Cass County, Indiana - Chapter 1: Epitome of Indiana History, 1913

While we expect to confine this work, exclusively, to the local history of Cass county, yet it may be interesting to the reader to have a brief sketch of the state ; we will therefore give an outline or epitome of the history of Indiana with some of its educational institutions. Indiana is bounded on the east by Ohio, on the north by Michigan and Lake Michigan, on the west by Illinois, the Wabash river separating the states in the southern third of the west boundary, and on the south by Kentucky, where the Ohio river forms the boundary line between the two states, and has an area of 36,354 square miles, of which 440 square miles is covered by water - lakes and rivers.

It lies between 37° 47' and 41° 1' north latitude and between 7° 45' and 11° 1' of longitude west from Washington. The extreme length from north to south is two hundred and seventy-five miles and the average width east and west is one hundred and forty miles.

From the time of the discovery of America by Columbus, in 1492, a period of more than one hundred and fifty years passed away before any portion of the territory of Indiana was explored by Europeans. De Soto discovered the Mississippi river in 1542 - forty years before La Salle came down the river from the great lakes. In 1568 the Spaniards established a colony in Florida. The English made their first settlement in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. The French planted a small colony at Port Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1605, and in 1608 founded the city of Quebec, Canada. The French extended their settlements west along the St. Lawrence river and around the great lakes. Perhaps the first white men to set foot on Indiana soil were French missionaries. Claude AUouez and Claude Dablon in the northern part of the state about 1670 to 1672. According to the annals of the Jesuit missionaries of Quebec the French established a line of communication from Detroit to New Orleans by way of the Maumee, St. Mary's, St. Joseph and Wabash rivers, establishing trading posts and forts at Ft. Wayne, Ouiatanon, west of Lafayette and Vincennes, from 1683 to 1701. Vincennes is the oldest town in the state, being settled about the year 1755, but a trading post had been opened here as early as 1683. The town received its name from Francois Morgan de Vincennes, a French officer, who early visited this region and was burned at the stake by Indians, near Memphis, Tennessee, in 1736. Although Spain never formally possessed the territory of Indiana yet, she, for many years controlled the lower Mississippi, the outlet for the trade of Indiana, before the days of railroads, and Spanish coin was the only money in circulation in Indiana from its first settlement to about 1838. Later Indiana belonged to the French and was governed from Paris. In 1763 England gained control and Indiana was ruled from London. After the Revolutionary war, England relinquished its claim to this territory to the colonies, and Virginia claimed Indiai^a territory and it was governed from Richmond, Virginia, being then a part of Augusta county, but in 1784 Virginia deeded its rights to the United States and the latter exercised governmental authority over Indiana and under the Ordinance of 1787 established what was known as the Northwest territory, which included all territory north and west of the Ohio river, now composing the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, and appointed Arthur St. Clair as territorial governor, with seat of government at Marietta, Ohio, and in 1798 he moved his headquarters to Cincinnati. By an act of congress, May 7, 1800, Indiana territory was organized and William Henry Harrison became its first governor, with headquarters at Vincennes. The first territorial legislature met at Vincennes, July 29, 1805, and Benjamin Parke was elected the first representative to congress from the territory.

The seat of government was moved to Cory don (Harrison county) in 1813, and the territorial legislature met there December 6th of that year. In the spring of 1816 the territory was composed of thirteen counties, to wit : Wayne, with a population of 6,407 ; Franklin, 7,370 ; Dearborn, 4,424; Switzerland, 1,832; Jefferson, 4,270; Clark, 7,150; Washington, 5,330; Posey, 1,619; Warrick, 1,415; Perry, 1,710; Harrison, 6,975; Knox, 8,068; Gibson, 5,330. Total population, 63,897. Only 60,000 inhabitants being necessary to secure a representative in congress, the territory was admitted to the Union as an independent state, the president approving the bill April 19, 1816. An election was held May 13, 1816, .to elect members for a constitutional, convention, which met at Corydon, June 10, 1816, and completed its work June 29th.

The first election under the state constitution was held August 1, 1816, and Jonathan Jennings was elected Indiana's first governor, receiving 5,211 votes to 3,934 cast for Thomas Posey, his competitor. The first legislature of the new state met at Corydon, November 4, 1816, and November 7th the oath of office was administered to Governor Jennings, when he assumed the duties of his office and the state government replaced the territorial. On December 11, 1816, the United States congress, by joint resolution approved the admission of Indiana inta the Union as a full fledged state, with James Noble and Walter Taylor representing the state in the United States senate and William Hendricks in the lower house of congress.

The capitol of the new state remained at Corydon until 1825, when it was removed to Indianapolis. The legislature of 1820 appointed a commission of which General Tipton was a member, to locate a new site for the capitol somewhere near the center of the state. During the summer of 1820 this commission selected the present site of Indianapolis, on White river at the mouth of Fall creek, then a dense forest, with no improvements whatever. It took four years to cut down the forest and erect necessary buildings, and it was not until December, 1824, that the capitol was removed from Corydon and the legislative assembly first met in Indianapolis, January, 1825.

