Tipton County, Indiana - Chapter 17: Miscellaneous Items, 1914

Chapter 17: Miscellaneous Items

It is appropriate and fitting that some mention should be made of the illustrious, though notorious, man in honor of whom this county was named, and also the county seat - mention in the way of information and perhaps justification.

John Tipton was of Irish descent, his father a native of Maryland. Young Tipton was bom in the midst of strife and turmoil, and his young eyes looked upon bitter family feuds, violent encounters, and his mind was taught hatred toward his enemies. Young Tipton lived to see his own father surreptitiously murdered, as has been alleged, by the Sevier family, enemies of the Tiptons. John Tipton was bom on August 14, 1786, so was seven years old at the time of his father's death.

When he was twenty-one years old John Tipton moved with his mother and family to Indiana, settling near Bringley's Ferry, in Harrison county.

Early in his life here, his military genius and natural faculty for leader¬ ship were recognized by his fellows. His first military experience was as a member of a company of mounted riflemen known as "Yellow Jackets." As this company waged a merciless war on the Indians, Tipton was soon inured to the smell of gunpowder and became one of the most notable figures in the campaigns of that day. His troops marched on the Prophet's town, and engaged the red men. The whites lost severely, and it so happened that so many of the officers were killed that it was necessary to hold another election. Tipton was chosen captain.

In the battle of Tippecanoe, on October 7, 1811, Gen. John Tipton won his spurs as an Indian fighter and leader. He distinguished himself in this struggle. To show his magnanimity and whole-heartedness, he afterward purchased the historic battle-ground, so that the bones of his comrades might be preserved in their last resting place. After holding it a few years, he donated it to the state. Tipton rose through the various ranks by virtue of his bravery and skill, until President M0nroe appointed him brigadier-general. At the first election in Harrison county, John Tipton was made sheriff and he was re-elected. In the state election held in August, 1819, he was elected a representative to the Legislature, and to this office also received a re-election. He was a member of the commission to locate a state capital, which created Indianapolis. In 1821 Tipton was named a commissioner to serve with others to establish the boundary line between Indiana and Illinois. In 1823 Tipton was appointed Indian agent by President M unroe for the Pottawatomie and Miami tribes. He was instrumental in removing the Indians from Indiana to ground farther west.

Tipton was twice married. His first wife was Jennie Shields, his cousin, and to them were born two sons. The second wife was Matilda Spencer. Three children were born to them.

Gen. John Tipton died on April 4, 1839, after a life of tumult and suc¬ cess in various undertakings. Five years later Tipton county was'jorganized and named after the General.

John Tipton had no education in his early youth, and the diaries he made during his campaigns, which are still preserved, would be laughable to one who knew not the man. Fie lived in such intense fashion, that it was only natural that his every action should be in excess. He fought excessively, he governed excessively, and he carried his habits to excess. It is the big deeds, the service he gave to his fellowmen and society, which are to be engraved in the pages of his history, as descriptive of the man.

The old settlers of the county held a preliminary meeting in September, 1879, at the county clerk's office. Judge John Green was elected president and John Long was made secretary. The following old settlers were present when this meeting was called to order. Peter Hough, John Green, Thomas Murphy, D. F. Hutto, Janies Egler, George Baldwin, Squire Hill, John Long, John Burkhart, Alexander Pennock, John McVay, Thomas Cole, Boston Day, Samuel Louck, D. J. Caldwell, D. M. Hill, John Evans, W. S. Bunch, Joseph Oram, Frederick Snyder, S. Patten, Jesse Stone, Martin Kleyla. Barbara Kleyla and Elizabeth Carr. After the organization the society ad¬ journed, to meet again at the court house on September 25, 1879, a* ten o'clock A. M.

On the Fourth of July, 1880, the society again held a meeting at Green's Grove, on which occasion the address was delivered by the Hon. John Green, and a constitution and by-laws were adopted. In the following September many new members were secured for the organization.

The old settlers* association still exists and holds annual meetings at the town of Goldsmith. Many hundreds of people come in for this celebration from all directions, and some from a great distance.

First Marriages

The first marriage in Tipton county after the organization was on August 8, 1844, between Joseph G. Brown and Dorinda Sharp. John B. Cole, justice of the peace at that time, performed the ceremony. The second marriage occurred on the same day as the above, and the contracting parties were Hickman Smiley and Elizabeth Mills. Judge Goar united them. The third marriage was between Harvey Denney and Sophia Shaw, September 12, 1844, by Justice Cole.

