Decatur County, Indiana - Chapter 23: Sidelights on Decatur County History, 1915

Chapter 23: Sidelights on Decatur County History

There have been several stories and novels written whose scenes are laid in Indiana, but it is safe to say that no one novel of Indiana life has created such a universal interest as "The Hoosier Schoolmaster," published by Edward Eggleston in 1871. There has been much controversy as to where the scene of the novel was laid, and every county in Indiana through which flows a cliffy creek has persisted in claiming to be the scene of the novel. Before his death in 1902, Mr. Eggleston was questioned concerning the location of the plot and he replied without hesitation that Decatur county furnished the background and that the territory immediately surrounding Cliffy in Clay township was the one and only place where the scene could have been laid. Moreover, several characters in the novel were taken from well-known people who lived in or near Cliffy.

It should be mentioned that Eggleston came with his widowed mother to live in Cliffy, Decatur county, when he was nine years old. Born at Vevay, Indiana, December 10, 1839, he had lived there until his father's death and had then gohe with his mother to Decatur county, where she had several relatives, among them the Lowrey, Craig and Welsh families. Two years later (1850) Mrs. Eggleston became the wife. of Rev. Williamson Terrell, a noted Methodist minister of southern Indiana. In this community in Clay township, Decatur county, young Eggleston grew to manhood, and in the same township he taught his first term of school. The location of this school house is still pointed out to tourists who make annual pilgrimages to this county tO' visit the scene of the "Hoosier Schoolmaster." Eggleston learned to intimately know the people whom he later incorporated in his novel and there can be no question of the identity of many of his characters with persons who actually lived in Clay township in the middle of the last century. This section was then populated with an uncouth, uncultured and, in many cases, a lawless band of people. Bands of robbers and highwaymen were known to exist in this part of the county and it is.

Edward Eggleston Home At Milfokd I'Aschal T. Lambeut Cauix. 15Uilt Ix

The framework of the "Hoosier Schoolmaster" was taken from a robbery committed on Caleb Stark, who figures in the novel as "Jack Means," and on another man, a German, who in real life was John Dronberger. In the novel the Dutchman appears as "Schroeder." However, in order to bring both robberies into the novel in the form of one, the author combined the incidents of both robberies into a robbery committed on the Dutciiman, Schroeder. The brains of the trio of robbers was Dr. Henry B. Smalley, a physician, who appears in the no\-el as Doctor Sinall. His compatriots in crime were Walter Johnson, a student in his ofiice, who is the "Greenwood Harrison" of the novel, and David Ricketts, the "Pete Jones" of the story. Doctor Smalley li\ed about two miles south of Adams on Caleb Stark's farm in a house which stood near the present residence of Oliver Deem, while Caleb Stark lived opposite him across the road.

Stark, "Jack Means," who appears so prominently in the story, was no less prominent in the early history of Decatur county, as a successful farmer, than as a strong supporter of schools. He was one of the three men who supervised the erection of the present court house and to this day may be seen the name "Caleb Stark" carved on a stone slab above the west entrance of the court lionse. He owned a large farm on which he had several tenants. His wife, Anna Boone, was a cousin of the farftous old frontiersman, Daniel Boone. One of his sons, Willet Stark, later flattered himself that he was "Bud Means," but Eggleston wrote at one time that Bud Means never existed in any one person, but that his traits were taken from several of the young men whom he knew around Cliffy.

The actual incidents of the real rolilsery in Clay township were as follow : Doctor Smallev in some way had learned that Stark had a large sum of money concealed in his house. Accordingly he laid plans whereby he hoped to rob the honest old farmer of some of his hard-earned possessions. With this idea in view, the crafty doctor went to Stark to borrow a bunch of keys, one of which, so he told Stark, would open his (Smalley's) trunk, the key to which he pretended he had lost. Up to this time Smalley had borne an unblemished reputation and there was no one who thought he had any connection with the band of robbers who had been operating in the vicinity. Smalley secured the keys from Stark without any difficulty, returned them in a short time, but while he had them in his possession he took an impression of one which unlocked a certain door of Stark's house. With a key made from this impression, Smalley was now able to gain entrance to Stark's house and at once planned to execute the robbery. He and his two partners in crime, Harrison ("Johnson") and Ricketts ("Pete Jones") decided upon the night when the robbery should take place. On the appointed night Harrison held the horses a short distance from the house and Smalley remained in the yard, while Ricketts went into the house and got the money without disturbing anyone in the family. Once on the outside the men had no difficulty in getting away and at once left the community. The robbery was discovered the next day and Col. Merritt C. Welsh, the constable and the keeper of a store in Cliffy, was sent in search of the robbers. By shrewd detective work he tracked the robbers over several states and, after about three months, he captured them. However, in his search for evidence against the men. Colonel Welsh broke into a trunk belonging to Smalley and Harrison without the proper warrant. Smalley immediately filed suit against him in the Bartholomew circuit court and the Colonel was fined one cent, while the costs were thrown on the plaintiff. The doctor and Ricketts were let out on bail until the trial could be held before a justice of the peace in Milford.

Before the case came to trial, however, Harrison confessed and turned state's evidence against his fellow conspirators. Harrison was kept under guard at Stark's house pending the trial and during this time was allowed to go around the farm under guard. He slept in a room in an upper story and it seems that this part of the house was the only part that had an upper story. The rest of the house, one story high, consisted of two wings extending out on either side from this central portion, which stood like a turret above the rest of the building. A day or two before the trial Harrison jumped out one night and made his way along the roof to the edge of the building and thus escaped. He left the county that night and no one in the county has ever heard of him since that night.

The case came to trial at IMilford on the appointed day, but there was not sufficient evidence given to convict the robbers, and the case was dismissed. Smalley then faled suit against Stark for false imprisonment, but nothing could be proved, so the case was dropped.

"In vacation : State of Indiana, "Decatur County. "We, Henry Smalley, Reuben R. Cobb, James Morgan, Payton H. Barclay and Robert Smith, owe the state of Indiana two thousand dollars to be levied on our property. The condition of the above bond is that the said Henry B. Smalley shall personally be before the Decatur circuit court on the first day of next term, there to answer to a charge of receiving and concealing stolen property, and abide the order of the court, and not to depart thence without leave. Then this recognizance to be void; else to remain in full force.

In the records of the circuit court at Greensburg is found a similar bond for Greenwood Harrison, tiled August 30, 1853, signed by Greenwood Harrison, M. C. Welsh, William Armington, Willet H. Stark, Elijah Markland, John Dronberger, J. O. A. Garrison, Thomas Harwood, James Cory and Robert Smith.

