Vigo County, Indiana - Chapter 24: Chronological Notes, 1908

Chapter 24: Chronological Notes

Lincoln is said to have kept a cabinet in his library, labeled 'Tf not found elsewhere, look here." In collecting historical data, many interesting items seem worthy of record, yet cannot be properly inserted in the course of the narrative. Instead of casting them aside, it seems better to give them a place under some such head as the above, where the reader may find here and there some facts that afford new lights on the past life of the city and county.

Some of the incidents of the year 1838-39, as gleaned from the Wabash Enquirer, established on July 4th of that year by J. P. Chapman: The postmaster of that year was George B. Graff. Many farmers intending to pack their pork that year could not on account of the early closing of the (3hio river by ice, which stopped the shipment of salt. They would be compelled, therefore, to sell their pork to those who had the salt, which was worth $1.50 a barrel. School was kept in the basement of the Congregational church, the school trustees of the time being Henry Rose, C. T. Noble and J. T. Moffatt. The Eagle Hotel at Third and Cherry had as its landlord John McKennon. There is mention of the Fort Harrison Guards as then in existence. A "real live elephant" was an attraction advertised for a circus and menagerie held in June, 1839.

In 1832 the board of trustees of the town ordained that if any captain or commander of any boat navigating the Wabash permit any person sick with smallpox or other contagious disease to be landed from his boat in this town, the said captain should forfeit and pay $5 for each such person.

In 1841 the hotels of Terre Haute were the National, of which William McFadden was the landlord ; the Parellion, run by Gen. John Scott, and the Wabash, William P. Dole.

In 1863 the Harrison township hbrary for the free use of citizens was located at the office of Zenas Smith. At the same time there was the Workingmen's Institute Library Association, which had been established June 26, 1856. This was located in the office of Scott & Booth.

During the war a number of the young women of the city were students in the Terre Haute Female College. Its business officers were R. ^^^ Wllson, president, and L. Ryce, vice-president.

February. - While repairing the drawbridge George Eastman and T. A. Madison fell with part of the draw thirty feet into the water. Eastman was drowned.

The following inducements offered for Mexican war service, over name of Lieut. A. D. Nelson : Bounty of $12 to recruits, 160 acres of land, one ration a day and comfortable and genteel clothing. (The prudent soldier may readily save from $420 to $1,020 during his enlistment of five years.) A prize of $2 paid to any citizen bringing a recruit to the recruiting office.

March 4. - First meeting of directors of new railroad (\andalia). Rose elected president. The act of incorporation of the road was approved by Governor Whitcomb January 26th. Railroad convention called for second Monday in 'Slay at Indianapolis.

Stores. - D. M. Crisher, jeweler; Virgil J. Burnett, carriage and blacksmith workshop ; John C. Ross bought interest in Boston Store of W. E. Chamberlain, January i ; "Rough and Ready" the name of Simon & Hershler's clothing store ; Walter Cooper, provisions and wagon yard, next to market house, offered $3 per hundred for good fat cattle: $51.- 000 subscribed at Vincennes for Wabash river improvement, but not much in Terre Haute.

Business. - W. B. Tuell, successor to G. W. Lang-worthy. The Terre Haute Band mentioned. Thomas H. Fearn, confectioner. Office of Wabash and Erie canal at Terre Haute under Colonel Blake. Mnemonical Seminary, all branches, George H. Spencer, at Methodist church. Levy's Hotel.

Circus. - Rockwell & Co.'s mammoth circus, comprising 150 men and horses and eight beautiful lady equestrians. Largest canvas in America, to seat 4,000. The pageants in the performance were : "The Crusaders, or Warriors of the Cross," "The Suite of the Sultan," "Pomatousky, or the Ladies and Nobles of Poland," and the "Bull Fight, the Holiday Sports of Old Spain."

Business Houses. - A. Child's book store. H. R. Smith, dentist. Kinney & Kinney, attorneys. Simon & Hershler, in the "Yellow Front," north of square, wholesale and retail dry goods. B. Booth & Company, groceries. Express published thirty-one business cards, filling two columns, principally from New York wholesale firms. Farm and tavern

Business. - James and Thomas Hook, carpenters and joiners, cabinetware and cofifins, near Second and Cherry. Arba Holmes, wool carding and cloth dressing, near steam mills. "German Clothing Store."

George W. Gorman, formerly a printer, in town. In battle of Buena \'ista lost an eyebrow by bullet and had gun shot out of hand by cannon ball.

