Randolph County, Indiana - Chapter 12: Agriculture, 1914

Chapter 12: Agriculture

From time immemorial the work of man has been to wrest from the soil the means of sustenance. Jt is true he may have depended more upon the chase for his food than upon the products of the soil but nevertheless tilling the land was in a way a necessity.

Primitive man raised his crops by making holes in the ground with a bone or a stone or a sharp stick and dropping the seeds into them. He cultivated it by merely scratching the soil a little. Thanks to the composition of the primitive soil he was able to raise a little grain but as he advanced in civilization and his needs became greater it became necessary to expand his process of farming. The soil must be cleared of trees. This he did by girdling them and then farming between the stumps.

Our first settlers were attracted to this country by the fertility and ideal topography of the land, as well as by its cheapness. They threaded their: way among the giant forest trees to the spot of their choice in this new country and did not need implements other than the simple ones they had at hand. Often the plow share was the only piece of iron in their implements. The remainder of the plow was made from tough oak as well as was the harrow, in which both timber and teeth were made of wood. Our ancestors pinned their implements together with hickory pins, the holes for which were often made by burning, as often they had no auger. Fortunate, indeed, was the man who could boast so useful a tool as an auger. Nor was his fortune unto himself alone, for in that time of generosity such a useful instrument would be loaned from neighbor to neighbor until frequently it was difficult to tell where it might be found. A sledge was made from timbers split from the "crook" of a tree. Pitch forks were made from the branches and the wooden rake was the only kind to be found. Even before wooden harrows were made the same purpose was accomplished by brushing the ground, that is, a small tree or a big bush, would be cut and dragged over the freshly cut ground.

After the ground was prepared and the seed sown it was necessary to keep constant watch that the growing seeds were not destroyed by crows or blackbirds. They were numerous and ready to dig up the seeds and tear out the tender sprouts that they would soon destroy an entire field. The squirrels were almost as bad and many a boy and girl has found it necessary to guard the corn field from the invasion of these pests. Lucky indeed, was the boy whose father could afford to allow him to shoot the sc[uirrels, but even without the use of the gun, boys had great sport in throwing stones and clods at the little robbers. Pounding old dish pans or kettles and yelling was the favorite of scaring the crows. Another way was to stuff an old garment to make it have the appearance of a human figure and hang it near the place to be guarded. But Mr. Crow was too wise a bird to be fooled for any length of time by a device of that kind. Such a device was used so r.iuch that ij^ became known as a "scare crow."

Wheat was cut with a sickle and tied in bundles and placed in shocks for a few weeks. It was then either hauled to the barn or put in ricks, "to go through a sweat,'' after which it was ready to be threshed. The sickle was followed by the cradle which was an implement like a scythe with the addition of long wooden fingers upon which the grain would fall. These fingers were curved which gave the implement somewhat the form of a cradle. In this way the grain would be cut and left in "wind rows" after which it would be raked into bunches with wooden rakes and then tied into bundles.

Following the cradle came machinery pulled by horses. This machine was known as the "reaper" which would cut the grain, allowing it to fall onto fingers which would be held in position by the driver and released when sufficient grain to make a sheath was gathered. This necessitated the grain being bound before the reaper could pass that way again. It was considered almost a disgrace to be "caught by the reaper," that is not being able to bind from one station to the next before the reaper would again come around. Usually the field was divided into four stations which meant that four binders could bind wheat or tie it into sheaves as rapidly as one team could cut it. From the hand rake they went to the self-rake, from that to to the harvester and from that to the self-binder. The first self-binder used in Randolph county was sold by George W. Robbins, who lived in Farmland. It was a "Buckeye Wire Binder," that is, the binder would bind by wire instead of twine. It was sold to William Wright of Stoney Creek township. There was much prejudice and feeling against the machine and it was thought necessary to watch it while not in use to keep it from being destroyed. The binder wire gave way to the twine binder which has reached perfection.

