Madison County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 41 of those read), 1897

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 41 of those read)

Robert Titherington is an old-timer in all that the word implies. He has been here through all of the iips and downs of Anderson. He has associated with all classes of men. Was one of the warmest friends and admirers of the late Col. T. N. Stilwell in his lifetime. It is quite a treat to take a leisure hour and listen to " Daddy ," as he is familiarly called, recite some of the lights and shadows of his career in Anderson.

He enlisted in the army for the defense of the old flag he so dearly loves, was out a few days in the field witli his company, and was hastened to the front of the enemy at Richmond, Ky. "They fought well but fell early." They were unmercifully " licked" in less than no time. The company was ordered to retreat and they made haste to obey orders. When Daddy got to retreating he never stopped till he reached Anderson. It was said that he beat the telegraphic news home. The first the Andersoji people knew that a battle had been fought was when he came to town. His company never had his presence thereafter. He immediately resigned. One drubbing was all he wanted.

One of the closest calls Robert ever had wa> when C. T. Doxey's heading factory blew up in 1870. He was boarding in a house that stood right up against the head of the boiler. The boiler jumped out of its bed and shot through tiie house like a cannon ball. There were six persons in the building, all in one room, when the boiler passed through, not one of whom was even scratched. The house was a total wreck. A pet coon was tied outside which was never seen or heard tell of again. Robert flew up town as soon as he recovered from the shock. Being met by some friends, he was asked what he thought had happened when the boiler went through the house. He said he thought " hell was up."

this sketch. His business career and his years of practice of his profession, that of a doctor of medicine, endeared him to many of the households of the community ; besides, he was in his younger days a leading politician, and was honored by the people by being selected as school commissioner, a highly responsible place, being charged with the sale and accounting for, of a vast area of Madison county's domain, designated as "school lands," the same having been set apart by Congress for the purpose of creating a common-school fund for the education of the vouth of the State. Every sixteenth section of land in each county was set apart for this purpose, and a commissioner was elected to sell and convey the same to the purchasers, and to have charge of the collection and accounting for of the proceeds thereof. This duty Dr. Westerfield filled

The Doctor was born in Preble county, Ohio, June 1, 1816, the year in which Indiana was admitted into the Union, being of German parentage. At the age of twelve years he came to this State, where he remained until his death, which occurred on the 29th of September, 1895. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Bussell, of Rush county, on the 17th of March, 1842, who yet survives him, and lives at the old home on North Main street, in Anderson.

As stated in another part of this volume, Dr. Westerfield was the first druggist in Anderson, and had his store at the of Eighth and Main streets.

In his early life he was a prominent member of the Meth- -odist Episcopal Church, but about the year 1850 he and Mrs. Westerfield began the investigation of Spiritualism, and be came devoted believers in that doctrine, and ever after lived in that belief, and the Doctor died firm in the faith.

Dr. Westerfield was the president of the State Association of vSpiritualists at the time of his death, having served -continuously in that capacity from the time of the organization of the society.

He and his estimable wife were fondly alluded to as the father and mother of Spiritualism in Indiana by the members of the association. Much of the wonderful growth of the belief and the success of this organization was due to the eft'orts of these two worthy people.

Although Dr. Westerfield had many neighbors and acquaintances who bitterly opposed his belief, there was never one who uttered a word against his sincerity or doubted his honor in anywise. His word was as good as gold, and his integrity as pure and as unsullied as the mountain snow.

Captain Ethan M. Allen

Captain Ethan M. Allen was a born gentleman. It was as natural for him to be polite as it was for a duck to swim. In all his intercourse with his fellow-men he never forgot to be suave in his manners; even if he quarrelled with a brother or had an altercation with any person whosoever, if it became necessary to hurl epithets, it was done in the choicest language, and with the utmost politeness. He will be remembered by all the older residents of the county. He was born on the 26th of August, 1837, and died on the first day of August, 1879, at the age of 41 years. He was the only son of William B. Allen, ex-sheriff of the county. He attended the common schools in Anderson township, and became very proficient in the studies of that day, and later in life he became a great reader, informing himself upon all leading topics. He was a fine conversationalist, and it was a great treat to listen to him.

In 1860 he entered the law office of Hon. R. N. Williams, and began the study of law, but when the war broke out in the following year, he was among the first to enlist. He entered the service for three years as First Lieutenant of Company G, of the 17th Indiana Regiment, and served through the campaigns of that organization, especially in Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee. In 1862 he was promoted to the Captaincy of his company. His record as a soldier was above reproach. He was generally esteemed by all his comrades.

