company of country urchins, between whom and
himself there was the very best of feeling. After the school had
run smoothly for a month or six weeks and no whipping done,
his patrons began to think something was wrong. One morning
one of them met him and bluntly told him that he was making
a mistake — that he was "not whipping anybody." "Why, who'll
I whip?" he asked. "Whip Sam," was the prompt answer.
"What for? He's lazy, I know; but I can't whip him for laziness,
can I?" asked the pedagogue. "Yes, give it to him, Sara's my
boy and I know he needs it every day."
Now and then the circumstances were so ludicrous that the
master's punishment, instead of inspiring terror, provoked laugh-
ter. I once heard a story told on a Johnson county teacher to this
effect: He was in the habit of opening his school with prayer.
His pupils, for some reason distrusting his sincerity, sometimes
during the services would wink and smile and even snicker out.
One morning he carried an empty flour sack to school which he
put on the seat beside him, and while he was praying that morn-
ing, the irreverent conduct of two or three of the larg-er boys
attracting his attention, he broke off his prayer and, seizing the
empty sack, he struck each of the misbehaving lads over the
shoulders, powdering- them all over with the white flour, after
which he concluded his prayer. Mr. Chute was an eminent
schoolmaster in Evansville at an early day, who opened his
school with prayer. He always stood, with a "long fishing cane
in his hand," and prayed with his eyes open. "When he caught
a boj in mischief during prayer he would stop short and call out:
'Woe be to you, John,' and strike him over the shoulder with his
long cane, and then resume his prayer." Another and similar
but better story than either of the others comes from Pleasant
township in Switzerland county. An old gentleman by the name
of Curry taught in that township for several years. "He was a
widower and married man by turns." Once when in the former
state he went to the schoolhouse early in the morning to
write a love-letter. When the pupils came he carelessly left it
on his desk and proceeded to open school with prayer. Kneeling
down he prayed with his "whip in his right hand and his right
eye open." One of the boys, stealing up to the desk where the
138 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
love-letter lay, began reading- it; but ere he was aware the old
man broke off in the middle of a sentence and, collaring him,
gave him a sound thrashing, after which, adds the historian, "he
resumed his devotions with equanimity.
It was the custom to whip on the slightest provocation, and
not infrequently without any provocation at all. There is
scarcely a county in the State that has not had, at one time or
another, its teacher v/ho would drink to intoxication on Satur-
day and soundly thrash every scholar in the school on Monday.
The neighborhoods are full of the traditions of the savagery
of the old schoolmasters. The schoolhouses fairly bristled with
switches cut from the neighboring thickets. According to the
historian of Morgan county, "these old instruments of punish-
ment were always present and usually hung on wooden hooks
over the old fireplace, so that they became so hardened by sea-
soning from the heat that they resisted the severest exercise of
the teacher in an application on some offending pupil, and even
cut the wooden benches as the teacher in his fervor pursued round
and round the howling culprit." I read of a Bartholomew coun-
ty schoolmaster who "kept his switches standing in the corner
or lying on pegs in the wall, but the cat-o'-nine-tails lay in the
desk. He punished with the former and terrified with the lat-
ter." A Martinsville schoolmaster flogged his pupils, it is said,
on the least provocation, with a "long hickor}^ g^d, well-sea-
soned in the hot embers of the fire."
It would be a mistake to infer that there were no other
punishments, save corporal, given in those days. The "dunce
block," the "fool's cap," the "leather spectacles," "bringing up
the switch," "standing in the corner," "standing on one foot,"
"sitting on the girls' side," and any and all other schemes the
wit of the old schoolmaster could devise were tried. I remem-
ber to have seen a teacher remove a puncheon from its place in
the floor and incarcerate a big girl in the "hole under the floor,"
which had been dug for clay to make the hearth, jambs and
backwalls of the fireplace. I shall never forget how he pushed
her fingers off the edges of the floor when he fitted the pun-
cheon back in its place.
[To be contimied.^
BERRY R. SULGROVE, JOURNALIST 139
BERRY R. SULGROVE, JOURNALIST.
[These sketches from the Journal a.n6. News, of Indianapolis, were pub-
lished at the time of Mr. Sulg^rove's death, which occurred February 20,
1890.]
From the Journal.
BERRY R. SULGROVE was born in Indianapolis March 16,
1827, and was the oldest child of James and Katherine Sul-
grove. His first schooling- was at the ag"e of five years, Miss Clar-
issa Ellick, who taug"ht in the old Baptist Church at the corner of
Meridian and Maryland streets, being- his teacher. He received
the rudiments of his education in the different private schools of
the city, there being- at that time no public schools here. In 1839
he entered the old County Seminary, on University Square, which
was conducted by James S. Kemper, and continued his studies
there five years. He then entered his father's harness and
saddlery shop, and learned that trade. This was in 1844, when
Henry Clay and James K. Polk were opposing- candidates for the
presidency. In 1847 Mr. Sulgrove entered Bethany Colleg-e, West
Virginia, then under the presidency of Alexander Campbell.
His principal colleg-iate course covered branches which he had
studied at the old seminary, and he was enabled to g-raduate in
one year, notwithstanding- the fact that three months of that
period were devoted to teaching. There were five departments
in the colleg-e, and he secured first and second honor in each.
He was "first honor man" of the colleg-e, taking- those of all
departments — the first time such a circumstance had ever
happened in that institution. He made his g-raduating- speech
in Greek.
In 1848, returning- to his home in this city, he beg-an the study
of law, with the late Oliver H, Smith and Simon Yandes. After
three years he formed a partnership with John Caven, after-
wards mayor of the city, and they practised tog-ether until the
winter of 18S4-'5. He then, with the late John D. Defrees, took
editorial charg-e of The Indianapolis Journal. He had previously
written much for the press, having- contributed considerable
matter over the Jiom de plume of "Timothy Tug-mutton" to vari-
140 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
ous publications. In 1850 he wrote sketches of the constitutional
convention for The Locomotive^ then published in this city. He
next contributed to The Hoosier City, a small paper published by
young- men then connected with the Journal, and also wrote
considerable matter for the columns of the last-named paper.
This preceded the time of his reg-ular connection with the paper.
When Mr. Sulg-rove first became connected with the Journal
he did work now divided into a number of departments — writing-
leaders, g-eneral news items, local matter, convention and meeting-
reports, as well as copying- teleg-raph news after the old style.
He inaug-urated the system of covering- the nig-ht's news for the
paper of the following- morning-, and introduced the first verbatim
reports ever used by the local papers. At this time he frequently
worked nineteen out of twenty-four hours. In 1856 he boug-ht
sufficient stock in the paper to g-ive him a majority of the shares.
He sold out in 1863, intending- tog-o to Europe, but was prevented
and continued as editor of ih^ Journal. In 1864 he accompanied
Morton and McDonald throug-h the State in their joint canvass
for Governor, reporting- the discussions for the Jouryial. He
served later as Governor Morton's private secretary. In 1866 he
returned to the editorial charg-e of tht Jour?ial, in which he con-
tinued for several years afterward, and with intervals he had
been connected with the paper nearly twenty-five years. He
took service with the Neivs when that paper was established,
and continued with it until ill-health precluded his doing- further
literary work.
Mr. Sulg-rove was one of the most remarkable men this city
and State have ever known. As an editorial writer during- the
war he wielded an influence in the West that was second to none,
and he was from first to last the mainstay and adviser of the
g-reat War Governor of Indiana. While modestly keeping- him-
self in the backg-round, he was ready with his opinion and counsel
when asked, and they were always weig-hty. He was sometimes
likened to Horace Greeley as a journalist, but the compari-
son hardly did Mr. Sulg-rove justice, for, with the brilliancy of
Mr. Greeley, he was never eccentric, but always steady and
mature, no politician ever being- led into blunders by following-
his counsel or leadership. In his youth he was a Whig-, but on
the foundation of the Republican party was one of the first to
BERR Y R. S UL GRO VE, JO URN A LIS T 141
lift the standard of the new party, and, with his ready pen, g-ave
utterance to the sublime sentiments of freedom.
While in his later years Mr. Sulgrove wrote for several papers,
and on a variety of subjects, it was a noticeable fact that he
would never write anything- he did not thoroug-hly believe, and
especially was he conscientious upon political topics, and never
at any time would he write except from a Republican standpoint.
As to versatility, he could, at a moment's notice, write upon
almost any topic. A publisher once had a cut representing- a
covey of quails. Mr. Sulg-rove was shown the eng-raving- and
asked if he could write something- to "fit it." He at once sat
down and wrote an article upon the quail and its habits, g-athered
from his own observation, tog-ether with a number of anecdotes
and incidents of this bird, that would have done credit to the
research of a Wilson or an Audubon. As a matter of fact, no
naturalist has, in the same number of lines, ever written so
entertaining-ly and, at the same time, so instructively, and the
article, or pieces of it, were for years floating- about in the vari-
ous papers and mag-azines of the land.
Prom his earliest childhood his powers of observation were
wonderfully keen, and continued in full exercise all his life. He
was a g-reat walker, a close student of nature, and was always
seeing- thing-s in the fields and woods. As a boy he was full of
life, a rover of the woods and a saunterer by the streams. He
and General Lew Wallace were boys tog-ether, and it is said that
they lay in White river all summer. From the time that he
beg-an to g-o to school, throug-h the old Marion County Seminary
and at Bethany Colleg-e, he was looked upon as an Admirable
Crichton, knowing- everything-, able to do anything-. In the early
days of Indianapolis he was looked upon as the orator of the
town; at the same time he was the head of a company of Thes-
pians of no mean merit, and a little later on was the captain of
the Marion fire company, in the days of the old volunteer service.
There seemed no limit to his knowledg-e, and his acquisitions
were in all manner of fields. His memory has for nearly half a
century been the talk of the town. It was said that he never
forg-ot anything- he had ever seen or heard. He carried tables of
election returns about in his head and when called upon could
tell how any county went and frequently could surprise a ques-
142 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
tioner by g-iving- the exact vote in some obscure precinct. One
of his feats of memory quite surprised Professor Mitchell, the not-
ed astronomer, who delivered a lecture here when this place was
young-. Mr. Sulgrove was present, heard the lecture and gave
the Journal a full report of it. He did not have a scrap of pa-
per to take a note, and the fig-ures of the lecture wer^ given
with absolute accuracy. This was before the art of stenogra-
phy had come to the West, but with such a verbatim memory
short-hand would appear to be unnecessary.
Mr. SulgTove went to Europe with Governor Morton in 1866.
At Paris, sitting- at dinner with a number of disting-uished g-en-
tlemen who had called upon Governor Morton, a discussion arose
about a quotation from Horace. Governor Morton himself was
not interested, as he made no pretentions to scholarship of that
character, but a couple of British gentlemen were much in ear-
nest about the matter. As the discussion did not seem like coming-
to an end, Mr. Sulg-rove, begging- their pardon, asked to set
them right. He not only g-ave the quotation, but quoted a half
a pag-e or more of the matter of which it was a part, and the
Britons looked upon the quiet gentleman, who had so unexpect-
edly displayed such scholarship and memory, in wonder. At
Rome, where he made a long- sojourn, he was known as "the
learned American." He appeared to acquire the Italian lan-
g'uag-e in a few weeks, and spoke it readily, even with the rab-
ble of the place, mastering- even the patois of the fruit-sellers,
fishermen and beg-g-ars. The sculptor, Rog-ers, who had lived in
Rome twenty years, met Mr. Sulg-rove there. Speakings of the
wonderful acquirements of the man, he said he found Mr. Sul-
g-rove, who had just arrived, knew a g-reat deal more of Rome,
both ancient and modern, than he did.
There was a vein of humor in Mr. Svilgrove's conversation,
which at times appeared in his writing. One of the best exam-
ples of this, coupled with satire, a weapon he seldom used, was
given in an editorial, many years ag-o, the Jour^ial, in which he
dissected a then recent speech of Hon. Daniel W. Voorhees.
The article bore the heading-, "The Oratorical Rooster," and
the writer began with narrating that in his youth he was the
happy possessor of a most remarkable rooster. This chanticleer
was possessed of two leg-s of unequal leng-th, one being- a pre-
BERRY R. SULGROVE, JOURNALIST 143
ternaturally short leg- and the other a supernaturally long- leg-.
"When he stood upon his long- leg and scratched with his short
leg-," the article continued, "he fell short of the object scratched
for; when he stood upon his short leg and scratched with his
long- leg he went beyond the object scratched for." With this
beginning-, he took up Mr. Voorhees's speech and dissected it,
parag-raph after paragraph, with running comments, adding- here
and there, "Here he scratched with his short leg-" and "there he
scratched with his long- leg^," making- the application in a way
that caused the article to g-o throug-h the party press from one
end of the State to the other. Mr. Sulgrove dearly delighted to
have a foeman worthy of his steel, and for that reason, in the
days when personal journalism was indulged to greater length
than now, he was always more than pleased to have a tilt at Mr.
Hendricks or Mr. McDonald. Withal, he was so genial and bore
so little personal rancor that not the bitterest Democrat held any
abiding enmity toward him. He was, despite of his great attain-
ments, perhaps because of them, the most modest of men, firm i»
his friendship, and of the finest and tenderest sensibility. The
death of George C. Harding, ten years ago, struck him with
great force. He could not nerve himself to go to the funeral,
nor even to come to the office where they had so often met and
talked, for many days afterward.
From the News.
Mr. Sulgrove was the first editor to appreciate the value of
news. It was the custom when he took charge of the Journal to
set up all the matter during the day, lock up the forms by 6 o'clock
and leave them ready for the pressman to work off the next morn-
ing. An event occurring after 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon,
no matter how important, never was mentioned in the paper until
the second day. One night a fire occurred that was large for the
town, and Mr. Sulgrove, procuring a printer or two, wrote an
account of it, got it into the form, and the readers the next morn-
ing were amazed to see the report. This led to other work of the
same kind, and from that time on people were not compelled to
wait thirty-six hour^ to hear of important events.
In 1869, when the News was started, he became a member of
the staff and has served as such ever since. He was also a con-
tributor, more or less regularly, to other papers both here and
144 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
elsewhere, and did a great deal of work for individuals, including-
the writing of much of "Holloway's Indianapolis," and the entire
authorship of "The History of Indianapolis and Marion County,"
published in 1884. On all subjects pertaining- to the history,
growth and appearance of Indianapolis and vicinity, as well as
of the people who made the city, he was a great reservoir of
knowledg-e, and to his pen we owe it that much that would soon
be forgotten has been put into permanent form.
RECOLLECTIONS OF D, L- PAINE.
Mr. D. L. Paine, long an associate of Mr. Sulgrove, contributes
this sketch:
,; I have known Berry R. Sulgrove somewhat intimately for thirty
years, having been brought into close contact with him as com-
positor, proof-reader and associate in editorial work a large part
of that time. He was a man of great force, of character and
quaint originality. While not profoundly learned in any direc-
tion, his available knowledge of almost everything was wonder-
ful. In mind, as in personal appearance, he was unique. His
friends were among all classes. He would chat pleasantly with
the ignorant or vicious denizen of hell's half-acre, or discuss the
precession of the equinoxes with the learned savant; sing a song
to kindred company in a lounging-room, or coddle his dear old
violin in his own study. He was the counselerof governors and
statesmen, and the friend and associate of vagrants. He could
invest a story with absorbing interest simply by his manner of
telling it, or dismiss an absurd proposition in too forceful and
not always polite words. The boyish, eager look in his roundly
opened eyes when a matter of interest came to him, the comic
expression which overspread his whole countenance in relating a
joke, his quick staccato movements and nervous utterances, will
be recalled by those who knew him in his prime. He was careless
of personal appearance and brusque in manner, but genial, and
even playful, with his intimates. Given to wide and lonely
wanderings, he knew every stranded log on the river bank, and
every lichen and fern-frond for miles around as familiar ac-
quaintances.
Seated at his desk in his earlier editorial days, his knees wide
apart, with his toes touching the floor in the rear of his chair,
BERR Y R. SULGRO VE, JO URNALIST 145
displaying- the soles of his feet, his shoulders rounded up Atlas-
like, looking- over his spectacles with his forehead nearly touchy
ing- the sheet upon which he was tracing* microscopic characters,
perhaps humming a tune or whistling- softly, he presented an
appearance quite striking if not g-rotesque. His handwriting
was peculiar. In the old days, when he edited thQ Journal, but
two compositors in the office could decipher his chirography, and
a list of the laughable blunders they often made hung upon the
wall. He was given to outlandish expressions, as for instance,
a valueless thing "was not worth the butt-cut of a hog--weed."
In his best days his list of correspondents contained many names
known to science, politics and society. He traveled for a time
in Europe, and his letters, if collected, would make an interesting
volume. Taken in every respect, he was the most striking- fig-ure
in the list of Indiana journalists.
OTHKR STORIES.
Mr. Sulgrove was constantly giving away something- from his
prodig-ious store of knowledge that was worth knowing. His
acquaintances are full of stories illustrating his characteristics.,
Colonel Holloway, in speaking of him, said that there was noth-
ing he couldn't do. "I can beat you shooting. Berry," he said
to him once in New York, as the}^ approached a shooting stand.
But Berry hit the bull's eye three times in succession, though he
shot with glasses. "Where did you learn to shoot?" the colonel
asked. "I picked it up when I was a boy." He had knowledge
of music and played the flute and the violin well.