Enough has been said to settle forever the question as to the location of the scene of the "Hoosier Schoolmaster." Many places in the story can be found from the descriptions given by the author and old residents of the little village of Cliffy (Milford) point out with pardonable pride where Eggleston lived in the town. The novel created a distinct impression when it came out in the fall of 1871 and to this day it linds a ready sale among the reading public. It has been translated into French. German and Danish and received with popular favor in all those countries. Clifty enjoys the unique distinction of being the only village of Indiana whose beauties and early incidents may be read in four languages. Eggleston has immortalized a period in Indiana life and given it such a flavor that the lives of the people of that period, their manners and customs, will be preserved for all generations to come.

It will be interesting to the people of Decatur county in 191 5 to note the list of taxpayers of 1862, who paid more than one hundred dollars in taxes. The complete list follows :

A perusal of newspaper and contemporary documents discloses the fact that the temperance question has been before the county from almost the date of its organization. It is to be remembered that our American pioneers counted whiskey as sne of the necessities of life and such orders here given from the commissioners' records were of daily occurrence and caused no comment: "May term, 1823. Ordered by the board that the county agent give Thomas Hendricks a credit for the sum of two dollars being a part of an order made him for thirty dollars, forty and a fourth cents for his services in surveying the town of Greensburgh and for Whiskey furnished the Agent on the day of the sale of lots. * * * Received of Samuel Huston, Agent for the county of Decatur, ninety-three and three-fourths cents for one gallon and a half of whiskey got for the use of said county, August 14, 1823. Sam T. Cross * * * Silas Stewart, Agent Decatur county, Cr. : To amount paid for crying ofT the carpenter work of the court house, 35 cents; for vi^hiskey 37^ cents."

Probably the first of the temperance advocates of the county was Levi Wooden, who, according to well-authenticated traditions, was the first in Clay township, and perhaps the county, to refuse to serve whiskey at a log rolling.

The early nation-wide temperance agitation, known as the Washingtonian movement, hit Decatur county in 1840 and, from the point of view of numbers, was undoubtedly the strongest of the early temperance societies. More than two hundred men joined this society and took the pledge of total abstinence, but, five years later, less than half a dozen had held fast to the oath and the organization died in Greensburg. The Washingtonians had organizations in other parts of the county also and the society at St. Omer continued for many years. This society held a large rally in 1845, ^t which Joseph Robinson, Thomas Hendricks, I. T. Gibson, the Rev. J. Presley, W. F. Ferguson and J. Cable, made stirring addresses on the evils of strong drink. The climax of the Washingtonian agitation was reached when the county board of commissioners, on December 4, 1843, as a result of tli^ numerous petitions, refused to grant any liquor licenses for a period of five years.

Decatur county first voted on the liquor question in 1847. At that time the license fee was one hundred dollars and was known as a grocery license fee. The "wets" won in six townships, Washington and Fugit townships voting dry. The vote was- as follows:

About this same time the township in which Columbus, Indiana, is located voted "wet" by a majority of twenty-six, while the majority at Brookville, Indiana, was thirty-six. The relative standing of the "wets" and "drys" did not change at Greensburg during the next sixty years.

In 1858, Carrie D. Filkins, a well-known temperance lecturer of the day, spoke in Greensburg on the evils of the liquor traffic. She advocated, among other things, that the sale of intoxicants be placed exclusively in the hands of women and that a law be passed making it illegal to sell alcoholic liquors for beverage purposes. As a result of her visit, the Ark of Safety was organized. The Greensburg Standard of the following week commenting upon the situation says, "There are at the present time no less than ten whiskey shops in the moral, as some folks term it, town of Greensburg. In the southern part of town, known as Ireland, we are told that almost every house has within its walls a barrel of whiskey. What is our beautiful village coming to?"

The temperance wave again struck Greensburg in June, 1877, when a number of meetings were held in Alumni hall. The Red Ribbon Club was organized and gave a social in the city hall. On June 15, several inveterate drinkers signed the pledge and organized a "Dare-to-do-Right" club.

The first local option election in Decatur county was held on January 26, 1909, and resulted in a "dry" majority of 1,679. -'^s will be seen from the appended table, eight of the nine townships voted to abolish the saloon, Marion township alone returning a "wet" majority of 63. There is no way to tell exactly how the city of Greensburg voted, as its vote was included in Washington township, but it was estimated at the time that there were four hundred votes outside the city. It is fair to presume that the country vote was not materially dififerent from the city vote and on this basis the city vote was 1,035 for the "drys" and 513 for the "wets." The entire county, except a small strip in the southeastern part, \'oted by more than two to one to eliminate the saloon. The vote by townships was as follows :

The city of Greensburg voted "wet" by 137 majority in 191 1 and three years later voted "dry" by a majority of 80. Millhousen and Newpoint are the only towns in the county now (191 5) having saloons. There are two saloons in St. Paul on the Shelby county side of the town.

The Greensburg Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized on December 9, 1883, by Mrs. M. L. Wells, of Greencastle, who was at that time president of the state organization. Mrs. Dr. Johnson was chosen president of the local group, with Mrs. L. S. Meal as corresponding secretary, Mrs. Anna Thomson as recording secretary and Mrs. Charles Kemble as treasurer. Mrs. Thomson resigned as recording secretary and Mrs. Larrie Lathrop was- elected. Vice-presidents were appointed from the following churches : Mrs. Louise M. Thomson, from the Presbyterian : Mrs. Johnston, from the Baptist ; Miss Spreaker, from the Centenary Methodist Episcopal ; Mrs. Birdsell, from the Christian; Mrs. Dr. Bracken, from the First Methodist Episcopal, and Mrs. Thurman, from the African Methodist Episcopal.

The first meeting was held in the First Methodist church on December 12, 1883. with twelve members present. At this time all the meetings were Tield in the various churches. At this first meeting, following devotional exercises - which, as always afterward, came first on the program - it was proposed to take up some of the different departments of work and, later, superintendents were appointed. Mrs. Charles Kemble and Mrs. Ben Swem were appointed superintendents of jail and prison work and Mrs. Louise M. Thomson was made evangelistic and gospel superintendent. Other departments were added at various intervals.

During the first year, meetings were held weekty. During this year a reading room was opened, a mission school started, under the supervision of Mesdames Bonner and Styers, a dining hall managed and public lectures and sermons arranged for. For the latter, the opera house was secured. At the meeting of December 26, 1883, in the Presbj'terian church, in Greensburg, the devotional exercises were a period of spiritual interest and profit to all.

In November, 1885, after two prosperous years, the list of members included the following: Mesdames Johnston, Kemble, Wheatley, Thomson, Copper, Hittle, Styers, Doctor Johnson, Colonel Scobey, Collet, Drake, Wooden, Pool, B. D. Swem, Gavin, S. A. Bonner, Laura M. Thomson, L. S. Meal and the Misses Isabella Hamilton, Stalla Hamilton, Smiley, Davidson, Falconbury and Henika.

