HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY INDIANA
COMMON
AND GRAVELED ROADS
The acts of Congress early provided that five per
centum of the proceeds of the sale of Government land in Indiana should
be used to construct and maintain roads and canals, three fifths of
such percentage to be expended by the Legislature, and the remaining
two fifths by Congress. The three fifths of the five per centum became
known as the " Three Per Cent Fund," and was a Godsend to the early
settlers, as it constituted almost their entire revenue for the
construction of State and county roads. The county was no sooner
organized than the first installment of the fund was received from the
Auditor of State, and immediately expended upon the first roads of the
county. After many years, when this fund had become well nigh exhausted
from the decrease in the sale of land, other funds were devised,
collected and expended. Early in the fifties, several corporate
organizations were effected for the construction and maintenance of
toll and graveled roads, among those in the sixties being Clear Creek
Gravel Road Company, Monrovia & Bellville Gravel Road Company,
Monrovia & Hall Gravel Road Company, Brooklyn Gravel Road Company,
Mooresville & Monrovia Gravel Road Company, White River
Valley Gravel Road Company, and others. Later, several others were
projected and built. Within the last five years, there have been
constructed at county expense the following gravel roads: Martinsville
& Record's Ferry Gravel Road, five miles long, estimated cost,
$6,042; the Martinsville & Mahalasville Gravel Road, six miles
long, estimated cost $7,820; the Taggart Station & Monroe County
Line Gravel Road, two and a third miles long, estimated cost $7,000;
the Morgantown & Johnson County Line Gravel Road, one and a half
miles long, estimated cost $1,700. The total estimated cost of the four
roads is $22,562; the county has three or four toll roads owned by
private corporations now in operation.
RAILROADS
The old Martinsville & Franklin Flat-bar
Railroad was built in 1847-52, and the first cars came to the former
place in the spring of 1853. The grading of the road was done almost
wholly by citizens along the route, and when this was completed the
Madison & Indianapolis Company fitted it with iron and rolling
stock, and operated it for about five years, when the further running
of trains was abandoned. At the close of the rebellion, Gen. Burnside
obtained possession of the road, put- down T-rails, put on a good class
of rolling stock, and extended the road to Fairland in Shelby County.
After running a few years, the road again went down, but some time
afterward passed into the possession of certain New York parties, and
from them to the present management the C, L, St. L. & C. Company.
About the year 1853, the New Albany & Salem
Company projected the present Indianapolis & Vincennes road, and
graded it through the greater portion of the present length, and
probably wholly through Morgan County. But there, for some reason, the
work was abandoned. At the close of the war, Gen. Burnside secured
control, and fitted the road, mostly on the old grade, with suitable
rolling stock. The old grade was on the opposite side of the river from
Martinsville. About the time Gen. Burnside assumed control, the
citizens of Morgan County donated $50,-000 toward completing the road,
with the proviso that the old grade should be used. This offer was
accepted by the company. But soon after this Martinsville and vicinity
came to the front, and offered the company $30,000 to cross the river,
and locate a depot in the town, which offer was accepted, and the road,
thus altered,' was completed. But the citizens who had donated the
$50,000, declaring that the contract between them and the company,
providing that the rolling stock should be upon the old bed had been
violated, refused to pay their donations, and suit was brought to
collect the amounts. After several years of lawing, a compromise was
effected, whereby one half the donation was to be paid, but as a matter
of fact only about $15,000 of the $50,000 was received by the company.
Martinsville and vicinity had paid the $30,000 according to contract. A
few years ago the road was leased by the Pennsylvania Company.
THE
COUNTY PRESS
The first newspaper published in Morgan County was
established at Martinsville early in the forties by James Richards. The
sheet was a small folio, was printed often upon paper obtained from the
stores in
town, and upon a small wooden press, and was non-partisan. It contained
considerable news and was conducted a year or more, and then abandoned.