Once the force at ihe. Journal, early in the fifties, decided to go
fishing on Sunday, and, that there might be no interruption with
the program, closed the forms and ran off Monday's paper at 4
o'clock Saturday afternoon. Sulgrove was in a barber-shop
getting shaved when the carrier came along crying out the pa-
per and delivering the Monday edition. "See here, Mr. Sul-
grove," said some one present, "what kind of a paper is this
that purports to give the Monday news in Saturday's edition?"
"What's that," exclaimed the editor, and on finding what was
being done he ran out into the street with the barber's tools
clinging to him, overtook the carrier and compelled him to go
back and gather up all the papers distributed. The fishing par-
ty was broken up.
146 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
It never seemed to be necessary for Mr. Sulgrove to consult
authorities. He had ever^-thing- in his head. Judg^e Chapman
once had the editors arrested for contempt in publishing- forbid-
den evidence in the Clem case. An able lawyer was employed
by the Court to defend its course. The lawyer cited the author-
ities ad libitum and was very profound. Late at night Colonel
Holloway sent for Mr. Sulgrove, had the lawyer's voluminous
address read to him from short-hand notes, and asked for an edi-
torial in refutation. This Sulg-rove wrote promptly— nearly two
columns — "skinning" the attorney so effectually that he came to
the y<3?/r«a/ next day and admitted that he had been beautifully,
thoroughly and legally flayed. The accuracy of his memory
has been often tested. When he was in Paris he confounded
the sexton of a certain burial place by telling him that a cer-
tain noted character was buried next to such and such a tomb.
'^'I read the description years ago," said he, and when the sexton
looked, the grave was found.
Said Mr. E. H. Perkins, foreman of the News composing room:
"Mr. Sulgrove was known by the printers all over the country.
He had the reputation of writing almost as bad a hand as
Horace Greeley, but this •■eputation was not due him. On the
contrary he wrote the best 'copy' that ever came to me. It had
its peculiarities, but these were offset by the absolute accuracy
and infinite pains with which it had been prepared. In all my
years of acquaintance with his writing- I do not remember to
have seen one mispelled word. He was thorough. All the
printer had to do was to 'follow copy.' It was always properly
capitalized, punctuated and paragraphed. He was one of the
most agreeable men the printers had to do with. He never be-
came impatient nor quarreled over mistakes. His copy was pe-
culiar, as he wrote a very fine hand and scorned good paper. He
would write on backs of envelopes, on election tickets of twenty
years standing-, on circulars and bits of brown paper. Some-
times he would write across the face of printed matter and this
would make the copy hard on the eye for old men, but the young-
er men never had any trouble in deciphering- him, and proof of
his matter was generally the cleanest in the ofi&ce. Of late, he
has been writing on slips eight or ten inches long^ by about one
or two wide. He would write a heavy leader on a bit of waste
paper and never cause the printer to frown.
JOHN D. DEFREES 147
"I remember an incident told me by a Mr. P. When Sulgrove
was editor of \.\\^ Journal lAx. P. was a frequent but somewhat
unsuccessful contributor. One day he went to the editor and re-
marked, 'Mr. Sulg-rove, I have prepared with g-reat care an article
that I think will interest everybody, and I hope you will find
room for it.'
" 'Why, yes; that's all rig-ht,' replied Sulgrove, who had a
cig-ar in his mouth. He didn't even look at the article, but
crumpling- it up, made a torch of it in the g-as jet and quietly
applied the flame to his cigar. Mr. P. was so annoyed that he
said nothing and neither did the editor. 'I never could tell
whether it was absent-mindedness or intentional rebuff,' concluded
Mr. P., 'but I incline to the belief that it was not intended for
an affront.' "
JOHN D. DEFREES.
[Obituary sketch by Berry R. Sulgrove, written at the time of Mr. De-
frees's death, October 19, 1892.] ,
A LIFE falling short a few days of seventy-three years, the al-
lotted span of "three score and ten" spent in the busiest
activity, a year or two of restraint by reason of failing powers,
eight or nine months of suffering pitiful to think of, and the
record of John D. Defrees's life is closed. The outlines which
marked it for the world may be briefly told. Born at Sparta,
Tennessee, November 8, 1810, he was eight years old when his
father moved to Piqua, Ohio. In his fourteenth year he was
apprenticed to the printers' trade. After serving his time he
studied law in the office of "Tom" Corwin, at Lebanon, Ohio.
In 1831 he moved to South Bend, Indiana, where with his younger
brother, Joseph H. Defrees, he began the publication of a news-
paper. He became prominent in politics as a Whig, and was
several times elected to the legislature. In 1844 he sold his
South Bend newspaper to Schuyler Colfax, whom he had given
a start in life, and moving to this city the next year, bought the
Indiana State Joiirnal, which he edited until he sold it ten years
afterward. Of his connection with the Atlas newspaper, which
was established with an eye to political rather than pecuniary
148 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
results, with the Central Bank and the stave factory he and his
brother Anthony started, now owned by Mr. Carey, and his part
in the manag-ement of the Peru railroad, as it was then called,
little need be said, as they illustrate merely the uncontrollable
energ-y of his nature.
In 1861 he was appointed by President Lincoln g-overnment
printer. He held the office until Johnson, angered at some criti-
cism of his, removed him. Congress made it a senate office, and he
was reappointed in thirty days. He held it until 1869, when his
opposition to Grant and enmity to the late Senator Morton af-
forded them an occasion which they improved by turning- him
out. At the coming in of President Hayes he was appointed
again to the same place, which he held until about last February,
declining- health compelling- his resignation.
This framework of a life seems plain enoug-h, but as every
one's skeleton is the same, the difference in appearance being- the
filling in of the flesh, so in this life there was a side, which those
who knew him best saw most of, that made it an inspiration.
It was all the difference there is between an existence which
floats with the current of affairs and a life driven by the force of
an unconquerable will toward the g-oal of a lofty ambition. He
was a natural political student and had the gift of political
manag-ement, and the associates of his early days speak of his
rare sagacity and his untiring energy. He was a general business
man for his party here, which, during the whole time of his
editorship of the State organ, the Journal^ was in the minority.
He was chairman of the State committee at one time, and always,
those who worked with him say. the adviser and g-eneral conduct-
or of affairs. He could unite two or three antag-onisms into a
common purpose, and when there were factional or personal dif-
ferences Defrees was called in to smooth them out and restore
good feeling. He had the keeenest sense of humor, which his
pluck and ceaseless activity were ever ready to carry into anecdote
or practical joke. When the three hundred volunteers went to
the Black Hawk war, arriving at the scene of action only to find
the war ended, Defrees, then editing his paper at South Bend,
saw the comical side of it, and came out with a sketch of what
they didn't do, calling- them the "Bloody Three Hundred." The
fun hit so hard that most of the three hundred were ready for
JOHN D. DEFREES 149
blood indeed, and they went to the young- editor's home and call-
ed him out for the purpose of ducking- him in a pond. He came,
but instead of apologizing-, ridiculed and defied them without
stint, until in admiration of his pluck, and in shame for a hundred
or two ag-ainst one, they withdrew.
His energ-y from his earliest days was remarkable. His news-
paper at South Bend was the first one in northern Indiana, and
at every turn of affairs he was seeking something new, some
improvement. "Progress" seemed to be his watchword. He
was the first man in Indiana to use steam to drive a printing press;
the first to use a caloric engine for the same purpose; the first
to see the value of the Bullock printing press and encourage the
inventor; the first to use the metallic stitching machine for
book-binders; the first to use the Edison electric light.
His faith in progress and human kind, and his restless en-
ergy which halted at nothing, permeated and colored his whole
life. It supplied for himself the deficiencies of early systemat-
ic training. What the experience of the printers' trade and the
acquisitions of a young law student might give in the way of
knowledge, it may be imagined were of themselves barren
enough. But to him these were the keys with which he might
unlock learning's storehouse. Books were his delight. He over-
came the lack of a classical education by a thorough study of
translations, and the lore of Greece and Rome was his familiar
acquaintance. He was especially fond of histor}^ and there
were few classical works in this line, ancient or modern, which
he did not know. He was a deep political student and partici*-
larly knew the political history of his own country as few know
it. He was an unwearied student and thus as the years went on
he became equipped with all the mental outfit of a gentleman.
He had a correct literary taste and was as quick to discern gen-
ius or special talent here as in other things. He wrote with a
perspicuity almost such as Horace Greeley's was, and with a
terse Saxon force and direct "drive" at the purpose in hand, rare
in these days. Those who were near to him, or came in contact
with him in the direction of affairs, he acted upon with the
characteristic qualities of his nature. He left his impress. He
was an influence, and many there are who can rise up and call
150 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
him blessed, in the memory of the chaste and elevating- force
that influence was.
He was a man of the rarest courage; a courag-e that seemed
to have no weak side, mental, moral or physicial. The furthest
possible remove from a brawler in his nature, an acquaintance
with him never failed to make it plain that he would fight on
call. This coupled with the knowledge that he was a "dead shot"
with a rifle, perhaps conspired to make a career among the tur-
bulent scenes of politics singularly free from personal disturb-
ances. Of his mental courag-e, his never failing faith in the power
of attainments has already spoken. His moral courage, as is
shown forth in a life free of dross as few lives are, was rare in-
deed. He had the loftiest sense of honor, and the hottest ang-er
and bitterest contempt for a dishonorable, dishonest or mean
thing; and condemnation of such leaped to his lips in a mo-
ment, for he had all the "quickness" of the nervous tempera-
ment. But so patiently did he work for its control, so thorough-
ly did he conquer himself, that in his later life few knew from
the calm exterior the rag-e that took hold of him at the sight of
a wrong- or meanness. His integ-rity was flawless. He had not
merely the heart to mean rig-htly, but the head to do rightly,
and in his daily walk and conversation he was truth and hon-
esty incarnate. This is the testimony of those who knew him
as he lived among them. The writer knew him in a personal
and household way also, and so knowing him he knows of his
unvarying sweetness, his cheeriness that brightened intercourse
and his encouragement constantly to lofty ideals and noble deeds.
All his life Mr. Defrees had not been a professor of religion,
but if religion is a life he was one of its noblest exemplars. Last
June he joined the Cong-regational Church at Washington,
and took the sacrament. He was then unable to leave his room.
Before and since then he was afflicted in a way that no medical
skill could control, and for months he suffered as let us hope few
of us may suffer. There was little bitterness of physical agony
that he did not endure. His prayer was to die.
A NEWSPAPER INDEX 151
A NEWSPAPER INDEX.
"WESTERN CENSOR'^ AND "JOURNAL," OF INDIANAPOLIS, 1823 TO
1827, INCLUSIVE— FIRST INSTALMENT.
[The Western Censor and EtnigranV s Guide, the second paper launched
in Indianapolis, and its successor, the Indiana Journal, are the only early
papers of which there are complete files accessible to the public. For that
reason they have a particular value, and the following index may prove of
interest and service to many of our readers. The classification of news-
paper matter is difficult owing to its heterogeneous character. In this index
we have, with a few exceptions, confined ourselves to such matter as bears,
directly or indirectly, upon the history of Indianapolis, or which reflects
phases of early life there. We have deemed the chronological arrangement
preferable to the alphabetical scheme. The first issue of The Western
Censor appeared March 7, 1823. January 11, 1825, it became The Indiana
Jourftal. The bound files may be found in the Indianapolis Public Library.]
1823— Western Censor.
First issue, reasons for delay of. — March 7.
Indianapolis, description of. — March 7.
Communications, excess of. — April 2.
Sunday-school, first meeting- of, to be held at Scudder's cabinet-
shop. — April 2. (Other matter pertaining to Sunday-school
throughout early numbers.)
Roads, State.— May 14.
Squirrel killing. — May 14.
Divorce cases. — May 14.
Northern Indiana. — May 21.
Advertisement for books loaned. — May 21.
Trees, law affecting the cutting of in Indianapolis. — June 4.
Mails. — June 11.
Presbyterian church, the first. — June 11. (See also June 18.)
Indians on White river, and white woman captive. — June 11.
White river. — June 18.
Contribution: "Humphrey Ploughshare's" criticism of town
ways. — June 18.
Fourth of July barbecue (ad.) — June 25.
Merchandise: New store and list of articles kept. — July 2.
Letters advertised. — July 2. [Lists of letters of considerable
length were periodically published, and the custom seems curious.
IBt INDIANA MAGAZINE OF ///STORY
Why, in a backwoods village of six hundred people, should the
advertising- of unclaimed letters be necessary?]
Fourth of July oration, by Morris Morris. — July 9.
Advertisement: "Attention to Borrowers!" — July 9.
Candidates for office, list of. — July 16.
Rattlesnakes in Marion county. — Aug. 18.
Indianapolis, population of, 600 or 700 people (editorial). —
Sept. 22.
■ Contribution: "Conduct to be Observed on Entering a Store"
(satirical).— Sept. 29.
Indianapolis and the New Purchase. — Oct. 6.
Roads.— Oct. 20. (See also Dec. 15.)
Apple trees and nursery. — Oct. 20.
Delinquent taxes, sale of lots for in Indianapolis. — Dec. 1.
(Christopher Harrison, commissioner, a lot holder).
1824—
Tavern: Thomas Chinn's "Traveller's Hall." — Jan. 5.
Prices of corn, pork and potatoes (ad.) — Jan. 5.
Population, influx of in anticipation of coming legislature. —
Feb. 16.
' Donation lands, advertisement for leasing. — Feb. 16.
Furs and tallow for subscriptions, etc. (ad.) — Feb. 16.
Social supper. — Feb. 24.
Public Meeting "to consult on the propriet}^ of taking care of
the graveyard." — March 8. (Also March 16.)
Mails; six weeks to Bloomington. — March 22.
Tan-yard near Pogue's run. — March 22.
Potatoes, varieties of; Early Whites, Large Red, Long Pale
Red, Large Early Blue.— March 22.
School, teachers, etc. — April 5 (first column.)
Indian murders at Pendleton (differing somewhat from the
oMinary account).— April 5.
Plasterer, advertisement of; probably the first. — April 5.
-^ Chairs for legislative halls, advertisement for. — April 19.
Commodities for currency: Merchandise in exchange for
"ginseng, beeswax, honey, sugar, deer and fur skins, or almost
anything else in preference to promises. For cash only, powder,
■shot, whisky, salt." (John Givan's ad.) — April 26.
•1 Sunday-school, long report about; also editorial. — May 3.
A NE WSPAPER INDEX ^53
Importation: Arrival of keel-boat, "Dandy," with 28 tons of
salt and whisky. — May 17. ;
Danville, locating- of . — July 20. (Also Aug-. 31),
School examination. — July 13. (School matter in July 27.)
Captain Riley, famous traveler, located on St. Mary's river.
Advocate of Wabash canal.— Aug-. 31. • -.:
Emig-ration to Indianapolis. — Oct. 19. ■ '
Sale of Donation out-lots (ad.) — Nov. 16. •.,..
Military election. — Dec. 7. (Also Dec. 14. ,,
1825 — Indiana Journal.
Leg-islature: Coming- of the legislators, etc. First meeting-.
—Jan. 11.
Mails, arrival of. — Jan. 18.
Land office, James B, Ray on removal of to Indianapolis. —
Jan. 25.
Leg-islators, nativity of. — Feb. 1.
Indianapolis, letter about. — Feb. 1. (Also Feb. 8).
WhetzelFs trace: Petition of Jacob Whetzell praying- compen-
sation for cutting- trace (in Senate proceedings). — Feb. 15.
Female Bible Society formed. — April 19. \
Manufacture of g-lass at New Albany. — April 26.
Lots in Indianapolis, prices of. — May 3. i,;
Sabbath school.— May 3.
James B. Ray, campaig-n letter to the public. — June 7. (For
burlesque on Ray, see July 19).
Agricultural Society. — July 26. (See also, for formation of
society, Sept. 6).
Land office, coming of, to Indianapolis.— Sept. 27.
Settlers, coming of; prospects of Indianapolis. — Sept. 27.
Road to Fort Wayne, laying out of; mention of Indian trace.
—Oct. 11.
Bible Society, forming of. — Nov. 29.
1826—
Sabbath school for adults. — April 16.
John Conner, death of. — April 25. (For W. H. Harrison on
John Conner see July 20, 1824. Conner's estate, Nov. 28).
Population of Indianapolis. — March 7. (760 people; 200 vot-
ers; 61 unmarried men; 48 unmarried women).
National Road. — Nov. 14.
Bible Society, Marion county. — Nov. 21.
154 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
1827—
Leg-islature and State conditions. — Jan. 2.
Alexander Ralston, death of; with sketch. — Jan. 9.
Indianapolis in 1827. — Feb. 20.
Leasing-s on the Donation. — Feb. 20.
Female Bible Society. — March 20. j
Indian treaty.— March 27. (Treaty of Oct. 16, 1826, secur- j
ing- Michig-an road lands, and sig-ned by all concerned. These j
sig-natures not appended to the official report in American State
Papers. Also, "reserves" specified.) \
lyots, sale of in Indianapolis (ad.)^April 3. (Also May 15).
