COUNTY CENTENNIAL Centennial Book Fou uf (in) County Centennial ( 'elebration Officials Executive Committee from Daughters of American Revolution MRS. C. W. DICE, Regent Mrs. H. K. BILSLAND. General Chairman Miss Verna Glascock Mrs. W. B. Coffing Mrs. William N. White Mrs. J. Earl Romine Mrs. A. M. DeHaven Miss Jess DeHaven Mrs. O. R. Kerr Township Chairmen Jackson — Ira Wilkinson Troy — Mrs. C. W. Dice Millcreek — Mrs. Alonzo H. Lindley Richland — Charles R. McKinney Fulton — Warren A. Randolph Shawnee — I. A. Head Wabash — Mrs. Max Bodine Logan — Mrs. Albert Cobb Cain — Thurman Long Davis — Miss Grace Earl Van Buren — Mrs. Bessie Hurst Committee Chairmen Covington Chamber of Commerce — Decoration — Charles Massey W. H. Lykins Old Dolls and Photographs — Publicity — Mrs. J. Earl Romine Mrs. W. B. Dunlap Parade — Mrs. A. M. DeHaven Historical — Clarence W. Nelson Homecoming — Mrs. W. B. Coffing Pageant — Frank Shelby Reunion — Mrs. O. R. Kerr Costume — Mrs. Dan V. Clem Birthday Cake — Miss Jess DeHaven Reception — Judge O. B. Ratcliff Relics — Mrs. N. G. Harlow Speaker — C. W. Dice Community Dinner — Mrs. J. W. McMahon Courtesy — Mrs. Belle Bilsland Old Melodies Concert — Mrs. W. H. Centennial Queen — Mrs. C. W. Dice Lykins Cover Design — Eugene Savage Centennial Eook — Mrs. Worth Reed Author of Pageant MRS. WILLIAM N. WHITE Director of Pageant MISS VERNA GLASCOCK Fountain County ^P*r -.•"» -ifi, '/ft '4' 'if ■>■]% 3 ■'*< f3T7cr ■S*/ 1 , - - -1 it, ^*n LI ■ , ■ f « / . • --. ■•■!<■... ■- ■ * .-,v ■' W:.. V*: - - "On the Banks of the Wabash Centennial Book THE CENTENNIAL BOOK OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF THE CEREMONIES AND THE PAGEANT IN CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENNIAL OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY, AT COVINGTON, INDIANA Sponsored by RICHARD HENRY LEE CHAPTER D. A. R. FOUNTAIN COUNTY INDIANA 1826 1926 (Copyright 1926, Daughters of American Revolution, Richard Henry Lee Chapter) Fountain County GENERAL PROGRAM TUESDAY, AUGUST 10 Afternoon 3:00 P. M. — Old Melodies Concert 7:30 P. M— Band Concert 8:00 P. M. — Historical Pageant High School Auditorium Covington Fairground Covington Fairground WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 11 Homecoming Day Morning 10:00 A. M. — Parade: Historical, Industrial and Fraternal Crowning of Miss Centennial 12:00 M. — Community Dinner .... 1 :00 P. M. — Fountain County's Birthday Cake Cut by Miss Centennial 1:30 P. M. — Concert: Fountain County Bands 2:30 P. M. — Speaking by Famous Hoosiers 7:30 P. M.— Band Concert 8:00 P. M. — Historical Pageant .... Covington Fairground Covington Fairground Covington Fairground Covington Fairground Covington Fairground Centennial Book MISS DAVIS WREATHA PEARSON MISS RICHLAND LEAH ROYAL M|5S SHAWNEE MARY HOAGLAND MISS CAIN MERLE BEVER, MISS JACKSON GLADYS KELLER MISS FULTON VIOLA RANDOLPH MIS5 TROY DE LORES KERR MISS M1LLCREEK MAXINE GLASCOCK Fountain County PAGEANT THE MARCH OF A CENTURY zA PORTRAYAL OF THE SETTLEMENT AND PROGRESS OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY IN THREE PARTS 1826 1926 MRS. WILLIAM N. WHITE, Author MISS VERNA GLASCOCK, Director Centennial Book PRELUDE A flare of trumpets. A pause of silence. A he: aid, mounted on a white charger appears in the distance, rides swiftly to the front, raises his hand and speaks: Herald Out of the north came the glacier. That monster so grim and relentless, Crushing all in the pathway before it, Hehind it a vast desolation; But nature so lavish with blessings Of sunshine, of dew and of rain. Brought the trees, the grass and the flowers. Made a region of beauty again. Down through the broad, fertile valleys Wind gently the beautiful rivers. Ever fed by the many small streamlets Trickling down from hillside and glen. And time is long in the passing, Slowly come God's creatures again. In the coming and going of centuries, Come the tribes of the wild, red men. From this region of hill, plain and valley, Was carved out our own Indiana. In its confines winds slowly the Wabash — Most beautiful and famous of rivers; As it wends its way down from the eastward, Curves gently away to the southland. In its curve lies peaceful the county Whose Centennial we're observing today. Let's turn back the pages of history. Begin life a century ago, Live through those wonderful epochs As before you their scenes will unroll. May our hearts be filled with due reverence For brave men, so true and so kind. Who gave freely their all to posterity, To progress and uplift of mankind. PART ONE Time: Beginning — 1826 EPISODE I A call of attention is sounded from tne tower: A chariot drawn by two ponies, carrying four small children as Forest Spirits appears from the darkness. The Spirits alight and seek airily for someone, finally ascend the tower and discover the Horologist asleep. They awaken him, then descend to their chariot and drive away. The Horolo- gist arises, looks around in astonishment and begins to speak: Horologist — Behold you the nymphs of the woodland. The sweet scented flowers from the prairies. They gather in radiant raiment. They mingle in spirits, ecstatic. They dance in transporting rapture In praise of that Being called nature. Who provides in bountiful measure The fairest and richest of home lands. The murmuring pines on the hill top, The stately oak in the valley Are bearded with moss and woodbine Wreathing their trunks with beauty. Fleecy clouds float airily o'er them, Revealing the sky blue of heaven. The song of waters from rivers, Creating emotions ethereal. Fountain County Enter the Water Nymphs of the Wabash River, who wind their way through the Wabash Valley — as yet unknown to man, who enthrone their Queen — the Forest Spirit. The Forest Queen receives her attendant spirits with eagerness and rapture, and sum- mons Spring and her three companion months. They declare their fealty to the Forest Spirit and lead forward for her entertainment the dainty Flowers, the sparkling Rain- drops, the wee Birds, who join in a ballet in honor of Spring. Spring then runs to welcome the coming of Summer, while the attendants of Spring seek the background. Summer, with her three months hastens to greet the Forest Spirit, then drifts into a dreamy dance, surrounded by her Clouds, the Sunbeams and the humming Bees. Summer sees Autumn appearing in the distance, serenely goes to greet her and her three months who advance mildly and calmly to pay homage to the Forest Spirit. Then the Autumn becomes wilder in her movements of the dance. The leaves come rushing to the scene, followed by the Frost Spirits who whirl through a merry dance. As Winter with her three months, advances, Autumn is driven from the scene and the Snow Man with the Snow Spirits hold revel. At the close of this dance the four sea- sons group themselves in the foreground of the picture. EPISODE II The Coming of the Red Men Horologist — Come Indians, the native wild red men And silently view the wild frolic, Entranced by the great primal forests, By grasses that nod in the breezes, By scent of the wild plum and hawthorn, By the lure of the gurgling Wabash. They join in frenzied wild dancing, They call to their mates to come hither And join in glad approbation For regions so rich and so fruitful, The grandest of all in the nation; Build huts in the edge of the forest, Blaze their way on the trail of the bison, Grow their corn in the valleys, so fertile, Enthralled by the Great Spirit's blessing. Meantime, the Red Men have been attracted here by the sounds of revelry. Only a few appear, at first. When the Spirit of the Forest sees them, she beckons them to her and the Wabash Nymphs gladly welcome them. The Indians then give an Indian call, which is answered in the distance by another call. One of the maidens sings, "Far Off I Hear a Lover's Lute," and is answered by a Brave who enters singing, "From the Land of the Sky Blue Water." The Forest Spirit blesses them, gives them possession of the land and as other Indians enter setting up tepees and busying them- selves with the general business of Indian life, the dancers disappear. A group of Indian maidens then give a dance of worship and thanksgiving for the new land. Tecumseh's brother, The Prophet, with a number of his warriors arrive and is greeted by the chief and his Braves and a Council of War is held under a tree. The Prophet speaks and the business of the council is finished. As the Prophet and his Braves, accompanied by the young Braves start on their journey, the Squaws indulge in a wild war dance. After the dance the squaws and remaining Indians proceed with the regular duties of Indian life. Presently a group of very young Braves in great alarm attract the attention of the tribe to the coming of the pale face. EPISODE III Explorers, Jesuits and Traders Drift Down the Wabash Horologist — ■ Mad lust for wealth and dominion Urged white men on toward the sunset. Down currents of emerald banked rivers, Their portage, the trail of the Indian, Came explorers, the Jesuits, the traders, To the haunts of the native tribesman. Centennial Book Braving terrors of savage destruction, In conquest of land for their sovereign; Bringing trinkets and arms for exchanging For pelts of the bison and beaver; Devoting their lives: to the mission Of teaching the truths of religion, — The seal of all councils, the peace pipe — That symbol of trust and safe conduct. A French explorer, a Jesuit, and traders appear with their canoes, in the distance, carrying the French Flag and articles of exchange. The Indians stand in awe and the chiefs and braves draw nearer as they approach. The explorer takes possession in the name of France and erects the French Flag. The Jesuit plants the cross and kneels in worship. The traders exchange blankets, arms and trinkets for bundles of fur. The explorer and the Jesuit sit with the chiefs around the fire smoking the Calumet. A group of braves and maidens assemble. The white men chant: "Salve Mater Miseri- cordiae." EPISODE IV The Coming of Pioneers Horologist — Imbued with insatiable ambition To obtain for themselves and their children A home and heritage, abundant. Came the first of our Pioneer fathers. Lured on to the western horizon By tales trickling back through the forest, Of a land of marvelous richness On the banks of the beautiful Wabash, — The blue canopy of heaven above them, Around them the virginal forest; Within them the strength and the courage To conquer the forces of nature, To attain their highest ambition, A heritage to posterity, immortal. Three men and two boys arrive on horseback, carrying with them tools with which to work in the forest and their guns. They view the country and select sites for their homes. After this is done two of the men return to the east to bring their families. In the meantime, the remaining men have erected a cabin and made ready for the families. Soon covered wagons are seen and the families of Johnathan Burch, John Colvert and William Cochran arrive, bringing with them cows, dogs, crude farm- ing tools, household goods and other articles of use. They are warmly welcomed and introduced to their new home. They appear highly pleased and proceed to the several duties of Pioneer life. Many other men, women and children arrive in wagons, on horseback and on foot. Some of the men are busy with caring for the tools, the harness and the stock. Others come from the forests with game while others are stretching the skins of ani- mals on the sides of the cabin. The children are busy with games of leap frog and ball. A part of the women are busy with the household work, while others are making soap, washing and milking the cows. Lovers are seen in the semi-darkness. Presently the children scream and all run to them and discover a den of snakes which the men proceed to kill. EPISODE V Church and School Horologist— That there may not be lost to the future In this land of promise and hope The mysteries of knowledge and learning The value of minds well equipped. In the edge of the forest were builded Fountain County Schools for instruction in learning Where the youth from afar came together, To sit on cruel benches of birchwood; And receive from the hands of the master, More cruel than the benches they sit on. The rudiments of learning and culture In the simple, but useful curriculum. Came the strong, the astute, the ambitious Laid foundations of skill and refinement Became in times of dissension The mainstay and guide of the nation. Not forgetting the God of their fathers, But remembering the teachings of childhood They built in their primitive homeland In the lands so recently settled Built in the forest their churches Close by the side of the school house The church and school built together Both sacred, — the hope of our people. The Schoolmaster arrives, is greeted and calls the children to a school session by ringing his bell. Rude benches are brought from the cabin and the session is held. The minister rides in on his horse and is warmly welcomed and his saddle bags filled with divers provisions. He assembles his flock in the open and services are con- ducted by singing and preaching. As the services close the wedding party is made ready. The groom, James C. Davis with his friends arrive on horseback. The bride, Miss Sallie Johnson, is led from the cabin and they are married in the presence of all. After the wedding supper all join in the dancing of square sets, jigging and "cut- ting out" to the music of the old time fiddler, during which the groom mounts his horse, takes his bride behind him and departs to their new home. INTERLUDE The trumpets flare. The Herald again dashes to the front on his steed and reads: Herald — Time's ship speeds rapidly onward, Full ladened with human progression. To the port of our County's foundation, To the border of civilized life. Far out on the redolent breezes Floats the rhythm of the woodman's axe, As he conquers the primeval forests, Builds his home in unsullied tracts. On the banks of the rivers and streamlets, From their waters so fresh and pellucid, Lies the catch of the pioneer angler Glistening silver and gold in the sun, The huntsman brings game from the forest, The herds graze at peace in the dell, Ripening fruit hangs low on the branches, New winnowed the hay in the glade, The plowshare gleams bright in the furrow, Golden glints the grain in the sun, Gentle breezes waft softly the corn blades, The fruitfulness of labor well done. The candle lights gleam through the darkness. The firelight's glow on many hearths Makes the life of the Pioneer Mother Less lonely, surrounds her with cheer. The hopes, the prospects, the future Grow brighter and nearer fruition. All nature is full and awaiting The conquering hand of man. With courage undaunted and steadfast. With the blessings of Him that forsakes not. They laid the solid foundations Of this County, we love so well. Let's follow their path for a century. Centennial Book Live with them, through scenes, gay or sad, Oh, may they inspire in our being That tribute of reverence, we owe. PERIOD TWO 1826-1926 EPISODE VI Organization of Fountain County — 1826 Horologist — Time passes; the days of the settlers Are taken with duties around them, But often their time is devoted To letters sent back to the loved ones. The glowing accounts of their country, The faith of success in their venture, Cause kinsmen and many old neighbors To follow the trail of the leaders, The way has been blazoned before them, The tracks wind out to the westward, Soon the hills, the plains and the valleys Are dotted with "Nests of the Hoosier." With the coming of numbers of people Comes the need of organized effort For safety and self preservation. For government of pioneer life. At this time was our county created, Called Fountain, the name it still bears, To the hands of the sturdy old settlers Came control of divers affairs, Divided the county into townships, Arranged for all business at hand. Located the great "Seat of Justice" At Covington as at present it stands. A company of men accompanied by surveyors creating the county, is seen in the distance. Immediately follows the meeting of the Justices at the home of Isaac Spinning where the county is divided into townships and the county seat located at Covington. Five girls representing the five townships, Shawnee, Richland, Troy, Wabash and Cain, into which the county was divided pass in review immediately after the division is made. Isaac Coleman appears on horseback and presents his plat and donations to the Board of Justices, in which was donated the Public Square, School and Church sites. EPISODE VII Court Scene Horologist- The cycles of years pass quickly, The growth of the County is rapid. The fertile lands blossom with plenty. New homes supplant the rude cabins, The fear of the Indian has vanished, The trials and hardships are past, For happiness, peace and prosperity Have crowned