Gibson County, Indiana - Chapter 5: County Government, 1914

Chapter 5: County Government

Counties, like states and nations, have a g-overnnient peculiar tu themselves. Of recent years the county commissioners, or supervisors, are the men who are entrusted with the affairs of the county. The}- see that proper buildings, roads and bridges are provided; also see that taxes are levied and collected according to law and that the schools are kept up by appropriations and that the unfortunate poor within the county be well cared for, when they become county charges. These and a score more duties de\i>l\e upim the several commissioners who set their own time for meeting in sessidiis and are really the head of the count}' gmernment.

Gibson county has been under various forms of local authority since its organization in 1813. First the business of the countv was in the hands of the court of common pleas, which lasted until the change was made to the county commissioner system, which existed until 1824. when a change was effected by which the affairs were in the hands of persons known as justices of the peace for the county, one from each civil township in the county. These were known as boards of justices, the first of which met September 6, 1824. Their last meeting was July, 1831, after which was inaugurated the present .system of county commissioners. But, not content with "letting well enough alone," the lawmakers again changed and there was again the board of justices. P>om 1836 on the commission system has o1>lained in Indiana, and well it is, too. While it is doubtful whether or not the system is as perfect as in other commonwealths, yet the present system has few faults.

After attending to the matter of setting off and organizing the first live civil townships in this county, the attention of the law-making body was called to that of the appointment of Jes.se l^^merson and \^'illiam ]V[cCormick, trustees, to manage the reserve sections of land for the use of schools.

At the May, 181 3, term a ta\ern license was granted to Gervis Hazelton upon the payment of a fee of four dollars per year. The rates to be charged were as follows: One meal of victuals, twenty-five cents; one gallon of corn, twelve and a half cents; one-half gallon oats, twelve and a half cents; one

On May ii, 1813, the matter of providing for the first laid-out road in the county was taken under advisement. The recorded proceedings show the following: Joseph Decker, of White River township, presented a petition that a road fifteen feet wide be cut out (it must be remem]:iered \)y the reader that in 1813 that section of this county was densely timbered) from Decker's ferry, on White ri\er, to Severns' ferry, on Patoka river, thence to intersect the Saline road at or near the plantation of Robert M. Evans. And it was also ordered that Abraham Decker, Robert Falls and James Robl) be appointed to view and mark out the road. The court also appointed Robert Crow supervisor of the above road with authority to call on all the working hands in White River township to assist in making the same, and was also ordered to keep the road in repair when made. This thoroughfare was the first county road built and maintained after the organization of the county. Jeremiah Harrison was appointed supervisor of the road from Hogan's ferry, on Patoka, to Richland creek, near tlie residence of William Harrington, also from Severns' ferry, on the Patoka, to where the road intersects the Saline road. Azariah Ayers was appointed supervisor of the road from Richland creek to Anderson creek, and was fully authorized to call on all the able-working men between those two creeks in the jjounds of Patoka township (except those residing on the waters of Pigeon) to maintain and keep the same in good repair. The court appointed Joshua Embree supervisor of the road tli rough Montgomery township, from Anderson's creek to opposite John Hunter's. All residents east of Hunter's place were required to assist in maintaining this road. And for the Saline road, from opposite John Hunter's to Black River, Robert .Anderson was appointed supervisor and the residents west of Hunter's, in Montgomery township, were required to assist in keeping the road in repair. John Waller was appointed supervisor for that part of the Saline road which lies in Black River township. Probably the most important road projected in this time was from the south end of Robert M. Evans' lane to the line of Warrick county, there to intersect ^vith a road then opening from Anthony's Mill toward Patoka. Elias Baker was appointed supervisor. It was required that the road l3e cut twenty feet wide and the residents living in the two Pigeon settlements were to aid in making the road and for so doing were to be exempt from working" on anv other road. James McClure was appointed supervisor of the road from the south end of Robert M. Evans' lane to where tlie new road leaves the old Red Bank road and lie was authorized to summon tiie hands living between Richland creek and Patoka, together with those on the south end of Richland creek, within one mile of said road to assist in keeping the same in good condition. In all there were eight road districts made by this court and each was provided with a supervisor.

