The rooster; its origin as the democratic emblem

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THE ROOSTER

THE NEV/ YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TILDE N POUNbl^T^Of^.

THE OLDEST ROOSTER IN HANCOCK COUNTY

TO MY GRANDFATHER

WILLIAM MITCHELL, ESQ.

LATE EDITOR OF

THE HANCOCK DEMOCRAT

Whose pen fought the battles of Democracy

for more than fifty years, this little

volume is affectionately

dedicated.

"Oh, Home-Folks! you're the best o( all
'At ranges this terestchul ball, —
But, North er South, er East er West,
It's home is where you're at your best."

— ^James Whitcomb Riley.

First Edition limited to
(our hundred copies

The Rooster

Its Origin as flie Democratic Emblem

BY
JOHN FOWLER MITCHELL. JR.

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THE WILLIAM MITCHPXL Pl^^ttNG CO/ '

Grccn£el(l, Indiana

191S

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASrOR, LfiNOX AND

Tito N FOUNOATJONS.

R 1913 ,

Copyrighted by

JOHN F. MITCHELL. JR.
1913

All rights reserve

PART I

The Rooiter — Its Origin as the Democritic
Emblem.

PART II

Chapman and His Home Folk*,

THE ROOSTER

At the close of a most notable campaign
in American history, when a Democratic vic-
tory has swept the country from coast to coast,
it is fitting that the story of the origin of the
party's emblem — the Rooster — be told in this
little volume, for it was in the heart of Indiana,
in a pioneer campaign back in 1840 that the
proud bird came into its own. To be more
exact, the emblem's birthplace was Greenfield,^
Hancock County, Indiana, and its originator
Mr. Joseph Chapman, one of her famous sons.

By those who have followed Indiana's lit-
erary history it will be remembered that Green-
field is the birthplace and home of the beloved
Hoosier Poet, Mr. James Whitcomb Riley,
and we shall see in the development of this
story how the poet is indirectly connected with
the Chapmans.

Greenfield, in 1840, was scarcely a town,
— merely a little settlement of pioneers whose
huts, built upon the National Road, basked in

ONE

[he summer sun, with the occasional rumbHng
of a stage coach and the muffled note of the
woodman's axe to break the monotony of her
drowsy simplicity.

In the pioneer communities the tavern was
the center of social life and interest, and Green-
field was no exception to the rule. Strange to
say, Greenfield's first tavern, built in 1 834, by
Joseph Chapman, the originator of the Dem-
ocratic emblem, stands today in a fair state of
preservation. Apropos to this, with your par-
don, I will add that my great-grandfather,
Mr. James B. Hart, purchased the old tavern
from Chapman and sold it to the Goodings,
who are its present owners.

The tavern was headquarters for the De-
mocracy of this part of Indiana and it was here
that the political career of Chapman had its be-
ginning.

Joseph Chapman was an honest, sincere
man, gifted with a pleasing personality, a con-
vincing tongue, and a wit remembered to this

day for its keenness. His personality expressed
itself in every movement at the opening of
Hancock County's history, and the debt this
particular section of Indiana owes to Joseph
Chapman, had he not given us the Democratic
emblem, is indeed great, for he was an efficient
county officer, a legislator, an orator and a
soldier.

Mr. Chapman was a native of the Buckeye
State and lived for several years in Rush Coun-
ty, Indiana, before coming to Hancock County
in 1 829. He was twice married ; first to Miss
Jane Curry, by whom he had six children; the
second time to Miss Matilda Agnes, by whom
he had five children. His first wife is buried
in the old cemetery in Greenfield. He was
elected Clerk of the County in 1832 and rep-
resentative in the lower house of the Legisla-
ture in 1837, 1839, 1841, 1842, and 1843.

From the very beginning of his political
career he was the most optimistic politician
then stumping the country and this character-

istic was always associated with Chapman. At
the beginning of each campaign Chapman
claimed every county in the State. He was a
spellbinder of note and would, by one of his
characteristic speeches, put new life and new
hope into a section or community that was
overwhelmingly Whig. This sort of thing today
would be called boasting, but to the men of the
early period it was ''crowing." Especially
did the opposing • party ,^ — the Whigs, — dub
Chapman's original style of oratory — "crow-
ing." Despite this fact Chapman's style was
effective; so much so that he was sent into
doubtful sections and always succeeded in se-
curing a Democratic victory.

A picturesque and interesting character was
this Joseph Chapman, of Greenfield, and a
Democrat of the Jacksonian type, a man of the
people.

