Cass Township

Cass Township

St. Heory. The plat of this town reads, "The Town of St. Henry or Henryville." The post office is St. Henry, and it is better to so call the town to distinguish it from Henryville, Clark County, Indiana. Mr. Fisher is its founder, though the main business part of the town is not on the plat of the town, which is dated September 22, 1874. A Catholic church was established at St. Henry in 1862. A stone church was built that year. The Evansville and Jasper branch of the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis Railroad passes one mile and a quarter west of the town. Its station is called Ferdinand, and Ferdinand station is Johnsburg post office. Henry Bruner lived near here. He was one of the first settlers in Cass township. He was an expert with his long rifle and hundreds of deer, bears, and other wild game fell at his shot. Mr. Bruner was one of the best known hunters that ever "drew a bead" in the early days in Dubois County.

Mentor. Francis M. Sanders is the founder of this town. He was a great admirer of President Garfield, and named the town in his honor. Henry Berger was the surveyor. The post office for this place is Altoga. It means "high and dry," and was so named by the late John M. Deinderfer, county auditor. Mentor is the main shipping station for Schnellville, Celestine, Ellsworth, and Dubois. The original plat of the town is dated September 29, 1881. Hickory Grove. This is a hamlet in the extreme northeast corner of Harbison township. It has two churches, a school house, stores, and the usual

Rev. Fidelis Maute

Born in 1837, in Inueriugen, Province Holaenzollcrn, (Sigmariugi'n, Prussia). He received his classical education in Hedingen, near Sigmaringeu and Maria Eiusicdeln. His theological studies he finished in Mainz. In 1861, he left for America. On June 21, he landed at New York, and on the 29ih he arrived at St. Meinrad, Spencer County, Indiana. He made his profession at St. Meinrad, September 8, 1863, and was ordained January 2, 1864. lit. Rev. Bishop St. Palais, of Vincennes. Since July 18, 186.5, he has been pastor of St. .Joseph's congregation at Jasper. Ry his persistent energy the present large St. Joseph's church was btiilt at Jasper.

number of dwellings incident to such settlements. For many years the post office was known as Hickory Grove. It is known as Thales P.O. since January 19, 1895.

County Officers And Some Of Their

can not serve more than eight years in state Legislature in i867. any twelve. It is his duty to keep a record of the proceedings of the court, and issue all writs of the court. He issues marriage licenses and records the marriages as reported to him by the ministers and other parties empowered to solemnize marriages. He may appoint administrators, receives and records various bonds ; is trustee of the county library, keeps a register of physicians, and various other work. At one time he also served as clerk of the common pleas court, and probate court.

The following men served as clerks of Dubois County: 1818, Simon Morgan; 1839, B. B. Edmonston ; i860, Henry Holthaus ; 1868, B. B. Edmonston ; 1876, Peter J. Gosmann ; 1884, Joseph I. Schuhmacuer; 1886, Ignatz Eckert ; 1894, Herman Eckert.

County Recorder - The county recorder is eligible but eight years out of a period of twelve. He records deeds, mortgages, indentures, articles of

Hon. B. L. Greene

Of Jasper, Ind.. born Oct. 1, 1850, died Aug. 6, 188.5. Served as deputy clerk for many years; also as state representative. He) was clerk-elect of Dubois County at the time of his death. He was also clerk of the town of Jasper for many years, and was the first teacher in the brick public school building in Jasper.

Herman Eckert

incorporation, town plats, maps, etc. He also releases mortgages and may make an abstract and take the acknowledgement of an indenture. This office and that of clerk were formerly held by the same official.

County Treasurer - His term is two years. He may serve four years out of a period of six years. He receives and has charge of all county funds, and pays out the same on orders issued by the county auditor. The county treasurer collects all the state, county, and township taxes, and may collect taxes for an incorporated town. Twice in each year he makes a settlement with the state treasurer and pays to him the taxes due the state from this county. The county treasurers of Dubois County have for many years been the first to make their settlements with the state.

History And Art Souvenir

The following men have served as treasurers of Dubois County: 1852, Dominick Erny ; 1854, Edward Stephenson; 1858, B. R. Niehaus; i860, Theodore Sonderman ; 1863; Edward Stephenson; 1867, William Bretz ; 1872, Edward Stephenson; 1S74, James E. Spurlock; 1878, Ig^natz Eckert ; 1882, Wm. H. Bretz; 1886, Christ. H. Rudolph; 1890, Jacob Burger; 1894, Edward A. Bohnert.

