Henry County, Indiana - Internal Improvements, 1884

Internal Improvements

The First Roads Laid Out. - State Roads. - - The National Road. - Turnpikes. - Growth of the Turnpike System. - The First Railroad Enters the County at Knightstown. - The Hew Castle and Richmond Railroad. - Other Railroads, Early and Late. - Humber of Miles of Railroad in the County.

A noted writer has asserted that the three greatest indications of a people's prosperity are: 1. The state of the roads; 2. The State of agriculture; 3. The methods of transportation. That the citizens of Henry County have not been slow in making improvements in each of these three great essentials is proved by their early attention to them, as well as the condition of roads, agriculture and transportation facilities to-day. In all these great and important features, few communities are more fortunate than the people of Henry County.

Early Roads

"That Moses Finch, Jr., and Nathan Pearson be appointed to view a road to commence at* the town of New Castle, and running thence the nearest and bestfway to John Baker's; and from thence an east course until it strikes the east line of said Baker's land; and from thence running on the said line south unto the southeast corner of said Baker's land; and from thence the nearest and best way to David Thompson's, on Simon's Creek; from thence the nearest and best wayHo Shock's Mill, on Wayne County line." The same date Abraham Harvey, Asahel Woodward and John Dorrah were appointed to view a road -

"To commence at the town of New Castle, and from thence on the nearest and best way to Abraham Heaton's mills; and from thence to the county line, where sections 33 and 34 corner, in township 16, range 9, on the line dividing 15 and 16." view a road, commencing on the line dividing ranges 12 and 11, and running thence on the section line dividing 24 and 5; thence on the said line, or as near the said line as the ground will admit of, so as to intersect the road leading from the town of N'ew Castle to Shock's Mill in Wayne County."

''Be it ordered that William Shannon, Asahel Woodward and Abijah Cain be appointed to view a road commencing at the town of New Castle, and from thence the nearest and best way to Alan Shepherd's; and from thence the nearest and best way to Drury Wales'; and from thence the nearest and best way to the county line, in a direction to intersect the State road at Mr. Luse's, on White River." In pursuance of an act of the Legislature, passed Jan. 24, 1824, a road was laid out in 1825, by commissioners appointed by the State Government, from Vernon, Jennings County, to Greensburg, Decatur County; thence to Rushville, Rush County; "thence north to the northern boundary of Rush County, in the direction of Fort Wayne; thence north 20 degrees east; thence north 6 degrees west to 14 miles; thence north 10 degrees east 65 chains; thence 95 chains; 21 miles north, through New Castle," etc.

In the fall of 1826 a State road was opened from Liberty, Union County, to Centreville, Wayne County, thence to New Castle. The commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate it were Matthew Foster, William Shannon and George Cornelius. The road afterward became the Hagerstown and New Castle turnpike.

In 1827 the National road was located through the southern part of Henry County, giving quite an impetus to business in the townships through which it passed, and resulting in the speedy growth of several villages.

Other roads than those already mentioned were located from time to time, at the discretion of the county commissioners. They were, however, scarcely ever in good repair, and at certain seasons became well-nigh impassable. Yet the county had no better roads until the era of turnpike building began.

The first step in the direction of improving the roads in this county was probably made in 1844. In that year the Cambridge, New Castle and Muncie Turnpike Company was organized and incorporated. The route of the road was from Cambridge City via New Lisbon and New Castle to Muncie. About the same time a company received a charter to build a turnpike from New Castle to Anderson. In 1846 stock in the Hagerstown and New Castle turnpike was advertised for sale.

Although these schemes came to naught, the discussion of them served to awaken the people to the importance of improvements, thereby rendering future ventures successful.

e construction of plank, macadamized and gravel roads. This aw confeijed extensive powers upon turnpike companies, and a number of good turnpikes were built, agreeable to its provisions, connecting all parts of the country with the county seat.

By an act of the Assembly in 1865 the county commissioners were authorized to organize turnpike companies, under certain provisions; also to levy taxes for the construction of a road, and to provide for making the same free. "By this law only the land within three-fourths of a mile of the proposed route was affected; and upon the report of a commission to survey and estimate the cost of construction, the auditor was required to enter a tax upon smd lands according to its value, as shown by the books in his olface, and without reference to the benefits to be derived from the same one-third to be collected annually, and in the same manner as other taxes; and it might happen that lands the most remote would be most heavily taxed. This law, however, was but an experiment, and but little attempt was made to work under it." The following companies were organized under this act: Blountsvilleand Circleville; Blountsville and Morristown; Flatrook and Bentonville; Fairview and Lewisville. The first named were soon abandoned. It is believed that only one road was begun and completed under the law of 1865.

