St. Joseph County, Indiana - Chapter 6: County Business, 1907 (part 2 of 2)

And the said wall shall be raised three feet high al)Ove said foundation, shall be twentytwo inches in thickness ; and there shall also be a foundation wall run north and south through said building, and raised so high that a sill of eighteen inches square, with the joist placed on said wall, shall raise the floor of the first story only three feet from the foundation. The walls of the first story of the building shall be raised so high as to leave twelve feet between the first floor a.nd the ceiling. The walls of the first story shall be laid eighteen inches thick. The walls of the second story shall be raised ten feet above the second floor, and be made thirteen inches thick. There shall be a plate of yellow poplar timber of thirteen inches square placed on the top of the wall all around said building. There shall be four stacks of chimneys carried up in said building, one in each corner of the house; and there shall be a fireplace in each of said chimneys in the lower story, of three and one-half feet in the back and five feet in the flare or front of the jambs, in the under room of each of said chimneys, except the southeast chimney, which may be three feet in the back and four feet in the front. And there shall be also a fireplace made in each of said chimneys in the second story of said building, except the southeast; and said fireplace shall be three feet in the clear in the back, and four feet in the flare or front of said fireplaces. The east half of the under room shall be filled up with earth nearly to top of the aforementioned sill, and then laid over with good hard brick. There shall be substantial iron bars under the arch of each fireplace. And in the north of said under room there shall be joists placed east and Avest across in said sill and wall, and within two feet of each other, of good white oak timber; and they shall be three inches thick and fourteen inches wide, and placed so as the floor when laid shall be three feet from the foundation. The floor of said end shall be laid of white oak boards, of one and one- fourth inch thick and six inches wide. There shall be four air holes left in the west side of said building, and two on the north and two on the south, of nine inches deep and four inches wude, to let the air in under the floor. There shall be two columns set upon said sill, running through the center of said building, one twelve feet from the north side of said building and the other twelve feet from the south side. The said columns shall be turned by a bilection, and with a handsome mold at each end of the same ; and there shall also be a hole bored through the center of each of said columns with a common pump auger. There shall be a poplar girder of fourteen inches square running across said building, north and south, and placed on said columns; and the joists for the second floor shall be laid into said girder, and on the walls, east and west. The said joists shall be three inches thick and fourteen inches wide, and shall be placed in said girder within two feet of each other; and the floor shall be made and laid on said joists, of poplar boards of one and one-fourth inch thick and six inches wide. There shall be a door made on the east side, and in the center of the house, of four feet wide, and shall have a transom light sash above the door, and to be made to correspond with the height of the windov/s ; and also a door of the same description, to be placed in the center of the north side of the building. The doors shall be made of eight panels, and lined and braced on the inside of the door. Said doors shall be three inches thick, and hung on three butts sufficiently strong, and have each a good substantial thumb latch, and each a twelve inch stock lock fixed thereon. There shall be thi-ee twenty-four light windows, of glass ten by twelve, on the west side of th'e building, to be placed so in the wall of the building a.s to have the columns between the windows on each side even; and also two windows on the north side of said building, to be placed half way between the corners of the building and the door; and also two windows in the east side of the house, to be placed in the center of the wall between the ends of the house and door; and also two windows on the south side of the building, to be placed in the wall so as the columns shall be of a width; the last mentioned windows to be all of the same description as the first mentioned.

"In the second story, there shall be a row of studding running through the center of the building, north and south, for a partition wall, made of white oak studs and placed within eighteen inches of each other. And there shall be another partition wall running through east and west on the west side of said building, eighteen feet from the south wall; and also there shall be another partition wall of studding running through the eastern side of said building, eighteen feet from the north wall, of studs of white oak as aforesaid, within eighteen inches of each other.

"In the third story, there shall be two poplar or oak girders, running north and south across said building, of ten by twelve inches square, and placed in the center of the building and thirteen feet asunder, to start the cupola on; and there shall be joists framed into said girders, within eighteen inches of each other, of three inches by six. The first story of the steeple shall be five feet; the second story, or the octagonal part, with the ogee formed dome, twelve feet, with eight Venetian shutters, six feet high. The third story, or the spire and its pedestal, to be fifteen feet. There shall be a wooden ball, overlaid with gold leaf, placed on said spire at a proper place, that will measure two and onehalf feet in diameter; and there shall be also a wooden fish fixed near the top of said spire, overlaid with gold leaf. There shall be a lightning rod fixed at or near the top of the spire, and run down on the outside of the building to the ground, of three-fourths of an inch diameter.

be a cornice put on each side of the bniklinp-, of eighteen inches wide, with a bed-mokl thereon, and to have tin conductors fixed thereunto of three inches diameter. The cornice is to be put up witli good substantial screw bolts one-half inch square, five to each cornice.