County Population By Decades Defunct Towns

In the early days the dreams of the people were greater than could be fulfilled by them. There were towns platted, and ceased right there, little or no sale of lots occurring. Some of them were never even laid out, for they were located in a dense woods, and when the axe-man came he cleared up a farm instead.

The first town that was laid out was Kingston, located just across Cicero creek above the railroad bridge. This was in 1839 and before Tipton county was organized, and the record of the plat is in Book G, page 229, of the Hamilton county commissioners' records. Samuel King laid out the town, but he never sold a lot, and so the town died.

The second town laid out was Kinderhook. six miles southeast of Tipton, in Madison township, now on the John W. Miller farm. This town was laid out in -1841, before the organization of the county. It is on record in Hamilton county.

The third town laid out was Jericho, two miles south of Tetersburg. now owned by Abe Smith. There were forty-eight lots in the town and after the sale of one lot, the town died, though at one time there was a saw mill there. W. P. Weed was the last inhabitant of Jericho.

The fourth town which had a chance was Grandview, located about two miles southwest of Sharpsville, in the Pratt neighborhood. It was laid out with forty-eight lots, and made a matter of record in 1848. There were three principal streets, named Main, Taylor and Cass. The ague came into the town and effectively killed it. One man contracted for a lot and a bond given for the deed on delivery of twenty-five coon skins. The man found a better price for his skins, and consequently a sale that might have been was not.

In 1856 it was thought that there was a great opening for a town one and a half miles southeast of Kempton, on the Wilson Wheatley farm. A town of twenty lots was laid out and called New Martinsburg. Main and Washington were the names of the principal streets. A lot sale was adver¬ tised and it was promised that a railroad wouljCrun directly through the town. On the day of the sale, however, there were few bidders and the highest bid .for a choice corner lot was forty cents.

The fifth town to get on the map was Wiseville, a town laid out in 1852. It was rumored that a railroad was going to be constructed through that sec¬ tion, and an attempt was made to build a town there, but another man got in ahead, and laid out the town of Nevada, and when the Panhandle road vame. the town of Nevada got the station, and - exit Wiseville. T. L. Lahesh, George W. and William Wise conceived the town in the first place.

Parrottsville was projected when the Indianapolis, Peru & Chic«To railroad was constructed, but it did not survive long. It was laid out in 185, and several lots were sold for a nominal sum.

In Madison township, the Panhandle railroad boosted a number of town and an attempt was made to locate a town about three-fourths of a mile nort1- west of Curtisville, and it was called New California. It was laid out in 18,3 and had thirty-two lots. Curtisville killed the town and there is no recorf of a lot ever being sold. There were four streets in the town, called Main. North, South and West, and on the east of the town the street was called the Strawtown state road. The Panhandle still runs through New California.

Soon after this there was a railroad projected from Cleveland to St. Louis, passing through Madison and Cicero townships. The line had pro¬ gressed so far that a little grading was done and some timber cut, but that ended the road building. Five miles east of Atlanta a town was laid out and called Rogersville. It had thirty-two lots and every one of them was sold on contract at a certain price, if the railroad was ever built, but the failure of the latter caused the death of Rogersville.

In 1891, when Elwood was booming, a town called Harmony was laid out, that is now a part of West Elwood. The town went out of existence early and the site is now known bv the above name, West Elwood.

It is claimed that New Lancaster is the oldest town in the county, but there was never a town plat made, so the claim is not certain. The honor of being the oldest, however, lies between this town and Normanda, with the odds in favor of the former.

There never was a town plat in Prairie township, though several small towns have existed in that territory. Groomsville, Wiles, Prairieville and Cartersville are some of them. New York is in Jefferson township, also Tetersburg and Ekin, both in existence, but without a postoffice.

Cyclone Of 1 886

On Wednesday evening, May 12, 1886, a terrific rain storm and tornado visited Tipton county. The Advocate published a glowing account of the storm, a portion of the article following :