their endeavors at iast, The building of roads and of cities, The instruments of commerce and greeting. Of canals was constructed the greatest The Wabash and Erie canal. Emigrants employed in this labor Became they, a part of this people. The progress and growth of our county, The business arising therefrom, Fountain County Attract great minds to its borders, All schooled in letters and law. Come Hannegan, Wallace and Voorhees — The statesman, the writer, the jurist, Whose names loom large in our annals, Whose fame gained national renown. Judge Naylor and the associate Judges and other members of the bar are in a Court Session and appear to be awaiting some one. In time a lone horseman is seen approaching from the west and on arriving ties his horse and enters the Court. This man is Abraham Lincoln and is cordially welcomed; by the Bar. His business con- cluded he leaves the Court scene and retires to the liotel. There are numerous shrill whistles from the boats on the Canal and many workmen are seen returning to their homes. At this time a cab arrives and the Honorable Edward A. Hannegan greets old friends and makes a speech on the Northern Boundary question and as his speech is concluded, a covered wagon appears floating the banner "Fifty-four-forty or Fight" filled with young men of the county starting on the long trip of the "Oregon Trail." EPISODE VIII Developments Horologist — Years pass in happy contentment, Life changes with peace and abundance, The unfolding and conquering of nature Makes broader the outlook of man. The hands of yeomen, progressive, Constructed a road through the county, Oaken planks from timber, surrounding Laid flat on the native wet heath, Made an avenue, constantly streaming With emigrants bound for the west. Who found, though they be but a stranger, Kind friends at each "Hoosier Nest." Shrill screams from the throat of the engine As it flits straight on in its course, Make neighbor to neighbor seem nearer, — Minds broader by contact with men — Give rise to more festive occasions, Make popular the Tri-County Fair. Some come with stately new trappings Family tickets and money to spare; Some come in creaky old wagons, Bring clapboards to pay for their fare; The parents, the baskets, the children, The neighbors, grandparents, and friends, — - Full packed is the shiny new wagon And a long day of pleasure portends, The elders renewing old friendships, — The children, a glad happy band, The lovers so bashful and modest Stroll lovingly hand in hand. Opening with arrival of many people. Several carriages and cabs arrive filled with men and women fashionably dressed in period costumes of 1860. A very old delapidated wagon arrives containing the father and mother and numerous children with a large number of clap boards and some hay tied on the wagon. Other good farm and spring wagons well filled with baskets and people arrive. Others come on foot and on horses. General scene of a fair, gay with balloons, venders, children and lovers. EPISODE IX The Civil War Horologist — ■ Not for long will these happy occasions Be enjoyed by a peaceable people, Centennial Book Not for long will the Star Spangled Banner Wave peace from each turret and tower. The bartering of souls into slavery Brought misery, dissensions and strife, Low rumblings of discord grew louder Strong threats of secession were rife. The stalwart sons of the county Come forth in willing might, At the call of President Lincoln, To fight for freedom and right. Severing ties of home and of kindred — March away to rythmic beat, To the cause gave freely their life blood. Not counting the cost of the giving. A recruiting officer arrives and calls for volunteers and enlistment of local men. Many volunteer and a company is formed and drilled and marches away under Colonel James McManomy. The soldiers break formation and take farewell of their friends and families. At command they immediately drop back into rank and march off the scene. The women and chlidren wave flags and handkerchiefs, and in tears and sadness slowly follow the line of march. In the opposite direction is seen the return of the veterans. To the strains of mar- tial music the remaining veterans, escorted by the Boy Scouts, march to the stage and take their places to the rear of the tableau. In the center of the stage stand two shackled negroes flanked by a soldier, in blue and one in gray. Immediately upon the veterans taking their position Liberty enters, breaks the shackles and the Blue and Gray are again united. EPISODE X Noted Sons Horologist — In contentment again dwell the people, The havoc of war is forgotten, Time heals. The two sections united — United and thriving as one. The problems of progress and achievement Require cultured minds and skill, Sons of our county high in the nation Are accorded proud welcome at home, Greeted by friends and old neighbors With cheers and sweet faces of maidens, Comes, of all sons the most gifted, To the home of his childhood, comes Voorhees Trained in mind and in state craft, High in the councils of his nation, Great in his power of persuasion, Masterful, eloquent, magnificent Comes he, to the county that reared him, On the banks of the loveliest of rivers, Tall as the sycamores that grow there — "The tall Sycamore of the Wabash." A grand rally led by a cab carrying the Honorable Daniel W. Voorhees and other noted citizens, followed by floats, chariots, horseback riders, marchers with banners and many others arrive. Voorhees alights and greets many, many old friends and neighbors while the crowd assembles. He is introduced and makes a short speech on problems of the hour to the crowd and is lustily cheered by his audience. EPISODE XI Prosperity and Revelry Horologist — In revelry the youth of our county Are spending the glad, happy years For decades of peace and prosperity, Fountain County Have driven away morbid fears. As the springtime of life and of nature Overflows with gladness and jong, So the minds and hearts of our maidens In ecstasy, merrily dance on. Many girls appear and engage in an orgy of dancing introducing several numbers of special dancing. In the very height of their revelry the "Call to Arms" peals out and the revelers stop instantly and hold their positions, while the Horologist speaks then in sorrow and bowed heads move slowly to the rear. EPISODE XII The World War Horologist — Again grim fate intervening, Disturbs a peace loving people, Aghast at the horrors, the sufferings, And brutal the deeds committed, The lust of militant nations For supremacy, conquest and greed, Threatened all human existence, Unleashed the fierce 'Gods of War." The hate for tyrant suppression, The love of freedom inherent, In the veins of noble young manhood, Again leads them far to the front. Through shattering roar of the cannon, Through stifling gas and the bomb. By the blood of many brave heroes, Was peace for all nations won. In memory of our boys that have fallen Floats the flag with its "Stars of Gold." Rewritten in blood is the promise "Peace and good will to all men." The boom of the cannon is heard. The roar of the battle grows louder and nearer. Through the barrage of shot and shell the soldiers, fighting desperately, go over the top to final victory and peace. The band plays the funeral dirge and thirty-six soldiers in uniform march in re- view each carrying a pt~nant upon which is one Gold Star in memory of the thirty- six Gold Star boys of the county. They march to the rear of the field where the Salute and Taps are sounded in honor of our soldiers dead. BENEDICTION 1926 — Future A flare of trumpets. The Herald again appears and speaks: Herald — The march of a century is finished. Before you, like pictures, have lingered The lives, the ideals, the achievements Of ancestors whose life work is done. To us, from them, has descended A heritage of progress, eternal, Full treasured and passed at the ending To the care of the children to come, A land of brave sons and fair daughters, The bravest and fairest e'er known, Who guard with vigilance, unceasing The name of their County, and homes. May their lives be as pure and as holy, May their faith be as strong and abiding, May their mantle of peace as enduring Centennial Book As the waters that ripple the shore. May the name and tame of our County Withstand every onslaught and crash. May its record be as clean and as noted As the name ct' the famous Wabash. May the choicest of bletsings from heaven, Descend, as the shower and the mist, On our County, on its children for ages. And enshroud them in peace and in bliss. FINALE The Symbolic Queens of Peace, America and Indiana followed by the Centennial Queen and her attendants representing the townships respectively, move to the front in their chariots, attended by pages in costume. Meanwhile the entire cast appears from all parts of the field and group themselves in one mammoth en- semble and kneel in salutation to the passing Queens while the band bursts forth the strains of the National air. The Public Square in Covington before the Civil War. Note the saplings in the Courtyard, that are now fine forest trees. Fountain County EDWARD A. HANNEGAN United States Senator and Minister to Prussia. Established a law office in Covington in 1831. Prominent in the controversy over the Oregon boundary. Home of Edward A. Hannegan famed for his slogan, "Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" Centennial Book TodNTAI*/ Co»«1 SHWrxC T.nST TowVS Fountain County A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY By Clarence W. Nelson THE territory from which Fountain County was afterwards formed was originally ceded to the United States hy the Treaty of St. Mary's in Ohio, negoti- ated by Jonathan Jennings, Lewis Cass and Benjamin Parke, commissioners for the United States, and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Potawatamie Nation of In- dians, on October 2, 1818, and with the Miamis on October 6 of the same year. By the terms of these two treaties two Indian reservations were provided for, portions of each of which lie in the present boundaries of the County, and these reservations were the first lands surveyed, this being done prior to the general government sectional surveys. A portion of the Burnett Reser- vation at the mouth of Flint Creek is in the extreme northeast portion of the county, and a portion of the section of land at Shawnee Village set aside for Paul Long- lois' youngest child is about three and one- half miles northeast of Newtown. The beneficiaries of these grants were children of white traders and their Ind'an wives. The Indians were rapidly displaced by the settlers, and were finally removed under charge of Col. Pepper and General Tipton from the Wabash settlements in the sum- mer of 1838. Following the organization of Indiana Territory government surveys were made, the state was admitted to the Union by act of Congress of April 19, 1816, set- tlers flocked in, one stream coming from the south up the Wabash River and its tributaries, and the other from the east following the early roads or traces, and Indian trails. Wabash County originally in- cluded this part of the state, separate coun- ties being formed from it as rapidly as set- tlement was made. The land office was opened at Terre Haute, and in 1823 Mont- gomery County was organized, Crawfords- ville laid out, and an additional land office opened there. Montgomery County as originally formed included the east side of Fountain County. Settlers had already be- gun to come into the county in addition to the tradeis, trappers and hunters, the first actual settler being generally conceded to have been Peter Weaver, who is said to have lived in the county in the winter of 1822-1823 on a part of the Burnett Indian Reservation. The first actual entry of land of which we find a record in the county was the north fraction of the northwest quarter of section 22, township 18 north, range 9 west, on the Wabash River a short distance above the Parke County line, which was entered by Eber Jenne at the Terre Haute land office August 4, 1821. Scattered entries were made in various parts of the county in 1822, the men mak- ing the locations returning home for the winter and returning with their families in the spring of 1823. A constant stream of immigration then began, the early set- tlers locating mostly along the river, the larger creeks and the edges of the dryer prairies, these localities offering better drainage, proximity to water, fish and game, with plenty of good timber and fertile bot- tom lands. What is now some of the best land in the county was of no value then, being wet prairie, or flat wet woods, in- fested with ague and milk sick, and being passed by until improved methods of drain- age, and the removal of the virgin forest made it fit for cultivation. The early set- tlers of the county came in two distinct groups, the one from Kentucky, Virginia and the Carolinas, and the others from Ohio, Pennsylvania and the eastern states. Many had fought in the war of 1812 and the early Indian wars and were familiar with the beautiful Wabash Valley, and used the land warrants issued to them by the Government as bounty and service pay, for the purpose of entering lands for their fu- ture homes. The early settlement was made largely by groups of families and relatives and friends from the same communities who settled on adjoining tracts of land and es- tablished neighborhoods known to this day by the family name or the localities from which they came. One of the most inter- esting settlements was that of the Coal Creek Community and Church of God, a semi-religious organization formed by citi- zens of Warren County, Ohio, who were fol- lowers of George Rapp and wished to es- tablish a community similar to that then in operation at Harmony, Indiana. The or- ganization included the families of Jona- than Crane, Isaac Romine, Oliver Osborn. Enoch Bowling, Mathias Dean, William Ludlow, and possibly some others. About twelve hundred acres of land were entered near Stone Bluff and the colony established probably in the year 1824. Improvements were made, a mill erected, orchards planted, land cleared, and the enterprise carried on in a co-operative manner, the labor and profits being shared by all the members. The shares of the other members were ae- quo ed later on by Jonathan Crane and Oliver Osborn, the communistic experiment having lasted about ten years. A similar colony was started in the same neighbor- hood known as The First Community of Mans' Free Brotherhood, afterwards being removed to Warren County. Clearings were made, cabins built, mills constructed, trails made, and the usual pio- neer communities established, and the CENTENNIAL BOOK population being deemed sufficient, the Indiana general Assembly by an Act ap- proved December 30, 1S25, formed a new county out of the then Counties of Mont- gomery and Wabash, naming it Fountain County, after Major Fountain, a Ken- tuckian, a hero of one of the early Indian wars. Lucius H. Scott, Daniel C. Hults and Daniel Sigler, commissioners appointed by the Legislature to establish a seat of justice for the new county, met at the home of William White, on Coal Creek, where it is probable the first mill in the county was built, the premises now being owned by Ed S. Gray. They selected the high bluff on the east side of the River at Port- land, but on account of technicalities in the entry of the land, this site was aban- doned, and the county seat located at Cov- ington. Attica was the first town laid off in the county it being platted prior to the separate organization of the county, on March 19, 1825, by Daniel Stump. Its loca- tion was such however, that it was not considered available for the county seat. The land on which the original town of Covington was laid off was owned by Isaac Colman, a prominent politician and specu- lator of the Wabash country, originally from Virginia, and afterwards locating at Attica, and by David Vance, Sheriff of Montgomery County, and John Wilson, Clerk of the Court of that County. Generous donations were made by the proprietors for the purpose of inducing the location of the county seat, and it is probable that Covington was actually laid off in 1826, as there are numerous references to it, in the records of that year, although the official plat was not dated until September first, 1828. Following the organization of the county an era of speculation broke out, towns being laid out all over the county, many of which are now forgotten. Along the river were Maysville, Attica, James- town, Portland, Covington. Sarah, Vicks- burg, Homer, and Coal Land. Up and down a line near the center from north to south were Rob Roy, Chambersburg, Newburg, Merrysville, and later on Harveysburg and Steam Corner. In the east part of the County were Newtown,, Hillsboro, Van Buren, Winchester, Millville, and Jackson- ville. The construction of the Wabash