|
|
Twigs and Branches
|
||
Baber's Early History of Greene County Indiana Chapter VIIIn the year 1831, all the officers of the year before were continued in office except for Assessor. JAMES M. BUCKNER was Assessor for the west side of the river, and JOHN S. OWEN for the east side. Fairplay township was established. The ferry across White River at point Commerce was established. A jury room was built to the court house. Norman W. PIERCE took the place of Judge Levi FELLOWS as Associate Judge. ROBERT INMAN declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, having emigrated in 1826. At the April term of the Circuit Court, General TIGHLMAN A. HOWARD was admitted to practice law in our court. General HOWARD was one of the best men in Indiana, and was, certainly, for many uears, the most popular man in his party in the State. In 1840, at the urgent solicitations of his party, he left Congress and became the Democratic candidate for Governor. It was thought that his personal popularity throughout the State would enable him to beat Governor BIGGER. But the tide of enthusiasm for General HARRISON against MARTIN VAN BUREN was irresistible, and Harrison’s popularity defeated General HOWARD. In 1842, he was the choice of his party for United States Senator, while O. H SMITH was the choice of the WHIGS. Neither got it, and E. A. HANAGAN finally carried off the prize. General Howard was afterwards sent to Texas by the Government, and while there he died. His widow was in our county in the year of 1874, visiting Captain JOHN D. ALEXANDER’s family, who are relatives At the October term, G. W. JOHNSON succeeded Judge LAW as president Judge. [end of pg 21] The whole amount collected this year for the county, from all sources in county orders, was $609.51; in cash, $22.44; total revenue, $642.87. In 1832, the old Commissioners were continued in office during the first part of the year. JOHN CROOK was elected Sheriff and appointed collector. MOSES RITTER was County Treasurer, JOHN LEMON Assessor for the west side of the river, and Peter HILL for the east side. During the latter part of the year, JOEL SEXTON appeared as Commissioner in place of JAMES WARNICK, whose term had expired. JOHN SHIRLEY, quite a noted man in his day, commenced merchandising on Indian Creek. – JOHN S. MOORE commenced keeping tavern. ANDREW DOWNING authorized to sell merchandise. He was a man of wonderful industry and energy. He started the furnace near Bloomfiel7d, and for many years had a large amount of business going on, and giving employment to many hands. He finally broke up, went to Texas, and after the war closed was United States Collector, and served a term in the Legislature. He was finally seized with consumption, the result probably, of his years of exposure at the furnace, and has since "gone to the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns." The first bridge ever built in the county, except by road hands, was built this year across Richland creek by LEVI FELLOWS, under the supervision of PETER R. LESTER, who, at that time, was road commissioner, having been appointed by the Legislature. Amory KINNEY was president Judge this year, and in October JOHN ROBINSON succeeded Judge PIERCE as Associate Judge. Those who take special interest in the early settlers around Bloomfield, would probably like to know what became of the somewhat noted Mr. SHINTAFFER. He finally became disgusted with the "ups and downs" of Greene county life, and especially with courts, and silently be glided away down the waters of White river, and still downward until he reached the father of waters, the Mississippi. On its banks he erected his cabin; but, in a few years, he came to an untimely death by being killed in some difficulty with a neighbor. After this year his name ceased to adorn the dockets of our courts, the last time it appeared there being a nolle prosequi. This year SAMUEL and BENJAMIN INMAN declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, having emigrated in February, 1832. In the early part of this year, Congress passed a law, giving pensions to all soldiers who served in the army, navy or militia during the Revolutionary war. Prior to this only a few drew pensions. It appears that the applicant was required to have a minister of the gospel as one of his witnesses, if such could be done, and if they could not procure the testimony of a clergyman, they must show that fact and the reason why. During this year applications for pensions were made by JOHN STORM, PETERr INGERSOLL, ADAM RAINBOLT, and JOSHUA BURNETT. None of these men were then under seventy years of age. The tax collected this year was $384.41. There was some money collected from other sources. It is somewhat astonishing how low the officers’ fees were during all there early years. The treasurer’s fees for this year were $24.93. Assessor’s fees, on the west side of the river, #28.00. Assessor’s fees, on the east side of the river, $25.00. In 1833, JOHN ROBINSON was appointed Assessor for the west side and Joseph STORM for the east side of the river. The other officers were the same as the year before. Peter HILL was appointed seminary trustee. This year THOMAS PATTERSON was appointed Constable for Richland township, and has been almost continuously in office as justice or some- [end of page 22] thing else, up to within a few years of the present time. The second bridge in the county was built, being across Doane’s creek. A State tax was levied on poll and land. The occupant’s of our "temple of justice" being desirous of more light, caused a window to be put in front of the edifice. The lots now known as seminary lots in Bloomfield were donated by the county for seminary purposes. JAMES WARNICK, C. P. VAN SLYKE, SAMUEL SIMONS, JOHN A. PEGG, and ELIAS CRANCE were the first Board of Trustees. During this year PARIS C. DUNNING and R. C. DEWEY were admitted to practice law, and R. M. CARNAM was Prosecuting Attorney. PARIS C. DUNNING is well know to many of our citizens. He was Governor of Indiana several years ago, and is a lawyer of first-class ability. The expenses of the county during this year were larger than usual, owing to the improvements beiing made and some approriations for bridges. County orders issued aside from courts. . . . . . . . .