Greene County, Indiana - Chapter 10, 1875

REAT political excitement wa3 the order of the day in the year 1840. A log cabin was erected on the public square, at Bloomfield for the campaign, and on public days a coon was chained to the cabin. Old men say that it was an era of political giants. The most temperate Whigs would indulge in hard cider, and'Dem* ocrats, who preferred hard cider, this year, took it sweet.

The county officers were the same as the year before, and so were the officers of the courts. E. S. Terry, General J. B. Lowe and George G. Dunn, were admitted to practice law in our court. General Lowe was one of the very early settlers of Monroe county, wliere he lived from youth to be a very old man. E. S. Terry resided at Washington, for many years. He was a graduate at W^est Point, but resigned his commission and devoted himself to the practice of law. He was regarded in his profession as a man of fine ability. In what was called an "afiair of honor" between George G. Dunn and James Hughes some years after this period, Mr. Terry and ^lajor H. S, Livingston were seconds for the parties. If we are not mistaken Major Livingston was second for Judge Hughes, and Judge Terry was aecond for Mr.

l^Unh. The "affiiir of honor" waa BCttlcd by the seconds in such a manner as to make it satisfactory and honoi'able to all parties without the effusion of blood. George G. Dunn has been dead for several years. It is believed that his over exertion in the campaign of 1854, sowed the seed that grew UP into his death. He served several terms in Congress. It Is said when he spoke in the House, the Senate chamber would be deserted. He was probably the best stump speaker in Indiana in his day. He alwaj's said that Joseph G. Marshall was the best. Judge Hughes was a man of very superior ability, and was regarded as one of the best lawyers in the State. He parsed away in the meridian of life.

Several well known persons declared their intention to become citizens of the United States this year, Isaac Ward, Francis Clayton, James Hague and Robert Tibbits. The first case of usury ever tried in the county came up this year.

John B. Stropes commenced business this year. He came here when a boy, with his father Adam Stropes. He was a remarkable quiet man, had very little to say except to the point, but was a thoughtful man. In his life time, he was almost a living encyclopedia of early history in Greene county. He was very popular with the people, both in his party and with the opposite party. He served two terms as Treasurer of the county, but probably made less than he would have made at his business. He certainly made no money as a politician. He has been dead several years. He was'one of our best men.

office as the year before, except that John Crook was appointed to assess the west side of the river, while Mr. Norris assesped the east side.

George Rea, a well known and highly respected Irish citizen, took up his abode in the county with the intention of remaining with us. Ho had not been here long until he found a Jewel more dear to his heart than anything he had left in Old Ireland, or anything else he had found in America: But alas! in later years he lost his Jewel, and for many years he has "trodden the wine press alone."

This year Judge Edwards and Judge Joel B. Sexton appeared as associate judges, and R. H. Rousseau and L. II. Rousseau located in Bloomfieldj and were admitted to practice law in our court.

Judge Sexton will be remem"bercd by many of the older citizens, although " he has been dead several years. He ' settled at a verj' early day in Burlingame township, and for many years was one of our . leading men and best citizens.

The Rousseaus were both men of superior ability - both resided here several years and filled places of honor and trust in the county. L. H. Rousseau commanded the Greene county cpmpany in the Mexican war, and in the late war become eminent as a Major-General. He has quite a number of namesakes in our county.

Up to 1841, our county officials failed to keep a record of the elections, or if it wras kept it has been lost; This year, however, and the years following full records were kept and preserved. The officers for the year 1842 were elected the year before. David M. Dobson was elected Senator, John F. O'Neall, Representative ; John Hill, Treasurer ; John C. BroAvn, Assessor ; and T. H. Careon, Auditor.

At this time and for some years before and after John F. O'Neall waa the Democratic standard* bearer for the county. He was a, man of i\tJit

During this period John F. Allison bore the standard of the Whig party. He was their leader in a number of campaigns, and often lead them to victory. He is yet among us^ but takes no active part in politics. For many years he was regarded as the best stump speaker in the Whig [xirty in the county*

It appears that in that early day there was some doubt as to the propriety of extending ferry privileges to a woman, and the Commissioners held it over, unable to decide the question. At the next term the question was pressed with great vigor by Major Livingston on behalf of the lady, and was resisted vigorously by L. H. Rousseau on behalf of a man who wanted a ferry near there. The Commissioners after much thought finally decided the case in favor of Mrs. Smith. The Commissioners this year were Samuel Simmons. Frederick Slinkard and James Fulkr.