The second paper Vas established at Mooresville during the summer of
1846 by Thomas L. Worth. It was a five column folio, with columns fully
half an inch wider than the usual size, and was non partisan It was
called the Mooresville Chronicle, and cost " $2 per year when produce
was taken and ten per centum off for cash in advance." In 1851 or 1852,
it was removed to Martinsville, where the name was changed to Morgan
County Gazette. Mr. Worth issued it irregularly until the 12th of May,
1855, when it was purchased by Edwin W. Callis, who enlarged it to a
six column folio, and fixed the subscription at $1.25 per annum. During
the political excitement late in the fifties, and during the war of
1861 to 1865, the paper under Mr. Callis exerted an extremely powerful
influence over affairs in the county. Its Republicanism and loyalty to
the Government were of the most ardent character. In 1857, J. W. Howard
was connected with the Gazette. T. F. Orner was associated with
Mr. Callis from June, 1857, until the latter part of 1858 or the early
part of 1859. A. A. Barrakman was his associate in 1861 and 1862; W. H.
"Smith during the first years of the rebellion, and J. V. Mitchell for
twenty months, beginning in October, 1870. In 1870, the politics of the
paper became Independent, and were subsequently gradually changed to
Democratic. Several other important changes were made. In about 1874,
A. and L. 0. Callis, daughters of Mr. Callis, became owners and
publishers of the paper, Mr. Callis still remaining editor and manager.
The paper is now owned and published by Lizzie 0. Callis, present State
Librarian, and is edited by Mr. Callis, the veteran printer who has
been at its head for twenty seven consecutive years. The paper is the
Democratic organ of the county, is ably managed, has a large, useful
circulation and a liberal advertising and job work patronage, and is a
credit to the editor and the Democracy of the county.
In July, 1856, P. S. Parks and C. S. Hilbourne
established at Martinsville a. Democratic newspaper called the Morgan
County Monitor. The sheet was a six column folio, and was an able and
earnest advocate of the Democratic principles of that stormy period.
After a few years, various changes were made in the ownership and
management, all of which cannot be given here. The paper was called the
Clarion during the war. John Storey was connected with it during the
early stages of the rebellion. Hilbourne severed his connection with it
in 1862 or 1863. Leonard H. Miller published the sheet in 1863, secured
a large circulation and the proceeds thereof, and then decamped, it is
said, between sunset and sunrise. About July, 1863, the name was
changed to Morgan County Express. During the latter part of the war,
and later, the paper was owned and managed by W. B. Burns and B. H.
Bainbridge. About the year 1867 the paper was discontinued. Under some
of the managements, the paper was bright, newsy, and exerted a strong
influence over the politics of the county. Under other management's, it
led a precarious existence, and was suspended for short periods.
Soon after the Gazette left the Republican party, in
1869 or 1870, the prominent members of that party, feeling lost without
an organ, raised a subscription of about $800, and advertised for a
practical printer to come on and found a new paper at the county seat,
and, accordingly, W. H. Eagle, of the Danville Union, answered the
call, purchased with the money subscribed a full office outfit, and on
the 11th of August, 1870, issued the first number of the Martinsville
Republican, a seven column folio newspaper. J. G. Bain became editor,
though he had no pecuniary interest in the enterprise. Among those who
had raised the funds to establish the paper were T. B. Mitchell, J. J.
Johnston, J. R. Shelton, William Kennedy, J. R. McBride and a few
others, in all about eight. The paper encountered the severest
opposition from the Gazette and from the Democrats; but after two years
of incessant warfare, became well established, with a steadily
increasing circulation. About the 1st of December, 1870, the entire
office was sold to J. G. Bain and Henry Smock, the latter, having been
a practical printer in Chicago, becoming publisher, and the former
continuing as editor. About this time the paper became an eight column
folio. During the latter part of 1874, Mr. Smock sold his interest to
Mr. Bain, since which time Shell Parks, C. S. Crary, G. W. Ryan, John
D. Whitted and Elmer Whitted have been connected with the paper at
different periods as writers, without owning an interest. In May, 1882,
S. W. Macy began work upon the paper as associate editor, and is thus
engaged at present. In the autumn of 1874, the sheet became a seven
column quarto, and in May, 1882, a six column quarto, the entire paper
being printed on the new steam cylinder power press purchased at that
time at a total cost, including much new material, of over $1,200. This
was the first steam press ever in the county, and is the only one up to
the present. The paper is the official organ of the Republican party in
the county, has a wide circulation and a satisfactory job and
advertising patronage, and is ably edited and managed by Mr. Bain.
