Daviess County, Indiana - Chapter 10, 1886 (part 1 of 2)

Chapter 10

History of the County Towns - Chippecoke - Founding of Vincennes - Historical Objects of Interest - Character of the Early Inhabitants - Vincennes Made the Seat of Government- Additions - Incorporated Companies - Business Houses, Past and Present - Incorporation and Officers - Secret Societies- Newspapers - Edwardsport - Monroe City - Freelandsville - Bicknell - Bruceville - Oaktown - Sandborn - Wheatland - Deckertown - Dicksburg - Richland - Westphalia - Busseron - Emison.

THE history of this town, the "Heliopolis of the West," dates back into the past so far that history, neither sacred nor profane, can measure the period by years. That there was a period when this place was the center of a busy and populous community, that here they toiled and struggled, and lived and died, cannot be questioned. The monuments, as enduring as time which they left, are pages upon which something was written of this very peculiar people, but the date was entirely omitted. Their origin, their fate, is a blank page; their peaceful habits, their busy life, their religious zeal, is judged from the works they left ; but further is wrapped in as much mystery and speculation as the great "Unknown." Following these Mound Builders came the race of "Fishermen," who left not here monuments of sacrificial altars overlooking the town, but near are extensive shellheaps and bone-piles, where is found a slight index to their habits. That these people, whether the Mound Builders or the Fishermen, possessed intelligence, is evident from their selection of this place as a place of habitation and permanent residence, as was done later by the red men, and still later by the French and other European nations. After these Fishermen came the red men, for how long neither history nor tradition can tell, only this - when the white man came with the sword, the cross and fire-water, he found here a populous Indian village, Chip-pe-co-ke (Bmshwood), but this, too, soon passed away. The Fisherman are not spoken of here as a race, but that this place seems also to have been their central habitation. Evidences of these, a people entirely different from the others, are found in large areas of shellheaps and bone-piles, where are intermingled sea-shells, fishes, bones of human beings and other animals. Vincennes seems to have been a favorite resort for both the Mound Builders and Fishermen, and appears to have been more a permanent place of habitation than is usual for nomadic races. After the departure of the Fishermen, or with their departure, came the red men. The interval between the Mound Builders and the Fishermen, or the Fishermen and the Indians, neither history nor tradition can tell, only this: When the white man came with the sword and the cross and fire-water, he found a village of some size called Chippe-co-ke, or by the whites it became Chip-pe-co-ke, the meaning being Brushwood. Brought in contact with what we call civilization, the red men soon passed away and left the Europeans masters of the field - first the French, then the continental English, and afterward the American. The French are supposed to have made a permanent settlement here in 1702.

From about 1664 to 1702 the Jesuit missionaries and French traders were pushing their way along lakes and rivers, and almost impenetrable forests. They soon opened routes from the great lakes to the Mississippi. The former were as zealous in the cause of souls for their Master and subjects for their king, as the latter were for barter with the savages. About the beginning of the last century the French monarch began the policy of pushing his settlements in North America along the great Mississippi basin, with a view of holding the same by means of a system of forts that were erected along the principal routes of travel. At the time above mentioned some French visited the Piankeshaw Indian village of Chip-pe-co-ke. Since the policy of the French was nearly always in a line of friendship and brotherhood with the Indian, they had little difficulty in gaining his confidence and friendship. The French colonial records of Quebec make mention of the river Ouabache (We-bo), a swiftly moving summer cloud; also Kaskaskia, a post below St. Louis was known about the same date. For some cause it seems the Indians in passing to the lower countries, instead of going by way of the Wabash to its junction with the Ohio, usually took across the country of Illinois to St. Louis or Kaskaskia, thence down the Mississippi. From this cause the distinction between the Ohio and Wabash was for a long time unknown.

Many authorities agree in making Vincennes a fort in the middle or early part of the last century. It is claimed that C. B. Juchereau, with about sixty French soldiers, was sent from Quebec by authority of the governor of Canada or by the French king, to the oldPiankeshaw Indian village in the spring of 1702. Juchereau was a kind of military trader not uncommon at that time. Here he established a fort and here he remained till relieved by Pierre Leonardy in 1717, who remained as commandant till 1732. In the last named date Francis Morgan de Vinsenne" arrived and assumed the direction of authority. Morgan de Vinsenne had seen military service in Europe, having served in the regiment de Carrignan, or the regiment of Carrignan. He was both a military man and a zealous Catholic. In 1736 he was ordered by the French governor, D'Artagette, to join in a war of extermination against the Chickasaws and some kindred tribes in Louisiana.

His force was to act in conjunction with another body of men from New Orleans. By mistake the two forces did not succeed in acting in concert, when Vinsenne" boldly attacked the Indians without his support and he and his companions were cut to pieces. He died exhorting his men to die true to their cause and their religion. For his faith and gallantry he was sainted by the church, and what was before the Poste became Post St. Vincent or Au Poste du Vincenne", or about the middle of the present century became by a little change in orthography simply Vincennes. Another proof offered for a very early date of settlement, made at Au Poste du Ouabache, is an act of sale made by Vinsenne and Madame Vinsenne', daughter of Phillip Longprie, his father-in- law, dated January, 1735, and the will of Longprie of March 10, 1735, in which among other things he orders 408 pounds of pork kept till the return of Vinsenne from the Ouabache, also the receipt of Vinsenne for 100 pistoles as a marriage dower. By coming this near an easy sketch of the imagination reaches back to 1732.

The date as early as 1710 to 1711 is fixed for the permanent settlement from the letter of Father Marest to Father Germon, dated Kaskaskia, November 9, 1712, in which he says the French have established a post on the Wabash and want a priest, and that Father Mermet was sent to them. On April 8, 1772, " General Thomas Gage, commandant of his Majesty's (King George) forces in North America," sent an order stating that a great number of persons had established themselves on the Ouabache where they led a wandering life, without government, without laws, interrupting free trade, destroying game, and causing infinite disturbance and considerable injury to the king; and ordering those who had established themselves on the Ouabache, whether at St. Vincent or elsewhere, to quit the country instantly. In reply a letter was sent to Gen. Gage, signed by St. Marie and fifteen others, stating that they had a settlement of seventy years' standing, and that they held their possession by sacred titles, and by the order and under the protection of " his most Christian Majesty." The next commander after Francis Morgan de Vinsenne was St. Ange who was relieved in 1766 by Lieut. Ranisey of the Fortysecond Regiment, who took possession of the place in the name of the king of Great Britain, according to the terms of the treaty of Paris in 1763. The tri- colored flag was hauled down and the cross of St. George erected in its place. Father Gibbault met Col. Clark at Kaskaskia, who explained to the Father the desire and aim of the Americans, and by Clark was sent on a mission to test the feelings of the French inhabitants of Vincennes. They were assembled in the church and the object of Clark was explained, when the whole assembly arose en masse and took the oath of allegiance to the commonwealth of Virginia. This was in December, 1778, and for the first time the flag of the infant Republic floated over Vincennes. Capt. Helm was elected commandant of the post, but in a short time Gov. Hamilton arrived and retook the post again in the name of Great Britain. At the time of the recapture by Hamilton the garrison is said to have consisted only of Capt. Helm and one other man not named. In February, 1779, Col. Clarke, as fully told elsewhere, retook the place, since which time " the flag of the free " has ever been the emblem of mastery of the place. The early appearance of the village is variously described. Maj. Croghan, who arrived at Vincennes June 15, 1765, says: "We came to the ' Ouabache,' where there was a village of eighty or ninety families of French settled upon the east bank of the river; a fine situation. The soil is fertile and grows wheat and finer tobacco than Virginia or Maryland, The inhabitants are idle, lazy and indolent and are a parcel of renegades from Canada, and are much worse than Indians and seem to rejoice at our misfortunes, and were delighted at the sight of a little gold. At the same place is a village of the Piankeshaw Indians."

Count Volney, who visited the place in 1796, says: '"I arrived at Louisville, 350 miles from Gallipolis. Through the whole extent of country I saw only five infant villages and eight farms. Lewisville has about one hundred houses. I waited here eight hours for a caravan of five horsemen to carry us one hundred miles through a country so ' desart ' as not to contain a single hut. After a journey of three days we arrived, August 2, 1796, at Vincennes on the Wabash. The eye is at first presented with an irregular savannah eight miles in length and three in breadth, skirted by eternal forests and sprinkled with a few trees and an abundance of umbelliferous plants three or four feet high. Maize, tobacco, barley, wheat, squashes and some fruits grow in the fields around the village which contains about fifty houses, whose cheerful white relieves the eye after gazing upon the constant dark and green of the woods. The houses are placed along the left bank of the Wabash, which is about 200 feet wide, and falling so low as to be but a few feet wide below the ' scite ' of the town. The bank is sloping toward the savannah which is a few feet lower. Each house, as is customary in Canada, stands alone and is surrounded by a court and garden fenced with poles. I was delighted with the sight of peach trees loaded with fruit, but was sorry to see thorn apples, which are to be seen in all cultivated places from Gallipolis. Adjoining the village is a space inclosed by a ditch eight feet wide and sharpened stakes six feet high. This is called the fort and is a sufficient protection against the Indians. I had a letter of introduction to a principal man of the place, a Dutchman by birth, but who spoke good French. I was accommodated at his home in the kindest and most hospitable manner for ten days.

"The day after my arrival a court was held, to which I repaired to make my remarks on the scene. On entering I was surprised to observe the difference in the races of men. The first has a ruddy complexion, round face, and plump body, which indicates health and ease. This set we forcibly contrasted in strength with the emaciated form and meager and tawny visage of the other. I soon discovered that the former were settlers from the neighboring States, whose lands had been reclaimed for five or six years' standing in the district. The latter, with a few exceptions, knew nothing of English, while the former were almost as ignorant of the French. I had acquired in this country a sufficient knowledge of the English to converse with' them, and was thus enabled to hear the tale of both. The French, in a querulous tone, recounted the losses and hardships they had suffered, especially since the Indian war in 1788. Before the peace of 1763, by which England obtained control of this territory and Spain Louisiana, they enjoyed tranquillity and happiness under the protection of Spain, in the heart of the wilderness, unmolested, sequestered, fifty leagues from the nearest post on the Mississippi, without taxes, and in friendship with the Indians, they passed their lives in hunting and fishing, bartering in furs, and raising a little corn and a few esculents for their families. They probably number 300 persons, and were free from all taxes, till they were visited in 1788 by a detachment, which killed or drove away the greater part of their cattle, their chief source of wealth. They trade their land grants, 400 acres, to each family for 30 cents an acre, when it is worth $2, and this in goods at an exorbitant rate. They have nothing to live on except fruit, maize, and now and then a little game. They complain that they are cheated and robbed in the courts, in which there are five judges, who know little of the law, and three of them know nothing of the language.

