Fayette County, Indiana - Chapter 9, 1917

Chapter 9

Fayette county lies largely in the valley of White Water river and the land in the valley is very productive. The soil is fertile and with scientific rotation of crops yields abundantly year after year with little artificial fertilizing. The different soils of the county are discussed in detail in the chapter on Geology. The land area of the county is approximately 138,240 acres and the census of 19 10 reported 134,200 acres in farms, or 97.1 per cent, of the total area. The average size of the 1,126 farms was i 19.2 acres, and the total value of all farm property was $11,443,825.

Methods of farming have undergone radical changes within the past few years, and as a result farmers are getting better returns than ever before. The work done by the agricultural experiment station of Purdue University has been of incalculable benefit to the farming interests of the state. The Legislature in 1913 provided a means whereby each county could employ what was known as a county agent, whose duties were to co-operate with the farmers in advancing their interests. The creation of the office was an outgrowth of the demand on the part of the farmer to l)e kept in constant touch with the latest and best agricultural thought, and the subsequent development of the work as outlined in the act establishing the office has shown the value of the county agent.

Never before has there been the interest shown wliich is now l)eing manifested in scientific agriculture. Industrial trains under the direction of Purdue University are sent up and down the state ; the university also has an educational exhibit at the county fairs: frequent farmers' institutes are held: short courses in suljjects of interest to the farmers are held, not only at Purdue, but also in many counties of the state : corn shows, horse shows, apple shows and exhibitions of all kinds of farming products are l)eing held with increasing frequency : the federal government distrilnites an enormous amount of literature bearing on agricultural topics and Purdue University is doing the same thing, and more magazines and papers devoted to the interests of the farmer are being read than ever before. The net result of all this constructive work means better farming, larger returns, and improved conditions in social, educational and economic life.

Early And Modern Conditions Of Agriculture

In the early history of the county swamp,s, marshes and ponds abounded where, fertile and cultivated fields are the prevailing conditions at the present time. Settlers avoided the Ioav and marshy tracts for the higher grounds, not only on account of the ever-present water, but for health purposes. The shack or cabin was generally constructed at or near a spring, and convenience alone was the prime purpose in the location of other structures. The corncrib was as likely to be in close proximity to the front door as to be placed in the rear of the habitation. The latter was built of logs; the logs were usually "undressed." In most localities a fence enclosing the pioneer possessions was unknown; but at a late period the "worm" fence was erected to enclose the holding.

Farming Conditions In The Twenties

Oliver H. Smith in his "Trials and Sketches of Early Indiana," presents a vivid picture of agricultural conditions as existed in Fayette county in the twenties. Since he was an actual resident of the county during that decade and was actually engaged in farming, his description of the conditions of that time merit inclusion in this chapter. To quote verbatim :

The finest farms around Connersville, in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, cleared, with orchards and common, were fne and ten dollars per acre. I bought the fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, adjoining Connersville, the same now (1857) the residence of Hon. Samuel W. Parker, of .John Adair, ^of Brookville, for nine dollars per acre, in three annual installments without interest. The brick two-story dwelling in which I lived when I was elected to Congress, in the heart of Connersville, twenty-six feet front, well finished, with back kitchen, lot twenty-six by one hundred and eighty feet, good stable, I bought of >Sydnor Dale for three hundred and twenty-five dollars - which was considered a high price at that time. The excellent farm over the hill below the town I bought of William Denman for five dollars per acre, in payments. There was very little money in the country, and produce was equally low in proportion. I bought the finest qualities of stall-fed beef and corn-fed hogs, for family use, at a cent and a half .-i pound; corn, ten cents; wheat, twenty-five cents per bushel ; wood delivered and cut short at the door at a dollar jier cord : boarding at common houses, with lodging, from a dollar to two dollars a week, and at the very best hotels at two dollars and a half. The first year I traveled the circuit my fees fell short of two hundred dollars, and the second, when they increased to three hundred, I felt as Sfife as a Stephen Girard. All of my wants were supplied. I owed nothing and had money in my pocket. No white man had settled more than five miles west of Connersville at that time.