River lUisiness (Alarch). - Thirteen boats arrived during seven davs in March, hailing from Evansville, Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburg, Lafayette, New Orleans. Eleven boats in the ne.xt six days, twelve in the next six, seventeen in the next seven, fifteen in the next six.

Alarch. - Meeting held at the court house to collect money and supplies for the relief of famishing in Ireland. Editor Danaldson noticed a little boy walk up with five dollars, which he thought more than the two thousand pounds given by Queen A'ictoria for the same cause. Thomas H. Blake, president of the meeting.

S. G. Dodge was postmaster in this year. Daily mails bv two lines, from St. Louis and Indianapolis ; tri-weekly to Sprin.gfield, \'incennes and Covington : twice a week to Crawfordsville and Bloomington ; and weekly to Bedford and Carlisle. This would make twenty-seven post stages arriving in Terre Haute each week.

The Express during this year is very interesting on account of the Mexican war, and the editor issued many e.xtras, of one to six columns, without charge to subscribers. The office force sometimes worked all night and extra help was hired to get out the news.

July. - An Irish reHef meeting, to extend help to the thousands dying of starvation in Ireland. T. H. Blake, president ; Thomas Durham, L. H. Scott, James Conrad, D. T. Duddleston, J- F. Cruft, A. Lange, active in the movement.

The state debt bill warmly supported by D. S. Danaldson in Express. In the spirit of General Steele's resolution at the canal convention in Terre Haute in 1844, "We scofif at repudiation; we know we arc in debt and we acknowledge the corn."

]\Ir. McGaughey, of Indiana, in Congress, spoke against the war with Mexico, calling it "a war of the president," and wished that the troops might be withdrawn into Texas.

The nomination of General Taylor aroused the enthusiasm of the Whigs of Vigo county, who felt a proprietary interest in the soldier whose first great feat had been the defense of the little fort in their own county. As an eloquent spokesman said for them : "The bud which first appeared upon our beautiful prairie at Fort Harrison, in September, 1812, has been gradually opened until finally, at Buena Vista, the full flower has blown, ripened and scattered its fragrant petals at the feet of General Taylor." An enthusiastic ratification meeting was held at the court house, and a very long congratulatory letter was sent to General Taylor. Preparations were begun for a great Whig rally on the anniversary of the battle in September.

^lay 31. - Lieutenant Evans recruited in the last few months seventy or eighty men in \'igo county. It was believed that \'igo liad sent more soldiers to the ^lexican war than any other county in the state. Walter T. Clark, a former Terre Haute boy, who had been educated at West Point, went as lieutenant in an Illinois company of dragoons.

The years 1846, 1847, 1848. especially 1847, were pivotal years in Terre Haute life - Mexican war, opening of county seminary, Wabash canal, establishment of railroad, opening of new bridge, etc.

August. - A barbecue at Lockport to returned soldiers of Captain Cochran's company by people of the township ; two thousand or more being present. Similar entertainment at Cloverland.

Streets. - There was a ravine on Third at Oiestnut, and a culvert and fill-in over Market street ; a decided hill at Third and W^alnut ; Third was graded to make an easy ascent from Oak and there was a slight descent northward.

Mexican War. - ^"The Mexicans thought more of the Indiana troops than of any others in the city. They said we were gentlemen and 'mucha buenos ombres' ; that is, very good men. When our regiment started away from Puebla many of the Mexicans shook hands with us and shed tears to see us start, and a considerable number of them went with us outside the city."

Terre Haute in Spring of 1848. - "Our town is now one of the loveliest of the prairies. The locust trees of the square and streets are in full bloom, and the whole atmosphere is perfumed with their fragrance. The shrubbery about the dwellings is putting forth its sweetest flowers, the mocking bird is heard at early dawn, the yards are covered with green, and every surrounding thing conspires to make our citizens love this place as a home." - Express.

A large brick brew-ery stood on the banks of the canal. Also three new slaughter houses, bringing total capacity of the city in this industry up to 2,500 hogs daily.

Captain Cutter spoke in Terre Haute during Taylor campaign in defense of his old commander at Buena \'ista. "Such a speech, such burning eloquence, such thrilling pathos, such withering invective, we have seldom heard."

Notes. - $100 reward ofifered for two horse thieves who broke jail. D. H. Arnold located two doors below Nippert's. Charles E. Anderson opens select school for boys and girls in basement of Baptist church.