Their education was entirely neglected till the arrival of Abb R., a patriotic, well educated and liberal-minded man, who was exiled by the French Revolution. Out of nine of the French six only could read or write, while the English could do both. To my surprise they speak pretty good French, intermixed with some foreign phrases, mostly learned from the soldiers.

"Notwithstanding I was at considerable trouble, I could not fix the settlement earlier than 1757, but by talk with old settlers it may have been as early as 1735. We must allow that they are a kind and hospitable set, but for idleness and ignorance they beat the Indians themselves. They know nothing at all of the arts or domestic affairs ; the women neither sew nor spin, nor make butter, but pass their time in gossip and tattle, while at home all is dirt and disorder. The men do nothing but hunt,' fish, wander about the woods or lie in the sun. They do not lay up stores for a rainy day as we do. They cannot cure pork or venison, or make sauer kraut, or spruce beer, or distil spirits from apples or rye, all necessary arts to the farmer. When they trade they try by extortion to make much out of little, and what they get they fool away in beads and baubles upon Indian girls, and spend their time in relating stories of insignificant personal adventures." Gen. Harrison, in his report to Congress, says it is nothing for the settlers to offer 1,000 acres of land for an insignificant horse or gun.

Character Of The Inhabitants

Father Flaget, who arrived in Vincennes with Col. Clark, December 21, 1792, in speaking of the bad condition of the church, says the congregation was, if possible, in a more miserable condition than the church. " Out of nearly 700 souls, of whom it was composed, the minister could find but twelve to attend his spiritiial duties, the inhabitants of Vincennes had lived so long among the Indians, with whom many had intermarried, that they had contracted many of their savage habits. Like them, they were erratic and improvident, living chiefly by the chase, and purchasing their clothing and other necessaries with peltries at the different trading posts." In a very humble petition to Congress in a letter dated Cahokia, May 16, 1790, Father Gibbault very humbly prays Congress to pay him the sum of 7,800 livres,

$1,445, the amount of money he advanced Col. Clark to assist his men, and for which he was paid in Virginia paper dollars, which had never been redeemed, In consequence of his loss he was compelled to sell " two good slaves " who would have been the support of his old age. In reward for all his services Congress, on March 3, 1791, ordered, " That two lots of land, heretofore in the occupation of the priests of Cahokia, and situated near that village, be and the same is hereby granted in fee to P. Gibbault." It may be said in this connection that Col. Vigo received no better treatment, although he had become individually responsible for about $9,000. The first matter of recorded history taking place in the town was the record of the baptism of Marie Josette, daughter of Nicholas and Mary Clare Chaffard. She was baptized according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church July 2, 1747. On June 25, 1749, was recorded the baptism of John Baptiste, son of Peter Liapichagane and Catherine McKieve - Francis Filatraux being godfather and Mary Mikitchenseire godmother, and also there was recorded the marriage of Julien Trattier of Montreal, Canada, and Josette Marie, daughter of a Frenchman and an Indian woman, in April preceding, and in 1750 is recorded the death of Madame Trattier and her burial in the church "under her pew on the Gospel side." There is a continuous record of marriages, baptisms or burials kept by the priests or by Philibert dil Orleans, a notary public, who administered lay -baptism and recorded marriages during intervals when there were no priests. Previous to 1760 half of the records made were of " red or Indian slaves." The number of "red or Indian slaves " gradually grew less from that time, but did not cease till the beginning of what might properly be called the second period of its history, beginning with 1790. In 1781 there had been forty baptisms by Philibert, and in 1788 there had been fiftythree by Father Gibbault. From 1778 to the present the history of Vincennes is an open book. The following is claimed as the first official land entry that has been preserved:

" We Louis St. Ange, captain and commandant of the King at Port Vincennes, have granted to Marie Joseph Richard a certain tract of land seven arpents front and forty arpents deep, situate below the Little Rock, between two tracts not granted. The possession is granted in remembrance of the good services which he has rendered his Majesty in serving as Indian Interpreter of Monsieur Aubry.

Perhaps two of the most historical places are the old church and Fort Sackville. The former stood not far from the present site of the cathedral. It is described as being built of logs placed on end in the ground of sufficient depth to stand, and the spaces between the logs chinked and daubed with mud and prairie grass. The building was about 40x60 feet, with a thatched roof. It is proven by the records to have been there in 1747 ; the Hon. O. F. Baker thinks it must have been there as early as 1732. From the fact that the French had held possession of the place from thirty years earlier than that date, and that there had been a priest called before 1712, and frorn the well-known policy of the Catholics it would be no violent assumption to presume that it was built even earlier than the date fixed by Mr. Baker. In this knelt the pious priest, the early French settler, and his dusky companion, the Indian. Here too, Pierre Gibbault, in 1778, pictured the benefits of an alliance with the American cause, and administered the oath of that allegiance to the inhabitants. It was at "the church" that Col. Clark agreed to meet Mr. Hamilton to arrange terms of capitulation of Fort Sackville, on February 24, 1779. This old church was soon after supplanted by a new one, as Father Gibbault in a letter to his bishop, in May, 1785, says that a new log church had been built, 42x90 feet, and that the old church had been adapted for his use as a parsonage. This stood till 1828. The date of the erection of Fort Sackville is not known, and even its location is in doubt. Mr. A. B. McKee contends that old Fort Sackville stood between First Street and the bank of the Wabash, not far from Buntin Street, and supports his theory on personal recollections, conversations with Col. Vigo, Capt. Kobert Buntin, and the testimony of T. C. Buntin, Mary A. Lyons, E. G. Binford, H. Lasselle, Adeline Wolverton and Mary Bailey.

1793. Mr. Baker supports his theory by quoting documentary evidence - Bowman's journal, as given in Dillon's History of Indiana, and also Volney, as given in his description of Vincennes. It is claimed by the first party named that the fort as located by the last named party was the second Fort Sackville, and that the first Fort Sackville was as described at first. Whether the one or the other was Fort Sackville, the one stood not far from the river, near the foot of Buntin Street, and the other partly on the block on which the Laplante House now stands, and was about twenty or thirty yards from the river, with the south angle near the center of the square above mentioned, and the gate at the southeast corner of the fort. The fort is described as an irregular inclosure, being about sixty feet at the narrowest place and 200 feet at the widest part, and containing from two to three acres. This was surrounded by a stockade from ten to twelve feet high, with block-houses at the corners or angles, as was usual in forts of that day. In the center was a block-house also, which served as quarters for the officers, and underneath this was the magazine. On the river side were the barracks for the men. Small pieces of ordnance were at times in use for the defense of the fort and garrison. Fort Sackville was named in honor of Jean Sacqueville, a French trader and soldier, who was employed by the Detroit French Fur Company. It is claimed to have been built as early as 1713. As the Piankeshaw Indians lived here and owned the land, it must have been built on ground obtained from them, possibly from Tolac, their chief. A second fort was built in 1793, and owing to disturbances between the soldiers and citizens in 1807, this was abandoned, and Fort Knox, or the second Fort Knox, was built by order of Gen. Harrison. It was built from the walls of the old fort

It was from these walls that the flag blessed by Priest Gibbault and made by Madame Goddare was unfurled to the beeeze. In 1778 it was over the gate that Capt. Helm stood at his gun when Gov. Hamilton with 400 men a few months after demanded the surrender of the fort. The captain boldly demanded what terms would be granted; he was asked what he wanted and defiantly replied, "The honors of war." Such was granted, and he and his companion surrendered. It was in front of the gate in the

Main Street, says Maj. Bowman, that four Indians were tomahawked and thrown into the river, these being the remnant of a scalping party of Indians who had been surprised and captured by Clark's men on their return to Vincennes, they not being aware of the change in masters of the place. It was from this fort that La Balm, in the fall of 1780, started with thirty men on his unfortunate filibustering expedition against Detroit. In 1783 there was a total of 150 French families, and in addition eighty American families, all of whom are mentioned elsewhere.

The Seat Of Government

On Gen. Harrison's becoming governor of the Northwest Territory in 1800, Vincennes became the seat of government for said Territory, and to that place Gen. Harrison moved, that he might exercise his gubernatorial duties. An abbreviated description of Vincennes as it appeared in 1805, is condensed from Hon. O. F. Baker's description of it: "St. Louis Street began at the governor's plantation (Hart Street) and extended along the river down to Stony Ford, there to meet Market Street, which came down in an irregular, narrow way from Benjamin Beed's at the corner of St. Peter (Seventh) and Chapel (Church) Street. St. Jerome (Perry changed about the time of Perry's victory on Lake Erie) began at St. Louis and extended by the frame Indian trading house of the Lasselle Brothers, and ended where stood the tavern of Fred Graeter, marked by the residence of Capt. Mass. A short street led from the ferry, foot of Main, to the store of Col. Vigo, corner of Second and Busseron, and a similar street from Main to St. Peter's, or Broadway, by the stores of Bazadon; all else was open commons. The little village in 1805 contained sixty-two dwellings, one church, five stores, one saddle shop, two blacksmith shops, four taverns, one ox-mill, one wind-mill, one wheel-wright. The professions were represented by three physicians and seven lawyers. The physicians were Drs. Kuykendall, McNamee and Samuel McKee. They were all men of note. The latter was a surgeon in the United States Army and died in 1809. The lawyers were Thomas Bandolph, a near relative of President Jefferson ; Benjamin Parke, Henry Hurst, Gen. W. Johnson, John Bice Jones,

John Johnson and Henry Vanderburg. Nearly all of these men closely identified with the civil business and military history of Vincennes for the first half of the present century. Coming down St. Louis Street, upon the right hand stood the residence of Judge Benjamin Parke, a frame cottage standing near the center of the grounds of John "Wise. In this Capt. Zachary Taylor lived for a time, and here a daughter was born, who afterward became the wife of Jefferson Davis, President of the Southern Confederacy. Few towns can boast of having been the home of two presidents, and the birth-place of the wife of a third. Upon each side of the street coming down St. Jerome, was the residence and wheelwright shop of John Blackford, and three or four poteaux au terre, or French houses, described as composed of timber stood on end and the space filled with mud mixed with straw. At the corner of St. Jerome stood a little abode house in which ' Nec-cau-bau,' or Hooded Nose, a Puan chief, used to live, if sleeping off a drunken stupor could be called life. Looking up St. Jerome Street, Lasselle's Indian trading house was indicated by a red flannel flag floating out in the street. Here were offered for sale blankets, knives, hatchets, flints, tomahawks, guns, beads, rings, broaches, bands, pots, pans, calico, flannel, salt, sugar and whisky. The three latter were in great demand among the Indians. Sugar and whisky were sold to the negroes and Indians by measure, and by a custom well remembered by old settlers, the merchant was allowed to insert two fingers into the measure while filling for an Indian and three for a negro. At the head of St. Jerome Street stood Graeter's tavern, a two-story frame, with a long veranda in front ; on the outside hung a large triangle, from the sound of which the guests were summoned to their meals."