The fourth district convention met at the First Methodist Episcopal church, March 27 and 28, 1884, with the state secretary presiding in the absence of the state president. Mrs. Louise M. Thomson was chosen district president, with Mrs. Chester Hamilton as secretary and Miss Lizzie Lathrop as treasurer. A short time afterward the old district organization was dropped and each county was organized. The present county officers are : Mary Gray, of Greensburg, president; Mrs. Emma D. Shaffer, of Westport, secretary, and Mrs. Eva Stephenson, of Greensburg, treasurer.

At the present time the roll contains the names of one hundred and eight of the most prominent women of Greensburg, and the names of fourteen men who are honorary members. There are now twelve departments, each with its superintendent. Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, with special meetings occasionally. For the year

The officers and superintendents of departments for the present year (1915) are: President, Versie B. Owens; vice-president, Ella Adams; recording secretary, Rosalie Kercheval; corresponding secretary, Josephine Moody; treasurer, Nannie Gray. Superintendents of departments: Flower mission, Etta Woods, Lessie Gray ; mothers' meetings, Josephine Moody, Arlie Gray; scientific temperance, Laura M. Thomson, Carrie Clark; medical temperance, Minerva Galbraith; Stmday school work, Emily Brown; press, Ella Adams ; temperance literature, Julia Montgomery ; Sabbath observance, Sarah Hunter; franchise, Ella F. Smith, Ella McKay; medal contest, Louisa Cory, Anna Kennedy ; evangelistic and visiting committee, Mary Gray, Mary Eward, Elizabeth Bennett ; music, Hattie Morrison, Ethel Watson, Esther ^Vood.

Every county in the state of Indiana has produced a few people who have gained reputations for themselves which have extended beyond the limits of their own county, and Decatur county is no exception. In this brief summary of notable persons from this county, only those are given who are not mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The county is proud to honor such men as Congressmen Cumback and Foley, men who have probably carried the name and fame of Decatur county farther than any other man. As an orator, as a scholar, as a lyceum lecturer, as a statesman and as a public-spirited man of affairs, it is not too much to say that Will Cumback was the county's most distinguished citizen. Foley's claim to inclusion among the leaders in his county lies in his service to the state while a member of Congress, and his subsequent career as a successful lawyer.

Two men from the county have been in the consular service of the United States, Richard H. Belt and John Goodnow. Belt was born in Baltimore and was a merchant at Westport when he was appointed consul by President Tyler in 1843. He was stationed at Matamoras, Mexico, but died there a year later of the yellow fever. He came to Decatur county from his native city in company with his brother, Thomas. There are no descendants of the family now living in the county. John Goodnow was born in Greensburg in 1856, the same year his father moved here from Vernon, Indiana, to open a flour-mill. He was appointed consul to Shanghai, China, by President McKinley in 1897. (33)

Hon. Robert W. Miers was born in Clay township in 1845, graduated from Indiana University, was prosecutor and circuit judge at Bloomington and was elected to Congress on the Democratic ticket three times. He is now judge of the Monroe-Owen circuit court.

B. F. Clayton, born in Adams township about 1840, moved to Iowa forty years ago after having served as county commissioner here. He was elected to the Iowa Legislature and was later president of the National Farmers' Congress. He is now a prominent banker at Indianola, Iowa.

Lycurgus McCoy, born near Greensburg in 1835, moved to Iowa in 1855. He was a captain in the Thirty-third Iowa Regiment in the Civil War. Later he was elected county treasurer at Sigourney, Iowa. He became a Seventh-Day Adventist minister and moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, thirty years ago to become secretary of the sanitarium there. He is now chaplain of that institution.

Alvin I. Hobbs, born in Greensburg in 1835, became a minister in the Christian church, filling prominent pastorates in Cincinnati, Louisville and Indianapolis. He was president of Drake University at Des Moines, Iowa, in the seventies. He held a public debate with a Universalist preacher at Des Moines and the same was later published in book form.

John A. Donnell, born near Kingston in 1838, located in Iowa in 1855 and twenty years later went to Los Angeles, California, where he was elected prosecutor and became a prominent attorney for many years prior to his death in 1913.

Edmon Hez Swem, born in Greensburg in 1858, was educated at DePauw University and became a Presbyterian minister in 1882. In 1886 he changed his affiliation to the Baptist church. He was pastor of the Ninth Street Baptist church in Washington, D. C, for twenty-five years, and is still preaching in that city.

Elias R. Monfort, son of Rev. J. G. Monfort, was born in Greensburg in 1840. He served in an Ohio regiment in the Civil War with the rank of captain. He was department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic; was prosecuting attorney here in 1871 to 1873, and served as postmaster at Cincinnati, from 1899 to 191 5.

William H. Carroll, born in Greensburg in 1842, served in Wilder's battery. He was a candidate for sheriff on the Democratic ticket in 1866. He moved to Marion in 1870, served as circuit judge there, and is still practicing law at that place.

Monmouth United Presbyterian College, studied medicine and became a medical missionary at Assiut, Egypt, where he has been for fifteen years.

Piatt Wicks, born in Greensburg about 1837, served as prosecutor just before the Civil War and was a prominent attorney during the sixties. He later moved to Harlan, Iowa, where he was elected to the Legislature. Still later he moved to Pueblo, Colorado, where he was a prominent barrister up to the time of his death, about ten years ago.

Jacob G. Collicott, born in Salt Creek township in 1874, graduated from the State University in 1896. He was principal of the high school at Elwood and Evansville and city superintendent at Tacoma, Washington, before becoming superintendent of the city schools of Indianapolis three years ago.

Floy Gilmore was born in Greensburg in 1877 and graduated from the local high school in 1895. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1899 with the degree of Bachelor of Law. She was assistant attorneygeneral of the Philippines, 1901-03; later she took a post-graduate course at Columbia University and was appointed professor of economics at Wellesle}' College in 1913.

Wilbur W. Woodford, artist, died at Lawrenceburg, March 19, iS'82. He was born at St. Omer, January 8, 185 1, and followed his father, Capt. Charles Woodward, as fifer in Company A, One Hundred and Twentythird Indiana Regiment, when a lad of twelve years. His father was elected sheriff in 1866, and the family moved here from St. Paul. Wilbur showed marked art talent while in our city schools, and in 1870 began a study of art in the School of Design in Cincinnati. When he died he was a professor in that school. He spent two years in Paris and won many honors there. He was buried at Spring Grove cemetery, in Cincinnati, a procession of students escorting his body to the tomb, where ex-Governor Noyes, former minister to France, spoke feelingly of his acquaintance and friendship for his deceased friend.

Greensburg is justly proud of the beautiful state Odd Fellows' Home which adjoins the city on the east. The cardinal principles of Odd Fellowship are friendship, love and truth, and it is due to the practical working of these three virtues that the Odd Fellows of Indiana erected this beautiful home fifteen years ago. It was the generous impulses of this great fraternity in Indiana which made possible a home which seeks to provide the proper care for all its unfortunate members. Here may be found a comfortable home for the brothers and sisters on whom time has laid heavy hands and to whom good fortune has passed by on the other side. Here prattling childhood, robbed of kindly home and parents, finds its nearest substitute.