Evidences Of Prosperity Fayettk Coixty, Indiana

The soil was new aiul pnulnctixe, hut for a consideralile miinlier of years the crops were not extensi\e. With markets placed at long tlistances. tlie pioneer was contented to produce for home requirements. Yet. his remoteness from points where indispensable supplies were to be obtained, was a matter of no little concern to him. As the ground was cleared antl the crops increased, the question of marketing l>ecame more acute, and the difficulty of getting the produce to the nearest market - then Cincinnati, - sixt\' miles distant, was embarrassing. The crops had to be hauled over hill and through dale, the way being fre(|uentl\ inipassal)le, as the roads were mere apologies for paths, with logs ami underl)rush cut away. Many days were consumed in making the journey and the farmer had little inducement to increase the output of his land beyond the home and immediate district demand. Writing of travel over those iirimitive roads, an early pioneer of l\-iyette county recorded the following :

Nothing was more winiiuon than to tind hy the wayside, at ne;irly every place where good water could be had, a camping ground where the weary wagoner had camped, as also liad the emigrant and hi.s family. They generally tied their horses to the wagon-tongue on which was fastened a feed-trough, which, when traveling. they carried swung to the hind-gate of their wagon, for the purpose of feeding their horses. They would build a fire b.v which to cook their scanty niejil and. if night had overtaken them, the ground was their bed and the star-decked heaven their canoiiy, ami fortunate would they consider themselves if they h.-id .-i small luiiidle for a pillow.

The hoe or mattock was brought in service in the preparation of the ground for crops. The mattock, as some styled it, was a tool al>out two feet long, one end of which was a blade three inches wide, w ith a sharj) steel edge, the other end being brought to a sharj) edge intended to be used as an ax. Occasionally a field would be sown to produce what was termed "sick wheat." The latter has been descrilietl as being little different from wheat grown in later years, except in the appearance of a red spnt on the grain, or an indication <<{ sprouting. The cause for the wheat being so named has been attributed to the excess of vegetable matter in this locality, jiroducing a sur])lus of straw and not unfrequentlv a kind of rot or blight in many of the wheat grains, which rendered it unfit for use, and was so named from the result on the stomach of one eating it.

Bacon sold at 214 cents per ixmnd ; corn, jo to 25 cents ])er bushel: but there was a season of great scarcity when it sold for $i._'5 per bushel. lUitter for a long time sold for 3, 4 and 6 cents i)er pound. While produce was so low, the farmer had to pay 50 cents per yard for muslin, that later could be bought for 8 or 10 cents. Calicoes cost ^7y2 cents per yard. The foregoing prices prevailed between 1810 and 1820. In the latter year oats sold at 8 cents jier bushel. Doctor Mason, an early settler in the county, wrote on the foregoing subject as follows :

Corn was often sold at 6 cents a bushel .-mcl wheat at 25 cents; and it was difficult to get money at that, and then only in small amounts. Salt was frequently as high as $2.50 and $3 per bushel. When the farmer could sell his pork on foot at the rate of .$1.50 per hundred, net weight, he felt rich and began to thrive.

In pioneer days farming implements were few and of rude and simple construction, and could be made by an ordinary blacksmith. The plows used were the bar-share and the shovel. The iron part of the former consisted of a bar of iron about two feet long", and a broad share of iron welded to it. At the extreme point was a coulter which passed through a beam six or seven feet long, to which were attached handles of equal length. The mould board was a wooden one split out of winding timber, or hewed into a winding shape in order to turn the soil over. The whole length of the plow was eight or ten feet. On this subject the following is gathered from the writing of a pioneer:

The old bar-share plow, with a coulter smd wooden mould-board, was the best plow then in use. though by far the greater number used the shovel plow. . . . The gearing or harness used by a majority of the pioneers was so novel in its construction tli;it 1 must describe it. The bridle for the horse was an Iron hit. the.balaitce being of small rope. The collar was made of shucks - the husks of corn. The liames were shaped out of a crooked oak or a hickory root, fastened at the top with a cord and at the boUoni In the same way. The traces were of rope, the backhands being of tow cloth. The whiffletree or single tree was of wood with a notch on each end ; the trace was hitched by a loop over the vk^hiflletree and to the hames through a hole. The whiffletree was attached to the doubletree by a hickory withe, and sometimes by a wooden clevis made of two pieces of tough wood with wooden pin ; the doubletree fastened to the end of the plowbeam by the same wooden form of clevis, and sometimes an iron one. To the rope bridle was attached a cord, called a single line, by which file hor.se was driven. By far the largest number of plow teams was only with a single horse, geared as before described and hitched to the shovel plow; the ground broken up, crossed oft" and tended by the same plow .ind horse.