The act of 186T was an improvement upon the act of 1865. This authorized the assessment of all lands^ situated within half a mile of the turnpike, when the subscription for a road amounts to at Inast $800 per mile, and is not large enough to complete the route. The assessments were to be made by three disinterested propertyholders, who were also to estimate the benefits likely to accrue to each tract of land. A number of roads were projected under this law, and the tax placed upon the duplicate of 1867, along with the State and county taxes. Some dissatisfaction resulted, and to decide the matter a test case was brought before Judge Buckles of the Circuit Court. He decided that the assessments were ille- gaily made, because, among other reasons, the lands had not been viewed as required, nor had all land within the prescribed limits been listed.

This decision caused the assessments on other roads to be considered illegal, and the several companies did not make much effort to have the tax collected. The county commissioners, however, were petitioned to have the assessments made again and according to law. The Blue River turnpike, of Prairie Township, was an exception. About $3,000 of the first installment had been paid in, and was considered sufficient; therefore the second and third installments were not placed upon the duplicate.

Out of a total tax of $27,221.93, the sum of $16,074.04 was paid in in 1867 on turnpike assessments declared illegal. 'No part of the gravel road tax collected duiing 1867 was paid over to the officers of the several companies, but remained a part of the balance in the treasury, June 1, 1868.

All the roads of 1867, with the exception above noted, were assessed again in 1868. At first assessments were placed on the same duplicates with other taxes; but in 1868 the auditor of the State ordered them to be placed on separate duplicates. A tabular statement, which may prove interesting, is given below:

Duplicate Of 1870, Law Of 1869

The above tables refer only to such turnpikes as were built under the so-called Gravel Eoad Laws. Other gravel roads in the county in 1871 are shown in the following table. The list has been somewhat extended since that date, but there is no source of information which will give the precise data. It is also proper to state that in some districts the plan of grading and graveling a small portion of the common roads each year has been adopted with good results. On the whole, no county in the State is better supplied with good roads and turnpikes than the county of Henry.

Miles

The first railroad that reached Henry County was the Knightstown & Shelbyville, built between the towns named, and completed in 1850. It was entirely a local enterprise. At this late day people would smile at the idea of connecting two villages, such as Knightstown and Shelbyville then were, by a railroad and looking to local trafiic for its maintenance. The building of railroads was not a well-understood business then, and the making of a local road without through connections was enthusiastically undertaken, and what is still more wonderful, completed.

By act of the Legislature approved Jan. 19, 1846, the Knightstown & Shelbyville Eailroad Company was incorporated. Its President and Directors were as follows: Kobert Woods, S. Mc- Cain, W. M. Cary, John N. Eobinson, and JohnH. Me Guffin, of Henry County; E. J. Hubbard, William Me Kee, John Addison, Sr., and H. B. Hill, of Eush County; John Wolf an dJohn Haskett, of Hancock County; and Jonathan Johnson and Stephen Ludlow, of Shelby County. The railroad failed after being operated a few years and soon disappeared from off the earth forever.

In 1848 a company was formed and chartered under the name of the Kew Castle & Knightstown Eailroad Company, for the purpose of extending the Knightstown & Shelbyville Eoad to Kew Castle. Bnt in the meantime, a railroad to Eichrnond was proposed and so earnestly pushed as' to cause the abandonment of the Kew Castle and Knightstown enterprise.

The Hew Castle people were not much behind their neighbors of Knightstown in forwarding railroad building. In the Indiana Courier of March 20, 1847, appears the following notice of a meeting to be held at the date given:

" Those of our citizens who desire to make Kew Castle a point in the contemplated railroad from Cincinnati in the State of Ohio to St. Louis in the State of Missouri are requested to meet at the court-house in this place on Saturday evening next, at early candle lighting, for the purpose of deliberating upon the subject. The superiority of railroads over all other channels of communication

The "proposed railroad," however, never reached Hew Castle. The citizens therefore determined to have a railroad of their own. By act of the Legislature approved Feb. 16, 1848, John Powell, Jacob Elliott, Elijah Stout, Robert Boyd and Moses Robertson, of Henry County; and Mark E. Reeves, James Scott, John H. Hulton and John Gillespie, of Wayne County, were constituted a body corporate under the name, "The Hew Castle & Richmond Railroad Company;" capital stock, $250,000; shares, $50 each.