A Philadelphian who spent the summer of 1807 at this tavern, drinking Madeira wine, in which Peruvian bark had been steeped, and eating bear meat, describes the bill of fare: "The bark was taken to ward off the ague, and the bear meat was the chief article of food." He says the thoughts of these sent a chill along his back and a bitter taste to his mouth. At the corner of St. Peter's and Second Streets were the stores of Laurient Bazadon. In his cellar or well, eighteen feet under ground, in the water, were stored many bottles of fine old wines, which the Spanish filibusters of 1785, under John Rice Jones, conveyed into Sackville. Into this cellar a militia chief, in later years, was conveyed from general muster by his soldiers and left to snore off his potation, and was there kept a forgotten prisoner for two days. These houses were of hewed logs, two-stories high, the upper having port-holes for musketry, and projecting over the lower story after the manner of other block-houses, and were surrounded by pickets. There were also the houses of Col. Francis Vigo, which stood upon the lot now occupied by Green's Opera House. Back upon St. Louis, upon the two squares between St. Jerome and St. Peter's, were three houses, one a twostory hewed-log house, painted red, another a long frame and the third a poieaux cm terre. In 1803 Capt. Walter Taylor's company of rangers were quartered in these houses. The next upon St. Peter's was the residence of John Rice Jones, built in 1794. Across the street was the mansion of Col. Vigo, a two-story frame, surrounded by a veranda, painted white, with green solid shutters. The builder of this house received twenty guineas for completing it in time for its hospitable owner to tender it to Gen. Harrison upon his arrival in 1801. The immense parlor which the General accepted, though he declined to occupy any other portion of the house, was paved with diamond-shaped blocks of black walnut alternated by ash.

The remains of the elegant parlor were burned in 1850. In the same block stood the two-story frame tavern of Peter Jones. Across the street, in a house poieaux au terre were the stores of George Wallace and Toussiant Dubois, and a little gun shop of John Small, the pioneer guusmith of Vincennes. Adjoining the Jefferson House was the tannery and residence of Autoine Marchall and the fur house of Francis Bosseron, and across the street lived Judge Vanderburg. At the corner of Main and St. Louis was Thorn's saddle shop and Bruner's seed and dye house. Across St. Louis Street was Dunica's tavern, with a sign of a ferry-boat, and back of it was a part of Sackville, converted into a jail. Below Main was Barnet's tavern, at the sign of an Indian with bow and arrows. Then to the church was an open plain, upon which Fort Sackville stood, close to "Block House Square."

On the corner of Main and Second was the old residence of Antoine Garuelin, the French notaire, who held his commission from le grand monarch. The records of Gamelin and Pierre Quarez are still to be seen occasionally.

At the corner of Third and Busseron stood the frame cottage residence of Antoine Drouet de Eichardville, who was of royal descent, and some of whose descendants still live in the county. Near were the residences of John Johnson and Homer Johnson. Grouped about the church were the mud and straw-thatched cottages of the old French settlers. In the house on the south corner of Broadway was the place of the meeting of the first Territorial Legislature in 1801. A little later, 1809, on the corner of Fourth and Buntin, stood the first court house, and on the separation of Illinois Territory from Indiana, Vincennes was made the dividing line, and that being so indefinite, the old court house, by common consent, was made the position of that line. At what was then the head of St. Louis Street was the mansion and plantation of Gov. W. H. Harrison. This house is of brick, and is in a good state of preservation, although it was begun in 1805 and completed in 1806. It is said to have been the first house of burnt brick west of Chillicothe, or some say Pittsburgh. The doors, sash, mantels and stairs were made at the former place, but the brick were not shipped from Pittsburgh, as they were made a few miles east of town. The style, architecture and finish are creditable to this day. A considerable crack was made in the walls of this building in March, 1811, during a terrible earthquake that occurred. Here Gov. Harrison entertained his numerous guests in royal style. It was here that Capt. Miller, who became famous at Lundy's Lane by " I'll try, sir," was a guest at the time of the earthqiiake. Around the mansion, among the elms, catalfas, secret and stately oaks, were the servants' halls and quarters.

Where nature had not furnished trees sufficient, the same had been supplied by artificial means. Beneath the family room was a powder magazine. It is said the General was determined, rather than fall into the hands of the savages, that he and his family would be blown into eternity by this means. These trees, lands and surroundings constituted " my plantation of Grouseland."

This was the famous treaty ground between Harrison and the various Indian tribes of the Wabash. It was here that Harrison held his celebrated conference with the great Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, who when invited into the house threw himself upon the ground and exclaimed: "The sun is my father, the earth is my mother, and on her bosom will I repose." Whether the actual language of the stern chief, it but illustrates his character; it was during a conference here that came so near resulting in a fearful tragedy. The haughty chief boldly told the Governor that he lied. The interpreter tried to soften the language some, when Tecumseh said, " No, tell him he lies." A dozen tomahawks were raised. Harrison and his few guards stood motionless, but ready. Cajit. Parke's company of volunteer dragoons were drawn up some distance away, but not close enough to have saved the governor and his men, besides they were far inferior in number to the Indians. Cooler judgment at last prevailed, and the tragedy was averted. J. Scott Harrison, a son of the General, who was then a little boy, says that the Rev. Winans was standing in his father's doorway with gun ready for the fray. He further says that Winnemac, a friendly Pottawattomie chief, was near himself and only a short distance from Tecumseh, with his eyes firmly fixed upon the chief and his hands upon his weapon, from whom he afterward learned that he intended to dispatch Tecumseh should a blow be struck.

The first theater was built at the corner of St. Louis and St. Peter's Streets by John Rice Jones. The first company to play in this was in 1807, at which time Robert M. Douglass was drowned while bathing in the river opposite Peter Jones' tavern, in company with some soldiers of the garrison. A strange coincidence of the occurrence was that the play for the evening was the one entitled " Drowning men catch at straws." In the same building Mr. McGowan taught school; he also sold meat, good beef, "to the citizens - Indians and negroes excepted." Vincennes, in the year 1806, gave entertainment and grace to that wonderful genius but unscrupulous character, Aaron Burr. Here he collected a body of men; here he received financial aid and encouragement from many leading citizens. It is doubtless due their credit to say that they were deceived as to the true import of his designs, as was the unfortunate Blennerhassett. The expedition from this place, unlike Blennerhassett, never sailed, and Theodosia never became queen. An incident of 1813 was the duel between Parmenus Beckes, sheriff of Knox County, and Dr. Scull, who had been surgeon in Harrison's army of Tippecanoe, in which pistols were used with fatal effect. The difficulty grew out of a social scandal. The duel was fought just across the river on the Illinois side, not far from the foot of a bridge. In the affray Beckes was killed. The scenes in a little over half a century have greatly changed. The old ox tread-mill and the wind-mill have given place to large steam nouring-mills that have a capacity of more than 1,000,000 bushels annually. The old common lands, covered with prairie grass, on which fed the ponies and stunted cattle, have given way to vast cultivated fields of timothy, clover, and other grasses and grains, on which are fed the finest blooded stock. The little old French cart, made entirely of wood, with its rawhide tire, its sleepy pony and unambitious driver, his cart loaded with a few sticks of wood, all these have given place to the well-fed horse of civilization, the elegant pleasure carriage, with its proud driver, or the grain wagon of the prosperous farmer, driving his ample supply of grain to market.

Squaws, bearing deerskin sacks of corn or honey, are no longer seen, but the market basket or the delivery wagon in its stead. While the stupid, drunken savage may not be seen, the drunkenness of civilization still remains. And other things have changed. Notwithstanding the ordinance of 1787, and the State constitution of 1816, slavery existed liere till about 1810. In 1808 there were 123 slaves, and the census of the town of 1830 showed a slave population of twelve males and twenty females. When Harrison was governor he had quite a retinue of slaves about him. In files of the Sun, from 1808 to 1820, numerous advertisements of runaway slaves are seen. On the records are to be seen many contracts between indentured slaves and their masters. These were for some real or fancied debt, the consideration often being of a very trivial amount, but the term of service usually covered the entire term of the period of active life of the indentured slave ; in other words, it was slavery legalized under the constitution.

As is well known the early French settlers intermarried indiscriminately with the Indians. Thence sprang a race of Creoles, whose descendants are scattered over the country, using the French language exclusively. The generation now growing up learn the English, but the older ones cling steadfastly to the French. The old two-wheeled carts, "caleches," made without the use of metal, were common as late as 1840. Even at that period, the Creole population outnumbered the other, and controlled elections. They clung tenaciously to their old habits of unrestrained freedom in hunting, fishing, dancing, and raising a little corn and a few esculents. Since 1840 the city has been making much more rapid growth.

The first ordinances for the government of Vincennes were passed in 1805, approved in 1807, and piiblished in the Sun in 1809. The act incorporating the place did not pass until September 6, 1814, and was approved by the Territorial Legislature February 2, 1815. It embraced all the lands from the plantation of Gen. W. H. Harrison on the northeast to the church lands on the southwest, and from the River St. Jerome (Wabash) to the commons, to be under the name and style of " the Borough of Vincennes." All freeholders and householders were allowed to vote for town trustees, and these were to choose their own chairman and clerk. Ground for a market-house was purchased, and the town divided into three wards. In 1818 the commons lands (5,400 acres) were given to the town trustees for the purpose of draining the swamps and otherwise improving the town. This was divided into 200 five-acre lots, 100 ten-acre lots, and the remainder into twenty-acre lots. Bids for the survey of the town were advertised in the Western Sun, Indiana Herald, Louisville Journal and Western Spy. The contract for the survey was received by Homer Johnson and Samuel Emison.