In the early history of this section the land was much better adapted to corn than small grain, especially wheat, owing to the excess of vegetable matter in the soil. When the ground had become cleared of roots and other obstacles, the land adniitted of the harrow, which implement was triangular in form, resembling the letter A ; the teeth were as heavy again as those in later use in order to withstand tlie effects of collision with roots and stumps. The introduction of the cast-iron plow was slow ; the harrow was improved, the cultivator invented: drills for sowing and planting came into use, as did other labor-saving implements, and the whole aspect of farming transformed.

For cutting grain the sickle w as first used, and was succeeded by a larger iiTiplement - the cradle - which came into use about 1825. The cradle was gradually superseded by the reaper, and mowers took the place of the scythe. The first reaping machines merely cut the grain: a rake was necessary to gather the grain into shea\es, ready for the binder. Self-raking machines soon followed, and about 1878 self-binding machines were introduced. Grain was threshed with a flail, which, in. its rudest form, was made of a hickory sapling about two inches thick and se\en feet long. The grain was then beaten on the ground, if there was no barn floor. Another of the old-fashioned methods of threshing the grain, and the most common, was by tramping it out with horses. There were no fanning-mills to separate the grain from the chaiT. To raise the wind a linen sheet was held at the corners by two men, and bv a semi-rotary motion the chafT was driven from the fallinggrain, the pure wheat lying in a pile, ready to be garnered. The sheet process was at length succeeded by the fanning-mill. This slow method of separating the grain has passed into oblivion, and the steam-jjower threshing machine took its place, by which the grain is not only separated from the chaff, but the latter is carried off and the straw borne to the- stack at the same tiine. .\ single machine now receives the sheaves and delivers the cleaned grain at the rate of several hundred bushels a day. How wonderfully striking is the change. A lad of ten years can mow u]) to one hundred acres of meadow in an ordinary haying season, and the hay is all raked during the same time by a single hand.

Our forefathers followed their agricultural pursuits on foot and all the labor was done by hand, the results being small and the physical exhaustion much. .\'owada}s, all farm work is done bv machinery - plowing, planting, cutting, hu.sking and tying. Potatoes are now planted by a sower and dug by machinery, as are also sown the plants from which springs the succulent tomato. In short, present-day labor-saving devices operated on farms enable work to be performed in much less than half the time devoted to the same work fifty years ago. Persons familiar with the modern gasoline tractor, are aware of its \alue in farming operations: the tractor was imknown twenty

}ears ago. Haybaling, shredding of fodder and storage of ensilage have made it possible for the farmer to utilize to the Ijest advantage all of his forage crops.

The development of the canning industry led to the cultivation of the tomato on a larger scale, to meet growing public demand for that edible. The farmer, who formerly cultivated perhaps two dozen tomato plants in his garden, is now devoting anything from a half-acre to three acres to the production of this fruit, which is in demand on every Ijreakfast talile. In like manner, the invention of the cream separator has revolutionized the dairy industry, and has induced the farmer to increase his cattle stock for milk purposes, being always assured that milk sup])lies will be received at the local creamer^-, or lind a reach- market in the cities.

Many early immigrants to I' ayette county brought cattle with them ; especially did those coming from Ohio and Kentucky, bring a cow or two. Cattle were also brought from various otiier quarters, and though of common class, in every way sufiiced the wants and answered the purposes of pioneer times. The cattle of the early farmers \\ere suffered to roam at large, and the}' went through the woods and uncultixated grounds, browsing for their living, and b}' this means some of the native grasses were extirpated by beingtrampled dowi-i and cropped off early in the season, before giving the seeds time to form. Few buildings sheltered the herds from the cold and piercing winds, the deep snows and chilling rains of the winters. They hovered around the stacks of wheat straw-, which served the double purpose of shelter and subsistence. After corn husking in the fall, the}- were given these fields to forage for food, and occasionally unhusked corn was thrown to them, the ground being the feeding trough.