Rail- road brought Fountain City and later River- side into existence, the Indiana, Blooming- ton, and Western R. R. encouraged the loca- tion of Sterling and Rynear, the old Coal Road, Stone Bluff, Aylesworth, Veedersburg, Yeddo, Kingman and Fountainville, and the Clover Leaf Route, Mellott, Stephens Sta- tion, Cates and Silverwood. The Coal mines south of Covington built up a thriv- ing community which has since faded away into what is now known as Stringtown. The Wabash and Erie Canal played an important part in the development of the County, being completed to Covington in 1846, and furnishing a more stable and satisfactory route of commerce and a more convenient" means of transportation than the Wabash River or the almost impassable roads, 11 was built largely by Irish immi- grant labor, (many of whom settled in the county, and furnished an important part of the* present population). The canal was abandoned in 1872, having been superseded in usefulness by the railroads then built and in process of construction. The Wa- bash Railroad was built through the county in 1856, what is now known as the Big Four was completed in the autumn of 1870, the Indiana North and South known as the Coal Road and now as the Chicago, Attica and Southern was completed through the county in 1882. The Toledo, St. Louis and Western, now a part of the Nickle Plate System was completed in the later eighties, and in addition a branch road was formerly run to the Coal mines south of Covington, which was dismantled after the riots at the mines in the year 1878, and a branch of the Wabash gives intermittent service from Attica to Covington. The population of Fountain County as given by the last official census was 18,225. This population is mostly made up of de- scendants of the original settlers. This be- ing largely an agricultural county, the population has been constant, and there has not been the shifting transient class of people that follow manufacturing enter- prises A large number of Irish located in the county at the time of the building of the canal, and the great German immigra- tion contributed its share to the basic stock. Later immigration has been of little effect, with the exception of a number of Holland Dutch that have located near Attica, and a scattering of Welch, Cornishmen, and Eng- lish that came to the county to work in the coal mines when they were of importance. Following the using up of the native timber, and the decline in the local mining indus- try but few factories were to be found in the' county. The growth of the gravel in- dustry, demand for brick, and the location of an important steel plant at Attica, have been important commercial developments of the last few years, and the canning in- dustry is becoming more important with each year. The county is mostly interested in agriculture however, being noted for its fertile farms, its up to date farmers, and the diversity of its agricultural develop- ments. It is considered and classed and has a statewide reputation as one of the best farming counties of the State, and the majority of the people look to the farms either directly or indirectly for their liveli- hood. „ . _ The first court house, a small frame building was built in 1827 on land now oc- cupied by the Standard Oil Filling Station. This was succeeded by a brick building in the center of the public square completed in 1833. Additions were made to it, and it sufficed until 1856, when the contract for Fountain County GENERAL LEW WALLACE Born 1827 at Brookville. Spent his boyhood in Covington. Opened his law office in Covington and there wrote "The Fair God." Centennial Book the present building was let. This build- ing was completed in the fall of 1859, at a cost of about $36,500.00, and was badly dam- aged by fire on January 1, 1860, being re- paired, and finally completed in January, 1S61, at an additional cost of $18,124.05. The first jail was a log structure located on the northeast corner of the public square. In 1S38 a new jail was built on the present grounds which was used until 1851, when a stone building was erected, suc- ceeded in 1873 by the present building. The first county farm was located about two miles northeast of Covington, the first poor house being located thereon in 1837. The present county farm was purchased in 1863, and has been gradually improved un- til it is in excellent condition, the buildings commodious and sanitary, and the farm well equipped. All early school buildings were of logs, with practically no comforts or equip- ment, and with such instructors as could be procured. The percentage of illiteracy was high, especially among the women, who received less education as a rule than the men, who then transacted all business matters. At the present time the various school corporations of the county have in- vested in buildings and equipment over half a million dollars, with an annual outlay for maintenance and teachers of over Three Hundred Thousand Dollars. The first bridge built from public funds was the one at White's mill on Coal Creek, and the first public roads were rough trails laid out from Attica to Crawfordsville and Lafayette, and from Covington to Craw- fordsville, Terre Haute and Lafayette, all of which ran across the county the shortest possible course to their destination. These were followed by privately owned ferries, toll roads and toll bridges, which were gradually acquired by the county, and at present we have almost thirty miles of ce- ment road, 374 miles of improved free gravel road, in addition to the regular township roads, all of which have substan- tial bridges and culverts, and with five good bridges spanning the Wabash River, the finest of which is the big concrete structure at Attica which was built in 1922 at a cost of about $300,000.00. The first tax collection made in 1826 netted the county the sum of $79.93, while the current year of 1926, provides for a col- lection of $738,697.23. The first court was held at the house of Robert Hetfield near where the village of Aylesworth is now located, on July 14, 1826, and lasted one day. The county was then a part of the first Judicial Circuit of the State, presided over by Judge John R. Porter, the term of court lasting only a few days, the judge and attorneys riding from county to county in the administration of the frontier justice. Fountain County now comprises its own judicial circuit, the sixty- first, and court is held for thirty-six weeks during each year. No figures are available for the assessed value of the taxable property in the county the first few years of its organization, as the system of taxation and collection was different then than now. The first regular tax duplicates were prepared for the year 1843. and show a total valuation of taxables of about $1,700,000.00. The ones for 1925, on which the taxes payable in 1926 were computed show a total valuation of tax- ables of $29,366,370.00. Early church meetings of the county were as a rule conducted at private dwell- ings in the country and at public buildings in the towns. Circuit riders and neighbor- hood preachers conducted the services. Gradually ground was donated, buildings erected by the various denominations, un- til the religious needs of the county are well supplied. The early transportation of the county was furnished by steamboats, flat boats and skiffs on the Wabash River, and was uncertain and extremely unsatisfactory. In 1S46 the Wabash and Erie Canal was com- pleted to Covington, and served a useful purpose until its abandonment, being a great factor in the development of the county. Banking facilities were extremely meagre in the early day, currency being almost non-existent, and trade being carried on by barter and the exchange of commodities, whiskey being a staple medium of ex- change. That banking business which was imperative was conducted through the branches of the State Bank of Indiana dur- ing its existence. Local monetary needs were supplied by those residents in each community who had a supply of money, and made a business of loaning it at the high rates of interest then prevalent. The first chartered bank in the county was the Bank of Attica organized in 1854, which failed a short time thereafter. Private busi- ness firms conducted a deposit and money lending business, one of the oldest being that of James G. Hardy established at Cov- ington in the fifties, the business now con- ducted by the Citizens Bank of Covington, being the successor, and the oldest banking institution in the county. The First Na- tional Bank at Attica was established in 1864, but afterwards surrendered its charter. At present the needs of the coun- ty are well supplied with a strong and competent group of banks and bankers cov- ering the entire county. The first news- paper of the county was established in 1836 being known as the "Western Con- stellation." This paper has been practi- cally continuous under different owner- ship and with some changes of name, to the present day, being conducted at the present time under the name of the Cov- ington Friend, owned and published by Fountain County John B. Schwin and George P. Schwin. In comparison with the old papers, set with primitive type and laboriously struck off on the old hand presses, the county now boasts as fine a group of newspapers as can be found, modern in equipment, typograph- ically correct, and ably edited. Fountain county has always borne her part in the various wars of the Nation. A company was formed for the Mexican War which saw gallant service, all of whom have answered the last roll call. In the Civil War the county gave generously of both men and money. The actual number of men who saw service is not available, but the county was represented in the vari- ous regiments of infantry, calvary and ar- tillery of the State, the greater number see- ing service in the gallant Sixty-third Regi- ment which played an important part in the war of the rebellion. Bounty money to the amount of $387,000.00 was furnished by the county in addition to its other financial contributions and taxes. In the Spanish American War, most of the Fountain county men went as members of Company "G" of the One Hundred Fifty-eighth Regiment of Indiana. In the World War almost 800 of Fountain county's finest boys went into the service, and millions of dollars were spent in Liberty Loans, taxes, and donations to the various war activities. Fountain county has produced its share of men who have had a part in the wider activities of the State and Nation. The history of these men is left to the various township historians, as is also left to them to delineate the minor historical events of the county. I will simply mention the fol- lowing as among the more prominent: Edward A. Hannegan, United States Sena- tor and Minister to Prussia; Daniel W. Voorhees, United States Senator; Joseph E. McDonald, United States Senator; Lewis Wallace, Soldier and Author; Francis M. Dice, Clerk of the Indiana Supreme Court; Enos H. Nebeker, United States Treasurer; James W. King, State Treasurer of Indi- ana; Joseph Ristine, State Auditor of Indi- ana; James McMannomy, soldier and an organizer of the original National Horse Thief Detective Association; James Bing- ham, Attorney General of Indiana; George Ingham, nationally known lawyer; Joseph M. Rabb, Judge of the Indiana Appellate Court; Eugene F. Savage, well known artist; Charles Henderson, preacher and educator, and Charles L. Miller, now candi- date for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The purpose of this brief sketch is to follow in a general way the history and development of the county, compare its first development with the present, and to impress upon the reader the wonderful changes that have occurred during the past century which has seen a trackless wilder- ness changed into a highly developed com- munity by the labors and exertions oui forefathers, whom we honor for their en deavors and for their achievements. THE COVINGTON OF 1926 By Mrs. Simeon Lambright TO the traveler on the Dixie Highway, whether he goes east or west, the City of Covington, the County Seat of Fountain County, makes instant appeal. The well paved streets, the beautiful trees, which arch them, bringing admiration and comfort to the beholder, meet the ap- proval of all; while the scenic Wabash is ever a delight to the eye. While not primarily a manufacturing town, there are many wide awake business enterprises, among which are a grain ele- vator, a saw mill and a canning factory. The Public Square and adjacent streets are lined with grocery stores, meat markets, dry goods and department stores and busi- ness houses of all kinds, making Coving- ton a trading center for a large adjacent territory. Two banks and a Trust Company take care of the banking business of this part of the County. Everywhere are fertile farms and dairy and agricultural enter- prises abound. Covington's fame as a fruit-growing center is spreading rapidly. Berries and small fruits of all kinds, lusci- ous melons, as well as orchard fruits have a wide popularity and merit the great de- mand which these products supply. There are excellent churches and fine schools. Troy township and the city schools are consolidated and rank with the best, conforming to the highest standards of the State. Two newspapers, thoroughly alive, are published weekly. A beautiful public li- brary, an architectural gem, is quite ade- quate to the reading needs of our citizens. Covington has all the advantages of a city, with electricity for every purpose and an abundant supply of pure water, which also affords ample fire protection. As a place of residence, Covington is ideal, as is evidenced by the large number of families who live here and are employed in the gravel plants and also in Danville. The large number of beautiful and modern residences and a steady increase in build- ing mark Covington as a city of homes. The Big Four R. R. and a branch of the Wabash afford transportation facilities which are supplemented by buses and trucks. Many fraternal organizations and literary and social clubs provide ample recreation and social life for the residents of the beautiful Covington of 1926. Cen T R N N I A Book *■■ ■" '^&~7 DANIEL W. VOORHEES 'The Tall Sycamore of the Wabash." Born 1827— died 1897. United States Senator. Resided in Van Buren Town- ship. Practiced law in Covington. Fountain County VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP Mrs. H. H. Glascock ORIGINALLY, Van Buren Township was a part of Cain, Shawnee, Rich- land, and Troy Townships, but in 18-11, through the efforts oi' John G. Lucas, Dr. Isaac Spinning, an 1 Daniel Glascock, the township was organize:! and named for President Van Buren, much against the wishes of many of the eld line Whigs. The first settlement in this township, also said to be the first in the county, was made in February 1S23, by three families: Jonathan Birch, John Colvert, and William Cochran. In 1822 they came and purchased land, then cut out a road, connecting with the old Terre Haute road, and made prep- arations to erect houses. Birch is said to have built the first cabin in the county, a half mile west of Stone Bluff. Colvert built the second, on what is now State Road 10, near the well known Colvert hill. Cochran located one mile southeast of Veedersburg, and improved the land around what is now the junction of State Road No. 10, and the Dixie Highway. These three families formed the first neighborhood in the town- ship. The second company of settlers came the latter part of the year 1823, and located on Osborn's Prairie, west of Coal Creek. This settlement, like the first, was a company formed for mutual assistance. Gen. Jesse Osborn was the leader. He and his com- pany cut a road through the forest from Crawfordsville, and were in the wilderness for some time, thinking that they were the first and only white settlers for miles around, till one day they heard the sound of an ax and maul, from the east. These two companies of settlers met for the first time on the banks of Coal Creek. These early settlers came principally from Ohio, Maryland, Virginia and Dela- ware. The first road in the township was laid out by William Cochran, and was a trail blazed through the forest from what is now Veedersburg to Covington, for a merchant who was transporting goods across the country from Cincinnati to Covington. The first mill in the township was built in 1824, on the south branch of Coal Creek, by John Course. He told his neighbors if they would donate their services in build- ing this dam and mill, they should have their grist ground without regard to who was before them, and the man who did the most work on the mill without pay was to have the first flour made by the mill. This prize went to Joseph Glascock, who was a leader among his fellow-men at a very early period in the county. No man did more, perhaps, to develop the