Washington County, Indiana - Notable Incidents of Early Days, 1916 (part 3 of 3)

When he emigrated to this state, James Callaway located a home in Jackson county where he lived and died. Edmund Callaway resided in this county and died here. In 1805 Micajah Callaway married Frankie Hawkins for a second wife and their children were John Hawkins and Noble. In 1 810 the Callaways removed from Kentucky to this county, settling on the crest of the knobs, about four miles north, and a mile east of the present site of Salem. Here Micajah Callaway lived content the remainder of his days, departing this life in 1849, at the advanced age of 94. His wife survived him several years, dying in 1864. His son, Hawkins, familiarly known as "Hock," lived and died on the old home place, a confirmed old bachelor. Noble, who was one of the stoutest men of his day, reared a large family, and for many years of his life followed flatboating down the Ohio river, usually making the return trip from New Orleans afoot. He related many interesting stories about his flatboat life and how he managed to dodge the highwaymen who at that time infested the usually traveled route from the South to the North.

This sketch would be incomplete without giving a short statement of the manner in which the Indians so inhumanly tortured their victims at' the stake, as related ofttimes by Callaway to his family and friends, and by whom it never was forgotten. The following is one of the many tales he told in his declining years: It was in 1779 that the Indians had captured an officer of the militia, and of all the horrible tortures Callaway was compelled to witness during his captivity this one was the most fiendish. He said this happened in June. Several prisoners had been captured somewhere in Kentucky and had been transported over into Indiana Territory. They stopped on the headwaters of the Wabash where they knew they were ou( of danger of any pursuers. A number of the prisoners were made to sit upon the ground, when the boys and squaws fell upon them with tomahawks, killing and scalping them. There was a man named McKinly among tlie prisoners and an old squaw knocked him over and cut oflf his head, the boys then amusing themselves by kicking it about on the ground. The officer was kept till the last. There was a Captain Pipe there, who, with Simon Girty, directed the Indians in their torturous work. He first painted the prisoner's face black, telling him he was going to give him a shave. The officer was then stripped naked, after which his captors tied a rope to the foot of a post about fifteen feet high, bound his hands behind him and fastened the rope to the hgature that lield his wrists together. The rope was long enough for him to sit down or walk around the post once or twice and back again. He asked G'rty if they were going to burn him, and to an affirmative answer, he said, "Very well, I'll take it patiently, come what may." Callaway said he never saw a man who was made to sufYer so much, or take his punishment with so much resignation. Captain I'ipe then made a speech in the Indian tongue, to about a hundred men, women and children. When he was done, they all set up a hideous yell, and the men tuok up their guns and shot powder into the captain's bod)- from his feet to his heatl. They then cut off his ears, pulled his toe nails out l)y the roots, all of which he bore with great firmness. A few yards from the post to which the captain was bound a fire had been kindled, made out of small branches ui trees, which burned through in the middle. The Indians would take up these burning brands and apply them to the captain's naked body, already burned black with powder. Some of the squaws would take pieces of bark upon which they would get hot embers to throw on him, so that he soon had nothing but hot ashes and live coals to walk on. During the torture the officer begged Girty to shoot him. Girty replied that he had no gun, laughing fiendishly. For four or five hours this torture was kept up. Callaway an unwilling spectator of it all. Finallv the captain fell down on his face, almost exhausted. They then scalped him and dashing the scalp in Callaway's eyes, said, "That is your great captain." .\fter the officer ha^" been ;alped his torturers pourned hot ashes and coals upon his back. He raised himself up and staggered about the post, when they again applied the burning sticks, but by this time he seemed insensible to pain. The bends then mutilated his person, and l>eat him with clubs till he fell over seemingly tlead, but yet' breathing. They then laid him acmss the tire, where he was held until life was extinct.

.\fter witnessing such a scene as this it was no wonder that Callaway thirsted for Girty's heart's blood whenever he came upon him in after days. Nor could one blame Callaway for hating a "redskin," as he always called them, or taking delight in shooting them down. Few men in the territory, and probably none in the county, ever had such a varied experience in frontier life as did Micajah Callaway. He was a man of iron nerve and most wonderful powers of endurance. He also was a man of strong likes and dislikes. If a man once insulted him. or tried to take advantage of him in any way he ne\-er forgot it nor forgax-e him. He not onlv had an imctcrate hatred for the savages, but had no use for what he ter^ned "weak-kneed" whites, who would not help to punish them in the same manner they served the whites. His latter years were spent in his cabin home, which had a small window by the side of the chimney, and he used to watch through this window for wild turkeys, which were plentiful, and shoot them from his .seat inside the house. He received a pension for his services in the Indian wars, which 'enabled him to enjoy many of the comforts of life in his declining years, and he had well earned this reward by his unceasing and strenuous efforts and labors to carve out of an unbroken wilderness, happy homes for the generations that were to follow him.

Rev. William Cravens, Fighting Methodist

On the banks of the Blue river, in I'ierce township, on a farm upon which he settled in 1819, reposes the dust of Rev. William Cravens, one of the most celebrated ministers of his day, or that ever traveled the circuit in this Western country in the first part of the nineteenth century. He was noted for his originality, not only of thought, but in his methods of presenting his texts and striking his sledge- hammer blows against satan and his satellites. He had an extensive acquaintance all over this Western country, having ridden thousands upon thousands of miles during his active life, getting into the byways and out-of-the-way places, where people very rarely e\er heard a sermon pi cached. He had friends among people who had never seen him, but had heard of his mighty power as a preacher, and was dreaded by his enemies who knew him not.