An improved breed of cattle was ])r()ugiit at an early day to Fayette county from Kentucky and Ohio. Farl}- in the history of southwestern Ohio the Shakers at Union village, in Warren county, were in possession of some of the first descendants of the Kentucky importation of English cattle, and to that locality importations of thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle direct from Scotland were made in 1854. Cattle from Union village were brought to Fayette county, but at what date there is nu evidence to show. Newton Claypool, Gen. William Caldwell and William Daily, about the year 1838, purchased in Kentucky three heifers and one bull, which they brought to Fayette county, and which were descendants of the Shorthorn cattle of 1837. The bull was in joint ownership of the three men, and there being- but t)ne Democrat in tlie number, he insisted on naming tlie animal, which was consented to, and the bull was christened "Van Buren." At a time subsequent to the purchase just mentioned, the man of whom the cattle were bought, brought a large drove of the same Shorthorn breed to this locality, and at a still later period the Hon. W. W. Thrasher purchased a Shorthorn bull and two cows from (jne Cunningham, who resided near Lexington, Kentucky, and brought them to Fayette county. In 1^5.3 Isaac B. Loder, James McCollem and Mr. Train brought from near Lexington, Kentucky, several thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle, and with them was the l)ull named "I'dlmont." The Shorthorn breed is now to he found in almost every locality.

In the seventies Jersey cattle were introduced, and this breed is in favor with many, owing to the richness of the milk ancP its properties for buttermaking. .\t a former day the Devon breed were raised to some e.xtent in this county, but were not \ery jxipular, being wanting in size for beef cattle, and thev never became numerous.

Fayette county has a just claim for a high grade in horse-flesh. However, in the early days of the county's history, oxen were more in use for agricultural work than was the horse, the sustaining qualities of the ox proving more valuable in the heavy labor of clearing the ground for tillage.

Among some of the early breeds of horses in the county was "Kentucky Whip," a blood bay horse, with black legs, mane and tail; this animal was advertised in Connersville in 1829. In 1832 Merril Williams advertised "Hilander," an iron-gray, standing sixteen hands high. About the same period was introduced into the county a horse styled "Comet," and "Top Gallant" was another of the early horses at Connersville. The latter was in charge of John and Lot Abraham, and was descril>ed as "a dark chestnut sorrel, sixteen hands high, lofty carriage and a good mover." He was first brought from Georgia to Butler county, Ohio, by a Mr. Titsworth; was sired by the imported horse, "Matchless Bob" : his dam by the imported horse, "Mast," and his granddam by the importe<l horse, "Diamond." The improvements in the horse are largely due to the infusion of the blood of the thoroughbred ; the strains of blood have not Ijeen kept distinct, but the tendency has Ijeen to blend it with the stock already in use.

duced into Fayette county. A report issued in 1852 by the state board of agriculture, showed that there were upwards of six thousand horses in the county at that date ; that the quahty all round was excellent, and the prices high - ranging from one hundred to two hundred dollars for good geldings, and mares in proportion.

Tliey were long and slim, long-snouted and long-legged, witb an arched back and bri.stles erect from the back of the head to the tail, slab-sided, active and healthy. The "sapling-splitter" and "razor-back," as he was called, was ever in search for food, and quick to take alarm. He was capable of making a heavy hog, but required two years or more to mature; and until a short time before butchering or marketing was suffered to run at large, subsisting mainly as a forager, and in the fall fattening on the "mast."

Probably no change wrought in the stock of the farmer is so marked as in this animal. Those of today mature earl}- and are almost the re\-erse of the "razor-back," having a small head, small ear, short neck, with a long body and hams, and in general shape are almost square, and are capable of taking on two hundred and fifty pounds of flesh in eight or ten months.

It is thought that one Jeremiah May was the first to introduce the breed of hog known as "Poland-China" into Fayette county about the year 1832, and with little exception this breed has been the most extensively raised in this section ever since. Matthew R. Hull, a resident of the county in 1851, gave the following description of this breed :

The Poland, crossed upon the Byfleld and Russian, exceed all others for beauty^ size and profit. They are a good grass hog, and are .sufficiently lively and industrious to make a good living off good pasture. They mature early, have a small head, small ears, short neck, thick shoulder, long body and long ham. and are capable of bearing more fat than any other kind we have had among u.s. They are familiarly known as the "Warren county hog." Some of these hogs turn the scale at four hundred and ten pounds.