The process of threshing was a very laborious and irksome task in the pioneer days. This was usually done in the winter time when the weather was bad and the "men-folks" could not work out of doors. The threshing floor which was usually a bare place on the ground was circular in form, if cattle were intended to be used for tramping. The wheat would be scattered over this floor and oxen driven over it to remove the seed from the heads. While the oxen were being driven men would turn the wheat with wooden forks and in this way the cattle would be coming in contact with the unthreshed wheat. Another means to separate the wheat from the heads was to beat the wheat with a flail. The flail was made by fastening a piece of wood to a stout handle by means of a raw-hide or thong. This gave the piece of wood i^lenty of play which permitted it to be swung in all directions. The wheat would be placed upon the floor and beaten with a flail until the wheat and chaff were separated from the straw. When it was once "tramped or flailed out" the seed and chaff would be placed in a blanket and tossed into the air, at a time when the wind was sufficiently strong to "blow away the chaff and not remove the wheat. If there was no wind and the necessities of threshing were urgent enough an artificial breeze would be made by fanning a sheet or some other device.

Machines became a necessity and the inventive genius proceeded to make a machine to do the work of tramping or flailing. The first machine was a "chaff piler." This machine separated the wheat and chaff from the straw and left it in the same condition as was left in the tramping or flailing, after which the wheat would be separated as before. However, it was not long until the machine was made better and an artificial fan was placed in the machine so as to separate the wheat from the straw and chaff. This was a wonderful improvement over the old method and made threshing rather a short piece of work. The unpleasantness of this machine was the fact that the man "working at the tail end of the machine" had to stand in the immense amount of dust, that would come from the machine during the threshing. This led to the "stacker" which was an additional machine placed behind the threshing machine to carry the straw to a greater distance from the dust. This stacker also moved in a semi-circle, which relieved the stacker from forking the straw over the rick. Later an adjustment known as the "blower"' has been made which with the elevator to elevate the threshed wheat into a wagon instead of running into a half bushel, has made threshing a comparatively easy task. But the farmer has no more work to do than his good wife, who must prepare the meals for twenty or thirty hungry men. Formerly men of the neighborhood would exchange work with each other and go from house to house, eating wherever the machine might be at meal time.

This meant that a man worked in the threshing for several days, which often would co\'er a period of a week. At the present time farmers" unions are organized. Set rules are made and men go home to their meals, especially supper. This relie\-es the house wife of the irksome duties which formerly attended threshing.

All other farm processes have undergone as radical a change as have the ones of which we have already spoken. The single shovel plow was followed by the double shovel: it by the walking, one row, cultivator; it by the riding, one row cultivator, until today, the farmer plows with the two row riding cultivator. The check row planter and the drill have superseded the single shovel plow, the corn dropped by hand and covered with a hoe ; the barshare is kept today as a relic while the grandson of the man who used it plows the same field with a "gang." The spring tooth and disc harrows have supplanted the brush and the single "A." The seven foot ball-bearing mowing machine, "without side draft," chuckles at the scythe while the hay loader relieves the rake of its duties.

No longer does the house wife do her work with the primitive methods but she also is as much up-to-date as her husband. The work of the little wheel, reel, winding blades, warping bars, rattling, pounding loom and the hand needle is done in the factory and not the direct result of her toil. All this has become necessary because, \\ith the increase in population, society has demanded greater efficiency on the part of the producer - the men and women on the farm, who feed and clothe and shelter society. This is only possible when the producers can meet these demands with the most modern and -efificient appliances. Modern farming is as much better than the pioneer farming as is the machine of today better than the machine of that time. More intelligence is required than was required at that time, for since then we have robbed the soil until in many cases it is almost impoverished. Man can not take continually from the soil and not exhaust its resources unless he returns an equivalent of that which he takes. This has been and is the great problem of farming today, and to solve problems of this kind the state has provided schools and colleges for the especial training of men and women along the lines of more efficient farming. These schools have, directly through their teaching, and directly through their extensive departments, and the public press, aroused all intelligent people to the growing needs and demands of today.

Through the Extension Department of the State Agricultural College at Purdue, farmers' institutes have been organized in townships and counties all over the state. This has brought men and women into direct contact with men and women of advanced opinion until the farmer of today looks to Purdue University as a source of intelligent training and advice. The Vocational Educational bill, passed by the state Legislature of 1913, makes it possible for each county to have a county agent who is an expert in agricultural matters and who advises along agricultural lines. This county is, at this time, fortunate in having a man as its first county agent, Mr. Charles A. Mahan, who was born and raised dn a farm and educated in the State Agricultural College of Kentucky. He spent three and one-half years as a soil expert in the Philippines. This training makes it possible for him to advise with profit upon questions of interest to the farmer.