Books of subscription for the purpose of raising funds for the prosecution of the road were opened in the fall of 1848. The road was built wholly by local capital, the citizens of Henry County aiding to construct it from| Hew Castle to the county line, and Wayne County people completing it to Richmond. The railroad was completed in the latter part of the year 1853, and the first locomotive reached Hew Castle on Christmas day of that year. Hon. Jehu T. Elliott became President of the road soon after the company was formed, and acted in that capacity several years. His administration gave universal satisfaction. The Hew Castle & Richmond Road, extended from time to time, eventually became a through line and was run under the name of the Cincinnati & Chicago Air Line, afterward the Chicago & Great Eastorn. In 1867 it became one of the Pennsylvania Company's lines, by consolidation. Though generally styled the " Pan-Handle," its ofllcial designation is now the Chicago, St. Louis & Pittsburg Railroad.

While the above road was building, another was in progress, through the southern part of the county. This was the Indiana Central Railroad, completed as far as Indianapolis in 1853. It is now part of the main line - the Chicago, St. Louis &Pittsburg Railroad, or the " Pan-Handle" proper, one of the most important through lines in the State.

The Connersville & New Castle Junction Railroad, from Cambridge City to New Castle, was completed in 1867. It was at first operated under the name of the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad. The building of the Union Depot in New Castle was undertaken the same year, the town pledging its aid to the amount of $3,500.

The New Castle & Muncie Railroad (a part of the old Fort Wayne and Southern route, the road-bed of which was nearly completed in 1864) was agitated in 1867. Track-laying from New Castle to Fort Wayne on the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad began in May, 1869, and it was proposed to have the road completed to Fort Wayne by the 1st of December, 1869. June 9, 1869, a meeting of the directors of the two lines was held, and a consolidation efiected, whereby the Connersville & New Castle Junction Railroad Company, and the Fort Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati Railroad Company became one under the latter style. In August, 1869, the road was completed to Muncie, and not long afterward the entire line was completed.

In 1879 the project (which had been discussed previously) of opening up to the Fort Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati Railroad a through route to Louisville began to attract general attention; and two years later the work was actually accomplished by the completion of two "connecting links," viz., the North Yernon, Greensburg & Rushville, and the New Castle <Ss Rushville Railroads - The latter was principally a local enterprise, and many citizens of Henry County were actively identified with it. The following citizens of New Castle were members of the Board of Directors of the N. C. & R. Railroad in 1880-^81: L. A. Jennings, Isaac Menden. hall, T. B. Loer and J. H. Mellett. L. A. Jennings served as President of the road while it was building. Trains began running in the fall of 1881; the actual building of the road commenced the previous spring. The road is now operated by the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad Company, successors to the Ft. W., M. & C.

The Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad (^Springfield extension) was built through the county in 1881 and 1882. * This latest addition to the railroad system of the county has been most beneficial to the county seat, and has added much to the value of real estate in other parts of the county.

Various other railroads have been projected and surveyed through the county from time to time, both in early and later years; but as they were never built, no special mention of the projects is required.

Temperance Work in Henry County. - Early Temperance Advocates. - The Washingtonian Society. - Sons of Temperance. - Good Templars. - The Woman's Crusade. - Murphy Movement. - A Healthy Temperance Sentiment. - Anti-Slavery Sentiment. - Early Anti-Slavery Societies. - Hotable Floods AND Storms. - Reminiscences of Old-Time Mail Routes. - Martin Yan Buren's Visit to Kniqhtstown. - General Grant in New Castle. - First Events. - Early Postmasters and Their Salaries. - The First Band in New Castle.

Quite early in the county's history a strong and healthy temperance sentiment was developed. In the Indiana Courier of April 9, 1842, appears an account of a meeting of " a large and respectable portion of the citizens of the town of New Castle," for the purpose of organizing a temperance society on the Washingtonian plan. Ralph Berkshire was elected President, and J. A. McMeans, Secretary of the meeting. A committee, consisting of the following gentlemen, was selected for the purpose of drafting a constitution and by-laws, for the government of the society: Edmund

Johnson, J. W. Grubbs, M. L. Bundy, Dr. Joel Reed and Miles Murphey. The pledge was offered at this meeting, and thirty-nine signatures were obtained in a few minutes.