The first building was dedicated on May i6, 1900, and a second building oil May 17, 1905. These two buildings have a total capacity of two hundred and fifty, while the hospital will accommodate twenty-eight more. The grounds comprise one hundred and thirty-five acres of beautiful rolling ground. This land was the gift of Decatur Lodge No. 103 and the citizens of Greensburg and vicinity. At the time the grand lodge was looking for a location for the home, many cities in the state offered sites, but the present location has shown the wisdom of the final choice. The farm and buildings are now valued at three hundred thousand dollars.

The institution, which is incorporated as the Odd Fellows' Home Association of Indiana, is maintained by a direct per capita tax of thirty-two cents on each subordinate, fifteen cents on each Rebekah and ten cents on each encampment membership, respectively. The total receipts in 1914 were about thirty-eight thousand dollars from these sources. The operating expenses of the institution, including administration and maintenance, were twenty-nine thousand one hundred and forty-one dollars and forty-two cents, an average per capita cost per meal of eighteen cents.

Since the home was opened in 1900, five hundred and eighty-nine guests have been cared for. In June, 191 5, there were one hundred and fifty in the home, as follows: Men, sixty-nine; women, forty; boys, thirtytwo; girls, nine. The ages of the guests range from two to ninety-two years. Since the home was opened in 1900 two hundred and fifty-four children have been received and one hundred and ten of this number have later been returned to their parents. Ninety-three children have been placed in good homes in various parts of the state. A striking evidence of the care of these children is shown by the fact that not a single child has ever died in the home. During the past year ten adults died, four children have been placed in homes and nine other children returned to their parents.

The home is managed by a board of three directors - one selected by the grand lodge, one by the grand encampment and one by the Rebekah assembly. This board serves for a term of three years. The vice-president of the assembly is ex-officio president of the board of directors. The present directors are as follows: Florence McGregor, president ex-officio;

W. H. Bradshaw, vice-president; Mrs. Kate E. Barnett, secretary; W. E. Longley, treasurer. The present superintendent of the Home is Charles E. Lockhart and his wife serves as his assistant.

As the result of agitation which had its inception in an address before the Rebekah assembly by Charles E. Lockhart, superintendent of the home, soon after he assumed charge, the graves of twenty Odd Fellows in South Park cemetery are now honored by a massive handsome monument. This monument is a gift to the home from the lodges of the state, which contributed fifteen hundred dollars for its erection. The monument is seven feet four inches by four feet six inches at the base and stands six feet and two inches in height. It is of Barre granite, hammer finished and has the general style of a sarcophagus. The monument was dedicated on May 19, 1915. On that day fourteen hundred and thirteen members of the grand lodge and Rebekah assembly went by two special trains from Indianapolis, where they were in session, to participate in the dedicatory services and attend the unveiling of the monument. Addresses were made by W. H. Leedy, Charles Warren Fairbanks, Ella M. Clark and Mary A. Poths.

The Old Seminary

During the seventies and eighties James G. May wrote a series of articles for the local papers on the old seminary, an institution of which he was the head for several years. He speaks of whipping six boys on October 26, 1836, and three of them were sons of preachers. The boys were from twelve to fourteen years of age and had been guilty of defacing some of the outbuildings of the seminary at night. The old professor says his pupils did good work for him "in spite of these little diversions." In August, 1836, fourteen of his pupils signed a challenge which read: "We challenge at the close of the session the most rigid examination in all our studies," and laid it on his desk. It was signed by Cynthia Ann Freeman, Margaret Jane Bryan, Eliza Jane Ewing, George G. M. Craig, Saphronia Hazelrigg, Magdalene Uttinger, Camilla A. Thomson, Eliza A. Hanway, Orville L. Thomson, Tabitha O'N. Craig, Tamson Church, Mary E. Reilley, Mary Kendall, John H. Sanders.

When the last day came the school trustees and parents were present. A lawyer and a minister proceeded to examine the class and found them equal to their profession. When it came to examining them on six books of Caesar the lawyer explained that he was "kind o' rusty" on the classics, and told them to examine themselves. One of the class took charge and,

A Religious Revival

Probably the greatest religious revival ever held in Greensburg and throughout the county occurred during the winter of 1869-70. The Standard, in its issue of March 10, 1870, says: "The spirit of revival continues in the churches throughout the county up to this date. More than one thousand have come to Christ and united with some division of our Lord's army. In this city the number added to the churches, as far as we have ascertained, is as follows: First Methodist, R. M. Barnes, pastor, 137; Centenary Methodist, G. L. Curtis, pastor, 82; Third Methodist, J. Tarkington, pastor, 6; Presbyterian, J. C. Irwin, pastor, 90; Christian, D. R. Van Buskirk, pastor, 70; Baptist, J. Green, pastor, 8; total, 393."

A Band Tournament

A band tournament was held in Greensburg, November i, 1882, when a crowd, estimated at from ten to twelve thousand, was present. Eight bands competed for prizes : Jonesboro, Seymour, Lawrenceburg, Franklin, Rushville, Thorntown, Milton and Aurora. The judges were Roll Adams, of Greensburg; James A. Nunn, of New Castle, and F. N. Myers, of Indianapolis. The first prize of one hundred and twenty-five dollars went to Franklin; the second, seventy-five dollars, to Thorntown, the third, fifty dollars, to Milton; the fourth, twenty-five dollars, to Lawrenceburg. It seems, from the account in a local paper of that week, that various kinds of running races were held on this day. John B. Kuhns, of Irvington, won a ten-dollar prize in a running race and Fred Boyle won five dollars as second. In a walking match for men over seventy, Joseph Patterson, of VVaynesburg, won first and six dollars, and John S. Campbell, of Greensburg, took second and received four dollars for his efforts.

Sartor Resartus

The lost-and-found column in the early Greensburg papers was fully as interesting as any other part of the sheet. The editors had a keen sense of humor and sometimes used language which would hardly be thought in good taste at the present time. The loss of a part of some woman's rai- ment gave the editor of the Grcensbiirg Standard (June 25, 1842) a chance to get oft" the following witticism: "Found on the streets of Greensburg, a hve, full grown, sawdust, bran, straw or rag bustle. Owner can obtain same by applying at this office."

A Versatile Preacher

Versatility was one of the marked characteristics of the old pioneer preachers, and it is probable that no early preacher in the county could turn his hand to more things than Rev. David Douglas. He was born in Montgomery county, Ky., in 1781, was married there in 1801, and came to tnis county in 1825. His father was killed in 1805 by the Indians in the battle at Stroud's station. Air. Douglas settled in Clay township about five miles west of this city, on land now owned by Nelson Mowrey. He was known as "Davy" Douglas, and for nearly forty years his voice was heard as a plain, simple, earnest preacher of the Gospel, in the woods, in the cabins, in the school houses and occasionally in the churches. He could make a plow, shoe a horse, do any kind of farm work, and he did it. He was called to settle disputes, estates, etc., and was everywhere respected as an honest, God-fearing man. He was what w^as called a "New Light," believed in Christian union without any frills, insisted on Bible names and the throwing aside of all human-made creeds. He went to his reward at Milroy in January, 1861, just as the mutterings of the approaching Civil War were being heard.

