Carroll County, Indiana - Chapter 13: Societies and Fairs, 1882

.SOCIETIES AND FAIRS. Preliminary Proceedings - Preparations for an Exhibition OF Farm Products - The First Fair - Award of Premium.s - Evidences of Progress in Agricultural Work - Other Fairs and What Came of Them - Changes in the Organization - Periods of Inactivity Followed by Revivals of Interest - Addresses on Agricultural Sub.iects by Rev. E. W. Wright andOthers- Generalitie.s.

TpOLLOWING the proceedings had by the Carroll County Ag- -L ricultural Society, during the fall of 1851, the winter of 1851-52, and the spring and summer succeeding, in the processes of organization and preparation for work, special efforts were directed toward the realization of the anticipated benefits to be derived from an exhibition of the best results of farm-labor and the competition for premiums on superior productions. Early in the year 1852, it was given out that a fair would be held in the county some time during the succeeding fall, and a united effort was put forth to make the movement a success, and thus determine the question whether beneficial results were likely to follow, and whether improvements in agricultural economy would be induced thereby. Meetings of the society were held in advance, and definite lines of procediu-e were prescribed in the meantime. Some time in advance of the time contemplated for holding the fair, a meeting of the Board of Directors was held, at which the following resolutions were presented and adopted :

That each person presenting stock, or other articles upon which premiums are to be awarded, shall on or before 9 o'clock, on the 15th of October, 1852, register their names in the Secretary's office and property to be entered ;

That a committee consisting of Ave be appointed, whose duty it shall be to have the grounds prepared and attend to the reception of stock on the day of the fair ; committee consists of A. H. Bowen, James H. Stewart, S. D. Mcintosh, .lames Odell and Vine Holt ;

At a later date, an adjourned meeting was held, when preliminary arrangements were consummated for the management of the fair, and Bowen's Grove selected as the place for holding it. Editorial notices were given from time to time of the progress of events, expressing the reflex of public opinion on the subject. From one of these the following quotation is made:

" Next Frid.ay, the 15th inst., will be held our first Carroll County Agricultural Fair. Arrangements for it are being made at Bowen's Grove. We hope to see a goodly number of competitors for premiums on both stock and manufactured articles. Interesting addresses will doubtless be delivered on the occasion - besides, we look for a goodly number of essays for premiums. This is an important, and, we hope, will be an interesting society. Every farmer, every mechanic, every merchant and every scientific man should be engaged in it, In it is deejily implanted the interests of our county. With it is connected the interests of the people. Already it is calling forth the energy and arousing the ambition of its members."

Accordingly, the first agricultural fair. Ilic lirst csliiliition of the premium products of Carroll County soil, labor and skill, was held at Bowen's Grove, adjacent to Delphi, on Saturday, October 15, J852, which was attended by a very large proportion of the provident farmers, mechanics, merchants and business men of the county, all giving their countenance to, and exerting their influence in behalf of, this new enterprise, inaugin'ated for the more complete development of the latent resom-ces of the county. The exhibition was every way a creditable one, considering the previous experiences in that direction, and was well calculated toi and did, exert a beneficial influence in exemplifying what may be accomplished by united effort. Forty-two premiums were awarded, ranging from 50 cents to $5 in amount; in the agj^egate, $05.35, with twelve diplomas for articles, for which no special premiums were offered. The highest premium, |5, was awarded to Andrew Burntrager, for the best-cultivated farm, and the next, $2.50, to George Whistler, for the second-best cultivated farm. Noah Sandifur was awarded a premium of $2.50 for the best five acres of wheat; Enoch Stansel, $2, for the best swine; Thomas Ferrier, $1 each for four best specimens of fine-wooled sheep; William Dunkle, $2, for the best farm-wagou; Mrs. Adam Porter, $2.50, for the best five yards of rag- carpet; Mrs. H. P. Tedford, $2, for the best bedquilt - and thus through the entire catalogue, all articles of especial merit receiving just recognition.

Rev. E. W. Wright was the orator of the occasion, and his address contained many excellent thoughts and practical suggestions applicable to the subject under discussion. The following extracts contain some of the most salient points in the discourse:

" The different professions of men should be measm-ed by their useful results and practical tendencies in promoting the welfare of society, and not by the dignity and leisure which may be enjoyed in their pursuit; and we doubt not that the time is near at hand when the actual laborer, the supporter of human life, will be more respected than the incumbent of any profession, whose time is not fully occupied in study and effort to advance the interests of society and benefit his race. That is a great perversion of terms which speaks of the degradation of useful labor and the dignity and honor of having nothing to do. In his original creation, man was endowed, not only with an intellect, to enable him to think and reason in accordance with his high resj)onsibilities, with a heart to adore the infinite goodness of Jehovah, but, also, with a body to labor and endure all that would be necessary in the cultivation of a genial soil, uneursed, as it then was_ on account of sin.