John McCormick built the first house in the present limits of Indianapolis, a log cabin, in the virgin forest in 1820. From this humble beginning Indianapolis has grown to its present magnificent proportions with a population of 240,000, and now the largest capital of any state in the tJlnion.

In the spring of 1851, by direction of the legislature, a convention of delegates of the state met at Indianapolis and made a careful revision of the state constitution, which was submitted to the voters of the state and approved by them at an election held November 1, 1851. Many changes were made in the constitution, notable among which was a perfect system of public schools to be directed and managed by the township trustees. Prior to the new constitution, each school district managed its own affairs with but little or no public funds; but with the adoption of the new constitution our educational and other institutions took on renewed energy and the state rapidly developed along all lines of human endeavor.

Our public school system with its graded schools from the primary department on up to the high school, requiring twelve years for a complete course, now is surpassed by no other state.

Besides the public school system there are many state, private and denominational educational institutions for advanced learning, some of which will be briefly mentioned here.

From an early day it has been the policy of the state to diffuse and disseminate knowledge and in no better way can this be accomplished than through libraries.

The state library was established in 1825, and the first books placed on its shelves were a set of Benthem's works, donated by the author through John Quincy Adams, who was then minister to the court of St. James. From this modest beginning the state library has grown until it has a rare collection of books, papers and documents of great historical value. Nearly every township and city in the state also has its library, where the public can procure books on any topic of human endeavor.

This is the first institution of higher education to be provided by the state, and was incorporated by the legislature in 1807, when Indiana was still a territory, and with many ups and downs, suspensions and revivals, it has, however, continued its valued instruction to the present time.

This is a child of the state and was located at Bloomington in 1825, as a seminary, but the following year it was raised to the dignity of a college. In 1838 it was chartered as a university. A law school was organized in 1840, and in recent years the only regular medical school in the state is now a department of Indiana University.

The demand for a better and higher class of public school teachers prompted the legislature to establish a normal school for the training of teachers. Suitable buildings were erected in Terre Haute and the school was opened January, 1870. It is well patronized and the good results are felt throughout the entire state in a higher grade and more efficient teachers.

Is located at Lafayette and was named after John Purdue, who donated fifty thousand dollars towards its erection, but is a state institution, and was opened September 17, 1874. This school is more especially devoted to the natural sciences, practical engineering and agriculture, and has become one of the great educational institutions, not only of Indiana, but of the United States.

This institution of higher learning had its origin in a log cabin, January 1, 1872, at Madison on the Ohio river, with a class of six pupilb. From this humble beginning, Hanover College, a school sustained and supported by the Presbyterian church, has developed.

In 1829 a theological department was added. In 1840 the theological school was removed to New Albany and later to Chicago, becoming the great "McCormick Theological Institute." In 1834 Hanover College was given a charter by the legislature and has prospered to the present time.

This is also a Presbyterian institution, located at Crawfordsville. It was opened December 3, 1833, and soon after was chartered by the legislature. It has had a healthy growth and is one of our substantial and thorough educational institutions, and many eminent men have gone out from its walls.

In 1832 the Baptists of the state began to feel the need of a school of higher education and established Franklin College at Franklin, Johnson county. The college was opened in 1835. At that time the organization was poor, and it is related that the trustees purchased a bell, but had no funds to erect a bell tower and suspended the bell from the forks of a tree. The college had many discouragements, but has emerged from its financial embarrassments and is now on a firm basis and has been in a prosperous condition for many years.

This institution, under the auspices of the Methodists, was opened at Greencastle in 1840. W. C. De Pauw richly endowed the college and some years ago the » trustees changed the name, and it is now known as De Pauw University, and is favorably known throughout the state.

The Methodists also maintain a college at Moores Hill, Dearborn county, and a female seminary at New Albany, which are feeders to the great De Pauw University.

This college was opened at Indianapolis by the Christian (Disciple) denomination in 1855, under the title of Northwestern Christian University. It was later removed to Irvington, a suburb of Indianapolis, and the name changed to ** Butler University" after its founder and benefactor, Ovid Butler.

About 1837 a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of land was purchased by the ** Society of Friends" near Richmond, Indiana, and suitable buildings erected thereon. With some ups and downs, it had steadily grown and now holds an enviable reputation among the educational institutions of our state.

Father Sorin and six companions, members of the Society of the Holy Cross,, left their home in France in 1841. From New York they came by the Erie Canal and Lake Erie to Toledo, and by horseback and stage coach to Vincennes. Tjie following year they located in St. Joseph county and erected a log church and a small school house. This was the beginning of the great Notre Dame University that today has a world-wide reputation. In 1844 the college was granted a charter and has continued to prosper from that day.

Identified with the highest educational institutions of the state is St. Mary's of the Woods, one of the pioneer schools, founded in 1840, by the Sisters of Providence, from Builli sur Loire, France, and incorporated by the legislature in 1845. This academic institution is situated in Vigo county, four miles west of Terre Haute, and is pleasantly located, having the charms of a sylvan retreat. The buildings are spacious and furnished with every modern convenience.