''There shall be three windows put in on the north side of said building, in the second story, over the door and windows in the lower story ; and on the west side of said building, two windows, to be placed over the windows in the lower story nearest the corners of the building; and on the south side of the building, two windows; and on the east side, three windows, to be placed parallel over the door and windows below: all of said windows to be made of glass, ten by twelve inches, and to have each twenty-four lights of sash. The frames are to have parting strips, and the sash to be made one and onehalf inch thick, and to be made with lock rails.

"There shall be a six panel door made and hung in each room in the second story, to be hung with good butts, one pair to a door, and a good wrought thumb latch and stock lock for each. There shall be an open newell staircase run up from the lower story to the second, with banisters around the head of the staircase ; likewise, there shall be a mill-step staircase run up from the second story, up into the cupola, at the head of which there is to be a trap door.

"All the aforesaid rooms and inside walls to be well lathed and plastered, except the brick, which shall not be lathed, but plastered only, with two good coats of lime and sand.

"There shall be Venetian shutters made and hung to each of the windows in said building. The shutter blinds shall be tenanted into the stiles, and hung on good strap hinges put on with screws ; and shutter holders shall be fixed into the walls to hold the shutters open, and iron bolts for the same.

paint, and all pencilled otf at each joint with white lead. The cornice shall be all painted with three coats, with white lead and oil. The window shutters shall be painted green. The dooi"s shall all be painted with a mahogany color. The door frames shall be made the width of the walls ; and all the window and door frames shall be well painted with two coats of white lead and oil ; and the sash also. The glass are to be glazed in with good putty. The doors on the inside are to be one and one-half inch thick.

"There shall be pieces of timber, of four inches square and four feet long, framed on the ends of the principal girders and joists, for the better support of the walls, at suitable distances from the corners. There shall be scuppers made around at the floor of the cupola, to let the water, etc., out. The columns of the cupola to be dressed neatly, eight square. A cornice underneath the dome to be finished in a neat ajid good manner.

"All of the aforesaid materials for said building to be of the best and most durable kind that the country affords; and all and every part of said building to be done, finished and completed in good style, and the best AA'orkmanlike and most substantial manner.

"X. B. The undertaker to furnish every material necessary for said building. There shall be washboards placed around in all the aforesaid rooms, with a base member. And the walls of the aforesaid building, and the roof, windows and doors, and otherwise, well closed on or before the first day of December next : and the remainder of said building shall be fully completed on or before the first of December, A. D. 1833.

"The contractor of said building will be paid the sum of five hundred dollars on the 15th of May next: and the second payment on the first of December next, which, with the five hundred dollars, shall amount to the third of the amount of the whole contract. The second third of the amount of the contract will be paid when the building is fin- ished, and the la.st payment will be made May 20, 1834. The contractor shall be required to give bond and security under the penalty of five thousand dollare for the performance of the contract.

"The county agent is directed to give notice in the Northwestern Pioneer that he will receive sealed proposals at South Bend between the hours of ten and two o'clock on Monday, the 6th day of February next, for to enter into contract for building of the said house, and that the contractor name his securities in his proposals."

As required by the foregoing order, there appeared in the Northwestern Pioneer and St. Joseph's Intelligencer, for Wednesday, January 11, 18 and 25, 1832, the following notice :

6th day of February next ensuing, at the house of Calvin Lilly, in South Bend, between the hours of 10 o'clock A. M. and 2 o'clock P. M. for building a COURT HOUSE in said county. The time of the payment, a description of the building, etc., may be seen at any time, at the Clerk's Office, by any person that may wish to see them. Security will be required of the undertaker, for the faithful performance of the contract, and such security must be named in the proposals. "JOHN EGBERT, Agent.