In the same paper appears a copy of the declaration of sentiments of the Knightstown Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society signed by F. L. Goble, A. Cary, Edmund Bishop, G. W. Riddell and S. McCain.

The New Castle society was still flourishing and accomplishing good work in 1847. Among its ofiicers, in addition to those already given, the names of William Henderson, Peter Shroyer, J. G. Welch and Rotheus Scott are found, as early as 1844. On the third of April in that year it was decided to try to promote temperance sentiment in different parts of the county through the agency of missionaries. The following were appointed to act in that capacity: Dr. Joel Eeed, J. A. McMeans, Gr. W. Scott, John

The Washingtonian movement was succeeded by the Sons of Temperance, who organized in several towns of the county and for several years did not relax their interest. Hew Castle Division of the Sons of Temperance, Ho. 80, was organized July 12, 1847, with the following officers: M. S. Ward, M. L. Bundy, M. E.

Greensboro Division, Ho. 118, Sons of Temperance, was organized Feb. 4, 1848. The officers were: J. W. Crowley, Jacob Elliott, Ezra Foster, John T. Swain, M. L. Wickersham, Jordon Pickering, John W. Hunt, J.W. Thornburgh, EHhu Ridgway and Elisha W. Sanders.

Beginning in 1861, organizations of the Independent Order of Good Templars were made successively at Knightstown, Ogden, Mechanicsburg, Spiceland, Middletown, Dunreith, Greensboro and Hew Castle. Though many of the lodges were short-lived, it is to be hoped that none of them expired before accomplishing some good.

The " Crusaders," although they organized and carried forward temperance work in this county, created less excitement here than in| many communities. The woman's crusade was begun at Hillsboro, Ohio, Dec. 23, 1873, and rapidly spread through the neighboring States. In March, 1874, the excitement had reached Knightstown, where a band of some 400 women was formed. Hew Castle and other towns of the county soon had similar organizations. The women were successful in closing up several saloons temporarily if not permanently.

This woman's movement was followed by the organization of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in 1874. Several branches of the Union have been formed in Henry County, and much good has been accomplished thereby.

In 1877 the Murphy temperance movement, "red ribbon pledge," flourished in the county. Meetings were begun at Hew Castle by A. Jacquette, of the Hational Christian Temperance Union. Seven hundred signed the pledge in one week. Thence the movement spread until all parts of the county were influenced by it. The people of New Castle early took advanced ground upon the temperance question. By an act of the Legislature, Feb. 2, 1848, it was declared unlawful for any person to sell any spirituous liquors or wine in Henry Township, Henry County, except licensed merchants or druggists, who were allowed to sell for medicinal, mechanical and sacramental purposes. Violations of this law were to be punished by fines ranging from $5 to §50. Although this law was repealed by the Constitution of 1851, New Castle had no licensed saloons until after 1870.

Judge J. T. Elliott was one of the earliest and most active temperance workers in the county. At a meeting in New Castle, March 11, 1869, he stated in a speech that there had not been a licensed grog shop in the town for twenty years. He, with many other pioneers of the Washingtonian movement, began advocating temperance when such sentiments were decidedly unpopular. There has been great improvement in the social condition of the people of the county, a result particularly gratifying to the friends of temperance. The county has been strongly in favor of every temperance movement, the best people, irrespective of party, aiding the work. Violators of the law have generally been dealt with rigidly. At the present time it would be hard to find a community with stronger sentiment against the whisky interest than the people of Henry County.

Sentiment Upon The Slavery Question

Henry County, in proportion to its population, contained but few friends of the slavery system. Its Abolitionists were early in the field, and through long years of animated controversy, valiantly maintained their principles. Bnt here, as elsewhere, there was great difference of opinion with regard to the wisdom of antislavery agitation. In proof of this statement we give one instance. We find in the Indiana Courier an account of a meeting held at Greensboro, on Saturday, the 23d of November, 1850. The editor of the journal referred to characterized the gathering as a " runmad abolition meeting,'' and bitterly denounced its action. Edward Wickersham was President of the meeting, and James Paxton, Secretary. Business was opened by the appointment of a committee " to prepare business for a future session," and the following gentlemen were chosen for this duty : B. Vaile, W. W. Wales, M. L. Wickersham, Dr. Hiatt, J. Bond and Jonathan Hudelson. Next, the following committee was appointed to draft a petition to Congress for the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law : Shubal Julian, Seth Hinshaw, James Paxton. The petition was drawn up and presented at the afternoon session, and soon received the signatures of seventy-five persons present.