It was about this date that a second inn or tavern license was granted, this one to Eli Hawkins, of Coluraliia, which was changed in name to I'atoka, the first town in Gibson county platted after the organization had been perfected and Princeton had been laid out.

The county court appointed the following as the first set of constables in Gibson count}- : Madison township, Abraham Pea : White River township, James Crow, Jr.; I'atoka township, William Scales; Montgomery township, William Stewart; Black River township. Pater Jones A set of overseers for the care of the county's poor was also selected at this session in 1813.

The rates to be charged at these ferries for transpi irting people and stock were as follows : One dollar for each four-wheeled \-ehicle, carriage and driver; for each two-wheeled carriage, horse and driver, tift_\- cents; each man and horse, twelve and a lialf cents; each horse, six and a fourth cents: each head of cattle, four cents; sheep and hogs, two cents each.

The business of these first sessions was fraught with much labor and everything was recorded in a fine, readable handwriting, as will l)e seen to(la\' in searching the records at the court house. These proceedings are signed Ijy William Harrington, P. J. (which meant President Justice).

The Tax Levy Of 1813

The following was ordered : For each one Inmdred acres f)f first-class land, twenty-five cents; for each hundred acres of second-class land, eight and one-fourth cents; for each hundred acres of third-class land, six and one-

Finding that more items should be added to the innkeeper's rates, the county authorities, in 1814, matle this order of rates to be charged the public at taverns within Gibson county: Each half pint of whisky, eighteen and three-fourths cents; each half pint of peach or apple brandy, twen1!y-live cents; each half pint of wine, rum, or French brandy, hfty cents; for each quart of cider or cider oil, twenty-five cents. Those were days when the "fathers of the county" did not see any harm in drinking spirituous liquors; in fact,' it was several decades before the matter of temperance was agitated to any considerable extent by the people in this country.

The matter of providing roads and suitable fording places and bridges occupied the attention of the C(Hmty oiificials more than any other one item of routine business. It has ever been the case in all new countries.

.\t the Januarv, 1814, session the meeting was still held at the liouse of William Harrington, with the same judges as before presiding. The first term held at the new court house - the special term of June 19, 1815 - was indeed an important one in the business of the county, as it witnessed the dedication of the "temple of justice," and had presiding judges as follows: Willis C. Osbourne and Jesse Emerson.

The printing bill for this count}' was eleven dollars in 18 16, and the printer was Elihue Stout, of A^incennes. At the same session William Prince was allowed one hundred and twenty-five dollars for services as count}' agent for one year.

At the ]\Iav term, 1816, perhaps the most important transaction was the election of delegates to a constitutional convention. The election was hekl on May 13, 1816, and those elected as superintendents by townships were: From Madison township, Henry Brenton, the election held at the house of Hosea Smith; for White River township, Jonathan Gulick, election held at the house of James Robb ; for Patoka township, Isaac Montgomery, election at the court house; for Montgomery township, James Stewart, election to be held at the house of Walter Montgomery; for Black River township, Peter Jones, election at the house of Langston Drew.

At the May session in 18 16 it was ordered that a new township be made from a part of Madison townshi]!. and that the same be known as Har!)inson township. This was the sixth townshi]) formed in Gibson .county.

Up to the last date mentioned the public square at Princeton had been laid out to the commons, but the authorities at this time ordered a good post and rail' fence to enclose the grounds.

The county records show that the first hoard of county cimimissioners met at Princeton, Fehruary lo, 1817. \Vilhain IlargTove and Thomas Ahmtgomery appeared with tlieir creilentials of office. Their oath was taken hefore and sign.ed u]) on record hy Rohert M. Ewuis, clerk, and Henry Ho])- kins, sheriff.

Among the first acts performetl l:iy the ciMiimissioners was tlic (h\'i(Hng of the county into tliree townships and estabhsliing the hcjundaries of the respective townships as follows : That part of the cr:unty north of the Patoka river and west of the line dividing the county of Gibson and Pike was designated as White River township. That part south of the Patoka river and between said river and Anderson's creek and a due south course from the head of said creek to the line dividing the counties of Gibson and Posey, shall constitute Patoka township. That part of the county west of .\nderson"s creek and a line flrawn due west from the heafl of the same to Posey ccjunty and north of the line dividing the counties of Gibson and Posey was declared Montgomer}- township.