July 4. - Two grand celebrations on this day, by the Sunday schools of town and the Sons of Temperance. The day was opened by a salute of thirteen guns, and the ringing of all the bells for half an hour. The Sunday schools of the town assembled near Mr. Gilbert's cottage at Sixth and Ohio and to the number of about 500 march in procession to the court house square. After anthems and instrumental music there was an address by Thomas H. Nelson, of Rockville, which, said the Express the next dav, "for purity of style, moving eloquence, and briliant periods we have seldom heard equalled. The speaker's apostrophe to the Bible was remarkably fine. Mr. Nelson is a natural orator, of dignified appearance, and will make himself enviably known to his countrymen at no distant day." (The future minister to Chile and Mexico was then twenty-seven). Later on the temperance cohorts marched through the town and in passing the flag on the "eminence west of the Prairie House," were formed into a hollow square around the flag by chief marshal S. B. Gookins. and saluted it with cheers. The march was resumed to the public square, where Henry D. Scott was the orator and made a great speech. To Editor Danaldson's query "What do you think of Scott?", the citizen significanth' responded, "He is one of 'em." The company- then sat down to a table 300 feet long to enjoy a dinner prepared by W. H. Stewart of the Stewart House.

Notes. - C. E. Schaal on Main street east of Fourth. Palmer's Philadelphia clothing store next to Nippert's comer on National Road. -James Ross lived in Gilbert's cottage in 1848. Clarke's general store at First and Ohio. Farin's. one door west of bank, confectionery, preserves, ice cream. West Indian lace curtains, pictures, etc. Jacob Sites, cabinet ware, successor to W^est, opposite American House. J. Cook & Son, general store. Dr. Purccll, an expert in "western diseases," Fourth and National Road. Oover's Eagle Hotel, formerly Mansion House, on Third. Mons. De Grand \'al opened dancing and waltzing school in town hall.

A steamboat stopped at Fort Harrison and carried away a walnut log ordered b\- a Louisville man who wishes to make a handsome piece of furniture to present to General Taylor, the hero of the late war. Judge Huntington built a stable of some of the logs from the old fort.

In opening a new road in Lafayette township a beech tree on land of Sol. C. Smith was cut down. Embedded in it, at twenty feet above ground, was found a gun barrel, grown fast near the heart of the tree. The tree was supposed to be over a hundred years old, and many theories were advanced to explain the ]3resence of the gun. The barrel was cut out with a piece of wood left on one end, leaving it in the shape of a maul.

September. - Three three-story brick buildings erected west of the square. IMany gaps around the square. Opening on the east side lately filled with small tenements on leased ground, one of which is a two-story building intended for the postoffice.

The Fort Harrison thirty-sixth anniversary meeting held in honor of Taylor and Fillmore, and was intended to equal the great Harrison meeting of 1840, when 40,000 people were said to have been present. People of Terre Haute and county prepared for the occasion months beforehand. The town was full, all private houses thrown open for entertainment, and many wdio came from a distance camped out for several nights coming and going. The Governor of Kentucky was presiding officer of the day, and from three platforms three speakers were addressing the crowds at once, Dick Thompson, H. I. Love, and E. VV. McGaughey being the speakers for the forenoon. At the signal for dinner another relay of orators mounted the stands. The Democrats agreed that 15,000 people were on hand, while the Whigs estimated the number at 30,000, the Express stating that about twenty acres were well covered with men, women, horses, wagons, carriages, etc. One delegation from Illinois was two hours in crossing the Wabash bridge.

Thompson made a trip to Connecticut in 1848, and addressed a great audience in New Haven. The Palladium said next morning, "It was a speech that hardly could be excelled by any living man. If that was a specimen of western eloquence, then western men are the most eloquent and powerful to be found in the world."

Perhaps the first trades union meeting held in Terre Haute occurred this year in the meeting of the journeymen carpenters and house joiners.

who pledged themselves not to work after May ist for less than from $1.25 to $1.50 a (lay, nor labor more than ten hours. Wandering carpenters looking for work will be given places at our table for a reasonable time rather than permit them to cut prices, said the carpenters.

John Coltrin, a soldier of the war of 1812 and a settler in Terre Haute in 1820, who died in 1848, offered a reward of one cent for the return of an indentured servant girl fourteen years old : forbids all to harbor or trust her, will pay offered reward for her return, but no expenses will be paid or thanks given.

Terre Haute & Evansville Railroad failed for a time to get their charter on ground that its constructions would interfere with the Wabash and Erie canal and the state debt bill.

Washington Birthday meeting of Mechanics' Historical Society essays were read by j\Ir. Lange and E. R. Bentley and an oration delivered by R. N. Hudson.

Captain Mullen succeeded Cochran in command of Company H, Fourth Regiment, February 20tli, at Puebla. This company (Fort Harrison guards) had been in fights at Humantla, Atlaxco, Tlascala, and Puebla.