Mail routes. — May 1. (Also Aug-. 7). \
White river, description of. — May 1. ;
Rattlesnake oil, advertisement for.— June 5. j
Internal improvement. — June 19. (Also June 26, Nov. 13). j
Indiana, description of. — June 19. |
Wolves, bounty on. — June 19. j
Railroads. — July 3. |
Church worker in Indiana, letter from. — Jul}- 3. i
Jacob Whetzell, death of and short sketch. — July 3. ''
Indians, the Delawares. — July 17. I
Morristown, first sale of lots in. — Aug-. 21. -;
Vocal music society, meeting- in Indianapolis to establish one. \
—Aug-. 28. i
Educational: Private teaching- of g-rammar (ad.) — Sept. 18. \
"Muncytown," sale of lots in. — Sept. 18. !
Imports to Indianapolis (editorial). — Oct. 2. \
Methodist ministers and stations.— Oct. 2.
Indianapolis Academy, "commencement" of. — Oct. 9. |
Indiana, north boundary of. — Nov. 6. (Also March 27).
Indians, attitude toward. — Nov. 6.
Public lands, kind of pay accepted for. — Nov. 13.
Indianapolis, improvements in. — Nov. 20.
Emig-ration to northern Indiana. — Nov. 20.
Lumber, Caleb Scudder's advertisement for 25,000 feet of cher-
ry and poplar. — Dec. 4.
Map of Indiana (ad.)— Dec. 4. (Also Jan. 10).
DEPAR TMENT OF GENE A LOG V 155
DEPARTMENT OF GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY.
EDITED BY MARY E. CARDWILL,
318 East Fifth Street, New Albany, Indiana.
[Queries and answers concerning- ancestors and family history will be
g-ladly received.]
The Poindexter Family.
THE earliest known records of this family reach back to about
1250 when Geoffrey and Raoul Poing-destre are listed as
Norman Hugfuenot land-owners in the Isle of Jersey.
The founder of the house of Granville was Georg-e Poing-destre,
who married Geritte, niece of Sir Thomas Ahier. Georg-e Poing--
destre died in 1544, and his eldest son, Edward, married Mar-
g-aret, daug-hter of Clement Messeroy, in 1562. Their eldest son,
Thomas, born in 1581, married Elizabeth Effard. Their chil-
dren were Philip, Jacob, Georg-e and Rachel.
Georg-e settled in Virg-inia, 1640 or '50, in the present New Kent
or Charles City counties. A missing- link leaves a blank in the
family history until about 1700 when John Poindexter was ap-
pointed by the Governor of Virg-inia one of the Commissioners
to org-anize Louisa county from a part of Hanover county. He
was also a justice of the peace and a vestryman in Fredricks-
ville church, and a captain of cavalry. He married Christine
, and had six children: John^, Thomas-, William'-, Joseph^,
Ann^ who married Slaug-hter, and Sarah^ who married — —
Tyron. Thomas- married Lucy Jones, daug-hter of Gabriel
Jones, of Culpepper county. Thomas's''^ will, probated July 15,
1796, names the following- children: John*^, Gabriel'^ Thomas^,
Robert^, James-^, Richard^ Georg-e-^ Elizabeth^, Lucy^ and Molly^.
John^ married three times, became a celebrated Baptist preacher
and was clerk of Louisa county, Virg-inia, for thirty years.
James^ a farmer in Louisa county, married twice and left one
son. Dr. James* Poindexter, of Charlottesville. Thomas^, a farm-
er at Green Springes, Virginia, married and left many children.
Richard^ married a Miss Maer, and moved to North Carolina,
where he became a most disting-uished Baptist minister. He
left one son, Abraham* Maer Poindexter. Robert^ settled in
156 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Kentucky. Some of his descendents are found in Vevaj, Indiana.
Georg-e'^ moved to Mississippi, soon became prominent as a law-
yer, was a member of the Territorial Leg-islature, Delegate to
Cong-ress and Judg-e of Supreme Court. In 1820 he was elected
Governor of the State and later was United States Senator for
many years. Gabriel'^ ancestor of most of the Indiana Poin-
dexters, was born in Louisa county, Virg-inia, May 8, 1758, and
died in Clark county, Indiana, Aug-ust 28, 1831. He was a soldier
of the Revolution, Virginia Line, Continental Establishment.
He married Mary Swift, said to have been a relative of Dean
Swift, and some years later, about the beginning of the nine-
teenth centur}^ emigrated to Kentucky, where he lived near
Lexington for ten or twelve years, when he moved to New Al-
bany, Indiana, in which place his wife died in 1820. The fami-
ly then moved to Clark county, Indiana, near Sellersburg.
The children of Gabriel^ Poindexter and Mary Swift Poin-
dexter were Merriwether', born — — ; killed in the battle of the
River Raisin. Cleviars^ born 1797, in Virginia; married Nan-
cy Holland, May 22, 1823. Elizabeth^, born 1801, in Kentucky;
married John Adams, of Clark county, Indiana, December 1,
1827; died March 23, 1866. Moses\ died young. Lucy^,
married Mr. Underwood, of Kentuck}-. Harriet^ married Felix
Lane. Margaret^ married John Hancock, October 20, 1839.
Polly*, married John Greene. John*, died young. Catherine*,
died young.
Cleviars* married Nancy Holland, born in Virginia, May 22,
1823. Their children were: Moses'\ born 1824. Married (1)
Sally Littell, August 22, 1844; ^2) Anna Littell, November
19, 1864. Died 1895; left five children. He was a man of ability
and prominence and was State Senator. Elizabeth'', born
1825. Married David Hay, September 4, 1844. Gabriel^ born
1827. Married Mary F. Willey, February 5, 1851. He was
Captain of Company H, Thirty-eighth Indiana Regiment, in
the Civil War. He died in 1890. His children were Fountin^
Charles^ Harryt', Bertha^ Mary^ and Franks all prominent peo-
ple in Jeffersonville and vicinity. George^', born 1829. Mar-
ried Amanda Anson. RandalF\ born 1831. Married (1)
Helen Root; (2) Julia . Was a surg-eon in the Civil War.
Died 1890. John\ born 1833. Married Margaret . Was
TAYLOR'S STEAM PRINTING MACHINE 157
also a surg-eon in the Civil War. Marg-aret^ born 1836.
Married (1) Absalom Sellers, November 13, 1854; (2) John
Eisman. Died 1892.
Elizabeth^, daughter of Gabriel Poindexter, married John
Adams, December 21, 1827, in Clark county, but soon after
moved to New Albany, where she died. Children of John and
Elizabeth Adams were: John Quincey'', born March 31, 1829; died
April 19, 1903. Albert^ born December 11, 1830; died De-
cember 15, . Thomas'\ born September 7. 1832; married
Marg-aret Hansborough. Died August, 1895. Had two daugh-
ters: Molly^ married George Slaughter, of Kentucky; and
Bessie*^. Mary^ born May 7, 1834; married Jacob Miller.
Vv^illiam Newton\ born 1836; died 1837. Elizabeth^ born
November 23, 1838; married John O. Greene; has one child,
Alice*5. George Wesley^ born July 16, 1842.
TAYLOR'S STEAM PRINTING MACHINE.
THIS number of the Jo2ir7ial is printed on an eleg-ant Steam
Printing Machine just put up for us by Mr. A. B. Taylor,
of New York— the patentee. The machine and the engine by
which it is propelled (which, in fact, is a part of the machine
itself), is the most complete of the kind now in use. The boiler
which supplies the engine with steam is about the size of a pork
barrel, and only requires an eighth of a cord of wood to run it
ten hours! The machine itself is capable of throwing off three
thousand sheets per hour, though the usual rate of working it
at our office will be at the rate of two thousand an hour, requir-
ing but one hand to feed it! It has attracted g-reat attention,
and we invite all who ma}- wish to see it to call at our Press
room and g-ratify their curiosity.
This extraordinary facility will enable us to keep our columns
open much longer than heretofore, so that our subscribers will
get all the news received by us up to the hour of publication.
This enterprise has been accomplished at a great expense, and
we confidently look to the Whigs of the State to increase our cir-
culation in such manner as will afford us ample remuneration. —
Frojn Indiana State Journal {weekly cd.)^ Ju7ie 22, 184.J.
INDIANA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Published at Indianapolis, Indiana.
George S. Cottman, Editor and Publisher.
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND NEWSPAPERS.
That librarianship as a science is now but in its infancy is
a fact that is recog-nized, doubtless, by most modern librarians.
When library work shall have developed more fully along- the
many lines that are destined to come within its scope, not its
least important function will be the indexing- and org-anizing- of
the great mass of valuable material that is continually passing-
throug-h the newspaper press. There is g-reat need to empha-
size the importance of this task, which, up to the present, seems
to have received little attention. It is, we presume, a quite safe
proposition that the library aims to be a school for the people —
a promoter of information, and one kind of information of con-
siderable importance is a knowledg-e of the character of a society
by the people who form it. The g-reat source of such informa-
tion is the newspapers, which reflect the community life and
spirit as nothing- else does. A newspaper index, intellig-ently
compiled, would be a record or synopsis of the forces that have
made a community what it is, whether for g-ood or bad. It
would be a chronolog-ical list of social movements, of the nota-
ble performances of men, and of a g-reat variety of facts, valua-
ble, interesting- and curious, which, without such g-uide, are
speedily swallowed up in oblivion and their lessons lost. To be
specific, Terre Haute has, during- the last half-year, been sub-
jected to an experience that is of State-wide interest. In the
lig-ht ag-ainst that threatening- depravity which "is continually
showing- its head everywhere, she affords an object-lesson that is
worthy of elaborate study. In another year's time the whole
chapter will be buried away so completely as to be practically
forg-otten, significant thoug-h it is. He who wishes to investi-
gate that crusade ag-ainst unrig-hteousness should be able to g-o
to the Terre Haute library and by its index be g-uided readily to
all the salient points of the case as chronicled by the contempo-
rary papers. As with Terre Haute, so, in varying- deg-ree, with
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 159
every town in the State. The laws of growth and retrogres-
sion are g"oing- on always and everywhere, and wherever the
newspaper exists it is holding- the mirror up to nature — if we
but know how to interpret the newspaper. As its contents lie
scattered throug-h the columns, they are little more than waste
matter, but selected and org-anized, the inconsequential elimi-
nated, they present the very texture of our civilization. The
first step toward a history of our State that shall be worthy the
name must be this cooperative org-anizing" of a mass of material
too extensive for the individual to compass. The work done by
the local libraries should be a stimulus and aid to the minor stu-
dents, and these students will prepare the way for the historian
proper. At the present stag-e it is all-essential that the vig-orous
and phenomenal library movement, now asserting- itself throug-h-
out our State, recog-nize in a broad way its relation to current
history and its opportunities as a conserver of the same.
If we are rig-htly informed, there are but three of the larg-er
libraries of the country that are doing- newspaper indexing-. Of
these, one is the Indiana State Library, which has listed the
more important contents of the leading- Indianapolis papers from
1898 to the present time. This g-uide to the files, as people
learn of it, is coming- more and more into popular use, the news-
papers themselves being- among- the most frequent patrons.
The State Library scheme is, of course, much more extensive
than a local library would adopt, and yet an hour or two a day
suffices for the work. In the averag-e local library ten or fifteen
minutes a day would doubtless be ample time for indexing- a
mass of reference material that would have an abiding- interest
and value.
MORE REVOLUTIONARY GRAVES.
Brazil, Ind., July 12, 1906.
Editor hidiana Magazine of History.
Sir:- — You have g-iven information reg'arding- Revolutionary
soldiers' g-raves in several counties, which proves interesting- to
many people. I desire to report for Clay county the following^
Revolutionary soldiers and the location of their g-raves:
Lawrence Thompson and Amos Kelley are buried in the Ze-
nor cemetery, on Birch creek, six miles south of Brazil. Thomp-
160 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
son served in a North Carolina reg-iment. Some time after the
close of the Revolutionary War, he settled in Harrison county,
Indiana; thence to Clay county, where he died some time in the
forties, ag-ed about 108. Numerous descendants still live in this
county. Kelley has no known descendants in the county, and
little is known of his history other than the fact that he was a
soldier of the Revolution. The Board of Commissioners of Clay
county, with the unanimous consent of the County Council, at
the sug-g-estion of a few citizens, made an appropriation of two
hundred dollars for a monument to each of their graves. The
monuments were lettered and set up several months ag-o, and
on July 4, 1906, a meeting- was held at the cemetery, and the
monuments duly dedicated.
John Yocom, a Revolutionary soldier, is buried in a private
family g-raveyard, two miles south of Brazil, which has long-
been in disuse.
John Hopper and Benjamin Wheeler, are buried in another
Zenor cemetery a short distance south of Bowling- Green, the
old county seat.
This makes five buried in Clay county. There may be one or
two more, but the above list includes all that are positively
known. Yours truly,
F. W. Robertson.
In addition to the above Miss Mary K. Cardwill, of New Al-
bany, reports David Benton, and Arthur Parr, buried respect-
ively in Jackson and Washington counties. There are some
Revolutionary graves in Bartholomew county, but we have not
been able to ascertain the names. We also find mention of
Samuel Boyd, who died in Wayne couoty in 1835. Boyd was
the maternal g-randfather of Judg-e E. B. Martindale, of Indian-
apolis. We would be g-lad to receive information of this char-
acter from other readers.
LOCAL HISTORY CONTRIBUTIONS.
Reminiscences of an Indianian. — Capt. J. A. Lemcke, now of In-
dianapolis, a man of wide experience and varied fortunes, has
published under this title a private edition volume which nar-
rates the ups and downs of a somewhat checkered life. It is, in
part, the story of a young- man making- his way fifty or sixty
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 161
years ag-o. Of those times we have many intimate g-limpses
of life and conditions that are a real contribution to our his-
tory. His experiences as a river man on the Mississippi, Ohio,
Tennessee, Wabash and White rivers are especially interesting-.
In more recent years Captain Lemcke was a man of some promi-
nence in Indiana (Republican) politics. In 1886 he was elected
State Treasurer, and during- President Harrison's administration
the ofl&ce of United States Treasurer was tendered him. His de-
clining- of this tempting- offer was so unusual that, as Mr. Lemcke
says, "Frank Leslie, among- others, published my picture with
the humorously satirical remark: 'This is the portrait of a
man who refused office, and he from Indiana.'''' A wide acquaint-
ance with men of note adds not a little to the interest of Mr.
Lemcke's recollections, and the whole narrated with a pervasive
strain of g-enuine humor makes the book exceeding-ly readable,
and one deserving- of a fuller review than we have space for.
Reminiscences of Early Indianapolis. — The Indianapolis News,
in its Saturday editions, has for some months been running- a
series of papers, "Reminiscences of an Old Reporter," which
deal with the Indianapolis of an earlier day. They are written
by Charles Dennis, for many years one of the best-known
newspaper men in the city. His personal recollections g-o back
to a period antedating- the war, and his long- experience in the
reportorial field has broug-ht him in wide contact with persons
and g-iven him an intimate knowledg-e of events, which he sets
forth graphically with the pen of a trained writer. So far as
his sketches present actual recollections they are of distinct in-
terest and value, and the more so because they deal with thing-s
about which little or no information can be had from our writ-
ten histories.
Early Newspapers of Richmond. — In the Richmond Su7i- Telegram
of February 26, 1906, is published a list of the Richmond news-
papers from 1820 to the present time, compiled by B. F. Wissler.
Twenty-eig-ht papers are specified as existing- in that time.
The list, Mr. Wissler tells us, is not absolutely complete, as
even within that comparatively narrow field some have passed
wholly into oblivion. We are further told that more than
seventy-live papers have been published in Wayne county. In
162 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Mr. Wissler's list we note such odd names as The Family School-
master, The Lily, The Broad Axe of Freedom and Grubbing Hoe
of Truth and The Humming Bird.
Tippecayioe Battle Document. — In the Lafayette Morning fourna I
of June 23, 1906, is published a newly found document relating-
to the battle of Tippecanoe. This is an account of the fight by
Judg-e Isaac Naylor, who was a participant in it. The paper
was found among- the effects of Judg-e Naylor, now in posses-
sion of his daug-hter, Mrs. Mary Naylor Whiteford, who was re-
cently visiting^ in Lafayette. The account has in it a number
of points not, we believe, to be found elsewhere. We will, if
possible, publish it in full in our next issue.
Old Fort near Richmond. — In the Richmond Sun-Telegram of July
4, 1906, O. S. Harrison publishes an interview with Isaac Lamb,
an old citizen of Richmond, who remembered and described to
the interviewer the blockhouse built in 1812, near the present
site of Richmond. According to Mr. Lamb, the fort was about
thirty feet square and built of hewn logs fitted very closely to-
gether. The lower part of the building was used for living pur-
poses, and the second story, which overhung the first, was sup-
plied with port-holes, cut about waist high, that commanded the
surroundings. In its latter years the structure was used as a
tool-house and granary by Thomas Lamb, father of Isaac, who
burned it down in 1830. Mr. Harrison states that "Port Smith,"
as he calls it, was on the old Jacob Smith farm, but omits to lo-
cate it more definitely.* There were many of these old block-
houses located throughout southern Indiana, and a record oj
them would be an interesting addition to our frontier histor}^.
♦Since the above was put in type we find in another article by Mr. Harrison on tlie same
subject {Sun-Telegram, June 2) that the bloclfhouse ''was on the river about one mile and
a half west and north of where the court-house now stands, on the place now occupied by
Nathan P. Wilson, and near where his house stands." It was built in 1812 by George Smith,
Jesse Bond, Valentine Pegg, Cornelius Katliff and others of the neighborhood.