" The art of cultivating the earth, then, is not only the most ancient, but manifestly one of the most honorable of all human pursuits, being assigned to man in his first state of holiness. It is the basis of all other arts. In every civilized cotuitry its existence is coeval with the dawn of civilization, and more than fivesixths of the population of the civilized world are engaged in its practical pursuits. There is no employment, the direct tendency of which is so much calculated to promote health of body, energy of mind and the acquisition of useful knowledge, and none so absolutely indispensable to the prosperity of a State or nation.

" Little more than a quarter of a century has elapsed since the spot on which we stand was an imbrokeu wilderness, where the ax of the woodman had not been heard, and the fertile soil had not been stirred by the farmer's plow. Our beautiful river was navigated only by the light canoe of the Indian; and the wolf, the deer and the panther roamed at largo in oiu- forests. Now we can see the produce- wagon and the canal-boat hoiu-ly jiassing oiu- doors, bearing off to a distant market the i)roductions of the rich and delightful farms which smTound us on every side. * * What has accomplished this wonderful change, converting a wilderness into a finely-improved and densely-populated country in so short a period? The industry and enterprise of our farming population; and all we have to do to make this valley the richest of the Western world, is to improve the advantages which nature has aiforded us, and continue the same industry and enterprise which has heretofore marked us as a people. * * * We cannot commend to you too highly the importance of taking an interest in the agricultural society of oiu' own county and State."

The Gucoess attending the management of the affairs of the society dm-ing the first year, with the accumulated interest created through the agency of the first annual fair held in this county, was instnimental in enlarging the sphere of usefulness contemplated by the organization of the society; hence, with the experiences of the two years preceding the work laid out for the third year's operations, occupied a greater range than before, with better prospects of success. The officers for 1853, were Isaac Jackson, President; Theodore Smoyer, Vice President; Andrew H. Evans, Secretaiy ; and Thomas Stirlen, Treasm-er, with a Board of Directors consisting of one from each civil township, who had general charge of the interests of the society, with authority to meet on their own adjournments for the transaction of necessary business.

On the 20th and 21st of October, 1833, the second annual fair of the society was held at Camden, in this county. " About two acres of ground was neatly inclosed by a high board fence for the purpose. Thousands of persons were upon the ground each day, and the exhibition of stock, machinery, etc., was highly creditable to the county." The classes of articles upon which premiums were offered were numbered from A to N, both inclusive, embracing a very large variety of articles, including, among others, domestic manufactures, dairy products, farming utensils, farm stock, poultry and farm prodixcts, and premiums awarded on seventy -five distinct articles and products. The first premium on raising corn was awarded to Adam Van Gundy, and the second to Alexander Saunderson.

" Mr. Van Gundy's corn was raised on the Wabash bottom. The ground was broken about four inches deep, and the corn planted about the 15th of May. After planting, the ground was harrowed before plowing - plowed a part twice and a part three times, two furrows in a row. The yield per acre was 109 bushels 2 pecks 3 gallons and 1 quart. Mr. Saunderson's was raised on upland. The ground had been in cultivation near twenty years, and was in corn in 1852. It was, for the last crop, broken early and deep - harrowed well before planting - planted in squares about three feet and eight inches wide. After planting, it was worked once with a cultivator, harrowed once, and plowed three times; once, two, and twice, tlu'ee furrows in a row. The average yield per acre was 106 bushels and 3 pecks." The average yield of corn per acre raised in the county, in 1853, was about fifty bushels.

The society, on the 5th of January, 1854, numbered 110 members, and was reported to be in a most prosperous condition. On the first day of the fair just referred to. Dr. F. G. Ai-mstrong, of Camden, delivered a valuable address, which was well received by all present, and, by request, was published in the Delphi Jonvnal.

The third annual fair was held also at Camden, on the 12th and 13th of October, 1854. It was well attended and greater interest was manifested than before, waiTanting the brightest hopes for a prosperous futm-e. In some departments the display was excellent, while in others there was little improvement, if any, over former years.