In about 1869 or 1870, Lang & Weil issued at
Mooresville three numbers of a paper called the Vindicator, which then
died for the want of breath. Prof. E. H. Dorland then took the office,
with Benjamin Dakin, and the sheet was issued successfully for about a
year and a half under the name Enterprise. P. T. Macy then bought the
establishment, and James H. Burke became editor, conducting it thus two
or three years, when Macy sold out to Charles McNichols, a young man
yet in his teens, who made a failure of the enterprise within a year,
and the property, went back to Mr. Macy. Burke, who had gone to Ohio,
came back and took charge of the editorial department, and the paper
became the Herald. A. W. Handibo was connected with the office for a
short time. About 1874, Burke bought the paper and continued it until
1877, and then sold out to E. F. Tennant, who ran the office until
1880, when it went to a stock company and became the Monitor. A. W.
Macy, now of the Martinsville Republican, became editor, but in
September, 1881, retired, and was succeeded by W. A. Hunt, the. present
editor and manager. The paper has been Republican under all the
management's, has at present a larger circulation than ever before, and
has a fair job and advertising patronage.
Morgantown has enjoyed the luxury of several
newspapers. In 1878, William D. and John Eves began to issue a small
neutral sheet, called the Morgantown Cyclone. Unlike other storms of
this nature, it created no destruction of life or property. After
continuing a year or two, the office was sold and removed to Brown
County. After an interval, the same press was brought back, and George
Allison, senior and junior, started a new neutral paper called the
Morgantown Sunshine. It seemed so appropriate to have sunshine after a
cyclone, that the contrast, as was thought, would be so welcome that
all would take the paper and contribute to its support. But the people
seemed to love cyclone better than sunshine, possibly after the theory
that evil deeds seek the darkness, and did not support the new paper as
well as they did the old. The result was its suspension. It was revived
by R. M. Dill during the political compaign of 1882, but it then died
without prospect of future life. The office was removed during the
summer of 1883.
LIST
OF RESIDENT ATTORNEYS
Benjamin Bull, John Eakles, Larkin Reynolds, Sr., A.
S. Griggs, William G. Quick, William R. Harris, William P. Hammond,
Daniel Mc—, William W. Burns, Abraham A. Barrickman, Oliver R.
Daugherty, Joseph Barwick, Bazil Champer, William S. Shirlet, F. P. A.
Phelps, 0. F. Mc-Nutt, George W. Grubbs, M. H. Parker, James H. Jordan,
James V. Mitchell. The above are among the more prominent of the older
attorneys. A full list of the present legal practitioners will be found
in another chapter of this volume. The leading lawyers of the county
seat at present are F. P. A. Phelps, James V. Mitchell, James F. Cox,
Levi Ferguson, Cyrus E. Davis, H. A. Smock, George A. Adams, John S.
Newby and A. W. Scott. Several of this number are young men just
beginning the practice of law. They are steadily gaining a lucrative
practice. A few attorneys of the town are long, lean and lank, pinched
with slow starvation, but with no fault except a hopeless and
conspicuous mediocrity. Mr. Cox is prominently mentioned in connection
with the office of District Attorney. There is also a strong sentiment
from the county Democracy to nominate him for Representative to the
Legislature. No other man of the county could make a stronger canvass.
IMPORTANT
LEGAL CASES
Several important decisions have been rendered at
Martinsville. In about 1852, a man named Flynn shot and killed Terrell.
Before his trial he broke jail and escaped, and his wife was tried as
accessory before the fact, and acquitted. A short time before the war,
two men named Burns and Sloan became involved in a drunken quarrel,
which resulted in the death of Sloan. Burns was tried and acquitted.
During the war, a Mr. Killian shot and killed a Mr.Hatley, but upon
trial was acquitted. A Mr. Gibson killed a man named Mann with a knife.
Upon the first trial he was sent to the penitentiary for twenty one
years, but upon the second trial was acquitted. A few years ago two men
named Price and Weamer, living at Morgantown, engaged in an angry
altercation, when Weamer was killed by a blow on the head with "a
stone. Price was sent to the penitentiary for life. The Tull-Rabb
divorce suit about twelve years ago attracted considerable attention.