There was a belief expressed in 1872 that the word "Poland" as applied to these hogs was a misnomer. It is believed to have originated from the fact that a Polander residing in Hamilton county, purchased some of the breed many years ago and disposed of them to purchasers who named them Poland or Polander hogs. The national convention of swine breeders of 1872 retained this misnomer for the reason that the great mass of breeders had been

Thousands of hogs were amiually slaughtered and packed. an<l quite an extensive jxirk market was carried on at Connersx ille fur nian\- \ears. The report of the state lioard of agriculture for 1852 states:

Twenty-two tliousaml bogs hiive been slaughtereil ami iiaokerl at Coiiiiuisvillo dining tiie past season, which will average two hundred and twenty pounds per ho.id, fur which the average price paid was $5.50 per hundred.

The hog-packing- industry has not been active in C(imiers\il!e for many years. The 1916 report of the county assessor showed a total of -^5,138 hogs in the county at that time. With the price of hogs around ten cents a pound during 1916, the farmers tiiid hog raising more profitable than ever before.

In the decade between 1830 and 1840, W. W. Thrasher, who lived on the western edge of Fayette county, brought some fine sheep to that section from near Lexington, Kentucky, of the breed known as "Cotswold," which were among the first fine-wool sheep introduced into the countv. I'"or a long period Mr. Thrasher continued to breed this variety and raised anil sold thousands.

In 1852 the total number of sheep in the county was estimated at fifteen thousand. At that time much interest was manifested in the growing of wool, antl an encouraging number oi valuable breeds had been imported and propagated. The price of the common breeds was from one dollar to one dollar and fifty cents per head. For 1870 there were reported eight thousand one hundred and five head of sheep in the county, and for 1877 o"b' three thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine head. In 1878 the T'ayette County Agricultural Society reported that the wool-growing interest of the cc^unty "was on the wane."

Undoubtedly the decrease in the number of sheep in the county is largely due to the disappearance of the local woolen factories. While sixty years ago there were fifteen thousand sheep in the county, the county assessor's report for 1916 shows a total of only 2,476, a fourth of which (589) were credited tn Pose_\- to\vnshi[) alone, 'i liese figures indicate thai there are only about one-seventh as many sheep at the present time in the countv as there were in the days when the local woolen mills were in operation. It may safely be .said that the abandonment of the mills, together with the fact that the farmers found that other live stock was more profitable or that the land used for sheep-raising purposes would yield a greater return under tillage, fully explains the heavy decrease in the number of sheep now raised in the county.

Registered Farm Names

One of the innovations of recent years in agricultural circles is the registration of farm names. The Legislature in 1913 passed a law which provided "That any owner of a farm in the State of Indiana may have the name of his farm, together with a description of his lands to which said name applies, recorded in a register kept for that purpose in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the said farm is located." For the privilege of having this official recognition the farmer must pay one dollar.

Since this law has been passed nineteen farmers of Fayette county have taken advantage of its provisions, the last registration being dated October II, 1916. The complete list of registrations follows:

County Agent

One of the latest innovations in agricultural affairs is the establishment of an office whose duties are concerned altogether with the farmers. The General Asseml)ly of Lidiana, by the act of February 22, 1913, provided for an official to \x known as the county agent. The law provided that the state would guarantee a part of the salary of the office, while the counties should raise the remainder by public subscription. Furthermore, the official must be recommended by the agricultural department of Purdue University before he can be elected by the county board of education. After this recommendation by Purdue the local authorities have the right to accept or reject the man proposed. Many counties of the state have taken advantage of the law and employed county agents and the experience of the past three years of those counties which have employed county agents indicates that the work of the agent is being appreciated by the farmers.