Thirty-two span of matched horses, gray, bay, chestnut, etc., were one day driven along Wabash avenue to be sent to New York markets for stage horses.

December. - Groverman and Bourne would take pork, feathers, furs, deerskins, wheat, corn, oats, beans, etc.. for all debts and in credit for groceries, queensware, hardware and dry goods.

Simpson and Co., on the west side of the square in 185 1 announced "Epicurean Repertory" and "Nectarian Meal," "Philadelphia ale and a thousand other delicacies."

District school was opened January 5. 1852. in the basement of the Baptist church, with ^^'. Lilly, principal, and ]\Iiss M. Young, assistant. James Hook was trustee.

River News,, March g. - The J. S. Chenowcth, a large N. O. steamer, at the wharf from parts above. The Huron, a large Mississippi boat, went up yesterday. The Griffin, a large boat went up this morning. The Buena A'ista went down this morning.

Three new passenger cars now running of the T. H. & I. The conductor's car arrived from the Madison shops, and is a most splendid car, with a compartment for the mail, pigeon-holes for papers, etc. On February 25th it is said that the citizens were lost in admiration of the new car received by the T. H. & I., "light straw color, handsomely painted and gilded, embellished with painting and mirrors, and furnished with richly cushioned seats."

About this time the Kossuth movement was in progress, and enterprises to raise funds for the patriotic schemes were undertaken throughout the country. A Kossuth festival at Corinthian Hall proved a delightful social affair, but financially a failure. There were supper, music, speeches and a dance. G. F. Cookerly was toastmaster, and Rev. John Allen and A. Lange speakers. Tickets were $2 apiece, but the total receipts were small.

rington, James H. Turner, W. D. Griswokl, C. W. Barbour, Thomas Dowling', L. Rvce, all of Terre Haute ; John W. Davis, of Sullivan ; D. A. Jones, of Vermillion ; and N. ^^^ Graham. C. W. Barbour was president, and C. H. Bailey cashier.

The A'igo Agricultural Society had as officers for this year, Thomas ' Durham, president : Frederick Markle, vice-president : Harvev ^^^ Allen, secretary ; S. B. Gookins. treasurer : and one director for each township.

At the fall election contribution boxes were placed at all the polling places throughout the county, to receive voluntary gifts for the Washington Monument fund. Harrison township contributed $85.75 ''"d Lost Creek $4.25 to this cause.

In 1859 the heaviest taxpayers of the city and countv as shown by a published state and county ta.x report, with the tax of each person for the year were :

October 8, 1869. - Bowling Green Constitution of this date says: Joseph Liston on Tuesday last, -at the age of 88, cut ofif a log measuring three feet in diameter, split it open and hewed out of it two posts. He has also cut several cords of wood, enough for winter use, besides performing other duties on the farm. He has now over one hundred and sixty-five children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His postoffice address is Pimento, Vigo county.

This was the man who turned the first furrow in M;;"o coinitv, and with others of the party raised corn which was sold to Harrison's troops while marching north to Tippecanoe.

The first numher of the Evening Gazette ap]icared lunc 1. 1S70, opening with the prediction that Terre Haute would have 100.000 people in twenty years. R. X. Hudson, C. W. Brown and L. 'SI. Rose were the active promoters of the enterprise.

The E.. T. H. & C. Railroad was building under President Collett, and Henry Bacon, engineer. The city subfcribed $100,000 for stock, and the city bonds at seven per cent, sold for $83,864.83 in New York.

October 27. - The glass works commenced operation, the first glass having been blown in this city just one month previously. It was a fivepot plant, and the first lot of manufacture, consisting of twentv-five boxes of bottles, was bought by Bement & Company. About fifty hands were employed. The board of directors were Hussey. Hough. Alinshall. Deming. Beach. Tuell. The superintendent. B. R. McConnell.

June 8. - The first excursion train out on the \'andalia west to St. Louis. About one week later the Big Four to Indianapolis was finished. The grand opening excursion to St. Louis employed ten coaches. There were speeches by the mayor of St. Louis and Col. R. W. Thompson. While the excursionists were on the Mississippi steamboat, a diamond pin was given to H. W. Hibbard, general passenger agent: a $450 gold watch to Alajor John G. Simpson, assistant superintendent. The president of the road was \V. R. McKeen, and the general superintendent C. R. Peddle.

The Vigo \\'oolen I\Iills were in operation on East ilain street. by S. E. Kennedy. One million pounds of wool, it was claimed, were manufactured annually.