The celebrated divorce case of Abbie McFarland vs. Hugh McFarland was
tried in 1869, at the Morgan County bar. It will be remembered that
Hugh McFarland shot Albert D. Richardson, the famous war correspondent
of the New York Tribune, for alleged improper relations with Mrs. Abbie
McFarland. This led to the divorce suit above mentioned, Mrs. McFarland
then being ajresi-dent of Martinsville. Other
important cases might be mentioned.
EARLY
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
The first Justices of the Peace in Morgan County
commissioned by the Governor, were as follows: Larkin Reynolds, May,
1822; Samuel Reed, May, 1822; James Burris, May, 1822; Hiram Mathews,
May, 1822; Samuel Scott, July, 1822; Samuel Jessup,1823; Thomas
Hen-ton, 1823; Josiah Drury, 1824; Benjamin Cutler, 1825; Thomas Reed,
1825; Jesse S. Rooker, 1825; Robert C. Stotts, 1825; William G. Lear,
1826; Barclay Burris, 1826; John Mathews, 1826; Abraham Fletcher, 1826;
Samuel Wick, 1826; David Burris, 1827; Charles Ventreese, 1827; William
Landers, 1827; Cyrus Whetzel, 1827; Ephraim Gross, 1827; Samuel Scott,
1827; Grant Stafford, 1827; Henry Rats, 1828; David Withers, 1828;
Abraham Lafevre, 1828; Solomon Dunagin, 1828; Barclay Burris, 1828;
William Bowles, 1828; William Ennis, 1828; James H. Lyon, 1829; Gideon
Johnson, 1829; James Stotts, 1829; William Wilcox, 1829; Bernard
Arnold, 1830; Thomas Hendeburgh, 1830; James Crawford, 1830; Mordecai
D. Miller, 1830; Daniel G. Worth, 1830; David Withers, 1831; Francis
Whitcher, 1831; William Burnett, 1831; George W. Baker, 1831; William
Cox, 1831; Daniel Vest, 1832: Johnson Burris, 1832; James Newton, 1832;
James W. Hayes, 1832; Scott W. Young, 1832; Joel Bean, 1833; Thomas
McCarty, 1833; Charles B. Butler, 1833; Grant Stafford, 1833; Isaac D.
Hoffman, 1833; Jacob Seachrist, 1833; William Scott, 1833; Andrew
Shell, 1833; Henry W. Brayrale, 1833; Joseph Summers, 1833; William
Ennis, 1834; William Bowles, 1834; Alfred Mathews, 1834; James De Moss,
1834; Philip A. Foxworthy, 1834; Nathan Langford, 1834; John Fee, 1834;
Philip Zeigler, 1834; John W. Richards, 1834; Jacob Ellis, 1835; Gideon
Johnson, 1835; Abraham Stutesman, 1836; Henry McAllister, 1836; Jesse
Bradley, 1836; Edward Bowman, 1836 ; D. W. Howe, 1836; David Lake, 1836
; James Blair, 1836; Thomas Donagan, 1836 ; John B. Maxwell, 1836;
Robert A. Campbell, 1836.
COUNTY
JUSTICES AND COMMISSIONERS
The Justices of the Peace in the county served as a
County Board until the fall of 1830, when three County Commissioners
were elected. The names of the Justices may be seen on another page of
this volume. The first County Commissioners were Joshua Taylor, B.
Burris and Ezekiel Slaughter. Among other Commissioners of the
thirties, forties and fifties, were Jonathan Lyon, Philip Hodge3, G. W.
Baker, B. Burris, John Hadley, Joshua Taylor, Hewett Nutter, Andrew
Whitesett, Will¬iam B. Taylor, John Hubbard, John Williams, Van R.
King and Samuel Rooker. Later came Aaron St. John, Lemuel Gentry, Jacob
Adams, John E. Greer, Rice E. Brown, Ephraim Hodges, C. Mathis; John
Fesler, 1868; John L. Knox, 1869; John L. Knox, 1870; Joshua Wooden,
1870; John A. Watkins, 1871; Robert Smith, 1872; J. C.Rhea,
.1873; Madison Avery, 1874; W. S. Beeson, 1875; Albert R. Taylor, 1876;
W. M. Duckworth, 1877; Calvin Mathews, 1878; Will¬iam Rinker, 1879;
John K. Coffman, 1880; John F. Hadley, 1881; H. A. Staley, 1882; Thomas
Singleton, 1883.