William Cravens was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, July 31, T766, m the beautiful Shenandoah valley, through which runs the Shenandoah river, so named by the Indians, on account of its surpassing beauty, the name signifying the Daughters of the Stars. There it was that in 1794 William Cravens was converted to the doctrines and tenets of the Methodist church, with which he was prominently identified in after life. There, also, in 1794, he married Jane Harrison, a daughter of Col. Benjamin Harrison, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. By this marriage he had three children, John. Benjamin and Hannah, who married the Rev. William Shanks, a noted preacher of the Methodist church, who was also quite prominent in the early history of this county. In 1800 Cravens was licensed to preach, being ordained a deacon by Bishop Asbury. When and ]>y whom he was ordained elder is not now known, but it is supposed he received this title about 1810. His family were well-to-do, belong- ing to the aristocrats of the Old Dominion. He was a slaveholder at the time of his conversion, but soon thereafter he manumitted them eill. He had sold some slaves that were taken to Georgia. These he followed, repurchasing them and set them free, feeling that he could not conscientiously plead the Master's cause with this sin resting upon his mind and heart. He ever after had a hatred for those "twin relics" of olden time, slavery^ and intemperance, as was demonstrated in his life's work thereafter.

Mr. Cravens exercised his talents at different points in Virginia till he turned has attention to the West, where he joined the traveling connection. While in Virginia he created great excitement at times by his sermons, denouncing from the pulpit what he believed to l>e wrong in society in general - hewing to the line, letting the chips fall as they might. He was fearless in all his utterances, which, at times, looked as if they would get him into serious trouble, but his rare physical and mental qualities always brought him through safely. He often said that he always felt that he was a host within himself when he was championing the cause of justice, right and religion. He traveled extensively, attended quarterly and camp-meetings, and his presence was always welcome. He looked the reverend gentleman that he professed to be, and his presence attracted attention wherever he wenL .'\fter a time he had a regular system of appointments, extending over a large territory, including two or three states, very much after the fashion of Lorenzo Dow, requiring him to be away from hotne for weeks at a time. For several years he was not connected with any conference, nor employed by any presiding elder. He found his own home, provided for his own wants, never asking a cent for his labors, accepting nothing, except so far as the hospitality of his friends and admirers supplied him. Among the many pressing invitations the traveling i)reacher received from those who tlesired to share with him their bed and board, it required quite a bit of diplomacy to name who the lucky host and hostess should be without incurring the dis])leasure of .someone else. The onlv place the itinerant minister had to carr}- his scanty wardrobe Avas in the regulation pair of saddlebags, along with the Bible and hymn linok. and sometimes, when there was considerable distance to travel from one apixjintment to another, room was made for a lunch.

Mr. Cravens liked the people of the West, and concluded there was a larger field for him to exploit in that new country than there was back East ; accordingly he di.sposed of his worldh'^ possessions there, except such as he could carry in a wagon, and came to Indiana in i8if). His reputation Iiad

WASHINGTON COUNTY, INDIANA. 24qpreceded him and he soon found it impossible to meet the demands made for his services. In 1821 he was admitted into the Missouri conference^ which then inckided Indiana, IlHnois, part of Tennessee, as well as Missouri and Arkansas. In 1822 he traveled alone the Indianapolis circuit, or rather he organized that circuit and then traveled it and proclaimed the GospeL The country was then all new. the inhabitants sparse, the fare poor, no roads, intolerable trails, streams to cross with no bridges and yet he went forth, through sunshine and rain, lieat and cold, in pursuit of the sheep in the wilderness in danger of perishing. In 1823 Mr. Cravens was laboring, in the Eel river country; in 1824, on the Blue river circuit, Richard Beauchamp, ])residing elder. The Missouri conference was divided in' 1825, and Mr; Cravens fell into the Illinois conference, where he continued his labors until his somewhat untimely death. Hard work, e.xix)sure and hardships had left their impression upon his vigorous constitution, and while stopping, a few days with home folks in the fall of 1826, he had a sudden attack of pneumonia. He was not thought to be seriously ill till he was found insensible in bed, dying a few hours after, October 10. His wife survived him nine years, departing this life in April, 1835.

Some of the incidents of William Cravens' eventful life will give a clearer insight into the character of this remarkable man. He was distinguished in the first place for his great strength. He was over six feet talL and weighed two hundred and seventy-five pounds, with every limb wellproportioned and every muscle disciplined up to the fullest vital force. He possessed great |>owers of endurance, else he would have succumbed to the hardships he passed through much sooner than he did. He was not a flower nurtured in sunshine, but cradled by the storm and rocked by the tempest. He was not a man to pick out the easy pathways through life, but rather sought the rough and rugged highways where duty called loudest and where he could do most good to his fellow men.