A Record-Breaking Pioneer

It is probable that Decatur county had in the person of Henry H. Talbott not only a man who held office for a longer period than any other man in the county, but in the state as well. He was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, in March, 1800. He had become a resident of Greensburg in 1 82 1. When the county was organized in April, 1822, he was elected county clerk and recorder, a position he held continuously until 1841. During this time he was also county auditor, a period of twenty years. For thirteen years following 1841 he was auditor and recorder and for four 3-ears thereafter he was clerk, making thirty-seven years clerk, thirty-three years recorder and twenty years auditor. He would have served longer, but a new law made him ineligible. Practically all of the early public records were written by this man in his well-known clear, legible handwriting. He married Eliza Hendricks, December 20, 1824; she died in i860. The following tribute is paid him : "In all his business transactions he was scrupulously honest, and he leaves a history for honesty unparalleled in the history of the county." He died at IndianapoHs, July 21, 1872, where he had gone to take treatment.

A Wild-Pigeon Eclipse Of The Sun

Wild pigeons which, years ago, went the way of the great auk and other now extinct forms of animal life, were at one time very common in Decatur county, and many of the older residents can remember when they flew so thick and close together as to obscure the sun. The largest flock of wild pigeons recorded to have passed over Decatur county migrated in i860. The immense flock of pigeons, which extended in all directions as far as the eye could reach, passed over Greensburg, February i, i860. It is said that the sun was completely shut out and the city in darkness for more than an hour.

A Story For Men Only

There have been all kinds of clubs in Greensburg, but the Bachelor's Club, which flourished more than thirty-odd years ago, was probably the most unicjue club the city has ever had. Many of the members of this club are still living and, as far as the historian has found out, not one of them has lived up to the principles which he took an oath to observe. One of the local papers, in its issue of September i, 1882, says, "they met at Polk' Ewing's office, just across from Fromer's, and marched through the alley to Ross Look's depot dining room, where they sat down to a sumptuous feast. The affair was in honor of Warren Wilson, who was just departing for Chicago." The following worthies are reported as being present: W. H. Goddard, J. K. and George Ewing, J. S. Throp, Grover Stevens, George Holby, John Jarrard, J. C. McQuiston, P. A. Doyle, Joe Wittenberg, Joe Davidson, M. D. Tackett, J. E. Mendenhall, Robert Hazelrigg, Cash Lowe, Todd Wright, Dick Warthin, John Batterton, Professor Rimyon, Frank Bennett, Ed Kessing, Lou Samuels and Dola Cunningham. How long this club lasted or just why it was finally relegated to oblivion the historian leaves to the reader, but it is fair to presume that there are many women in Greensburg who could explain its disappearance.

The Cincinnati Enquirer several years ago told a story on James T. Brown, the first lawyer of Greensburg, who came here in the year 1822 and remained until 1838. Brown was a bachelor and a humorist of the first water. The story relates that when he was about to die at Lawrenceburg a preacher was called, and knelt in prayer by his bedside. The prayer had not proceeded far until Brown reached for his trousers and got a ten-dollar bill and shook it close to the parson's ear. The minister stopped, looked up and remarked that he did not make any charge for his services. "Don't

Doddridge Alley, An Eccentric Pioneer

Concerning Doddridge Alley, who represented the county in the Legislature in 1826 and again in 1831, a large number of good stories are still told. Alley was a chronic office-holder, \Vas very illiterate and stuttered. Some of the stories preserved are true, and some are not, but all are worth relating.

Alley introduced a bill giving sheriffs authority to perform marriage ceremonies, giving as his reason that "ministers were scarce in some localities, but that sheriffs were found everywhere." The bill was actually passed, but was never given a place in the statutes.

He came in for a considerable amount of ridicule later, upon introduction of one of his bills, providing for annexation of eighteen sections of Shelby county to Decatur county, for the reason that "Shelby county was unhealthy and some of its people wanted out of it."' In regard to this bill, his fellow legislators, who made him the butt of their rough humor, were rather unfair. Ten citizens of Shelby county had asked for the introduction of this bill. They were only eight miles distant from Greensburg, while, in order to attend muster, they were compelled to travel eighteen miles to Shelbyville, through a wet and unhealth}' country. The measure never reached a vote.

Alley once expostulated with his son-in-law because the latter had purchased a pistol. "Well, a man is apt to need a gun, sometimes," said the

Once, when a candidate for some office. Alley gave an immense barbecue, which was attended by several hundred voters. The cooks neglected their work and the meat was served half raw. To this culinary mishap. Alley afterwards attributed his unexpected and overwhelming defeat. Alley was an old-fashioned, stump-speaking, bushwhacking campaigner, and in one eleciion polled every vote in Clay township.

Bound Boys

In the early history of the county the law provided for the "binding out" children who were thrown upon the county for support. The children were let out to the highest bidder, the one getting them agreeing to furnish them with food, clothing and shelter and give them such educational advantages as the schools of the neighborhood provided.

"Sir: I want you to draw a piece of writing, certifying that Stephen has served his time with me and is now a free man, and put the county seal thereon in order that he may not be interrupted in another state.

It is difficult to judge whether Stephen was a slave or had merely been "bound out." For the reason that he is designated merely by his first name, as was customary with slaves, and since his master feared that he might be stopped when he left home, it is possible that he might have been a negro slave. ^ But so far as positive information is concerned no slaves were ever held in Decatur county.

The first recorded instance of a boy being "bound out" or apprenticed until he attained his majority is that of AYarren Jackson. It is contained in the following court record :

"Return of William Ross and John Gageby, overseers of the poor for Washington township, 1825. Bound to John Springer, Warren Jackson, aged five in July, 1825, to learn the art and mystery of a house joiner."

It seems that not all boys were satisfied with the treatment they received at the hands of their masters and the incident below related is probably only one of many similar cases. This advertisement appeared in a Greensburg paper in 1846:

"Fifty Cents Reward. - Run away from the subscriber, living in Greensburg, Decatur county, Indiana, Silas F. White, an indented apprentice to the tanning and currying business. Said apprentice is seventeen years old, in February last, and was bound to me until he reached the age of twenty years. All persons are forewarned from harboring or trusting him, as I will pay no debts of his contracting; all persons are forewarned from employing him or paying him wages, as I am entitled to his services, and I shall look to them for pay for his services. The above reward and no charges will be paid to any person returning him to me. "May 27, 1846. Chatfield Howell."