"The cloud was very low and appeared to be of a cylindrical shape, bounding up and down, and of a very dark, green color. From the course of the various paths of destruction we are led to believe that there were three or four, all centering together about three-fourths of a mile south of this city. Added to the fury of the wind was an electrical current, lightning, thunder, rain and hail, altogether making one of the most frightening spectacles ever witnessed. The one from the west formed about a mile west of Tipton and passed over the county farm and commenced its real work of destruction on the fair grounds. Every building, fence, and nearly every tree was blown down or carried away. On it went, taking the timber in the creek bottom and over the old Tom Smith farm. The house on this farm was unrbofed and the frame thrown about one-third around on the foundation. The barn was totally destroyed. Next, the residence of March Tucker succumbed, totally wrecking the building and injuring several of the inmates. Just across the road was the Roberts' large two-story brick house. One side was entirely blown away and springing the walls on the other sides. A young man sitting in a rocking chair in one of the upper rooms was carried away and lodged in a fence comer unhurt, the chair being carried some distance farther and was found the next day. Graham's residence was moved on its foundation, and the house occupied by Frank Ridley was unroofed and the family blown into the woods, all receiving slight injuries. Shank's Grove was next attacked, and this beautiful and shaded resort was totally felled to the earth. This ap¬ pears to be the end of this storm. Another formed about one mile north¬ east of the city and swooped down upon Shank's fine timber land, tearing the trees in every which way, many of them falling across the Lake Erie rail¬ road track. Crossing the railroad track, it demolished the barn and house of Lewis Deihl, throwing the family in every direction. A young lady named Miss Barger was carried along the railroad track, where she received fatal injuries. She was found by the railroad men and brought to town. Two horses were killed and a number of geese, ducks and chickens. The cyclone here gathered more force and sped across the fields and on its way unroofed Mike McMahan's house, destroyed his orchard and committed other depreda¬ tions. Its next work of destruction was carrying away the residence of Uriah Gates, together with his entire family. All were seriously injured ex¬ cept an infant babe. A little six-vear-old boy was bruised and cut from head to foot, and was given up to die, but kind hands saved his life. An eightyear-old girl, Gracie, died the next morning. Mrs. Gates had one arm broken in two or three places and her shoulder broken, besides many bruises and cuts. Uriah was injured on the' arm and leg and other members of the family were more or less bruised. Across the road was the large two-story frame resi¬ dence of Phil Burkey, which was razed to the ground, totally destroying and carrying away the buildings and contents. The family had taken refuge in a small out house which escaped the notice of the storm, thus their lives were saved. George Vawter's house was swept away and a house occupied by a family named Lane was unroofed. Peter Singer's and Jap Osborn's resi¬ dences and Jim Woodruff's barn left their moorings and wrecked,. After leav¬ ing Burkey's, this electrical message of death turned west and met the one going east. Another coming from the southeast joined hands with the other two and all three made an attack on the Stevens, Roberts and the two Cochran farms, completely destroying the fine timber that each of these farmers had saved. Southeast a man by the name of Snipe lost his residence and orchard. Asbury Tichenor's orchard was ruined and all the fences along the wake of the storms were gone. Besides the terrible work of the cyclone there was a heavy wind that extended almost all over the county. In Prairie township.

timber and fences suffered terribly. In Liberty township the same work of destruction went on. Bennett Pratt had a barn unroofed and Jesse Jackson had several outbuildings upturned. At Kempton, David Goodnight's house was badly damaged and barns, houses and timber were destroyed in every direction. Over toward Ekin, timber, fences and houses were destroyed. Tipton barely escaped. The course of the cyclone was less than a fourth of a mile south. The roof, of the Commercial Hotel was hurled away, several barns were turned around and outbuildings, shade and fruit trees suffered seriously. Near Burkey's a brick school house was completely demolished. During this death-dealing disaster the lightning flashed with brilliant fury, the thunder rolled long, loud and deafening, and the rain poured down in per¬ fect torrents, flooding streets and streams. Horsemen came to town for aid. The cries of the injured were heartrending and terror was pictured on every countenance. The pen refuses to describe the awful night, imagination fails to portray and human tongue cannot tell the horrible tale.,,

Relative Altitude Of Tipton

The late Professor Campbell, of Wabash College, once published a table showing the elevation above sea level of one point in every county in Indiana. There were seventeen points higher than Tipton, the latter being the highest point between Michigan City and Indianapolis. A few comparisons are shown by the following table, giving the number of feet above sea level : Tipton, 875.5 Lafayette, 542 feet; Frankfort, 841 feet; Muncie, 960 feet; Kokomo, 840 feet; Anderson, 892 feet; Indianapolis, 723 feet; Peru, 657 feet; Plymouth, 781 feet; Rochester, 785; LaPorte, 81 1 feet; Noblesville, 770 feet.