County Surveyor - His term is two years, but he may be re-elected as often as suits the people. His duty is to make surveys, and establish lines and corners for persons owning land in the county who may call on him for that purpose. His surveys, when made for the establishment of lines and corners, are recorded by him.

Georoe J. Jutt Phillip Dilly

County Sheriff - Term, two years. He is eligible but four years in any six. He is the executive officer of the circuit court. He has charge of the county jail, and is responsible for the safe keeping of prisoners held by him. He publishes the clerk's notices of elections, and is the peace officer of the county. He is also the executive officer of the county commissioners' court. He sells property to pay debts when ordered by the circuit court. He is furnished a residence, and a jail in which to keep prisoners.

County Coroner - His term is two years but he may serve for many years. His duty is to hold inquests on bodies of persons supposed to have met death by violence or in any unnatural manner. He files his verdict with the county clerk and may have the supposed murderer arrested. In cases where the sheriff is interested he acts as sheriff. If the sheriff is to be arrested the county coroner serves the warrant. Tf the sheriff should be confined in jail, the coroner has charge of the jail and its prisoners. Many years ago the county coroner served as "fence viewer," and as the officer for the care of the poor. As fence viewer, he would pass upon the ability of a fence to keep out stock and assess the damages done by stock.

County Assessor - This official's term is four years. He is not eligible for re-election more than once in any term of eight years. He is super- visor of the work of township assessors, and may list and assess any omitted property. The county assessor, auditor, and treasurer, constitute the county board of review, or equalization. The office as now known was created in 189 1. Lieut. W. W. Kendall was appointed by the county commissioners to serve until the general election of 1892, at which election he was elected and served until after the November election, 1896, when he was succeded by William H. Kuper.

County Superintendent - His term is two years, with no time limit as to re-eligibility. He has charge of the common schools of the county. He examines and licenses teachers, and may revoke a license for cause. It is his duty to visit schools and to encourage education. He holds county and township institutes. Appeals may be taken to him from the decision of a township trustee. In many cases his decision is final ; in others, an appeal may be taken to the state superintendent. The county superintendent is president of the county board of education, and has charge of the enumeration of the school children of the county. He is the instrument for carrying out the orders of the state board of education and of the state superintendent. He orders, receives and distributes all common school text books that are needed in his county. The pay for these books he receives from the trustees and forwards it to the book companies. He makes many reports to the state superintendent and to the chief of the bureau of statistics. County superintendents began to serve in 1873. Previous to that time many of their duties were performed by an official called the school examiner.

The following men have served as school examiners or superintendents of Dubois County: 1843, John McCausland ; 1853, Rev. Joseph Kundeck, Rev. A. J. Strain and George W. Fallon; 1857, Rev. Joseph Kundeck, Rev. A. J. Strain atid S. J. Kramer; 1858, Rev. A. J. Strain, Stephen Jerger and S. J. Kramer; 1859, Rev. A. J. Strain, William Hays and John

B. Beckwerment ; i860, William Hayes, J. B, Beckwerment and Henry Holthaus; 1861, Rev. A. J. Strain; 1873, E. R. Brundick. (Here the law was changed and the county superintendent took charge.) The county superintendents were as follows: 1873, E. R. Brundick; 1879, Rev. George C. Cooper; 1881, Hon. A. M. Sweeney; 1889, George R. Wilson.

County Auditor - His term is four years and he may serve eight years in any twelve. He is clerk of the commissioners' court. He makes the tax duplicates and delivers them to the county treasurer. The county auditor has charge of the school funds of the county and loans them upon lands in the county. He transfers real estate before deeds are recorded. Manv reports

Henry Berqer Michael Wilson

Born in Northumberland County, England, Oct. 3, 1834. The pioneer miner of Dubois County. Assisted in the geological survey of Dubois county under State Geologist Cox. County surveyor in 1882 and 1883.

are made by the county auditor to the state auditor and other state officials. This is the most responsible office in the county, and the good record Dubois County has made in not being in debt is due to the efficiency of her county auditors.

The following men have served as auditors of Dubois County: B. B. Edmonston ; 1852, Dr. Samuel B. McCrillus ; 1856, John Mehringer; 1863, Theodore Sonderman ; 1867. Martin Friedman; 1870, August Litschgi ; -1874, J. Michael Deinderfer; 1878, I. Schuhmacher; 1886, John Gramelspacher; 1894, August H. Koerner.