Before his conversion William Cravens was a considerable fighter and drank at times quite freely. He was always ready to meet any opponent in friendly combat to test their strength and skill, and many a bout had he with other fellows in the country round about who desired to see which' was the better man. One day he was at work on the roof of a house, when a stranger rode up and said, "I understand you are given up to be the strongest man in three towns, and I have come to whip you, and I wish you to come down off of your perch, where we can have an opportunity ta test our strength." Mr. Cravens mildly replied in his usual deep-toned voice, "I'll give you a show as soon as I have tinished this work." Having done, he climbed down and told the stranger he thought they had better take a drink before they fought. In the yard there was a barrel of whisky, which Mr. Cravens took by the chines and, lilting it at arm's length, took a drink out of the bung-hoie, the man looking on with astonishment as he lowered it to the ground. M.r. Cravens having slaked his thirst, said to the man who had come to whip him, "Please help yourself." Instead of complying with the re(|uest, which he knew was impossible for him to do as Cravens had done, he turned on his heel, saymg as he left, "I guess you are not the man I'm kxiking for; 1 haven't made my will yet," whereupon he made a hasty retreat

Before .the time of his conversion, Cravens' fame for strength and courage extended far and wide. One day he was busily working on his farm when a stranger, whom. he had never seen or heard of before, rode up to the fence and asked for William Cravens. "That's my name." answered Cravens, "what will you have?" The stranger then said, "I have come more than a hundred miles to hght you. I have heard )'ou were the strongest man in all this part of the country, and I have come to whip you, or be whipped by you, and I do not mean to return without testing your strength and courage." As the stranger alighted from his horse Cravens climbed over the fence, saying good- naturedly, "You have come on a very poor errand and you had better return. I do not wish to fight and have never boasted of my strength." To this the fellow replied, "You'll have to defend your reputation. I have not come all this -distance for nothing and I insist on you fighting me here and now. Defend yourself!" squaring ofif to make ready for the test. Cravens then said, "If nothing but a fight will satisfy vou, come on: I am ready." The stranger led off first, striking several hard blcnvs, which Mr. Cravens parried with great coolness and ease, and, watching his opportunity, he seized the fellow and threw him over the stone fence. As the astonished man rose and recovered himself from the shock, he said, "Now Mr. Cravens, if you will be so kind as to throw,my horse over the fence I will return home satisfied."

After Mr. Cravens' marriage and settlement in life, he was awakened to his sinful state, and became alarmed for his future welfare. He had a brother-in-law named Benjamin Lawrence, whom he called "Ben," he himself going by the cognomen of "Bill)." .\fter Cra\ ens became serious, he said to his brother-in-law, "I tell \ou what it is, Ben. you and I are wicked, and if we don't change our mode of living, the devil will have us both."

"Why, if I join them," said Cravens, "they will ask me to pray, and 1 can't; but Ben, I will tell you what I mean to do. I have an old prayer-book and I'll learn a prayer out of that and you and I will go to the woods, and I'll say it over and when I get it by heart I'll join the Methodists, and if they ask me to pray I'll repeat what I've learned."

The prayer was soon learned and "Billy" joined the meeting. At- the next prayer-meeting, "Billy" was called on to lead in prayer. He began and after repeating a few sentences of the prayer he had learned, the rest vanished from his mind. A painful silence ensued, when he turned his head toward his friend and said, "I've forgotten the rest," and sank down humiliated and humbled. But the experience was a great benefit to him. It led him to seek the help of his God and not depend on printed prayers. He soon gained confidence in himself, and never rushed for a prayer-book after that, or tried to commit a prayer or sermon to memory.

Once Mr. Cravens attended an auction near his home in Virginia, where they were disposing of the products of the farm. While a lot of corn was being sold the auctioneer .said, "Mr. Cravens, give lis -a bid." The owner wa? a large slaveowner, and the slaves had worked the farm and gathered its products. Mr. Cravens knew this, and thus replied to the auctioneer: "No, I have corn at home in my crib, and there is not a drop of blood among it all." It was the product of free labor.

While Cravens and his family were attending a camp-meeting in his home county in Virginia, among others a child of his was converted, and the father's heart was so filled with joy that as soon as he returned home he killed the fatted calf and provided a dinner for all his neighbors who would rejoice with him in his good fortune. .A^t this same camp-meeting there was a skeptic who busied himself by gathering groups of people together by his loud talking, ridiculing those who were there to take part in the worship. With the cunning of the old serpent he was endeavoring to counteract much of the good that was being accomplished at the meeting. Mr. Cravens concluded he would ]jut a stop to this scheme and advertised him from the stand. Said he. "There is an infidel on this ground, an opposer to Christianity. I will caution you against him. Good people will not be caught in his pres- ence or countenancing his efforts. You will know him by his long-tailed blue coat and white pants, and his blasphemous utterances." The caution had the desired effect and thereafter the skeptic could find no one who would give him audience.

Mr. Cravens often acted on presentiment^, though he was far from being a believer in signs and omens. At one time he had a presentment that he could do the Lord good service b\ going to Tygart's valley, west of the Alleghany mountains. The region was sparsely settled and abounded with wild beasts and Indians, but he thought not of the dangers that confronted him. He stopped short with his work on the farm, went into the house and requested his wife to prepare his clothes, together with rations for two or three days, for lie must go to Tygart's valley. He was soon on his way. His course lay over mountains and through valleys, in some places there being but a dim trail to follow. It was through a country where there were no settlements: in lonely wilds -where no food might be obtained except what grew in the woods or was carried liy the traveler. Having crossed the mountains, he began to reflect that he did not know a li\ing soul in all that region, but he felt there was work thert- that he needed to do, and after several days of wearisome tra\'e! he found himself in the famous valley. He went on till he saw a small cabin, in front of which he dismounted from his horse and knocked at the door. He was invited to walk in. The woman was preparing soup- for dinner and while she was paring some vegetables she cut her thumb, which bled profusely, some of the blood running into the soup. Air. Cravens introduced himself to her, saying he was a preacher, and had come to preach the Gospel to the people in the valle\', if they wanted to hear him.