Early Fourth Of July Celebrations

The government survey of Tipton county was made in 1821, but there were no inhabitants in the county,. or the territory that afterward became Tipton county, until 1829, eight years after the survey. In 1835 there were several families in the county, but civilized homesteads did not appear until about 1840. In 1837, John D. Smith entered land in Jefferson township, but he did not occupy it until 1839. John D. Smith was more than an ordi¬ nary man and he was a man full of patriotism. In 1840 he attempted to get up a Fourth of July celebration, but failed to arouse any enthusiasm and his project met with a dismal failure. He was deeply chagrined, for in addition to his failure he discovered that there was not a flag in the county. When he made this discovery he purchased some red, white and blue cloth and had his wife to make a flag, and on the Fourth of July, 1840, he hoisted the flag over his residence, the first flag ever raised in Tipton county. It so filled him with joy that he got out his hunting musket and began to shoot. He kept it up until neighbors near and far wondered what was going on and several of them went over, two or three Indians joining them to find out what was the matter. Smith compelled them to take their hats off their heads, wave them in the air and give three cheers for the Fourth of July. John D. Smith gave a big dinner of wild turkey and venison and made a speech. So, thus was the first Fourth of July celebration ever held in Tipton county and the first flag that ever waved in the county was over the little log cabin of John D. Smith.

Tipton county was organized in 1844 and the first election held on March 27th. The first court held in the county was at the residence of Jesse Brown, on the farm now owned by Charles Richman, one mile south of Tipton. They met on the 12th day of May. The first commissioners' court was held at the same place on June 3d. John D. Smith was one of the first county commissioners and when they met in session for the first time he was there with his flag. The presence of the flag had its good effect, for it was then determined to celebrate the Fourth. When the day arrived several hundred people assembled near the old Sam King saw mill, just below where the railroad bridge crosses Cicero creek. John D. Smith, Jesse Brown, Green Lilly, Joseph Sumner, Harvey Goody koontz and Sylvester Turpen were the principal speakers. They had a great day of it. The men shot at marks, pitched horse shoes, ran foot races, wrestled and had other amuse¬ ments. The women and girls played tag, "pussy wants a corner," jumped the rope, got dinner and otherwise entertained themselves.

The next Fourth of July celebration was in 1846. The county was fill¬ ing up with people from Ohio, Kentucky and southern Indiana and the cele¬ bration was held in the court house yard. Silas Blount, Joseph Goar and William Garver were the speakers. On this occasion the usual custom of shooting at marks was one of the events and a man who had not been in the county very long, by the name of Bishop Carleton, was a crack marks¬ man. He had plumped the center several times and was about to shoot again, when his musket bursted and he was so badly injured that he died the next day. This broke up the Fourth of July business, but in 1850 Judge John Green had located in Tipton, and, like John D. Smith, this was no country at all without a Fourth of July celebration. Every man. woman and child in the county turned out and Judge Green was the orator of the day.

There were four or five flags displayed and they had a great parade. The procession was made up of footmen, men on horseback, in wagons with ox teams and mud boats. They marched through the woods and around the court house square. When night came, they had turpentine balls that they threw at one another for hours. They also had a big bonfire made of brush heaps.

From thence on to this daiy, Fourth of July celebrations put on more modern ways and today celebrations are as unlike the celebrations of fifty years ago as day is of night. There was a great celebration in 1855, another' in 1859 and then, owing to the high political tension, no more celebrations were held until 1862, but there was a great war on and differences of opinion caused many a man to go home with a peeled head or a bloody nose. In 1865 another celebration was held, but the war had ended and the soldiers were at home and one of the best celebrations ever held in the county was ob¬ served.

Fourth of July attractions had again lost their charm until 1876, when an¬ other celebration was held. Noah Parker read the Declaration of Independ¬ ence and Judge Overman and Judge Waugh were the speakers.

In 1894, the Red Men gave a celebration that brought a good many people to Tipton, but the most exciting and most unique celebration ever held was under the auspices of the Orient in 1896. An industrial parade was one of the principal features. Tom Kinder was the "Grand Padashaw," and he looked like *an oriental god, doubled up on a pedestal erected on a big wagon. A few years ago, the Woodmen gave a great celebration and it was one of the biggest and best ever held in the county, but no celebration ever held meant so much as the first celebration held at the log cabin of John D. Smith.

Murderers And Murder Trials

The record shows that Tipton county was organized in 1845, seventy vears ago, and the first indictment that appears on the records is a charge of assault and battery with intent to kill by one Colburn Burch. The record is so dim and so imperfect that it is impossible to tell upon whom he made the assault. However, he was arrested, locked up in the little log jail and after a jury heard the case, returned a verdict of not guilty.