Following came the first election rif justices of the peace as shown by the record. The conmiissioners ordered an electi(jn to be held at the house of Phillip Briscoe, in Montgomery township, for the election of two justices and that Joseph Montgomery be appointed inspector of said election. It was also ordered that an election take j^lace the same day in Princeton, Patoka township, for the election of tAvo justices and that George Chapman lie a])- ])ointed ins])ector. And also at the house of James Robb an election be held the same day for the election of two justices for \Miite Ri\'er township, and the inspector of this election was David Robb. The sheriff was directed to serve copies of the above orders on the respective inspectors and advertise the said elections ten dax-s previous to the holding of the same, and to provide the necessary polls and lujxes. As there were no newspapers in the county at that time, the sheriff' advertised Ijy posting notices in three diff'erent places in each of sa'd townships.

On Alay 12, 1817, James Stuart presentefl a certificate of his electiijn as a county commissioner and took his seat as such, the following then composing the board: William Hargrove, James Stuart and Thomas Montgomery.

The board increased the rate of taxation somewhat over the jirevious year, .\mong the interesting items enumerated in the long list of taxables occurred these: E\ery slave or person of color o\er twch-e years of age. two dollars. For every billiard table, fifty dollars. For each hundred acres of first rate land, thirty-seven and a half cents. For each hundred acres of second-class land, twenty-five cents, and twelve and a half cents for the third rate land. For each town lot, fifty cents on each hundred dollars of its value.

It Avill be observed that up to this time and during the administration of affairs, under the territorial laws, slaves were not taxed. But after the admission as a state and the adoption of the constitution, and the promulgation of laws under the same, slaves in Indiana became taxable property On the I2th of May, 1817, the commissioners appointed James W. Jones county treasurer, and directed him to file a bond, with approved security, in the sum of two thousand dollars; heretofore the sheriff had been ex-officio collector. The commissioners at this meeting appointed supervisors for the various road districts.

The county agent was instructed to contract witii some suitable person to build an estray pen, forty feet square, in the northwest corner of the public square.

The blanks and books for the use of the different ofiices for the year 1817 cost twenty-one dollars, which was not very high in the light of presentday bills for such books.

On November 17, 181 7, the sheriff filed a protest with the board with regard to the insufficiency of the jail, stating that it was not a safe place to confine criminals or even debtors.

Whipping Post

For the year 1818 the record shows that a certain citizen was indicted for passing a counterfeit note on onfe Marshall D. Tarleton. He was also indicted for ]3assing another on John Arbuthnot. He pleaded guilty in the first instance and was sentenced by the court to pay a fine of thirty dollars and receive on his bare back twenty-five lashes. Whipping for crimes was in vogue for many years in the territory and state of Indiana, but long years since has been abolished.

At the February meeting of the county board new rates of crossing the lower bridge at Patoka were fixed as follows : Team and wagon with driver, thirty-seven and a half cents; each two-wheeled carriage, twelve and a half cents; each man or horse, six and one-fourth cents; footman, three cents; meat cattle, three cents a head; sheep or hogs, one and one-half cents each. It will be seen that at that date it cost a man a fraction more than six cents to cross a bridge one hundred and fi fty feet long, but things had so changed in the early eighties that a man could have crossed the great steel bridge at St. Louis for five cents. The wodden bridge of 1819 at Patoka cost but a hundred or two hundred dollars, w hile the steel bridge over the Mississippi at St. Louis cost more than thirteen million dollars.

In 1820 the board was chiefly burdened with road matters, hearing petitions and reading remonstrances for same, and the appointment of road overseers or superintendents. At the May term, that year, besides the regular tax list, the board added these items for taxation: On each four-wheeled pleasure wagon, one dollar and twenty-five cents; on each two-wheeled pleasure wagon, one dollar; each silver watch, twenty-five cents, and on each gold watch, fifty cents.

The taking of the 1820 census of Gibson county cost the county twelve dollars and forty-four cents, paid to Charles Harrington. The order reads that he was to receive two dollars per hundred, which would make the population at that date about six hundred and twenty-two, but it is believed that the enumerator failed to get the census taken correctly, for there were more ])eople here than this would indicate.