The board met on February 6, 1832, to receive bids on the court house, but found all proposals unsatisfactory; and thereupon adjourned until the next morning, when the following record was made:

"Tuesday, February the 7th, the board met pursuant to adjournment. Present Aaron Stanton, David Miller and Joseph Ro'hrer. And they enter into contract with Peter Johnson for building of a court house for said county; which contract reads in the words and figures following, to-wit:

Peter Johnson, Alexis Coquillard, L. M. Taylor, Pleasant Harris, and Samuel Martin, all of the county of St. Joseph in the state of Indiana, are held and firmly bound unto Aaron Stanton, David JMiller and Joseph Rohrer, a board doing county business in and for the county of St. Joseph, and their successors in office, in the penal sum of six thousand dollars, law^ful money of the United States, to the payment whereof well and truly to be made, we hereby bind ourselves and our representatives firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated this seventh day of February, A. D. 1832.

" 'The condition of the above obligation is such that if the said Peter Johnson, the above bounden, shall well and truly build a court house in and for the said county of St. Joseph, of the following description, to-wit:' " Then follows a description of the building, slightly changed from that set out in the order of the board made five weeks previously.

The court house w^as formally accepted from the contractor for partial use, at the September term, 1833 ; but was not finally completed, accepted and paid for until the year 1837. In September of that year a contract was entered into with William Keeley and Samuel C. Rilss to build a clerk's and recorder's office, forty by twenty, by way of addition to the court house, which hail by that time proved to be too small for the business of the county.

Sec. 3. - The Second County Jail. - The primitive log jail, completed in 1835, did not long satisfy the needs of the county. At the September term, 1844, of the county commissioners, the board ordered a new jail built of brick, in accordance with plans on file; and on December 4, 1844, the building of the jail was let to Lot Day for eighteen hundred and fifty dollars. On December 4, 1845, this second jail was completed and ac-^ cepted by the county commissioners.

and weak financial condition of the county, were made to do service for nearly thirty years. After 1850, however, when population and wealth had increased, when the railroad and the telegraph were here, when "the St. Joseph country" had become a land of farms and prosperous towns, when great cities were growing up to the west and the south, and all this throbbing life of the strong young nation was coming nearer and nearer to us, the people began to look upon the good old court house, "forty feet square, and built of brick," and even to the modest successor of the log jail, "thirty feet long and sixteen feet wide," its "walls of white oak timber, hewed one foot square, ' ' as quite out of keeping with the attainments and prospects of this splendid county of St. Joseph and its enterprising citizens.

Sec. 4. - The Second Court House. - At the March term, 1853, of the board of county commissioners, then consisting of Gilman Toole, Edwin Pickett and John Druliner, an advertisement for plans for a new court house, with astimates of cost, was ordered published, twenty-five dollars to be paid for the plan adopted. At the September term of the same year, John Hammond having then taken the place of Mr. Pickett on the board, plans were adopted and the court hoiLse ordered built. Separate contracts were let. At the December term, 1853, the contract for lumber was let to Henry and J. T. Johnson; and for timber to William Crews. At the March term, 1854, the contract for sash and doors was let to J. M. Vanosdel. At the same term the most important contract, that for dressed stone, to be the "best quality Athens stone," was let, through A. B. Ellsworth, then county auditor, to the Illinois Stone and Lime Company, for seven thousand six hundred and eightyfive dollars and fifty cents, to be paid in monthly estimates as delivered, retaining fifteen per cent until the completion of the contract. The stone was to be delivered so that the water table might be laid by May first,

1854; remainder as needed, subject to acceptance of Vanosdel & Olmstead, architects and superintendents. At the September term, 1855, the various offices in the new court house were assigned; and it was ordered that the iLse of the building should be confined to the "courts, county officers and political meetings." In the early days, the court room was the only public hall in the county; and of necessity it was used for almost every kind of a gathering of the people, public or private. The time had come, in the opinion of the county board, to restrict the use of the county building to its proper purposes, - the only leniency granted being in favor of "political meetings"; this, too, because of necessity. At the June term, 1860, the floor of the court room was ordered "deadened," and other changes made for the convenience of the court. (In 1906, when the first stoiy of this court house was prepared for the u>se of the Northern Indiana Historical Society, the lower set of joists used to "deaden" the sounds below from reaching the court room were discovered and removed in remodeling the room for the use of the Historical Society. ) most elegant and substantial one, and was the pride of the people of the county. It was thus described in the St. Joseph Valley Register, of April 27. 1854:

