History of Hamilton County Indiana

Front matter

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Dedication

To the dear, departed ones, whose busy hands changed the giant for¬ ests into fertile fields ; whose love of home established the hearthstones whose tender ties yet bind together the heartstrings of the native born; whose patriotism gave the best of their lives and substance for the defense of their country; whose graves make sacred the soil their feet so often trod.

Preface

All life and achievement is evolution; present wisdom comes from past experience, and present commercial prosperity has come only from past exer¬ tion and suffering. The deeds and motives of the men who have gone before have been instrumental in shaping the destinies of later communities and states. The development of a new country was at once a task and a privi¬ lege. It required great courage, sacrifice and privation. Compare the pres¬ ent conditions of the people of Hamilton County, Indiana, with what they were one hundred years ago. From a trackless wilderness and virgin land, it has come to be a center of prosperity and civilization, with millions of wealth, systems of railways, grand educational institutions, splendid indus¬ tries and immense agricultural and mineral productions. Can any think¬ ing person be insensible to the fascination of the study which discloses the aspirations and efforts of the early pioneers who so strongly laid the founda¬ tion upon which has been reared the magnificent prosperity of later days? To perpetuate the story of these people and to trace and record the social, politi¬ cal and industrial progress of the community from its first inception is the function of the local historian. A sincere purpose to preserve facts and per¬ sonal memoirs that are deserving of perpetuation, and which unite the pres¬ ent to the past, is the motive for the present publication. A specially valuable and interesting department is that one devoted to the sketches of representa¬ tive citizens of these counties whose records deserve preservation because of their worth, effort and accomplishment. The publishers desire to extend their thanks to the gentlemen who have so faithfully labored to this end. Thanks are also due to the citizens of Hamilton county for the uniform kind¬ ness with which they have regarded this undertaking, and for their many services rendered in the gaining of necessary information.

In placing the “History of Hamilton County, Indiana,” before the cit¬ izens, the publishers can conscientiously claim that they have carried out the plan as outlined in the prospectus. Every biographical sketch in the work has been submitted to the party interested, for correction, and therefore any err.or of fact, if there be any, is solely due to the person for whom the sketch was prepared. Confident that our effort to please will fully meet the appro¬ bation of the public, we are,

Respectfully,

THE PUBLISHERS.

Chapter I— Related State History _ 33

First White Men in Northwest Territory — English and French Claims — Three Successive Sovereign Flags Over Present Indiana Territory — Passing of the Indians — Battle of Fallen Timbers — Northwest Territory — Early Set¬ tlements — Activities of the Traders — French and Indian War — Pontiac’s Conspiracy — Northwest Territory and Quebec Act — Revolutionary Period — George Rogers Clark and His Campaign — First Surveys and Early Set¬ tlers — Ordinance of 1787 — First Stage of Government under the Ordinance — Second Stage — Organization of the Northwest Territory — Representative Stage of Government — First Counties Organized — First Territorial Legis¬ lature of Northwest Territory — Division of 1800 — Census of Northwest Ter¬ ritory in 1800 — Settlements in Indiana Territory in 1800 — First Stage of Ter¬ ritorial Government — Changes in Boundary Lines of Indiana — Second Stage of Territorial Government — The Legislative Council — The First Gen¬ eral Assemblies — Congressional Delegates of Indiana Territory — Efforts to Establish Slavery in Indiana — The Indian Lands — Organization of Counties — Changes in the Constitution of Indiana — Capitals of Northwest Territory and Indiana — Military History of State — Political History — Governors of Indiana — A Century of Growth — Natural Resources.

Chapter II — Geology And Topography _ J _ 63

Government Reports — Description of the Area — Topography — Drainage — Population and Towns — Shipping Facilities — Road System — Climate — Pre¬ cipitation — Weather Statistics — Agriculture — Farm Products — Soils — Sum¬ mary — A Historic Water Course.

Chapter Iii— Early Settlement _ 94

Characteristics of the Pioneers — Their Hardships and Privations — A Typical Journey Through the New Country — A Pioneer Log Cabin — Sickness — Pio¬ neer Clothing — The First School — The First Fourth of July Celebration — First Marriage and Other Noteworthy Early Events — Early Industries — First Crops — Milling Facilities — Tanning — Whiskey Distilleries — Growth of Population — Building Homes and Clearing the Forest — Hunting — Early Tav¬ ern Incident — Baldwin’s Story of the Pioneers.

Chapter Iv— Organization Of Hamilton County _ 119

Original Area — Legislative Act Creating County — Selection of County Seat — First Election — Early Appointive Officials — Rates of Taxation — First Petit Jury — County Government by Board of Justices — Court House Lottery — Divisions Into Townships — Public Buildings — Court House — Jail — Public

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CONTENTS.