The stock of the farm has been improved as much as have - been the agricultural products. As we have said, the old methods have given way to the new. This is not true of methods alone. The quality and character of seed planted, or sown has been improved as much by modern methods and applications of modern thought, as have the implements with which they are cultivated.

Randolph county being, strictly speaking, an agricultural county, has kept in line with these most advanced methods. The "elm peeler" and the "razor back" are no longer to be found, but in their stead ha\'e come the thoroughbred Poland-China, Berkshire, Chesterwhite, Duroc and other pure breeds. The "pennyro3fal, that could jump a ten-rail fence and not half try," has been supplanted by the Jersey, Holstein, Durham, Hereford and other first-class breeds. In pioneer days cattle were not selected for any special purpose other than those of the immediate needs of the family. Today the stock raiser studies his problem and specializes towards the best accomplishments of his needs with his stock as well as with anything else he owns. The dairyman selects a dairy breed, and the feeder selects his stock with that in view. Randolph county has, as a whole, excellently improved live stock.

One of the first things done after a settler had began to clear his land was to set out an orchard of fruit trees, consisting of apple, cherrv, plum and peach trees. The first orchard is thought to have been planted by Henry H. Way, near Sampletown, west of Winchester, perhaps before 1820. Many orchards were early started, very few of them, however, being grafted or budded fruit. This process has been developed since our pioneer days. An interesting story is told of an eccentric character who traveled through the Mississippi valley years and years ago, planting apple seeds wherever he went, and in this way starting many orchards. This character was known as

"Johnny Apple-seed." These orchards contained trees of the best varieties, and, strange to say, much better than have since been propigated. In this chraate no longer do we enjoy the old-fashioned "bellflower," "wine sap," "rambo," "vanderburg pippin" or even the little June and "stripy," nor does the "grind stone" rest until March in the apple hole. The loss of the fruit trees is one of the most serious with which the farmer of today has had to contend. The trees are attacked by insects of such a destructive nature that it seems as if our orchards will be entirely exterminated if intelligent and heroic treatment is not given.

Another means of raising the standard of farming has been the agricultural society, or county fair. These county fairs were organized as early as 1852.

At a meeting held at the court-house in AA'inchester April f/, 1852, after an address by D. P Holloway, of Richmond, Indiana, an agricultural society was formed, and officers appointed as follows : President, Asahel Stone ; vice-president, David Lasley ; treasurer, Uriah Ball ; secretary, John Lasley ; directors, George W Daly, Washington; James Clayton, White River; Elza Lank, West River; James C. Bo\\-en, Greensfork; Daniel Hill, Wayne; James Simmons, Jackson ; Joab Ward, Franklin ; Philip Barger, Green ; J. B. Somerville, T. W. Reece, R. N. Butler.

The first fair was held October 14 and 15, 1852. The ground was one acre, a beautiful grove northwest of the town, near Judge Colgrove's former residence. It was fenced as follows : The boards were placed lengthwise, edge to edge, the fence being seven feet high, and it was held up by two upright posts at each end, and at the middle also, with the boards between the posts, and the posts fastened together by hickory withes near the top. The cost of preparing the ground was $30. The display was good, with a fine show of horses, cattle, jacks, jennets, swine, etc. The surplus receipts were $150. The number of members was 200. Fair was held September 29 and 30 and October i, 1853. The weather was bad, but the show was good. Hon. Samuel W. Parker delivered an address. Nathan Hinshaw presented proof of having raised four acres of corn, producing at the rate of 146 6-7 bushels per acre, and Thomas W. Reece four acres at the rate of 115 bushels per acre. Receipts, $615.02; outlays - premiums, $184.25; expenses, $203; total outlay, $387.25 ; surplus, $227.77. This fair was held near Mr. Pomroy's, northeast of town. The officers of the society were : President, W. A. Peelle; secretary, John B. Goodrich; treasurer, George W. Monks; delegate to state board, Asahel Stone.