The first murder committed in Tipton county was on October 1, 1851. six years after the organization of the county. A man by the name of Har¬ vey Moon made an assault upon Andrew Hornbeck with a knife and stabbed him to death. Public sentiment was very bitter toward him and he was taken to Indianapolis, where he was confined until his trial. It was impossible to get a jury in Tipton county and a change ot venue was taken to Marion county. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for five years, but escaped at the ena 01 about eighteen months, since when nothing was ever heard of him.

The records show more than one hundred indictments for murder, man¬ slaughter and assault* and battery with intent to kill. The greatest majority of them were acquittals or dismissals by the prosecutor. Three-fourths of the indictments where assault and battery with intent to kill were found are prior to 1890. There are a number of acquittals where death actually fol¬ lowed an assault, but most of them were justifiable and the public was satis¬ fied with the verdicts.

There was one case that never got onto the court docket, though an in¬ dictment was found. On July 5, 1881, Tom Fox murdered Erastus Nordyke in a wheat field near Nevada. Fox made his escape, and while a re¬ ward was offered for his arrest, no clue was ever found by the authorities as to his whereabouts. He disappeared as though he had been swallowed up in the earth.

Several important murder cases have been tried in the Tipton court upon changes of venue from other counties. One of the most important was the trial of Dr. H. C. Cole, of Kokomo. He was charged with the murder of a man by the name of Allen and at the trial he escaped conviction on the plea of insanity. He afterward became mayor of Kokomo and while acting in that capacity was killed while assisting parties in stealing flour from a mill. The next important trial was another case from Kokomo, where Lieut. William W. Daugherty, who was an officer in the regular army, murdered a man by the name of Joseph VanHorn, the case being venued to this county. The best legal talent in the state was employed in this case. Thomas A. Hen¬ dricks, Joseph E. McDonald, Gen. Ben Harrison, Daniel W. Voorhees and John W. Kern represented one side or the other. It was one of the hardest fought murder trials ever held in the county. It took several weeks to try the case and after it was given to the jury and they being out several hours, returned a verdict of "not guilty as charged in the indictment."

March 22, 1862, Joel Powers murdered Harrison Bess, and was con¬ victed on a charge of manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for five years. A new trial was granted and in the second trial the jury failed to agree, after which the case was dismissed.

December 8, 1863, David W. Whelchell and Lewis Elliston were in¬ dicted for the murder of William W. Echelman. Elliston was sentenced to the penitentiary for life, but was pardoned after a few years and it is re¬ ported that he went to Missouri, where he was finally hung for murder. Whetchell was also sentenced for life, but he secured a new trial and the next jury failed to agree and he finally escaped for want of prosecution. He then went west, where he lived a miserable life.*

March 19, 1864, John Wilson was indicted on a charge of assault and battery with intent to kill William Stroup. He was arrested, sent to Noblesville and placed in jail and a change of venue taken to Delaware county. There is no record showing what disposition was made of the case.

July 12, 1865, Samuel F. Armstrong was indicted for intent to kill Henry H. Thomas. A change of venue was taken to Delaware county and no record showing what became of the case.

December 7, 1865, Joel R. Harvey and Jane Goff were indicted for mur¬ der in the first degree of Aaron F. Goff. Jane Goff was sentenced to the penitentiary for two years, while Joel Harvey escaped trial by the negli¬ gence of the prosecution. He afterward went west.

January 30, 1866, William Jones made an assault and battery with in¬ tent to kill James A. Franklin. He was convicted and sentenced to the peni¬ tentiary for ten years, a fine of five hundred dollars and costs of trial.

December 29, 1867, James B. Stewart assaulted Perry Gifford with in¬ tent to kill. He was twice tried, each jury failing to agree. The case was then venued to Howard county. No record of what became of the case.

January 15, 1876. Wright Smith committed an assault on Henry Young, with intent to kill. Upon an indictment being returned, there were a number of continuances and the case was finally dismissed, owing to the death of the accused.

September 12, 1876, Daniel C. Snyder was charged with the murder of his wife and at the first trial he was sentenced to the penitentiary for twenty-one years, but a new trial was granted. At the second trial a change of venue was taken from Judge Pollard and Judge E. C. Buskirk, of In¬ dianapolis, was appointed to try the case, but owing to the possible relation¬ ship existing between him and interested parties, he refused to try the case and John B. Elam,, of Indianapolis, was appointed to try it. The result of this trial was a conviction and sentence to the penitentiary for life. The case was again reversed and a change of venue taken to Delaware county, where for the third time, he was convicted and sentenced for twenty-one years. After a number of years, he was pardoned.