At the November term in 1821 the board ordered that the county treasurer be cited to appear before them and show cause why he had not proceeded against the sheriff and collectors for delinquent taxes, and for his not carrying out the orders of the board he was suspended from ofifice, and James W. Hogue was appointed to fill the vacancy thus made in that office. The county agent was instructed to make all needed repairs on the court house, also to proceed to immediately make collection of all monies due the county on lots sold in Princeton. The tax that year amounted to eight hundred and two dollars and twenty-five cents.

At the May term, 1822, the board fixed the rate of tavern licenses in Gibson county at twelve dollars, which in reality allowed them all to run a bar in connection with their tavern, and they were limited each year by a fee which should be charged on different kinds of entertainment, including the fixed prices of liquors.

In >s"ovemljer, 1822, August Lavelliott was authorized to establish a ferry on the \\'al)ash river from the Indiana shore to the opposite bank of Coft'ee island. He was compelled to have "good and sufficient" boats for the carrying of passengers and stcok.

According to an act of the General Assemljly, passed January 31, 1824, the board of county commissioners ceased to exist, and a board of justices of the peace took its place in county government affairs. The first meeting of the Ijoard of justices was held September 6, 1S24. The members of this board consisted of the following : James Evident, president : James Kitchens, Alexander Johnson, Frederick Bruner, William DePriest, Charles Harrington, Phillip Briscoe, Lewis Harman, Jonathan Gulick. The first act in their ofifice was to grant a tavern license to William Daniel.

At their September, 1S25, meeting Columbia township was formed. At the November term, that year, ^^'illiam B. Demick was appointed trustee of the seminary fund.

In January, 1826, the justices appointed Robert Stockwell count}' agent. At the ]\Iarch term. 1828, Elisha Eml^ree was appointed county agent. Jesse Emerson was appointed to builrl a bridge across Indian creek, where the state road crossed the same. Tie was to work in conjunction with the state commissioner of post roads. One-half of the expense was to be paid l:)y this countv, the other half by the state. An order went forth from this meeting to the effect that in case of persons refusing or failing to pay their taxes when delinquent they should be obliged to pay twice the original amount.

The records do not show much of historic interest until along about the date of May, 1831, when under the new law enacted by the changeable whims of the Indiana Legislature, another form of county government was ushered in. The old justices consequently ordered the county divided into districts for the purpose of electing county commissioners, to-wit : White River township, as now laid oft', to be the first district, Patoka and Columbia townships to be the second, and Montgomery and Johnson to constitute the third district. The last meeting of the old board of justices of peace for the county was held in July, 1831, when there were present Abram B. Harper, James Evans, William McClary, Frederick Bruner, Thomas J. Montgomery, Jonathan Gulick and Michael H. Milton. No business was transacted further than to turn over the affairs of the county to the newly qualified board of county commissioners, which office had been inaugurated for the second time in the state's historv.

Board Of Coltnty Commissioners

September, 1831, the commissioners for the three districts of Giljson county met. They were as follows: Charles Jones, for the long term of three years; John jMillnirn, for the two-year term, and Samuel H. Siiannon, for the one-year term.

The grand and petit jurymen were then only allowed seventy-five cents per day. This shows how close things were run in those pioneer days in the county, and really it was a matter of necessity and not stinginess, as the money in the country, under the financial and banking systems that i)l)tained, afforded by no means sufficient means to do otherwise.

In May, 1832, an order was made that the United States field notes made at Vincennes be transcribed and properly made of record here. John I. Neely was appointed a special agent for the county, to convey to the board of trustees of the Patoka "regular" Baptist church a lot in the town of Princeton, for the sum of thirty dollars.

The September term of 1S32 was full of im])ortant business. A number of tavern anrl store licenses were granted, road districts formed, roads and bridges ordered surveyed and built, etc. One hundred and sixty dollars was appropriated for the construction of a bridge across the Patoka at Crow's and Kirk's mills. A fire-proof clerk's office was ordered erected, and the contract for same was awarded to John I. Neely and Samuel Hall.