.^^^
\V
-N>>
.' 'D.'-3MCUM7TO ^^
' ff/UirjacitCj. ye//eir ffaitne/ /iun!i,if^.irt.s . J
ly/U red frM^t Aota ttrilA /^ fiJumea * 5
and b/acJr Cop^
Sentinel Fire H
Senti'nal fulled cLout /SO yards from /'net.
6uppattd
fioift A»e/7 as/eep.
r^
GENERAL HARRISON'S LINE OF MARCH
From Vincennes to the Prophet's Town, in 1811. Chart prepared by Prof. W. D.
Pence, of Purdue University.
THE INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Vol. II DECEMBER, 1906 No. 4
THE BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE.
AS DESCRIBED BY JUDGE ISAAC NAYLOR, A PARTICIPANT-A
RECENTLY DISCOVERED ACCOUNT.
Fi'om the Lafayette Morning Journal, June 2j, rgo6.
JUDGE ISAAC NAYLOR was quite a prominent fig-ure in the
early history of Indiana. He was born in Rockingham
county, in the State of Virginia, July 30, 1790. He emigrat-
ed with his parents to Kentucky in 1793, and in 1805 moved to
Clark county, this State, taking up his wilderness home near
Charlestown, which, at that time, was a pioneer settlement.
After his fighting career he became a circuit judge, traveling on
horseback and holding court in the counties of Montgomery,
Tippecanoe, White, Benton, Fountain and Jasper, serving
twenty years in that capacity. During these years only three
cases tried by him suffered reversal by the Supreme Court. The
last forty years of his life were spent in Crawfordsville.
Both Judge Naylor and his brother took part in the battle of
Tippecanoe. The former also took part in the finish of the
fight at Pigeon Roost massacre, when a very young- man, and
after the battle of Tippecanoe was a soldier in the war of 1812.
In later years he delivered many addresses on the Tippecanoe
battle, and he ardently urged the erection of a monument on the
battlefield. He was the first treasurer appointed to receive
funds for this purpose, but not receiving any contributions, gave
up the task several years before his death, which took place on
April 26, 1873.
Mrs. Mary Naylor Whiteford, a daughter of Isaac Naylor, re-
cently unearthed, among her father's effects, an article about
the battle. It gives many interesting points that are new, and
is here printed for the first time.
THE ACCOUNT.
"I became a volunteer member of a company of riflemen, and
on the 12th of September, 1811, we commenced our march
164 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
toward Vincennes, and arrived there m about six days, marcfi-
ing about 120 miles. We remained there about a week and took
up the raarcb ta a point on the Wabash river sixty miles above^
on the ea&t bank o-f the river, where we erected a stockade fort^
which we named Fort Harrison. This was three miles below
where the city of Terre Haute now stands. Colonel Joseph H.
Davies, who commanded the dragoons, named the I'ort. The
glorious defense of this fort nine months after bj Captain
Zachary Taylor was the first step in his brilliant career that
afterwards made him President of the United States. A few
days later we took up the march again for the seat of Indian
warfare, where we arrived on the evening of November 6, 1811.
"When the army arrived in view of the Prophet's town, an In-
dian was seen coming toward General Harrison with a white flag
suspended on a pole. Here the army halted, and a parley was had
between General Harrison and an Indian delegation, who assured
the General that they desired peace, and solemnly promised to
meet him next day in council, to settle the terms- of peace and
friendship between them and the United States.
"General Marston G. Clark, who was then brigade major, and
Waller Taylor, one of the judges of the General Court of the
Territory of Indiana, and afterwards a Senator of the United
States from Indiana (one of the General's aides)^ were ordered to
select a place for the encampment, which they did. The army
then marched to thg ground selected about sunset. A strong
guard was placed arotind the encampment, commanded by Cap-
tain James Bigger and three lieutenants. The troops were or-
dered to sleep on their arms. The night being cold, large fires
were made along the lines of encampment and each soldier re-
tired to rest, sleeping on his arms.
"Having seen a number of squaws and children at the town,
I thought the Indians were not disposed to fight. About ten
o'clock at night Joseph Warnock and myself retired to rest, he
taking one side of the fire and I the other, the other members
of our company being all asleep. My friend Warnock had
dreamed, the night before, a bad dream which foreboded some-
thing fatal to him or to some of his family, as he told me.
Having myself no confidence in dreams, I thought but little
THE BA TTLE OF TIPPECANOE 165
about the matter, althoug-h I observed that he never smiled after-
wards.
*'I awoke about four o''ciock the next mornino-, after a sound
and refreshing- sleep, having- heard in a dream the firing- of
guns and the whistling- of bullets just before I awoke from my
slumber. A drizzling- rain was falling- and all things were still
and quiet throughout the camp, I was engaged in making- a
calculation when I should arrive at home.
"In a few moments I heard the crack of a rifle in the direction
of the point where now stands the Battle Ground house, which
is occupied by Captain DuTiel as a tavern. I had just time to
think that some sentinel was alarmed and had fired his rifle with-
out a real cause, when I heard the crack of another rifle, fol-
lowed by an awful Indian yell all around the encampment. In
less than a minute I saw the Indians charging our line most
furiously and shooting a great many rifle balls into our camp fires,
throwing- the live coals into the air three or four feet high,
"At this moment my friend Warnock was shot by a rifle ball
through his body. He ran a few yards and fell dead on the
ground. Our lines were broken and a few Indians were found
on the inside of the encampment. In a few moments they were
all killed. Our lines closed up and our men in their proper places.
One Indian was killed in the back part of Captain Geiger's tent,
while he was attempting to tomahawk the Captain.
"The sentinels, closely pursued by the j^ndians, came to the
lines of the encampment in haste and confusion. My brother,
William Naylor, was on g-uard. He was pursued so rapidly and
furiously that he ran to the nearest point on the left flank, where
he remained with a company of regular soldiers until the battle
was near its termination. A young- man, whose name was
Daniel Pettit, was pursued so closely and furiousl-^ by an Indian
as he was running- from the g-uard fire to our lines, that to save
his life he cocked his rifle as he ran and turning- suddenly round,
placed the muzzle of his gun against the body of the Indian and
shot an ounce ball throug-h him. The Indian fired his gun at
the same instant, but it being longer than Pettit's the muzzle
passed by him and set fire to a handkerchief which he had tied
round his head. The Indians made four or five most fierce
charges on our lines, yelling and screaming- as thej'^ advanced,
166 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
shooting- balls and arrows into our ranks. At each, charge they
were driven back in confusion, carrying off their dead and wound-
ed as they retreated.
"Colonel Owen, of Shelby county, Kentucky, one of General
Harrison's volunteer aides, fell early in action by the side of the
General. He was a member of the leg-islature at the time of his
death. Colonel Davies was mortally wounded early in the bat-
tle, gallantly charging the Indians on foot with his sword and
pistols, according to his own request. He made this request
three times of General Harrison, before he permitted him to
make the charge. This charge was made by himself and eight
dragoons on foot near the angle formed by the left flank and
front line of the encampment. Colonel Davies lived about thirty-
six hours after he was wounded, manifesting his ruling- passions
in life — ambition, patriotism and an ardent love of military
glory. During- the last hours of his life he said to his friends
around him that he had but one thing to regret — that he had
military talents; that he was about to be cut down in the merid-
ian of life without having- an opportunity of displaying- them
for his own honor, and the g-ood of his country. He was buried
alone with the honors of war near the rig-lit flank of the army,
inside of the lines of the encampment, between two trees. On
one of these trees the letter 'D' is now visible. Nothing but
the stump of the other remains. His g-rave was made here, to
conceal it from the Indians. It was filled up to the top with
earth and then covered with oak leaves. I presume the Indians
never found it. This precautionary act was performed as a
mark of peculiar respect for a distinguished hero and patriot of
Kentucky.
"Captain Spencer's company of mounted riflemen composed
the right flank of the army. Captain Spencer and both his
lieutenants were killed. John Tipton was elected and commis-
sioned as captain of this company in one hour after the battle,
as a reward for his cool and deliberate heroism displayed during-
the action. He died at Log-ansport in 1839, having- been twice
elected Senator of the United States from the State of Indiana.
"The clear, calm voice of General Harrison was heard in words
of heroism in every part of the encampment during the action.
Colonel Boyd behaved very bravely after repeating- these words:
THE BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE 167
•Huzza! My sons of gold, a few more fires and victory will be
ours!'
"Just after daylight the Indians retreated across the prairie
toward their town, carrying off their wounded. This retreat
was from the right flank of the encampment, commanded by
Captains Spencer and Robb, having retreated from the other
portions of the encampment a few minutes before. As their re-
treat became visible, an almost deafening and universal shout
was raised by our men. 'Huzza! Huzza! Huzza!' This shout
was almost equal to that of the savages at the commencement of
the battle; ours was the shout of victory, theirs was the shout of
ferocious but disappointed hope.
"The morning light disclosed the fact that the killed and
wounded of our army, numbering between eight and nine hun-
dred men, amounted to one hundred and eight. Thirty-six In-
dians were found near our lines. Many of their dead were car-
ried off during the battle. This fact was proved by the discov-
ery of many Indian graves recently made near their town. Ours
was a bloody victory, theirs a bloody defeat.
"Soon after breakfast an Indian chief was discovered on the
prairie, about eighty yards from our front line, wrapped in a
piece of white cloth. He was found by a soldier by the name
of Miller, a resident of Jeffersonville, Indiana. The Indian
was wounded in one of his legs, the ball having penetrated
his knee and passed down his leg, breaking the bone as it passed.
Miller put his foot against him and he raised up his head and
said: 'Don't kill me, don't kill me.' At the same time five or
six regular soldiers tried to shoot him, but their muskets snapped
and missed fire. Major Davis Floyd came riding toward him
with dragoon sword and pistols and said he 'would show
them how to kill Indians,' when a messenger came from General
Harrison commanding that he should be taken prisoner. He
was taken into camp, where the surgeons dressed his wounds.
Here he refused to speak a word of English or tell a word of
truth. Through the medium of an interpreter he said that he
was a friend to the white people and that the Indians shot him,
while he was coming to the camp to tell General Harrison that
they were about to attack the army. He refused to have his
leg amputated, though he was told that amputation was the
168 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
only means of saving- his life. One dog-ma of Indian supersti-
tion is that all good and brave Indians, when they die, go to a
delightful region, abounding- with deer and other game, and
to be a successful hunter, he should have all his limbs, his gun
and his dog-. He therefore preferred death with all his limbs
to life without them. In accordance with his request he wa?
left to die, in company with an old squaw, who was found in the
Indian town the next day after he was taken prisoner. They
were left in one of our tents.
"At the time this Indian was taken prisoner, another Indian,
wbo was wounded in the body, rose to his feet in the middle of
the prairie, and began to walk towards the woods on the opposite
side. A number of regular soldiers shot at him but missed him.
A man who was a member of the same company with me, Hen-
ry Huckleberry, ran a few steps into the prairie and shot an ounce
ball through his body and he fell dead near the margin of the
woods. Some Kentucky volunteers went across the prairie im-
mediately and scalped him, dividiag his scalp into four pieces,
each one cutting a hole in each piece, putting his ramrod
through the hole, and placing- his part of the scalp just behind
the first thimble of his gun, near its muzzle. Such was the fate
of nearly all of the Indians found dead on the battle-ground,
and such was the disposition of their scalps.
"The death of Owen, and the fact that Davies was mortally
wounded, with the remembrance also that a large portion of
Kentucky's best blood had been shed by the Indians, must be
their apology for this barbarous conduct. Such conduct will be
excused by all who witnessed the treachery of the Indians, and
saw the bloody scenes of this battle.
"Tecumseh being absent at the time of battle, a chief called
White Loon was the chief commander of the Indians. He was
seen in the morning- after the battle, riding a large white horse
in the woods across the prairie, where he was shot at by a volun-
teer named Montgomery, who is now living in the southwest
part of this State. At the crack of his rifle the horse jumped as
if the ball had hit him. The Indian rode off toward the town
and we saw him no more. During the battle the prophet was
safely located on a hill, beyond the reach of our balls, praying
to the Great Spirit to give the victory to the Indians, having
THE BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE 169
previously assured them that the Great Spirit would chang-e our
powder into ashes and sand.
"We had about forty head of. beef cattle when we came to the
battle. They all ran oif the nig-ht of the battle, or they were
driven off by the Indians, so that they were all lost. We re-
ipived rations for two days on the morning- after the action.
We received no more rations until the next Tuesday evening, be-
ing- six days afterwards. The Indians having retreated to their
town, we performed the solemn dut^^ of consig-ning to their
graves our dead soldiers, without shrouds or coffins. They were
placed in graves about two feet deep, from five to ten in each
grave.
"General Harrison having learned that Tecumseh was ex-
pected to return fro^i the south with a number of Indians whom
he had enlisted in his cause, called a council of his officers, who
advised him to remain on the battlefield and fortify his camp by
a breastwork of logs around, about four feet high. This work
was completed during the day and all the troops were placed im-
mediately behind each line of the work when they were ordered
to pass the watchword from right to left every five minutes, so
that no man was permitted to sleep during- the night. The
watchword on the nig-ht before the battle was 'Wide awake,'
'Wide awake.' To me it was a long-, cold, cheerless nig-ht.
"On the next day the dragoons went to Prophet's town, which
they found deserted by all the Indians, except an old squaw,
whom they brought into the camp and left her with the wound-
ed chief before mentioned. The drag-oons set fire to the town
and it was all consumed, casting up a brilliant light amid the
darkness of the ensuing nig-ht. I arrived at the town when it
was about half on fire. I found larg-e quantities of corn, beans
and peas. I filled my knapsack with these articles and carried
them to the camp and divided them with the members of our
mess, consisting- of six men. Having- these articles of food, we
declined eating horse-flesh, which was eaten by a larg-e portion
of our men."
170 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL.
[John Tipton's Journal of the Tippecanoe campaig-n is, we believe, the
only circumstantial account left us of an event memorable in the military
history of Indiana. It is practically inaccessible to the student, as it has
been published in newspaper form only [htdiatiapolis News of May 5, 1879).
The original manuscript of the journal, together with that of Tipton's jour-
nal as a commissioner to locate the State capital in 1820, and a minor Indian
campaign in 1813, are in the possession of John H. HoUiday, of Indianap-
olis. Eventually these journals, carefully annotated by Mr. Holliday, will
probably be published in the collections of the Indiana Historical Society.
Pending that more permanent form we here print the Tippecanoe docu-
ment as a companion article to Judge Naylor's account, and to the com-
missioner's journal, which appeared in Vol. I, Nos. 1 and 2 of this maga-
zine . —^(/zYor.
An accompt of the majxh and encampment of the riflemen of harrison
cou7ity I. T. \_Indiana Territory] comma7ided by Capt. Spencer,
consisting of ^j men besides officers in Company with Capt. R M
heath., with 22 me?i.
Thursday 12 of September, 1811— Left Corydon at 3 o'clock,
march six miles to g-overnor harrison's mill and encampt. had
our horses in g-ood pasture.
13th. Marched 24 miles and on the way was join by Capt
Berry with 20 men and Encampt at a good spring.
14th. Marched 3 miles and encampt at half moon spring.
Was joined by Capt bagg-s with a troop of horse, and in the eve-
ning by Col bartholomew, with 120 of melitia from Clark
County.
Sunday 15 two horses missing the millitia and Capts heath
and Berry and Capt Bagg-s left us. One of our horses soon found
the other being astray was stolen [?] b}- the oner and one man
left on foot but shortly got to ride to White river and we moove
on 15 miles and overtook the army encampt at a branch which
was the first time I ever saw g^ard set out.
Monday the 16 we set out early. Crosst one fork of White
River and went through the Barrens to a branch and encamped
3 miles from the main fork.
tuesday 17 marchd to Big Prairie and camped at a Lake one
mile from the wabash.
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL 171
Wed. 18 it Rained hard in the morning- and I went to vin-
cennis [Vincennes] and came back to the Lake in the Evening
and found the companj had moved to Bass Roe Creek seven
mile up the River.
thursday 19. I moved on early with orders from the Capt for
the company to move to vincennis, but the mayjor would not
consent thereto, we did not g-o this day. myself and others
lost money shooting-. I was g-oosed.
friday 20 staid all day in camp and cut out* a g-un and in the
evening- went to shooting- and win some money.
Saturday 21st I cut out a g-un and went to Shakertown and
g-ot my mare shod, the men was Paraded and marched to the big-
Prairie and mustered till late and in the time mutinized [?] with
some of Capt heath's men, but marched back at sunset and dis-
' misst in order.
Sunday 22d. — The Capt with three men from each mess went
to Shakertown to meeting-, and in the evening- returned and
took dinner, when orders came for us to lie in vincennis by ten
o'clock next day and we were ordered to march fifteen minutes.
We according-ly mooved seven miles, and lay without fire this
evening-.
Monday the 23d. — We moovd on early to meteaii [?] creek and
took breckfast, and moovd thence to vincennis where we had a
general Parade, and in the Evening- myself and three others got
Parted from the Company and lay all night by ourselves only
with too of Capt heath's men.
Tuesday the 24th. we moovd Early and soon found our
company. Campt at a cornfield two miles from vincennis. I
staid in camp and shot several guns and mended them and at
dark it Began to rain and rained all night hard my Capt came
to camp and informd us that several Indians ware in town talk-
ing to the governor.
Wednesday 25th a fine day I went to a shop and came back
and mended gunlock then went to shooting and win whisky
and lego's [leggings?] .