The association rented ground (seven acres) south of town for ten years, and inclosed it with an oak fence eight feet high. The weather was bad, the wheat and corn crops had been Hght and poor ; but the display of animals was better than before, and the exhibit of fruit was fine. Daniel Hill showed a harrow and roller combineid, which was considered a great improvement, and Carter Brothers exhibited buggies and carriages of very fine construction. One of them, a rockaway, was sold to Asahel Stone, Esq., and he has had it in use for more than thirty years. '

- 1855 - President, N. Kemp; vice-president, Asahel Stone; secretary, J. W. Cottom; treasurer, G. W. Monks. Fair, September 2'j, 28 and 29, 1855; large crowd; good display.

1856 - Attendance small; display only moderate. There were some good horses, cattle and swine. President, T. W. Reece; treasurer, N. Kempj secretary, J. ^V. Cottom.

1857 - Receipts, $712.73; expenditures, $578.11; surplus, $134.62; society prospering: land leased; buildings erected and paid for. The grain crop was good. A field of corn of five acres yielded 134^^ bushejs to the acre. Fruit was fine, and the cattle, etc., good.

1858 - The fair was held October 13, 14 and 15, 1858. The weather was rainy, but the crowd -was large.- As one result, the association got out of debt, with a surplus of several hundred dollars on hand. Among other fine exhibitions were a beautiful Durham cow, by David Heaston ; a splendid bull, by H. K. Wright; a superior cow, by William D. Frazee, giving five gallons in the morning and four gallon^ at night, without extra feed, and upon poor pasture ; one yearling by the same, which had never eaten an ear of corn, and was estimated to weigh i,ooa to ^1,100 pounds. Exhibitors of sheep were Brotherton & Reed, Picket, Puckett and Hartman. Swine were shown by Thomas Robison, J- L. Shaw and H. D. Hufifman-. Fruits, dairy, honey, etc., by William Doty. Carriages and buggies by Carter & Craig. Premiums paid that year, amount, $500. President, James Clayton: treasurer, Nathaniel Kemp; secretary, N. P. Heaston; assistant secretary, W. D. Frazee; one director ffom each township. The records have been destroyed mostly up to 1868.

1863 - J. A. Moorman and Nathaniel Kemp. were delegates to the meetings of the State Board of Agriculture. 1868 - Thomas W. Kizer was delegate to the same. A new association was formed February 20, 1867.

Article I. Object, to encourage agriculture. Article II. Name, Randoljjh County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association. Article III. Stock, $5,000; shares, $25. Article V. Officers: President, vicepresident, secretary, treasurer, executive committee of seven stockholders. Article VI. Officers elected for one year. Article VII. Stock may be increased to $10,000.

There seems to have been another association formed in 1871, and by this association a tract of ground was purchased of L. L. Heaston, consisting of twenty-two acres, occupying a part of the old fort of the Mound-Builders, and containing the, great mound in the center of the ancient inclosure. The officers were : President, Pharez Hiatt ; vice-president, William Robinson ; treasurer, William Moore; secretary, Edmund Engle; executive committee, Joshua M. Johnson, Davidson Cheesman, Nathaniel P. Heaston, Moses Lasley, James Barnes, Nathan Fidler, Walter Scott Monks; superintendent, Asa Teal. The fair for 1871 was held September 24 to 27; 3,000 were present the second day; tickets sold in all, 5,625; receipts, $2,277.87; expenditures, $2,277.87.

1872 - Crops poor; wheat averaged eight bushels, badly damaged; price, $1 to $1.40; corn, forty to forty-five bushels per acre; price, 25 cents; swine, good throughout the county, many weighing 300 to 400 pounds at twelve months; there was much fruit; fair held September 24 to 27; second day 3,000 were present; entries for 1871, 779: for 1872, ,888; receipts for 1872, $1,480.35; expenditures, $1,480.35; debt of association, $1,000.

1873 - Officers: President, Asahel Stone; vice-president, Joshua M. Johnson ; treasurer, William Moore ; secretary, Edmund Engle ; executive committee, Asa Teal, Pharez Hiatt, Xelson Pegg, Nathan Fidler, Davidson Cheesman, James Barnes, Thomas W. Kizer; fair held September 23 to 26, 1873; 5,000 present the first day; receipts, $2,719.82 ; expenditures, $2,689.90; surplus, $29.92.

1876 - The fair for 1876 was the best ever held here, up to that time. Total entries, 800; horses, 124; cattle, 38; hogs, 40; poultry becoming an important entry ; they are largely dealt in throughout the county ; twenty tons were shipped by one firm in twenty days ; the crops were fair to good.