In 1S19 the trustees were ordered to provide six fire-hooks and six ladders thirty feet long; also, every family was ordered to provide itself with two two-gallon leathern buckets, and when they had but one chimney, one two-gallon leathern bucket. Ordinances were now ordered printed in the Sun and Public Advertiser.

The market master was ordered to enclose the market house by fence "made of scantling, with turn-stile at each corner;" to open the market on market-day at daylight, and close at 9 o'clock, and to announce the opening by the "blowing of a horn," to keep order, seal every weight and inspect the meat. In 1830 the following board of health was appointed for the town: Drs. Wolverton, Somes and Davidson. An amendment was made to the charter of Vincennes on January 27, 1831 ; it was thereafter to be known by the name of the president and trustees of the borough of Vin- An act for granting a city charter also passed the General in 1831, arid was submitted to a vote of the people on Saturday, June 4, 1831. The election board consisted of R. P. Price, judge ; John B. Martin and Joseph Roseman, clerks. There were but twenty-three votes " for" and twenty votes " against" the charter. The vote was not considered legal, and the city charter was not granted until the act of June 10, 1852. The same act was amended January 20, 1855. The remaining portion of the commons lands passed into the control of the city council in January, 1856.

Harrison's Addition was made to the "Borough of Vincennes, Indiana Territory," in November, 1816. This was the first, and was surveyed by Robert Buntin. The following have been made since: G. W. Cochran's Addition to borough, August 20, 1853 ; McCord & Smith's Addition, May 26, 1858 ; W. W. Hilt, ten lots, March 10, 1858 ; J. G. Bowman's Addition, July 27, 1858 ; W. M. Hitt's Addition, March, 1860; Mantle & Noble's Addition, July 16, 1859; Watson & Noble's Addition, 1859 ; J. W. Hinkle's Addition, July 10, 1863 ;C.W. Allen's Addition (upper survey), Feb. 12, 1866; Samuel Judah's Addition, September 25, 1866; McCord & Bayard's Addition, January 31, 1861 ; N. F. Malott's Addition, May 25, 1868 ; Peck's Addition (Upper Prairie), February 28, 1874; Mass & "Watson's Addition, December, 1870; R. B. Jessup's Addition, April 23, 1875; William Richardville's Addition, June 29, 1876; A. B. Daniels' subdivision lots, May 27, 1872; Ellen Hilt's Addition, August 13, 1877 ; Charles Connoyer's Addition, September 6, 1879; Bishop Chatard's Addition (Lower Prairie), February 14, 1879; Government Subdivision, June 21, 1881; Frederick Bultman's Addition, January 3, 1882; Chatard's Subdivision of College Ground, August 28, 1884.

Incorporated Companies

A branch of the old Indiana Bank was established at Vincennes in 1817, of which Nathaniel Ewiug was one of the principal directors. After its failure in 1823-24, there was established a State Bank in 1834, and in 1853 the bank of the State. It is now the Vincennes Bank, and was established in 1865. Its capital is $100,000, with $80,000 surplus. Its officers are W. M. Tyler, president, and H. A. Foulks, cashier. The First National Bank was established in 1874, with a capital stock of $100,000. The officers are J. H. Babb, president, and J. L. Bayard, cashier.

The first gas light company was incorporated September 19, 1859, by Charles P. McGrady, W. H. H. Terrell and associates, under the name of Vincennes Gas Light Company, charter to run twenty years. This proving inadequate for the growing city, the Citizens' Gas Light Company was incorporated January 20, 1876. The following were the stockholders: L. L. Watson, M. D. Lacroix, J. Pollox, Laz. Noble, W. H. DeWolf, H. A. Foulks and G. G. Biley. The capital stock was put at 440 shares of $50 each, with privilege of increasing to $75,000. The capital stock now stands at $50,000. The officers are J. Babb, president, and George G. Bamsdell, secretary and treasurer. The office is 16 Second street. In 1881 their capacity for mamxfacturing gas was increased from 12,000,000 cubic feet to over 30,000,000 feet annually. They have seven miles of mains and consume 1,200 tons of coal.

The Building and Saving Association, No. 1, was incorporated August 9, 1879, with a capital stock of $100,000 in shares of $100 each. Old Post Building and Loan was incorporated January 7, 1880, also with a capital stock of $100,000, in shares of $100 each. The Knox Building and Loan Association was incorporated in 1883, with a capital stock of $500,000. Incalculable has been the benefit from these associations in building up the city. Nothing short of a detailed history would do them justice.

The Vincennes Draw-bridge Company was incorporated October 13, 1869, with a capital stock of $40,000 in shares of $50 each. The company was allowed the privilege of increasing its stock to $75,000. In 1875 the city took $20,000 of this stock, and in 1877 increased its stock by $25,000 additional. In

1843 the Wabash Navigation Company was organized for the purpose of improving the navigation of the Wabash so as to admit large steamers from New Orleans . The undertaking was only partially successful.

The Vincennes Coal Mining Company was organized and incorporated December 17, 1872, by J. E. Mantle, A. Patton, J. H. Shepard, George Harris and H. A. Foulks ; capital stock, $100,000. The mines operated are at Edwardsport.

The Spring Lake Ice Company was incorporated in 1882 with a capital stock of §30,000. This company does a prosperous business. N. F,. Dalton is its president.

The Vincennes Colorific Brick and Tile Company was incorporated by F. Clark, J. E. Mantle, S. P. Euble, and T. Doyson. This has a capacity of 20,000 brick per day, and a vast quantity of tile. The quantity of brick manufactured at the three yards amounts to about 3,000,000 annually.

The Street Railroad

The charter for the street railway was granted October 24, 1881, to Charles Graeter, Frederick Graeter, their associates, successors or assigns, to organize themselves into a body corporate and politic under the laws of Indiana, under the name and style of the Vincennes Citizens' Street Eailway Company. The charter calls for tbe route now taken, and requires the completion of the same within two years from date of charter, with the privilege of extending the same. It restricts the fare to 5 cents each way, and requires the running of cars every twenty minutes between the hours of 6 A. M. and 10 P. M. The capital stock is $15,000. Frederick Graeter is president of the company, and G. W. Graeter is secretary and superintendent.

The Water Works

A vote was taken on the question of water works on July 25, 1885, and the privilege of building the same passed the city council July 13, 1885. It was granted Samuel E. Bullock, William S. Mercer, their associates, successors and assigns. The privilege was granted for twenty years, the city to pay an annual rental of $5,000, payable in quarterly installments, with legal rate of interest on deferred payments unless the city purchase the work

On August 6, 1817, the great flouring-mill of Ewing, Hay, Parke & Co. was begun. A quantity of land twenty arpents front and forty arpents deep was purchased in the Upper Prairie survey on which to erect the mill. The mill was both a saw and gristmill, and was to have four saws to be driven by 200 horse-power engines, and capable of making 200 barrels of flour per day. The company issued bills of credit similar to bank notes, some of which are to be seen yet'occasionally bearing the signatures of N. Ewing, J. D. Hay, W. Felton, C. Small, and Benjamin Parke. The enterprise proved rather disastrous to most of the stockholders.

Business Houses

Sweet; manufacturer of blankets, etc., H. D. Wheeler; stoves, N. Smith & Sons, Wilkins & Eobinson; harness, saddles, etc., Pashia, Orr & Co., Thing & Potter, W. J. Heberd & Sons, and P. E. Bishop; clocks, jewelry, etc., William Stalz; merchant tailor, H. P. Brokaw.

Later Business Firms

Business of the Fifties. - Dry goods - W. J. Heberd & Son, J. B. La Plante (general store), B. Kuhn, J. S. Sawyer, A. Gimbel, J. W. Maddox, L. Gimbel, K. Koster, Decker & Chadwick W. E. Brenne & Co., and Cass Graeter. Clothing - I. Joseph, B. Kuhn (wholesale and retail), Moses Gimbel, Frank Soudrilet, and H. T. Koseman. Groceries - Henry Haeussey, J. S. Sawyer, Decker & Chadwick, W. E. Brenne & Co. (wholesale and retail) and J. T. Cos. Boots and shoes - D. H. Johnson, Frank Horsting and George Kerchoff & Co. Books and stationery - Harry Mason & Co. Artist - J. P. Elliott. Furniture - Joel Gresh. Wagons - J. R. Bishop and John Collins. Agricultural implements - S. W. Adams and William Burtch. Livery Stable - Emison & Green. Dentist - J. Flager. Physicians - Dr. J. B. Mandel, R. P. Jessup, J. S. Somes, Dr. Picquet and Hiram Decker. Attorneys - John Law, William Denny, John Baker and A. T. Ellis.

Business of the Sixties. - Dry goods - J. W. Maddox, J. S. Sawyer (dry goods and groceries), James Gardner, A. Gimbel and P. Kuhn & Co. Grocers and produce dealers - M. D. Lacroix, John A. Louis, J. T. Roseman, J. S. Sawyer, C. A. Weisert, Rethin & Bro., W. E. Meek and Fitzgerald & Denny. Clothiers and merchant tailors - H. P. Brokaw, William Huey and I. Joseph & Co. Bookstores - J. H. Shepard & Co., Will Watson and E. B. Ramsdell. Hardware - John H. Clark and N. Smith & Sons (also tinware). Artist - 0. Thayer. Woolen factory - H. D. Wheeler.