The period of which I write was the fa-
mous "Log Cabin and Hard Cider Campaign"
of 1 840, and it was at this time that the Demo-

crats chose for their National emblem the
Rooster. It was the first National campaign
after the panic of 1837 and the Whigs were
encouraged by the coming of many Demo-
crats to their ranks. These Democrats believed
that by the changing of the party in power
better times would follow. The Democrats
had selected Martin Van Buren to lead them
in the approaching campaign. The Whigs
held their convention in Harrisburg, Pa., and
William Henry Harrison and John Tyler were
chosen as their leaders. General Harrison was
at one time Governor of Indiana Territory and
by his brilliant military victories at Tippecanoe,
and other Indian strongholds in Indiana, was-a
popular military hero in the Hoosier State. No
doubt many older men will remember the cam-
paign song of **Tippecanoe and Tyler too.**
The Democrats had been in power several
years and the possibility of electing Van Buren
was indeed discouraging. However, the de-
pressing situation did not dampen the ardor of

Toseph Chapman, who remained as optimistic
as of yore.

Joseph Chapman, at this time, was a can-
didate for representative in ^ the Legislature
against Thomas D. Walpole, the most briUiant
Whig in Eastern Indiana, and his personal
campaign was one of the most complete in his
career.

Early in the campaign the two candidates
announced that they would travel together and
speak from the same platform, as was custo-
mary at that time. Arrangements had been
made for a great celebration in the north cen-
tral part of the State and both candidates were
to be there, Mr. Walpole speaking to the
people from the standpoint of a Whig and Mr.
Chapman advocating Democratic principles.

Mr. Walpole was a man most particular
about his personal appearance and always ap-
peared in a well tailored suit and a ruffled
shirt. This subjected him to a great deal of
public criticism from Chapman, the Democrat,

fvl

THOMAS D. WALPOLF.

'r.

who styled him '*a fop in a ruffled shirt." The
night before this meeting Mr. Chapman gave
his home-spun shirt to the wife of the tavern
keeper to be laundered and ready for him the
next morning. During the night, unfortunate-
ly, the shirt was stolen from the line and the
Democratic candidate spent the greater part of
the morning in bed. His opponent kindly of-
fered one of his ruffled shirts but Chapman
would not think of appearing in such attire. Mr.
Walpole insisted, explaining that the neck
could be turned under and his coat buttoned
over the ruffles. As there was no alternative
Chapman fell into the trap.

The Whig candidate spoke first, closing his
address with the usual criticism of the Demo-
cratic party. Mr. Chapman followed with a
denouncement equally as bitter against the
Whigs, also calling the attention to the frailty
of a candidate who unfailingly appeared in a
ruffled shirt. After Mr. Chapman had con-
cluded the young attorney, Walpole, stepped

again before the people and said he was not
in favor of putting a man in office who was an
impostor, declaring, ''This Democrat has criti-
cised me for wearing a ruffled shirt. Now, gen-
tlemen, behold his ruffled shirt!'* at the same
time throwing open the front of Chapman's
coat. However, we can forgive Walpole for
this, as later he left the Whigs and became a
Democrat.

Mr. George Pattison at this time was the
editor of "The Constitution," a Democratic*
newspaper published in Indianapolis. It is
quite evident that unencouraging reports of the
situation in Hancock County reached his ear
and he wrote a letter in June, 1840, to the
Postmaster, William Sebastian, one of the
leaders of the party in the county. A copy
of this letter it has been my good fortune to
secure. It is the famous message to Chapman
which was at first taken up as a sort of battle
cry by the Democratic press in central Indiana,
and like wild fire spread throughout the land.
The letter is as follows: —

**IndianapoIis, June 12, 1840.
"Mr. Sebastian: —

"Dear Sir: — I have been informed by a
Democrat that ni one part of your county
thirty Van Buren men have turned for Har-
rison. Please let me know if such be the
fact. Hand this letter to General Milroy. I
think such a deplorable state of facts can not
exist. If so, I will visit Hancock and address
the people relative to the policy of the Demo-
cratic party. I have no time to spare, but I
will refuse to eat or sleep or rest so long as
anything can be done. Do, for heaven's sake,
stir up the Democracy. See Chapman, tell
him not to do as he did heretofore. He used
to create unnecessary alarms; he must CroW;
we have much to crow over. I will insure this
county to give a Democratic majority of 200
votes. Spare no pains. Write instanter.

"George Pattison."