1877 - Fair held September 18 to 21; horse entries, 93 - 18 for speed; sheep and hogs, a fine display ; poultry, a large show and a grand success ; receipts, $2,032.20; grains good; potd!loes splendid; fruits good though qiiantity small, owing to overgrowth the previous year.

1878 - Officers: President, John Brooks; vice-president, Nelson Fegg; secretary, George S. Fisher ; treasurer, Thomas W. Kizer; executive committee, Isom Sedgwick, George Hamilton, William Snyder, Aaron Harris, L. L. Heaston, George Addington; fair held September 17 to 20; weather good; entries, 1,500 - more than ever before; attendance, third day, 5,000 people. Fruit was nearly a failure, because of a killing frost May 13. The wheat crop was the best ever raised. Corn crop was good, but hogs sold largely for $2.25. ''

1879 - Fair held September 16 to 19; show of fruits excellent - the best ever made at this fair; 1,300 entries; 4,700 tickets sold, a reasonable success, though display and attendance not so great as at some previous fairs ; balance of receipts, $400 ; entries of fruit alone, 343.

The fair for 1881 was held at the usual time and place, and would probably have been a substantial success but for the week of rain, which threw a wet blanket over its affairs and of course greatly checked attendance upon its exhibition, and, moreover, seriously interfered with the amount of its receipts.

The officers for 1881-82 are: John R. Frazier, president; William O. King, vice-president; A. R. Hiatt, treasurer; D. E. Hoffman, secretary; Messrs. Carter, Murray, Heaston, Kizer, Sheeley, Farquhar and Branson, directors.

The county fair began to deteriorate in 1882. Farmers no longer felt that it was profitable to display their stock and produce, as practically all the attention was paid to race horses and some forms of entertainment. The as^ sociation struggled along until 1890, when it was decided to hold no more fairs. But they were again revived in 1895, but the character of the exhibits and of the fair in general was so notoriously bad that the edition of the Farmland Enterprise, Mr. W. C. West, in referring to it, spoke of it as the "grafter's reunion." The fair consisted mostly of shows of bad character and gambling devices.

One of the best exhibits ever held in the county was held in Winchester in the fall of 1913, known as the "Home Coming." This meeting was attended by thousands of people all over the county. The exhibits of stock, horticulture, agriculture and art were exceedingly fine and much good was done by the meeting.

Fairs have been held at two other places in the county with a great deal of success. The Union City Agricultural and Mechanical Association was created January 10, 1870.

The record of the first meeting does not appear, but the officers elected for the second year (chosen in November, 1870), were: J. N. Converse, president; J. M. Janes, vice-president; E. Starbuck, treasurer; W. C. Johnson, secretary. The first president is not known ; the others were as follows : vice-president, J. M. Janes; secretary, C. J. Van Andy; treasurer, Edward Starbuck.

The directors, chosen November, 1870, were: L. Arnold, J. S. Johnson, J. McFeely, John Griffis, J. D. Smith, H. Debolt, James Woodbury.. L. D. Lambert was secretary for many years ; E. Starbuck was treasurer until his -death, and Henry Stockdale succeeded him. The society was accommodated with suitable and commodious grounds for their annual fairs by a generous act of Dr. Joel N. Converse, securing to their use a tract of land containing forty acres by a free lease for the term of twenty years from April i, 1870. The original capital stock was $2,000, in $10 shares. The stock was some years afterward enlarged to the limit of $10,000. All the old stock and 213 shares of the new stock has been taken. The territory embraced by the association is Randolph and Jay counties, Indiana, and Darke county, Ohio, and the Constitution provides that, the directors shall be chosen from the two states in proportion to the stock held in each, with not less than three, however, in either state at any election. Betting, gambling, traffic in intoxicating drink, and all immoral shows are expressly prohibtted. The fairs held at Union City grounds have been mostly free to all the world.