The woman was a German, and in her broken accent she replied. "A'ell, veil, I did hear von man breach ven I vas one leetle girl back in Pennsylvania, und I somedimes tought t vould like to hear anudder man breach."

Presently the dinner horn sounded, liriiiging daddy and the boys in to dinner. Cravens said the soup, while it contained some human blood, tasted mighty good to a half-starved man. While they were at the table, the little woman said, "Veil, daddy, dis bes von breacher, unt I tinks I vood like to hear him talk vonce more, alreadv, unt he savs he vill breach in our house, if ve vill let him." Consent was readily given and the boys were sent out to tell the neighbors, th to inform others. . When night came the cabin would not contain the peoj.^le, who had come in from several miles round about, so great was the i.ovelty, no sermon ever having been heard in that region.

Mr. Cravens' text was, "Ye must be born again." He dwelt upon the nature and necessity of the new birth. The audience was very attentive, but none more so than the woman of the house. After the people had dispersed and Cravens was seated with the family about the room on rustic benches the woman began to talk to herself, thus: "Veil, veil, I dinks I shall not." The preacher asked her what it was she would not do. "Veil, I'se had a hard time in dish vorld, und I haf seen moosh troubles. For seben long years I haf carried de corn on mine pack to de mill, ober de mountain, und ven it was ground, brought it home again. I tinks I shall not. If de rest vant to be born again I have no obshections ; but you moost excuse me - I haf been borned a blenty."

Cravens continued his meetings from house to house for a couple of weeks, at the end of which time more than fifty souls had been gathered into the fold, including the good woman, and her husband and children ; and a sliort time after, on that man's land was erected the first Methodist church in Virginia west of the Alleghany mountains.

After coming West, Mr. Cravens cleared up a few acres of land, but there was such a call for him to preach in all the country round that he could give but little attention to agricultural pursuits. His wife took upon herself the management of the farm, l?er husband being away from home the greater part of the time. His services were in demand at all the campmeetings held in southern Indiana, and lie delighted to worship in Nature's magnificent temple - in God's great cathedral, believing, with Bryant, that "the groves were Cod's first temples.'' There he felt at home and the strong man put forth all his strength. He not only had a lion heart, but a lion-like voice, and he made the forests ring with his call.

.Among the first camp-meetings Mr. Cravens attended after locating in this county, was one near Fredericksburg. His text on that occasion was from Genesis, twenty-fourth chapter and forty-ninth verse. He attended to the motives of one and another for coming to camp-meeting, and then to his own. He said he had not come there to seek a wife for himself, as Isaac desired, for he already had a good one. rfe had not come there to feather his nest by preaching for a large salary, as many ministers were doing, but he had come to obtain a bride tor his Alaster. to lionor tjod and save souls. It proved to be one of the greatest nieetiiit^s ot the kind e\er held in the county, notwithstanding the fact that during the first da}- of the meeting there was trouble. There was a scoffer jircsent, who took occasion to interrupt the speaking occasionally with riiliculous (|uesti(_)ns, and at the noon hour had cjuite a crowd gathered about him. listening to his skeptical remarks. Cravens stepped up and listened to this scoft'er's ridicule until it l)ecame jjerfectly unbearable to him. and he concluded to put an end to his scoffing. Stepping up to the fellow, he told him the meeting had been called for decent, respectable people to worship their L>eator without molestation - that this was not his day or place, and, suiting the action to the word, he seized the fellow by the neck and the seat (^f the i>ants and held him up at arm"s length, crying, "Pichold the scoffer'" The man Ijegged to be let loose, promising to leave the grounds and make no more trouble. As he let him go Cravens said, "'You came here to catch a fish, but you caught a frog."

W'hile he was mo\ing his family west, Cr \ens attended a prayer-meeting at a place where they were stopping for the night, somewhere in Kentucky. He said the prayers were dull and dry and the meeting spiritless. The minister called on two men to pray - the one a slaveholder, the other a distiller, .\fter the meeting Mr. Cravens walked home with the preacher, who made all sorts of apologies about the dullness of the meeting. "Xo wonder yt)u had such a dull meeting." said Cra\ens, "since you crucified the Lord between two thieves."