The letter was read and left on the table
in the postoffice, where it was picked up by
Thomas D. Walpole, read and copied. It
was published in the Indianapolis Semi-
Weekly Journal, the leading Whig newspaper
of the State, June 1 6, 1 840. Its publishers were
Douglass & Noel. This paragraph appeared
before the letter in the Journal as follows: —

"Tell Chapman To Crow."

"If any of the friends of General Harrison
have felt at all discouraged as to the result,
either in August or in November, we think a
perusal of the letter published below will
cause all their fears to vanish. The confidence
exhibited by the Van Buren party is assumed
only for effect and this letter, from the pen
of the principal Van Buren editor in this town,
is not only characteristic of the source from
which it emanated, but will sufficiently illus-
trate the truth of our remarks. The copy has

been handed us for publication by a citizen of
Greenfield.**

Then follows Mr. Pattison*s letter to the
postmaster as printed above.

It is quite evident that the discovery of the
letter by the Whigs created a sensation. Below
is another article copied from the "Indianapolis
Journal** which appeared June 1 6, 1 840, writ-
ten by a Whig of Greenfield and sent to the
paper for publication. The article is as fol-
lows : —

"Greenfield, June 12, 1840.
"Mr. Editor:—

"A letter came to the post office in this
place this morning, addressed to the postmas-
ter, by the editor of the ^Constitution,* ask-
ing for information on the state of our politics,
and giving advice which he considers of vital
importance to the party in its present sinking
condition. A Whig accidentally got hold of
the letter and took a copy. It shows, if any-
thing can, their true situation as understood and

felt by themselves. It calls in the most de-
sponding language, on the postmaster at this
place, to write immediately and let him (the
editor of the 'Constitution') know if any such
a deplorable state of things does really exist
as had just been reported to him by a credit-
able Van Buren citizen of this county. This
deplorable state of things is nothing more than
this credible Van Buren citizen had told him
that he feared Van and Howard could do
nothing in this county, and that within his own
knowledge thirty to fifty original Jackson m.en
had left Martin Van Buren and joined the
stand of General Harrison. The editor then
requests the postmaster to tell Joseph Chapman
(the lo - CO - fo - CO - candidate for Represen-
tative in this county) for heaven's sake to
Crow, Yes Crow, even if their case appear
to be hopeless. He tells him to speak as though
he were confident of success. He then, prob-
ably by way of illustration and to show what
is meant by 'crowing,' states that Marion

'A

County is safe for a majority of 200 Van
Buren votes. He also calls on the assistant mar-
shal, General Milroy, a petticoat hero, to stir
up the Democracy while he is engaged in his
official duties of taking the census. This let-
ter shows that the locos are aware of the true
condition of affairs and to keep up appearances
the hired officeholders and officeseekers are in-
forrhed that they must crow to keep up their
fast sinking cause. The editor of the 'Con-
stitution' can be furnished with a copy of this
letter by addressing the Tippecanoe Club of
Greenfield.

"One Ox^ the Club."

A month later another letter appeared in
the "Semi-Weekly Journal'* in its issue of July
30, 1840. The letter is as follows: —

"Greenfield, July 13, 1840.
"Mr. Moore: —

"As the Loco-focos keep a Crower in our
county I will take upon me occasionally to let

you know how we are getting along, and give
statements of facts only. Mr. Chapman has,
since he received his peremptory order to crow,
been doing all that lies in his power as a
Grower. But as the people are now satisfied
that he is only obeying imperative orders, his
Crowing passes off with about as great profit
to him and his party as would the shearing of
a squealing porker to his shearers. He has
been crowing very loud lately, hoping thereby
to effect something for himself and his party in
an election for magistrate in Blue River Town-
ship. The election took place on last Satur-
day and the result was that the vote of Mr.
Hackleman (Whig) more than doubled that
of Mr. Gallaher, who is a very prominent Van
Buren m.an. Mr. Hackleman received 87
votes and Mr. Gallaher 41 votes. It is proper
to state that Mr. Gallaher has always been
very popular in his township. He has always
heretofore received almost a unanimous vote.
Mr. G. ran for sheriff at the last election and

was second highest on the Hst where four others
were running for the same office. At that time,
however, the Whigs knew of no Crowing
*bulletins' being issued, and a great many of
them voted for Mr. Gallaher.