Navigation Of The Patoka

The people desiring the improvement of the I'atoka so as to aff'ortl a better and safer means of navigation, the jjoard ordered the same laid ofif into districts and that commissioners be appointed to cause the necessary work to be performed. From the mouth of the Columbia mill, formed district No. i, with John Alexander, superintendent; from Columbia mill to where the Patoka strikes Pike county formed district No. 2, with Richard AI. Kirk as superintendent. It should be remembered that at that date the Patoka furnished a water highway by which many of the jiroducts of Gibson county were sent away to far distant markets.

In accordance with another law of commonwealth, the county government was again changed back to that of a board of justices. The first of such boards convened in Alarch, 1835, Avhen the following constituted the members present: Asa C. Mills, Duter Jerauld, William French, Thomas J. Montgomery, A. D. Foster, Jonathan Gulick, Isaac Welburn, Adam B. Harper, Joshua Duncan.

Among the early matters worth here recording was the following order concerning a county seal. It was that a seal should be made of brass, inscribed with the plow and scales and lettered, "Commissioners of Gibson County, Indiana."

About this date more appropriations were made for the completion of the navigation improvements on the Patoka river. But it must be said such money was of no avail, for the stream was never made navigable far from its mouth, as it filled up with drift and flood wood, making the project valueless.

At the November term, 183S, the lioard received the report of the commissioners to build a bridge across the Patoka at Columbia (now Patoka), the cost of which was $7,160.05. It was well built. At the same meeting the board organized Wabash toAvnship, which was taken from the western part of Montgomery township.

At the January term, 1839, the county board, which had again come to be known as "County Commissioners," met on the 7th day of the month and made this notation and adjourned: "Ordered, that said board do adjourn instanter to the clerk's office in said town of Princeton, the court house being unfit for the session of said board." After some routine work, including road and bridge matters, the board proceeded to the appointment of John R. Montgomery and Elias S. Terry, commissioners to procure plans and estimates for a court house for Gibson county. They were also ordered to ascertain of the banks at Vincennes and Evansville on what terms funds for building the same could be procured. The board had evidently got cold feet that January morning and proposed to have warmer quarterf: '

Coming down through the years to the opening of the Civil war, one finds but little more than regular routine work in the minutes of the county commissioners' records. But at a special term held April 24th - less than two weeks after Fort Sumter had been fired upon by the secession guns - County Commissioners James Hudleson, Henry Gambrel and Joseph Devin assembled, at the request of the county auditor, who had power to thus call special meetings of the county board. The call was for the express purpose of taking some definite action regarding the making of appropriations out of the county treasury for the military defense of Gibson county. The commissioners concluded that they had no power to thus appropriate public money.

Joseph Devin, however, dissented frcjni this opinion. He was a merchant of Princeton at that time, and proved himself a true citizen and patriot as well. Later the county board rescinded their ruling and did appropriate funds for the relief of families, members of whom were away in the Union army. Sometimes the county was without necessary funds and this same commissioner, Devin, furnished both money and goods to the soldiers' families who needed it, thereby preventing a discount of county orders. This should ever stand on record as a monument to his worthy name.

Formation Of Union Townsiiii'

The last civil township created in Gilison county was Union, which territory was set off from Patoka and Johnson townships by an iirder of the board of count\- commissioners at their May meeting in 1S90, uiJon the petition of many citizens living in the townships of Patoka and Johnson. The land included in this newly created sub-division of the county was described as follows: "Beginning at the northeast corner of section i, township 3, range 10 west; thence to the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 3, township 3, range 1 1 west; thence south to the southwest corner of section 15, township 3, range 11 west; thence west to the northwest corner of section 19. township 3, range 11 west; thence south to the southwest corner of section 30. township 13. range 11 west; thence east to the southeast corner of section 25, township 13, range 10 v,-est; thence nortli to jiiace of beginning."

Asa F. Atterbery was appointed by the commissioners as the trustee of the newly formed township, and R. S. ^^'alters \\as a]i])i)inted assessor. The commissioners who signed the above order were I'hillii) Alartin and I*".. C. Farmer.

The first business of this county was tiansacted at the private residence of William Harrington. This included the first terms of cnurt. The first court house was not occupied until June, 1815, as will be ol)served by the following. Gibson county has had three couri houses and the same number of jails.

William Harrington, at whose house the first seat of justice and first terms of court were held, from the first organization nf the count\- to June 19th, the da\' du which the business was first transacted in the new court (6) ' house, was allowed the sum of fifteen dollars on one occasion, as about half the total amount he was to have for the use of his house, or rather certain rooms in his residence.