The Rev. William Butler used to relate the following incident illustrating Mr. Cravens' courage and strength, together with the infiuence of his commanding appearance. .\t one place where he had formerly preached he had made enemies of a lot of "lewd fellows of the baser sort," by the lK)Idness with which he jjreached against lawdessness and intemperance. Temixrrance was one of his great hobbies, he being about one hundred years ahead of the times when it came to the licpior question. Before Cra\ens arrived at the meeting place, some young bloods determined to mob him upon his arrival. His friends hearing of the ])lot, determined that they would protect him at all hazards. V^ soon as he rode U]i. they informedhim of the trouble that was brewing, and he sai<l. "Leave them to me, le.ixc then-i to me: there will be no need of fighting." It was a woods meeting, and as Cravens a])proacbed the place be saw- a luimber of sawed blocks Iving on the ground in the edge of the wo. k1. the whok' gang of row die- sitting on and around tiiein. He walked directly to the spot, sekcted a large block, and addressed the young men as follows ; "This block will make an excellent pulpit; boys, 1 wish you would carry it up where we want to speak. It's a little too heavy for one man to lug by himself." The bold frankness of his demeanor overawed them; and almost unconscious of what they were doing, they obeyed him at once. W hen the block was set down he mounted it. A large limb of a tree touched his head. He stretched his brawny arm upward, took hold of the limb and with one mighty jerk, demanding the strength of a giant, tore it from its socket, and threw it far away. This di.splay of physical strength added to the moral power with which he had already impressed the would-be rioters, settled the question. The leader of the gang skulked away and the rest of the young fellows mingled quietly with the congfregation. Xo defense of Mr. Cravens' person was needed.

While yet a young man, Mr. Cravens lost an eye from a piece of stone that flew into it while he was working at his trade, that of stone mason. His one eye often looked like a diamond, and was singularly expressive, and often sinners would quail as he looked at them. Scofifers would sometimes make sjiort of his one eye. At a point where he was conducting a campmeeting a Ininch of rowdies were making slurring remarks about his deformity, which Cravens overheard. Turning to them, he said in his impressive manner, "I'll tell you what it is; if I only have one eye, I can see as far into a millstone as the man that pecks it." He then stood silently gazing at the fellows for a time, to give them an opportunity to interpret his meaning. His exjjression and the manner in which he addressed them, ga\e the bunch tu understand he was not afraid of them, and they very (luietly >ul)sided. Xo one who was acquainted with his habits and history could doubt that he had an c} e .-ingle against whisky and slavery, as well as an eye single for ]iurity, honor and the glory of the church. When it is remembered that much of Mr. Craxens' life was s]ient in a slave-holding state, where wliisky was made at most e\ery spring l)ranch, and where it was fashionable to gi\e the old decanter a place upon the sideboard or mantel of most c\ery household and when preachers, deacons and neighbors joined together in i)artaking of the flowing bowl, it is a wonder that Air. Cra\en- was not set u])on and -severely chastised for his bold stand for what he thought was right. It wa^ bis personal bravery, commanding nerve and gieat strength that saved him.

Ohio valley then any other man that was prominent in tlie early da}s when most of this country was an unbroken wilderness, and he had a reputation that extended even farther than his personal acquaintance. Robert Mclntire, who was contemporary with Cravens and knew him quite well, used to relate many interesting incidents connected with his life. He often said he never went any place that he didn't find some one who knew him, or Jiad heard of him. Mclntire was a flatboatman, and made numerous trips from his home in this county to New Orleans. He was a pilot and his services were always in demand. As was the custom in those days he returned home by land. On one uf his return trips he called at a planter's house in Tennessee to get lodging oxer night, together with supper and breakfast. Presently the planter came in from the field with a whip thiown across his shoulder, he having been overseeing the negroes. Learning that Mclntire was from Indiana, his host inquired if he knew Parson Cravens. Mclntire said he did; that he was a neighbor of his. Jhe host then began telling anecdotes in relation to Mr. Cravens, and said he was the most conscientious and bravest man he ever saw ; that he said just what he conceived to l>e right, come what nugbt. He said he belonged to the same church as -Cravens, but he wa,sn't quite as hard on whisk\- drinkers as the Parson. Mclntire remarked that Cravei detested some things more than he did whisky. "Is it possilile," said the host. "What could it be?" "Blood-suckers," said Mclntire, "is what he calls tliem." "Who are they," asked the host." "They are slaveholders." said the tra\ eler. Mclntire then said he liad heard Mr. Cra\ens once remark that "the de\il would at an_\- time -crowd the whisky-drinker to iine side in order to make room for a slaveholder." "Yes," said the host, "he strikes at us ]^eop!e here in the South some \ery severe sledge-hammer blows, liut it will be many generations before the institution of sla\ery is wiped out. When \ini see the old fellow again tell him to come down and visit us again."

In the year 1806 Mr. Cra\'ens attended the r.altimove conference, and man\- of the ministers were, like (.'ra\ens. uncompromising enemies of slavery, preaching against it with great earnestness and lioldness. On the Sabbath, Enoch Cicorge, afterwards a bi'^hop, delivered a sermon, and denounced sla\ery in \ery liitter ternw. Tn one of bi>^ utterances he said, "1 do not see bow s<inie ]ie(iple can ci>nie to meeting and be so happy while Jiiseph is at home in chain-^." Cravens was delighted to hear slavery thus pnblieally tlenounced. and the pious sknelmlders get the benefit, and he cried '>ut ;it the ton i>f hi- -tentMri.m \nice : "Let tbeni go home and take the chains off from Joseph and set him free, for tlie good he has done, and then come back to meeting and we will praise God together." The cry went through that assembly of preachers and people like an electric shock. It was the preaching and agitation of such men as Cravens that some year? later led to a division of the Methodist church North and South, and that finally brought about the emancipa'^'on of slaves forever in the United States.