During the latter part of this year new duties were attached by law to the office of Treasurer. It was the ftrst year that the office of Treasurer and Collector were consolidated and became one office, and in addition to duties heretofore devolving upon these officers, other duties were prescribed.

Mr. Hill who had performed the duties up to this time determiRcd to resign, and the au thorites were called upon by him to select his successor. They looked around and finally selected a delicate looking, sickly yoijng man, who h»d jicquired -a fair education, and gave evident indication of good business qualifications." This young man was William Mason. He accepted the appointment and was afterwards re-elected several times, titxid made one of the most efficient officers that we have ever had.

The expense of the county gradually became larger and larger, depending to n great extent upon the public improvements, yet compared with recent years they were very low. Before 1850, to which time we will probably extend our history, the county expense never got up to 84,- 000 for any one year. Those who have been reading the history up to this time may remember that Ezekiel Herrington was the first man who divorced his wife in the county, alid that in turn he was the first man against whom a divorce was granted. This year he is again brought into cpurt on a complaint to procure a divorce. For two years he and his wife met only in strife. They had a long struggle but at4ast his wife came out victorious, and the courts did not take notice of his domestic relation again for some years after.

This year Andrew Downing started a blast furnace for the purpose of making pig iron, and casting stoves, etc., about one mile from Bloomficld, and called it ''Richland Furnace." This furnace continued in operation about eighteen years, -and during the time other parties took an interest in it. It is a little wonderful that any one would go into »n enterprise like that at a jjoint so fitr from any ordinary means of transportation for such heavy freight, A considerable portion of the iron was hauled witii horse teams to Louisville, a distance of one hundred miles, for which the teamsters would receive only five dollars per ton. Some years after the furnace was started, ^L H. Shryer, William Eveleigh and William ]\Li.son weat into the busiaess with Mr.

Downing. About that time they pnr- «'ha.sed a steamboat and called it "The Richland."' This boat made several trips Dp^AVhitc river and took off iron and produce. Other steamboats occasionlly came up White river and took off loads of pig iron. With this nncertain mode of transportation the furnaee continued the "manufacture of pig iron for several years. Finally thej^artners oil went -out of the firm e.xcept Mr. Downing; and Chauncey Kose, E. J. Peck and A. L. Voorhees -^vent into the firm. These men brought an increase of capital into the business, and they entered into it on a larger scale than before. In 1856 Henry Irons, a manager from an iron furnace in Kentucky, took charge of the whole thing, and preparation was made to start other furnaces under his management. At this time the Wabash and Erie Canal was in operation and the iron could be transported by canal boats. Under Mr. Irons' management every thing appeared to prosper, and a thriving little town -sprang rapidly into existence around the funiace. Employment was given to a large number of workmen, and farmers found ready sale for their produce. When the Canal Company suspended improvement on the south end of the line, it cut oif all means of transportation, except by teams, and the furnace goon blew out and.has not been rekindled since. It is said that when iron commanded a good price, this furnace company conld make it pay, and haul tbejr iron thirty miles to a railroad.

There lies undeveloped beneath the surface of Greene county untold millions of dollars. Great mines of iron ore from six to thirty feet thick, and stratas of block coal from four to eight feet in thickness, underlies thousands and tens of thousands of our acres : and just on the same surface we have abundance of limestone, and as fine timber as ever grew on Indiana: soil. All these with an abundance of water, and rich productive farm lands are found in the same locality. Some counties have rich iron ore, some have abundance of coal, and others have timber and limestone. Seldom can all these things be found in abundance and of good quality in one locality*

In some localities in the county huge masses of iron ore lie upon the surface which have no doubt been thrown out by some convulsion of nature. Some of these masses will weigh several tons to the piece. When this furnace wag first started^ and teamsters were hauling pig iron to Louisville, they were hauling wheat there for Vl\ cents per bushel, and after hauling it there would sell it at fifty cents per bushel.