Square — Asylum for the Poor — Orphan Asylum — Ladies* Aid Society of Noblesville — Public Officers — Clerks of the Courts — County Auditors — County Treasurers — Sheriffs — County Recorders — County Surveyors — Coroners — Prosecuting Attorneys — Probate and Common Pleas Judges — Associate Judges — Circuit Judges — County Commissioners — County Assessors — County School Superintendents — County Infirmary Superintendents — Miscellaneous County Officers — County Agents — Seminary Trustees — County Assessors — Students Appointed to State Institutions — State Senators — Representatives.

Chapter V— Adams Township _ 146

Topography — Early Settlement — George Boxley — The “Underground Rail¬ road” — Hounded by the Law — First School in the Township — Outwitted Tax Collector — Second Settlement — First Township Election — Leveling the For¬ ests — Schools — Industries.

Chapter Xiv— Noblesville _ 194

Early Settlement — Conflict as to Naming of City — Early Additions — Noblesville’s First School — Early Industries — Building Activities — Noblesville’s In¬ corporation — A Dread Visitation — The First Railroad — City’s Status in 1869 — Present Business Status — Local Option — Natural Gas Boom — Present Busi¬ ness Conditions — Fire Department — Mercantile Roster — Public Libraries — Carnegie Library — Telephones — Industries — Water Works — Electric Light — Noblesville Military Band.

Chapter Xv— Towns And Villages _ 220

Sheridan — Arcadia — Cicero — Atlanta — Westfield — Carmel — Fishers — Strawtown — Woodville — Mound Builders — Clarksville — Omega — Boxley — Eagletown — Aroma — New Britton — Deming — Mattsville — Ekin — Jolietville — Home Place.

Chapter Xvi— Transportation _ 264

The First Roads in Hamilton County — Blazed Trails — Old State Roads — Lincoln Highway — Passing of the Toll Gates — The First Railroad — Central Indiana Railroad — The Central Canal — Indiana Union Traction Railroad.

Chapter Xvii— Agriculture _ 274

Early Reliance on Products of the Soil — Clearing the Land and Planting of First Crops — Struggles of Early Farmers — County Fair Associations — School Fairs and Boys’ Corn Clubs — Horse Breeders’ Association — First Corn Club in the World — A Historic Gathering — A Corn Lunch — Girls* Bread Clubs — Corn Club Excursions — Noblesville Horse Show.

Chapter Xviii— Banks And Banking _ 291

Banks Not Among Pioneer Necessities — The First Bank — Subsequent and Present Banks at Noblesville — Sheridan Banks and Those at Arcadia, Westfield, Fishers, Carmel, Cicero, Atlanta.

Chapter Xix— Religious History _ 300

Methodist Episcopal Churches — Colored Methodists — Wesleyan Methodists — Church of the Brethren — Baptist Churches — Presbyterian Churches — Con¬ gregational Church — United Brethren Churches — Christian Churches — Evan¬ gelical Lutheran Church — Roman Catholic Churches — Society of Friends — Other Religious Societies.

Chapter Xx— Education _ _ 331

Growth of the School System of the State — Primitive School Houses — De¬ velopment of the School Course — Uniform Text Books — Early Schools of the County — Struggle for Free Schools — Seminaries — Noblesville Schools — Sheridan Schools and Those at Westfield, Arcadia, Walnut, Fishers, Boxley, Cicero, Atlanta and Carmel — The Rural Schools of the County.

Chapter Xxi— Fraternal And Benevolent Societies _ 352

Free and Accepted Masons — Independent Order of Odd Fellows — Daughters of Rebekah — Knights of Pythias — Maccabees — Fraternal Order of Eagles —

CONTENTS.

Modern Woodmen of America — Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks — Improved Order of Red Men — Tribe of Ben-Hur — Daughters of the Revo¬ lution-Daughters of America.

Chapter Xxii— Medical History _ 375

Pioneers Characterized by General Good Health — Medical Practices — Ague — Milk Sickness — Cholera Scourge — First Physician in County — Hardships and Sacrifices of the Early Doctors — First Medical Society — Later and Pres¬ ent Physicians — Physicians at Sheridan — County Hospital.

CHAPTER XXIII— BENCH AND BAR _ i _ 386

Organization of the Circuit Court — First Grand Jury — Proceedings of the First Term of Court — The First Real Session — Meager Fees — First Divorce Case— The Inferior Courts — Riding Circuit — A War-Time Incident — Some of the Early Judges — A Celebrated Case — The New Court House — Creating a New Circuit — Noted Criminal Cases — Judge Vestal — Personnel of the Ham¬ ilton County Bar.

Chapter Xxiv— Newspapers Of Hamilton County _ 406

Noblesville Papers, and Those at Sheridan, Carmel, Cicero, Arcadia, Atlanta.

Chapter Xxv— Military History _ 410

War of 1812 — Mexican War — Hamilton County in the Civil War — An Ex¬ ample of Patriotism — Bounties and Relief — Soldiers' Monument — Brief Sum¬ mary of Each Regiment Which Contained Men from Hamilton County.