Thursday 26th we mooved after Breckfast into town and our
Capt treated and also a tavern keeper. We crosst the Wabash
and fired two Platoons, and then went up to Capt Jubaus [Du
*To cut lead from rifles in the barrel.
172 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Bois?] and fired ag-ain and too [took?] Dinner, much whisky
drank which caused quarreling-, moved ag-ain thro a Prairie six
miles -wide and campd and Drawd corn and potatoes, our Pilot
left us and went home, we lay ten miles from town.
Friday the 27th we marched at 12 o'clock through a Small
Prairie: went four miles and campd. I went to hunt and killed
two Squirls and a hawk.
Saturday 28th it Began to Rain at Day Brake; myself and
two others went to hunt and staid out till two o'clock came to
camp and found the men had left us we took their trail found
two men waiting- with our horses and took Breckfast as we rode
and went through g-ood land and a Beautifull Prairie Seven miles
wide called Deniot and a Creek of the same name overtook the
company after sixteen miles just as they stopt we also Passt a
blockhouse in the Prairie.
Sunday 29th we mooved at ten stopt at a house bought a
horse for our footman, too seargeants that had been sent to stock
a gun that got broke on the 26th came up. we went 6 miles
Part Prairie and Part Barrens. Croost Birch Creek and came to
the River and campd near a Prairie and some men went to hunt
and found three Bee trees in an hour. Spent the evening in
cutting- them got 9 or 10 gallons of honey. I stood guard, the
Boat we were to guard came up. we Drawd whisky and salt
they went on, our men set hooks and caught two fish.
Monday the 30th we mooved after Breckfast throug good
land Passt a g-ood spring and the Creek St. myri [St. Mary?]
and through a beautifull Prairie four miles long- and two Broad
with a cabin in it. frost this day in the prairie, went to the
river at an oald Camp. Passt a handsome Barr[en?] "' then went
up and crosst a muddy Creek one of our horses miered we
went throug- a rich bottom to the Plaice of meeting the armey
and they ware g-one and the Boat left to wait for us as we found
a Bee tree as we marcht three Deers Run along ,the Line and a
number of guns fired But one killed Stopt ip the eyening",
went to hunt found two Bee trees Campt on tb^ River .near a
Prairie with the boat after comeing- 10 miles. j^ir , ,,\ f
tuesday the first of October we were alarn;ed by tt»«(Centt|j|5jti\|
firing- his gun he said at an indian. but we soon [fouHid?] to tljbQ;
contrary we mooved through a Prairie 3 miles and I went to
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL 173
hunt rode all Day throug a g-ood bottom land to the Companey
at twelve and then went on; the men found a bee tree while
marching and two at noon cut one down and left the rest. I
hunted till night. Crosst two beautifull Creeks killed two
Pigeons one of our horses sick and left by the way. we went
19 miles and campd with the boat; we past a Prairie on the
other side Drawd whisky and fioir but no corn Since 29 of
last mo.
Wed the 2d we moved earley through a Rich bottom all day
I went to hunt kild a Pheasant we found two bee trees as we
marchd but could not cut them we came up with the Boat fast
on the Barr, and went to help them off here we crosst the River
and campt after Coming 16 m one of our men had agua
yesterday,
Thursday 3d marchd at 9 four of our horses missing three
men left to hunt them marchd one mile came to tare holt
[terre haute — high land?] an oald indian village on the East
side of Wabash on high laud near a Large Prairie Peach and
aple trees growing the huts torn down by the armey that
campd here on the 2d two miles further came up with the
armey. horses found. Campd on the river on beautifull high
ground to build a garison.
friday 4th a fine day I went to hunt came to camp at three
found thirty men comanded by Lieut mcmahon was to guard a
boat going to the vermillian river for coal I went with them
we went 5 miles Part Prairie and Part timbered crosst a fine
creek came to another and campd.
Saturday 5th we moved early through good land. Passt three
springs. Some Beautifull prairie some timber. Crost a fine larg
creek went throug a fine Prairie found a Bee tree and stopt
to Dine and cut it this morning one of our men took a swoling
in his face and went Back. All the fore part of this day we had
a ridg on our right and good land good springs on the left in
the Evening we marchd hard crossed four creeks Broken land
high timber came up with our spies and camp with them at a
large creek this Day I found land that is the Best I have seen
we crosst the Purchase Line we traveled 30 miles N. N. West.
Sunday 6th we moovd earley one mile came to the river at
Coal bank found it was Below the Vermilian [river] half a mile
174 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
we took coffey moovd after the Boat started down, the coal
Bank is on the east side of wabash. we went throug-h a small
Prairie, crosst the river to the west side went in on the head of
a barr and came out on the lower end of another on the west
side went through a small Prairie then came to big Prairie
where the oald vermillion town was. we crosst the wabash half
a mile above the mouth of vermillian river Before we came to
the above town crosst vermilian river took a south course
throng a Prairie with a g-ood spring- and an oald indian hutt
then throug-h a beautiful! timbered ground to a small creek and
stopt to let our horses g-raze then went through g-ood land with
a ridg on our rig-ht out of which came four springs and for two
miles nothing- But larg-e sug-ar and walnut. The hill and the
river came close tog-ether, we found a good coal Bank 14 miles
below vermilian. we then crosst to the east side went 3 miles
and campd with the Boat, after coming 20 m and finding- two
Bee trees left them.
Monday the 7th we mooved earley three miles and crosst
Raccoon Creek to the Purchase line thence 15 miles to the g-rari-
son [g-arrison]. found Capt heath's men Dismisst and him sick
and Capt Berry at home to. our company which lay on the River
above the garrison. The men on the Last Rout Draw Corn
which caused murmuring-. Some men wants to go home.
tuesday 8th I staid in camp we ware Parrade at twelve
treated by L,t. mcmahan and mustered and had a sham fight, Dis-
misst in order Drawd whisky for the time we had been out the
men all throwd in their hats and wrestled. Some men was sent
to the Cornfield to Pull Corn.
Wednesday the 9th I staid in Camp Cut out a gun and went
to shooting-, a Lt. and 20 men was ordered to Scout, we covered
our camp with grass it Rained hard at two the Scouting-
Party came in took Dinner went out again it Rained ag-ain
hard at sunset.
thursdaylOth we had a wet night. I cut out a g-un and went
over the river and got Powder, a seargeant and ten men was sent
out to scout along- the lines, we were alarmed at 8 by the centi-
nel being- shot and badly wounded we were ordered to arms.
An officer was sent from our Part of the Camp to know the alarm,
g-eneral orders was for all to g-it their horses, a g-uard was to
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL 17^
bee left at our Camp. I was set out post till the horses was
found, we then left our camp and joined the line. Stood to
arms all night till Brake of Day.
friday 11. mounted and went to the Prairie in Company with
the light horse to look for indians. we took up the river crosst
a creek went through a Prairie then crosst the same creek again
let our horses feed half an hour and after traveling 15 miles
came to camp at twelve then Drawd flour whisky and Pickled
Pork got breckfast at four in the evening 5 of the Delaware
indians came and took protection. Verj' high wind a tree fell
close to camp while Ritiug and a gun heard at the general Camp
also the Drum beat, a strong guard set out.
Satturday 12th we were parded [paraded] at day Brake
went to the Prairie a seargeant and to men was sent to stay.
I was one. we could find no sine came to the camp in our
rout we found too of the Delaware chiefs they had Came to
Camp the day Before to join us we brought them to Camp one
spoke good English Plaid Cards with our men and informed
that thirty of his young men was comeing to join us. I cut a
gun and went to shooting.
Sunday the 13 fine day. I stocked a gun at dark we heard
a gun fire at the general Camp but a thing so often Repeated
could not alarm us anymore, yesterday we drawd corn Beef
whisky and flour soap and candles today salt also this day the
governor sends for more men.
Monday the 14 a cloudy day I cut a gun and we moovd to
the general Camp I helped make Boards to cover our Camp. In
the Evening three companies six men each was to go out and
ly all night by three roads to kill indians should they Come I
went we sat all night none came we heard a gun it rained
two showers in the night.
tuesday the 15 we returned to Camp at da}' the Companies
of horse and our company had gone to the Prairie to muster, the
Day cloudy all the spies came in nothing seen I went with
another man down to tare holt to look for indians. we had whis-
ky. Stopt at tare holt found no indians went down to drink,
it rained some of the indians got drunk we staid 2 hours.
Lost our horses found them a mile down the river then went
to Drink Lost two horses again found them half a mile
176 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
off went 2 miles through the Prairie to an oald villag- thence
one mile to another village and cornfield then Returned to
Camp was alarmed at the fire of a gun at 11 o'clock was or-
dered to He with our guns in hand the wind blew hard it Be-
gan to Rain at 12 we had to git up and cover our Camp one of
our men Deserted today while I was out.
Wednesday the 16th Could cloudy and windy was mustered
as usual. I was sent with 2 men to spy saw no sign came in.
I staid in Camp was put under guard By mistake took to the
governor set at Liberty and the Right man got. Dragoons sent
after three men that Deserted last night.
thursday 17— a hard frost but a fine day we musterd as usu-
al. I then cut out a gun at 3 in the evening an ensign and
three men went to hunt Capt heath's horses. I was one. We
went 8 miles most of the way Prairie land a south course and
campd on the Bed of a large Dry creek.
Friday 18th — a cloudy and windy day we left Camp early and
went to hunt one of our [horses?] we killed a Deer we came
to the army at 2 found the men that had been sent to let the
horses graze had Lost 4 men sent to hunt them this morning.
a number of the Wea indians came to Camp I cut a gun.
Saturday the 19 — Musterd as usual. Come to Camp Drawd
Beef, Salt, whisky and flour then was Paraded while the gover-
nor informed us that our ration was reduced to ^ of a pound of
flour [?] of the contractor failing. He also told us that we
should have to fight the indians. it Began to Rain, we ware
Dismisst it Rained hard till sunset, our men that went out to
hunt the lost horses came in had not found them. I turned out
my mare this morning went to hunt her killed a turkey it
stopt Raining and Began to Snow and Blow hard our Camps
smoked it was the Disagreeablest night I ever saw the men
that went to the corn field Lost Capt Spencer's mare.
Sunday 20th a very cold cloudy day the ground Covered with
Snow we Did not muster as usuel. Capt Spencer's mare came
to camp an Ensign and thirteen men went to hunt the horses
that were lost on the 18th we went through the Prairie. Came
to an indian Camp then we parted into three Companies and
our Company went up to the Creek 4 miles and camped at an
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL 177
oald Indian Camp this morning- our Capt and Searg-eant quar-
relled but soon Dropt. this nig-ht verry cold.
monday 21st the morning clier and cold six of us went to
hunt two of our men and an indian killed a deer I wounded a
deer we supt last night on a bit of bread about as big as a man's
two fingers and this morning on vennison without bread we
then went to hunt the horses. Came to where 50 indians was
campd. Lost one of our men. Came to Camp found our hunt-
ers had killed two Deer and our 2d Lieutenant Resigned and
gone home.
tuesday the 22d a fine day I went to work on the garrison
till 12 I then went to let my mare graze when an alarm came
20 men was ordered to march in 5 minutes, we found it a false
Report we Returned held an Election for 2d Lieut and Ensign.
Wednesday the 23d a cold windy and cloudy day. I went out
with 7 men to hunt the horses Lost on the 18th we found three
horses belonging to the military oficers. I Rode one of them
we parted into 4 companies the man with me killed a turkey.
Came to the Camp at dark found the indians had brought in
the horses and one of our men killed a deer.
thursday 24th a verry cold morning and mustered as usual..
I staid in camp washed my cloths for the first time, went to
shooting this morning a Seargeant and eight men was sent with
the spies and men sent to the corn field to Pull corn. 10 indians
seen to day and in the evening a man drumed out of camp with
his head Shaved and Powdered while Looking at that Capt
Spencer's tent burnt general orders read to march on the 27th
Instant.
friday the 25 a Cold morning we mustered as usuel. I staid
in camp cut out three guns a Seargeant and six men went out
with the spies on the west side of the wabash the men that
went out yesterday came in had killed two Deer and two Rac-
coons but seen no sine. 6 men run away and 6 men Came to
Camp to Day.
Saturday the 26 mustered as usuel marched one mile up the
River then Came to Camp and left our horses went out and had
a sham fight. I cut a gun the men that went out yesterday
Came in seed no sine had killed 2 deer, the men killed an
owl and had much sport tonight.
178 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Sunday the 27 a fine clier warm day mustered as usual
marched up the Prairie then into the woods had a sham battle
thence to Camp. I staid in Camp the men went to the Prairie
to Run their horses the g-arrison Christened and Extra whisky
issued.
• monday the 28 a fine day mustered as usual found the
Prairie burnt over with fire. Came to Camp. Cut out a g-un
and went to the talk with the Indians then came to my tent
was ordered to parade the Company for to see a man whipt.
We was drawd in a hollo square, three g"uns got up the man
broug-ht in ordered to [be] stript then pardoned. We came to
Camp Re d [received] money for back ration this day came up
[on] Maj Rob with a Company of mounted Riflemen and three
boats and two Perodues [pirogues] with Corn flour and arms
and ammunition, the above talk was with the miami Chiefs.
orders to march tomorrow, this day I got one gallon of whisky.
tuesday29 we mustered as usuel. Came to Camp was order-
ed to march in 30 minutes 20 men Commanded by Capt. Berry
went to guard the Boats that Carried our Provision and a Sear-
geant with 8 men to guard the gov'r. we mooved to the Prairie
stopt till the Baggage all Came up. I sent Back for whisky we
then mooved olf with the whole army Consisting of about 640
foot 270 mounted men 19 wagons and one Cart. Passt one Creek
and Camped after 5 miles on the same Creek where we Camped
on the 4th Inst, maid us moove Close to the army one horse
killed and a wagon Broke by falling a tree a gueard set out of
our Company.
Wednesday the 30 it Began to Rain at 4 in the morning.
Raind till Day Brake then quit it was a Cold Cloud}^ and windy
Day. our Company in front of the Road broke in four Lines
we marched 8 miles and campd at a Spring which I saw on the
5 instant which is my choice of the western Country it Being
near a small prairie with good timber and First Rate land 2 miles
Below the line [of the "purchase," and on the Wabash river,
about 17 miles above where Terre Haute now stands] and 13
above fort harrison.
thursday the 31st we mooved earley too of the oxen missing
three of our men sent to hunt them we Crosst Raccoon Creek
saw our men that went to guard the Boats on the 29th they
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL 179
Left us we Catne to the River where we Campd on our Return
from vermillian on the nig^ht of the 6 thence up to the ford. Saw
our above mentioned boat g-uard crossing- the River we halted
till the armj' came up then Rode the river which was very Deep
and then Campd our Boat g-uard and the men that went to hunt
the oxen Came up when we left the guards we took a north
Cours up the East side of the Wabash and Crosst to the west
with orders to kill all the Indians we saw. fine news. The
governor's wagon Beeing left this morning in consiquens of the
oxen being lost Came up and all the armj crosst in 3 hours We
Drawd Corn.
Friday the first of November. I was sent with 18 men to
Look for a way for the armey to Cross the Littell vermillian
marched at Day Brake came to Creek found and marked the
road, waited till the armey came up went on and campd on
the River 2 miles Below the Big vermillian. Capt. Spencer my-
self and 3 others went up the Big vermillian. Returned to camp
genl [general] Wells with 40 men had came up and Capt Berry
with 9 men had came up. our company raarchd in front today
as usuel which now consisted of 87 men in Consequence of Capt
Lindley Been attached to it.
Saturday the 2d a fine day Capt Spencer with ten men went
out on a Scout, our Company not Parading as usuel the gov-
ernor threatened to brake [?] the officers. I staid in Camp the
army staid here to build a block house on the Bank of the wa-
bash 3 miles Below vermillian in a small Prairie the house 25
feet square and a breast work from each corner next the River
down to the water. Took horses and Drawd Brush over the
Prairie to Break Down the weeds, this Kveniag a man Come
from the garrison said last night his boat was fired on one
man that was asleep killed Dead, three boats Came up and un-
loaded went back took a sick man with them. One of Capt
Robs men died tonight Capt Spencer Came in Late tonight.
Sunday the 3d. a Cloudy day we moved Earley our Com-
pany marched on the Right wing today. Crosst the Big ver-
millian through a Prairie six miles 3 miles through timber then
through a wet Prairie with groves of timber in it. after 18
miles camped in Rich grove of timber in the Prairie. Capt Spen-
cer verry sick today at 10 oclock tonight the aid Came to
ISO INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Camp ordered a subbaton [subaltern?] and ten men to Paradi
at the g-overnors- tent at 4 in the m.orning. I was ordered out
my Company made up-, a gun fired while I am riting- at Eleven,'
©clock.
monday tke 4 I went ou?t with my scouts. Joined by Capt
Prince went 18 miles through a Prairie. Cam.e to Pine Creek
a fine L-airge Creek th^n turned Back the Day Beeing Cold Cloudy
and windy. Began to rain at 11. we stopt to make fire But the
armey Carec and we had to Leave it. we crosst Pine Creek and
Campt tv70 guns fired at 8. Continued rain at inter villes. I
had one quart of whisky yesterday and one to Day of the Con-
tractors.
tuesday the 5 Cloudy day we mooved earley a Lieutenant
and 5 men sent to Scout, Came to the armey no sine seed we
went 6 miles- through timber then Prairie with groves of timber
and a number of small lakes in it — an alarm made. I was sent
out with 17 men to scout seed nothing a deer and a wolf killed
in the line, camped on a Small Branch after 18 miles, the
guns fired last night wounded a horse.