The guardians of apprenticed boys had to enter into a written agreement to do certain things, as is shown by the following agreement, taken from the court records of Decatur county :

"This indenture, made the second day of August, 1830, Witnesseth that Merit Duncan, aged eleven years, eleven months and twenty-four days has by and with the consent of James Floyd, guardian of the said Merit Duncan, and of his own free will hath placed and bound himself apprentice to Samuel Hood, wheelwright, of the county of Decatur and the state of Indana, which trade the said Samuel Hood now useth, and with him as an apprentice to dwell, continue and serve from the day of the date hereof until the full end and term of nine years at which time the said JNIerit Duncan will be twentyone years of age, fully to be completely ended during which time the said apprentice his said master well and faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands gladly do and obey ; hurt to his master he shall not do nor willingly suffer it to be done by others, but of the same to the utmost of his powers shall forthwith give notice to his said master; the goods of his said master he shall not embezzle or waste, nor lend them without his consent to any; at cards, dice or other unlawful games he shall not play; taverns or tippling shops he shall not frequent, fornication he shall not commit, matrimony he shall not contract ; from the service of his said master he shall not at any time depart or absent himself without his master's leave but in all things as a good and faithful apprentice shall and will demean himself and behave toward his master during said term.

"And the said Samuel Hood in the art trade or mystery of a wheelwright, which he now useth with all things thereunto belonging, shall and will teach and instruct or cause to be well and sufficiently taught and instructed after the best way and manner that he can ; and shall and will lind and allow unto his said apprentice meat, drink, washing and. lodging and apparel, both linen and woolen and all other necessaries lit and convenient for said apprentice during the term aforesaid, and shall also cause the said apprentice within such term to be instructed to read and write and cypher as far as the single rule of three direct inclusive, and at the end of said term to give to said apprentice a good 5uit of Holy day clothes of broadcloth, a good hat, shoes, etc.

In the early days, before there were newspapers, in which advertisements could be run, to locate lost stock, the estray pound, or "stray pen," as our fathers called it, was used for the purpose of impounding all stock found running at large. Then when the owner missed his property, all he had to do was to look for it in the pound, pay the proper charge and take the animal or animals home.

Provision for such an institution was first made by the Decatur county board of commissioners in 1823. In this year the board ordered the county agent to let the construction of a pound, forty-four feet square, of oak posts and rails, sufficiently strong to retain any animal that might be placed therein. The contractor was to receive half his pay when his work was completed and the other half in eight months. The pound was to be erected on the public square in Greensburg. The pound was maintained on the square until 1826, when the court ordered it moved to the school lot and its size somewhat reduced. The contract for this removal was given to Isaac Plough, who received three dollars eighty-seven and one-half cents for his labor. It was maintained on this lot, Michigan avenue and Railroad street, until 1842, when it was again placed on the public square. Incensed citizens, who objected to having the pen on the public square, tore it down twice within a week, and the institution passed into history.

In the county election of 1842 party lines were drawn only in the fight for representative. David Montague was the Whig candidate and many voters propounded the following list of questions to him: (i) Are you an infidel in religious matters? (2) Are you an abolitionist? (3) Are you in favor of taxing distilleries so as to break them down? (4) Are you in favor of the present property laAv? (5) Are you in favor of a "stop law"? if so, how long? (6) Are you a member of any temperance or Washingtonian Society?

"Uncle Davy" came through with repHes immediately. He answered the first three questions in the negative, the next two in the affirmative, and ignored the last one. He received one thousand and sixty-eight votes to eight hundred and thirty for his opponent, Harvey Dunlavew E\identl_\- his stand on these questions met with the approval of the voters.

The Whig Barbecue Of 1 844

On October 4. 1844, a \\ hig barbecue for the third congressional district was held in Greensburg. It was, beyond doubt, the biggest political gathering ever held in this region up to that time. There was bunting, flags and other decorations galore and ten thousand people are reported to have been present. Hon. James M. Cravens, the Whig congressman from this district, presided and P. A. Hackelman, of Rush coiuity, C. F. Clarkson, of Franklin county, and D. C. Rich, of Jennings county, were secretaries.

The principal speaker was the Hon. Caleb Smith, of Connersville, who was then considered the most eloquent speaker in the state. The meeting wa^ held in the Hendricks grove, a half mile northwest of the court house, in the locality of the old orphans' home. The task of feeding the multitude was successfully accomplished.

After dinner, Hon. Oliver H. Smith delivered a memorable campaign speech. At night the meeting was continued in the Presbyterian church, where Hackelman, Rich, Cravens and Milton Gregg, of Dearborn county, were the orators. On October 24, another monster rally was held at Rushville and many Decatur county Whigs attended. Clarksburg was represented in the parade at Rushville, with a huge canoe cut from a large sycamore log, drawn by twenty white horses and filled with twenty fair maidens to represent the number of states then comprising the Union.

Alan}' of the early citizens will recall hearing of the overland trip of the Decatur-Rush county colony of 1852. On March 8, 1852, this colony of one hundred brave souls started from the Spring Hill and Richland communities on an overland journey by ox teams to far-away Oregon. They went from Madison to St. Joseph, Missouri, by boat and the remaining distance was traversed overland. After six months of privations and dangers, they landed in the Willamette valley, September 13, 1852. where they remained six years, when they moved to near The Dalles.

An Old-Time Debating Society

During the Civil War a well organized debating society, composed of fifteen young men of Greensburg, flourished in that city. The society met every Friday evening in the office of the sheriff and discussed matters of public interest. After several lengthy arguments, the society decided that abolition of slavery would be necessary to stop the war and that the removal of General McClellan was justifiable.

One of the most famous debates conducted by the society was at the court house when the justifiability of Napoleon's banishment was discussed, J. D. Spillman and W. A. JNIoore taking the affirmative and R. C. Talbott and Captain Irvin, the negative. The record does not say who won.

A Glimpse Of The Anti-Masonic Movement

Some of the able debaters of the early days, according to recorded evidence, must have been Joseph Hopkins, Andrew Robison, Thomas and Cyrus Hamilton of the Kingston neighborhood. The story is told that back some time in the late twenties two youthful students at Hanover came to Kingston and issued a challenge to the whole wide world for a discussion of Masonry.

Andrew Robison and Cyrus Hamilton, although neither knew a thing about Masonry, agreed to meet them, and, according to one who was present at the discussion, "when it was over, there was only a grease spot on the floor where the students had stood."

Twenty years later, at the same place, there was held a very celebrated discussion of the subject, "Is a United States bank constitutional, according to the constitution?" The judges were Alexander and John Porter and a man named Travis. All were property owners and had been selected because every one had implicit confidence in their fairness.