Business of the Last Decade and the Present. - Groceries - E. Bierhaus & Son (wholesale), A. Gimbel (wholesale), L. B. Smith (wholesale) ; other wholesale and retail or retail alone are: J. D. Lacroix, Moore & Harns, F. Twietmeyer, Wickel & Harter, J. Hall, Hall & Bro. William Busse, Samuel Morgenstern, John Burke, J. W. Cassell, John Farman, H. J. Hellert,

J. H. Schultze, H. Shaffer, F. W. Ritterskamp, Vickery & Allen, E. Osweiller, John Hurmbolt, C. W. Schultz, John Hoffman, Bemas & Becker, C. P. Porter & Bro., Lute Wile, J. C. Hautge, La Plante & Bro. and B. Knirihm. Dry goods - B. Kuhn & Co., A. Gimbel & Son, G. Weinstin & Co., L. A. Wise & Co., I. Joseph & Son, E. Baker and M. Bindskopp. Clothing - H. Willoughby & Son, J. W. Leuenthal & Co., S. Blum & Co. (clothing and dry goods), B. Kuhn & Co., Isaac Gimbel, I. H. Liebshutz and J. C. Conne (clothing and boots and shoes). Jewelers - J. & H. Tindoph, Perry Tindoph, C. C. Azbell and Fred Harsch. Druggists - C. A. Smith, Charles S. Miller, Padget & Lee, Moore & Harris, H. J. Watjen, W. A. Markee, Hannah Reel, H. Duesterburg, Ed Busse and Theodore Bauer. Books and stationery - E. B. Ramsdell, William Davidson and F. Tieverman. Merchant tailors - J. Bernstein and M. Hogan. Photographers - J. Dunn, E. D. Conoyer, W. H. Grover, W. J. Rawlings and Eugene Popf. Furnishing goods - J. A. Breivogel. Notion store - V. Schoenfield. Bakers and confectioners - Joe Ohnemus, H. F. Thuis, Charles Hagemeir, A. B. Johnson, Joe Woodman, M. Hardemetz and E. Schoenfield. Livery stables - Fred Graeter, Myer & Tewalt and William Green. Paper hangers - Dawson & Bro., Frank Weisert and E. J. Loten. Marble works - Salyards & Burns, A. Schoenebaum and John Hartigan. Milliners and dress-makers - G. B. Harvey, J. J. Anderson, Misses Stalder & Jarrow, B. M. Glass, Mrs. E. Openheim, Mrs. Frank Rickey, Mrs. J. E. Eberwine, Mrs. J. E. Smith (hair dresser), Mrs. George Getchey, Miss L. Ostenhage, Mrs. Proctor and Mrs. M. Terhart. Grist-mills - J. & S. Emison, J. Pollick & Co., Bath Mills and Atlas Mills. Poultry, butter and eggs - J. E. Sullivan and C. R. Durham. Sewing machines - J. S. Thorn. Molding and fancy wood-work - J. P. Curry. Newspapers - Commercial, T. C. Adams; Vincennes Sun, Royal E. Purcell; Vincennes News, W. W. Bailey & Bro. Job office - A. V. Croth. Boot and shoe dealers - W. J. Nicholson, A. Kapps, George Klein, C. H. Blase and C. J. Lipe. Boot and shoe-makers - L. Moyes, J. P. Edwards. F. W. Weichel, J. E. Hartman, S. P. Brenn, J. S. Kitchell, C. Herdenreich, C. F. Shultz, C. Lane and H. Blome. Planing-mills and lumber yards - Burnett <fe Eastham, Glover <fe Co.,

J. E. Plummer, Spiegle & Gardner and Barrett & Son. Stoves and tinware - N. Smith & Son, H. H. Dubois, P. K. McCarthy & Bro. and John Watson. Furniture and undertaking - S. R. Jackman, Gardner & Son and Peter Ivey. Tobacco - George Fendrich, Joseph Smidt, Werker & Hanger and Emil H. Bringham. Hides, leather, etc.- - Fred Miller, William Baker and John Schwartz. Saddles and harness - B. Page, Jr., J. T. Orr and Frank A. Thuis. Hardware, agricultural implements and seeds - M. Tyler, Son & Co., Heberd & Miller, George C. Cross, William Heberd & Co., C. H. Debolt & Co. and H. H. Hackman (hardware and guns). Queensware - George Harris. Hats and caps - Ed Breivogel and G. B. Spitz. Gas fitting - Vincennes Steam Heating Co. Gun works - P. Elure. Machine shops - J. F. Sechler & Co. Meat markets - O'Donnell & Son, C. Hoffman, John Ulmer, A. Marone, Peter Mallet and J. K. Green. Barbers - Frank Wilson, Horace Graves, Union Depot shop, Andy Hill, Emil Gebhart, J. S. Marvin, Thomas Posey, Frank Kreck, Brenner & Bro. and William Perry. Coal and wood - Retterskamp & Fuller. Hotels - La Plante House, J. H. Cockran ; Union Depot Hotel, Mass & Watson, and Lahr House. Boarding houses and restaurants - Sixth Ward House, Avenue Hotel, Illinois House, St. John's Hotel, Metropolitan Restaurant, Waller's Restaurant and H. M. Townsley's Bestaurant.

Other Business

There are the saw-mills, manufacturing over 3,000,000 feet of lumber, and there are handled at the various yards over 11,000,000 feet annually. Four large flouring-mills consume 1,000,000 bushels of wheat, and handle in addition a vast quantity of corn.

The two foundries, one built in 1861, and the other in 1880, give employment to a large number of men. The Vincennes Butler dish factory has a capacity of 200,000 dishes per day. The cradle and snath factory turn out about 3,000 cradles and snaths per year. The Eagle Brewery was built about 1860, by John Ebner. It had a capacity of 4,000 barrels per annum, but has since been increased to 18,000. The product of this brewery is shipped over a circuit of 100 miles around Vincennes. The pork packing establishment of Bierhaus & Son pack from 12,000 to 20,000 hogs per annum. The following figures are furnished by the board of trade: The railroads forming a junction at Vincennes employ enough men for their pay-roll to amount to $31,000 per month. The repair shops of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad were located at Vincennes in 1862. The number of men employed at that time was about forty. In 1865 the number had increased to fifty-two. In 1883 the number of men employed amounted to 160, with a monthly pay-roll of $7,000. Fifty-two engineers, under the supervision of the master mechanic, reside here, and draw a monthly salary of $7,800; the same number of firemen draw $3,900, making the pay for mechanics $18,700. About forty conductors and eighty brakemen reside here, the former at a salary of $3,200, and the latter about the same. The shops have been largely increased within the last few years. During the year 1882, 1,345,803 bushels of wheat were shipped from this point, requiring 3,315 cars to transport it. There were in all 15,338 car loads of freight sent out, amounting to 192,000 tons, and there were received 20,037 cars, or 250,462 tons of freight. This does not include the merchandise shipped by river.

Town And City Officers Secret Societies

Vincennes Lodge, No. 1, F. & A. M., was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, September 1, 1808, and was organized March 13, 1809. This was the first lodge in Indiana Territory and the fifteenth of Kentucky. Agreeably to the dispensation of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky this lodge met, and was organized as follows: Present - Jonathan Taylor, of Abraham Lodge, No. 8; William Jones; Gen. Washington Johnson, late of Abraham Lodge; John Caldwell, M. M., late of Union Lodge, No. 92; Charles Fisher, M. M., late of Brownsville Lodge, No. 60; John Gibson, F. G, of Lancaster Lodge, and Henry Vanderburg, Army Traveling Lodge, New York. The officers were installed as follows by Jonathan Taylor : William Jones, W. M, ; Gen. W. Johnson, J. W. The lodge being only temporarily organized they met March 11 with the following result: William Jones, W. M. ; Gen. W. Johnson, J. W. ; John Caldwell, S. W., pro. tern.; Henry Vanderburg, Treasurer, pro. tern. ; Charles Fisher, Secretary and Tyler, pro. tern. ; John Gibson, F. C. ; visiting brother, Jonathan Taylor, P. M., of Abraham Lodge, No. 8. It was determined to adopt the by-laws of Abraham Lodge for the present. After conferring the degree of M. M. upon John Gibson the lodge adjourned. At the meeting, March 17, 1809, the degree of E. A. was conferred on Parmenas Beckes, William Prince, Hezekiah Bradley and John D. Hay ; also the degrees of F. C. and M. M. upon William Prince and Parmenas Beckes. On March 18 Peter Jones, Thomas Randolph, John D. Hay and Hezekiah Bradley were made F. Cs. On April 3 Joshua Bond and Charles Smith were made E. As., and April 12 Thomas Randolph became an F. C. The following is the order of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, in- shall come, greeting: Whereas it hath been been duly represented to the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, that in Vincennes, in the county of Knox and Territory of Indiana, there reside a number of brethren of the most ancient and honorable society of Free and Accepted Masons, who are desirous of being formed into a regular lodge; therefore know ye that we, John Allen, Grand Master Mason in the State of Kentucky, by and with the consent of Grand Lodge, do hereby constitute and appoint our trusty and well beloved brethren, George "Wallace, M. ; William Jones, S. W. ; Gen. W. Johnson, J. W. ; together, with all such other true and lawful brethren as may be admitted to associate with them, to assemble and work as a regularly constituted lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the county of Knox and Territory of Indiana aforesaid by the name and title and designation of Vincennes Lodge, No. 15, hereby requiring and enjoining all regular lodges to hold, acknowledge and respect them as such, and we do hereby grant and covenant to the Master Wardens and brethren aforesaid, full power and authority to perform all works of the craft agreeably to the ancient customs and usages of Freemasons."

December 2, 1811, it was unanimously resolved "That the members of this lodge wear crape on their left arms for the space of one month, as a testimonial of the respect in which they held the High Worshipful Grand Master, Joseph Daviess, and the sincere regret they feel at the untimely but glorious fall of said Joseph H. Daviess, together with Brothers Thomas Randolph and Isaac White, who fell in the battle (at Tippecanoe) with the savages on the morning of November 7, 1811." January 1, 1816, it was "Ordered that refreshments out of the lodge be dispensed with, that Brother Steward inform Brother P. Jones thereof, and that the steward provide at the expense of the lodge, a pitcher, four tumblers and a half -gallon bottle of whisky, and a sufficiency of water on each stated night at the lodge-room." The lodge was regularly constituted by charter from the Grand Lodge of Indiana, January 13, 1818, and was designated Vincennes Lodge No. 1. The following were the officers: Elihu Stout, W. M. ; JohnB. Biennen, S. W. ; John Decker, J. W. ; Henry Buble, Treasurer ; V. G. Bradley, Secretary ; Jacob Call, S. D. ; Henry Dubois, J. D.

Vincennes Commandery, No. 20, was instituted February 8, 1869, with the following charter members: Gardiner H. Plummer, Samuel B. Dunn, John T. Freeland, John Kiger, Albert Haywood, William F. Pidgeon, James B. Baird, Charles W. Temple and Andrew J. Colburn. Of these Dunn and Pidgeon are dead. The present membership is seventy-five. The following are the present officers: E. P. Whallon, E. C. ; J. Fred Harsch, G. ; W. M. Hindman, C. G. ; W. H. Grim, Prel. ; Edward McN. Usher, S. W. ; Mason J. Niblack, J. W. ; Wilson M. Tyler, Treasurer; George G. Eamsdell, B. ; Charles Bamsdell, S. B. ; William J. Heberd, S. W. ; Franklin Clarke, W., and John S. Downes, S.