"In size the new court house is sixty-one and a half by ninety-one and a half feet, including the portico; two stories high, the lower one twelve and one-half in height clear of the joists, and the upper one twenty feet, surmounted by a cupola fifty high. The stone foundation extends thirty-three inches below the gi'ound and is carried above three feet. The lower story contains all the offices. Entering by the portico, which is on the eastern front, and supported by six pillars, you pass into a spacious hall, fourteen feet wide and eighty-one feet long, on each side of which are situated the various offices. - Prom the front of the hall, stairs rise on both sides to the second stoiy, meeting above in a lobby thirteen by twenty-seven feet, from which a spacious court room, fifty-seven by fifty feet and twenty feet high, is entered by a door in the center. About the middle of the court room a semi-circular bar separates the officers, attorneys, suitors and witnesses from the audience. Inside the bar are the lawyers' tables, pleading table, officers' desk and witness' stand. Still further back in the western extreme of the court ix)om is the judge's bench, with the grand and petit jury box on either side, in the shape of an L. In the rear of the court room are three rooms, one immediately behind the judge's bench, for a witness' room, seventeen by twelve, and on each side a jury room, twenty by thirteen, so that juries can retire, from a door opening from their seats, into their consultation room, without having to pass through the audience. The building is of brick and stone, the inner walls of the former material and the outer walls of the latter. The cupola is surmounted by a town clock." As this second court house was built on the site which had been occupied by the first court house, it became necessary during its construction to rent rooms for the use of the county. Court was held in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal Church, located in the same square and just south of the county grounds. The rental was two dollars a day, during the holding of court. When the second court house, in turn, gave way to the third, or present, court house, the county commissioners, as we shall see, bought additional grounds on the west of the square and moved that building back on Lafayette street; so that court continued to be held, and the county offices to be occupied, as before except during the time occupied in moving the building, when court was held in the old Price's Theater, on Michigan street, and the several county offices were held in the old city building on Jefferson street, between Main and Lafayette. Few persons, though, remember that the basement of the First Methodist Episcopal Church was used as a court room during the time when what we now call the old court house on Lafayette street was in coui-se of construction.

Sec. 5. - The Third County Jail. - As soon as the second court house had beeu completed, the county conunissioners made preparations for the building of a new brick jail and sheriff's residence, which should be in keeping with the court house. This building was constructed in 1860, at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars: The old brick .jail, our second county jail, was sold for one himdred and sixty-one dollars and fifty cents to Adam S. Baker, who took it down and removed it. The new jail was a handsome structure, two stories in height, and fronting also on Main street. It was erected on lot two hundred and fifty of the original plat of South Bend, which had been pm^chased for that purpose, for the sum of twenty-six hundred dollars, and added to the original quarter square donated by Coquillard and Taylor. A well proportioned tower stood well out on the northeast corner ; and the whole building presented a rather imposing, castellated appearance from the front. No finer county building could then be found in Indiana.

Sec. 6. - Re- Arrangement of Court House. - In subdivision second of this chapter, we have referred to the order made by Judge Stanfield, at the March term, 1873, of the St. Joseph circuit court, for the re-arrangement and improvement of the court room. The order was as follows :

"It is ordered by the court. That the court room be re-arranged by moving the west partition east to the west side of the west Avindows : that the three west rooms be enlarged and finished up in a good, workmanlike manner, with a door from the court room entering into each one. That an additional room be added to the clerk's office across the space now used for the stairway;"^ and that there also be a room of the same size constructed above the room last aforesaid, with a door into the court room. That a stairway be made from the judge's dask in the court room, as re-arranged, down into the clerk's office, and that the court room be re-arranged so as to place the judge's bench on the south side of the court room; and the bar occupy the portion of the court room south of the general entrance to said room, and the portion north of said entrance be prepared for the occupation of suitors, witnesses and spectators; and it is further ordered that the clerk's office and court room be heated by hot-air furnaces. All of the said work to be completed, finished and painted in a good, workmanlike manner; and George W. Matthews, Dwight Doming and Thomas S. Stanfield are hereby appointed a committee with full authority to cause said work to be done, and also to furnish and carpet said court room, and that said committee shall audit all accounts for said work and materials and certify the same to the county auditor for allowance and payment. It is further ordered that a certified copy of this order be transmitted to the board doing county biLsiness.