Disputants were John B. Trimble and James B. Yearns for the affirmative and William L. Douglas and Thomas Jones for the negative. Soon after the judges had retired to consider the points adduced, one of them reappeared and asked, "On which side of this question is James Yearns?" He was supplied with the needed information and the judges at once filed back with a decision favoring Yearns' side.

The announcement came as a surprise, the question being a partisan one and two of the judges being of the anti-bank party, which made it the more difficult to understand. Yearns, however, was a son-in-law of one of the Porters, 'which, it was later decided, was the senegambian in the wood pile.

A Civil War Debate

In September, 1S62. occurred a bitter joint debate between Colonel Bemusdaffer and the Reverentl \'an Buskirk at Milford. The_v were candidates for the Legislature on the Democratic antl Republican tickets, respectively. \^an Buskirk took for his text the words of Stephen A. Douglas, and stuck to his text all the way through. These words were as follow :

"How are we to overcome partisian antipathies in the minds of men of all parties so as to present a united front in the support of our country? Whoever is not prepared to sacrifice party organizations and platforms on the altar of his country is not worthy of the support and countenance of honest people, ^^'e must cease discussing party issues, make no allusions to old party tests, ha\'e no criminations and recriminations, indulge in no taunts one against the other as to who has been the cause of these troubles. When we shall have rescued the country and go\'ernment from its perils and seen its flag floating in triumph over e\'ery inch of American soil, it will then be time enough to inquire as to who and what has brought about these troubles upon us. Then it will be time enough for each of us to return to our party banners."

Van Buskirk argued that the Republican party, whose candidate he was, was true to this conception, that the Republican part)' had eschewed its name and had nominated a state ticket, with three Republicans and three Democrats upon it. He also pointed out that Colonel Gavin, a Democrat, had been named for Congress.

Early Greensburg Libraries

A fugitive notice in a local newspaper in 1857 says that there were two public libraries then open in Greensburg every Tuesday and Friday afternoons. The McClure library was free to members of the Workingmen's Institute, others paying twenty-five cents per quarter for library privileges. The other library belonged to the township and had been established by Professor Larrabee in 1855. The records showed that in nine months five hundred and seventy-six books were taken from the McClure library and four hundred and twenty-nine from the township library. No other account has been found of either library.

Orthographic Contests

Public spelling matches became very popular in the seventies and all over the country matches were held in school houses, opera houses and other places. A town in Ohio in 1875 claimed the honor of being the first to conduct a public spelling match and the editor of a Greensburg newspaper comes back in this wise :

"The question of where the spelling mania originated is being discussed, and Ohio, with her usual brazenness, is claiming the honor. We want to say that the first public spelling match in the country took place in Greensburg in 1874. The papers of the state made considerable fun over it at the time, and said that we were without other forms of amusement. Now they want to claim the honor of being first."

One of the most famous spelling matches of forty years ago was held in the county court house on March 18, 1875, when Susie F. Wise, New Pennington, won first prize over lawyers, doctors, teachers and others. This prize was one hundred and sixty acres of western land owned by James Hart.

A second spelling match was held at the court house on March 25, of the same year, with Judge W. A. Moore and G. H. Dunn as captains. W. A. Powner was umpire and Doctor Wright pronouncer. Dunn had first choice and took F. E. Gavin. Moore took N. S. Cooper. Miss Wise, who had won the week before, went down and out on "hostage." The last four standing were Moore, Cooper, E. T. Jordan and J. Iv. Ewing. In the end Cooper won.

Lincoln In Greensburg

A fact not generally known is that Abraham Lincoln once observed a birthday in Greensburg. It was February 12, 1861, his fifty-second birthday, and he was on his way to Washington to be sworn in as President of the United States. According to his itinerary, he was to go from Indianapolis direct to Cincinnati, but Will Cumback prevailed upon those in charge to hold the train at Greensburg for a short time in order that Decatur county people might pay their respects to the President-elect. A meeting of prominent citizens had been held the week before to perfect arrangements.

When the train stopped at the station, Mr. Lincoln appeared at the rear platform and was introduced by Will Cumback, who was one of the committee of escort. A crowd estimated at two thousand had gathered. Lincoln, after explaining that he had no time, on account of the limitations of his schedule, to make an extended speech, thanked his auditors for their courtesy, and then, noticing that there was a band present, called for some music, adding that of course the sentiment of it would no doubt favor the Union. The crowd sang "The Flag of Our Union," the band played "Hail, Columbia" and then the train pulled out. While Lincoln was listening to the music, he was presented with a large red apple by John Dokes, a wellknown character.

Commenting upon the President-elect, the Grccnsbitrg Standard said in its next issue: "Almost everybody who saw President Lincoln as he passed through this place on last Tuesday seemed to be surprised to find him so good looking a man as he is. From what they had heard and from the pictures they had seen, they of course expected to see an altogether different looking man. He is not a beauty, but then he is about as good looking as Presidents generally are."

The first Sunday school in Decatur county was held in the fall of 1827 near the present Mt. Camiel church, two miles south of Clarksburg. There was no church building there at that time, but a log school house on Andra McCoy's farm, in which the Presbyterians, Methodists, United Brethren and New Lights had occasional services. Here was organized the first Sunday school. The officers of this first Sunday school were as follows : John Hopkins, superintendent; Zenas Darnell, assistant superintendent; Dr. Jesse M. Gillespie, secretary. The teachers were Miss Andra McCoy, Jane Donnell (Mrs. Luther A. Donnell), Jane Throp, Elizabeth Bell and John Bell. Dr. Nathaniel Lewis was appointed to raise money to buy a library for the school, and when the books came some of the members did not like some them and withdrew from the school, because of the fictitious character of some of the books. This school was continued until about 1830, when it was disbanded, and the Methodists, who then had a church society there, organized another Sunday school.

Just once in the history of the county has mob law overruled the courts and claimed its victim. In the summer of 1879 Oscar M. Garrett, an Adams countv farmer, was arrested, charged with the murder of John ^^^alton, a (34) neighbor. Walton had a young wife in whom Garrett, although a married man, took an undue interest. The crime was at once laid at his door and the widow was also arrested, charged with complicit_v in the deed. So strong was public sentiment against him, that Garrett took a change of venue to Bartholomew county. Mrs. Walton was tried in the local court and sentenced to the penitentiary for life. In the trial at Columbus the state endeavored to show that Garrett had hired a colored man to perform the act.

Garrett was acquitted and returned to Decatur county, where he was at once arrested upon another charge. Sentiment ran high, and a few nights later twenty men burst the jail door and laid hands upon their victim. He fought like a tiger, with all the madness of despair. Shrieking and bleeding, he was borne toward the door and out into the yard. All the time he fviriously fought his assailants. When the mob at last overpowered him and strung him to a tree in the jail yard, life was almost extinct.

John Stout was county sheriff at this time. He did his best to protect his prisoner, but the mob overpowered him. Under the state law at that time, Walton's widow secured a third of his estate.