The business committee then reported declarations and resolutions, which, after preliminary remarks from Dr. Hiatt and others, were unanimously adopted. The first paragraph of these resolutions reads :

"We, a portion of the citizens of the State of Indiana, in a public meeting assembled to consider our duty in respect to the Fugitive Slave Law recently enacted by Congress, do hereby declare that we view the provisions of that law as a direct and daring assault upon human rights ; as odious, tyrannical and oppressive ; as a fiagrant violation of the higher law written by the finger of God Almighty upon the human heart, revealed by his word, and transcribed into our Declaration of Independence, which declares that the laws of God for the government of man are inalienable, and necessarily set aside all human statutes which attempt to subvert them; and therefore we feel ourselves called upon to make immediate, public and persevering resistance (in a peaceable manner),'' etc.

"The community will put the proper estimate upon such folly, fanaticism and madness; and the lawless and anarchical spirit manifested by this handful of restless malcontents will be properly rebuked by our citizens, the masses of whom, however much they may dislike the Fugitive Slave Bill, are yet devotedly attached to the Union and the supremacy of the law as the only safeguards of life, liberty and property, and without which the country must give way to the rule of faction, resulting in anarchy, civil feud, bloodshed, and all the accumulated horrors of war."

Before the Greensboro meeting adjourned notice was given of a meeting to be held at the court-house, in Hew Castle, on Saturday, Dec. 5, 1850. Contrary to expectation, the so-called Unionists were in the majority at this meeting, and the assemblage was by no means harmonious. Amidst considerable excitement resolutions were passed deprecating the evils of slavery, but admitting the right of a master to pursue and capture a fugitive slave in a State which did not tolerate slavery - in short, approving the Fugitive Slave Law. A minority report of the committee on reso-

The two opinions above outlined are fairly expressive of popular sentiment in the county during the anti-helium period, and thus for years the dispute was kept up between the friends of the compromise and the unyielding Abolitionists.

But when the crisis came, and the lives, liberties and happiness of the Nation were threatened by the monster Secession, the patriotism of the people of Henry County, roused to magnificent enthusiasm, carried all difierences before it, and gave hearty and magnanimous aid to the work of preserving the Union.

The Flood Of 1843

On Sunday, June 4, 1843, the county was visited by a heavy flood, which did great damage to crops all along the principal streams. The rain fell steadily for twelve hours, raising the water of Blue Kiver the highest ever known. The bridge on the National road at Knights town was carried away, and other property destroyed.

The month of June, 1877, was memorable for two violent storms by which great damage was done in Henry CountjL On Monday, June 25, 1877, a rain-storm, accompanied by heavy wind, passed across the northern part of the county, from west to east, leaving its mark all the way. Beginning near Middletown, houses were unroofed, trees uprooted, and much damage done to growing crops and other kinds of property. On Saturday, June 30, another storm, even more violent and destructive, visited the county, injuring much property in Henry Township and elsewhere.

A Cyclone In 1884

On the 1st of April, 1884, there was great damage by a heavy storm in various parts of Indiana and Ohio. The village of Oakville, Delaware County, was destroyed and several lives lost. In Henry County much damage was done near Middletown. James Sanders was killed by a falling building. Several buildings were torn down and others unroofed.

In the year 1838, and for several years prior, William Silver resided and kept a store, in a house which formerly stood on what is known as the " Shroyer Corner," in New Castle, and during that year he removed to Pendleton, where he still resides, at an advanced age. He was the contractor for carrying the United States mails, once a week, on horseback from Centreville via Jacksonburg, Nettle Creek, Boyd, New Castle, Middletown, Chesterfield, Anderson and Pendleton to Noblesville, and for the year 1835 he employed me to perform the service at $5 per month. It was not, in fact, possible to carry the mails in any other way than on horseback, because the streams were not bridged, and the roads were impassable for vehicles of any kind; but it is perhaps needless to say the mails never failed to reach their destination during my administration, though often the rivers were crossed by swimming them.

In the summer time and when the weather was pleasant, the trip - which occupied five days of each week - was one of unalloyed pleasure, because there was ample time and opportunity for sport and amusement on White River at Anderson and Noblesville, and on Fall Creek at Middletown and Pendleton, or on Whitewater at Centreville, and I look back to the year spent in that occupation with satisfaction.