In 1863 he was detailed by Governor Morton as Provost- Marshal of this district, which position he retained until 1865, rendering efficient and valuable service.

In 1865, his time having expired, he returned to his home, and in the following year he was a candidate for township trustee against B. B. Campbell, the Democratic nominee, and although the township was largely in favor of the Democracy, his opponent carried the day with but few votes to spare.

In 18(57 he purchased the Ross House, then the leading hotel of the city, ^vhich stood on the corner of Tenth and Main streets. He kept this elegant hostelry for several years, and then disposed of it to Mr. George R. Griffith, now deceased.

He was a lover of the beautiful in nature, poetry, music, and the fine arts, with a soul exuberant witli wit and generous impulses. In his friendships he was sincere and affectionate ; to his enemies, who were few, he was conciliatory and forgiving. He was an uncompromising Republican, and never failed to defend the doctrines of his party whenever occasion required it. His wife, who survives him, was a daughter of tlie late Seth Smith, at one time a prominent personage in Anderson, and the father of Thomas E. Smith.

During Captain Allen's incumbency of the Provost Marshal's office, he had a serious adventure in Anderson on the 4th of July, 1862, in the attempt to capture and place imder arrest one Jonathan Benefiel, who had deserted from the army. The Democracy of the county on that day had a 3arge gathering and celebration, in what is now called Rud- die's grove. Benefiel was in attendance. The meeting was addressed by the Hon. James VV. Sansberry, a leading politician of the day. Captain Allen, who had been on the lookout for him, spied him, and undertook to place him under arrest. Benefiel was a very powerful man, and fought his way to liberty through the crowd, many of whom had responded to Allen's demands for assistance.

Benefiel made his escape and was for a long time a fugitive, but was afterward arrested and returned to his command, court-martialed and sentenced for a term to Ship Island, where he died.

In justice to Mr. Benefiel and his friends, we state, from what we can learn about this aflair, that his leaving his command was not from any disloyalty, or lack of true patriotism, but was the result of a disappointment in getting a place promised him when he enlisted. It is claimed that as an inducement to get him to volunteer, he was to be wagonmaster of the regiment, and after being sworn in it was denied him. This so enraged him that he swore he would suff'er death rather than the humiliation of being reduced to the ranks, which he fully carried out. Mr. Benefiel has many friends living in this county. Captain Allen's widow and her excellent and interesting family yet reside in Anderson.

William Conner was an old-timer, of whom worthy mention must be made. He for many years lived down on White river, on the Perkinsville road, in an unpretentious house made of hewn logs, wheire he and his family lived as happily as man ever lives in this world.

Over the door of the entrance to the house were two little wooden forks, made Irom the limbs of a small dog-wood bush, in which was carefully laid an old-fashioned'' long-range " rifle ; to it v^'as also added a calf-skin pouch and a large cock-spur gun charger. These implements were not kept by W^illiam for offense or defense, but merely for the pleasure they offered him in hunting and trapping quail, squirrels, deer and other game. He was a crack shot and a "- dandy "' at a shootingmatch. . No man ever entered the cabin of William Conner who did not meet a hearty welcome and the warm hospitality of his generous heart. He had not an enemy in the wide world. A Saturday never passed during his long residence in

He was nearly six and a half feet tall and commanded the attention of every one as he leisurely stalked through the streets, ^vith his linsey hunting jacket on, shot pouch around his shoulders and his old-time ritle across his back. He always brought his rifle, for it was nearly an every Saturday occurrence to have a shooting-match in Anderson, and AVilliam was always " in it."

For many years he followed trapping along the river, which occupation, together with tilling a small farm, made him quite a good living. He and the Robinetts, Benefiels and Hoziers were great old chums and had their good times together. Conner was a' relative - perhaps a nephew - of John Conner, who, together with Col. Berry's father, laid out the village of Andersontown ; they were the oldest families connected with the history of this city; all of the south-west part of the old limits of the city stands on the grounds owned by John Conner. It has not been long since a suit was commenced and maintained against the heirs of John Conner to quiet title to all of the lots laid out in the lands owned by him. The suit included certain grounds the county of Madison owns, and a large number of city lots owned by private parties. Edwin P. Schlater conducted the suit to a successful termination.

William Conner was an old hickory- Jackson Democrat. He was so built and constructed - he could not be otherwise. He never failed to attend all Democratic rallies, and to go to the polls on election day.