The Agaphone

In 1878 Israel D. Jewett, of St. Omer, invented an instrument to which he gave the name "agaphone." The county papers of that year refer to it in glowing terms and prophecy that it will supplant the telephone in a short time. The Greensburg Standard says that "A reporter of the Cincinnati Gazette, who has twice visited St. Omer to inspect this invention, reports it a perfect triumph over the Edison instrument." For some reason the wonderful invention failed to materialize and nothing more is heard of it after that year. Whether it was ever used as a means of communication, has not been discovered, but it seems certain that it was never manufactured for commercial purposes. It was in reality nothing but a telephone.

Pioneer Cold Storage

It is claimed that Rev. Benjamin M. Nyce, of Decatur county, Indiana, was the first man to apply refrigeration to the storage of fruit. One capitalist offered him one hundred thousand dollars for the patent rights for the city of New York, and two hundred and fiifty thousand dollars was reported to have been offered him for the Louisiana concessions. He firmly declined all such offers, but failed in business at last.

A Gunpowder Plot

Emulating Guy Fawkes, three young men, in a spirit of play, on the evening of February i8, 1876, placed a beer keg containing gtinpowder against the south side of the court house and touched it off. All the windows on that side of the building were shattered and bits of the keg were blown across the square, breaking a number of windows in business places. John Moody, Hick James and a Gageby boy were arrested, but were later released.

To Buss Or Not To Buss

In the summer of 1912 there was organized at St. Paul one of the most unique clubs which has ever arisen in the county, or in the state or nation. The cause leading up to its organization is shrouded in more or less mystery, the charter members refusing to divulge the reasons which lead to its formation, although there are those who have offered a very satisfactory explanation. The Indianapolis News, in the fore part of August, had a long article on this club in which its aims were set forth in detail. This club bore the culinary-osculatory title of the "St. Paul Anti-Spooning Club" and was limited to twenty members, divided equally between the two sexes. Whether the fair maidens of St. Paul originated the club or whether it was the young men, has not been ascertained; neither has it been possible to find out the nature of the initiatory services. The supposition is that the neophytes were initiated in pairs and forced to abjure all those practices common to amorously-stricken couples. In the constitution, which was the last thing every member was allowed to kiss, the initiate was sworn to forego all "flirting, fussing, spooning, kissing, holding of hands, or any demonstrations of an amorous nature." (See Greensbiirg News, August 9, 1912.) For the first violation of any one of these rules the offender was compelled either to hold the hands of the town clock or salute the mouth of Flatrock. The second violation was met with instant expulsion from the club and perpetual ostracism from all good society in the town. This club, so organized and with such excellent eugenic and sanitary provisions for its members, opened its first meeting with the full membership present. After the regular business of the club was concluded, on this opening night, a social hour was indulged in for the general welfare of the members. At the next weekly meeting the club unanimously voted to disband, the fair damsel moving its dissolution saying that she voiced the sentiments of her nine sisters when she said that such an organization was detrimental to the advancement of home life in particular and civilization in general. Thus died one of the most unique organizations which the mind of man ever conceived, and peace and contentment once more reigned supreme in St. Paul.

The location of the new Y. M. C. A. building on the lot where "Aunt Jane" Warriner lived for so many years has recalled to many of the older residents of Greensburg that old pioneer lady and her famous well. This lot was sold at the first public sale of lots on the first Monday in September, 1822, to Ella Warriner (a man) for the sum of ten dollars. The directors of the Young Men's Christian Association paid seven thousand five hundred dollars for this same lot in 1914.

"Aunt Jane" Warriner was born at Greensburg, Pennsylvania, in 1800 and was married to Edmund Heuston in 1819. In the winter of 1820-21 her husband came to Decatur county with Col. Thomas Hendricks and helped to survey the county in the spring and summer of 182 1. During the following winter "Aunt Jane" came down the Ohio river in a barge as far as Cincinnati. From there she walked to Greensburg, alone through the forests, carrying her babe at her breast.

Her husband died a few years later and, on May 26, 1831, she married Franklin Warriner, a brother of Ella. It was soon thereafter that they located on the present Y. M. C. A. lot in a rude log cabin. They dug a well in front of the house, which, from about 1835 to 1875, a period of forty years, was a social center for the whole town.. People came for squares around to get water from this well, school children flocked to it on their way to and from school, and all were welcomed by "Aunt Jane." About 1875 the well was filled up and the once famous gathering place is now only a pleasant memory.

A Two-Dollar Prayer

The Bible says the laborer is worthy of his hire and George W. demons, a prominent member of the Baptist church, of Greensburg, is a firm believer in the truth of this statement. In the spring of 191 5 Mr. demons happened to attend services at the First Methodist church and Reverend Dodridge, knowing that he often offered public prayer in his own church, called upon Mr. demons to pray upon this particular occasion. Mr. demons gave a very effective prayer and during the following- week sent a bill to Reverend Dodridge for two dollars for his services. Whether the preacher was expected to reimburse Mr. demons for his services when he called upon him is unknown, but he felt that JNIr. demons by right owed him ten dollars for his semion at the time in question. Accordingly, Reverend Dodridge made out a statement for ten dollars for services rendered, and this he took in person to Mr. demons and presented it to him with the request that he (Mr. demons) still owed him eight dollars. Mr. demons still owes the preacher eight dollars.

Center Of Population

According to the United States census of 1890, the center of population for continental United States was in Decatur county, about ten miles south of Greensburg and a mile and a half northeast of Westport. When the exact spot was located, in the spring of 1891, the Chicago Herald asked and obtained permission from the owner of the farm, A. M. Armstrong, on which it was located, to put up an appropriate monument. On Sunday, May 10, 1 89 1, the moniunent was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. Addresses were made bv \\'i!l Cumliack, Frank E. Gavin and H. C. Aliller, and A. M. Willoughby read a historical sketch suitable to the occasion. Music was furnished by the Greensburg band and the Mapleton glee club.

Dripping Springs Garden

It is not generally known that an industry has been started in Decatur county which promises to become one of the largest of its kind in the United States. In the spring of 1915 Mrs. Frances F. Ballard and Mrs. Nellie F. Muehler started a flower farm a half mile northeast of St. Paul and before the middle of the summer of the same year had twenty acres in flowers. They intend to enlarge their acreage as fast as they find a market for their product and hope to have one of the largest flower farms in the country within a few years. They have a farm of one hundred and seventy acres, with sixty-five acres under cultivation, and it is their intention to place all of the cultivated land in flowers. Strange to say, they do not intend to make their money from the sale of flowers, but from the bulbs of the flowers. At the present time (June, 1915) they have eighteen acres devoted to four flowers, namely, peonies, asters, gladiolas and dahlias. The other two acres in flowers are planted in Shasta daisies, delphinium, rudbekias, and miscellaneous flowers. The farm is well supplied with springs which run the year around and this feature gives the farm its name, "Dripping Springs Garden."