The board of county commissioners ordered the county agent, Robert M. Evans, to let the contract for making brick for the construction of the first court house, at a cost of not to exceed five dollars and fifty cents per thousand. These bricks were made on the public square, near where they were needed.

The general plan of this first temple of justice for Gibson county was about as follows: The walls were of brick, thirty-three by forty feet in size; the foundation was laid eighteen inches below the surface of the ground; the height of the lower story was twelve feet; above the bottom of the sleepers, which were one foot above the ground, the wall of the lower story was two and a half brick thick and the upper story two brick; there were two chimneys, with fire-jjlaces. The brick and all the material for the construction of the building were furnished by the county. Work was commenced September i, 1814. The contractor was Killion Creek - that is, he laid the walls - and Samuel Hogue built the roof of this building and furnisheil timber for the window frames, etc.. while John Decker had the contract for all inside finishing work. The painting was done by the brush of Samuel Boicourt. This structure stood and did good service for the new county for a quarter of a centur}^, or until 1841, when it was thought wise to provide better quarters for the various count}' officials and the courts.

Second Court House

The count}' authorities appointed Joseph Devin, Samuel Hall and Willis Howe commissioners ( Devin resigned and Jonathan Young was put in his stead) and directed them to procure plans and specifications. The final plans were those furnished by Edward Coleman. The contract for erecting the building was awarded to Alfred Poland. The structure \\'as built of brick and was completed in 1843, ^t a cost to the taxpayers of about nine thousand dollars. It was a well built court house, about square in form, and served the county until the present fine court house was erected in 1883. Up to the razing of the second building, the public square contained many shade trees, some of which were exceedingly large and beautiful. These trees were all removed by the grading of the yard except one small maple, which still remains.

The Third And Present Court House

The corner stone of the present court house was laid June 17, 1884, in the presence of several thousand people and with appropriate Masonic ceremonies, under charge of the various lodges of the county. The building is an imijosing red brick, stone-trimmed structure, of modern style architecture. It is a large, two-story building, over a full ceiling basement, the rooms of which are used by the county for various lesser county offices and for store room purposes. The floors of the superstructure - second and third floors from the ground - are used for the main county offices and the large, wellplanned court room and jurors' rooms. It is heated and lighted after strictly modern methods. Joseph Miller, of Washington, Indiana, was the contracting builder, and for this work he received the sum of one hundred and eightyeight thousand six hundred and si.vty-one dollars. This, however, did not include the fixtures and furnishings. While this building has .stDod f(ir almost a third of a century, it seems about as good as A\hen first occupied. It really stands as a monument to the good sense and wisdom of the men who planned it and the taxpayers who voted for its erection. The commissioners who contracted for this court house and served during its construction were Sylvester Benson, John S. Mead and Josiah Kightley. Of this board, only one, Sylvester Benson, is living (1914) at an advanced age.

The first county officials to occupy the new court house were John W. Johnson, auditor; John Sipp, treasurer; Henry P. Chambers, sheriff: James S. Epperson, clerk; Solomon Vannada, recorder, all of whom are dead (1914), except Solomon Vannada. Judge Oscar M. Welborn held the first court.