In 1868, the campaign was the hottest ever experienced in this county. The Democrats had the finest organization they ever had in the history of Madison county politics. B. B. Campbell, and A. H. Hellwig, his business partner in merchant tailoring, were the leading spirits in the organization of the Democratic hosts that year. Along towards the winding up of the campaign, a grand rally was held at Indianapolis. A prize was offered to the largest uniformed. company present. Madison county, of course, competed. Campbell and Hellwig scoured the country for recruits, which resulted in their leaving the Bee Line depot with one thousand men in line, attended with brass and martial music. The men were uniformed in blue jackets and red zouave pants made of ilannel. On the morning of their starting to the State capital, William

Off they went. Hellwig downed him on the table, marked around him with a piece of chalk, cut out the flannel and sewed it up on a sewing machine, and in less than twenty minutes William was rigged out in red flannel " pants." They were about six inches too short for him, and he had no socks on, ^vhich made him present rather a funny appearance, but Hellwig was after the prize and it mattered not to him as to looks. William was duly mustered in and on to Indianapolis he went. While there, it rained and turned cold. William was a sorr^^ looking spectacle, with nothing but his flannel " pants " between him and the elements, no socks and wet as a rat. The chilly winds turned him blue from the tip of his nose to the ends of his toes. He never missed a step nor lurked in the march, but kept right in line with the tramp, tramp, tramp of the martial music in front of the procession. The company came home with the prize and William was as proud of it as any man in the county. It \vas his nature to do his duty, regardless of wind or ^veathe^. Hellwig, no doubt, takes a quiet laugh to himself many a time about making those '" pants " for Conner. The written history of that wonderful campaign with all its accidents and incidents would make a readable book.

William Wagoner

William Wagoner, who died in Anderson in the month of April, 188G, was one of the wealthy business men of the city and was conspicuous among his associates in more ways than one. He came to Anderson in 1858 and engaged in the manufacture of grain cradles, which he made wholly by hand. In 1862 he discontinued this business and engaged in the grocery trade, in connection with the O'Hara Bros., on North Main street, until he formed a partnership with Thomas C. Fisher and again entered upon the business of manufacturing grain cradles. Their place of business was in the basement of the old post office building, which stood on the corner of Eighth and Meridian streets, where the "Star Dry Goods" store now is situated. Here, under the firm name of Wagoner & Fisher, was carried on the business for several years, the total product of the factory being made by hand. About the year 1872, Wagoner & Fisher, having so thoroughly established themselves in the grain cradle market that, unable to meet the increasing demands made upon them, they were compelled to enlarge their buildings. Accordingly they purchased the ground upon which the present Bulletin office i.s^ situated, on Eighth street, and erected thereon a two-story brick building, in which they placed improved machinery. It became one of the greatest factories of its kind in the United States.

Mr. Wagoner continued this business until a short time before his death, when Mr. Fisher purchased his interest and became his sole successor. Mr. Fisher carried on the business in the same locality until it was destroyed by fire, after which the building was rebuilt, but he never again occupied it as a factory. He erected an establishment near the Pan-Handle railway, in the northern part of the city, which he still occupies.

Mr. Wagoner was a man of much influence in businesscircles. He was a man of very kind and charitable disposition, and had a \ery tender heart for the poor. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, and was influential in that congregation. His widow and two sons and one daughter are yet living in Anderson, having a pleasant home on West Fifth street.

In politics Mr. Wagoner was a staunch Republican, but was always fair to his political opponents. He served acceptably as a member of the City Council for one term, being elected to represent the Second ward of Anderson.

Dr. B. F. Spann

For more than a quarter of a century the familiar form of Dr. B. F. Spann was daily seen upon the streets of Anderson, he being a prominent figure as a physician and politician. During his residence in Anderson he was appointed by the governor as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Central Hospital for the Insane at Indianapolis and was a faithful servant in that capacity. After his term of office expired he was again called upon by the governor to act as a trustee to the Rose Polytechnic Institute at Terre Haute, in which capacity he served until the time of his death. He was an able physi- 'Cian, an honest, upright citizen, but a man of strong prejudices, and generally liked by the community. Like other people he had some enemies from the fact that he was very free to ex- -press his opinion upon any and all subjects that came up for -discussion, but what few there were in the community who had a dislike for him drew the mantle of charity over his faults -when his remains were covered up in their last resting place in the cemetery at Indianapolis. Among Dr. Spann's prominent traits were his benevolence and charity for the poor. From the time he was first married, and kept a house, and as long as he lived, his roof was the shelter for friends and relatives who were less fortunate in the walks of life than he. Dr. Spann during his lifetime also acted in the capacity of coroner of Madison county for a number of years, being a very faithful and conscientious official.