resources of the county and to cultivate a law-abiding and peaceable spirit in its people, than he. The first religious service in the town- ship was held at the camp of William Cochran .before he had his cabin completed. This service was attended by the Cochrans, Colverts, and Birches, and was conducted by William Crovins, a Methodist Minister, in 1824. In 1824, the first society was organized with eight members. The first pastors were Cord Emmet, Rev. Biggs, and Elder Strange The first school house was built near Coal Creek in 1825. Among the first teach- ers were, Dr. Moses Fowler, Wm. Keeling, John Jack, Jacob Furr, and Sanford Cox. The first dry goods were sold in the township by John Walker. He was suc- ceeded by Joseph G. Lucas, in 1825, who carried on the mercantile business until 1870. Isaac Spinning of Van Buren Township cast the first vote in the county. The first death in the township was Erasmos Greenley, in 1824. He is buried on the farm now owned by Edward Green- ley, a great-nephew. The first post-office was located on the Covington and Crawfordsville road, south of Veedersburg, and the postmaster was Jacob Strajer- The first township officers were: Hara Applegate, John Wertz, and Judge Joseph Coats, trustees; J. G. Lucas, Treasurer; Jacob Turner, Esq. At first the people were forced to market their produce and purchase most of their goods elsewhere. The great trading points were Cincinnati and Louisville. It con- sumed four-fifths of the price of a load of pork to market it. A barrel of flour brought on the market at New Orleans, just as many silver dollars as it took to cover the head of the barrel. The only person born in Van Buren who ever attained national prominence was Daniel W. Voorhees. He served a number of years in the U. S. Senate, and was a member of the Senate committee that fought for the appropriation of national funds to build the Congressional Library Building in Washington, D. C, which was built at a cost of $6,500,000.00, and is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The first bridge built in the county was in Van Buren Township, over Coal Creek, at White's Mill. It was completed in 1826. Among the settlers who came to the township before 1830 were: Cochrans, Whites, Colverts, Birches, Pattons, Rushes, Galloways, Romines, Cranes, Boords, Camp- bells, Walkers, Simpsons, Glascocks, Reeds, and many others. Centennial Book EARLY HISTORY OF FULTON TOWNSHIP By Jok Starkey FULTON township is situated in the southwestern corner of Fountain County. At one time this territory was included in that of Millcreek township. Its present extent is only five-sixths of a congressional township. It is bounded by Wabash township on the north. Millcreek township on the east, JOSHUA CATES Died at the age of 99 years Parke County on the south, and on the west by the Wabash river. The geographical location of this town- ship is entirely in township eighteen, but in both ranges eight and nine, west. The old Wabash and Erie Canal passes through the western part of this township and forming, with the Wabash river, a small island known as Silver Island. Indians once occupied this island and it was said that they had once hidden a large sum of silver on this spot. However, after long research, none was ever found. From this circumstance it has been called Silver Island. It is related that a chief offered a meas- ure of silver if a white man would consent to his son becoming the husband of his Indian maiden, and that after securing the silver and having the marriage that the white boy would pay no further attention to the poor Indian girl. In 1829 this country was the scsn;> of salt and oil excitement. The found min- erals clearly indicated the existence cf salt here. That year Norbour Thomas entered a tract of land near where Silver- wood is now situated, and began boring for salt, which he found in paying quantities. Not fully satisfied with this production, he bored again in the same well and found a vein of saline water which afforded him fifty bushels per day. Later a company of which Mr. Thomas became a member, was organized to prospect for oil. Soring was continued in this same well and the result was the famous artisian well, which is widely known for the medicinal qualities of the water and the large bathing pool. The first settlers of this township were James Graham and William Forb:s in 1822, on section 17, about one-half mile west of Cates. However, these men did not become permanent settlers. Other early comers were Lewis Phebus, Isaac Hibbs, and Robert Nugent, later a promin- ent church man of this section entered land in section 25. In 1828 Robert Guy from Pennsylvania , settled here. He also bought a body of land in Parke County. In 1830 Dr. Hall with his family settled here, where he practised medicine for twenty years. In the same year came Elias Dodson with his ox team, bringing his wife and eight children, but very little furniture. They at first took shelter under a shed connected to a grist mill. This mill was indeed a gen- uine "corn-cracker" and people came to this mill from a distance of twenty miles or more. They cleared a small space in the forest and planted some corn, but the deer were so numerous they had to provide pro- tection for their crops. The first school houses of this township were built of round logs, cracks "chinked" and very rudely finished. School was in session from sunrise till sunset with no intermission except the noon hour. One of the first school houses erected was on section 28. One of the first teachers of this school was Mrs. Ashly. No small por- tion of her time was spent in making goose quill writing pens for the children. The first Methodist church was the Burn- sides Chapel, organized in 1876. Before this time people had been holding services in the homes. "Very early the Missionary Baptists organized the Millcreek Baptist church and built for themselves a home in Lodi. Since that time the Christian and United Brethren churches have been organ- ized. Fountain County MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP By A. H. Lindley MILLCREEK township was settled by that wonderful race of men and women who, coming from the East through the passes of the Alleghanies, or up from the Carolina s by way of the Cum- berland Gap, took from the hand of Nature a wilderness and created that magnificent empire of the Wabash valley. No greater people has ever lived. History affords no record of any other people who, within the span of a life time, carved out from the primeval forest a state and left their child- ren an heritage of stable and orderly gov- ernment. The earliest entries were made of lands in the northern part of the township. In 1825 and '26 John Gilman, Peter Young- blood, Jacob Isley, Franklin DeBoard, Jacob Bonebrake, Isaac Kelsey and Joseph Haw- kins made entries and shortly there- after established their homes. In the cen- tral part John Elwell settled in 1831, George Norris in 1834, George Redenbaugh in 1836, and Joseph Sines on section 16 in 1840. The first settlement in the southern part was made by Thomas Ratcliffe, who built his home in 1828. An interesting story was told the writer by the late Thos. J. Ratcliffe, who was a grandson of Thomas Ratcliffe. Late in the evening of a sultry day the senior Mr. Ratcliffe reached the lands he luid selected. Suddenly a thunder- storm came up and he had barely time to get his team unhitched from the wagon before the storm was upon them. He had just got back in the wagon with his family when a large tree was uprooted by the storm and fell across the wagon tongue. Had he been a minute later both he and his horses would have been killed. He was followed by Michael and Valentine Day in 1832, George W. Sowers in 1837, and Reuben Lindley in 1839. One of the serious problems which con- fronted these early settlers was that of providing meal for their families. There was a mill on the east fork of Coal creek to which the settlers in the northern and central parts of the township could take their corn to be ground but those in the southern part were compelled to go to the mill on Raccoon creek in Parke county. This condition existed until some time in the late thirties when Isaac Towell built a mill at the falls of Mill creek near the western line of the township. It was not until 1867 that the first steam grist mill was erected. This was built at Harveys- burg by Jeremiah Bannon. About 1840 Alanson Savage built a steam saw mill in the northern part of the township. A store and blacksmith shop were erected and the place became known as Steam Corner. At this mill vast quantities of oak timbers were sawed for use on the plank road that was built through the central part of the county. In 1852 Harlan Harvey built a steam saw mill on the site where Harveys- burg was afterwards laid out. It is typical of the American pioneer that after the establishment of his home he first builds roads, then schools, then churches. The first roads led towards the mills. A road was laid out from the Nar- rows of Sugar creek in Parke county which ran through the township in a northwest- ernly direction towards Covington. This road probably followed the Indian trace from the Narrows to their camp ground on the LaTourette farm on Grahams creek. At the point where Harvey sburg was after- wards located a branch ran southwest to Towells mill. Another road was laid out from the forks of Coal creek to the settle- ments in the northern and central parts of the township and thence south to connect with the first named road. Probably the first school in the township was located about fifty feet west of the large beech tree that stands in front of the entrance of the Harveysburg cemetery. This school was taught by George Hart- man and was known by the name of the Hendricks school. Mrs. Wm. S. Ephlin, who is a daughter of Reuben Lindley was a pu- pil there in 1845. William Myers was also a pioneer teacher and taught the Myers school located near the present site of Cen- tennial church. The United Brethren Church did the pion- eering in the organization of churches. As early as 1S34 a class was organized in the central part of the township by Rev. Cook which was known by the name of the Sam- ple class. Classes were also organized in the Myers neighborhood and at Harveys- burg, the former in 1842 and the latter in 1858. In 1852 the Methodists organized a class at the Steam Corner school house and in 1858 at Harveysburg. The first building erected exclusively for church purposes was built at Harveysburg in 1857 for the use of all denominations. Rev. John P. Ephlin was the first resident min- ister. He belonged to the United Brethren Church at Harveysburg. About 1870 the Newlight branch of the Christian Church built east of where Yeddo was afterwards located. In 1871 the Myers class of the United Brethren Church built on the pres- ent site of Centennial church while in 1872 the Disciples branch of the Christian church built east of Steam Corner and the United Brethren Church at Harveysburg. The first doctor in the northern part of the township was Dr. Fine. In the south- Centennial Book era part Dr. Brewer, and Dr. McNutt lo- cated at Harveysburg. While there was a store and blacksmith shop at Steam Corner. Harveysburg was the only town in the township. It was laid out by Lot B. Lindley in 1S56 and was named in honor of his father-in-law, Harlan Harvey, who operated a saw mill on the town site. Charles Markins was the first general merchant. Dr. McNutt owned the first drug store, in which was located the postoffiee. and John Spencer had a cabinet shop and was the first tavern keeper. In 1SS0 the railroad was extended south from Veedersburg to the center of the township. At this point the town of Yeddo was established in 1880. In 1885 the road was completed through the township and the town of Kingman was laid out. The majority of the settlers in the north ern parts of the township came from tht eastern states to the forks of Coal creek. While the southern part was settled prin- cipally by Carolinians. Kentucky also sent its contingent, notably the Purrs, Booes and Glascocks, who took up lands in the northeastern part of the township. Millcreek township was, and is, a typical American community. It has been and is now the home of great men and women. Not great by reason of their wealth or political prominence, but great by reason of their kindly deeds, their sympathetic interest in their neighbors welfare, their sincere love of country, their humility and faith in God. To the writer, there is no greater people. A HISTORY OF CAIN TOWNSHIP By John F. Davidson CAIN township, organized in 1S26, has been bountifully enriched with the natural resources of agriculture and and it is the industry of its citizens that the development has progressed unceasing- ly and harmoniously to the present state of success. Along the banks of Coal creek have arisen mills that have flourished for a time and some are still in operation. The charm and picturesaueness of these old relics of a former century lead one in fancy to con- template with awe the daring of our an- cestors who first braved the perils of the forest and savage to enter commerce. The saw mills have perished in the lapse of time. The remnants of a once thriving mill erected by John Petro in 1846 may still be seen from the Dixie Highway approximately three miles east of the town of Hillsboro. It is now a huge barn and only the name re- mains dimly under a coat of orange paint to remind us of its former prestige. This mill was said to occupy the site of a corn- cracker and distillery in operation about 1824. In 1871 George D. Brown, erected the building now used as a barn and continued to operate it until about the year 1882. This mill was purchased by John M. Snyder and operated for a short while under the name of Coal Springs Flouring Mill. One mile farther down the river a corn- cracker was built in early settlement period but was abandoned after a brief existence. The pioneer grist mill is located on the south edge of the town of Hillsboro. It was built by David Kester in 1824, and in 1830 was sold to a Mr. Zumwalt who built the first frame building. Since that time it has been owned successively by T. W. Fry, Andrew J. and Pleasant Williams of Shelby county, Kentucky, Peter M. Wil- liams, son of A. J., George Stearns, and Wm. Weaver, the present owner. In 1855 work was started on the Indi- anapolis, Bloomington & Western R. R. In 1858 work was suspended. The grading was well advanced along the entire line, however, no rails were laid. In 1868 Benja- min Smith came into possession of the road and completed it in the fall of 1870. The first trains were regularly run in 1871. Hillsboro is a thriving town of 700 lo cated in the north central part of the township. The Big Four R. R., from Indi- anapolis to Peoria, 111., passes thru the northern edge and the south fork of Coal creek runs thru the southern edge. The town has a saw mill, a fertilizer factory, two large garages, two gasoline filling stations, one bank capitalized at $25,000.00, two dry goods stores, two fancy groceries, one chain-store-grocery, hardware store, drug store, two restaurants and other busi- ness establishments. The town was laid out by David Kester in the year of 1830. The first trustee was was J. M. McBroom and the present one is Frank Deth. Hillsboro has two churches, the Disciples or Christian, and the Methodist. The latter is the older being organized in 1870 under the pastorship of William Bolin. The Christian church was organized in 1873 un- der the pastorship of L. C. Warren. In the township there are two other churches; Prairie Chapel (Methodist) built in 1859 under the pastorship of James B. Gray; and Ingersoll Chapel (Christian) organized in 1S69 under the pastorship of J. M. Ken- field. The present Public School system was put in operation about 1865 or 1866 and is now one of the most modern and up-to-date organizations in the State. John F. David- Fountain County son, now justice of the peace was one of the early teachers. Eleven teachers now instruct students who are qualified to enter college after completing the eight common grades and the four years of commissioned high school. The Hillsboro Masonic Lodge No. 385 was organized May 5, 1869, the Masonic year of 5869. This ancient and honorable so- ciety now comprises more than 100 mem- bers in Cain township. Hillsboro Lodge I. O. O. F. No. 290 was chartered in Sep- tember 1867 and at present has more than 175 members in the township. The K. of P.'s, Red Stone Chapter No. 319, was char tered June 3, 1891 and is perhaps the strongest of the secret orders in this township. The Modern Woodmen also have an organization. It would be incomplete to leave un mentioned some of the families who have left an indelible impression upon the so ciety of Cain township. That of John Mc- Broom who early settled in this township and