Secretary of the County Board of Health - The county commissioners are ex-officio the county board of health. They meet annually in December and elect a secretary, who is the executive officer of the board, and who serves for one year. The county board of health promulgates and enforces

Names of men who have served as County Commissioners: Henry Enlow, Robert Oxley, John Donnell, Abraham Corn, Lewis B. Woods, Arthur L. Blagrave, Major T, Powers, Joseph Friedman (1847), R. M. Davis, Casper John, Anson Cavender, B. R. L. Niehaus, Henry Long, A.

Joseph Fritz

Born in Uiibois Countv, Feb. 14, 1843. Enrolled in Co. K 25th lud. Vols. Inf., Sopt. 26, 1864, and served until June 4, 186.5. Mr. Fritz has served as trustee of Jackson township several terms, and is now serving his second term as countv commissioner.

Joseph Schroeder

^\i^ ioWo'wm^ Justices of the Peace ^ ^!i%o served as a board of county commissioners in 1843-5: Daniel Harris, Samuel Postlethwait, Jesse Corn, Jr., John Cave, John D. Noble, John Hurst, Elijah Cox, Giles N. Lansford, Elijah Kendall, A. B. Spradley, John Combs, Joseph Schneider, and Simon B. Lewis.

Thos. C. Stewart, John Hargrave (1838), Smith Miller, Benj. R. Edmonston (1845), Smith Miller, B. T. Goodman, William Hawthorn, John Hargrave, Col. Thos. Shoulders (1861), H. A. Reed, Wm. A. Traylor (thrice), James H. Willard, O. A. Trippett, John Sweeney, M. A. Sweeney (1895).

Source changes here: from History of Dubois County from Its Primitive Days to 1910, by Wilson, George R, published 1910; 563 words in this source stream.

Cass Township

Cass township was originally a part of Patoka township. The first man to buy land in Cass township was James Gentry. On April i6, 1818, he entered the southwest quarter of section fifteen, township three south, range five west. It is in the eastern part of the township.

Politically the township is about evenly divided between the democrats and the republicans. Farming is the chief occupation. Its farmers are students, and very enterprising and productive.

east of Holland. The government furnished the following report on this rock, February 15, 1907: Specific, gravity, 2.75; weight per cubic foot, 172 pounds; per cent of wear, 3.9; French co-efficient of wear, 10.4; hardness, 15; toughness, 10; water absorbed per cubic foot, .85 pounds; and of excellent cementing value. A layer of fine potter's clay, four feet in depth, lies just above the rock.

There is an old Indian boundary line in Cass township. It is 51.18 chains south of the northwest corner of section thirty-four, near Johnsburg, and also passes a little run 264 feet west of the corner of sections 29, 30, 31 and 32. Government Surveyor David Sanford notes having found it on Friday, Feb- ruary 22, 1805. This line was an old treaty line, and is quite historical. Mention is made of it on page 89. The treaty line was surveyed by Thomas Freeman, July 21, 1802, before the rectangular surveys were made.

Zoar. This place is partly in Pike county. The church building and school house are in Dubois county. The postoffice and cemetery are in Pike county. It is on the Huntingburg and Stendal road in Cass and Lockhart townships. Its church was erected 1871, and its school house in 1897. Mrs. Tellejohn was first postmistress. Zoar is 563 feet above the sea.

Jo/msburg. This place is also known as Ferdinand station. It is the oldest railroad station in Dubois county, and is a shipping point for Hoi- land, and St. Henry. Johnsburg is the name of the postoffice. The hamlet contains several ware- houses, a general store, mills, etc. Topographically it is 486 feet above the sea.

Sf. Henry. The plat of this town reads, "The town of St. Henry or Henryville." The postoffice is St. Henry. Mr. Fisher is its founder, though the main business part of the town is not on the plat of the town, which is dated September 22, 1874. Ferdinand station is the shipping point for St. Henry. The population is about one hundred.

Holland. Henry Kunz was the founder of Holland. The plat bears date of May 20, 1859, and is signed "Henry Kunz, Proprietor." Mr. Kunz was the leading merchant of the town he established for thirty years. He settled at this place when it was a primeval forest, and was for years its foremost citizen. He was born in Germany, October 12, 1824. and died at Holland, January 22, 1S85.

Holland is one of the most enterprising towns in the count3^ Churches and schools recei\'e close attention, and all that makes for good citizenship is cultivated. Many of the pioneer settlers of Cass township referred to Holland as"Kunztown." Henry Kunz built the first house in the town. Among the other early merchants may be mentioned William Heit- man, Mrs. W. Keller, Frederick Wibbeler, H. J. Meyer, Caldmeyer & Co., and Smith and Todrank. Ernest Keller was the first wagon maker at Holland.