On the 5th of November, 1889, while riding in his buggy along JSIain street, between Eighth and Ninth streets, on the public square a horse attached to a delivery wagon belonging to Dale Shanklin ran away, starting on Meridian street in front of R. P. Grimes & Co.'s store the horse dashed around the square at a furious rate, and on the east side, opposite the grocery store of of Geo. W. Kline the runaway collided with Dr. Spann's buggy turning it completely over. The doctor w^as thrown very forcibly from the vehicle and in falling re- a fracture of the hip joint and other serious bruises about the back. He was picked up and carried to his home by sympathizing friends and from that time until the day -of his death he was a cripple. He recovered after many months of close confinement, sufficiently to enable him to walk by the aid of crutches, but he never recovered the full use of his limbs. He lingered in this condition until the 2nd of February, 1894, and while sitting in his drawing-room pleasantly conversing with his family and friends who surrounded him, he suddenly expired without a groan or the movement of a muscle, being the victim of heart failure. His death not only caused a great shock to his family and immediate friends, but to the entire community as well. He was a prominent memiber of the order of Odd Fellows which association took charge of his remains and conducted the funeral ceremony. His wife yet survives him and resides in the old homestead at the corner of Central avenue and Eighth street.

Isaac Booco, An Eccentric Old-Timer

What old-timer does not vividly remember Isaac Booco? Isaac was what might properly be called a " daisy," by birth, education and occupation. His like was never produced before or since his demise. He came to this county many years ago, settling in the south-eastern part of Anderson township, where he remained until his death, which occurred about fifteen years ago. He raised a large family who did not always dwell in peace and harmony together, often resorting to the courts to settle their difficulties.

Isaac's oldest son, William, was the bane of his existence, and gave Isaac lots of trouble ; they were always at " outs " and at law. Isaac once declared on the witness stand, in court before Judge Craven, that his son William' was a natural born d - d fool. This brought down the house, court, jury and all. Booco became enraged at their laughing at him, and came near cleaning out the house.

When A. C. Davis was deputy sheriff he visited Isaac with a fee bill and levied it on some property and advertised it for sale. Booco followed him to town and marched up and down in front of the court house a half day in a foaming rage, denouncing Davis and the whole sheriff's force as d - d " malfeasers."

Every time Booco got sick he thought he was going to die, no difference how trivial his ailment. One time he had one of his periodical sick spells ; he thought his time had come. He sent for Isaac Clem, an old Dutch neighbor, to make his will. Clem came prepared with pen, ink and paper to perform his solemn task.

This had the effect of bringing Booco back to life. He bounded out of bed like a rubber ball. It took the whole family to keep him off of Clem, but he made his escape. Booco got well and lived many years afterwards. It is said that in Booco's early life in Ohio, he had some trouble about a hive of bees that followed him home. This tale followed him to Indiana. The boys used to get close to him, and " buzz,^ buzz, buzz." This was all that was necessary to get him in a rage, and the nearest man to him got knocked down, if he did not immediately "get up and get."

Booco was a great coon hunter and often had a grand hunt, calling on his neighbors to join. One time he and Hutch Stanley, and a lot of fellows, were out on a coon hunting expedition. The boys kept talking among themselves, which very much annoyed the old man. He would whisper to the boys, "Boys, be still; you'll scare the coons." The boys would subside for awhile, soon breaking out again, laughing and talking loud.

Booco became enraged at last, yelping out at the top of his voice, "Boys, boys, be still. Don't you know that a coon is a h - 1 of a sly thing?" He yelled out so loud that if a coon had been within a mile of him, it would have scared him to death. The boys laughed so heartily that it made Booco raging mad and the hunting party was broken up.

Sad Death Op' A Once Prominent Druggist

Garrett W. Brown was, at the time of his death, one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Madison county. He was born in this county on the 19th day of June, 1839. For many years he lived upon a farm south of Anderson, in Fall Creek township. He was married about 1865 to the daughter of Jacob DeMott, a prominent farmer, who lived near the city of Anderson, after which Mr. Brown removed to the city of Anderson and engaged in the drug business with the brother of his wife, Mr. Frank DeMott,.