Wednesday the 6 a verry Cold day. we mooved earley a
scout sent out they Came back had seed indian sines, we
marched as usuel till 12 our spies caught four h^orses and seed
some indians. found we were near the Celebrated Prophets
town. Stopt in a prairie the foot throwd all their napsacks
in the waggons, we formed in order for Battle — marched 2
miles then formed the line of Battle v/e marched in 5 lines on
the extrem Right, went into a Cornfield then up to the above
town and surrounded it they met us Pled for Peace they said
they would give us satisfaction in the morning. All the time we
ware there they [were] hallowing. This town is on the west side
of wabash [blank] miles above Vincinnis on the Second Bank
neat built about 2 hundred yards from the river. This is the
main town, but it is scattering a mile long all the way a fine
Cornfield, after the above moovement we mooved one mile fur-
ther up. Campd in timber between a Creek and Prairie after
Crossing a fine Creek and marching 11[?] miles.
Thursday the 7 agreeable to their promise [?] Last night we
ware awakened by the firing of guns and the Shawnies Braking
into our tents a blood [y] Combat Took Place at Precisely 15
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL IBl
tiiiiuutes before 5 in the morning- which lasted two hours and 20
aninutes of a contiuewel firing- while many times mixed among
the Indians so that we Could not tell the indians and o'ar men
apart, they kept up a firing on three sides of us took our tent
ffrom the g-ueard fire, our iiien fought Brave and By the timely
3ielp of Capt Cook with a Company^ of infantry v/e: maid a Charge
and Drove them out of the timber across the prairie, our Losst
in killed and wounded was 179 and theires graiter than ours»
■among the dead was our Capt Spier Spencer and first Lieutenant
mcmahan and Capt Berry that had Been attached to our company
•and 5 more killed Dead and 15 wounded, after the indians gave
g-round we Burried our Dead. Among the Kentuckians was
killed mayj Davis [Daviess] badly wounded and a number of
others in all killed and wounded was 179 but no company suffer-
ed like ours, we then held an Election for officers. I was elected
Capt. Saml Flanagan first Lieut and Jacob Zenor second Lieut
and Philip Bell Ensign, we then built Breast-works our men
in much Confusion, our flower [flour] been too small and our
beeve last. Last night onley half Rations of whisky and no corn
for our horses, my horse killed I got mcmahons to Ride 37
of them had Been killed wounded and lost last night. I had one
quart of whisky.
friday the 8th a cloudy Da^' and Last nig-ht was also wet and
Cold, we Lay all night at our Breastwork without fire in the
morning Spies sent out found the indians had left their town,
the horsemen was all sent to burn their town. We went and
found grait Deal of Corn and Some Dead indians in the houses,
loaded 6 waggons with Corn and Burnt what was Estimated at
2 thousand Bushels and 9 of our men Died last night.
Saturday the 9 a cold cloudy day we maid all things Ready
to march got all our wounded in the waggons, mooved at one
movd 8 m [miles] and Campd, Caught some Indian horses, to-
day one man Died, Some indians said to Bee Seen my men
and some dragoons was sent out we Caught 4 horses more Be-
longing to the indians all my men that had Lost their horses
Except myself was sent to march with the militia, yesterday
we drawed one half Pound of Beef 4-3 [^?] of a Pound of flour
to last us 5 Days,
Sunday the 10. a Cold Cloudy Day we mooved Earley trav-
182 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
ailing- hard, one of my men had the ag-ue and two more sick
besides 14 that is wounded and yet livin^^ which gives me much
trouble, we marchd 15 m. Stopt and maid Breast work marchd
in front Boath Days.
Monday the 11 a Cold Cloudy Day we moved Earley 4 miles
crosst Pine Creek where we had Camped on the 4 inst thence 22
miles and Camped in a grove of Timber in a Prairie where we
had a camp on the 3 inst. lived today Chiefly on Parched Corn,
Tuesday the 12 a Clier cold night and this morning- very cold
we moved Early throug-h wet Prairie all the water frozen over
with ice which maid it very bad for our foot men. we stopt and
maid a lire to warm thence mooved to the Block house Just as
we arrived the boat came up with Provisions we Drawd beef,
flour and whisky found two men here that had run off in time of
the battle on the 7 instant. Boats cleard and Preparations mr.id
for to Embark our sick in the morning. I drawd tents had my
sick all laid in them went to the D.)ctor had all my wounds
Dresst 2 men sick and fourteen wounded.
Wednesday the 13 a fine warm day. we put as many of our
sick on board as the boats would hold and then I sent two of my
men to git the waggons the Drivers would not let them in. I
went to the governor and he had them Put in and threatened to
Put the Drivers under guard, we moved on. Crosst Littell
vermillian. Came to the River at tow [two?] at the same place
where we campd on the 31st of Last month, my Company
Crosst first then the waggons Crosst we drawd them up the Bank
the Boats Came Down Brought over our foot they then took
in some of the worst wounded and mooved off at Dark.
thursday the 14 a very Cold Day I was sent on with my
Company to search the ford of Raccoon Creek, we m^ ^ved on
Passt w^here we Campd on the 30th of Last month thence on
Passt the Creek where we had Campd on the 29th of last month
thence to the next Creek 3 miles and Camped 3 miles from the
garrison, a man died yesterday and buried to Day.
friday the 15 a Cold Day. I had orders to g-o with my Com-
pany to the garrison. Could not find our horses till sunrise,
the mounted men all left us we came to the garrison saluted
it with a fire, g-ot 8 Ears of Corn a piece for our horses. Drawd
Provision. I had a gallon of whisky a seargeant and 4 men
Left to g-ueard the governor, we moovd 8 miles and Campd at
JOHN TIPTON'S TIPPECANOE JOURNAL 183
honey Creek the gov. and my men Came up. I was Capt of
the g-ueard tonig-ht.
Saturday the 16th a very Cold Day my horse Lost my Com-
pany Did not march till after the armey. my horse found. I
went through the train [trail?] ten miles. Crosst a Creek
thence through timbered Land 10 miles the horse and men
went to the tirst house, got corn then went and campd on a fine
Creek.
Sunday the 17 a very Cold Day. The governor Came to my
Camp ordered me to take 10 men and go with him to Shaker-
town to make out muster Rolls for to Dismiss my Company this
day we arrived at 11. I got Ready mustered my Company at
Sunset fired to [two] Rounds we then Campd. my Lieuten-
ant and myself went to a house found the people kind Beyond
expectation. Supt on Chicken, Butter and tea the first time I
Dind in a house since the 18 of Septem. Returned to Camp
Passt a fine night. I had one gallon of whisky.
Monday the 18th a verry Cold Day. we Drawd six Days Ra-
tions for all my men that went home from here. Staid till 11.
the gov Returned thanks for our good conduct. I went 7 miles
and put up at a house had with me my 2d Lieut and 3 men
Supt on Pork, Butter and Honey, my horse lame.
tuesday the 19th: I had a good Breckfast before Day. a
Cold Cloudy Day 2 of my men brought horses we moovd for
vincinnis. I settled with the Quartermaster and maid out ray
muster Rolls, it Began to rain at 12. I had got to town
found that 2 of my men that Came Down in the Boat had Died
one on the 16th and the other on the 18th the Latter Beeing Geo
Spencer my Perticuler friend, my other 2 men very Bad three
men that Came Down to attend the sick informed me they had no
Provisions. I immediately furnished them, the Evening Being
Bad I staid in town had good Company. Partook of an indif-
ferent Supper and Lay By the fire, my horse that I Rode gave
up one of my wounded men gave me his to Rid[e] and I got a
publick horse for him to Ride home.
Wednesday the 20 a very Cloudy Day I was busily Engaged
setling with the Contractor till Late, he would not Pay me. I
then went to the gov. I staid till after supper he wrote to the
Contractor. I found him he told me to Call in the morning.
I then went to my lodgn.
184 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
thursday 21st. a Cloudy day. I went to the Contractor, he
paid me the money he was Due my Company. I then left town
at Eleven one of my company sick we went 16 miles. Came
to White River my sick man staid and one man with him. my-
self and four more went to the next house. Staid there g-ot
g-ood Supper and our horses fed at a moderate Price.
fridaythe22 a cold morning- we staid till our two men Came
up. Passt our Camp of the 15 at 7. we moved on and at 8
Passt where we Campd on the 16 of September, went on 18
miles at 1 Came to Drift river [west fork of White river] fed
our horses and found one man who had g-one on and walked,
fed our horses and took Dinner at 2 went on at Sunset Crosst
Lick Creek and at half Past 10 Came to the french lick, we had
our horses fed at our sick mans brothers.
Saturday 'the 23d a Cloudy Day we moved early 10 miles
and at 10 stopt took breckfast then went on. Crosst Patoka
one of our men left behind yesterday. I found a militia man
g-ave out walking- and I walked and let him Ride my horse.
Passed a bad falling- [of timber?] Stopt to let our horses graze
moved ag-ain Crosst Blue River at Sunset went one mile my
Lt [Lieutenant] and sick man stopt myself and one man went
one mile further and stopt our man that we had left Came up
late at nig-ht.
Sunday the 24th a Cloudy and Rainy morning- we niooved
Earley Came to Corrydon at half past ten. I staid two hours
and half took Breckfast mooved up to Coonrods found my
Lt and sick man. Staid 2 hours had my horses fed got some
whisky, met one of my neighbors. mooved again and at 2
oclock got safe Home after a Campaign of 74 days.
John Tipton.
Note — Appended to the journal is the following, written in
Tipton's hand:
This Day Book Kept During the Campane in the year 1811
wherein his Excellency Governor Harrison was Commander in
Chief and Col. J. B. Boyd of the 4th united States Riegement
was Second in Command Everything herein Stated the Sub-
scriber holds himself Ready to make appear to Bee fact from the
best information could be Had as it was duly kept By himself.
A MILITARY CIRCULAR OF 1812 185
A MILITARY CIRCULAR OF I8I2.
[A copy of the following- circular, issued by Governor Harrison a few
months after the battle of Tippecanoe, was found a few years since among-
some papers of John B. Dillon. Mr. Dillon, in his history of Indiana, makes
use of extracts from it, but does not publish it in full. — Editor.]
GENERAL ORDERS FOR THE MILITIA.
Headquarters, Vincennes,
16th April, 1812.
As the late murders upon the frontiers of this and the neig-h-
boring- Territories leave us little to hope of our being- able to
avoid a war with the neighboring- tribes of Indians, the com-
mander-in-chief directs that the colonels and other commandants
of corps should take immediate measures to put their commands
in the best possible state for active service. The field officers
who command battalions will visit and critically inspect the sev-
eral companies which compose them and make a report in de-
tail of their situation, particularly noting the deficiencies in
arms, ammunition and accoutrements, and such measures as the
laws authorize must be immediately taken to remedy those defi-
ciencies. The commander-in-chief informs the officers that the
most prompt obedience and the most unremitting- attention to
their duty will be required of them — the situation of the country
calls for exertion on the part of the militia, and the officers must
set the example to their men. If there are among-st them any who
have accepted appointments for the mere motive of g-ratifying
their vanity by the possession of a commission to which a title is
annexed, without having- the ability or the inclination to encoun-
ter arduous service, in justice to their country and to their own
fame they should now retire and not stand in the way of those
who are more able or more willing- to encounter the fatigue and
dangers incident to actual service in the Indian war. From the
specimen which the commander-in-chief has had of their conduct
in the field he has every reason to be proud of them, nor does he
believe that there are better militia officers to be found anywhere
those of Indiana, but in a crisis like the present they should be
all good.
The field officers are to see that proper places are appointed
186 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
for the rendezvous of the companies upon an alarm or the ap-
pearance of dang-er, and will give orders relatively to ihe mode
of their proceeding- in such exigencies as the situation of the
companies respectively call for. When mischief is done by the
Indians in any of the settlements, they must be pursued, aod the
officer nearest to the spot, if the number of men under his com-
mand is not inferior to the supposed number of the enemy, is to
commence it as soon as he can collect his men. If his force
should be too small he is to send for aid to the next officer to him,
and in the meantime take a position capable of beings defended,
or watch the motions of the enemy, as circumstances require.
The pursuit must be conducted with vig-or, and the officer com-
manding- will be held responsible for making- every exertion in
his power to overtake the enemy. Upon his return, whether
successful or not, a particular account of his proceedings must
be transmitted to the commander-in-chief and a copy of it to the
colonel of the reg-iment.
The commander-in-chief recommends it to the citizens on the
frontiers of Knox county, from the Wabash eastwardly across
the two branches of the White river, those on the northwest of
the Wabash and those in the Driftwood settlement in Harrison,
to erect blocked houses or picketed forts. It will depend upon
the disposition of the Delawares whether measures of this kind
will be necessary or not upon the frontiers of Clark, Jefferson,
Dearborn, Franklin or Wayne. Means will- be taken to ascertain
this as soon as possible and the result communicated. The In-
dians who profess to be friendly have been warned to keep clear
of the settlements, and the commander-in-chief is far from wish-
ing- that the citizens should run any risk by admitting- any In-
dians to come amongst them whose desig-ns are in the least equiv-
ocal. He recommends, however, to those settlements which the
Delawares have frequented as much forbearance as possible to-
wards that tribe, because they have ever performed with punctu-
ality and good faith their engagements with the United States,
and as yet there is not the least reason to doubt their fidelity.
It is also certain that if they should be forced to join the other
tribes in war, from their intimate knowledge of the settlements
upon the frontiers they would be enabled to do more mischief
than any other tribe.
By the commander-in-chief. A. Hurst, Aid-de-camp.
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 187
EARLY INDIANAPOLIS.
THE FLETCHER PAPERS— THIRD INSTALMENT.
The First Lazvyer in Indianapolis — Brief Sketches of Some Forgotten
Men; Obed Foote, Judge IV. W. Wick, and Harvey Gregg —
An A^iecdode of Hiram Brown.
From the Indianapolis News of May rj, iSjg.
Mr. Nowland, Mr. Ig-natius Brown and Mr. Holloway credit
Calvin Fletcher with being- the first lawyer in town. I had
thoug-ht that this was the fact until recently when I examined
my father's journal and letters. In a letter written to a lady
friend in Virg-inia he says: "You may wish to have me make some
remarks respecting-' my professional prospects. We have two
attorneys here besides myself — one was here when I came and
one has come since." Who this first one was I have no means
of knowing to a certainty. The first three who were admitted
in the first circuit court, held on September 26, 1822, appear on
the record as "Calvin Fletcher, Hiram M. Curry and Obed Foote."
If any one preceded my father I am inclined to think it must
have been Curry.
Obed Foote was one of the most remarkable characters that
early settled in Indianapolis. Although a man of kindly heart,
he let the g-ruff side of his nature appear uppermost. That he
was a kindly man I know, because he was kindly to children;
but for conceited men or men of shams he had no consideration
whatever. He blurted out just what he thoug-ht of ignoramuses
or asses, and he was not merely a man of words— he was ready
to give satisfaction physically. Yet he proved himself a just
man, with clear ideas of law, occupying- as he did until the day
of his death (in 1833) the place of the principal justice in Indian-
apolis.
News of May 24.
Judg-e W. W. Wick came to Indianapolis from Whitewater. He
'had a sing-ular combination in his character. When a young- man
he had a fine presence. He was at times dig-nified, and then
188 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
ag-ain he seemed to care nothing- for personal dig-nity and was, if
anything-, too familiar. He was eloquent as a lawyer, and yet
he sometimes mingled the sublime and the ridiculous in the most
preposterous manner. It was said of him that he had in an ex-
traordinary degree the gifts of wisdom and unwisdom, but so
curiously mixed them that one often neutralized the other. He
was acceptable as a presiding officer, but finally returned to the
bar. He entered politics and was representative in Congress
from the fifth district, but it can not be said that he was suc-
cessful as a politician.
Harvey Gregg came to Indianapolis in December, 1821. He
would have been a marked character in any community. A
Kentuckian by birth, he had the greatest admiration for English
people — for their thoroughness, system and education. He had
traveled extensively in Mexico and Central America, and I recall
with the greatest pleasure a day spent at my father's house in
which he narrated to us his adventures among the mountains
and volcanoes of the tropics. He was full of fun and practical
jokes, and many are the anecdotes which a few of our older citi-
zens preserve of him. He was a studious man, and I remember
how my child-eyes were filled with astonishment at his library
of beautifully-bound books. He had, perhaps, more dr}^ humor
and prankishness than any other man of his time in Indianapolis.
As he would saunter from his office down Washington street he
generally wore a large white, old-fashioned castor hat, and his
coat was a long frock reaching below his knees — a fashion intro-
duced by Charles X of France, who was bow-legged. He al-
ways went humming or singing. If he saw movers passing west-
ward he was sure to hail them, and if, as he judged from the
skeleton horses and the ramshackle vehicle, with wheels tied up
with hickory withes, they were from North Carolina, he would
begin drawlingly: "Carliner?" "Ya-as," the person questioned
would reply, astonished that anybody should know him. The
astonishment would give way to a friendly smile as Gregg con-
tinued in the "Carliner" tone: "Come from Beard's Hatter
Shop, or the three fish traps, or by Dobson's cross roads?" By
this time Carliner reckoned that Gregg was from "them parts,"
EARL Y INDIANAPOLIS 189
and felt sure of it when Greg-g- asked if they had come "throug-h
the crab orchard." Greg-g- had never been in North Carolina.