Through the munificence of Chauncey Rose this institution of practical scientific education was inaugurated. It is located in Terre Haute ; the corner stone of the college building was laid September 11, 1875, but the institution was not opened 'until 1882. Today no polytechnic school in the country ranks higher than that at Terre Haute.

This institution was opened September 16, 1873, and is one of the most popular educational institutions in the state, and its students are numbered by the thousands.

Was founded by H. H. Culver, of St. Louis, Missouri, in 1894. It is beautifully situated on the north bank of Lake Maxinkuckee, in Marshall county. Here young men can secure as good scientific and military education as at any military school in the United States, and it draws students from our whole country.

The first hospital for the insane was erected in Indianapolis in 1847, at a cost of seventy-five thousand dollars and has been enlarged at different times until today it is as fine a building as any of its kind in the United States. -This central hospital became over-crowded with the state's unfortunate and three other asylums were erected, one at Evansville, one at Richmond and one at Logansport, all of which were constructed from 1884 to 1888 and opened about the latter year, each with a capacity of nearly one thousand patienta

In 1907 it became necessary to build an additional hospital and a new asylum for the insane was erected at Madison and opened for the reception of patients in 1910.

In 1843, Wm. Willard opened a private school at Indianapolis for educating deaf and dumb children, with sixteen scholars. In 1844 the state adopted Mr. Willard 's school and continued it in a rented building until 1850, when a suitable building was completed on a one hundred and thirty acre tract of land, east of Indianapolis. This building has been enlarged and improved to meet the increasing demands made upon it.

the blind, and since that date all blind children have been given an education in this the most worthy of the state benevolent institutions.

Soon after the close of the Civil war, when patriotism was at its height, the legislature purchased a tract of land near Knightstown and erected a commodious home, where the orphans - children of the Union soldiers - could be educated and brought up by the munificence of a grateful country.

The state, ever mindful of the afflictions of its people, in 1887 built a home at Ft. Wayne, where feeble minded children could be educated and instructed and become more useful citizens, and this institution is performing a grand mission.

Medical science has demonstrated that tuberculosis, or consumption, is a germ disease ; that the germ rapidly develops in warm and bad air and that tuberculosis in its incipiency is a curable disease in pure air. The state realizing these conditions, has wisely and beneficently erected a tubercular hospital on a five hundred acre tract of rolling woodland, three miles north of RockviUe, in Parke cojunty, where tubercular patients who reside in crowded houses with bad air conditions can live in pure air and receive all necessary hygienic and medical treatment. The building is a two-story structure, nearly a quarter of a mile long with veranda and glass doors so patients can live in sunshine and pure air. The hospital was opened April, 1911, and has a capacity for one hundred patients.

The state prison at Jeflfersonville was opened in 1822, and in 1847, new buildings were erected. This continued to be the only state prison until 1859, when increased quarters became necessary, and the '* States Prison, North" was erected at Michigan City, wbere the life prisoners and those of the worst class are confined, while the younger and shortterm prisoners are kept at the Jeflfersonville prison.

The state, always looking to reform and better the condition of its people, constructed a reform school at Plainfield and opened the same, January 1, 1868. Here incorrigible boys and girls committing crimes can be educated and at the same time be controlled by rigid discipline, taught the error of their ways and reclaimed from the downward course to destruction.

In 1869 steps were taken to ameliorate the conditions of female convicts, and a female prison and reformatory was erected at Indianapolis, where women prisoners and incorrigible girls under fifteen years of age could be placed and receive proper care and instructions with a view to their reformation ; and the practical workings of the institution have not disappointed its promoters.

Indiana slopes gradually from the north and northeast toward the Wabash and Ohio rivers in the southwest. The highest elevation is 1,253 feet above sea level and 680 feet above the level of the Ohio river at the mouth of the Wabash. The lowest altitude which is at the mouth of the Wabash is 370 feet above sea level. The northern part of the state is comparatively level, but the southern part along the Ohio river is quite hilly, often reaching a height of 400 or 500 feet. The state is well watered, the Wabash being the principal river with its tributaries, the White, Mississinewa, Eel, and Tippecanoe rivers. The St. Mary's river in the northeast, the St. Joseph river in the north, and the Kaiiakee in the northwest.

Indiana was originally covered with heavy timber except in the western sections where several counties of fine prairie land exist. The soil is productive, and immense crops of wheat, corn, oats, hay, potatoes, with fruits and vegetables are produced. Bituminous coal of a good quality is found in sixteen counties in the southwest part of the state. The whole state is underlaid with limestone suitable for building purposes, and the celebrated Bedford stone has a Nation wide market. Before the days of railroads Indiana built a number of canals to facilitate trade. The principal canal extended from Toledo to Evansville along the Maumee and Wabash rivers, but railroads have closed up the canals. The first railroad built in Indiana extended from Madison on the Ohio river to Indianapolis and was completed through to the latter place in the fall of 1847. Since then a perfect network of railroads connect every part of the state with the chief cities.