under the firm name of Brown & DeMott, which firm continued doing business in the room which was, until recently, occupied by Blank's Clothing Store, on the south side of the public square. DeMott remained in the firm for some time, and then sold out to Brown. Mr. Brown then removed the business into the room occupied by Buck, Brickley & Co., on the corner of Ninth and Main streets, and here he continued until the time of his death, on Sunday, September 19, 1886. The facts of this accident were about as follows : Mr. Brown had been in the habit of taking extract of dandelion occasionally, for some disorder of the stomach, and on the Sunday mentioned, at about 11 o'clock he went to his store, and took from a shelf what he supposed to be a bottle of dandelion, and took about a teaspoonful of it. As soon at he had swallowed the drug it dawned upon his mind that he had made a mistake and had taken belladonna instead. It seems from his actions immediately after taking the fatal dose, that after all he was uncertain as to whether he had, or had not, made a mistake. He got some mustard, an antidote for such poisons, and started home, going past the residence of Dr. John C. Cullen, on South Main street. Here he stopped and informed the doctor of what he had done, who advised him to go straight home and take the mustard at once. After Mr. Brown had left Dr. Cullen's house, the doctor became uneasy and followed him. He found upon arriving at Mr. Brown's house, that he had taken the mustard and was vomiting freely, but the doctor saw from the symptoms that the case was a very serious one, and immediately summoned other physicians to his assistance. It was noised around in a short time what had happened to Mr. Brown, who, being on very good terms with the physicians of the city, it was only a short time until many of his medical friends came to his aid. They worked with the unfortunate man all through the night and until !) o'clock the next morning, when he died from the effects of the poison, after every relief known to medical science had been administered.

The wife to whom Mr. Brown was married in 1865, lived but a short time, and he was again married to Miss Catherine L. Grove, of Warsaw, Indiana. This lady survived him, and afterwards became the wife of Dr. George F. Chittenden, now- residing in the city. Besides his wife Mr. Brown left three children, the eldest a son, Chester, and two daughters, Olga and Hazel, who are all living with their mother.

Garrett W. Brown was the personitication of honesty, and in all his dealings was fair with his fellow-men, believing in the doctrine of living and let live. He was liberal to his family, and charitable to the poof. And yet, while he was charitable in his disposition, he was also economical in his business habits, and amassed a nice fortune which he left to his bereaved family. The closer the relationship one had with Mr. Brown the more dearly he was beloved. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was prominent in that organization for a number of years. His remains were interred at Anderson cemetery, followed by a large concourse of people. His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Kemp, pastor of the Methodist church, who was assisted by Rev. Dr. Ziegler, of the Presbyterian congregation.

Benjamin Sebrell, An Ex-Sheriff

Benjamin Sebrell was one of Madison county's old-timers, who cut quite a figure in the county's history both as a citizen and a politician. He came from Virginia at an early day and settled in Boone township, when all that part of the country was a wilderness, a part of the township then being in the " Indian Reserve." He was a large, stout man, just the kind for a pioneer. He cut out of the dense forest a fine farm for himself, living there until 1862, when he was elected sheriff of Madison county, which office he held for four years, and a better or more popular sheriff never filled that place. He was one of those large, warm-hearted fellows that draw men to them, and he counted his friends by the score. His most estimable wife was his equal in generosity and benevolence and was universally beloved by all who knew her. No one ever came to her door hungry and was turned away. After retiring from the sheriff's oflice, the Sebrells kept the Ross house tor many years, at the corner of Tenth and Main streets, and were favorites among the traveling people, the host and hostess being always on the alert to see that their guests were properly fed and cared for; Mr. Sebrell being jolly in his nature, made it a pleasure for the drummer to " Sunday over " with him.

He was a devoted friend and admirer of Colonel Stihvell, they having spent many happy days together. Colonel Stilwell had just returned from a week's visiting and hunting on the Sebrell farm on the fatal evening when he met his death ; he and a party of friends having gone out there for a few days' recreation and sport, when on the evening of his return he met his rival which resulted so fatally to him. Mr. Sebrell took the Colonel's death bitterly to heart and never got over it. Ben Sebrell was an uneducated man, but had a giant intellect, and had it been properly cultivated in his younger days, he would have been one of the foremost men of the times.

His head was full of old-fashioned " horse sense." He was a man that seldom lost his temper and always had a way of gaining his points by good humor and persuasive argument. His frame was made of iron and could stand any kind of hardships. One time he was a witness to a street row and went in to quiet it by his usual good-natured way, by talking the participants out of their anger. Someone standing in the crowd threw a bowlder, hitting Sebrell in the breast, but it never staggered him or gave him any seeming discomfiture. He saw the fellow who threw it, and cooly collared him with one hand and threw him over in the court house yard, remarking, " You fool, you'll hurt someone, throwing them stones around here."

Mr. Sebrell died in 1878 at his home in Boone township, shortly after the death of his wife. She was the balancewheel of his life, and after she was gone he was like an engine running without a governor. He was lost to all the world, and never saw another happy day. His family left this county shortly afterwards, and now live in California.