I remember in 1831, when I was eight years of age, I printed
with pen and ink Mr. Gregg's name and asked my father to
g-ive it to him to paste in his big white hat. About ten days
after, to my g-reat surprise, I received from Charles I. Hand, our
chief hatter, a castor for me exactly in style as that worn by
Mr. Greg-g-, and accompanying- this hat were several foolscap
sheets on which were written all the chapters and verses con-
taining- the paragraphs [?] of the Bible. These foolscap lessons
were to train my memory. He could tell by heart where each
paragraph was. With all his waggishness he had a very serious
side to his nature. My father said that often when sleeping- in
the same room with him when on the circuit he would be aroused
in the small hours of the nig-ht by Gregg- speaking- to him:
*'Wakeup, Fletcher; wake up! How you sleep! I can not; I
have been thinking- of the awfulness of eternity." On one oc-
casion, at Danville, he awoke my father at midnig-ht, saying:
"Fletcher, I can not sleep, my daug-hter is dying- at Indianap-
olis." He aroused the landlord, mounted his horse and rode to
Indianapolis to find his daug-hter, a most sweet and attractive
child, just dead. On March 23, 1833, he was taken seriously ill
at Franklin, but insisted upon gfoing to Indianapolis. The dis-
ease affected the head, and after a few days of intense sufferings
he passed away, on the 3d of April, in a state of unconscious-
ness, and was two days afterwards buried by the side of his be-
loved daug-hter, in out-lot No. 4, on Walnut street, known to old
citizens as the Frazer property. [Gregg- was one of the founders
of the "Western Censor and Emig-rant's Guide," the second paper
in Indianapolis.]
News of August 25.
I often heard my father narrate a circumstance which occurred
in the early days of circuit riding-. Judge Wick, William Quarles,
Hiram Brown and my father, when riding- to court to be held at
Danville, had reached the last cabin on the road at a late hour
in the afternoon. Heavy clouds threatened rain; the air was
cold and raw; the road a mere path throug-h the dense beech
woods. Wick and Quarles proposed to stay at the house, but Mr.
190 INDIANA MA GAZINE OF HISTOR V
Brown and my father, by way of trying- Quarles, who had dis-
g-usted them with his boastings, dashed on, and the others fol-
lowed, Quarles with muttered curses. Night rapidly overtook
them, a cold rain saturated everything-, and in the Egyptian
blackness of the forest they became hopelessly lost. Quarles,
after exhausting- his supply of oaths, became silent through sheer
inability to do anything- like justice to the subject. All secured
their horses and prepared to bivouack for the night. Brown,
who had no blanket, found Quarles' upon the ground and seized
upon it. Missing- his blanket, Quarles charged first my father
and then Wick with the abstraction, and then attacked Brown,
who, aroused with some difficulty from a deep and sudden slum-
ber, calmly admitted the possession of a blanket found by him
in the wilderness without an owner, and until a claimant ap-
peared with a better title than himself— which, in the absence
of all lig-ht on the subject could not possibly happen before
morning — he certainly should keep and enjoy the g-ood the gods
had provided. Judge Wick and my father gravely assented to
Brown's right in the matter, to the intense wrath of Quarles,
who bitterly denounced the whole company as a pack of blank
thieves, and threatened the most g-rievous consequences to Brown
if the blanket was not at once turned over. One of the party
now professed to be convinced of Quarles' rights and urged him
to immediate and vigorous measures. Throughout the oaths and
threats of Quarles could be heard the bland sentences of Brown:
"Colonel Quarles, self-preservation is the first law of nature. A
wife and small children depend upon me for support while you
are a bachelor and no one cares whether you live or die. iMy
death would be a loss to the community while yours would be un-
noticed or, perhaps, regarded as a benefit," etc. This was kept
up until consciousness left all the party except Quarles, who sat
all night, wet and wretched, at the foot of a tree.
[Here ends our reprint of this series. For the fuller text the
reader is referred to the Indianapolis News. Dates complete are
given in this magazine, Vol. II, No. 1, p. 29.]
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 191
THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF INDIANA.
FROM PAPERS OF D. D. BANTA-FOURTH INSTALMENT.
^^ Barring Ouf\- The Tables Turned 07i the Autocrat of the Rod — In-
stances of a Rude Custom Once General.
Among- the school customs of early days which have entirely
disappeared was that described as "turning out" or "barring-
out" the teacher — a sport that was never indulged in in Indiana
at any other than Christmas time.
The ostensible object in barring out a teacher was to compel
him to treat his school. It was a sort of legalized rebellion of
the scholars against the master's authority, accompanied by a
forced levy with which to purchase the particular article that
was to compose the treat, or else to furnish the treat outright
himself. Usually the deposed monarch furnished the money
and the rebels bought the treat."
The "treat" here in Indiana, as far as I have seen, always
consisted of something to eat or drink. In western Pennsyl-
vania, according to Breckinridge's "Recollections of the West,"
the object was to compel a vacation. In all cases the barring
out was made the occasion of more or less revelry and disorder.
According to a statement made in the "Life of Thomas Jef-
ferson Fisher," a Kentucky preacher, barring out was observed
"on the first holiday that came, or at the end of the session."
I find no evidence of its observance in this State at the end of
the session, although some teachers were in the habit of making
presents to their scholars at that time. Such presents were
always voluntarily made, however, and as far as my observations
went, always consisted of something else than articles of food
or drink.
I find but two instances recorded of the use of whisky in this
State with which to treat the school. One of these was in a
school in Jefferson county, and the other in Morgan. The episode
in the last-named county is reported to have occurred at Christ-
192 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
mas of the cold winter of 1825-'26. When the teacher reached
the schoolhouse on that extraordinarily cold morning- he found
the door barred and all the big- boys inside. Of course the ped-
ag-og-ue wanted in, but the boys declared that it would take a
"treat" to open the door that morning-. According-ly, Mr. Con-
duitt, the teacher, went to the nearest "g-rocery" and purchased
about a g-allon of whisky, with which he returned and ag-ain
applied for admittance. The door was at once unbarred and the
man with the jug- admitted, whereupon a season of "hig-h jinks"
followed. The master dealt out the liquor liberally, it would
seem, for some of the boys, becoming- "too full for utterance,"
had to be "sent home in disg-race." One of these boys, it is re-
corded, "went home swag-g-ering-, happy as a lark, loaded to the
muzzle with a ceaseless fire of talk, but his father quietly took
down the big- g-ad and g-ave the boy a dressing- that he remembers
to the present."
The following- account of a "turning- out" will prove of interest
in this connection. It occurred in Nashville, in this State. "The
custom," says the historian," "was so universal that the scholars
demanded their rig-ht to it, and were upheld by their parents.
Christmas came, and Mr. Gould was informed that he must treat.
The scholars refused to come to order when called and the teacher
refused to treat. After a short time the larg-er boys forcibly
captured the teacher, bound him hand and foot, and carried him
down to Greasy creek to be severely ducked in cold water unless
he surrendered and treated. Several men of the town accom-
panied this novel expedition. The stubborn teacher was carried
out into the stream by the larg-er boys, who took off their shoes
and rolled up their pants and waded out. A parley was held,
but the teacher was obstinate and was on the point of being- un-
ceremoniously baptised, when W. S. Roberts interceded, and after
some sharp words, pro and con, secured from the teacher the
promise to treat on candy and apples. He was then released,
and the cavalcade marched up to the store, where all were g-iven
a taste of the above-named delicacies.
Stubborn teachers did not always come out as well as did this
Brown county man. The school boys of a certain district in
Posey county, having- determined to compel their teacher to treat,
"upon his refusal he was promptly sat upon by the boys, who
THE EARL Y SCHOOLS OF INDIANA 193
soon overcame him and carried him down to the creek and
broke the ice. The alternative was once more g-iven him, but he
was stubborn and held out. Without ceremony he was plunged
beneath the icy water, and, yet holding- out, his tormenters
placed chunks of ice on his bare bosom, and but for the arrival
of outsiders who rescued him, serious consequences would doubt-
less have been the result." It is more than probable in this case
that the victim had been a hard master, and his pupils took ad-
vantag-e of their opportunity to get reveng-e. Jacob Powers, a
Hancock county teacher, fared worse. He had recently had a
tooth extracted, and, despite his warning- as to the risk, was
plung-ed in the cold waters of a creek. The result was lock-jaw,
from which he died.
While the teachers, as a g-eneral rule, resisted the demand to
their uttermost, there were others, however, who fell in with the
humor of the occasion and found as much fun in it as the boys
themselves. Indeed, if the teacher resisted in good earnest, even
to the point of being ducked in the ice-cold water, he was, never-
theless, "expected to forgive his enemies," and I do not remember
to have come across an instance of a teacher ever being accused
of subsequently holding malice against any one who had
wronged him in a Christmas frolic.
It must be said that those teachers who looked on the bright
side of the custom, and gave in after a brief show of resistance,
usually came out the best. On one occasion the big boys of one
William Surface's school barred the school door against him.
On reaching the schoolhouse he was, of course, refused entrance
except on the usual condition. But the teacher declined answer-
ing their oral demands, because he said, "some dispute might
arise as to what was said." If they had terms to propose they
must present them in writing. This seemed reasonable, and so
the boys put their demand on paper, which, together with pen
and ink, was handed to the diplomat on the outside. Beneath
the boys' scrawl he wrote, "I except to the above proposition —
William Surface," and passed the writing back. The boys were
satisfied, and at once opened the door. "You had better read
with care what I have written," said the master to the scholars,
when safe within. "It is one thing to accept a proposition and
quite another to except to it." The boys, now crestfallen, ac-
194 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
knowledg-ed their mistake, but the teacher, after "improving- the
occasion by warning* them ag-ainst the evil of carelessness in the
business transactions of life," g-enerouslj treated, and was there-
after loved better than ever before.
A teacher by the name of Groves, who taug-ht in a district
close up to the Marion county line, found himself barred out one
Christmas morning-. Living- in "the schoolmaster's cabin" hard
by, he called in his wife to assist him. The weather was ex-
tremely cold, and it occurred to him that if he could drown out
the fire he could freeze out the rebellion, and so, ascending- the
roof to the top of the chimney, his wife handed up buckets of
water, which he poured down on the school fire. But it was
all in vain. The boys, raking- the coals out upon the broad
hearth, defied him. His next thoug-ht was to smoke them out,
and to that end he laid boards over the chimney top. But the
boys had thoug-ht of that and provided themselves with a long-
pole with which to remove the boards. Not to be outdone.
Groves replaced the boards over the chimney and calling- upon
his wife, who seems to have entered with spirit into all his plans,
she g-allantly mounted to the comb of the roof and took her seat
on the boards to hold them down while her husband stationed
himself at the door below. But the boys tried the pole ag-ain,
and with such vig-or that they overthrew the master's dame, who,
at the risk of her life and limb, came tumbling- to the g-round.
Picking- herself up, she retired to her own domicile, leaving- her
lord to fig-ht the battle out as best he could. As the g-irls and
smaller children arrived he sent them to his own cabin, where
his wife ag-reed to keep watch and ward over them. One by one
the g-arrison became captive to the vig^ilant master, who stood
g-uard at the door, and was sent to the other house. By the
time for dismissing- in the afternoon every rebellious boy had
been taken in and the school was in full blast in the master's
cabin.
[End of series. For g-uide to full text see Vol. II, No. 1, p. 41.]
GENERAL LAFA YETTE IN INDIANA 195
GENERAL LAFAYETTE IN INDIANA.
[From Paper by Capt. L. C. Baird, prepared for the Clark County Histori-
cal Society.]
[Lafayette's visit to America in 1824-'25 was a series of ovations in which
the cities of the nation along the route of his tour vied with each other in
doing- honor to the patriot. His trip westward by the Ohio river brought
the southern border of Indiana within his circuit. Some months before
this western trip the Indiana legislature, in anticipation, passed elaborate
resolutions expressive of cordiality and hospitality, and on his arrival at
Louisville, in May, 1825, a committee waited upon him with official con-
gratulations and an invitation to Indiana soil. The distinguished visitor
accepted the proffered hospitality and the next day. May 11, he was a guest
at Jeffersonville. Captain Baird's paper in its entirety is too long for our
limited space, but so much of it as deals directly with the reception we
here print. — Ediior.]
A T 11 o'clock A. M. on Thursday the committee (Messrs.
1\. Farnham, Gwathmey, Merriwether, Beach and Burnett)
waited upon General Lafayette on board the steamboat General
Pike, to which he was escorted by the Committee of Arrang-e-
ments and Marshals of Louisville and Jefferson county. The
General was g-reeted on the Indiana shore by a salute of thrice
twenty-four g'uns, discharged from three pieces of artillery,
stationed on the river bank beside three flag-staffs, each seventy
feet in heig-ht, bearing- flag-s with appropriate mottos. He was
received by General Marston G. Clark, of Jeffersonville, and
General John Carr, of Charlestown, Marshal of the Day, and es-
corted by a detachment of three artillery companies, com-
manded by Captains Lemon, Melford and Booth, to the pleasant
mansion house of the late Governor Posey on the west corner of
Front and Fort streets overlooking the river and the city of
Louisville beyond. His progress down Front street from the
place of debarkation near the present Ferry landing- was a spec-
tacle the like of which the city had never seen before. Officials,
both State and local, tog-ether with many other men of State
and national renown from our sister commonwealths, vied with
the vast concourse of the "common people" to add to the g-ener-
ous expression of gratitude and esteem for the guest of honor.
196 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Besides the many visitors from throug-hout the State, the people
from the surrounding- country had made this a holiday that all
might be g-iven an opportunity to participate in the reception.
In addition to the three artillery companies and Captain Parker's
infantry company from Charlestown, there were other military
org-anizations present, but the absence of any records concern-
ing- the Indiana militia at this period of our history, and in fact
for many years afterward, makes it impossible to discover who
they were or whence they came.
The g-uest was met at the Posey mansion by his excellency,
Governor James B. Ray, who delivered an address of welcome,
and to this he made a brief and fitting- response. These
speeches were exchang-ed out of doors, and while the General
was still speaking- the long-threatened rain began to fall, and
his remarks had to be finished while standing under the shelter
of an umbrella proudly held by Mr. Charles Applegate, one of
the older citizens present.
The General was then conducted to chambers, provided with
refreshments, and presented to a numerous company of ladies
assembled to welcome him and to several hundreds of citizens,
including a few venerable relics of the "times that tried men's
souls."
Among the old residents of the city who were presented at the
reception was Solomon Burritt. He lived and died in the small
brick house on lower Market street about opposite the end of
Clark street. During the war of the Revolution he served under
Lafayette, and when it came Burritt's time to be presented to
his old commanding officer, they fell into each other's arms and
kissed and shed tears of joy and comradeship.
One incident occurred during the reception that served to re-
lieve the proceedings of any stiffness which might have appeared.
Captain JohnC. Parker, of Charlestown, had brought his militia
company down to Jeffersonville to form part of the large military
escort. During the presentation he took several of his men up
to be introduced. One strapping young miltiaman stepped for-
ward to shake the General's hand and politely raised his hat,
when out fell several large crackers which he had thoughtfully
provided for a lunch. The General adroitly relieved him of his
GENERAL LAFA YETTE IN INDIANA 197
embarrassment and mortification bj congratulating- him as a
g-ood soldier who carried his rations with him.
At three o'clock in the afternoon Lafayette was conducted to
dinner under a military escort accompanied by a band of music.
The table was handsomely prepared under an arbor, about 220
feet in length, well covered and ornamented throug-hout with
the verdure and foliage of the forests, among- which roses and
other flowers were tastefully interwoven by the ladies of Jeffer-
sonville. This table was set in the woods just above the
Governor's house, about 100 feet above Fort street, and in con-
structing the arbor or covering, as was usual at that day on
such occasions, the branches of the surrounding- beech trees were
used. Mr. Burdette C. Pile, later Mayor of Jeffersonville, then
a 3'oung- man and the owner of a fine yoke of oxen, used his ox
rig- in transporting the brush from the near woodlands to the
scene of festivity, an incident which he was proud of relating
to the day of his death.
At the head of the table was hung- a transparent painting- on
which was inscribed, "Indiana welcomes Lafayette, the champi-
on of liberty in both hemispheres," over which was a flag bear-
ing the arms of the United States. At the foot of the table
was a similar painting- with the following inscription: "Indiana
— in 1776 a wilderness; in 1825 a civilized community. Thanks
to Lafayette and the soldiers of the Revolution." The company
was honored by the' presence of many disting-uished g-entlemen
from Kentucky, Tennessee, and other States, among whom were,
Governor Carroll and suite, Hon. C. A. WicklifPe, Judg-es Barry
and Bledsoe, Attorney General Sharp, Colonel Anderson, the
Honorable John Rowan, with the Committee of Arrang-ements of
Louisville and Jefferson county. Major Wash, Mr. Neilson, etc.
The dinner was followed by a long list of toasts which con-
tinued until six o'clock, at which hour Lafayette left the table
and was re-escorted to the General Pike. Here the committee
of arrangements from Kentuky resumed the honor of their spe-
cial attendance, in which they were joined by the Governor of In-
diana and suite, the Marshals, and the Indiana committee of
arrangements, who accompanied the guest to Louisville.