AUDITORS
This was not a separate office until Benjamin Bull
was elected and commissioned in about 1840; Milton Guthridge, 1844;
Barclay Burrows, 1848; W. J. Manker, 1856; W. A. S. Mitchell, 1862 ;
Robert Johnson, 1866; Salem A. Tilford, 1870 ; John Williams, 1874 ;
William G. Bain, 1878; George W. Prosser, 1882.
CLERKS.
George H. Beeler, 1822; George A. Phelps, 1828;
Hannibal R. Stevens, 1833, vice Phelps (deceased); Stephen McCracken,
1840; James Jackson, 1842; O. R. Daugherty, 1849 ; Jefferson K. Scott,
1855 ; - J. J. Johnston, 1863 ; John Hardrick, 1867 ; Joseph W. Pearcy,
1870; Willis Record, 1872; Samuel K. Harryman, 1876; Thomas B.
Mitchell, 1877 ; H. C. Hodges, 1878 ; John Hardrick, 1882.
RECORDERS
George H. Beeler, 1822; G. A. Phelps, 1828 ;
Hannibal R. Stevens, 1833; Stephen McCracken, 1840; Hiram T. Craig,
1857; J. W. Andrew, 1865; H. T. Craig, 1870; W. W. Kennedy, 1876 ;
William G. Garrison, 1876; Henry H. Olds, 1882.
SHERIFFS
James Bigger, January 1, 1822; Benjamin Cutler,
January 16, 1822; Thomas L. Galpin, 1824; George A. Phelps, 1826;
Thomas L. Galpin, 1828; Hiram W. Craig, 1830; Jonathan Williams. 1834;
H. T. Craig, 1838 ; Jonathan Hunt, 1840; William Williams, 1842; Joseph
M. Worthington, 1844; T. P. A. Phelps, 1846 ; Joseph Johnson, 1850; P.
B. McCoy, 1851; Richard A. Williams, 1852 ; William Killian, 1856;
William E. Tansey, 1859; Henry Sims, 1860; William Hynds, 1862; Willis
Record, 1866; William W. Kennedy, 1870 ; Thomas Dixon, 1874; John C.
Comer, 1878; Wiley S. Haltour, 1882.
SURVEYORS
Charles Beeler, 1822; William Hadley, 1822; - H. T.
Craig, 1852; J. S. Hoagland, 1855; Caleb F. Greenwood, 1857 ; Jeremiah
Hadley, 1859; Joseph T. Moore, 1861; Jonathan Hale, 1863; Benjamin T.
Butler, 1865; Isaac Jones, 1874; William H. Miller, 1875; Edgar A.
Bourne, 1878; Mathew Mathews, 1882; Spencer Hiatt, 1882.
TREASURERS
James Shields, 1822; Noah Allison, 1825; John Sims,
1830; J. M. Mitchell, 1838; John A. Graham, 1844; - John R. Roberts,
1852; Allen H. Burrows, 1854; John L. Knox, 1856; Ebenezer
Hen¬derson, 1860; Jacob Adams, Sr., 1862; Jacob Adams, Sr., 1864; J.
R. Shelton, 1866; J. R. Shelton, 1868; George W. Egbert, 1870;
John N. Gregory, 1872; John N. Gregory, 1874; Jonathan Hadley, 1876;
Lemuel Guthridge, 1877; Elliott F. Branch, 1878; Elliott F. Branch,
1880; Charles Seaton, 1882.
CORONERS
George Crutchfield, 1822; Samuel Scott, 1824;
William Wilson, 1831; Richard S. Jones, 1838; Septimus T. Whiteman,
1839; Austin Carr, 1839; Septimus T. Whiteman, 1839; Harvey Sheppard,
1841; Sammerly G. Cunningham, 1843, who did not qualify; J. H.
Sheppard, 1843; Richard P. Johnson, 1844; Thomas Hardwick, 1846; Lloyd
Lee, 1848; C. R. Burk, 1849; Perminter M. Parks, 1849; Thomas S.