D. G. M. ; Chris Bucher, P. G. M. ; George Brown, G. B. The charter members were William Newell, T. Lamp, A. C. Liston, Isaac L. Coleman, J. Dunkle and J. A. Massey. The first lodge was opened by the Most Worthy Grand Master, William Cross. The following officers were chosen: Theophilus Lamp, P. G. ; Isaac L.

Coleman, N. G. ; John N. Massey, V. G. ; William Newell, S. ; Jacob Dunkle, T. ; Aaron Foster, Warden. The first initiations were of S. W. Draper and J. W. Canan. The first to die was Isaac L. Coleman.

Old Post Lodge, No. 332, was instituted July 30, 1869, by William H. DeWolf, Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. The following were the charter members: Lazarus Noble, Bernhard Kuhn, Jr., George Parrott, Alfred Patton, William Davidson, H. J. Watjen, John Latan, John H. Massey, William M. Stoddard, Benjamin F. Johnson and J. H. E. Sprinkle. The first officers were Lazarus Noble, N. G. ; J. H. E. Sprinkle, V. G. ; H. J. Watjen, S.

Leibig Lodge, No. 441 was instituted March 4, 1874, by Charles Schaum, D. D. G. M. The following were the charter members: H. J. Watjen, B. Basnitz, C. F. Backer, Emil Grill, P. Schumacher, Fred Hallert, J. A. Kasche, Chris Hoffman, H. Myers, W. Hassenger, John H. Piel, Gustav Weinstein, Moses Wile and John Osweiler. The officers were Moritz Baswitz, N. G. ; Charles F Backer, V. G. ; Emil Grill, B. S. ; H. J. Watjen, P. S., and P. Schumacher, Treasurer.

June 14, 1878, the Old Post Lodge, No. 332, consolidated with Wabash Lodge, and January 13, 1880, Leibig Lodge also united, the consolidated lodge taking the name of Wabash Lodge, No. 20.

Mount Olive Encampment, No. 18, was established by the Wabash Lodge September 13, 1849, by Special Deputy Grand Patriach Jared C. Jocelyn. The charter was not issued by the Grand Lodge till January 9, 1850. The charter members were J. W. Canan, John Caldwell, J. P. Crickman, Jedadiah Heberd, George B. Jocelyn, M. P. Gee and J. B. Laplante.

The Jeff C. Davis Post, No. 16, was organized March 26, 1880, with the following charter members: W. A. Denny, J. C. Beeler, James Ostrander, J. B. Callender, Elder Cooper, G. S. Beiley, Joseph Boseman, B. Dofar, J. W. Nelson, George Eller, David Agnew, John Hack, W. D. Lewis, J. J. Cunningham, J. S. Little, E. W. Eker, J. H. Thornton, J. H. Smith and J. W. Clark.

Old Post Assembly, No. 4058, K. of L., was organized August 26, 1885, with the following charter members : J. J. Lynch, Daniel M. Lynch, E. B. Dean, D. Sides, Frank Borne, Ed Thing,

The W. W. Peabody Lodge, No. 165, Brotherhood of Railroad Brakernen, was organized November 22, 1885, with the following members : George W. Caruthers, Jeff Fresent, G. H. Smith, Oscar Gillingham, J. L. Crunk, G. E. Soudrient, G. A. Routt, J. D. Morris, J. H. Foster, Ira Stevens, H. M. Lent, A. McClure, J. R. Foster, H. Smith, E. E. Blackburn, D. A. Harvey, T. H. Badollet, J. L. Adkins and William Leach.

The organization of the K. of H. was instituted March 9, 1878, and chartered September 4, 1878, with the following members and officers : William Davidson, P. D. ; James H. Shouse, D. ; William Sachs, A. D. ; Joseph H. Berstein, B. D. ; S. W. Williams, Chap. ; 0. C. Fairhurst, F. R. ; Charles Brocksmith, T. ; Charles J. Agnew, R. ; S. Schoenfield, G. ; J. Stokes, Gr. ; Samuel Lewis, S. ; others, Thomas Eastman, C. W. Jones, George Haynes, J. Weisenbach, John J. McBride and E. W. Miller. The present membership is 100.

Review Lodge, No. 362, K. & L. of H, was instituted September 27, 1880. The following were the first members: Samuel Louis, Hannah Louis, S. W. Williams, B. T. Tomlin, Louise Tomlin, Adolph S. Lane, A. M. Childs, Mamie Childs, Fred Miller, E. W. Miller, Mattie A. Miller, S. Teitelham, Sarah Teitelbam, Peter Pomil, William Davidson, Tette Schoenfeld, J. S. Carson, Solomon Schoenfeld, H. Heidenreich and W. F. Hinds. This lodge now numbers fifty members.

In 1803 Elihu Stout, who was a practical printer at work on the Kentucky Gazette, determined to start a paper of his own at Vincennes, the capital of Indiana Territory. The material for the paper was purchased in Frankfort and shipped by water to Vincennes. Mr. Stout came through on horseback along the old Indian "trace" from Louisville. He arrived in Vincennes in

April, but the press not till in June. The initial number of his paper, Indiana Gazette, named in honor of his old paper, was issued July 4, 1804. In about eighteen months the entire establishment was consumed by fire. There was no more paper until new material was procured from Kentucky. On the thirtysecond anniversary of American Independence the Gazette again appeared under the name of the Western Sun. On August 1, 1807, George C. Smoot became a partner in the concern, but retired November 17 of the same, his place being taken by Mr. Jennins, who also retired December 23, 1807. Mr. Stout continued the paper alone till December 6, 1817, when the name was changed to Western Sun and General Advertiser. On October 2, 1819, John Washburn became a partner, but retired' from that position September 20, 1820. On January 19, 1839, Henry Stout became a partner in the publication of the paper under the name of E. Stout & Son. On November 8, Mr. Stout having become postmaster at Vincennes, sold the Sun to John Eice Jones. In 1847 Mr. Jones took his brother, William A. Jones, into partnership with himself. On Mr. Jones getting a position in one of the departments at Washington the paper was neglected and soon after suspended. Mr. Jones on his return to Vincennes started Jones'1 Vincennes Sentinel. This paper soon suspended, and was followed by the Vincennes Indiana Patriot, published by James Mayes. This was started in February, 1853, but in about one year the Courant had been started by J. & M. A. McClaugherty. On October 6, 1853, both papers passed into the hands of the last named firm. The paper became the Courant and Patriot. This paper favored the election of Buchanan and bitterly opposed Know-Nothingism. It was suspended in 1856 or passed into the hands of George E. Greene, who renewed the old name Western Sun. Mr. Greene continued the publication of the Sun till his death in 1870. E. C. Kise was the next editor of the Sun. In January, 1871, A. J. Thomas became a partner in the management of the paper. On the death of Mr. Kise, in 1873, Alfred Patton took the stock owned by Mr. Kise, the firm being known as A. J. Thomas & Co. On November 1, 1876, Eoyal E. Purcell became the owner of the paper, and in 1879, in addition to the weekly, Mr. Purcell began the publication of a daily. The paper is on a good financial basis, is well edited, has a large circulation, is considered the organ of the Democratic party and is the official paper of the county.

With occasional intervals there has been some paper in opposition to the Sun since 1818. The News of the Day was started February 27, 1854, by William H. Jackson and J. G. Hutchinson. This was a Know-Nothing paper, and was supplanted by the Gazette, published by G. R. Harvey, James A. Mason and M. P. Gee. No. 1, Vol. XXVII appeared May 13, 1857, and May 28, 1859, it passed into the hands of H. M. Smith and M. P. Gee. In July, 1861, William Denny became proprietor, and continued till January, 1862, when C. M. Allen and H. M. Smith became owners. Republican newspapers at that time in Knox County seem to have had short lives. In a few months Charles I. Williams became proprietor, and C. M. Allen was retained as editor. John M. Wilson became proprietor in May, 1863, with T. C. Schuber as local editor. On January 3, 1869, W. H. Jackson took the place of Schuber, and January 13, 1864, William H. Jackson and John M. Wilson. On January 24 it passed into the hands of William H. Jackson and J. M. Griffin, and October 14, 1865, John M. Griffin became sole proprietor.

The Old Post Union was founded March 7, 1862, by J. S. Hutchinson. This was a good paper, and in a few years expired and was succeeded by the Vincennes Times. Vol. I, No. 1 of the Times appeared December 9, 1865. It was edited by R. B. Caddington and W. H. Jackson. Mr. Jackson retired from the Times and appeared on the Gazette. On December 6, 1873, Gen. Laz Noble became a partner on the Times with Caddington. The Times was sold to Malechi Krebs October 17, 1875, but Krebs failing to meet his contract the paper passed to J. J. Mayer, John Mallet and A. G. V. Crotts. Crotts retired from the firm in 1879, and the paper was soon after discontinued.

The Vincennes Commercial was established by S. F. Harroll, A. Harroll and N. Harroll March 13, 1877, under the firm name of S. F. Harroll & Sons. On February 15, 1881, it passed into the hands of the " Commercial Co." with T. H. C. Adams as editor and manager. The Commercial is a well edited paper, and has a large circulation of both its weekly and daily editions. The

Commercial is the organ of the Kepublican party of the county. The News was established in September, 1877, by W. W. Bailey & Co., Warren Worth Bailey being the editor. The Neics is a weekly paper, but on special occasions daily editions are issued. The News seems to be well established, and is a very spicy and well edited paper. Politically the Neivs is Democratic, but it manifests sufficient independence to criticize the foibles of its party in no measured terms.

This town is located in Section 1, Town 4 north, Bange 8 west. It is on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Bailroad, where it touches White Biver. A portion of the town belonged to school trustees of Town 6 north, Bange 9 west (Sullivan County). It was laid out, August 25, 1839, by George Calhoun. The town was named in honor of Edward Wilkins, the last part of the name having reference to the gateway of the river. A petition was presented to the commissioners, September 13, 1869, to have the place incorporated ; the prayer was granted, and an election held at the schoolhouse, Saturday, October 9, 1869. The vote was in favor of incorporation. The town then contained 342 inhabitants, and embraced 251 acres of ground. The charter was allowed to lapse in a few years. John Hopkins settled on the section where Edwardsport now is. He came there from Kentucky and sat down as a "squatter." The improvements made by Hopkins were sold to a man named Edward Wilkins. He lived there before the laying out of the town, and was instrumental in doing that work. William Keith settled on Section 36, lying immediately north of the town. Mr. Keith is said to have built the first house after the town was laid. The house was of logs and two stories high, the first in that part of the county. He afterward went to Texas. It is thought that Jesse L. Davis was the first merchant in Edwardsport. His place of business was on Lot 36, on Water Street. The house was a small, double log building, the front being used for a store-room, the rear for a residence for the family. Martin Lucas kept a small stock of goods in a house where J. Freeman now resides. His goods were kept in the house where the family were. The house is said to have been built for a schoolhouse.