$ 803.50 ½The treasurer’s fees for this year amounted to $44.14. The names of many early settlers in and around Bloomfield have been omitted for lack of information. CALVIN MOORE, a blacksmith, was, in his day, not entirely unknown to fame. He is said to have had an unusually devotional turn of mind p so much so, that he became better known by the name of PRIEST MOORE than by his real name. Then there was JOHN GLENN, one of the very early settlers. He was a large stout man, and might be regarded almost as a part of the county-seat. At Burlington he was always on hand ready to do a chore or take I drink. He followed the county-seat to Bloomfield, and for some time before his death he became a sort of town loafer, but was always ready to do little jobs of work for money or something to drink. With all his faults its is said tha he had a warm, generous heart. When he died, some of the citizens, remembering his virtues and forgetting his errors, gave him respectable burial, and erected a stone to his memory. This stone, or rather, the inscription on it , has caused more inquiry than any other in the cemetery. In addition to the usual inscription, there are two sentences. One is, "A friend upon whom fortune frowned." The other is, "Nemo est aries viventis." The last one was intended to be, Nemo est hares viventis, which means, "No one is heir to a loving person." That is, before a person can be an heir, his ancestor or person from whom he inherits must be dead. It is said that this epitaph was put on because his father was in good circumstances and would not contribute any of it to his son – his son having no legal right to it while his father lived. We once heard of a lawyer making an application of this legal maxim, which, perhaps, would not be out of place to relate. It grew our of a clash of wit between a parson and attorney. "I do believe," the parson cries,We rather think the lawyer got the best of that argument. In our history, so far, we have neglected the clergy. Among the earliest preachers in the locality of Bloomfield were Mr. HAWLEY, HIRAM ABIFF HUNTER, and ELI P. FARMER. The two last are yet living, and are men of distinguished ability. About this time, JOHN LEMONS, who had been a leading man in the county from the first organization, [end of page 23]and been in office much of the time, joined the Mormons, and went further west to "grow up with the country. Several other citizens went at the time time. One man and his wife parted over the question, the man going with the Mormons and his wife remaining at home. She lived to a ripe old age, and we believed married twice afterwards. We remember two or three of her names, but not remembering the one she bore at the date of our history, we will not give any. The year 1835 closed the term of MOSES RITTER as Treasurer. He was succeeded, in 1834, by SAMUEL D. CHIPMAN, a brother of JOHN N. CHIPMAN, who is one of our oldest settlers. John B. FERRELL was Assessor for the west side of the river and SAMUEL R. CAVINS for the east side. GEORGE R. H. MOORE was Sheriff, ANDREW DOWNING and WILLIAM N. NORRIS were appointed collectors and Judge LESTER Town Agent. CARPUS SHAW, Commissioner of school lands for the whole county. Before this period, several commissioners were appointed each year. BENJAMIN BROOKS, husband of Aunt ELIZA BROOKS, was authorized to vend merchandise. He has been dead over thirty years. – LARK B. JONES was the first student authorized by commissioners to attend the State University, and that was this year. It appears that the attention of our Commissioners was called to a defect in our "Temple of Justice", in some degree affecting the comfort of those who had business there; and they ordered that the underpinning of the court house be repaired so as to keep the hogs from disturbing the court. Judge WILLIAM S. COLE succeeded Judge ROBINSON this year as Associate Judge. He lived in the county after this until he was over seventy years of age. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, from Kentucky. In his native State, before emigrating to Indiana, he was a leading, influential man in his county, and served a term as sheriff. He was a Baptist preacher for many years, but for quite a number of years, before his death, he was too feeble to preach a regular sermon. DAVID MC DONALD appeared as Prosecuting Attorney of the Circuit Court. He was afterwards Judge of the same court, and finally Judge of the District Court of the United States. He stood at the very top of the ladder as a attorney and judge. He is the author of McDonald’s Treatise. At the September term, THOMAS BRADFORD again appeared as Associate Judge, taking the place of SAMUEL R. CAVINS, who had resigned. At this term, JOHN COWGILL appeared as Prosecuting Attorney. He afterwards became a judge, but not in our circuit. It appears that at this period a system of inspection was adopted, and inspectors were appointed for whiskey, school teachers, etc. ANDREW DOWNING was appointed inspector of beef, pork, lard and butter. JOHN INMAN, E. P. CUSHMAN and S. R. CAVINS, were appointed inspectors of teachers. SAMUEL OWEN was appointed inspector of whiskey and other liquors. If we had such an office as inspector of whisky now, we believe there are several persons in our towns who would accept the office without a money salary. We are not able to give the receipts and expenditures this year, but suppose they were less than the year before. The Assessors’ fees for the whole county amounted to $44.00. The Treasurers fees amounted to $20.58 – something less than they now are. [part of page 24] |
|||
|
|
|||