Jail History

Gibson count}', like all other counties in the Union, has had need of a jail at different times, in order to safely house those outlaws and law violators who have seen fit to be disobedient and have been held for trial or punished by serving time. In Gibson county there have been three different jails where prisoners have been kept. The first one was ordered built by the court in February, 1814, and it was then styled the gaol. Its plans and s])ecifications contained the following items: The walls to lie eighteen feet scpiare of well-seasoned timber; the lower story seven feet between the floors: the timber of the walls to be tweh-e inches square, neatly dove-tailed down so that each log may touch the other. There was an inside wall of good timber built in the same manner as the outer wall, as high as the first story ; a space of ten inches was left between the walls, which was tilled with hewn timbers nine by twelve inches square, set on end, touching each other; the outer wall extended seven feet high above the upper floor of the lower story; there were three floors of hewn timbers ten inches square, one below, one above and one between the upper and lower story. The lower floor was confined down by the inside wall of the lower room or dungeon. The second floor was held down by the outer wall. There was one small window and two grates in the lower story or dungeon. The requirements of the court called for an outside door to the upper or debtor's room, and required the shutters to be very strong and well hung with iron bars. From the debtor's room there was a trap door to go down to the dungeon, with strong bolts and locks to confine it down. In the debtor's room there was a division for the separation of the sexes, made of hewed timbers, six by ten inches square, with a good door and shutter through the wall, with one small window with gates to each room. The jail was covered with a roof of clapboards and yellow poplar shingles. This jail was erected by Samuel Hogue under a contract with the county. It served until 1833, when it was considered no longer a proper, safe building, as so adjudged by the grand jury, who reported it as insufficient and not safe for the keeping of prisoners. The board then ordered that Robert Stockwell, John Arbuthnot, John I. Neely, Jonathan Gulick, Isaac Alontgomery, Charles Jones and Joshua Duncan be requested to meet the seconfl Tuesday of October, and consult and present a plan f(5r a jail. Also that Roliert Stormont and Joseph Hartin be the contractors to build a jail on a lot which had been purchased for sixty dollars. That jail - the second in Gibson county - was completed in the spring of 1835, when the old jail was sold at auction and the proceeds used for making a well at the new jail. This building ser\'ed Gibson county many years and until the present well-constructed red brick structure was built. While the present jail is not thoroughly up-to-date in all of its appointments, yet it is comparatively safe and sanitar_\'. The jailor's residence is built in connection with the jail. This building is situated on the corner of Emerson and ]\Iain streets.

In recent years there have been many improvements made <in the public square, including the erection of the magnificent granite monument erected by the people of Gibson county in memory of the soldiery of the Civil war, of which an extended account is given elsewhere in this volume; also the more recent series of electroliers - an electric lighting system of clusters of brilliant lights within frosted glass globes, attached to concrete standards that line the four sides of the public square.

Care Of The Poor

The care given to the unfortunate poor in any community is always an index to the character of the people in that community. From the earliest times in Gibson county such people were usually well cared for - at least the ]:)rovisions of the laws of the state were carried out. It is true that in the early years of the county's history there was not that liner feeling for such unfortunates as there has been in more recent years, when a higher state of civilization and a keener Christian understanding has come to obtain in the minds of the common people and the taxpa)-ers in general.

The first mention made of overseers of the poor in the count}- records bears the date of 191 3, as soon as the county was fairly organized. .\t the May term of court that year the following persons were appointed as overseers: Jacob Pea and James Branton in Madison township, Andrew Cunningham and \\'illiam Price in White River township, William Latham and Thomas Potter in Patoka township, Robert McGary and Thomas Sharp in Montgomery township, Thomas Alman and Samuel James in Black River township.

On June 21, 1815, the court made the following appointments of overseers of the poor: Jacolj Pea and Henry Brenton in Madison township, Robert Mosley and Armstead Bennett in White River township, William Harrington and Daniel Putnam in Patoka township, Thomas Sharp and Reuben Alsop in ^Montgomery township, John \\^aller and John Cox in Black River township.

Many years later the commissioners purchased a small tract of land about three miles northwest of Princeton and there established a poor house, where paupers were cared for until the purchase of the present farm in what is now Union township. This farm was bought by the county from Thadeus Keimer, in ^lay. 1890, for the sum of eleven thousand five hundred dollars, and consists of two hundred and eight acres, of not extra quality of land. It is situated on tlie northeast (piarter of section 33. and the northwest quarter of the southwest c^uarter of the same section, in township 2, range 10 west. This real estate had upon it, when the county purchased it, an old brick farm house which has been rebuilt and somewhat added to and still serves as a county asylum. A new barn has also been erected at a cost of seven himdred dollars and many more improvements made. The farm, however, does not nearly support the paupers of the county. The soil is poor and the expenses are great. The recent report of the superintendent, who gets five hundred dollars per year salary and his keeping, shows that there are only nineteen inmates at the place now. There are two cooks employed and one hired man for general utility work most of the time in late years. Cows, sheep and hogs are raised and kept for the use of the institution. Many citizens believe that the poor of Gibson county should, in these times, be provided for at less expense by simply hiring them boarded, counting the cost of operating the present farm and the invested money in the land.