During the year 1916 the farmers of Fayette county discussed the c(uestion of securing a county agent. County Superintendent Trusler and the countv lioard of education took the lead in advocating tlie establishment of the office in the county, and as a result of their joint efforts a meeting was held in the Commercial Club rooms at Connersville on Deceml)er 21, 19 16, to perfect arrangements for the establishment of the office. County Superintendent Trusler represented the county board of education and I.-ouis Perkins, J. Edgar Scholl, W. S. Brown, Grant Williams, James K. Fielding,

Anthony Riebsomer, Howell Pike and Elmer Scholl represented the farmers of the count}^ It was announced at the meeting that the guaranty fund of five hundred dollars was raised and that the board of education would pass a resolution at its regular January meeting calling upon the county commissioners to take steps at once to employ a county agent. This notice on the part of the board of education, backed by a petition signed by twenty freeholder citizens,, makes it mandatory for the county council to take action. By the time this volume is issued the county will undoubtedly have the office filled, and if the agent measures up to expectations, the county will derive great benefit from his services.

Agricultural Societies And Fairs

In the summer of 1834 an attempt was made to organize an agricultural society in Fayette county. Horace Van Vleet, then editor of the Watchuian, published at Connersville, wrote several articles on agriculture and explained the importance of an agricultural society. On the solicitation of a number of farmers he published a call for a meeting, which was responded to and resulted in the appointment of General Caldwell for president and Horace Van Vleet, secretary. About forty dollars was subscribed and paid in for the organization to Van Vleet, but soon after this Van Vleet died. No claim was made for the agricultural fund, and the first attempt to organize an agricultural society came to an end with the death of the man who tried to establish it.

In the year 1841 a call was published for an agricultural meeting, to be held on the Fourth of July, the meeting to be held in the court house. Dr.- Philip Mason was appointed president, and Charles Shipley, secretary. There was lack of animation in the meeting which went to show that the community was not quite prepared for a permanent organization. Samuel W. Parker was present and made a few remarks. He then turned the meeting to account by getting subscribers to the Indiana Farmer, then published at Indianapolis, and succeeded in less than an hour in getting fifty-four subscribers. So ended the second attempt.

During the year 185 1 seven agricultural meetings were held to establish an agricultural society. The attempt was discouraging, but several who were faithful to the cause persevered, and success crowned their efforts. On October 18, 1851, a permanent organization of one hundred and forty-six subscribers was formed and a constitution adopted. John Spivey was elected president and D. W. Welty, secretary. According to the official report, as and sent to the State Board of Agriculture, forty-eight dollars were

F.Wkttk Col-Nty, Indiana

The first county fair in l'"ayette county was held in Connersxille in September, 1852. The fair ground site occupied the land on which now stands the residence of E. W. Ansted and other hoines Ijetween Central avenue and the canal, from the cemetery to the Cincinnati, Indianaixilis and ^\'estern railroad. By the fall of 1852 the membership had increasetl to 410. while by 1856 it had grown to 1,213.

.\t the lirst fair held, A. G. Saxon was awarded the lirst premium for the best cultivated farm, and Benjamin Thomas the second premium for the second best.

The receipts of the first fair were $1,052.06, the expenses $600.54, leaving a balance of $451.52 in the treasury. The fair continued to prosper, the receipts reaching as high as $3,233, and expenses in proportion, until 1861, when the society declared its intention to dissolve and transfer its interests to a joint stock company.

The second annual fair was held in the fall of 1853 and was known as the I'ayette County Agricultural I-"air. The third annual fair was held on September 20, 21, and 22, 1854. Samuel Heron was the secretary. Premiums were given on crops, cattle, horses for all purposes, geldings and mares, asses and mules, swine and fine wooled sheep. Sweepstakes were open to the world. In another department premiums were offered on flowers, needlework, fowls, grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, farming implements, plowing match, woodwork, blacksmithing, leather work, casting, iron, etc., woolen manufactures, designs, miscellaneous. To the best female equestrienne, exhibiting the most grace and ease in riding, was awarded a splendid embossed side saddle, valued at fift\- dollars. gi\en by John Cassaday, of Connersville. Rozie, daughter of Caleb B. Smith, won the prize. The judges of the contest were Dr. George Chitwood, Greenbury Rush, B. M. Pumphrey, ^^. ^^^ Davis and Charles Frost.

Among the women judges of the third annual fair were Catherine McCarthy, Amanda McCullough, Sallie Lockwood, Elenora Youse, Helen Heron. Eliza Cockefair. Airs. Hannah Spivey, Mrs. Phobe Caldwell, Mrs. Elizabeth Veatch, Mrs. Nancy Jane Fiant and Mrs. Rebecca Montgomer)-.