Daniel Franklin ISIustard has contributed his share to the historv of Anderson. The " Major," as he is called by his friends, came to Anderson, when, as George Harris once said, " White river was a howling wilderness." He grew to manhood in this community, always respected by the people, as a boy, and honored by high places of trust, when mature manhood had arrived. By trade he is a shoe-maker, which occupation he followed until about 1868, when he was made deputy auditor, from which time he reached the top round of local political distinction and financial success. In 1876, he was elected treasurer of Madison county, and reelected in 1878. He made a record for closely collecting all of the delinquent taxes. During his candidacy for his second term, lie was placed in a very close position by one of his constituents. John Welch, an Irishman, walked into the office one morning not many moons before the election, and tackled the Major thus: "Well, Dan, I see you have got that danged, little

S82 History Of Madison County, Indiana

'- Yes, John, you know my duty, under the law, is to collect the taxes, and I am under bonds to faithfully perform all services required of me."

" Hould on," said Welch. " Be aisy wid your pin, Dan, touch the costs lightly, for by Jasus, I'll have the ' pin' in my hand on the day of the election."

The Major very politely threw off the costs, and Welch settled, feeling very good towards Dan. He gallantly supported him at the polls and was his friend as long as he lived.

Mr. Mustard, after retiring from four years of honorable service as treasurer of Madison county, entered into partnership with the late Neal C. McCullough, in the banking business, and has had a long and successful career as a banker. He is looked upon as being one of the leading financiers of the city of Anderson, and holds an enviable position among his fellow-townsmen .

The Old-Time Fiddlers

The old Billy Myers hotel was a great institution at one time in the history of Anderson. Many men, who afterwards became solid business men and raised families in the cit)', spent their happy, young days at the Myers hostelry, among whom were J. M. Dickson, Joseph Howard, Alex. Clark, St. Clair Dyson, and the Athertons. In early times every firstclass young man could fiddle more or less. In fact, if he couldn't fiddle he was " not in it." There was a fiddle always kept in the bar-room at the hotel for practice, and for the amusement of the guests. An eastern gentleman came out to Hoosierdom on a commercial tour, and stopped at the Myers hotel. He was eastern bred and eastern in all his make-up. He was wholly unaccustomed to western styles and Indiana customs. He was alone in the bar-room, reading a paper, when Alex. Clark came in, picked up the fiddle, gave a few rakes of the "Arkansas Traveler," and laid it down. "The stranger merely looked up from his paper, then proceeded to peruse the news. In a few minutes Gus Williams strolled in, took up the fiddle, rattled off a few strains of the " Money Musk," and laid it down. The stranger paused a moment.

looked at the fiddle and went on reading. In a short time Joseph Howard came in, took it up and gave a strain or two of the " Devil's Dream,'" laid it down and took a seat. The stranger looked up again, but still said nothing. St. Clair Dyson came slipping in, took up the fiddle and ripped off about twenty minutes of that old, familiar tune that was all the go in this neck of the woods at that time, " Hell on the Wabash." This brought the stranger to his feet. He looked at his companions, who were all sitting in a row around the wall on an old-fashioned settee. " What is the name of this town.'" asked the stranger. .Some one replied, "Andersontown." " Well, that is what I understood when I first came here, but I think it is very badly named. I think ' Fiddlers' Green' would be nearer the thing, and I'll bet my old hat that that famous resort is not more than a mile distant from here." Before any one else had a ch'ance at the fiddle he hied himself away to his room and remained there until time to leave on the out-going stage.

One of the funniest things that ever occurred in Anderson was when the trains coming in on the diff'erent roads all stopped at the crossing near Irondale. There was no down town depot on the Bee Line road then, and the passengers had to go out to "The Crossing" to board the trains. The omnibus business was then at its best. Stock in the Anderson 'Bus Line was away up ; it was one of the best lines of business in the town. The government paid liberally for the transportation of the mails through the town. It was about the year 18(38.

John Alderman and Lew Titherington were running the 'bus, making money hand over fist, and spending it with lavish hands. Nothing was too good for them, in fact, hardly good enough. Alfred Makepeace had an old 'bus he used to run when he kept the old United States Hotel. He saw Alderman and Titherington prospering so well he concluded there was room for two lines ; so he hauled out his 'bus, painted it up and started in opposition to them. Now set in the fun from the first jump. Each line had its runners at the depot. As soon as a passenger landed, both would " collar" him and then it was fun to see who would get him. Sometimes they would nearly strip the clothes off people in their scramble for

One morning the train rolled in from Crestline. Among the passengers was a handsome ^voman with a baby in her arms. Joe Dickey, who was one of Makepeace's runners, got hold of her, and Johnny Alderman, of the opposite line, got the baby. The woman did not know the position she was being placed in until after all the passengers were in and a start was made for town, when she noticed her baby in the other 'bus. Then business set in. She screamed, clawed her hair, and raved like a tigress.