whose descendants are yet prominent The family is Scotch-Irish and figured prominently in the Revolutionary War. Ezekiel Rynearson, who died in Hills- boro in 1874 was of a family prominent in the township affairs. Jacob T. Hesler, farmer, son of William and Matilda (Purr) Hesler, who came to this township in 1834. Jacob was born in 1844 and resided in this township all his life. L. W. Wood, wagon-maker, who came to this township in 1854. J. W. Tinsley, harness-maker, who came here in 1870 and leaves a well known and honorable family. Joseph Hayes, merchant and banker, who came here from Tennessee in 1867. The Carter, Davidson, Williams, Osborn Bailey, Weidman and Davis families are all associated wtih the early development of the township. Finally, Cain township's record during the wars that have confronted our Repub- lic has been honorable and devoted. Five young men made the supreme sacrifice in the last — the World War. Approximately fifty entered the military service. Those who gave their all are: Claude Wilkinson, Harry "Bud"' Williams, William E. G. Cooper, Orville Smith, and Frank Conner. DAVIS TOWNSHIP By Lydia Melinda Earl DAVIS township located in the ex- treme northeast portion of the county is one of the older town- ships of the county, although having been reduced in size by the organiza- tion of Logan township. It is bounded on the north by the Wabash River, and was originally well timbered, except the natural prairies. It is a fertile township, the north part rolling, the south level, and is well supplied with glacial deposits of gravel. It was originally inhabited by the Miami and Shawnee Tribes of Indians, the first white inhabitants being courier des bois, hunters and trappers coming into the wilderness over the old Tecumseh Trail, one of whom, Silas McVane living in the southeast corner, with another white man assisted in bury- ing the bones of the soldiers killed at the battle of Tippecanoe. No permanent set- tlement was made until about ten years later when Indian troubles were over. Then came Peter Weaver from Ohio. He and his Indian wife lived a winter with the Indians at Burnett's Reservation at the mouth of Flint Creek. Next year he built h log cabin which was found by govern- ment survey to be located in Tippecanoe county, making him also the first white settler of that county. In 1S24 came a boat load of settlers from Maysville, Kentucky, bringing with them materials for a com- munity house which they built on the Wa- bash river bank in 1824. The town of Mays- ville was later platted, grew to considerable prominence and has disappeared. The men who came were Morrison, Herryman, Dun- kin, Hemphill, George Worthington, his father-in-law Hawkins, and Isaac Colman, afterwards founder of Covington. Hemphill built a woolen and grist mill on Youngs creek. Afterwards it was converted into a distillery and finally torn down. At Ful- ton, farther up the river were made the only flat boats in the State of Indiana., to take merchandise to New Orleans. The boat ways can still be seen on the river bank. In 1827 Isaac Waldrip of South Carolina settled on the farm now owned by the fourth generation of his family. In 1829, Jesse Marvin, afterwards trustee assisting in building the first schoolhouse in the township, walked in from Ohio. Rev. James Kinkennon taught school near the Salem Church, and on the south end Ed- ward A. Hannegan, afterwards United States Senator from Indiana, taught school and read law. In 1824 came Rev. Jacob Turman, a Methodist minister, and a year later was formed the Davis Township Methodist Association. In 1832 Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon preached the Mormon religion. These teachings took three hundred proselytes and $600,000.00 from Fountain county to Missouri. The first postoffice was in George Worthing- Centennial Book. ton's tavern, now a part of the Clem O'Dell estate. In IS iO Rachel Picken, near Salem had it. and in 1859 it was moved to Attica. It accommodated Shawnee Prairie. The Elijah Earl with model of his invention, the first riding plow in the world. earliest highway in the county was the State Road (Adeway) through the south side. Through transportation was furnish- ed by the Wabash and Erie Canal, followed by the Wabash Railroad. The river road was broken with an ox team, dragging a felled tree through the Lo est. Today every little by lane in the township is paved with the glacial deposit gravel that has made Indiana's highways famous. Davis town- ship has one cemetery, Salem, although the bodies of many cholera victims, laborers on the canal, were buried near Maysviile. She has two churches, Free Methodist at Antioch, and United Brethren at Riverside. What was formerly Salem Baptist Church has been converted into a community house. One of the most prominent residents of the township was Elijah Earl, who bought the farm of Samuel Ellis and his brother in the southwest part of the township in 1S58. Elijah Earl was a mechanic and inventor, born in Ohio, and reared in Tippecanoe county. He brought with him a threshing machine which he had made in the winter of 1858. Here in Davis township he in- vented and manufactured the first riding plow (single corn cultivator) and corn planter in the world. He patented the plow but missed the first patent on the planter by three days. He combined inter- ests with the man who secured the patent on the planter, and buying the old Academy at Bethel where Dan Voorhees went to school, moved it to the farm, and used it as a shop for many years. In 1860 he was elected Justice of the Peace which office he held for thirty-four years. In 1925 Davis township opened its first consolidated school for the grades at Vine. Its high school pupils go to Attica. TROY TOWNSHIP By Mrs. John B. Martin and Harriet Carwile THE first entries of land, in Troy township, were made as early as 1822, when Andrew Lopp, Rezin Shelby and William Alexander obtained patents. However, no permanent settle- ments were mads until in 1823. In this year Archibald Johnston settled in the southern part of the township. Some of this land is still owned by his great, great grandson — Archibald Johnston Heath. In this same year, 1823, Lucas Nebeker came west and entered land lying about three miles north of Covington. In 1824 he raised a small crop, built a cabin, and prepared a home for his family, which he moved out in the fall of that year. With him came John and William Bilsland who settled in the same neighborhood. Jesse Osborn came in 1824 and settled in the northern part of Troy township, giv- ing his name to the whole prairie. Other pioneer settlers who came between the years 1824 and 1827 were George Steely, Joseph Shelby, Joshua Walker, James Denton, James Carwile, Isaac De- Haven, Joseph and Forgas Graham, Win. Ward, John LaTourette, Jeremiah Heath, and David Sewell. These settlers together with those first mentioned are considered among the first pioneers of Troy township. In most cases the land they entered is still owned by their descendants. Soon after settling, the pioneers turned their attention to a place of worship and schools in which to educate their children. When weather permitted the groves were the pioneer temples of worship. The home cabin and log schoolhouse also received the worshipers until a church could be pro- vided. Archibald Johnston, who settled in the southern p?.rt of the township in 1823, and Lucas Nebeker, who settled in the "Bend" in 1824 were perhaps the earliest pioneers who opened their homes to all religious services. Fountain County The "Old Union" church, the earliest of all in Troy township, was founded in 1826. Jeremiah Heath donated the land on which it was built and was a deacon in the church. Early ministers were Wm. Hole, John P. Martin, John Hibbs, Watson Clark and Solomon Clark. Water baptism for sins split "Old Union", some of the mem- bers going to Van Buren township where they organized Osborne's Chapel in 1838. About 1829 a log schoolhouse was built in the "Bend", which also served as a place of worship. In the same year, a school- house was built on the Joshua German farm, adjoining the Carwile farm on the west. Here the Germans, Corbins, Car- wiles, Briggs, Crains and Davidsons re- ceived their early education. This school house was also a place of worship, and the burial ground was in the school-yard. The names of many of the early settlers can be traced on the tombstones. Some graves can still be seen outside the fence that enclosed the old cemetery. They are the graves of the early settlers who did not prosper, and sold themselves to others, for their board and the promise of a burial. With the establishment of Covington in 1826 the pioneers were given a trading point. Daniel Landers, who was a rising merchant h. the log town of Indianapolis, decided to start a branch store in Coving- ton. For that purpose he sent out Joseph L. Sloan. Mr. Sloan made the trip in October 1826, bringing a load of goods with him ar.d chopping the greater part of his way thru the dense woods. The store soon became the center of attraction and the surrounding farmers were happier. About the same time David Rawles ar- rived and began the construction of the first hotel or "tavern". Soon other shops were established and by 1830 the popula- tion of Covington had reached about 200 inhabitants. The first postoffice was secured about 1S26. Joseph L. Sloan was the first post- master. He was succeeded by David Rawles. Joseph L. Sloan built the first saw mill about 1834. It did the work for a large scope of country giving employment to many men. Indian mounds were plentiful in an early day in and around Covington. One of the Bilslands built a log cabin on one of these mounds and a few may still be seen on what is known as the James Everly farm. A large mound was near the Nebeker homestead when E. H. and Lucas Nebeker were born. A portion of the old house is still standing. An aged Indian, a Kickapoo named She- shepah who lived in peace with the whites for many years met death in a foul man- ner by another Indian at the Nebeker Springs on the George Nebeker farm north of Covington. A bone of a mighty mastodon was found when excavating for the old canal. It measured 17 feet in length and weighed about 700 pounds. It was turned over to Wabash College and later sent to Indiana- polis to the State museum. It is numbered 15, but no record is there to connect this relic of Covington with the canal days. It is said that man's sense of worth comes largely from his faith and hope, and that life is made rich from experiences — therefore every pioneer preserves some fragments in memory of the past — some- thing of that sacred flame of an ambition to leave the world a better place than when he found it. THE PLANK ROAD THE "Better Roads" movement began in the Forties, culminating in the building of a plank road between Covington and Crawfordsville, following the present Dixie Highway, with a branch leading off in a southeasterly direction to a point a few miles from Wallace. It was completed in 1851. It was built of 3 inch plank, laid on and bolted to three wooden stringers, with wooden pins. A few years after its com- pletion the planks were spiked down. Harris Reynolds sawed all the plank, paying $1.00 a day for labor. Only one man, now living, has been found who worked on this road — Mr. John Liven- good of Jackson township, when a mere lad, carried water to the mill, receiving for his service 20 cents a day. A toll gate keeper at the cross roads just south of the overhead bridge, collected a fee from all travelers- The toll from Wal- lace for a team, was thirty-five cents. This road made good connection with other roads in use in the county and was a regular stage route. The floor of the large barn on the farm of the late Col. James McMannomy, now the property of his daughter, Mrs. Wm. B. Coffing, is laid frcm the discarded planks of this road. Centennial Book ENOS H. NEBEKER Born 1836— died 1913. United States Treasurer during Benjamin Harrison's administration. Fountain County EARLY HISTORY OF LOGAN TOWNSHIP By J. W. Whicker % Attica in an early day. THE first white man to bring his family and make a permanent home in Logan township was Casey Emmons, in the spring of 1823. Josiah Bryant entered land in 1822, but did not move into the township until the spring of 1825. Emmons built his cabin in the Ravine Park and lived there until 1827, when he entered land just east of Attica and built a cabin on it, vacating his former home in the Ravine. Job Peacock, later finding this vacant cabin, moved into it. Emmons was a tanner by trade and made clothing and moccasins for the Indians. His wife was a half-blood Cherokee Indian. In the fall of 1824, Jacob Turman, a Methodist preacher came to the Campbell or Indian Spring as a missionary to the Indians and founded the first Methodist class in the following spring. In 1826, Josiah Bryant, Jacob Turman, Casey Emmons and others built a fort near Bethel, enclosing about two acres of land surrounding it, with palisades, and inside this enclosure they dug a well. This fort was built as a protection against Indian raids, and in the following year, was used by all the settlers for miles around during an Indian uprising in northern Indiana and eastern Illinois. In 1S32, General Joseph Orr, in command of the State Militia, was sent to Logan township by Governor Noble to take charge of northern Indiana. He marched from Greencastle with eighty-two men, as many more from Fountain and Warren counties joining him. They first arranged the fort for a place of defense and retreat, and then made their headquarters in Attica on the river bank. They patrolled the state line from the ten o'clock line south of Newport to Lake Michigan, and did not break camp until the middle of August after the Indian treaty was signed at Tippecanoe. The Kickapoo Ford across the Wabash River, the best ford along the river, was in Logan township. During high waters, all the highways in north Fountain and War- ren led to this ford. In 1831, Casey Em- mons entered one hundred acres of land at the ford and built a log cabin there large enough for a hotel. Ever afterward it was known as Emmons Ford. The hotel was operated by Emmons until the canal was built. Eighty per cent of the first settlers in Logan township settled along the river and came either up or down the river in some kind of boat. The first burial ground was in the south- east corner of section 27, township 22, north of range 7, west. Three members of a family by the name of Schlosser died of milk sickness, and a year later, Dr. Yandes and a young man by the name of Young, living at Independence, were drowned; both bodies were buried in the same grave at this place. Later, one thousand immi- grants, who were employed on the canal during its construction, died of cholera and were buried in this grave-yard. After that, it was deserted. There were three schools in Logan town- ship; one at Miami Beach, one at Bethel, and one at Attica- The higher branches were taught in a Seminary at Bethel, many young men preparing themselves for col- lege at this Seminary. Centennial Book As to industries, the first tan yard in the county was in Logan township; the first nursery was put in by Jonathan Swain, and was a thriving business. Swain made a fortune with it and moved to Iowa. An- other of the thriving industries, was the stone quarry belonging to James Killen. Here, building stone and grave markers were quarried and lettered and some very fine work was done in this quarry. The first saw mill in Logan township was a mile east of Attica. Pine lumber was cut and sawed here for the construction of flat boats exclusively. The virgin timber grew very large in Logan township and there were one thousand acres of pine in one grove — this being the largest grove of pine in the state. Most of this, however, was cut and made into flat boats before 1845. There were a great many wild hogs in the Wabash bottoms. The first garden- ing in the township was done by Casey Emmons; the first farming, including the raising of wheat and oats, was done by Josiah Bryant; and the first fruit" raising, including apples, peaches, cherries and tame plums, was done by Jonathan Swain. The township was organized in 1833, two miles being taken off of Davis township and the remainder from Shawnee. It was named for Thomas Logan, one of the pion- eers of Kentucky. The first secret society in the county was a temperance organiza- tion at Bethel, founded in 1826 and re- mained in existence until 1860. Attica was laid out by Daniel Stump in March ,1825, and was the first town platted in the county. Dr. William Worthington was the first doctor, having located in Attica in the fall of 1826 and continued his practice here until his death in 1870. Curtis Newill was the first lawyer. He was once Prosecuting Attorney of the district and another time, represented the county