Horace Greeley Addresse.S The Fair

One of the prominent features of the fair held in 1858 was Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, who was present and delivered an address. Premiums had been offered for the best cultivated and most highly improved farm for which there were two entries, S. W. Parker and Alexander Heron. The committee being unable to decide between the two, recommended a premium to each, to the former for the best improved farm, and to the latter for the best cultivated farm. A premium was also offered for the best essay on agriculture, this being awarded to Samuel Little.

The joint stock association referred to above was known as the Fayette County Joint Stock .Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and was organized December 21, 1861.

Until the fall of 1865 the fairs were held on leased premises, but in the fall of that year twenty-six acres of ground were purchased of A. J. Claypool, situated about one mile north of the court house and subsequently suitable buildings were erected. In 1870 the grounds were valued at twenty thousand dollars.

The earliest report accessible is the one of 1867. at which time A. B. Claypool was the president. The number of entries for this year were as follows: Live stock, two hundred and twenty; mechanical, ninety; agricultural, two hundred and seventy-seven ; miscellaneous, one hundred and ninetysix. The amount of premiums - live stock, one thousand two hundred and forty-two dollars; mechanical, four hundred and four dollars; miscellaneous, one hundred and eighteen dollars. The total receiptts of the fair amounted one hundred and eighteen dollars. The total receipts of the fair amounted

During the last decade the live stock interest has. predominated, but latterly it Is giving away to the raising of grain ; about six thousand head of hogs were lost in the past season by cholera. Cattle raising is profitable, and more attention is given to the breeding of improved stock - three thousand six hundretl and seventy-six head reported this over three thousand three hundred and twenty-two last year. More attention is given to the breeding of good horses, especially heavy draft horses, for which this edunt.v is iKvoiniiij; fjiinims. Stntislii-s show :iii incriMst' in mimlier. one thousand four humlred and twenty head aKainst one tliousand three hundred and twentyeight the year before. Mules are used more than formerly, and are much improved in size and appearance.

Fairs were held annually until 1884, when, at a meeting of the association held on February 12, 1884, the stockholders surrendered their charter and resolved to offer their grounds for sale. Between 1884 and 1903 Fayette county was without a fair of any kind, the jiresent so-called free fair dating from 1903.

Fayette county is unique in having the first free county fair in the state. After the donation of the Roberts park by Col. James E. Roberts, of Indianapolis, in June, 1902, to the city, the question of utilizing the site arose. Arising from the fertile mind of Mart Meyer and others was the original idea of a free county fair. On June 8, 1903, officials of the first free fair were chosen, and on June 12, 1903, an organization since known as the Free Fayette County 1^'air Association had its birth. The first officials included the following: F. T. Roots, president; W. F. Downs, secretary; Mart Meyer, marshal. On August 28, 1903, ground was broken for the erection of the main pavilion in which the townships made their exhibits. The formal opening of the grounds took place Septemljer 9, 1903, when Colonel Roberts and Charles W. Fairbanks were present. In 1904 an educational department was inaugurated through the instruinentality of Dr. L. D. Dillman, ably assisted by the educators of the county. In 1907 the city council l)uilt a ceinent seating terrace and in 1909, a number of ])ublic-spirited citizens of the city and community erected a inagnificent amphitheatre building, built of steel over this concrete work built by the city. The complete structure seats tliree thousand people. General impro\ements have l)een made and now the grounds are provided with all of tlie requisites necessary to a successful county fair. Tlie officers of tlie fair association for 1917 are the following: James C. Mount, president: James K. Mason, vice-president: F. W. Tatman, treasurer: Jasper L. Kennedy, secretary; O. M. Hempleman, assistant secretary: T. C. McBurney, su])erintendent. Tlie fair is on a firm financial I)asis as is evidenced liy the fact that at the end of 1916 the association had a credit balance of three thousand dollars.

In this connection it is quite appropriate to make mention of the name of Tod Sloan, a Fayette county lad, who became the world's most famous jockey. He began his career at Connersville and for some time was one of the feature attractions at the county fairs in this section of the state.