A short time before leaving \'irginia. Cravens preached a sermon on the sin of slavery, as being contrary to the Golden Kule, contrary to God"s Word, and in opposition to the Declaration of Independence. For his utterances he was violently denounced by a man who had sold a slave and bought a pew in the church where the meeting was held. He collected around him several others who felt that they had been humiliated and held up to scorn, and going to Pastor Cravens demanded that he make a public apology for his "tirade of abuse." To the surprise of many who knew Cravens well, and who were familiar with his mdominitable zeal in standing up for the right, though the heavens fall, he readily consented to do so, and the time was appointed. When the day arrived a great crowd came to hear his apology. He was punctual to the hour, lined out his hymn, and prayed the Lord to put into his mouth such utterances as would be pleasing to the Mighty One who ruled the universe. As he arose from his knees he slowly looked over his audience, then took up the Bible, and turning over its leaves very rapidly, laid it down again. "Well, said he, "I am to preach an apologetic sermon today, but I cannot find a suitable text." He paused and looked squarely into the face of the leader of the opposition, and leaning over the pulpit, he cried out, "I have it now, honeys ; 'sell a negro and buy a pew.' " The man looked daggers, and as Cravens proceeded with his sermon, which was as pointed as his text, he writhed and twisted as long as he could endure it and then started for the door. As he went down the aisle with his gloves and handkerchief stuffed into the outside pocket of his coat, hitching up his shoulders and smarting under the withering rebuke of the old "son of thunder," Mr. Cravens said : "Stop a little, honey, let me fill your other pocket before you go." But the man would not stop to get the other pocket filled; he had load enough to carry, and went away mortified and chagrined, with the text ringing in his ears, "Sell a negro and buy a pew." It was the very boldness of Mr. Cravens that often saved him from personal encounters. Had he shown any timidity, or vacillation, he would have been in trouble all the time. Men occasional! ' thought thev would (17)

Shortly after the occurrence just referred to, Mr. Craxens delivered another apology at Scrarton, Virginia, where he had preached a sermon against slavery, which gave great offense and caused tremendous excitement, some threatening to prosecute him for trying to incite an insurrection among slaves. To quiet matters Mr. Cravens gave notice that on a certain day he would preach an apology. The day rolled around and the crowd was there to listen. They expected he would recant and thus avoid prosecution, put down excitement and remove the prejudice against him. Judge of their astonishment when he began by saying he had promised to preach an apology; but an apology was not a recantation, but an explanation - -a defense, a justification - like Watson's "apolog}- for the Bible." His text surprised them more. It was a sermon in itself and as sharp as a twoedged sword. He took it from Micah, third chapter and tenth and eleventh verse: "They buiki up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money ; yet will they lean upon the Lord and say. Is not the Lord among us? None evil can come upon us.'" The sermon accorded with the text - it was terrific. The preacher used the sharpest arrows as he bent his bow, and took direct aim at the heart of the King's enemies.

P'irst. - He showed how Zion was btiiit'with lilood an<l Jerusalem with iniquity. He divided it again as follows : ( i ) It was built with the blood of slaves. (2) It was built with the blood of children. (3) It was built with the blood of the innocent. They build by riches gotten by violence and by the condemnation of the innocent. They educated their children to believe there was no harm in the bloody institution. "But when God maketh inquisition for blood he will remember them." He compared them with the pelican in the wilderness, which, having eaten all it can, puts the remainder in its jwuch for its )'nung ones. ".\n(l that is what you slaveholders do; you get all \ou can out of your slaxes. use it, and then lea\e it for your children. Thus Zion was liuilt with lilnod and Jerusalem with iniquity."

Second. - He noticed the wicked leaders. The priests who taught for hire; men who cared more about the fleece than the flock; hireling priests, greedy of filthy lucre; mercenary ministers, who made a gain of godliness. His remarks were terriblv scathing. The minister of the i)lace -

Third. - The heads who judge for reward. He noticed those judges who were corrupt, who would give decisions contrary to law and evidence, because tliey had been bribed and received rewards for their uiii'ighteous judgment.

P'ourth. - The false prophets, who divine for money. He showed that even the church of God was built with blood; the guilt of holding their fellows in bondage; separating husbands and wives, parents and children, selling the image of God. Then the guilt of hireling priests, who could apologize for and defend such iniquity, and thus be the partaker of the sins of others; and the guilt of the ungodly judges, who cared nothing about justice, only the reward.

The slaveowners never wanted another apology from Mr. Cravens. The remedy was worse than the disease; the apology, than the insult. No harm followed this unyielding champion of the truth, this uncompromising enemy of the bloody system, for such bold and fearless denunciations of sin. It was worthy of Luther in his palmiest days, or of John Knox. The blood of the chivalry was up to fighting heat, and murmurs and threats of vengeance ran through the house, so much so that Mr. Cravens' friends felt for his personal safety. After the sermon he went out from the church, where exasperated men were ready to gnash upon him their teeth, as they did upon Stephen, consulting what mode of punishment to inflict upon him. He said, "I understand that some persons here threaten to horsewhip me." He sdzed a sapling and gave the tree a shake, as if an elephant had hold of it with its trunk, and in his deepest tones said : "The Almighty never gave me such strength to l>e horse-whipped by a slaveholder." His look, his bold attitude, his gesture, his flashing eye, and the tone of his voice, showed him the great hero, the fearless man, and the cowards sneaked away and left him conqueror

At a camp-meeting in southern Indiana, in the midst of the shocks of power, and the pentecostal scenes at the "mourners' bench," a local preacher came to Mr. Cravens and told him there was a man kneeling at the fourth bench who had two wives, and the woman he was then living with was at his side.