" Golly damn it, woman, be still; be still! Your baby is all right. Them boys won't hurt a hair on its head ; they will leave it at the hotel. It's only opposition in business. Your baby is all right."

The woman, however, refused to be comforted until she reached the hotel, where she found Johnny Alderman hugging and caressing the baby and it was cooing at him and as happy as a lamb. She walked when she went to the depot going out of town.

John Young And His Trained Dogs

Among the many odd characters who have lived in Anderson, none was more eccentric than John Young, a saddler and harness-maker, who lived here thirty years ago. John worked at his trade many years for Alex. Clark and Howard Baker, in a little frame shop that stood in the rear of the Phcenix block, fronting on Alain street. He was an old bachelor, having " no one to love and none to caress."

He spent all his leisure time training a kennel of dogs. He had all kinds and sizes, from the pusillanimous "yallerlegged " hound to the finest species of first-class, high-bred animals. There was one thing about John's family of dogs - no matter what its station in life might be, or what position it held m the dog family, it had to mind John. To disobey his command meant a terrible thumping ; they watched every move he made, and each one tried to see how good he could be when John was around. It was no unusual sight at four o'clock in the morning, to see John out in the rear of the shop going through the drill with his dogs, some of them standing on their heads, some hanging up on the limbs of an old peach tree that grew in the rear of the shop, some stretched out at full length on another limb, each afraid of his life. To have slipped and fallen would have been nearly death to them. He boarded with Captain Ethan Allen, who then kept the Ross House. Once in awhile Young got on a " bender." At such times he always had his dogs on dress parade. He would start to his meals, coming along past the public square ; when he got to the north-east corner he would give a signal. Here the entire family of canines would come, single file, the largest in front, dwindling down in size until the rear was brought up by the very smallest one in the kennel.

As soon as they reached the corner of the square, each dog in his turn, mounted the court house fence. They had to perform the task of walking entirely around the square, on the fence, by the time their master reached his boarding house. If one of them by chance fell off he would scream for life until he was back at his place. He was afraid of being "licked" within an inch of his life. When they reached the Ross House, each dog took his place on the curbstone in front of the hotel, with his tail sticking out behind him over the gutter, and sit there imtil Young ate his meal, when the lineof march was taken up for home, going through the same performance of walking around the court house fence on their return.

He trained and sold to A. B. Kline, the famous dog, "Tip," that became one of Anderson's pets. Everyman, woman and child in Anderson knew "Tip Kline." While Al. was performing his daily duties in the bank, "Tip" always sat in the "pay out" in the west end of the bank, looking out on the street and sniffing the breezes as they gently passed by. As long as "Tip" lived, he was Al. Kline's constant companion and best earthly friend. "Tip" knew and could perform many tricks which he delighted in doing at Kline's command.

John Young was a man of good, hard sense, but seldom said anything to riisplaj'- his ability. He was fond of good liquor, but never molested anv one when drinking. When he wanted to "fill up" he went to a saloon and tipped from five to six glasses down as fast as he could swallow them, until he would get " biling" over before he left the counter. He left here several years ago and is now dead. John Young and his trained dogs are a part of Anderson's history.

Henry Whitmore, The Oldest Clock Peddler

a few people in the county, who represent certain stages of the history of the community, and particular industries and lines of business, that without a brief statement of the lives and achievements of these individuals the story would be incomplete.

Again it is but proper to plant here and there a monument or a mile-stone to commemorate the old-timers' memory, and to hand down to the coming generation the fact that these honored and worthy people once lived and were the central figures of civilization as well as the propellers of the wheels of trade; that the places they filled in the commercial world were as high and honorable as those of the magnates of traffic of the present day. Although there were no Goulds or Vanderbilts then, there were men who wielded a mighty influence in the world of business, and had their days of thrift and progress in the same proportion with their limited means at hand as do the giants of to-day.

One of the once noted and highly lucrative businesses of a generation past and gone, was that of clock peddling. Some of the most wealthy and highly respected men on the American continent were once clock peddlers. No less a personage than P. T. Barnum, the great showman, was once a thriving peddler of clocks, and laid the foundation of his princely fortune in this occupation.