**You may rest assured that all will be right
in this county at the August and November
elections. Mr. Chapman can have no possible
hopes of being elected, notwithstanding he has
the *census taker* to assist him in crowing. He
has resorted to means that no honorable man
would, by making unfounded statements, cal-
culated to injure the private character of Mr.
Walpole, his opponent. His slanders against
Mr. Walpole he attempts to prove, by obtain-
ing a certificate which answers his purpose,
from Col. Tague. But this certificate Mr.
Walpole rebukes by getting another certificate
from Col. Tague (who is a very accomm.o-
dating old gentlem.an in the certificate line)
which makes exactly a counter statement to
the one he gave Chapman. The two certifi-

cates show what is phrenologically termed
'Destmctiveness' more than anything I can
now think of, except the story of the two *Kil-
kenny cats.' The first certificate aims at the
destruction of Mr. Walpole's private charac-
ter ; the second being from the same person and
exactly reverse of the first, will be likely to
show its destructiveness on the veracity of its
goodnatured vender, and lastly, like the Kil-
kenny cats, the two certificates destroy each
other, and in this instance do not leave even
a greasy spot.

*'Hancock."

It will be noticed that the idea of "crow-
ing*' was the theme against which the Whig
political writers centered their attack. Indeed
the Whigs had discovered the uneasiness of
their opponents and had also, by the finding
of the letter, ascertained the policy outlined by
Mr. Pattison — to keep up the fight for appear-
ance's sake alone.

SEVENTEEN v ^

The word *'crowing" fitted Chapman to
the letter and the Whigs made the most of it.
Strange to say, this idea of gameness, daring,
or tenacity, expressed in the order *'Crow,
Chapman, Crow!*' caught the popular fancy
of the Democrats; they liked its ring. They
were in sympathy with their leader, Mr. Chap-
man, and the expression "Crow, Chapman,
Crow!'* was taken by them as complimentary
to their leader rather than a term of ridicule,
as the Whigs had used it. Notwithstanding
this avalanche of criticism, or the handwriting
on the wall, of the parties approaching defeat,
Joseph Chapman fought on, and while the
Democracy went down in defeat in the Na-
tional election, he was elected Representative
to the Indiana Legislature. At the close of the
August election in 1840 the "Semi- Weekly
Journal** of August 13, 1840, could not re-
sist the temptation of another thrust and print-
ed the following editorial : —

EIGHTEEN

"Crow, Chapman, Crow!"

**A letter written from this place on the
1 2th of June last to the postmaster at Green-
field, directing Chapman to *crow' and declar-
ing that the party had much to crow over, says,

** *I will insure this county to give a Demo-
cratic majority of 200 votes.'

"Well, it did give upwards of 300 Demo-
cratic majority — not indeed for patent Democ-
racy— but for the real Harrison Democracy."

The campain of 1 840 was the greatest that
had ever occurred in the State. At this time
the West was gaining recognition in the East,
and with it the conviction that this part of the
United States was to be a factor in the election.
The Whig candidate for President, General
William Henry Harrison, was a western man
and lived in a small and modest house at North
Bend, on the Ohio River, a short distance from
the Indiana line. The Democrats in the cam-
paign styled General Harrison the "Log Cabin

and Hard Cider Candidate.'* His friends
took up these terms and made them the party's
battle cry. This year was also the first cam-
paign in which processions, parades and bar-
becues were introduced as a part of the polit-
ical campaign work. In every State great pro-
cessions paraded the streets and country roads,
carrying miniature log cabins and barrels of
hard cider.

In no State did political excitement run
higher than in Indiana. The great meeting
of the campaign was held at the Tippecanoe
battle ground where the principal orators of
the party addressed the people upon the very
spot where their standard bearer a few years
back won his brilliant military victory.

The Whigs had in their parades miniature
log cabins and barrels of hard cider. Their
battle cry of the "Hard Cider and the Log
Cabin" no doubt created a desire among Indi-
ana Democrats for a similar cry. When the
phrase "Crow. Chapman, Crow!" was intro-

duced they seized upon it and forthwith adopt-
ed the characteristic fowl, the Rooster, for their
emblem. The Indiana press heralded the
phrase and the new-born emblem to the four
corners of the State. Gradually it grew in fav-
or and importance, other newspapers in other
states copied it, and in a comparatively short
time the Rooster was accepted and recog-
nized as the National emblem of the great
Democratic party.

June 21, 1841, a new Democratic paper
was started in Indianapolis called the **Indiana
State Sentinel.*' It was published every Wed-
nesday by C. A. and J. P. Chapman. These
gentlemen were not related to Joseph Chap-
man. The first number of the paper, at the
head of the first page, contained a picture of
the Rooster and the phrase "Crow, Chapman,
Crow!" This same head was carried for a
number of years thereafter. On the editorial
page of Volume I , No. 1 , a mention was made
of the letter incident.