"You can't have it on such terms," shouted Cravens, "for if we pray a thousand years for you, unless you put away the evil of your doings, the devil will get you at last."

At the evening service on that same day, Mr. Cravens preached a powerful sermon. Before he left the stand he 'invited "mourners" to come torward to be prayed for in the following order: Said he, "Place four benches in front of the stand." This was immediately done as he had commanded. "Now," said he, "I want all who are seeking justification to come and kneel at this front bench, and all who are seeking sanctification will come to this second bench, and all the backsliders will come to the third bench, and all the hypocrites to the fourth bench." Strange as it may seem, each bench was crowded with "mourners."

"Now," said Mr. Cravens, "1 want you all to whet up your Jerusalem blades, that when I come down and give the word of command, we may go to war and successfully flight, and drive the devil from this holy ground." He then came down among the mourners, fell on one knee, and cried, "Fire, fire!" and such a display of divine power was rarely ever witnessed. Many souls were converted from every l)ench: the fourth, or hypocrites' bench, not excepted.

At the time of his vmtimely death. Mr. Cravens had planned to give up ministerial work, except on special occasion--, and to devote his time to the farm and the making of his home a model one for convenience and comfort. But ere he had entered upon his work. Death, the Reaper, interfered and his work was left unfinished. No man ever died in the county who was missed more or who left a larger train nf mourners behind than William Cravens.

William Hazard

arrival in Salem would fill a volume of interesting reading. A number of interesting articles concerning his ups and downs as a soldier in the English army while serving in India and the Crimean war were oublished in the Saiem Democrat about 1876.

In 1690 the Hazards emigrated from England to Ireland, and became ardent Irish. William Hazard's family for generations had some member of it in the English army, in some prominent position. William Hazard received a classical education and was graduated with high honors. When he became of age, the ranking member of his family was Sir Francis Hazard, an uncle without issue, upon whose death the title would have descended to William, his father being dead, but shortly before the death of Sir Francis, William married and emigrated to America, where he ever afterward made his home, and became an American citizen. After his graduation he was granted a commission in the English army and was in all the important engagements connected with the Crimean War, in which the English and French reduced Russian ascendency in the Black Sea. He deported himself so well in the Crimea that he was named for promotion, provided he could pass the competitive examination. In the test he got 100 per cent, in everything except field tactics, and was sent to India, second in command of a regiment. He said it was there that he acquired a taste for intoxicants, that later proved his imdoing. The soldiers in India were very much afraid of the plague, and every morning had doled out to them a good-sized drink of brandy, and those who could aflford it had plenty more during the day, an officer being allowed a quart. The habit fastened itself upon William Hazard and pr.oved to be the bane of his life. If he had remained in Ireland he would have assumed the title of baronet, and with his natural ability unmarred would no doubt have won further distinction and fame in his native country. Having retired from the army, he became enamoured of a house servant and married beneath his station, leaving at once for America, landing in New York City at the time of the riots on account of the draft in 1863. His intention was to enlist in the Union army, but everything being in a turmoil he decided to go' West, finally landing in Salem, which ever after continued to be his home. He was a Protestant and his wife was a Catholic and this always made trouble in the family. Upon his arrival in Salem Hazard and wife took service at a hotel for a time. Afterward he obtained employment as a clerk in some of the Salem stores, but most all his earnings were squandered for liquor, which soon unfitted him for service of any kind, and for a number of years the family subsisted upon the earnings of the wife, and regular remittances from his home people. Large trunks of fine clothing were occasionally received. These supplies finally were discontinued and he was deserted by his wife and children, who remov d to other parts of the country, leaving the old man a life estate in a dilapidated old brick building in North Main street, with a short monthly allowance. Hazard would sober up at times and endeavor to engage in some regular employment. He had not lived in Salein long before people knew that he was a man of refinement and education. He was always a prominent speaker in all temperance movements. He attended all lectures in the town and school teachers went to him for assistance in solving difficult problems, or translating Latin or Greek. He was always interesting, no matter what the line of conversation happened to be, and took special delight in entertaining visitors to his humble home. He reluctantly accepted gifts of food or clothing, although at times standing very much in need of the same. He was always fond of giving advice to young people. His language was perfect and he possessed the faculty of making himself entertaining and instructive to all with whom he came in contact. He finally became unable to care for himself, although in his latter years he left off the use of intoxicants entirely, and found refuge in the county asylum, his monthly allowance assuring him extra care and attention.

Lieutenant-Govf.Rnor Christopher Harrison

The subject of this sketch was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1780. His parents were wealthy and aristocratic, having emigrated to Ainerica during the days of Lord Baltimore. Christopher Harrison received such an education as his native state could give and was then sent to Europe, where he acquired a fine classical education and prepared himself for the law. After his return he taught school for a time, was a friend of the Patterson family, and became very mucii enamored of Miss Elizabeth Patterson. who was a pupil of his. Later on, wliile he was a student in one of I^altimore's great law offices, he and Miss Patterson became engaged. About this time, however, the dashing young Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Najioleon. came from France to visit America. At a society ball in the city of Baltimore, he met Miss Patterson and it was a case of "love at first sight." They became lovers and her engagement with Christopher Harrison was broken off. She and Bonaparte were married. This marriage Jerome was compelled to renounce by Emperor Napoleon, and he subsefjuenth" married a daughter of the King of Wurtemberg.