The improvements provided for in the order had been virged upon the county board for a long time; but that body was di\aded as to the expediency of doing the work, Dwight Deming only being favorable to it. Finally the court, as authorized by law,^ took upon itself the authority assumed in the order. Seldom has so praiseworthy and necessary an act been received with so little favor by the people. The proposals to build the court house in 1853 were received ^\\\h far less criticism than were those for its improvement in 1873. It does not seem that it was so much the matter of expense that met with opposition as it was the alleged 'exercise of extraordinary power by the court. The people seemed to think that the work should have been left to the county commissioners, elected, as they said, to attend to all county business. The commissioners, however, had refused to have the work done; and so Judge Stanfield was compelled to assume the responsibility of transforming an unsightly barn-like hall into a decent and convenient court room, as his admirers said; or to change a plain and sufficient place to hold court into a ladies' parlor, as his critics said. Time justified the able and far-seeing judge. No braver act was ever done by him, none more necessary for the convenience of the court and people, and none which in the end was more highly appreciated and commended by the people of the county. It was ancther instance showing that it is always better to do the right thing, at whatever cost.

See. 7. - A Historic Building. - The second court house and third jail satisfied all needs for forty yeare, or until the close of the nineteenth century, when the county officers, the courts and the boards took their places in the present elegant buildings. The fine, well built old court houvse, of "best quality Athens stone," portico and all, was taken in hand by a house mover from Chicago, lifted up, turned half-way around and moved back to front on Lafayette street, all without disturbing a stone or a brick. It was regarded as a fine piece of engineering. Happily, the building is to be preserved as our historic county edifice. Through the public spirited policy of our recent boards of county commissioners, whose membership has been made up of Samuel Bowman, Peter H. Reaves, John D. Fulmer, Isaac Newton Miller, Marion B. Russ, Herman A. Tohulka, Barney C. Smith and Daniel A. White, the enerable building which has witnessed so uuch of our county, state and national history, has been devoted to the use of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Northern Indiana Historical Society. The latter body occupies the first story, in which are collected and to be collected all that is most precious in the relics of the St. Joseph valley. The upper story, the old court room itself, has been given to the veterans of the war for the Union, where they meet weekly in patriotic and social reunion, recalling the days that tried men's souls and holding out to their children and grandchildren the lessons of purest patriotism.

only was it necessary to move off the old court house, but also to demolish the beautiful little brick jail and sheriff's residence, with its picturesque turrets and battlements, in order to make room for the imposing modern court lioiLse that was to take their place. A new jail, the fourth one of our county jails, was erected in the rear by the side of the old court house, and like it, facing Lafayette street. The private residence, built and long occupied by William Miller, Esq., as he was always styled, one of the most eminent citizens of the county, and father of G-eneral John F. Miller, distinguished in the war of 1861, was purchased as a sheriff's residence, and connected with the new jail in the rear.

Sec. 9. - The Third Court House. - The contract for the building of our present court house was let to James Stewart & Company, October 31, 1896, for $184,246.27. Various expenses and furnishings brought the total cost up to nearly two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The walls are of Bedford stone and granite; and the building is in the Grecian style of architecture. The corner stone was laid April 15, 1897, and the court house was completed November 4, 1898. The county commissioners who were members of the board from the letting of the contract to the .completion of the building, and who also removed the old court house and built the new jail, were John N. Lederer, John D. Fulmer, Peter H. Reaves and Samuel Bowman. The board actually engaged in the construction of the court house, invited a committee of citizens, among the most eminent business men of the county, to act as an advisory board in the very important work. This committee consisted of Clement Studebaker, John B. Stoll, Joseph D. Oliver, Elmer Crockett and Patrick O'Brien. The people of the county have good reason to be satisfied with the work done under direction of those officials and public spirited citizens. The state board of charities recently made a visit of inspection to the county, and our jail was pronounced by them the best in Indiana. Our court house is also sadd to be, in its interior, one of the most beautiful and convenient in the state. The exterior would no doubt be entitled to a like commendation; provided only our worthy county board would cause the removal of the stone wall and bank of earth heaped around it, and which so dwarf its otherwise fine proi^ortions.

Sec. 10. - The County Asylums. - The county has always maintained an asylum for its poor. At first the overseers of the poor cared for the unfortunate in temporary was evidently not then in a condition to justify the investment of so large an amount as would have been necessary for the erection of building's, and the carrying on of so great an undertaking; and in March, 1839, the enterprise was abandoned and the land reconveyed by the county.

The county board continued, as before, to support its poor in leased premises. At the December term, 1844, George W. Matthews, the elder, then superintendent of the poor house, reported the quarterly expenses in caring for the county charges at one hundred and forty-one dollars and ninety-one cents.