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In another chapter I have related briefly
the story of Mr. Chapman's later campaigns
and of his associates who in after years brought
fame to their home city. It goes without say-
ing, however, that he became a most popular
man and prominent in the Legislature during
the following three or four years, where he was
heralded as the **Crowing Joe Chapman of
Hancock."

In October, 1847, Joseph Chapman en-
listed with a company organized in Greenfield
for the Mexican War, and in the service of
his country turned his back upon his friends,
his home and family, never to see them again.
His letters home were most characteristic, es-
pecially those sent to his wife.

As he fought, we fancy his mind often re-
turned to his home, and no doubt to the "Hard
Cider Campaign** of 1 840. He soon dropped
from the pages of history for he fell in battle
and sleeps today in an unmarked soldier's
grave on a tropical battle field of the Mexican

plains. A little band of comrades laid him to
rest and sent back this message to Greenfield :
"Crowing Joe Chapman fell today in his last
campaign.'*

PART TWO
CHAPMAN AND HIS HOME FOLKS

After Mr. Van Buren's defeat he made
a tour of the West, in 1843, following the
route of the National or Cumberland Road,
which is the main thoroughfare in Greenfield.
His visit to Greenfield was a great occasion
and the Democrats made extensive prepara-
ations for his entertainment. The journey from
the East was made by stage and almost all of
the stage drivers were Whigs.

During President Van Buren*s administra-
tion he had vetoed a bill for an appropriation
for the improvement of the National Road. The
West was greatly displeased at this action for
the road in many places was almost impassable.
The stage-drivers had planned to give the Ex-
President an opportunity to count the mud
holes along the road. Near Greenfield there

was a steep hill and at a signal the driver
pulled his horses to the side and the famous
traveler was thrown into the mud. When Mr.
Van Buren arrived in Greenfield he was in a
deplorable condition and new clothes had to
be provided.

Later in the day a public reception was
held in the front room of the Chapman tavern.
Mr. Joseph Chapman took great pleasure in
introducing his young son, Martin Van Buren
Chapman, to the Ex-President. This same
Martin Van Buren Chapman later became a
teacher in the Greenfield Academy and is re-
sponsible for a large portion of the early train-
ing of Mr. James Whitcomb Riley, who was
his pupil. In another part of this book a letter
from Mr. Chapman is reproduced.

Captain Reuben A. Riley, father of James
Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier Poet, and Jo-
seph Chapman, in 1844 announced their can-
didacy for Representative in the Legislature.
David S. Gooding and George Henry also

f.

REUBEN A. RILEY

came forward for the same office. Mr. Henry
was elected. Later, however, Mr. Riley and
Mr. Gooding were elected to represent Han-
cock County in the Legislature.

David S. Gooding was a well known char-
acter in Eastern Indiana history. After long
service in his State and county he was ap-
pointed United States Marshal of the District
of Columbia under President Johnson. These
men were very close friends and Judge Good-
ing at that time was influential in National af-
fairs. It is to Judge Gooding that the credit
belongs for the preservation of this story of the
Rooster. I copy below a letter written by
Judge Gooding to Martin Van Buren Chap-
man, who, in a previous letter, had asked for
correct information regarding his father's con-
nection with the Democratic emblem: —

"Greenfield, March 10, 1886.
"M. V. Chapman, Esq.

"Dear Sir: — In answer to your request to
be correctly informed as to the connection of

your father, Hon. Joseph Chapman, with the
origin of *Crow, Chapman, Crow!' I can
say that I am quite sure that the following
statement is substantially correct, to-wit: In
May, June or July, 1840, Hon. Thomas D.
Walpole was the Whig candidate and Hon.
Joseph Chapman was the Democratic candi-
date for Representative in the Legislature, and
during the canvass Chapman seemed to be
growing despondent, whereupon George Patti-
son, the editor of the *Constitution,* a Demo-
cratic paper published in Indianapolis, wrote
a letter addressed to William Sebastian, then
the Democratic postmaster at Greenfield, In-
diana, in which he was requested to encourage
Chapman in the contest and in which letter
about these words occurred: *Tell Chapman
to Crow.* The letter was opened and laid
on the table an3 while so lying Walpole came
into the postoffice room; he was reported to
have read and copied the letter. At all events
the letter was soon thereafter published in the

DAVID S. GOODING

Indianapolis Journal.* If the files of
Journal for the year 1 840 have been preserved
the letter can be found therein at some date
between April, 1840, and August, 1840.
There may possibly be some slight inaccuracy
herein, but nothing material.