I do not know why the mails started from Centreville, unless it was because the great lawyers and politicians of the Whitewater Yalley nearly all resided there, and there was a weekly newspaper published at that place, by Samuel C. Meredith, who still lives, at an advanced age, in Indianapolis. Jacksonburg was then a place of some importance, but Hagerstown had no existence, and the postoffice was called Nettle Creek. Anderson was a village which might have contained 100 inhabitants, and had shortly before become the county seat. The site on which it stood was a vast hazel thicket, where one might easily hide to elude pursuit, and the so-called streets were merely openings cut through the thicket. R. N. Williams held all the county offices. Clerk, Recorder and Postmaster, and I question if all of them yielded an annual income of $300; and the same may be said of General Stevenson, who held all the offices of Hamilton County, with a like income, and was also Postmaster. But what shall I

* This article, originally contributed to the New Castle Courier^ by Hon. M. L. Bundy, contains so much that is interesting and valuable, that we have thought best to copy it entire. - Ed.

say of Middletown? Henry Peirce kept a store in a small log hut, composed of round logs, mostly buckeye, which would sprout in the spring of the year, for the logs had great vitality, and he was also the Postmaster, and it was here that Jack Fessler and the other Virginians from Pockingham and elsewhere had to call for their mail. My venerable friend Chauncy H. Burr, who lived there, and was engaged in business at the time, can verify what I say. Whisky was abundant and cheap at all the towns I have named, and was freely used by the inhabitants, probably for the same purpose that Andy Johnson recommended it to the people of West Tennessee, as "an antidote for the ague."

The people gathered at the postofiSces on mail days to hear the news, and the carrier, who was supposed to know the contents of the bag he carried, was plied with questions. Very few people took newspapers, but depended on others for their news. Having been partly raised among the Quakers, J who never neglect education, 1 was counted a good reader; and to gratify them, when time permitted, I would put my hand into the mail-bag and take out General Stevenson's Philadelphia paper, and read it to them, and this might be repeated half a dozen times each week, but the paper always reached its owner, at JMoblesville, safely.

As to New Castle, it was rather larger than Anderson and better improved, but that terrible scourge, the cholera, had two years before swept away one-tenth of the population, and there was little to encourage improvement. The streets were in a deplorable condition, and wagons frequently mired down opposite the public square, and were compelled to use the jackscrew for relief; and as to stage coaches, such things never visited that locality.

I carried the Centreville paper to many farmers along my route, who would put up a box to receive it by the roadside, and gladly pay me a small remuneration. I can name a number of them: Judge Jacob Thorp, the bell-maker; Moses Kobertson, Jesse Forkner, Dr. Buchanan and Ezekiel Leavell, who have all passed away, but Michael Shively, one of my customers, is still an active man. The men I have named all lived in Liberty Township and were among the foremost citizens of the county.

At the time I name there was no such thing in existence in this country as an express company, and the only way parcels could be conveyed was by a messenger sent for the purpose. Centreville contained a number of large dry-goods stores, and not unfrequently gentlemen residing on my route would desire me to buy dresses for their wives, which I did, and my selections I am glad to know always pleased the ladies so well that their lords cheerfully handed me a quarter for my services, which placed me in funds so amply that my companions in our amusements never failed to call on my purse for aid, to which it cheerfully responded.

I have already alluded to Centreville as a place of great importance, and so it was. I often had time to go to the court-house where Judge Charles H. Test was holding court, the first man I ever saw occupying a judicial position, and often heard him order the lawyers to take their seats, and give opinions. I wondered if there ever was as great a man as Judge Test. He had a circuit extending from the Ohio Kiver to the State of Michigan, and he held the courts twice a year and traveled the circuit on horseback, the only practicable way, and his annual salary was precisely $700 for such a service. This sum would barely command the services of a good laywer at this day, but possibly the honor then was taken in part pay. I confess to some admiration for heroes and the heroic in history, but I fear the early and faithful services of such public servants amounted to a heroism not sufficiently appreciated by those whom they served. If we consider age, qualification and responsibility, the pay of Judge Test was hardly equal to my own as carrier of mails. He still lives at the age of eightyfour, in the vicinity of Chicago, and is understood to be in straightened financial circumstances. He was nearly a man when the State of Indiana was admitted to the Union, and I have heard him say that he helped survey the lots in Indianapolis when it was laid off. His name appears among the lawyers first admitted to practice in Henry County, March, 1821, and be bids fair to live out the century.