in the lower house of the State Legislature. Job Peacock was the first blacksmith; William Crumton, the first merchant and built the first grist-mill. Three miles of the Bethel road, all in Logan township, was the first highway graded and graveled in the county. It is still a good grade- HISTORY OF JACKSON TOWNSHIP By Esten Goodin JACKSON township, named after Presi- dent Andrew Jackson, is located in the southeast corner of Fountain county. It comes nigher to being a congressional township than any other in the county. It lies in township 18. ranges 6 and 7, west. Of its natural features, it may be said that it has an elevated surface except in the southwest quarter which is very broken by ravines and creeks. The township is drained largely by Mill creek and Prairie creek. Lick branch is famous for its high, sharp bluffs, swift running waters and beautiful wild scenery. Other creeks of this township are Buffalo, Little Mill, Still water, and Wolf creek which has wonderful scenery on which we find the Wolf creek falls. Early Settlements Squire John Bowman came from East Tennessee and settled, on land east of Jack- sonville about 1S26. The next year Rich- ard Williams settled on the site' of Jack- sonville. John Hybarger came from Ten- nessee in 1827, followed by Thomas Allen who settled on the Fountain-Parke county line; Jonathan Cunningham joined him on the east. George Low and Cuthbert Harri- son had settled north of Jacksonville and later came Michael Hutts, William Murphy and Isaac Gooding- During the next few years came the Myerses, Fines, Shulers, Livengoods, Grimes, Sowers, Kellers and McLains who were important in the growth of the township. These settlers had come mostly from Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky. The majority of these settlers helped to clear the forests and became engaged in agriculture. Occupations The township being a forest region naturally saw mills were built, one of the first and largest being operated by Harris Reynolds who took the contract and sawed the boards for the old plank-road. Stills were very plentiful in the township there being as high as six in operation at one time. This gave the farmer a market for his corn, obtaining twenty-five cents a bushel. A mill to crack corn was built on the Narrows of Mill creek below Jackson- ville by Ephraim Dell on the Bever prop- erty. This mill . was later owned by Flem Miller. William Snooks had the first blacksmith shop in the township. Samuel Gass was the first shoe maker and George McCline had a cabinet shop. Drs. Reeves and Hawes were the first physicians. The post-office was established during the administration of Governor Wallace, and was named for him by Judge Mitchell C. Black, the great grandfather of the writer, and Squire John Bowman was the first postmaster. Judge Black, who died in 1840, held three offices at the time, being Probate Judge, Road Superintendent Fountain County and helped build the the old Hillsboro road, and he was mail carrier from probably Newtown to Annapolis on the Greencastle route. After his death his son, fifteen years of age carried the mail. The first man to sell goods in the village was Conrad Walter who was followed by the Milligans, Bowmans, Grimeses, Carters, Murphys, Clores and Cunninghams. Henry Newlin, the first druggist, was followed by W. H. Spinning. Schools The first school-house was built on the Jacob Fine land and David Shuler the teacher. Schools were held in the old Lutheran church and in a few private homes. A few years later a school-house was erected in the village of Jacksonville with Job Blackburn the teacher. The high school was built when John Shuler was trustee, sometime in the nineties (90's) and was re-built and commissioned under the term of John C. Goodin as trustee. Churches The Evangelic Lutheran Phanuel church a log structure, was built about 1835 with Christian Moret as pastor, was the first church. He was followed by Rev. Henkle, Rudisill and Markert. It was followed by the Emanuel or Liv- engood church in the north part of the township, which still stands and used since 1869. About 1837 the Methodists built a log structure in Jacksonville which was later used by Boss Harlow as a dwelling and chair shop. A christian church was later started in the village by Rev. James Bryant. Jackson township has two places of scenic beauty, namely, the Narrows of Mill creek and the Falls of Wolf creek. At the first, one may still see carved in the stone the old mill seat of Dell's. But few of the old dwellings yet stand as land marks although the Livengood church. Frog Chapel school and the Boggs mill are still standing where they were first built. The following old soldiers have died in this township: Isaac Gooding, John Hy- barger, Robert Miller, Merwine Wilkinson, Thomas Allen, Samuel Gass, and John New- kirk. All served in the last war with Great Britain except Allen, who was a Revolu- tionary veteran and rests in Wolf creek cemetery- The names of John Bowman, David and Noah Livengood, Mitchel Black, Jonathan Cunningham, Peter Clodfelter, Myers, Shulers, Fines, Aliens, Grimeses, Sowers, Kellers, Hutts, McLains, Murphys, Good- ings etc., have been carved in Jackson township history as very responsible for its growth and development. The village of Jacksonville was laid out in the days when Gen. Jackson reigned as the strong Democratic leader. Jackson has always been a Democratic stronghold. At one time George Low was the only Whig to live in the township. The Wallace Lodge No. 495 F. & A. M. was chartered May 26, 1875, with Jacob Ewbank, W -M., Thomas J. Ratcliff, S. W., John B. Poole, J. W. Wallace Lodge No. 454, I. O. O. F., was instituted by John T. Sanders, special deputy, June 22, 1874. The Jackson Township Horse Thief Com- pany was organized in March, 1875- HISTORY OF SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP By Mrs. A. T. Claypool SHAWNEE township is located in the northwestern part of the county. Its northwestern border is washed by the Wabash river and through it flows Shawnee creek, Coal creek and Bear creek, which all eventually find the waters of the Wabash river- .Of its natural beauty it may be said that it is varient and beautiful, especially when clothed in midsummer and autumn time with its living green and amber foliage and its enchanting rural scenes. The arched rock, known as "Portland Arch" near Bear creek is a wonderful natural curiosity and frequented by the true lover of nature. The hills along the Shawnee from Rob Roy to the river are very picturesque. The geological formation in this town- ship, named for the tribe of North Ameri- can Indians with such a wonderful history, is rich in its variety of alluvial soil. Here one sees the rich dark deposit, the lighter clay subsoil so productive of annual crops. In the west the woodlands abound in more sand and real clay soils, making an ex- cellent wheat section. This township dates its first settlement from 1822. In the autumn of that year, John Lopp entered the east half of section 2 where Benjamin Brown later resided. George Johnson also claimed a part of section twelve. The following year came Abel Claypool, Daniel Peck, George Stew- art and John Galloway. In 1823 John Miller entered a part of section four and he with five brothers, were the founders of a settlement on Coal creek known as the "Miller Settlement". The town and village within this town- ship are Rob Roy and Portland — now known as Fountain. Centennial Book Rob Roy was platted in 1S26 and was laid off in forty-eight town lots. John Fos- ter, a lover of literature and especially fond of Scott's novels, named the town in honor of the Scotch "Rob Roy". An addi- tion was platted in 1829 by Hiram Jones. In 1836 it had five dry goods stores and four groceries, a hotel, three physicians and was the center of a very active settle- ment. At present it consists of one gro- cery store and only a few houses. When the Chicago and Black Coal Railway cross- ed the township it made it a station point. Portland — now Fountain, has a history dating back to April 1828, when Major Whitlock, William Miller and Bernard Portland Arch Preble platted the town. It is situated on the Wabash river and was described by Sanford C. Cor in his early history writings as one on the list of towns on the river that were ambitious to become the great emporiums of trade on the upper Wabash. Keep's store was one of the two business places, that furnished most of the goods used by the people for a hundred miles up and down the river- Powder, lead, salt, iron, whiskey and leather were the staples of trade in those days and these were ex- changed for the productions of the country such as beeswax, tallow, feathers, ginseng, furs, deer skins, wild hops, etc. In the flight of time, Portland has had eleven stores, a hotel, six physicians, crafts- men of various kinds and a considerable population. It was a post office town from its beginning. With the passing of years and changes of business in the country, Portland was left in the cold, and today has but a small collection of houses and not more than fifty population recorded by the last census. About as soon as the first crops had been gathered, there arose a demand for mills by which meal and flour could be produced for the pioneers. The first of these mills were of the corn-cracker type and small affairs, but answered the purpose. Thomas Cox built one of these mills at the falls of the little Shawnee river in 1824. One owned by Elisha Range was near Rob Roy bridge, one where the Rob Roy road crosses the Shawnee. Settlers came in for many miles around and greatly appreciated these corn-crackers. William Graham erected a fulling mill and carding machine at the Rob Roy bridge in 1826 and soon after Daniel Myers, a saw mill seventy rods down the stream. Other saw mills were built as they were needed- The mill at Rob Roy was built by William Bookwalter and A. I. Claypool in 1870. With "iie march of years and the revolution in the manner of grind- ing grain into flour, these mills have en- tirely been wiped from the face of the country. The first school house was built in 1824 near Coal creek on land that George Stew- art entered; another was built at Rob Roy in 1828 and later one on the north side of the Big Shawnee on the Attica and New- town road. These were all built of logs in the pioneer way. Among the early teach- ers were John Bodley, David Brier, Rufus A. Lockwood, William Miller, Mrs. Mary C. Hovey. The Coal Creek Presbyterian Church was organized in 1827 and its first pastor was the Rev. James Thomas. The first Metho- dist church was organized in 1828 with John J. Foster as first pastor. The first U. B. church was organized in 1828 by a Rev. McMahon. RICHLAND TOWNSHIP By Charles R. McKinney and Joseph H. Stahl AARON Hetfield was the first man to settle in Richland township. He came from Elmira, New York and settled where Newtown now is in 1824. He was then thirty-five years of age and was a tan- ner by trade, engaged in that business here, and platted the town of Newtown along the south side of little Shawnee in 1830. He sold his tan-yard to Peter Shultz, who emi- grated to Richland township from Highland county, Ohio, in 1827. Mr. Shultz operated the tan-yard and made harness and horse collars and acquired about 1,000 acres of land north and west of Newtown. Thomas Ogle and David Ogle settled with their families about March 1825, and are credited with buiding the first houses in the township. In the same year Daniel Clark, Joseph Hibbs and Nathan Cooper settled near the Ogles and Cornelius Ogden and John Stafford settled south and west of Newtown. John Riffle settled east of Fountain County Newtown in 1825. A few year slater, about 1830, William Templeton built his home adjoining Riffle's and was the first man elected as Representative to the General Assembly from this township, and the first Fourth of July celebration and barbacue in the township was held on his place. Leonard Royal came to Fountain county from Butler county, Ohio, traveling in ox drawn wagons, and settled in Richland township, where he died in 1888 at the age of seventy-four years. Jacob Hawk and Nathan Neal also set- tled in 1825 southwest of Mellott. Settlers Along Coal Creek Mr. Beedle, the father of Isaac Beedle, settled along Coal creek on the east side of the township in 1825 and Samuel Archer settled farther down the creek about the same time. He was the father of James Archer, who is said to be the first white child born in the township, and the grand- father of Charles Archer, who is still liv- ing on the same tract entered by his grand- father over a century ago. This land has never been tranferred by deed, but is owned by its present occupant by the law of descent, a silent attestation of the stability of Richland's population- In October, 1826, William McClure settled adjoining the Archer homestead, and about the same time George Longmire, Robert Tanner and Jacob Abolt and the Dagger families settled far- ther down the creek. The immigrants in the territory north- east of Newtown came at a little later date, probably from 1827 to 1830. Among them were John Hamilton, a Mr. McCollum, David Dodge, Edward Summer, John Mick, James Meharry, Jackson King ,'atfd Ellis Insley, the latter being a man of' excellent education, who left his impression on the community. Those who came later and had much to do with building the township and whose descendants are still living in the township are the Coen, Martin, McKinney, Palin, Campbell, Rice, Low, Kirkpatrick, Gray, Schermerhofn Kerr, McCallister, Reed, Car- penter, McKnight, Haas and Florey families. Schools The first school in the township was taught in the winter of 1824-25 near the Union Christian church, and the next win- ter a school was taught about one mile west of Newtown by George Taylor. The first school in Newtown was taught by Amos Webster and about 1830 Thompson Mc- Kinney, a teacher by profession and an ex- cellent grammarian, taught school there. Later a Miss Fairchild of New England cul- ture and education taught in Newtown and made a lasting impression on her students. Prior to 1840 a log school was built in the Insley neighborhood. Among the early teachers were E. Sewell, a Mr. Chandler and Mr. McMillan, Dr. D. K. Hays, Mr. Spin- ning, Jackson King, and I. M. Coen. About 1847 a brick school building was erected in this neighborhood which was named "Grandview". The first teacher in the new building was J- J. Schermerhorn, followed later by a very cultured New Hampshire lady, Miss Sellon, the Hon. B. Wilson Smith. Josiah Brown and the last school held there was taught by Mrs. Miralla (Coen) Parrott, who still lives in New- town. Other early schools were Oak Grove, east of Newtown, one south of Coal creek and east of Mellott, and another southwest of Mellott which later had the peculiar name of "Get-Away" school. Mrs. Mary (McClure) Riffle is no doubt the old- est teacher of these schools now living in the township. These schools with their successors, the district schools, have all passed into history, and have been sup- planted by two consolidated high schools at Newtown and Mellott. Churches The first church organization was at the home of Peter Shultz near Newtown in 1827, by the Rev. Hackaliah Vredenburg. The first official appointment of a pastor was in 1828 and Rev. John Strange of precious memory served as pastor. A few years later a church was erected on thje site of the present Methodist church in Newtown, which was remodeled in 1853 and again in 1867. Their structure burned in 1914 and a brick church was built by the congregation which has a membership of about 120. Among some of the early leaders of this faith were Rev. J. J. Scher- merhorn, John Leatherman, M. Bever, J. S. Martin, Samuel Low, John Stafford and J. M. Voliva. December 3, 1827, the adherents of the Presbyterian faith met at the residence of William Miller and organized the Coal Creek church. Wm. Miller, William Mc- Clure and David Parrott were the first elders- Rev. E. O. Hovey was the first pas- tor and served three years. A church was organized in the McClure neighborhood in 1835 called Pleasant Ridge. Rev. John Crawford served both churches until 1841 when Rev. John Fairchild became pastor and erected the Newtown Presbyterian Church. P. T. McKinney was chosen clerk of the session and served until he died. Later pastors were Alexander Lemon, 1852- 58 and Rev. S. B- King, 1858 to 1873. The church has grown steadily and done much to uphold the morals of the community. The first meeting toward establishing the Baptist church was held at the' home of William Davis in the edge of Montgomery county on June 27, 1835. Elder Reese was selected as pastor and the organization was called the Hopewell Baptist church. In the same year plans were made to erect a church on the site where the present beautiful brick building stands in New- town. Elder