In Madison county no\v lives the oldest clock peddler in the United States. And it is with great pleasure that we present him to our readers in the person of Wr. Henry Whitmore, of Anderson.

He is undoubtedly the oldest. He was born in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, on the 25th of May, 1807, and is now eighty-nine years old, although much younger in appearance. One to see him skipping along the streets would never suspect him to be over sixty.

He came to Indiana in 1846, and settled in Richmond, where he engaged in selling clocks, and continued in the business for six years. In his territory was included the States of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, over which he traversed with a wagon through rain and storm. The corduroy roads of those days were in some seasons of the year impassable, and it was no uncommon thing for him to be tied up in some locality for a week or more, waiting for the mud to dry up so he could move on.

A clock peddler in those days was, in the Words of one of later times, " a bigger man than old Grant." The hardships of the road were to a certain extent over-balanced by the many good times the peddler had on his trips through the country. They were looked up to, and at the hotel or roadside inn, the best was none to good for them. The fatted calf was always slain when this distinguished visitor came, and he was the guest of honor while he remained, as he always had a batch of new stories to tell.

Mr. Whitmore came to Anderson in 185(3, and engaged in the dry goods trade, having for his partner the late Joseph Howard. He continued in this and other branches of trade for a long time, at one period having been proprietor of an Anderson hotel.

Mr. Whitmore was, in 1857, married to the widow of Dr. McClanahan, with whom he lived until her death, since which time he has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Mary O'Meara, of Anderson.

In 1867 Mr. Whitmore was elected Justice of the Peace for Anderson township, which place he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction of the public. In his old age none is more respected in Anderson, and none enjoys the good wishes of the people more universally than he.

ner Bond, was also in the same traffic, and a little later on Ralph Clark, Esq., of Anderson, an old time dry goods merchant, known to all of the older residents of the county, was peddling through the country.

These associates of Mr. Whitmore have all been gathered into the granaries with the sheaves mown by the sickle of the reaper - Death, and he is left as a solitary and only living representative of that industry in this county, and as the oldest in the United States.

Enos B. Wright, one of the first merchants of Anderson, died on the 1st day of March, 1889, at the age of 85 years. He was born in Stafford county, Va., the 13th of March, 1804. Enos B. Wright for many years conducted a store in the large two-story frame building that stood on the corner of Ninth and Main streets, on the ground where the present Doxey House is situated. The old building is yet in existence, having been removed to another part of the city to give way to the erection of the Stilwell House, now known as the Doxey Hotel, in 1870. Mr. Wright came to Madison county in 1830 and first settled in Adams township. In a short time he removed to Huntsville, in Fall Creek township, at which place he engaged in the dry goods business as a clerk in the stofe of Enos Adamson. In the year 1837 he removed to Richmond, Ind., and clerked in a store for Mr. Bazil Brightwell, a merchant of that city, and remained there until the j'ear 1842. He then returned to Huntsville and remained there a short time, after which he removed to Anderson and accepted a clerkship with Mr. James Gray, with whom he remained many years as clerk and afterwards as a business partner up to the time of Mr. Gray's death, at which time he purchased the stock and became the sole proprietor. He continued in this business until the year 1870, when he retired from active business life. He was also at one time proprietor of a retail grocery store, ^vhich was located in the room now owned by S. M. Bachmann, on the south side of the public square. Mr. Wright did a large business in those days and many farmers who had extra money for which they had no immediate use made his store a depository, as there were no banks then in the county. It was headquarters for the farmers of tlie county; it was a kind of rendezvous for them. There was no man who ever lived in Madison county who enjoyed a greater popularity than did Enos B. Wright during those early days. At one time he boasted of knowing the name and place of abode of every inhabitant of the county. He was of a very happy disposition and had the name of every person who entered his store on his tongue's end, always hailing them with their given name, which gave him great prestige over his competitors in business, as his social qualities were a great advertisement with his customers.

He was married to Miss Nancy Taylor, of Ohio, in the year 1827, who died about nine years before Mr. Wright's decease. In the year 1865 Mrs. Wright was stricken with paralysis and was a confirmed invalid for fifteen years prior to her death. Mr. Wright was always considered an honest man and was a devoted Christian, being a member of the Christian church. He was confined to his room for several weeks prior to his death and seemed to understand from the time of his first sickness that his end was near at hand, and signified a willingness to succumb to the inevitable. His funeral took place from the Christian church on the following Sunday after his death, and was one of the largest that ever occurred in Anderson. Some reminiscences in relation to Mr. Wright will be found in another portion of this book.