The \ igo Iron Furnace began operations, with capacity of twenty-five tons daily in two runs. The capital of the company $125,000. Fourteen Terre Haute men among the stockholders - Minshall. Tuell. Cruft, Fuller, Nippert. A. and J. C. ^IcGregor. Deming. Rose. Hussey, Hulman, Seath, Hager and Gilman.

lanuary. - City station house opened, two-story brick, four cells with capacitv for fifteen to twenty prisoners, and rooms on second floor for family of jail keeper.

A petition for opening Ohio street was signed by B. Booth, L. Ryce, P. Shannon, George C. Duy, S. S. Early, John T. Beech, and sixty others.

A performance at the opera house by the Berger Family of Swiss Bell Ringers, in which Sol Smith Russell made his appearance and personated Susan B. Anthony, Petroleum V. Nasby and others.

]\Iarch. - Windstorm partially demolished the Kennedy wool mills, damaged the new postoffice, blew roof ofT the old postoffice, and scattered bricks and lumber in all parts of the city.

February 15. - Christine Nilsson sang, assisted by Ann Louise Carey, Brignoli and Meuxtemps. "Home, Sweet Home," "Suwanee River," "Kathleen ]Mavoureen," Mad Scene from "Ophelia," "Ave Maria," and "Arkansas Traveler," were some of the favorites of the program. B. W. H. reported to have said, "Miss Nilsson, if God almighty does not choose you for leader of His choir in Heaven, I, with the balance of the state officers and both branches of the legislature, will think he has made a great mistake."

March. - Terre Haute Waterworks Co. organized, with capital $220,000 and franchise for fifty years. Among the directors were A. McGregor, L. Barnett, W. E. Hendrich, John 6'Boyle, W. B. Tuell, P. Harvey, C. Patterson.

August 2, 1875. - Great business depression on account of flood and high water. Thousands visited the river and all day the banks and bridge were lined with people. Several million bushels of corn lost, miles of fence afloat, many cattle and hogs lost. Near Sugar creek bridge much wheat was moved on rafts to the hills. No through trains came in on any of the railroads, railroads lost bridges, and freight and express business shut down. The water was on a level with floor of water works. The highest flood since 1856, when the water was two and one-half feet higher. Water as high as in great freshets of 1844 and 1858, the latter of which took away the bridge from Ohio street.

Greater Terre Haute Axd Mgo Couxty

John W. Osborn, who died in 1866, published the first paper in Terre Haute in 1823. His widow died in 1880, aged eighty-four, and was the mother of Mrs. Gookins and ]\Irs. Judge Claypool.

Edmund Grover, who died in 1876, aged seventy-four, was born in Xew York and came to Terre Haute in 1839. becoming an active business man in foundry and manufacture of agricultural implements, and finally retiring to a farm in Lost Creek.

J. Casto, father of Webb Casto, came to Terre Haute in 1830, and was active during the pork-packing period, his yard being at Third and Chestnut, where S. S. Early built the first long row of brick buildings in the city - sometimes profanely called "Hoop-pole Row." After about twenty years of business life he retired to a farm in Sugar Creek. He was one of the founders and builders of .\sbury.

James Kelly, who died in 1881. came to Terre Haute in 1836, and was long in the employ of Chauncey Rose. It was said as an illustration of his fidelity that 'S[r. Rose never broke with him. ^^'hen the Prairie House was completed and stood idle a long while. Kelly was placed in charge of it, and was afterwards in the freight office of the Evansville & Crawfordsville Railroad. He acquired a large property.

Xovember 28, 1892. - Mr. and jMrs. A. B. Pegg, on Fruit Ridge avenue, celebrate golden wedding, having spent all their wedded life in the county.

December 31, 1907. - Death of pioneer, David Pugh. aged eighty-five, who was born in Butler, Pa., in 1822, and had made his home in Vigo county since 1833. John D., H. C. and George E. Pugh, his sons.

January 28. - Death of Peter J. Ryan, aged sixty-four, a resident of Terre Haute since 1856, and in mercantile business since the Civil war. in which he was a soldier.

December 19, 1907. - Morton C. Rankin struck and killed by Vandalia train. A native and resident of city sixty-seven years, prominent in business, a county official, president of Citizens" Protective League, director in Commercial Gub, and closely identified with the welfare and progress of his city.

July I, 1897. - Death of L'riah R. Jeflr'ers, aged sixty-six, prominent wholesale merchant and resident of city since 1844. (See elsewhere).

Blackford Condit, pastor of th^ Second Presbyterian church, and author of a history of the English Bible and History of Terre Haute, died in 1903.