Present Court House, South Bend

homes, or gave such other assistance as was possible in a new country. Afterwards more permanent quartei-s were secured. For many years a building and grounds, situated in Vail's addition to South Bend, were leased for a county poor home from John D. Defrees, at a rental of one hundred dollars a year. As early as the year 1838 the need of a county farm became urgent; and two hundred and forty acres on Portage prairie, in sections twenty, twenty-one and twenty-nine, in what is now German township, were actually purchased, the agreed price being six thousand dollars. But the county treasury

The financial conditions having improved, and the need for better accommodations having greatly increased, the county , board, on June 10, 1846, purchased another farm for the establishment of a permanent county asylum. This farm consisted of nearly two hundred acres, and was located on the east side of the Michigan road, five and a half miles south of the town of South Bend and one mile and a half east of the present village of Nutwood. The place had been known as White Hall, and was purchased from IMatthias Stover for two thousand dollars, or about ten dollars an acre. Here the county poor were cared for during nearly ten years. At its December term, 1854, the county board ordered this farm sold ; and at the March term, 1855, measures were taken for the purchase of another farm on the north side of the St. Joseph river, on the line between Portage and Penn townships. This farm, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres, was purchased through President Whitten, in court proceedings, for twenty-one hundred and thirty dollars ; and suitable buildings were erected at a further cost of fourteen hundred and thirty dollars. Adjacent lands were afterwards purchased, and the county asylum seemed permanently and satisfactorily located.

For over fifty years the county poor continued to be cared for on this farm between South Bend and Mishawaka. In recent years, however, there has been a growing dissatisfaction with the accommodations provided for the inmates of the asylum and for those who had them in charge. The state board of charities had frequently criticised the buildings as antiquated and inadequate to their purpose. Finally the board of commissioners determined to sell the old farm, which had become valuable from its proximity to the two cities of the county, and to purchase a farm elsewhere and put up a spacious and well equipped modern asylum. The old asylum and grounds were disposed of for about fifty-two thousand dollars; and a farm on the south side of the river and .just below the old portage was purchased for twenty thousand dollars. On these grounds, almost in touch with, the old pathway trodden by Marquette and La Salle two hundred and thirty years ago, the county commissioners have, at an expense of about one hundred and ten thousand dollars, built and equipped one of the fin&st county asylums in the state. The locality is not only interesting from a historical point of view, but is also one of the most beautiful and salubrious that could be selected. The new buildings were accepted by the board of commissioners at their

Sec. 11. - The Old County Seminary. - Another county building of much historical interest must not be overlooked. Besides making provisions for district schools in each congressional township,'^ the legislature at an early day provided for educational institutions of a higher grade, which were known as county seminaries.^ The funds for the support of such seminaries were provided for in the statutes, and were drawn from various sources, chiefly fines and penalties imposed for violations of law. Donations were particularly provided for; and without such donations it was practically impossible to procure the necessary grounds, erect the buildings and carry on the schools.

In St. Joseph county there was a generous rivalry between the towns of Mishawaka and South Bend as to where the seminary should be located. On November 9, 1843, the county commissioners authorized George W. Matthews, the elder, to receive donations for the erection of the seminary at South Bend. At the March term, 1844, of the county board, IMr. Matthews made a report of subscriptions received by him ; and at the same term Harris E. Hurlbut made a like report of subscriptions received by him for the erection of the seminary at Mishawaka. No steps were taken in the matter at that session.

At the December term, 1844, the county board took definite action in regard to the seminary; and entered into contract with Cassius Caldwell, A. M. La Pierre and Jamas M. Matthews for the construction of the buildings at a cost of fiften hundred and seventy-two dollars and eighty cents. A lot belonging to the seminarj^ fund, valued at one hundred and fifty-eight dollars, and also the sum of eight hundred and fifty-four dollars, donated by subscribing citizens, amounta. R. S., 1831, pp. 463-480; R. S., 1838, pp. 509- ing in all to ten hnndred and twelve dollars, were turned over to the contractors as first payment. The remainder was paid by the connty out of the seminary fund.

The grounds on which the seminary Avas erected, situated at the corner of Washington and William streets, in South Bend, where the old high school building now stands, were purchased for the purpose from Alexis Coquillard, on June 9, 1841.