July 23, 1891, William S. Jones was charged with aiding and abetting with John Bonecutter in the murder of Fred C. Hobbs and he was sen¬ tenced to the penitentiary for two years.

August 3, 1900, William Christy made an assault and battery on Abe Straley with intent to kill and he was sentenced to the reformatory at Jef¬ fersonville for from two to fourteen years.

March 9, 1902, Fred Oberlease was indicted for assault and battery with intent to kill Alpheus Orr. He was found guilty and sentenced to the reformatory at Jeffersonville for from two to fourteen years.

October 23, 1903, Thomas J. McClure killed his two children, James 0. McClure and George Dee McClure and was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.

May 4, 1909, Henry Yarling killed Charles Smith. He was arrested and lodged in jail, but the case was continued from time to time until in May, 1910, when he was tried before a jury and was acquitted on a plea of self-defense.

Market Prices

It is interesting to note the different prices that have been paid for commodities in the past, and compare them with the present. Such method leads one to appreciate the high cost of living, which theory, or imposition, is today a world-wide topic.

In February, 1879, hogs ranged from $3.25 to $3.40; butter, 14 cents per pound; eggs, 12^/2 cents a dozen; potatoes, 45 cents a bushel; apples, 4° cents per bushel; chickens, $2.00 per dozen; ducks, $1.75 per dozen; geese, 35 cents each; turkeys, 4^2 cents per pound; corn, 25 cents per bushel.

In comparison and contrast to these scales of prices, note the following, which list prevails on January 24, 1914: Hogs, $8.50; coffee, 15 cents to 35 cents; meat, 12 cents to 25 cents; wheat, 95 cents; corn, 66 cents; eggs, 30 cents; butter, 30 cents to 35 cents; sugar, 4.05 cents per pound; potatoes, 58 cents to 63 cents; apples, $4.00 per barrel; lumber, $10 to $70 per thou¬ sand feet.

By a law of the state it was provided that ten per cent, of the proceeds of the sale of county lots should be used to purchase and maintain a county library. A special law of 1845 constituted the county board the library trustees, and soon after this J. S. Ressler was elected librarian, A. P. Cassler, clerk, and N. J. Jackson, treasurer. In 1846 forty-five volumes of miscellany were bought, and each volume was rented for ten cents per quarter. The library was added to from time to time as the funds admitted.

Vital Statistics

The vital statistics of a county, or any section of country, are valuable from many standpoints. Such figures enter largely in determining the char¬ acter of a county or city, and are not to be disregarded and treated as a mere interesting bit of news.

In the year 1886, in Tipton county, there were one hundred and fiftyeight marriages. There were two hundred and twenty-six male children born, and two hundred and twenty-five females. There were eight twin births. In that year there were one hundred and eight deaths from different causes. It will be noticed that there was one more male birth than female, and that the births exceeded the deaths by three hundred and sixty-two, which fact indicates an exceedingly healthy condition of the county. Contrast this table with the one compiled at the end of the year 1913; the situation is one that leads to serious consideration, and the establishment of some remedy for the apparent race suicide.

During the year 1913 there were born in Tipton county, outside of Tipton and Windfall, one hundred and thirty-four boys and one hundred and twenty-two girls, making a total of two hundred and fifty-six births. Against this there were sixtv-nine male and seventy-four female deaths, outside of Tipton and Windfall, making a total of one hundred and forty-three. Dur- ing the year 1913, the birth rate in Tipton county, including Windfall and Tipton, was two hundred and thirty-nine male and one hundred and eightyeight female births, making a total in the county of four hundred and twen¬ ty-seven. During the year there were one hundred and twenty-eight male deaths and two hundred and three female deaths, a total of two hundred and thirty-one, making one hundred and ninety-six more births than deaths in the county. This rate shows too high a death number for births, and as such, will decrease, rather than increase, the population.

Tipton county is a part of the Indiana natural gas held, which lies in the eastern central part of the state. The gas held extends about one hundred miles north and south and seventy miles east and west. The gas rock, or "sand/' which means rock wherein gas is stored or generated, is Trenton limestone. This is an universal formation in the state, though not an uni¬ versal gas rock. This Trenton limestone is porous, and is covered with a heavy layer of Utica shale, which serves to keep the gas imprisoned. The porous condition is due to chemical composition. The carbonate of lime in the upper beds of Trenton rock has given away, in part, to carbonate of mag¬ nesia. The result is a highly crystalline limestone of sufficient porosity to contain a large quantity of gas. This condition is more marked in the center of the field, for toward the outer edges the rock becomes absolutely solid.