Harrison, jilted, despondent and discouraged, decided to -seek a horoe in the then Far West, where he could bury himself and his troubles in a rustic cabin home in the priraeyal wuedlands. He came West in 1807, and settled in Jefferson county on a blujlf that overlooks the Ohio river. The place was afterwards known as the old Logan farm, seven miles below Madison, and almost within rifle shot of Hanovet College. The .site commanded a fine view of the river for several miles each way, and a more romantic spot was not to be found on the bluffs 01 that historic river. There he built a primitive cabin, with the regylation fireplace, with a sort of porch on the side next the river, where he could sit and take in the view. For nearly eight years he lived there a regular hermit's life, with his dog and gun, his books and paint brushes, one of his talents being that of an amateur painter. He preferred to live thus, solitary, .and alone, to brood over the inconstancy of woiBan, in preference to miqgliqg with the outer world. Harrison has been charged with having been a "woman hater," but persons who knew him well in Salem said this was not so. He was always sociable, but somewhat reserved, in his intercourse with the leading belles of Salem in that early day, and was passionately fond of children, especially the little girls, to whom he was always giving sketches f r^crni his brush, and presenting them with flowers from his garden and yard, w^iich was said to be a bower of beauty, filled with cultivated roses, annuals and flowering shrubs. Up to 1870, when the old home was torn down to make room for a more imposing structure, the shrubs Harrison had started a half century previous had flourished and spread until they quite concealed the .unpretentious home he had builded.

Christopher Harrison, tiring of his cabin home on the Ohio, and entertaining a desire to once more enter into a busy life, decided to hvmt a new location, and accordingly moved to the then new and flourishing town of Salem, journeying thither in 1816 with Jonathan Lyon and John F. Keyes- Before this date., however, he had formed the acquaintance of General William Henry Harrison and was his confidential and advisory friend. With the fermentation preceding the. political change of Indiana from a territory to a state, Christopher Harrison entered actively into politics, and his abilities in this line are evidenced by the fact that at the first election of state officers, in 1816. he was chosen lieutenant-governor. After serving ip this capacity for nearly two years, he abdicated the office for reasons that illustrated his eccentricity. In 1818 Governor Jennings was appointed a commissioner to treat with the Indians for the tract of country comprising the central, part of the state. This left Harrison as acting govepior, and, basing his argument orf a clause of the constitution, he maintained that Jennings had vacated his office by accepting tlie appointment as commissioner, and that he, Harrison, had become governor in fact. The legislature did not support his contentions, and he indignantly resigned. In i8i<) he ran for governor against Jennings but was beaten. In 1821 he. in company with Governor Jennings, Gen. John Carr and Alexander Ralston, l.iid out the city of Indianapolis, the site at that time being covered by a dense forest.

Harrison's further public service was performed as agent of what was known as the "three per cent fund," which was gi\en to the state from the sale of government lands, and used in the opening up and maintenance of public highways. This fund was finally distributed among the several ci.mnties of the state, abotit 1870. In 1824 Harrison was appointed a commissioner to surxey and open up a canal around the fall- of the Ohio, on the Indiana side, but the work was never completed. His first labor in a public capacity in Salem was in the making of three maps of the county on a scale of one-half inch to the mile, for which service he was allowed, by the first board of commissioners, in 181 7, the sum of fifteen dollars. He was also judge of the Washington circuit court for one term. Shortly after locating in Salem he erected the first brick building in the town, which stoiid near the center of lot 11, northeast corner of the pul)lic square. He also owned a small farm near town, where he li\c(l f(.>r a few _\'ears before going back East, and put in most of his time dehing in the soil. He would bring to town melons and fruits as gifts to his child friends, after car\ing their names on the rinds.

Harrison quite frequently dropped into gloomy moods, paying no attention to visitors and declining to enter into conversation with any one. I-\>o]iklearned to let him severely alone while he was in one of these spells. Bartlett Scott was a great practical joker. V fellow happened in Scott's -aloon one day, who offered to play the fiddle for a drink. Scott had beard that Harrison was in one of his moods that daw so he told the straiiger that his fiiUUe was up at Judge Harrison's, and a>ked him to go nuA get it. lie told the stranger that the judge was a little hard of hearing, and that he wmtld ha\e to speak loud to him. The stranger went directly to the judge's residence that

Scott, saying-, "That man of yours is the cussedest fool 1 ever saw ; he wouldn't talk or even notice me." Scott had no fiddle at Harrison's, but he did it to bore the stranger as well as the judge. He then "set up" the drinks saving to the stranger that he had earned a drink, for the laugh was on him. About the year 1835, Judge Harrison returned to his old home in Maryland, where he lived to the ripe old a^e of eighty-three years, dying there in 1863. Judge Harrison was by some charged with having been an Aaron Burr sympathizer, and a participator in the latter's confederacy scheme. Burr visited Harrison while he li\ed in his cabin home on the Ohio, but there were never any admissions that he knew anything about Burr's plans, ind if he did know he never committed any act or deed that in any way would commit him to any unlawful purpose connected therewith.