The St. Joseph county seminary was built during the year 1845, under the superintendency of Oilman Towle, one of the county commissioners. The St. Joseph Valley Register, under date of September 26, 1845, just two weeks after the establishment of that newspaper, describes the building as being situated "on the north side of Washington street, west of town"; that it was of brick, two stories high, thirty feet wide by forty feet long, and to be surmounted by a cupola. The expense, it was said, was defrayed out of the seminary fund, aided by the subscriptions of private persons. We are further informed by the editor, Schuyler Colfax, that the seminary stands near the center of the acre-and-a-half lot which belongs to it, and which is to be enclosed and improved ; that there will be two rooms in the building, one below and the other above; and that the room in the second story is to be the full size of the building, undivided at present by any partition. He concludes with the remark that the two rooms will comfortably contain all the pupils of the institution for many years. The tirst principal was Mr. Wheeler, a graduate of the Indiana State University. He was assisted by Miss L. C. Merritt. These were followed by Professors Wright, Coggswell. Smith, Sperbeck, McLafferty, INIiss Barrett, Miss Bacon and Professor Wilcox.

With the adoption of the constitution of 1851, the policy of keeping up county seminaries was abandoned; and the grounds, buildings and other property of the seminaries were ordered to be sold and the proceeds turned over to the common school fund.*^ The people had become satisfied that it was impracticable to carry on county high schools, and that all the energies of the state in relation to popular education should be concentrated in the .support and improvement of the common schools.

The citizens of St. Joseph county, however, particularly those at the county seat, had become ambitious to establish and maintain a school of higher grade, where the pupils who had passed through the common schools might continue their education, without being compelled to leave home to attend academies or colleges in other places. Accordingly, on July 16, 1853, the board of trustees of the town of South Bend purchased from the county auditor, Aaron B. Ellsworth, and the county treasurer, Robert B. Nicar, the county seminary of St. Joseph county. The purchase was made for fifteen hundred and sixteen dollars, payable, according to the statute, in ten annual installments. The payments do not seem to have been completed until August 31, 1866. It was at that date that the deed of conveyance was made by Woolman J. Holloway, then county auditor, to Dwight Deming, Almond A. Bugbee and Charles A.- Evans, trustees of what had then become the school city of South Bend.

Although from the time of the purchase by the trustees of the town of South Bend, the school and grounds had ceased to be county property, yet there were pleasant and even affectionate associations connected with the old institution of learning; and it continued to retain the name of the old seminary.

But the county seat finally outgrew the building which Mr. Colfax, in 1845, confidently predicted would "comfortably contain all the pupils of the institution for many years to come." In 1872, the school trustees took down the venerable structure, to make room for a more commodious high school building. On April 20th of that year, the South Bend Tribune, established only during the previous month, contained a feeling reference to the passing of the old landmark of nearly thirty years standing. The editorial was written by Alfred B. Miller, first editor and one of the founders of the Tribune, who was himself educated in the old seminary.

our place from its earlier years." Among the first pupils educated at the seminary, Mr. Miller mentions Alvin S. Dunbar, Daniel Witter, Mark McClelland, D. R. Sample, and R. B. Miller. "When first built," the editorial continues, "the seminary was surmounted by a tin-domed and pillared cupola, remains of the old seminary building on Washington street but a pile of debris," said Mr. Miller; "and in a few days it will have no trace left. The South Bender now absent will mias on his return the familiar structure which, homely though it was, has been identified with the history of in which the boys used to take delight in lodging balls while playing 'anti-over,' that tliey might have some excuse for 'shinning up ' the lightning rod and playing havoc with the nests of pigeons that made their homes there. But the lightning knocked all the beauty and utility out of the cupola one structure was familiar in outline to all our Joseph county under the name of the Orcitizens as it is seen in the excellent photo- phans' Home Association, of St. Joseph of the handsomest school buildings in this Bend. The institution was located in Mishapart of the state, there are many, particu- waka and opened July 10, 1882. On the larly absent South Benders who received 20th of the same month the county commistheir education in it, who will not hear of sioners at a special meeting decided to place less children have been placed with worthy Chaee, Sidney Smith, Sarah Gaylor, of Mishfamilies, where they have found father and awaka. Mrs. Dr. Harris and Mrs. Dr. Nemother, brothers and sisters in place of the ville, of South Bend, also sigTied the constinatural relatives who were taken from them tution.

by death or other misfortune. These ladies "The present officers of the Children's Aid have so interested the public spirited people Society of Indiana are : Mrs. J. McM. Smith, of the county that they have after much toil South Bend, president; Mrs. J. W. Keller, and years of effort succeeded in securing for Mishawaka, first vice-president ; Mrs. W. F. the Home what is indeed a most elegant and Wiggins, South Bend, second vice-president; commodious building standing on a beautiful Mrs. William Uline. Mishawaka, third viceeminence overlooking the St. Joseph river, president; Mrs. W. E. Butterworth, Misha- On Saturday, May 18, 1907, the twenty-fifth waka, recording secretary ; Miss Agnes Faranniversary of the founding of the institu- rand. South Bend, corresponding secretary; tion, the society had the satisfaction of dedi- Mrs. Elizabeth G. Kettring, South Bend, eating this fine home to its benevolent pur- treasurer.