"I am, etc.,
"David S. Gooding."
Mr. Gooding, in 1859, formed a company
to establish a newspaper in Greenfield. My
grandfather, Mr. William Mitchell, was as-
sociated with Mr. Gooding in this enterprise.
The paper was called "The Hancock Dem-
ocrat,*' with Mr. Gooding as its first editor.
However, Mr. Gooding's connection with the
paper was of short duration as Mr. Mitchell,
early in its history, became sole owner and
editor. The paper never changed hands and
is today published by my father, Mr. John F.
Mitchell.

I wish the space of this little book would
permit of the telling of some of the campaigns

through which this paper has passed, but as
I am simply tracing the origin of the Demo-
cratic emblem I am denied that privilege.

However, I shall state that during the War
of the Rebellion the paper was seized by the
Government and its presses used in printing
muster-rolls and other army orders. Two issues
of the paper did not appear on this account and
are the only ones missing from the files. Many
of the earlier poems of Mr. James Whitcomb
Riley first found their way into type in the
columns of this paper.

The story of the *'Rooster" was a favorite
theme of my grandfather and whenever it was
possible to use a cut of the proud bird in his
newspaper it was reverently incorporated. He
purchased in Cincinnati a mounted rooster dur-
ing the Tilden campaign and this old bird has
been used in parades during every campaign
since. It is now preserved in a glass case
and is no doubt the oldest rooster in the county.

It might be of interest to many to read the

WILLIAM .MITCHET>L

following letter from Martin Van Buren Chap-
man to my father; I therefore present it. Mr.
Chapman enclosed a clipping in his letter from
the "St. Louis Republic" of April 8, 1907,
printed under the head of "Answers to Corre-
spondents," which gives a wrong statement re-
garding the subject of the sketch. The clip-
ping reads as follows: —

"The emblem of the Democratic party at
the time of President Jackson's administration
was the hickory pole and broom. About the
year I 840 there was a Democrat living in In-
diana named Chapman who was known in all
his neighborhood for his gift of crowing like
a rooster. One story is that in reply to a de-
sponding letter of Chapman about the political
situation in the presidential election of 1840,
in which William Henry Harrison was the
candidate against Van Buren, a friend wrote
an encouraging letter ending with the words,
*Crow, Chapman, Crow!*

"Another account makes the letter pass be-

tween two friends and ending with the words,
'Tell Chapman to Crow.' The letter, which-
ever it was, was published and the phrase
spread. In 1842 and 1844, after Democratic
victories in those years, the Rooster came into
general use as the emblem of Democratic vic-
tory."

Mr. Chapman's letter is as follows : —

"Ada, Okla., April 12, 1907.
"John F. Mitchell, Editor Hancock Democrat,
Greenfield, Ind.

"Dear Friend and Pupil: — I am located
in this city and have been for seven or eight
years. I am now 73 years of age and in fairly
good health. My brother, W. W. Chapman, is
in Allen, Tex., now 71. Mrs. Caroline Chap-
man, widow of William Chapman, lives here
at the age of 81. T. J. Alley (Tom), who
has for ten years been exploring the Holy
Land, paid me a visit from Jerusalem, Pales-
tine. He is past 80. Doubtless you remem-

ber all of these parties as from Greenfield or
Hancock County.

"I send you a clipping from the St. Louis
Republic concerning the origin of the Rooster
as an emblem of the Democratic party. The
question has been raised often, and again and
again answered that Joseph Chapman, of
Greenfield, by his great efficiency in imitat-
ing the crowing of a rooster, started the scheme
rolling. This is error, as my father never
crowed like a rooster. I visited Greenfield in
1886 or 1887, I think, and during my visit
Judge Gooding gave a statement to me in writ-
ing as to the origin of *Crow, Chapman, Crow!'
and told me to consult the files of the Indiana
State Journal, of April, May, or June, 1 840,
and the original letter that gave rise to the mat-
ter would be found. I sent Willie Mitchell, a
newsboy of the Democrat, to consult the files,
and Gooding's letter and the Journal's state-
ment were published in the Hancock Demo-
crat while William Mitchell was still living.

"Now in the interest of historic accuracy Ji
request you to examine your files and repro-
duce the article in question that a matter of
historical importance (politically) be correct-
ed and set at rest.

*'I would appreciate a copy of the Demo-
crat if the item appears.

"Respectfully,

"M. V. Chapman."

OCT ili 1928