Here lie remained about one year, and then moved to the county with his stock. Palmer & Hollingsworth kept a store and saloon for a short time. Chambers, Robertson & Co. erected a saw and grist-mill on Lot 10, near the river. They also erected a frame store-house, said to have been the first in the town. This firm failed. Abner Davis kept store for about one year in the place, and then moved to Washington. Other business men were Buckles & Buckles, Samuel Culbertson, James P. Creger, who had a tannery also. Charles Grates did business for a short time, and then moved to Vincennes. John R. Hadden was the first to make a business success at the place. He began business in 1843. Alfred Simonson was the next to make a financial success of business. He began March 3, 1846, on the lot where his residence now stands. In 1847 he did business on the lot immediately west of that, and in 1857 he built the house immediately east of where he now is. This was a brick building, the first brick business house in that place. In 1870 he erected the elegant house he now occupies. It was not occupied, however, till 1873.

In November, 1876, W. R. Mcintosh started a weekly Democratic newspaper called the Edwardspori Journal After an existence of one year it was suspended, or moved away. In January, 1878, T. H. Adams started the Edwardsport Record. This was a neutral paper politically, and was run only about one year.

Secret Societies

The Masonic Lodge, No. 429, at Edwardsport was organized May 23, 1871. Officers: Samuel H. Dunn, First Master; James G. Culbertson, S. W. ; Charles C. Azbell, J. W. ; Martin H. Rice, G. M. ; G. W. Porter, D. G. M. ; I. M. Stackhouse, S. G. W. ; Chris Fetta, J. G. W. ; John M. Bramwell, G. S. Charter members: S. H. Dunn, J. G. Culbertson, C. C. Atzbell, G. A. Clouss, A. Simonson, J. B. Tomey, William Hollingsworth, Courtney Montgomery, W. N. Hodges and J. T. Finley. White Rose Lodge, No. 280, I. O. O. F., was organized under dispensation May 22, 1867, and the charter was granted June 27, 1867. The charter was granted on application by Charles Scudder, David Reeves, George Barber, M. B. Slawson and John Hargis. The first permanent officers were George Barber, N. G. ; Charles

Scudder, V. G. ; David Beeves, K. S. ; M. B. Slawson, T. ; John Hargis, P. S. Present officers : George Hall, N. G. ; B. A. Trauter, V. G. ; James Curry, B. S. ; Thomas Bartlett, P. S. ; Michael Atkinson. Stores: Alfred Simonson since 1846, Thomas Bartlett since 1863, William Hollingsworth since about 1860, and J. C. Toops. Drug stores - J. F. Scudder, eighteen years; Thomas Maddox. Flouring-mill - Waters & Montgomery. Saw-mill - W. S. Beeve. Shoe shops - Bobgrt Froshke and Charles Freund. Harness shop - David Beeve. Furniture and undertaking - S. T. Beeve. Livery stable - Hugh Barr, Jr. Blacksmiths - W. T. Dunavant and M. B. Slawson. Coal mines - M. Atkinson & Co. The old block-house stood near where A. Simonson's residence now stands. The father of James Polk commanded some French soldiers in this a short time during 1812.

Monroe City

This place, situated in Donation 37, in Township 2 north, Bange 9 west, was laid out August 29, 1856, by W. C. Davenport. The land was conveyed from Monroe Alton and wife to Alexander Lesley. George Shouse's Addition was made to the town on October 20, 1856, being surveyed by Andrew Armstrong. Martin's Addition of twenty-five lots was made April 11, 1871, James E. Baker being the surveyor. Monroe City, or Nashville or Lively Dale, as it is variously called, is surrounded by an excellent farming country and is far away from other rival towns, in consequence of which it has made a steady and heathful growth. Dennis P. Coonrod, who was one of the first business men of the place, is still in business. Other early merchants were James Lee, who was in business a short time and sold to Albert Smith, and he to John Howell; other business men have been Joseph Summit, Emanuel Beel, Dr. Trent, B. V. Alton, J. B. Snyder, A. Helderman, M. J. Stafford and Vankirk & Simpson. Physicians: N. M. Bonham, A. Harrington, Daniel Trent, W. T. Martin, J. H. Barnett, N. Young, W. O. Barnett, N. B. Sparks, E. C. Vantrees, W. Ashton and Dr. Vankirk. At the September term of the commissioner's court, in 1874, a petition was presented to the commissioners by John N. Hart, W. J. Pry and John H. Barnett and signed by forty-two voters of the town, praying to have the town incorporated. The town was surveyed by James E. Baker, and a census taken by J. H. Barnett and the same sworn to before J. G. Soners, J. P., and placed in the postoffice for inspection twenty days before presenting to the commissioners. The prayer was granted and an election ordered, in October following, at the office of Dr. J. H. Barnett. The election board consisted of William Madden, inspector; A. W. Sampson, clerk, J. G. Soners and A. P. Larkin, judges. The result of the votes were forty-seven "for incorporation" and one "against incorporation." Dry goods and general stores - Dr. P. Coonrod, David Vankirk, Washington Smith, Mallory & Snyder, Martin L. Vanada and Hebert Snyder. Grocery - Martin Goldman. Drugs - Elijah Shouse & James West and Albert Falls. Shoemaker - formerly A. Helderman, now Scott Pry. Blacksmiths - Mathias Berry and Gerrard Bobinson & Son. Harness - Franklin Myers. Undertaker - Albert Falls. Flouring mill - Baldwin & Snyder. Physicians - Williams, Sparks, Barnett, Van Trees, Trueblood, Hunt and Kensenger. Monroe City Lodge, No. 548, F. & A. M., was organized June 18, 1878. Charter members : Harvey Baldwin, H. A. Baldwin, John H. Barrett, D. P. Coonrod, A. C. Falls, J. N. Hart, William Madden, J. B. Snyder, J. G. Soners and W. C. Wilmore. The officers were : W. C. Wilmore, W. M. ; J. N. Hart, S. W. ; William Madden, J. W. ; D. B. Vankirk, Treas. ; Harvey Baldwin, Sec; A. C. Falls, S. D., and J. H. Barnett, J. D. The present officers are E. N. Hart, M. ; M. A. Campbell, S. W., and Joe Belsher, J. W. Membership, thirty-five. Lovely Dale Lodge, No. 566, I. O. O. F., was instituted in February, 1869. E. N. Hall was N. G. ; J. J. Laswell, V. G. ; D. B. Vankirk, Sec, and David Miller, Treas.

The only town in Widner is Freelandsville, located in Section 16, Township 5 north, Bange 8 west. The town was named in honor of Dr. John T. Freeland, who was for many years a prominent physician of the place. The town was first surveyed by Samuel E. Smith for John Bitterskamp on July 31, 1866. This survey, however, was never legally acknowledged. Dr. John T. Freeland's Addition was made to the town in May, 1867. C. E.

Baker's Addition was added January 3, 4 and 5, 1870. Henry Heithecker's, March 16, 1870; his second addition March 16, 1872. John Eitterskamp1 s Addition was made November 14, 1877. Chamber's Addition was made July 2, 1871, and the Christian Church Addition was made December 25, 1871, through its trustees, Herman L. Bergeman, Austin P. Cox and William Hooper. C. E. Baker and E. Bierhaus began business where the town now is in 1857 or 1858. The style of the firm was C. E. Baker & Co. and continued in business up till 1868. John Eitterskamp began about 1860. George Krebs was in business for a short time. The mill was erected about 1864 by Baker & Eitterskamp; afterward, about 1868, Nolting became owner. It is now owned by Dierman & Co. Hardware, Farming Implements, etc. - L. Bergeman. Dry goods - John Eitterskamp & Sons and C. E. Baker. Stoves, Hardware, etc. - French & Sons. Cooper shop - C. H. Weitzel. Drug stores - H. F. Albert and A. M. Berry. Steam mill - Dreiman, Merch & Co. The town has also a butcher shop, tailor shop, milliner shop, three blacksmith shops, two hotels. The physicians are Drs. McDowell, Geo. T. Martin, McGauchey and Myers.

This place is situated near the western line of the southern part of Vigo Township, on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Eailroad. It is in Sections 21 and 1(5 of Town 4 north, Eange 8 west. The town was laid out for John Bicknell, for whom it was named, October 1, 1869. The first business house in the place was erected by George W. Fuller, who had purchased land there before the town was laid out. Here he built a frame store and dwelling house near. About 1870 Bruce, Eeel & Mitchell began business on Lot 7, where they continued business for about six months, when they were burned out. They rebuilt and soon after sold to Slater & Bicknell, who after a short time (1873) sold to William Hollingsworth, who moved to Edwardsport about 1875. In 1874 Chambers & Bros, sold goods; the house was soon closed. A drug store was opened in the same building by S. W. Slinkard, who sold to Jones & Denton. Hugh Barr sold goods for a time in the house where Hollingsworth had done business.

He soon after sold to J. L. Cox & Sons, who continued in the old building till 1875, when they erected a new building. In 1876 G. "W. Fuller erected a new store building. In 1876 Samuel Slinkard began business again, but sold to Emanuel Freeman. The first blacksmith was Moses Reeves, who opened a shop in 1872; the next was Henry Kixmiller. Among the physicians that have been are Emanuel Eeel, James Moore, J. G. Martin, E. C. Vantrees, William Jones, James Wells, Isaac Wells, and J. W. Trueblood. A flouring-inill was built in 1873 by John Sholtz, who sold it to Slinkard & Co. in 1873, and they to Wells & Winter in 1875. Present business of Bicknell: General stores - Joe Freeman, John Paul, and George Donaldson. Drug stores - W. S. McLinn and Samuel Bunting. Boots and shoes - Kixmiller & Bros. Grain and stock dealer - George W. Fuller. Livery stable - N. Alton. Hotel - Joseph Buckles, formerly J. L. Cox. Physicians - Drs. Dorsey, Staley, and Huron. Secret societies - Masonic Lodge, No. 535, was instituted in 1876; also I. O. O. F., No. 527, in the same year.