C. J. Bowles served as pastor for many years and is revered by all who came in touch with his ministry. Centennial Book WABASH TOWNSHIP By Mrs. Sherman Yerkes WABASH township was one of the five original townships within Fountain county, and dates its history from July 24, 1S26. It is on the west side of the county, and second from the south line- Possibly the earliest settlement of the county was made in this township. In 1820 John Jarred came in a canoe up the Ohio into the Wabash and landed at what is now known as Tipton Rock, near Cooper's Ford. Other rovers coming at this time were the In 1S39 the Yerkeses and Rhodeses came. The Colemans, Robbs and others added their forces in an early day. When John Jarred died he had secured about 1,000 acres around Cooper's Ford which was di- vided among his children; Abernathys, Cooks, Keerns, Jarreds and others marry- ing into the Jarred family. Ferguson and Beckelhymer built the first saw mill and a grist mill which were sold to Headley and Kiger, again to Samuel Snoddy and John This covered wagon was made by Jacob Yerkes and Jacon Rhodes in 1834 and brought them to Fountain County in 1839. Richardsons and the Burks. The Graham and Forbes families came into the county in the spring of 1823 and settled on Gra- ham's creek. The first entry made in the township was that of Daniel Richardson, July 12, 1822. William B. White erected the first mill in the county on Coal creek which passed from his hands in succession to Bishop, Van Dorn and Samuel Cade. It was known as the Union Mills and was owned by the Cade descendants as long as it remained in operation. It is now an old land mark known as Cade's Mill in the east part of the township. Benjamin Beckelhymer bought a bottom farm. Isaac Ferguson, Washington Gra- ham, Jeremiah Heath and Thomas Gillam came in 1823. The La Tourette, Marlatt, and Bodine families came together in 1829. Hardesty, who, in 1854 sold to George Mosier. The next year Mr. Snoddy pur- chased and later rebuilt. He also built two store rooms. In one of the stores was located the postoffice. These stores are both gone but the mill still runs and is kept by Walter Snoddy, a great grandson of the first Snoddy owner. John and Sarah LaTourette, living in New Jersey and other eastern sections, learned the weaver's trade, which trade has been handed down for five hundred years from father to son. Schuyler LaTourette, and his brothers and sister spent the earlier part of their life in making wonderful coverlets. A few of these coverlets may still be found throughout the county as relics of a time gone by. Our township al- so boasts of an old schooner wagon in Fountain County which our forefathers came here from Ohio. Stringtown, a mining place close to Snoddy's Mill, made a rapid growth. A railroad ran through the coal fields and Chicago coal and rolling mill companies were interested in them. In 1878 String- town and Snoddy's Mill was the scene of a great strike and riot among the white and colored miners. Governor Williams was telegraphed to and he sent a company of Wabash Guards to restore order. "Vicks- burg was a thriving little town platted on section 34, range 9, June 30, 1831, by Robert Duncan. It is now but a few dwelling houses. Bunkertown was a suberb of Stringtown. Jane Cade, daughter of William, was probably the first child born in Fountain county, her birth dating May 30, 1824. The first marriage was that of Uncle Jim Davis and Sallie Johnson in 1824. They were married by Rev. Hibbs. Miss Johnson was a sister of Rev. A. R. Heath's mother. The first church was in the upper story of a house that still stands on the Bart Graham farm. Archibald Johnson later granted a house for worship, known as "Old Union" and the records show that it was on a part of the Jess Bodine land. Possibly the first school was on the Enos Davis land now owned by Jess Bodine. The first school-master was John LaTourette, the father of Schuyler LaTourette. Washing- ton Graham gave ground for Graham's Creek School. Sherman Yerkes has an old deed in which school-house district No. 6 was granted to Wabash township January 9, 1836. It was here in this school-house that the first United Brethren Church was founded in 1867 with Rev. Joseph Cooper pastor. The present church, Wabash Chapel, was donated by the Yerkeses. The first minister was Rev. Joseph Nye, who gave the dedication address July 17, 1881, and our present minister is Rev. Walter Brock. Cooper's Church was one of the first built, a remodeled church still having active United Brethren members. In 1845 a church was built on the Robert Dunham land and in 1865 Mr. White deeded more ground for burying purposes. The church is now defunct but is well kept up. We now have three schools: White's a graded school at Stringtown, and Rabb's school in the central part of the township. Some of Wabash township sons born of parents who were among the early settlers are: J. M. Conover, Fred LaTourette, Wal- lace Bodine, Manford Bodine, Max Bodine, Tom Frankenberger, Jones and J. L. Yerkes, Charles Ramser, Roy and Homer Mallory, Alex Johnson, John Johnson. Frank Marlatt, Samuel Snoddy, Chas. and Sherman Yerkes, Geo. D. Snoddy, Alex Grubbs, Clint Rhodes, Morris Van Dorn, Edward Rhodes, William Yerkes, Samuel Abernathy, Walter Snoddy, and Stephen Abernathy. TROY TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS By T. A. Clifton THE history of Troy township schools in growth, development, and use- fulness, is not different in general from that of other sections of the county and state, they having kept pace with the rapid changes which have taken place as the township has emerged during the cen- tury just passed, from an almost unbroken wilderness to that of a most modern civil- ization with all that the term implies. The church and the school are pioneers in civilization and go hand in hand- In the early history of Troy township the church furnished the inspiration for the school and the school prepared the way for a bet- ter community and church life; hence we find the church and school house, the preacher and teacher often identical in pioneer days, the home of some prominent pioneer often serving as both a church and school house where church services are held and the subscription school is taught, until the commonwealth has reached such development that the common school takes its place, and there is developed the great system, under which our schools are work- ing today. The first schools of Troy township were subscription schools taught by teachers from other colonies or by preachers of different denominations who were pioneer church missionaries, the school, as later, often taking its name from the neighbor- hood, or settlement in which it was located. Hence we have the names of the Bend, the Covington, the Carwile, the Graham, the Brown, the Dicken, the Ward, the Lemon, Mead, McCarty, etc., as divided into dis- tricts, under the later laws which brought into existence the Little Red Schoolhouse, which has produced so many of Indiana and Fountain county's noted men and educa- tors. In Covington and Troy township history- credits William Robe as being the first teacher, he having taught short terms of subscription school in the temporary court house located on lot now occupied by the Johnson Oil Station, as early as 1828. In the Bend neighborhood, what was known as the Buckeye log school house and church was erected as early as 1828, near the Bend cemetery, where early subscrip- tion schools were taught, but the names of teachers have been lost. In the Thirties and early Forties more substantial log and brick school houses be- gan to appear, one being built near where the elevator stands, and one on what is now known as the Dickinson Fruit Farm, these serving, together with others erected in the various settlements, until the State Free School law took more definite form in the Forties, and which created by tax, a fund for the employment of teachers on Centennial Book small pay, and made provision for school houses, etc., for a few weeks term each year under the direction of the township, many subscription schools still being taught, some even as late as the Seventies- To overcome these early meager facili- ties the law of 1843, which provided each county in the state should have a Semin- ary, was passed, and a suitable building was built in Covington with John Bilsland as contractor for the sum of $1,064.00, but the same proved a failure and the build- ing was later used for the common schools of Covington, until destroyed by fire. A Girls' Seminary was also erected, earlier, on the old Birch farm, just opposite what is now the Aldridge farm home in the eastern part of the township, but only sur- vived a short time. Among the list of teachers of these earlier days appear the names of William Kinney, Mrs. Getsel, Benjamin Rankin, Rev. C. F. Smith and many others, who when out of school worked at various call- ings. In 1862 a brick school house was erected on the site of the former building, having six departments, where the present grade building now stands, which served Coving- ton until 1876. Among the teachers of that period appearing the names of a Mr. Comp- ton, Mrs- Fowler, Miss Carrie Evans, Mr. O'Rear, Mr. Patterson, Miss Okie Shockey, Ora Ensminger and others. In 1876, a new and more imposing struc- ture was erected on the same site, John McMannomy and E. H. Nebeker being the contractors; J. Ristine, J. T. Sharon and O. Boord, trustees. This structure served as both a grade and high school building, until the overflow made necessary the erec- tion of a two story, four room brick build- ing, two blocks west, where the present high school building now stands, to be used by the four lower grades. In 1912 on Mem- orial Day, the high school building was destroyed by fire- During the latter part of the Seventies, a Summer Normal was also conducted in this building under the direction of Pro- fessors Humphries and Coombs and for a time drew a large body of teachers and stu- dents from this and surrounding counties. The life of the Normal was prolonged for several years through the efforts and teaching genius of Miss Olive Coffeen — than whom there has been no greater in- structor in all the history of our county. Miss Coffeen is still teaching in the Cov- ington high school — now, as always, an inspiration to the youth of our town. Following the destruction of this build- ing by fire in 1912, the present modern grade building was erected in 1912, with M. Mayer, A. T. Livengood and Challen Spinning as trustees, which furnishes splendid quarters for the grade schools. In the meantime a more modern and com- modious high school building had been erected in 1910, at a cost of about $20,000.00, on the site of the four room Primary building, razed to make place for the same, Dr. E. J. Martin, Dr. A. B. Car- ter, and Challen Spinning then being trus- tees. To this structure was added, in 1923, a gymnasium and additional class rooms, at a cost of about $40,000.00, to accommo- date the increased demands, M. Mayer, Lee Philpott and John LaTourette, being mem- bers of the Board. This added improvement in no wise came too soon for in 1925, the township schools, still five in number were consolidated, un- der a new bill passed by the 1925 General Assembly, with the City schools, and now all out district children are hauled to Covington by six school hacks, the town- ship schools and property having been abandoned and will be sold. The history of the township schools has been that in common with all other town- ships of the county, and with the present trustee, A. M. Hegg, has had a careful supervision and a strong corps of teachers up to the hour of consolidation- To give some idea of the magnitude of the work of the schools in Covington and Troy township, under the consolidation plan, the schools employed twenty-four teachers last year, serving all departments of the work, at a total salary cost of over $32,000 to which is to be added all over- head expense consequent thereto. Covington and Troy township has always kept abreast with school progress, and it is safe to state, will not lag behind in the future of educational work. OLD CANAL DAYS By Mrs. Lourissa Campbell Allen THE movement to build the Wabash and Erie Canal which was intended to cross Indiana from Lake Erie to some point on the lower Wabash or the Ohio river, though it met with opposition, was made possible by the sale of canal lands to the pioneer farmers of the State, the treasury being thus enriched sufficient- ly to authorize the Legislature to make a loan of $200,000.00 to hasten the canal building. Settlers began filling the new North of the State, immigrants thronged into the Wabash Valley and new towns dotted the whole canal route — thousands of men em- ployed at good wages provided a market for all produce. The farmers were the dic- tators; when they could not get land to suit them from the canal tract, they moved into adjoining counties. In 1S46, the Wabash and Erie Canal was finished to the navigable waters of the Fountain County Wabash, and accounted for a period of marvelous prosperity for Covington. To forward the enterprise, Covington merchants took in exchange for goods, a large amount of Canal Script, which was floated, the paper depreciating on their hands to 40 cents on the dollar. This left many of the merchants almost bankrupt. However, the Fifties and Sixties were stirring days for Covington. A wide street followed the course of the canal and became a busy thoroughfare. The packing business, conducted by Hardy, Sloan and Sewell, was one of the largest and most important businesses of this early day. It also created a demand for packing cases, making the cooper business profit- able. Hooppoles were brought in large quantities from the region of Coal Creek, and the old Barkley Cooper Shop became a necessary adjunct to the shipping busi- ness. Straw hats were made by Wm. Crain in his Hattery. Pottery ware could be bought at home, at a pottery established by one Beckel- heimer, and a flourishing brick kiln, owned and operated by Dennis M. Smith, was able to supply the demand for that building material. John McKinney conducted a Tannery just south of the present Dixi Highway. An Iron Foundry and Woolen Mill stood on the hill above and Grist and Flour Mills were built along the waters of the canal; of the latter, the Everly and Sangster Mills were probably the oldest. Covington became the greatest trading point in all this section. Hotels were built, always with their accompanying tavern. The oldest of these was probably the Hiigel House, on Canal Street. Here Mr. Lincoln found accommodations while here on business in the courts. The California stood across the canal. Transportation by water and overland by stage were the accepted modes. A Mr. Teller whose home was on Fourth street, between Harrison and Crocket streets, was the owner and operator of stages and canal packets, landing his packet passengers at the foot of Pearl street. He doubtless was responsible for getting some of the mail to Covington, mail arriving twice a week by horse or stage. The one time delightful river trip now shared its popularity with the new diver- sion of "Packet Parties", with all the gayety, accompanying moonlight and rhyth- mic motion that naturally attended upon such pleasure seeking. When the Civil War came on, so rapid had been Covington's progress that the population was almost as large as it was 20 years later. The completion of the I. B. & W. from Indianapolis to Bloomington from 1869 to 1871 opened a new mode of traffic for Covington, and was really the death knell of the Wabash & Erie Canal in this section. The last little packet named the "Goodman" on November 13, 1875, made the trip from Lodi to Lafayette. From that time, the completion of the Wabash Rail- road on the north and the I. B. & W. here, the canal days ended and all accompanying trade fell into disuse. Boats, locks, ware- houses, mills, woolen factories, packing houses, breweries. With all these gone, Covington was much changed, even the name of men who had much to do with the development and commercial life are al- most unknown by these later generations and may have been forgotten in the hurry and bustle of life, except we read the name carved in the marble slab in a nearby cemetery. BEGINNINGS THE first tavern built by Joseph Rawles, a round log structure 16x24, with a clapboard roof and a puncheon floor. The first store was built by Joseph Sloan. The first ferry, 1826, at the foot of Jefferson street. The first ferryman was Mr. Bos- ton. The first steamboat, the Lawrence, landed in 1827. The first postoffice in 1826. The first post- master was Joseph Sloan. The first brick storeroom was built by Joseph Sloan in 1834. The first school house stood near the present site of the Dickinson Fruit Farm. The first town hall was over the store now owned by Hardin and Crain. The