"The first fair was held in the fall of 1870, and was a reasonable success ; and a fair has been held each year since that time. The interest has varied from season to season, yet the stockholders and managers have felt satisfied that the enterprise that they have in hand is a good and praiseworthy one, and that a healthful effect has been produced upon the community through their means. The presidents have been Messrs. Converse, Janes, Branham, Smith, Reeder and Parent, and possibly others. The vice-presidents have been Messrs. Janes, Elston, Smith, Reeder, ^lorris and Jaqua, and perhaps others. The managers have been ^Messrs. Johnson, Arnold, Woodbury, Griffis, J. D. Smith, McFeely. Debolt, Turner. Parent, Trine. Buckingham, W'iggs, Stockdale, ^lills, Trine, Grants, ^Morton. Hamilton, Shockney, Kunkle. Hall, and perhaps others."

This fair had to compete with AA'inchester on the west, Portland on the north and Greenville on the east, and was not a financial success. They battled against odds until early in the '80' s when the stockholders decided to discontinue the enterprise. It is said the meetings were well attended and that the interest was good. It is said the crowd on one day in 1881 numbered at least eight thousand people. But the count\" fair degenerated into amusements and horse racing and lost the respect of the people from whom its support must come.

Patrons Of Husbandry

In 1872 the farmers of the count)' held meetings throughout the region to discuss the merits of that order lately established in the coimty.

In ilarch. 1873, Round Top Grange. Xo. 85. was established. Before the middle of 1874 twenty-seven granges were organized in Randolph countv, with from 900 to 1,100 members. The Randolph County Coimcil of Patrons of Husbandry was organized Xovember 8. 1873. with Xathan Fidler as president, and B. F. Willmore as secretary. The object of the council was to impart instruction as to the inner work of the order, and for general super\'ision over its affairs. June 24. 1875. Henley James, master of the state grange, met a company of masters, past masters and matrons at Winchester and organized Randolph Pomona Grange, Xo. 2. installing I. J. Farquhar. master: Tsom Sedgwick, secretan,-: William Ruble, treasurer; the wor:< of or- ganizing, however, being completed August 31, 1875. In 1876 the statistics, of the order were as follows : First grange instituted March, 1873 ; twentyseven granges established; three disbanded; four consolidated; lodges in operation, twenty - aggregating several hundred members.

The objects of the order were "the increase of acquaintance and socialibility among farmers and their families, growth in intelligence as to business and the farming interests of the country, consultation as to the best means of sustaining the prices of farmers' products and lowering the cost of farmers' supplies, and, in general, the promotion of the welfare, prosperity and success of the farming population of the country, home life training, beautifying and ennobling farm life, sweetening, refining and purifying the minds of the community at large." -

- (SjuquB^JBdg jo ^Mu sajiui omj;) - 932; -ojsj 'aSuBJQ aAOjg ;ui3sb3u This grange was organized June 28, 1873, by Thomas W. Reece, with twenty male members and ten females. The officers were as follows : James Rubey, master; C. F. Alexander, overseer; James Macy, lecturer; Levi Snyder, steward ; J. W. Jackson, assistant steward ; Emsley Jackson, treasurer ; J. F. Middleton, secretary; Alfred Rubey, gatekeeper; Jennie Jackson, Ceres; Mrs. Hannah Wise, Pomona; Carrie Rubey, assistant lady steward.

The grange had a neat and convenient hall, which was dedicated by a picnic June 27, 1874, as also with addresses by Henley James, master of 'the State Grange, and by Messrs. Willmore and Fidler, of Randolph county. A large and interested crowd was present. Other granges were : Sugar Creek, organized July 31, 1873; New Dayton, organized 1873; Pleasant Grove, organized 1873; Pleasant Mound, South Salem; Jackson, Jackson township; Parker, Monroe township ; Green township.

For many years the movement seems to have been from the country to the town, and rnuch study is being displayed m how to prevent this njovement. What the solution of the problem will be no one knows, but it is certainly to be hoped the question will be solved and that speedily.

The statistics for 1910 show there were 20,652 acres of wheat, yielding an average of 14.99 bushels per acre; 67,015 acres corn, yielding 37.8 bushels per acre; 29,637 acres oats, yielding 31,82 bushels per acre, ranking tenth in the .state in acreage; 807 acres of rye, with a yield of 11,832 bushels; 346 acres potatoes, yielding 21,192 bushels; 883 acres tobacco, yielding 609,946 (50

Of Randolph county the Department of Statistics said the following: "The county is known for its splendid farms, improved roads, magnificent school buildings, having perhaps the best of any county in the state, and its intelligent and progressive citizenship."