In the years 1885 to 1888 there was a genuine gas boom in Tipton county. Today there is little or no gas available, but for many years the city of Tipton, and other points in the county, were supplied with natural gas. One after the other the wells failed, until the available supply had been used.

In 1886 borings were made into the strata of Trenton rock, and in sev¬ eral places a flow of natural gas was forthcoming, often succeeded by the all-destroying salt water. The first boring made was in the north part of the city of Tipton. The county of Tipton lies in a wide gas belt, or what was a gas belt, and drillings in almost any portion of the territory would result in a varying flow of gas and occasionally oil. Tipton, Hobbs, Kempton, Sharpsville, Jackson Station and other towns had gas wells, and when the gas was not sufficiently strong to supply a large community it was utilized by a number of farmers for their homes.

In 1887 a city gas ordinance was passed and immediately a company was formed under the name of the Tipton Light, Heat and Power Company, with sufficient capital to prospect for more gas. The first directors of this com¬ pany were M. E. Williams, R. L. Carlin, E. M. Johnson, G. S. Russell, P. L. Golden, L. C. Wilson, J. P. Kemp, E. H. Shirk, M. V. B. Newcomer. Under the management of this company several wells were driven, and were suc¬ cessful. Tipton county at this time had an abundance of gas, and for a cheaper rate than any other town in northern Indiana. Newspapers were enthusiastic over the gas prospects and forecasted a future Tipton of grand proportions and unlimited wealth. Prices of land soared - but fell. It is needless to say that people failed to realize that the gas was a natural product, and an unknown one, and consequently they wasted the supply. Gradually it weakened, one by one the wells went into disuse, and the company organ¬ ized was forced to give up their service, after twenty-five years of prosperity.

In January, 1914, an attempt was made to revive the "Jumt>0" well, located at Hobbs. For some time in the past years this well had been oper¬ ated by the Tipton Light, Heat and Power Company, and supplied the peo¬ ple of Tipton with all their gas. After the company went out of the field, this well was sold to a number of farmers living east of the city, and their homes were piped. It afforded all the gas needed for a number of years, but several months ago the supply failed. An expert was employed, a charge of nitro-glvcerine was lowered and the floor of the well blown up. This gave new life to Jumbo, and the flow mounted to a degree attained only in her prime. The extent of the new pressure is a matter of conjecture at this time. It may survive, and again, it may fail, as all gas wells do.

Although the natural gas in Tipton county began to fail in the year tqo6. there is still a large amount being taken from the ground here. The city of Chicago is drilling continually through Liberty, Prairie and Jefferson townships, and is getting gas. One well lasts but a few months, but by the time this one has failed others are ready. The Chicago company follows a gas belt line across these townships.

The Peru & Indianapolis railroad, now the Lake Erie & Western, was built through Tipton county in 1854. The county donated certain lands for depots and freight houses and the citizens gave willingly the right-*>f~way. In addition to this, the county took ten thousand dollars' worth of stock in the company. In 1869 the county cast a vote on levying a tax of sixty thou¬ sand dollars to aid the Lafayette, Muncie & Bloomington railroad, also a part of the Lake Erie today. There were cast one thousand and twenty-six .votes for the levy and five hundred and fifteen against it. Half of this ap¬ propriation was to be levied in June, 1870, and half a year later. The pres¬ ent Lake Erie & Western railroad has a junction at Tipton, with lines run¬ ning east, west, north and south. The freight houses, round houses and shops are located here, and several hundred men are employed. Negotia¬ tions are under way in May, 1914, by which a large tract of ground will be added to the railroad yards, to permit the more convenient handling of freight. The main line of the Lake Erie & Western was constructed in 1875.

The Great Eastern railway, now the Pittsburg, Cincinnati,' Chicago & St. .Louis road was constructed through the northeast part of the county in 1858.

Interurban Lines

The Indiana Union Traction Company has two lines running through Tipton county, Tipton being a division point. The road was constructed through this county about 1902. The north and south, or Logansport and Indianapolis division, connects Indianapolis, Tipton, Kokomo, Peru and Logansport; the east and west line runs from Tipton to Elwood and Alex¬ andria. Sharpsville is on the north line, and also Atlanta and several other small places: Hobbs is on the east and west division. Tipton is a meeting point of all cars, and their movements are controlled from here. Train dis- patcher s offices, electrical superintendent's office, car barns and sub-station are all located at Tipton. The cars maintain an hourly schedule, with an hour and a half run into Indianapolis. Elegant steel cars have recently been placed on the road.