first hatter was William Crain, 1829. The first tannery was built by John Mc- Kinney. The first physician was Dr. Hamilton. The first lawyers were Andrew Ingrain and Daniel Rogers, in 1827. The first newspaper was published in 1836 — the Western Constellation, succeeded by The Peoples Friend in 1840. The first steam grist mill was built in 1836. The first bank was established by James G. Hardy, and was the forerunner of the Citizen's Bank. ROLL OF HONOR Revolutionary soldiers who are buried in Fountain county: John Bake Henry Bolton Capt. Isaac Cook Enos Davis Jacob High Tobias Mosier Wm. Osborne Jonathan Osborne Thomas Pearson Robert Mclntyre Antony Rosseau Michael Stotts Wm. Ward Thomas Williams Jacob Youngblood Centennial Book OLD INDIAN TRAILS By J. W. Whicker THE great ford was the Kickapoo Ford. This was wide and solid rock bottom and in high water this was the only safe ford between the Vermillion and Tip- pecanoe rivers. The Indian village on the Langlois reser- vation was the last Miami Indian camp in western Indiana. The Tecumseh trail leads from Covington to this village. The ford at Cicot landing was treacher- ous and used only in low water, so two i a. 3 ¥ 5 to 7 T °i it) M 12. -fr 3-trrtL trails led to the Kickapoo ford. The mail came over the stage routes until the canal was built and James Town or Yankee Town, just north of Shawnee Creek, where the Trott bridges cross the creek on Shawnee bluff, had two mail routes and it was the only town in the county that had two mail routes. "THE OLD TO WN BAND" By Dave Webb MY first recollection of a band in Cov- ington was late in the 50's. I re- member the old band well and thought it was the finest on earth. Prof. William Lemp, father of the late Fauncy Lemp, was the fine old musician from Switzerland, who lived on North Third street, just above the Catholic church. He was the leader and the only other mem- bers I remember were Casper Salmon, who played cornet, and Herman Lemp and Henry Bender, who played the tuba. I can remember them marching by our house and have a perfect recollection of one of the pieces, but pieces of music were not very plentiful at that time. I guess they went the way of all town bands and the next one was organized by Peter Miner and his brother Voght, who at that time, about 1866, were in the dry goods business in the room in the Douglass, then Weldon Block. I can remember the roster of this band, Peter Miner, Casper Salmon, Doctor Kelley and Ora Ensminger were the cornetists; Bill Willis, tenor; Wick Crane, baritone; Wm. Kreusch, bass, and Charlie Clark, drum. In the winter of 1867, Frank Webb and Johnny Casper were added to the cor- net section and Hardy Savage and Ed Nel- son to the alto section. They managed to navigate the campaign of '68 pretty suc- cessfully on five pieces, which I remember even yet very well. They were not very difficult classical selections, but they swelled our hearts with pride at that. I remember Julius Adler and I used to dis- cuss our respective chances of getting into the band and playing cymbals, but our youthful ambition was not gratified. Charley Clark held onto them, but I followed the band on my pony throughout its many en- gagements with much pleasure. In the winter of '68, I managed to dig up the old brass bass horn that Henry Bender used to play back in the 50's, from the back room, upstairs over his saloon and after two or three days hard scouring with brick dust, ashes and vinegar, we got the green off so you could tell it was made of brass and I proceeded to torture the neighborhood with my efforts, but I could not pass mus- ter into the real band until the spring of '69, when I was admitted to the charmed circle, playing the B bass, which happened to be out of a job. The first engagement I played with them was a railroad meeting at old Chambersburg. I have played many "jobs" since then, but none of them have approximated to this one in importance. About 1870 Frank Webb succeeded Miner as leader and in 1871, dissensions having arisen among the musicians as to the proper procedure in Brass-Banding, the Fountain County younger element consisting of Frank Webb, Hardy Savage, Ed and Joe Nelson and my- self, recruited by Henry Savage and Harry Hamilton and Tom Bonnell on drums, resigned, revolted, rebelled and or- ganized the Young America Band, bought a new set of instruments and, since there is no one living to dispute it, I will say we had a real band. All went well until Frank Webb went to Indianapolis to study the pipe organ, and being left without a head, Young America went the way of most town bands, until about time for the campaign of '76, when I, having risen to be somewhat of a cor- netist, re-organized the band with some ad- ditions and ran along until 1877, when I broke in some new material, Lynn Spin- ning, Harry Voltz, George Meitzler, Billy Henselman and John Clayton, with some of the older ones, and later Herschel Gish, A. H. Isbel, Duke Weldon and Billy Morris ap- peared and we thought we had some band. In the spring of 1880 I went to Robinson, 111., and led the bands there and did not return to Covington to live until 1895. John Casper, in the meantime had developed into a wonderful cornetist and was in the musical profession his entire life. I have heard most of the celebrated cornetist's in this country since then, but I never heard any that surpassed John Salmon in his best days. He confined himself principally to the regular profession, rather than push- ing himself to the front rank of soloists, where he belonged, hence he did not have the same publicity, but I will say for Cov- ington, that in my estimation, he was the peer of any of them, and a history of Cov- ington that does not include John Salmon as one of its celebrities, is not complete. From 1880 to 1895, I will have to leave to some one better posted than myself, ex- cept to say that Clarence Lewis and his Kid Band in the early 80's and Lee Harter and his Verein Band in the latter part, held up the reputation of the Covington Band very creditably, I am told. In 1895, having returned to Covington, I organized the Covington Concert Band with Lee Harter, Joe Johnson, Ross and "Kid" DeHaven, Homer Clawson, "Paddy" Miles, Pete Schma, Leslie Spence, Charlie Kin- caid and Ed Diffenderfer, which made up the most successful band that Covington ever had. I left Covington, moving to Danville, 111., in 1902 and Lee Harter ran the band for several years. The happiest days of my life were spent with the boys of the "Old Town Band." ^ CV » '. .v. AVooster .Mrs. Elizabeth Wright A MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANKING SYSTEM Every Department of This Bank is Under the Direct Supervision of the United States Government Centennial Book THE MELLOTT BANK MELLOTT, INDIANA OFFICERS Marion Abolt — President Charles E. Archer — Vice-Presiden1 C. E. Huff— Cashier DIRECTORS W. A. McClure, W. W. Lay-ton, Marion Abolt C. E. Archer. C. E. Huff BISHOP & SMITH GENERAL MERCHANDISE Established Aug. 13, ID 14 M KI.LOTT INDIANA KINGMAN STATE BANK KINGMAN, INDIANA OFFICERS E. S. Booe — President W. A. Parish — Vice-President Atha Weaver — Cashier E. P. Moore — Asst. Cashier DIRECTORS W. A. Parish Troy C. Glascock A. M. Ford M. L. Cory E. S. Booe Fountain County ATTICA The city of industries, good schools, churches, civic organizations, parks, beautiful homes and hospitable people rejoices at the success- ful termination of 100 years of progress of Fountain County and takes pride in the part it has taken in the development of the County in its various activities. OFFICIAL FAMILY Charles T. Jacobson, Mayor Latha Coen, City Clerk Morris Blout, City Treasurer Will B. Reed, City Attorney ALDERMEN SCHOOL BOARD John W. Henry A. W. Harris Charles L. Meharry n t w ni j Mrs. Will B. Reed Dr. J. W. Rhodes Thos. B. Crigler POLICE (-.,. t- /- n Mace Park Uliver h,. Lantwell T 1 t i- cc Joseph Joliett Ira M. Means Frank Benamire BOARD OF HEALTH Dr. A. R. Kerr Dr. A. C. Holly Dr. J. Roy Burlington CITY ENGINEER Geo. P. N. Sadler Centennial Book HERBERT CAMPBBLL-Pres. W. V. STANFIELD— Vice-Pres. DAN B. GRAY— Cashier RUTH AYDELOTTE— Asst. Cashier. THE NEWTOWN BANK Newtown, Indiana CAPITAL AND SURPLUS $35,000.00 ORGANIZED IN 1904 WARRICK BROS. HOLLYWOOD CONFECTIONERY Choice Soda Creations and Confections for the SELECT COVINGTON INDIANA ESTEN GOODIN Congratulates Fountain County upon the attainment of its 100th Birthday and those who are sponsoring the CENTENNIAL. Fountain County THE DEAREST PLACE IN ALL THE WORLD —OLD FOUNTAIN COUNTY Hearty congratulations to Fountain County and all its people, upon the attainment of its one hundredth birthday, which marks at once an historic consummation and a golden begin- ning'. DAVID S. FERGUSON Il ^ THIRTY YEARS MANY THANKS AND of active service in BEST WISHES- General Insurance Lines With The Home Insurance of New York, the Aetna of Hartford, Fidel i- To the people of Fountain County for their generous ty-Phenix, New York Underwriters and Sun of London. support given me in the discharge of my official duties. Fire, Accident, Life and All Kinds of Bonds. A continuance of this support will be sincerely appreciated by May we continue to have your favors and good will. JAMES G. JONES N. G. HARLOW & CO. Covington, - - Indiana Prosecuting Attorney 61st Judicial Circuit IF YOU WERE A STRANGER L. L. WOOD Any place in the U. S. or General Merchandise Canada, and made inquiry as to the best Drug Store in town, you would be directed to one of the 10,000 Has been Serving the People REXALL STORES of Hillsboro and vicinity for Always courteous, ever oblig- ing, conducted along busi- many years. ness lines, clean, fresh mer- chandise to offer, manufac- tured in their own factories Sincere Greetings on the and laboratories. Centennial T. E. RAINIER The Rexall Store Hillsboro, - Indiana Graduate Pharmacist Covington, - - Indiana 1 > Portion of the Public I^obby of The Commercial-News New Home The Commercial News DANVILLE, ILLINOIS Has just completed a new $315,000.00 Home. Prints over 23,000 copies Daily — distributed by 250 Carrier Boys in and out of Danville. Has Largest Circulation of Any Newspaper in a Field of its size in the United States. Served by 80 Correspondents in Local Field. Uses over 50 Carloads of Print Paper Annually. Now in its 61st year! "THE PAPER THAT DOES THINGS r TERMS $1.50 PER YEAR Pageant to be Re- peated Tuesday Pageant Will Be Given at the Fair- ground Tuesday Night, Aug. 24; Other Centennial Notes At a special meeting of the execu- tive committee of the D. A. R., the directors of the chamber of commence and officers of the Covington fair as- sociation, held on Tuesday night, a decision was reached to give a pre- sentation of the pageant again on Tuesday night, Aug. 24. The perform- ance scheduled for Wednesday night, Aug. 11, had to be cancelled on ac- count of rain and the promise was made then that it would be repeated at a later date. The following Friday was chosen, but rain again interfer- ed. No admission will be charged for the presentation next Tuesday night. * * * * Mrs. Jessie Wells Sande of Billings, Mont, has contributed the following original poem, which was recieved too late for publication in the Centennial book. Mrs. Sande is a former Coving- ton girl and her many friends regret very much that she was unable to be here for the Centennial. An hundred years! Oh Muses who give forth Attendance on weak words Of men who'd set apart some portion of some field To call forever sacred to some few, Oh Muses of such power, attend us now With fitness for expression! We would not in sacrilege, command This portion of the fields of God and man To consecration such as statesman named, (Eternal homage to the words of him) But not in less of reverence may we say Ind.; Historical Bureau, Indianaplis, Ind.; Dan W. Sims, Lafayette, Ind.; C. E. McBrcom, Augusta, Wiscnsin; Mrs. Jessie Wells Sande, Billings, Montana; Mrs. Virginia Rice Boord' Larede, Texas; W. Jeff Myers, Mil- ton ville, Kansas; Mrs. Gertrude Dun- can Baker, Indianapolis; Pat Towns- ley, Shreveport, Louisiana; Hon. James Bingham, Harber Springs Mich. ; A. A. Paschal, Beeville, Texas ' Mrs. Mary C. McWilliams, Baker, I dianapolis, Ind.; Rudolph Kaufma Winslow, Arizona. * * * * Mrs. Courtney W. Dice, Regent c Richard Henry Lee Chapter Daugh- ters of the American Revolution ofl Covington announces the official vote for Centennial Queen of Fountain' county. This vote was reported through the Township Chairmen and carefully canvassed, and care taken that all things connected with the contest should be fair and impartial. The vote is as follows; Troy township— Miss Kerr, 101,950. VanBuren township— Miss Songer' 28,150. Richland township— Miss Royal 18 - 600. Logan township— Miss Green 17- 550. Cain township— Miss Bever 15- 350. Wabash township— Miss Yerkes 13 - 850. Davis township— Miss Pearson 13- 150. Shawnee township— Miss Hoagland,] | 8, 650. Fulton township— Miss Randolph, 6o Millcreek township— Miss Glascock 16, 200. Jackson township— Miss Keller 1 800. * * * * THE QUEEN'S FLOAT On yester morn in proud array On city streets I took my way And from the throng on either side Received the cheers both near and For which the years Take toll of just the hundred score today' Faith of our lathers, that we've taken up, Be not diminished with a lesser aim Of fervent zeal to keep, and prosper still, This portion of the grounds, commem- orate! Apart from all the other grounds we tread As life moves towards its goal, we keep and hold The land that calls us child A sacred fold! There have we known The kindness of the sense of home, The sure security of friends, that lends A sounder sense of pleasure than all fame Or favor in a foreign field can give, No matter what its bulk. This thing called Fame Is merest fallacy, — is a farce When written for our plan Discerning what in life we hold most dear. Oh haunts of youth! speak back as we define this consecration This reverance the child heart Living on within us, holds thus dear! Speak back, oh home of yesterday And make us know You'll be our father, mother, — home! Our land of hallowed memories and hopes, Our haven when the world has done With all our roving, all our plans, — A meeting-place of soul to soul with friends ! The altar-field, where world starved youth Returning home, descends to bended knee Before your comfort shrine And calls you — "Mine"! Jessie Wells Sande * * * * The Centennial committee still have a number of the Centennial Books on hand, which are for sale. A copy of this fine historical book should be in every home. Arrangements are being made for placing them on sale in ev- ery townshiD. * ** * The Centennial Committee wish to acknowledge kindly greetings receiv- ed from the following former Fountain County residents on the occasion of ■the County's birthday. Mrs. Frank Torres, New York City; Mrs. Louise Weldon, Indianapolis, Ind. Mr. Julius R. Loeb, New York City; Mr. and Mrs. David Plaut, Goshen, wide. Both fore and aft upon my breast The Township Queens all stately dressed Upon their thrones of white so pure, Eleven maidens sat demure. My form on that proud happy day Was decked with snow of purest ray. And as we passed among the crowd, Received the plaudits long and loud. And on that proud and stately day No thought at all of my dismay, But one short day and one dark night And now behold my present plight. My whiteness all has ebbed away, How short a time since yesterday; My thrones are gone, my maidens fled My beauty pure is now in threads. Beneath my haggard wasted form, All drenched with rain and all forlorn Upon the ground in scattered heaps My petals ruined, a cause to weep. How short a life is beauty great, Fades over night at change of state. But real true worth like rays serene Is never touched by sun or rain. No rain nor storm nor wind nor sun Can touch nor mar the worthy one, Proud state and beauty, cheers and song Are passing fancy, stay not long. And in the struggle of the soul Contribute nothing toward the goal. Great pomp and pride bear not the torch To light the onward upward march. But the dark and lonely way Is made both bright and clear as day By humble lives with purpose true Who live and toil and strive and do. Not for themselves nor for but few, But for all those whose needs are great, And by their works they thus create The power to open wide the gate. By W. N- White. * * * * A register of former students of the Covington High School was opened at the home coming anil many happy re- unions of old friends were held during the afternoon. Among those who reg- istered were the following: R. D. Rich- ardson, Richmond, Ind.; Anita Spence Jordan, Indianapolis; Icelle Denman Gould, Chicago; Francis Whitesell Brown, Ellettsville, Ind.; Beryl Layton Galloway, Williamsport; Lillian Reev- es Jackson, Bloomington; Ruby Cof- flng Duncan, Terre Haute; Maggie Mae Britton, Crawfordsville; Mira ' (Continued on' Page 8, Col. 1)