The fourth annual fair was held at Delphi, on the 25th and 26th of October, 1855, though first appointed for the 11th and 12th, and postponed in consequence of the unusual amount of sickness prevailing at the time. Owing to adverse circumstances and conditions, the exhibition was less complete in the variety of articles, but fully up to the standard in quality. The experiences thus far indicated marked improvement in the qviality and value of stock and of manufactm-ed articles, particularly those used in carrying on the operations of farm economy.

On the 8th and 9th days of October, 1856, the Carroll County Agricultural Society held its fifth annual fair, but with what results information is not now at hand. In 1857, no fair appears to have been held by the society in this county. The sixth fair of the society, however, was held at Delphi, on the 20th and 30th days of September, and on the 1st day of October, 1858. The report of the Secretary of the society for that year states: " We have located the place for holding our fair for five yeai-s, at Delphi, and have inclosed about seven acres of ground with a permanent fence. The attendance at the fair was larger than on any former occasion, and, as the fair is permanently located, the prospect is that a more general interest will be taken than formerly. The amoimt received for membership at the gate was $441.80; the amount awarded as premiums was $391.50, leaving a balance of $50.30.

On the first day of the fair, an address was delivered in the interest nf the society, by Dr. Samuel Grimes, which was deemed to be of such value that it was repoi'ted and published in the State Agricultural Report for that year.

Aft.er 1860, and until within a few years past, though the interest in the improved condition of agricultm-al operations continued with little abatement, county fairs were not held with the same regularity as formerly. Recently, societies have been organized here on a basis somewhat dissimilar from the earlier ones, but, perhaps, not much more effective in the accomplishment of the good contemplated in the new organizations. A larger field was opened for display, and greater competition has been vouchsafed; yet, it is questionable whether a more rapid advance has been made in the production of a more zealous ambition to excel in farm management than that which characterized the experiences of other years. The value of the society, however, as an auxiliary in directing attention to the importance of keeping up with the developments of the day, in all that appertains to the utilization of labor, cannot be too highly appreciated or more earnestly commended.

In 1872, a re-organization of the Agricultiu-al Society of Carroll County was consummated under favorable auspices. Under the new arrangement, Adam Van Gundy was elected President and Richard L. Higginbotham, Secretary. One of the chief purposes of the movement, at that time, was to concentrate the efforts of all persons interested in the continued progress of agriculture, mechanical and other pursuits, calculated to develop our latent resom'cee.

From that time forward, a good degree of enthusiasm has been manifested, and more than ordinary activity has been exerted. As a consequence, therefore, the society has held fairs more or less regularly, which were more munerously attended than previously. The exhibitors and the variety of articles exhibited had a tendency to encoiu'age producers in the use of their best endeavors to achieve success. Between the years 1872 and 1881, six annual fairs were held imder the direction of the society, with the assistance of outside contributors, the details of which, however, at this time, are not readily obtainable, but which, suffice it to say, were generally satisfactory to participants and competitors and promotive of the substantial interests of the society and people.

The seventh annual fair under the new organization was held by the society, at Delphi, during the week commencing September 26, 1881. The attendance and display, while, perhaps, not fully up to the standard of excellence aaticipated by the most sanguine, were, however, under the circumstances, a success, considered in the light of the classes and qualities of the articles exhibited, coupled with the earnest zeal that actuated the members of the society, especially in their endeavors to make a respectable showing of the spirit that moved them in forwarding the enterprise. The entries of articles for exhibition amounted to more than 1,000, embraced in classes numbered from 1 to 33, inclusive, in addition to specimens of domestic skill, canned fruits and textile fabrics, etc. About 300 premiums were awarded, ranging in amount from II to $100.

The floral hall was comfortably filled with displays peculiar to that department, and were tastefully and beautifully arranged, reflecting great credit upon the ladies and gentlemen who had those matters in charge. In the agricultiu'al department, the display was less complete than the floral, yet, the articles on exhibition were of excellent quality, the matter of competition only being deficient. The display of poultry was incomplete, but the specimens on exhibition were of the best quality.

An excellent display of farm stock was the chief object of interest, and was more fully up to the standard in number, variety and quality. Of horses, the Norman and Clydesdale were particularly noticeable. Durham cattle, Southdown sheep, Chester- Whites and Poland-China hogs, excellent specimens of their kind, were of the classes that attracted more than ordinary attention among their exhibitors and other specialists. As a whole, this fair made a good impression, and its influence will go far toward inducing greater competition in the future.