198
INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
A FAMOUS CAMPAIGN SONG,
[For the now-forg-otten music of this most famous of the old campaig-a
song-s of 1840 we are indebted to Messrs. Alva O. Reser and J. S. Berg-en,
of Lafayette. The former found a venerable inmate of the Soldiers'
Home, near Lafayette, who remembered the air, and from his rendition of
it the notes were secured and the song- reproduced on a phonograph record.
From this record the music was kindly re-written for this mag-azine by Pro-
fessor Berg-en. It is, perhaps, superfluous to explain that the "Tippe-
canoe" of the song- was W. H. Harrison, the hero of Tippecanoe battle,
who in 1840 was the presidential candidate, and that "little Van" was the
opposing- candidate, Martin Van Buren. The "hard cider" campaign,
unique in its character, was one of frolic and songs, and this song, with
others, was roared by untold thousands of Whigs from one end of the
country to the other. — Editor J\
TIPPECANOE AND TYLER TOO.
P
J J ;
^ — ^
-^ ^ 4
\Nhot ha^ caused th/o great com • mo - Lion
^S
4=j
^
mo-tion, mo-tion, Our country through ft
^^
^
»
IS the ball Q-roll-/ng on, For 77p - pe - ca
pir-l— 1. 1 1 V ±'\'i \ I 1 I
noe and Ty-ler too. T/p-pe-ca r?oe and , -^
gt
^
We^
-^ ^'
^
7J/-/er too- And with them sA^e'/i bQat
-iW—
^
^
lit 'tie l/an, l/on, Van /s a usee/ up man;
^
^
-?^F=^-
^
-aih
And \A/ith then we'll beat lit-t/e l/an.
A FAMOUS CAMPAIGN SONG 199
Like the rushing- of mighty waters, waters, waters,
On it will g"0,
And in its course will clear the way
For Tippecanoe and Tyler too.
And with them we'll beat little Van, Van!
Van is a used-up man;
And with them we"ll beat little Vanl
Don't you hear from every quarter, quarter, quarter,
Good news and true —
That swift the ball is rolling on for
Tippecanoe, etc.
Now you hear the Van jacks whispering, whispering, whis-
pering,
Things look quite blue.
For all the world seems turning round for
Tippecanoe, etc.
Let them talk about hard cider, cider, cider.
Log cabins too;
'Twill only help to speed the ball for
Tippecanoe, etc.
Little Matty's days are numbered, numbered, numbered.
Out he must go.
And in the chair we'll put the good old
Tippecanoe, etc.
Who, then, shall we send to Congress, Congress, Congress?
Who, tell me who?
Why, honest freemen, sound, true friends of
Tippecanoe, etc.
And when they get there, I can tell you, tell you, tell you,
What they will do—
They'll make good laws and have them sealed with
Tippecanoe, etc.
INDIANA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Published at Indianapolis, Indiana.
George S. Coxtman, Editor and Publisher.
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
ERRORS CORRECTED.
An article on John D. Defrees in our last issue was there ac-
credited to Mr. Berry Sulg-rove as the author. This we inferred,
and the inference was reasonable from the material in our pos-
session, but it was an error. The article from which we drew,
anonymously published at the time of Mr. Defrees' death, was
written by Mr. Morris Ross, of the Indianapolis News. The date
of Mr. Defrees' death, given as 1892, should have read 1882.
This simply was a typographical error that escaped in the proof
reading. Our attenion is called, also, to a sentence in the
article on "Early Newspapers" which seems to question the date
of founding of the Richmond Palladium. We did not mean to
discredit the claim that it was founded in 1831, but the claim
that it was the oldest now existing in the State, barring the
Vincennes Sun. Others claim dates earlier than 1831.
LAPORTE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Mr. R. B. Oglesbee, of Laporte, Ind., writes:
"By the formation in Januar}', 1906, of the Laporte County
Historical Society there is one more to add to your list of local
historical associations in this State. We are holding interest-
ing monthly meetings and a good collection of local historical
matter is being accumulated."
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
The above correspondent also supplies us with the names of
several Revolutionary soldiers buried in Laporte county. These
are: Hezekiah Smith, Door Village; Clark Burlingame, Door
Village; Henry Van Dalsem, Kankakee township; Abijah Bige-
low, Michigan City; Simon Wheeler, Law's cemetery. Cool
Spring township.
EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 201
We are in receipt of two anonymous communications, one, and
probably both of which, come from the Lafayette Post of the
D. A. R. These, covering- the same g-round, state that Nathaniel
Richmond, father of Dr. John L. Richmond, one of the pioneer
physicians of Indianapolis, is buried in a private family g-rave-
yard on his own farm at Pendleton, Ind. He was born in Taun-
ton, Mass., in 1760; enlisted at the age of fifteen or sixteen, and
served in the 2d Massachusetts Volunteers. He married Susan-
nah Lambert. After the war he moved to Chesterfield, Mass.,
and later to Herkimer, N. Y., finally coming- to the new State
of Indiana, where he took up land at Pendleton. He died Sept.
1, 1829. His discharge from the army was signed by George
Washington, 1783. Another son was Rev. Nathaniel Richmond,
and a grandson was Dr. Corydon Richmond, surgeon from Indi-
ana in the Civil war, who recently died at Kokomo, Ind., at the
age of ninety-eight years.
LOCAL HISTORY CONTRIBUTIONS.
William Wells, Indian Captive. — In the Fort Wayne Journal-
Gazette for August 12, 1906, Frank Dildine tells the romantic
story of William Wells who, taken captive by the Indians when
a small boy, was reared among the Miamis. He and the famous
Little Turtle grew up together as close friends; he married the
sister of Little Turtle, and when the latter became chief he made
his friend his trusted lieutenant in the warfare with the whites
preceding Wayne's campaign. Before Wayne's incursion Wells
went back to his people in Kentucky, parting amicably with his
foster brethren, and he joined the expedition against them that
resulted in their subjugation. After the treaty of Greenville he
remained at Fort Wayne, resuming relations with his Indian
family and their people. He was massacred by hostile Indians
near Fort Dearborn, in 1812. A letter describing the affair,
written by one of Wells' companions and but recently made pub-
lic, is published in Mr. Dildine's article.
The Betrayal of Ensign Holmes. — The above writer in the same
publication, date July 22, 1906, narrates another romance of
Indian life — that of ensign Holmes, the young English of&cer in
command of Fort Miami (where Fort Wayne stands) in 1763,
202 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
and who was decoyed to his death and his g-arrison captured
throug-h the ag-ency of his Indian mistress. The story in its sub-
stance is not new, but Mr. Dildine dwells upon it more circum-
stantially than preceding historians, one of his sources of infor-
mation being- an ag-ed resident of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Laura Sut-
tenfield, who saw and talked to the Indian woman in the case,
when the latter was very old. She disclaimed being- a guilty
party to the plot and implied that she had been avenged on the
slayers of her lover.
HISTORICAI. INTEREST IN WHITLEY COUNTY.
An intended notice of the historical interest manifested in
Whitley county was crowded out of our last issue. This interest
expresses itself in an annual "Old Settlers' Day" in which the
county at large seems to participate. The occasion in 1905 drew
together something like 6000 people, and while the meeting last
summer (Aug. 16) was not so large, the county seat, Columbia
City, was given over to it. One feature was the presence, as
guests of honor, of the granddaughter and great-grandson of
the famous Miami Indian, Little Turtle. The former, Mrs.
Anthony Revarre, is now ninety-six years old, and she and her
son Anthony Revarre, respectively named, in their own lan-
guage, "Kil-so-quah" and "White Loon," belong to the few lin-
gering representatives of an almost vanished race, and their
neighbors of the succeeding race have done well to honor them.
Kilsoquah, it is affirmed, is the last full-blood Miami Indian in
the State, all others having a strain of Caucasian blood.
The interest in this direction among the Whitley county people
was still more strikingly exemplified the past summer by a com-
pany of more than one hundred devoting a day and going in a
body on an exploring expedition to establish, if possible, certain
land marks, and verify cert^iin traditions of Indian times in a re-
gion rich with Indian history. This, we understand, was in the
interest of a history of Whitley county now in course of prepar-
ation. Space permitting, we would be glad to reprint the local
account of this expedition, but we can only note and call atten-
tion to the veiy commendable spirit in Whitley county, which
we trust will "grow by what it feeds upon."
NEWSPAPER INDEX 203
NEWSPAPER INDEX.
INDIANA JOURNAL— SECOND INSTALMENT.
1828—
Bad roads and mails. — Jan. 3.
Art: First portrait painter (R. Terrell). — March 27.
Paper mill at Madison. — May 8.
White river, navig-ability of. — May 15.
Indians, treaty with "Thornton band." — June S.
Library movement. — June 12. (Also July 3).
Roads and highways (series, beginning) — June 12.
Abel C. Pepper, sketch of. — July 17.
Canals (series, beginning) — Aug. 28.
Emigration to Wabash county. — Oct. 2.
Pire company, first. — Oct. 23.
Bible society; annual report. — Nov. 20.
Governor James B. Ray, inaugural speech. — Dec. 13.
Temperance Society (ad.) — Dec. 17.
Agent of State for Indianapolis, report of.— Dec. 20.
1829—
State House, proposed location of (communication). — Jan. 21.
Sunday mails.— Feb. 12.
Nomenclature: Lafayette and Indian names of several
streams.— March 5.
Grape culture. — April 16.
Indian lands, disposition of, etc. — April 16.
Sabbath schools in Marion county. — May 14.
"Message" to the "Indianapolis legislature." — May 21.
Tract Society, report of. — May 21.
Fourth of July, Sabbath school celebration and address by
Jas. Morrison. — July 9.
Sale of pews (ad.) — July 9.
Astronomy: "Anti-Newtonian" system; lecture by John Rich-
ardson, endorsed by James B. Ray and W. W. Wick. — July 30.
Female school; terms per quarter.— July 30.
204 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
Cumberland (National) Road; advertisement for proposals,
with names of those who had not relinquished land. — Sept. 3.
(Much discussion of this road about this time.)
Log-ansport, description of, and first newspaper. — Sept. 10.
Immigration to New Purchase (ed. ) — Sept. 17.
Temperance Society, — Dec. 3. (Also Dec. 8.)
Tippecanoe Battleground, contemplated sale of. — Dec. 3.
1S30—
Indian affairs; address by Milton Stapp. — Feb. 17.
Indian affairs; address by Graham (Subject: Extending-
the laws of the State over the Indian tribes.) — Feb. 24.
"Indianapolis Leg-islature," oration by Samuel Merrill. —
March 3.
"Indianapolis Leg-islature." — Feb. 17.
Bible Society, address before by Dr. Coe. — May 12.
Indians, removal of and cost to States. — July 7.
First menag-erie, advertising- the "kinkajou," etc. — July 21.
"Grand menag-erie," with a "rompo." — Aug-. 18.
Colonization Society. — Sept. 1. (Also Sept. 8).
Immigration. — Sept. 8.
James B. Ray, communication from, with punctuation, etc.,
as it left the writer's hand; literary curiosity. — Sept. 22.
Tippecanoe Battleg-round, re-interring* of dead. — Sept. 29.
(Also Nov. 3.)
Indiana Historical Society. — Dec. 15. (Also Dec. 25.)
Sales of lots for a number of new towns advertised this year.
1831—
Sale of Indianapolis lots by lottery (ad.) — Jan. 1.
Colonization Society. — Jan. 26.
Medical Society. — Jan. 26.
Portrait painter at Indianapolis (ad.) — Feb. 2.
Wild Man: g-ood story. — Feb. 5.
"Indianapolis Legislature." — March 12.
James Noble, death of. — March 12. (Also March 19).
White River, navigation of. — March 26. (Arrival of steam-
boat, "General Hanna.")
Donation land, sale of. — April 30.
Noah Noble, circular announcing candidacy for Governor's of-
fice. — May 7.
NEWSPAPER INDEX 205
State House, plans advertised for. — May 21.
Literary Society. — June 4.
National Road bridg-e, bids advertised for. — June 11.
Ray, James B., letter from. — June 18.
Cumberland Road, proposals for (ad.) — June 18.
Cumberland Road, sale of lots advertised. — June 18.
Ryland T. Brown, oration by. — July 23.
Michig-an Road lands, sale of (ad.) — July 23.
Soda fountain, first. — July 23.
National Road bridg-e, letting- of contract. — Aug-. 6.
Court House square, enclosing- of.— Sept. 17.
Market House, ad. for meeting- to consider. — Sept. 24.
Temperance Society. — Oct. 15.
Historical Society. — Dec. 14.
Michig-an Road lands, sale of. — Aug-. 13.
State House, plans submitted for (ed.) — Dec. 31.
1832—
Canal Bill.— Jan. 11.
Canal Bill, debate on. — Jan. 18.
State House.— Feb. 25.
Railroad meeting-.— March 10.
Lyceum of Indianapolis. — March 17.
Market House meeting-. — March 24.
Lyceum. — April 7.
Market House. — April 7.
Lyceum. — May 26.
Indian War, rumor of (Black Hawk.) — June 3.
Indian scare, call for Indiana company. — June 9.
Indian War. — June 16, June 23.
Colonization Society. — June 23.
Indian War. — June 30.
Michig-an Road. — June 30.
Indian War, return of soldiers. — July 7.
Market House, finished.— Aug-. 11.
Canal lands, sale of. — Sept. 1.
Wabash, improvement of. — Sept. 8, Sept. 15, Sept. 22.
Cumberland Road. — Oct. 6.
206 INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY
1833—
Indianapolis Leg-islature. — Jan. 2.
Colonization Society, address. — Jan. 5, Jan. 12.
"Indianapolis Leg-islature." — Feb. 16.
Wabash Canal. — April 6.
Drowning- of McPherson by Van Blaricum (first homicide. )-
May 11.
Remarkable g-irl (medium.) — May 25.
Colonization Society. — June 22.
Wabash Canal. — July 13.
Thompson, R. W., 4th of July Oration.— July 20.
Michig-an Road (ad.) — Aug-. 10.
Books, list of sold (ad.) — Aug. 10.
Star shower. — Nov. 16.
"New Novels" (ad.) — Nov. 23.
Far West, village of (ad.)— Dec. 14.
Wabash Canal.— Dec. 21.
INDEX.
INDIANA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF HISTORY.
VOLUME II.
Page.
Animals, Wild, of Indiana 13
Banta, D. D. (See Schools.)
Bolton, Nathaniel, and George Smith 121
Brown, Austin H.: "The First Printers in Indianapolis 121
Defrees, John D., Sketch of 147
Documents, Some Old Indianapolis 37
Fletcher Journals. (Series, See Early Indianapolis.)
Friends' Memorial Against Bearing Arms 27
Frigate Constitution, Preservation of 102
Furs, Prices of 14
Fur Traders, Early, of Indiana 1
Genealogy: The Poindexter Family 155
Hanway , Amos, Reminiscences of 39
Historical Societies, Local 52, 101, 201
Hoover, David, Memoir of 17
Index of Indiana Journal 151, 203
Indianapolis, Old Documents of 37
Indianapolis, Early (Series from Fletcher Journals) 29, 73, 127, 187
Indianapolis, Population Chart of. Frontispiece for March number.
Iowa, What They Are Doing in 50
Indian Mounds in DeKalb County 55
Julian, George W., Sketch of by his Daughter 57
Julian, George W., Autobiography of , 70
Local History Contributions — pp. 53-55: Post Vincennes, The True Site
of Fort Knox, The George Lay Raid, Anti-Slavery Heroes of Old New-
port, New Harmony Documents, Genesis of Methodism in Richmond,
The Story of Edward Swanson; pp. 103-105: Moravian Mission on
White River, Union Literary Society, Baber's History of Green
County; pp. 160-162: Reminiscences of an Indianian, Reminiscences
of Early Indianapolis, Early Newspapers of Richmond, Old Fort near
Richmond; p. 201: William Wells, Indian Captive; The Betrayal of
Ensign Holmes.
Lafayette, General, in Indiana 195
Lasselle, C. B.: "Old Fur Traders of Indiana" 1
Military Circular of 1812 185
National Road Bridge at Indianapolis, Building of 39
208 INDEX
National Road, Early Work On 40
Navigable Streams, List of 94
Newspapers, Early Indiana 107
Newspapers and Public Libraries 158
Newspaper Index 151, 203
Printers, First in Indianapolis 121
Printing Press, First Steam in Indianapolis (With Frontispiece for Sep-
tember number) 157
Reminiscences of Amos Hanway 39
Revolutionary Soldiers, Graves of, in Indiana 97, 159, 200
Richmond Laid Off and Named by David Hoover 24
River Navigation in Indiana 89
Schools, Early, of Indiana (Series by D. D. Banta) 41, 81, 131, 191
Settlers' Meeting, First 28
Snow Fall in 1869 105
Squirrel Burgoo 16
Sulgrove, Berry, Sketch of 139
Tippecanoe, Battle of (Account of Isaac Naylor) 163
Tippecanoe Battleground, Map of (Frontispiece for December number).
Tippecanoe Campaign (Journal of John Tipton) 170
Tippecanoe, Line of March to. Map. (Frontispiece for December num-
ber.)
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too (Song, with music) 198
Tipton, John, Tippecanoe Journal of ... 170
Twelve-Mile Purchase, First Settlers in 26
Wabash River, Navigation on ... 93
Wayne County, First Old Settlers' Meeting in 21