During the interval between 1830 and 1840 state roads were laid out across Tipton county. One was from Indianapolis north to the Wabash river and another was from "Muncietown" to Lafayette. Records show that the first county road had the following limits: "Beginning on the line of Hamilton county, on the east side of section 28, township 21 north, range 4 east, thence by the best route to King's mill on Cicero creek." Over twelve of the residents of Hamilton county petitioned the board of that county, to which Tipton was then attached, for this road. Prior to 1844 over a dozen other roads were extended across the county. The first road petitioned for and built after the organization of the county was to extend as follows: From near Michael Mitchell's residence to Zimri Brown's; thence to Charles Griffith's, thence to near William Goings' and James Jack's, thence north to the Miami reserve. Charles Thurman, Carter T. Jackson and Samuel Townsend were viewers. The "three per cent, fund" supplied by the state of Indiana for the construction of roads was a fortunate thing for Tipton county in the improving and constructing of the highways. The need of good roads was so great, however, that a special road tax was levied on the citizens of the county. By September, 1852, there had been planned a total of seventy-five county roads, the greater number of which had been built. This number increased year by year, and in 1882 there were over five hundred roads projected. Today there are six hundred and forty-six miles of improved gravel roads in the county, thus ranking Tipton near the top of the list of Indiana counties in this respect.

The up-keep of the improved roads in Tipton county is liberally pro¬ vided by the county taxpayers, and every effort is being made to make the highways even better. Tipton has caught the spirit of the whole country, the demand for better roads. The introduction of the automobile first drew the people's attention to this need, and it is no idle prophecy to state that within another decade there will be nothing but macadamized roads in the county. Enormous sums are to be spent to this end, and the work has already started. The public road system is sectionized.

Road Facts

In Tipton county there are two hundred and sixty square miles. There are five hundred and sixty miles of public roads; four hundred and ten miles of improved roads ; three hundred and ninety-five miles improved with gravel; fifteen miles improved with crushed stone; making seventy-three and two-tenths per cent, of the roads of the county improved. The gravel roads averaged in the original cost $2,200 per mile; the stone roads cost $3>500. The total original cost of the improved roads was $921,500.

Gravel

For the amount and quality *of gravel Tipton county is one of the poor¬ est of central Indiana. The average sizes of the material are seven per cent, clay, twenty-three per cent, fine medium sand, twenty-three per cent, medium sand, twenty per cent, coarse sand, seventeen per cent, roofing pebble, and ten per cent, gravel. The average rock percentages are eighty-three limestone, ten crystallines, four shale, two slate, and one chert. The deposits of economic importance in Tipton county are, with the exception of two or three in hills along Mud creek and one on the southeast corner, all below the ground water level, and are operated by exhausting the water with a pump and the hauling the material out of the pits with teams. The main locations are along Shanty, Wildcat, Cicero and Prairie creeks, and old filled-up valleys in the civil township of Madison.

Navigation Of Cicero Creek

In June, 1858, the board received a petition with thirty-six names at¬ tached, asking that, after proper investigation, so much of Cicero creek as lay within the limits of Tipton county was suitable, might be declared navigable. Sylvester Turpen, who had presented the petition, was appointed to examine the creek and report its length in the county, depth, width, etc., and upon receipt of his report, and after due deliberation, the board formally declared that fifteen miles of the twenty miles of the creek in the county were to be considered a navigable water-course, and the various road super¬ visors along the stream were ordered to take charge of the highway.

It has not been many years since there was no fishing whatever in the county of Tipton. The streams are small, and about the only catches which can be made are shiners, chubs, silversides, red horse, suckers, sun fish and cat fish. Of recent years, however, the several empty gravel pits in the county have come to be excellent fishing grounds. Among these pits might be mentioned Pott's pit, Gunning pit, Carr, Owen, Ferguson and Garhart. The pits are beautiful little lakes and are very inviting during the summer months for the fisherman. The ponds have been liberally stocked with bass, pickerel, goggle eyes, etc., and some really big catches are made. The United States and Indiana boards of fish commissioners have come to recognize these pits, and have issued orders in regard to their maintenance. Carp was introduced into Tipton county by Caleb B. Shank in 1890. And so, consid¬ ering these facts, Tipton county may yet bear a reputation as a fishing ground.