"The first school in the home opened in September, 1891. During the 25 years the organization has been in existence 1,300 children have been cared for, many counties besides St. Joseph eounty sending children here to be cared for. Good homes have been found for several hundred children in the past 25 years. A careful watch is kept upon the children placed in homes, and it is very gratifying to the women of the Children's Aid Society to know that the majority of the children placed in homes by the society have grown up and made successful men and women.

"Up to March, 1891, the society was of uncertain force, having a constant struggle to meet its financial obligations. There were large amounts owing and but little in the treasury. At that time a radical change was effected in the management, a large number of sustaining pledges were secured and under the able presidency of Mrs. J. M. Studebaker the institution was soon upon a more solid basis. The present efficient superintendent, Miss Sarah Hathaway, was appointed, and since then the society has steadily grown in usefulness and efficiency.

"About 15 years ago the home received a small endowment fund of $6,250 from the estate of Mrs. Longer, of Laporte, Ind. With the interest from this fund and the per diem allowance from the county commissioners the home has been self -maintaining for a number of years.

"In 1900 the fine property now occupied was bought for $10,000 and with the help of contributions and entertainments this has been all paid, besides $10,000 for improvements on the property. The new building now completed has been erected at a cost of over $60,- 000, including equipments. A loan of $30,- 000 has been made upon the property, but in addition to this it will be necessary to raise about $10,000 to complete paying for the building and get only the most necessary furnishings. One item of large expense is for the fire escapes, which are of the most approved up-to-date make, and the best laundry equipment obtainable has been installed.

"The undertaking to erect this building without any funds at hand in the beginning was a formidable task to the 18 women of the board, but they have been sustained throughout by an unfaltering trust in the generosity of the public, which is being realized. The cause represented and the fact that when the building and furnishings are paid for, the home will be as before, self-sustaining, are two appealing facts to thoughtful people.

"The following women of Mishawaka and South Bend are now serving as a board of directors for the Children's Aid Society. They are all well known and have entered into the work with a determination to conduct the affairs of the home upon a sound business basis :

"Mrs. Jeannette Reynolds, South Bend, charter member ; Mrs. Abbie Ney, Mishawaka, charter member; Mrs. J. M. Studebaker, South Bend, charter member, served as president 1890-1891; Mrs. Tabor Ham, Mishawaka, charter member; Mrs. E. A. Jernegan, IMishawaka, elected June, 1884, served as ]6resident 1895-1896; Mrs. Dempster Beatty, ]\rishawaka, elected 1885, served as president 1891-1892, 1892-1893, 1898-1899, 1899-1900, 1900-1901; Mrs. Lafayette LeVan, South Bend, elected June, 1888, served as president 1896-1897, 1897-1898; Mrs. Luther Cass, Mishawaka, elected May, 1898; Miss C. Addie Van den Basch, South Bend, elected May, 1898; Mrs. Charles Endlich, Mishawaka, elected 1902; Mrs. J. C. Neithardt, South Bend, elected 1905.

"Much credit is due the members of the building committee for their untiring efforts. The women of this committee are : Mrs. Lafayette LeVan, South Bend, chairman ; Mrs. Elizabeth G. Kettring, South Bend, secretary; IMrs. Dempster Beatty, Mrs. J. Wallace Kel- ler, Mrs. W. E. Butterworth, Mishawaka; Mrs. J. M. Studebaker, Mrs. J. McM. Smith, Miss C. Addie Van den Bosch, South Bend. The following gentlemen also served on the committee: M. W. Mix, F. G. Eberhart, J. A. Roper, E. G. Eberhart, Mishawaka; J. M.

' ' The committee on furnishings for the new home is composed of the following members : Mrs. W. F. Wiggins, Mrs. J. C. Neithardt, Mre. Charles Endlich, South Bend."