Phelps, 1850; Hiram Whetzel, 1851; E. T. Harryman, 1852; Andrew T.
Wellman, 1855; William Haase, 1856; Joseph Bradley, 1859 ; Allen S.
Seaton, 1860; Lloyd Lee, 1861; Harvey Baker, 1864; Harvey Chandler,
1866; Charles S. Twiss, 1868; P. R. Marshall, 1870; Thomas Singleton,
1872; Patrick Cane, 1874; H. C. Robertson, 1876; Samuel N. Bundell,
1878; Elijah P. Ritchey, 1880; William A. Hodges, 1882.
PROBATE
JUDGES
Hiram Mathews, 1829; Benjamin Bull, 1833; Solomon Dunegan, 1834;
Algernon S. Griggs, 1841; George F. Waterman, 1844; John W. Richards,
1846. (This office was abolished in 1852.)
ASSOCIATE
JUDGES
Jacob Cutler and John Gray, March 13, 1822 ; Samuel
Reed, vice Gray, 1824; Jared Olds, vice Reed, 1827; James Burns, 1827,
vice Cutler; John Mathews, 1829; Benjamin Bull, 1833, vice Mathews;
Solomon Donegan, 1834; Jonathan Hoffman, 1834. vice Burns; Jesse S.
Rooker, 1836; Jonathan Hoffman, 1836; George Miller, 1842, vice Huffman
; J. S. Rooker, 1842; Thomas McClure, 1842; Hiram Mathews, 1843, vice
Rooker, deceased; William Landers, 1849; Hiram Mathews,
1849. (This office was abolished in about 1852.)
PRESIDENT
JUDGES OF CIRCUIT COURT
William W. Wick, 1822: Bethuel F. Morris, March,
1825, vice Wick, resigned; William W. Wick, 1834; James Morrison, 1839;
David McDonald, 1842; James Hughes, 1853; J. M. Hanna, 1856; Solomon
Claypool, 1859; Delaney R. Eckles, 1860 ; — Franklin, 1864 ; John C.
Robinson, 1876; A. M. Cunning, 1882.
COMMON
PLEAS JUDGES
William G. Quick, 1853; George A. Buskirk, 1857; O. J. Gless-ner, 1865;
T. W. Woolen, 1869; Richard L. Coffee, 1871. (This court was created in
1852, and abolished in 1873.)
COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENTS
The early examiners are unknown.
H. T. Craig, 1854, two years; Eb Henderson, 1856, two years; John
Story, 1858, two years; B. D. Blackstone, 1860, five years; -Jonathan
H. Henry, 1865, six months; Samuel S. Griffitt, 1865, two years and six
months; J. H. Henry, 1868, eight months; S. S. Griffitt, 1869, two
years and four months; Robert M. Garrison, 1871, one year and four
months; Hiram N. Short, 1872, three years; R. V. Marshal, 1875, two
years; H. N. Short, 1877, two years; S. S. Griffitt, 1879, two years;
E. W. Paxson, 1881, to date.
OLD
SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION
Morgan County has no organization of this character
except in connection with other counties. In 1869, a call was
circulated throughout the county for the organization of an old
settlers' society, the meeting to be held at Mooresville, and other
counties were invited to participate. The call was signed by hundreds,
and, in 1870, the first meeting was held on the fair ground at that
town. An enormous crowd assembled from Marion, Hendricks, Owen, Johnson
and Morgan Counties, and a most enjoyable time was passed. The meeting
was held on the 9th of August, and James Blake, of Marion County, was
President of the Day, and Fielding Beeler, Secretary. Meetings have
been held annually since. As high as 10,000 people have assembled. The
old settlers have no excuse in not recording their experiences. They
recount their personal experience of early times to one another, but
neglect to have a competent scribe put it in writing, and thus the
incidents so full of interest to their descendants and so valuable, by
way of example, to the growing population and the coming thousands, are
lost irretrievably. Such neglect should cease. If necessary a
collection of $10 should be taken on the grounds and paid to some
competent man to take a brief of everything said, and then write it out
in full in proper record books. Don't forget this!