War Of 1812 Soldiers

Among the settlers of Henry County were many soldiers of 1812, several of whom secured land warrants on the score of their services. Of course there is no means of obtaining a complete list of such. The following are known to have been soldiers or widows of soldiers of 1812. With possibly a few exceptions all settled in Henry County:

The citizens of Knightstown had the honor of entertaining ex- President Van Buren in 1844. Judge Bundy, who was among those who paid their respects to him, relates the following incident:

" When our party reached the hotel where the ex-President was a guest a large number of people had collected in and about the house, but they all seemed disinclined to approach very near him. Elisha Scovell, his warm political friend, appeared to be acting as master of ceremonies by common consent, and Mr. Yan Buren was in the center of the hotel office, standing erect on a raised seat, willing to shake hands with such as desired that ceremony, and accordingly we walked up and were presented to him. He had a courteous word for each of us, and his cordiality impressed us as one of the foremost gentlemen of the age in which he lived, as in fact he was. Though we had broken the ice the people still appeared rather shy of the great man, when Scovell led up his son and namesake, then a boy, and said: 'Mr. Yan Buren, allow me to present my son, Martin Yan Buren Scovell.' Then the ex-President grasped the boy by the hand and expressed his satisfaction at meeting him in the most pleasing manner of a cultured gentleman. This ceremony pleased the people, and yet they did not rush up to shake hands, and I thought he felt a little annoyed at their backwardness. Mr. Scovell then proclaimed in a loud voice so all could hear him: 'Walk up, gentlemen, and shake hands; he won't bite.' At this Yan Buren smiled and the people came up with greater freedom and took his hand. This man had occupied the White House four years, had been a Senator from New York and Minister to England, in all of which places he had been accustomed to see the greatest deference paid to him by the most polished society, still he was willing to mix with our Hoosier society and travel our mud roads that he might have a longer lease of power." pie at the depot to see the distinguished party, aud the General was tendered an informal reception. He had not then learned to make speeches. The Courier of that week represents " Grant's Speech" by leaving a half-column blank.

First Events

It IS believed that the first birth of a white child in Henry County was that of a son born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitiuger, in 1819. The Whitingers were among the first settlers of Henry Township' where, however, they remained but a short time before moving away. Dr. T. B. Woodward, son of Asahel Woodward, was the second white child born in the county. He was born Dec. 23, 1819 M the Woodward homestead. He died in 1863. Captain Pyrrhus Woodward was born Aug. 1, 1822, on the farm where he now lives and is among the oldest of the natives of the county now living.

The first sewing machine in the town of Hew Castle, as well as the first in the county, was bought by Judge Bundy in 1858. A lady came all the way from Cincinnati to instruct his wife in the use of It. Many articles, now deemed,indispensable in every household, were unknown to the early settlers; or if known, looked upon as luxuries that only the wealthiest oould have. According to the recollection of Captain Woodward, the first cook-stove brought to New Castle was purchased by Thad Owen, one of the early tavern keepers. The whole village turned out to see it, and many were the opinions expressed as to its merits and demerits.

Postoffices And Postmasters

From a letter written by Dr. John C. Beck and published in the ^urier in 1875, we learn that there were but five postoffices in Henry County in 1833. These were at New Castle, Knightstown, Lewisville, Greensboro, aud Middletown. Isaac Bedsaul, Postmaster at New Castle, received $15 for his services for the year ending March 31, 1833. For the same term John McColly, Postmaster at Knightstown, then an infant village, received 85 cents only. Lewis C. Freeman, Postmaster at Lewisville, re-

The First Band In New Castle

"I remember that on the morning of Feb. 22, 1842, I, in company with my brothers, made my first visit to [N'ew Castle. There was a temperance meeting held on that day in the old Methodist Episcopal church, addressed by a man named Lemonoski. The music for the occasion was furnished by the first band ever organized in New Castle. The band was composed of the following members: A. Guening*, teacher, E fiat clarionet; Matt Ward, first E fiat clarionet; Wm. Wayman*, second E fiat clarionet; M. E. McMeans, first B fiat clarionet; Eichard Goodwin*, second B fiat clarionet; A. D. Eogers, piccolo; J. A. McMeans, plain trumpet; Jas. Kinsey, first French horn; G. W. Goodwin, Sr., second French horn; J. H. Mellett, tenor trombone; George Scott*, bass trombone; Wm. Kinsey, bass drum.