Bruceville is located eight miles from Vincennes on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad. It lies in Donation 184. The land on which the town was built was owned by William Bruce, for whom the town was laid out on December 10, 1829. A "mapp of thirty-six lotts" was made and sworn to before A. G. Roberts, a justice of the peace. The original plat contained only Washington, Main Cross, and Poplar streets. To the old town John H. Bruce' s Addition of seventeen lots was made to the south side on May 5, 1870. Although the town was not laid out till the above date, it was known as a town before 1820. As stated elsewhere, the house in which Mr. James Bruce now lives was begun in 1811 by Maj. William Bruce, the proprietor of the town site. Jacob Harper is said to have been the first blacksmith in the place ; William Hummer the first wagon-maker ; Peter Ruby the first carpenter ; Thomas Alton the first tanner ; J. T. Simpson the first merchant; Obed Macy the first physician, and John Green the first tavern-keeper. Henry Wheeler built the first wool carding machine in the county at Bruceville in about 1820. Other early businesses were a store by Bruce & McDonald; an inn by William

Bruce ; an oil mill for extracting the oil from the castor bean, John T. and George Simpson. Bruceville had an ox tread-mill, a small still-house, and a mill at a very early day. Late business houses: Barr & "Willis, Barr, Willis & Boberts, and Steffey. Physicians - Drs. Dinwiddie, Macy, and Fairhurst. Present business of Bruceville: Dry goods and general stores - Boberts, Emison & Steffey, Willis & Barr, Hill Bros., and J. H. Scroggin. Blacksmiths - Elias Kackley and John Slawson. Boots and shoes - William Martin. Physicians - Z. G. Martin, J. W. Milam, and James McDowell. Drug store - Milam & Alexander.

The I. 0. 0. F. Lodge, No. 547, Bruceville, was instituted May 17, 1877, on application of L. C. Boberts, James Emison, G. W. Melton, Calvin Clark, Thomas Hollingsworth, Hiram Antibus, Thomas AVinemiller and Alfred Green. The charter was granted by Leonidas Sexton, G. M., and B. F. Foster, G. S. The membership of the lodge is twelve.

Oaktown is the principal place of business in Busseron Township. It is situated in Section 17, Town 5 north, Bange 9 west. It was laid out for George Bond by Samuel E. Smith, May 20, 1867. To this was added Shepard's Enlargement, of fifty lots June 19, 1867. Adam and Watts Bond's Enlargement was made October 4, 1876. One of the business houses of Oaktown was the grist-mill of Bond & Co. This mill is still in operation. Dry goods and grocers - Sproatt & Son, Watts Bond, and C. L. Haughton, all substantial firms. Groceries and notions - George H. Bond. Hardware and agricultural implements - formerly Polk, but now Polk & Walker; also, George Shepard. Drug stores - William McGowen and Pifer & Beed. The town has its complement of physicians, two hotels, two blacksmith shops, millinery shops, etc. The population of the place is estimated at 300. The business houses of the place are above the average for size and quality. Large quantities of produce are handled here.

Secret Societies - The Oaktown Lodge, No. 471, was organized under dispensation May 26, 1874, and a charter granted October 17, 1874. The following were charter members: T. T. Townsley, W. M. ; W. H. Wise, S. W. ; A. B. Pike, J. W. ; W. H. Bell,

Treas. ; J. W. Pugh, Sec. ; David Williams, S. D. ; J. M. Shepard, J. D. ; James Williams, Tyler; others, J. W. Burnett, John Wolf and J. T. P. Clark. The present officers are C. L. Haughton, W. M. ; Frank Starner, S. W. ; John Brener, J. W. ; D. W. B. Grigsby, Sec. ; Alonzo Ashley, S. D. ; Elmore Scanlan, J. D., and A. Tewalt, T. Membership is about thirty. The Cald- Caldwell Lodge, No. 271, I. O. O. F., was granted November 21, 1866, on petition of J. M. Shepard, J. H. E. Sprinkle, H. J. Smith, W. R. Miller and J. W. Benefield. The officers are J. E. Reed, N. G. ; W. H. Blann, V. G. ; Alonzo Collen, Treasurer; J. N. Shepard, Sec. Membership about thirty. This lodge had the misfortune to lose by fire, within the last year, its hall and records.

This town is located on the southeast quarter of southeast quarter of Section 4, Town 5 north, Range 7 west. ' The town is on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad in the Northern part of Vigo Township, and was laid out by George Halstead, October 7, 1868. The place was named in honor of a civil engineer on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad. It is in a good farming community, and large quantities of grain and stock are shipped from this point. An extensive business was done in the place, between 1865 and 1870, by Dewey, Crane & Co. Stores have been run at Sandborn by Alonzo Hays, Henry Houghland, Simon Kaufman, Bailey & Son, and Hill. Present business is represented by Hill and Lowdermild, each in dry goods and general stores; drug stores, Wiley McGinnis and John Beck; restaurant, William DeLay; blacksmith shop and gunsmith, C. Copper. The mill was owned by Robinson for about twelve years, when it was sold. It is now owned by Hill & Hill, and is run as both a saw and grist-mill ; hotel, C. E. Crane.

On May 11, 1878, Hayden Hayes had seven acres of land laid out almost adjacent to Sandborn. This lay mainly on the west side of the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad, and the new town was to be called Banham. The town did not materialize. Additions: Presley Anderson's Addition of six lots was made to Sandborn, December 20, 1871, and Isaac Cade's Addition of eight lots was made January 22, 1873.

Wheatland

Wheatland is situated in Donation 107, near the central portion of Steen Township. It is on the Ohio <& Mississippi Railroad. It was laid out December 29, 1858, by A. Armstrong for William Long, guardian. The town is divided into three parts: North, South and East Wheatland. North Wheatland is the town proper. South Wheatland is R. E. Steen's Addition, and consists of sixty-seven lots. It was surveyed by George Calhoun, June 29, 1859. East Wheatland was surveyed by Samuel E. Smith, April 6, 1868. for R. E. Steen. It consists of thirteen acres of land. The town was named Wheatland from the amount of good wheat land around the town. James Green was the first to do business in the place. He began before the town was laid out. He bought grain, wheat, corn, and all kinds of produce. His place of business was near where the postoffice now stands. He became dissipated, and closed about the beginning of the war. Thomas Brooks was the next in business. Horace Anderson, from Maysville, began business about 1859. William Wallace was in and out of business for several years. Others were Emison & Evans, Fay & Byers. Barber & Clemens, and Barber, alone. Present businesses: Dry goods - S. B. Niblack, M. E. Anderson & Son. Drug store - W. J. Nicholas & Co. Furniture and undertaker - Jam es F. Woods ( twelve years ) . Shoemaker - John. W. Burrus, who has been in business for twenty years. Livery stable - Jacob Comer. In 1805 a mill was erected in the place by John W. Emison. of Bruceville, but the machinery has recently been taken out, and the town is now very much in need of a mill. Dare & Sons are running a small machine shop and blacksmith shop. The following have been postmasters at Wheatland since the removal of the office to that place: William Wallace, George Barber, William Clemens, J. E. Smith, J. W. Burrus, W. J. Nicholson, Anderson Nicholson and Robert Grider.

This place, usually known as Deckers, is almost on the line between Johnson and Decker Townships, and lies on White River. It is in a fractional part of the southwest quarter of the north- east quarter of Section 16, Township 1 north, Range 10 west. The town was laid out by Isaac Decker in June, 1869. There are platted forty-two lots, each 145x75 feet. The streets running parallel with the railroad are numbered 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Those at right angles to the railroad are Main and Oak Streets. The first business house in the place was built by Hugh O'Neal. This was afterward sold to James Dick, but it again passed into the hands of O'Neal. Robert McCracken and Jacob Kimmons started the next store in the place. The only dry goods store in the place now is owned by the Jourdon Bros. The mill was erected by Robert McCracken about 1874. It afterward passed into the hands of William Wallace. Drs. Littlepage, Bell and Morgan were the earliest physicians. The present are the Drs. Davis. The place is of some importance as a shipping point on the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad for Johnson and Decker Townships. Albert' C. Shreve's Addition was made to the town November 17, 1876, and William M. Anderson's, of twelve lots, was made April 27, 1875, and his second addition of 18 lots September 3, 1875.

This now extinct town was located in Donations 6 and 7, lying immediately on White River below Deckertown. The land was conveyed by Thomas Dick to Andrew Purcell December 1, 1836. The town site consisted of ninety-three lots, aboiit half of which were never sold. The streets parallel with the river were numbered, First, Second and Third, in order. Those at right angles were named Purcell, Hill and Coddington, respectively. The owners of lots were James Patterson, James Crow, James and Joseph Kimmons, Landers Bilderback, James Edwards, James Youngman, Henry Fisher, Isaac Purcell, Hiram Minor, John Anthis, Henry Martin, Thomas Johnson and a man named Coddington. The place was long known as rather a "hard place," being the resort for the rougher class. Tilts at fisticuff and cocking mains were common pastime. The place has long since gone down, and a great portion of the land where the town stood has been washed away by the river.

This place was laid out March 31, 1839, on land owned by Purcell, in Donation 54, in Palmyra Township, on the Ohio & Mississippi Eailroad. The plat contained thirty-nine lots, and the streets were given city names. The only thing that now marks the place is a side track on the Ohio & Mississippi Eailroad. The town plat embraced twelve acres of land. The place took its name from the character of the soil around it.

This place was laid out and surveyed by E. P. Mayfield for Frederick Pohlmeir, in December, 1881. It is on the Indianapolis & Vincennes Eailroad, in Town 5 north, Eange 7 west. The lots were laid out 75x150, and the streets 75 wide. As a town it never had existence in reality. Near the place is a large Lutheran Church, to which the majority of the community belong. The place was named from Westphalia in Europe. A little south of this place, on the railroad, is a station called Wagner's Station. The community of this section is largely German.

This place is located near the middle of Busseron Township, when measured from north to south. It was laid out May 30, 1854, and is on the Evansville & Terre Haute Eailroad, twelve and one-half miles from Vincennes. The town is located in Sections 29 and 30, Township 5 north, Eange 9 west. It was surveyed by George Calhoun for W. W. Harper, J. A. McClure and T. P. Emison, as proprietors. The town contains twenty lots, each 100 feet square. The town now is one only in name, being simply a station on the railroad.