Carroll County IN Archives History - Books .....Chapter XI 1916
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Book Title: History Of Carroll County Indiana

CHAPTER XI.

THE PIONEER'S CABIN-TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEERS-THE GREAT NORTHWEST-LETTERS FROM
PIONEERS-COUNTY FAIRS-LOCAL OPTION.

THE PIONEER'S CABIN.

   Take a stroll back ninety years and go over to the hill on the south bank of
Deer creek, where was erected, in the first week in January, 1825, the first log
cabin in the territory now Carroll county. A dense wilderness stretched from the
Grand Prairie on the west to the eastern boundary of the county. The Indian
trails served as roads for the early land seekers. The government land office
was at Crawfordsville.

   The people came from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky. Ox teams pulled the big
Virginia schooners through the forest. They were loaded with provisions to last
a year or two. The wives of the poineers [sic] came with them and a more heroic
company never lived. Those pioneer mothers, who left their fathers and mothers
behind, to brave the storms and risk their lives incident to a country infested
with wild savages who roamed all over this country at this time, were good
examples of Ruth, who exclaimed, when her dearest friends were about to leave
for a foreign land: "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following
after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will
lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." Like the mothers of
Israel they bore the hardships of the journey. They shared with their husbands
the toil and hunger of their new homes in the Wabash valley. Some of their
children became the mothers of many of the present generation.

   The log cabin on the hill was the home of Henry Robinson and his family. On
the 31st of December, 1824, he landed with an ox team in the dead of winter and
at once began to cut logs to build a cabin for his future home. Four men and
three women composed the family. Round logs, notched down, a place for a chimney
cut out, a door cut out, clapboards made, and the "castle" was built in a week.
No hardware those days. Wooden, pins used for nails, hewed puncheon floors,
greased paper for window glass, and the latch string hung outside of the door.
The cracks were daubed with mud mortar. The snow drifted through the cracks, the
wind whistled them to bed, where they slept as honest and courageous men only
can sleep.

   Corn was pounded in a mortar. Corn bread and mush, wild meat and spicewood
tea were spread on their rude table. They came to conquer the West, to drive the
red man from his hunting grounds, and they accomplished both. It was twenty
miles to the nearest neighbors and forty miles to the nearest place for
provisions. The money of the realm was silver. It was necessary those days to
have something that would cure the bite for rattle-snakes, which were numerous.
The remedy the pioneers used has been so adulterated that it now produces
snakes. While whisky was plentiful, there was but little drunkenness. When a
person got sick it was thought that he had too much blood, and they took from
his arm a quart of his life's blood. When they had a bad case of toothache, a
string was put around the aching tooth and it was jerked out. They raised flax,
the women spun and wove it into cloth, and from wool they made their winter
clothing.

   As you pass along view the rude cooking utensils, see the johnny cake on the
hearth, the striped venison hanging to the joist, the iron crane in the big
chimney, and then look around and see the crooked stick for a plow, wooden teeth
for a harrow and the man with a hoe. The old flint-lock gun on forks over the
door, the well-sweep, the old oaken bucket that hangs in the well, and see the
"elm-peeler" hog running at large getting fat on acrons [sic] — and you have
seen a primitive home of some of your ancestors.

   Now, don't be ashamed of them. They made this land to blossom as the rose.
They laid the foundation for a greater civilization, for a better Christianity,
for greater education, for the greatest government on the face of the earth. It
all sprung from the old log cabin.

   In 1828 Carroll county was organized and Delphi was established as the county
seat. Located between the Wabash river and Deer creek, built on a solid rock—as
are its present business men—and it is our town, our home; why not herald it as
the best place on earth?

   Observe, as you pass along, the beautiful scenery along the stream made
immortal by Indiana's greatest poet, arid you will be, impressed that "the
beautiful banks of Deer creek are good enough for me."

CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
207
TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEERS. 
BY MRS. ELLA HIGGINSON.

Would God that we, their children, were as they:
Great souled, brave hearted and of dauntless will;
Ready to dare, responsive to the still, compelling voice
That called them, night and day,
From this far West, where sleeping greatness lay,
Biding her time.
Would God we knew the thrill
That exquisitely tormented them, until
They stood up strong and resolute to obey.
God make us like them, worthy of them; shake
Our souls with greatness;
Our dull eyes set
On some high star whose splended light will wake
Us from our dreams, and guide lis from this fen
Or selfish ease, won by our father's sweat.
Oh, lift us up—the West has need of men.

THE GREAT NORTHWEST.

   The following extract, taken from the Western Gazetteer, published by Samuel
R. Brown, of New York, in 1817, will be, no doubt, interesting to many readers:

   "Volumes have been written about the Great Northwest, principally from the
government reports. At that time millions of acres of land had been already
procured by our government from the various tribes of Indians. The states of
Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana when admitted into the Union, were practically clear
of the Indians. They had been forced to go farther west, and the tribes that
lived in the East, many of them joined the tribes of now, the Central West, and
spread over a vast empire, embracing territory comparatively unknown to the
Americans. This vast territory was divided up among the various Indian tribes,
as by mutual agreement. The Indian nations already in possession were large and
numerous, and possibly may have been the descendants of prehistoric man.

   "The expedition of Lewis and Clark, in 1803, sent to explore the country to
the Pacific, by President Jefferson, furnished the government with some idea of
the vast possessions destined to become the garden of the world. The vast domain
was divided up into territories, and a semblance of civil government therein
established. Almost an innumerable number of Indian tribes occupied large
possessions in these territories and Indian agencies established, with the view
of ultimately obtaining their lands. The savages could not understand why they
should relinquish their hunting .grounds, and as a consequence the history of
the West is one of war and massacre. One of the most warlike and most powerful
of the Indian nations was the Sioux. They were monarchs of all they surveyed and
were feared by the weaker nations. The reservation allotments by the government
served to hold in check their spirit of warfare, and has tended towards their
civilization.

   "It is apparent, however humane the Indian policy, that the perpetuation of
the red race is doomed to failure. It is only a question of time when pure
Indian blood will be obliterated. Observation, experience and history will
confirm this prediction.

   "This history is largely traditional. They moved, step by step, from the East
to the West, the grandest and richest 'country in natural resources in the
world, fell into the hands of a people, as if divinely appointed to open the.
way to the over-crowded eastern hemisphere and to the oppressed of every land.
This great national boom has not come without great sacrifice.

   "As evidence of the spirit of gain and conquest, the hardy trappers and fur
dealers were the forerunners; they were soon followed by the restless
adventurers intent on facing the perils of a new life in an unbroken wilderness.
They found towns and villages, a hundred years and more old, at various points,
where the indommable Frenchman had settled. The great rivers were their
highways. Innumerable swamps dotted the country, and the dense forests made
overland traveling unsafe."

LETTERS FROM PIONEERS.

                       "Richmond, Indiana, August 1, 1899. 
   "Hon. J. C. Odell—Dear Sir: Yours is at hand, and I hasten to reply. It would
certainly afford me great pleasure to be with you at the old people's reunion.
Not only because I am somewhat advanced in years myself and would expect to meet
other old people, some of whom I knew many years ago and loved them dearly, but
I have a strong desire to visit the cemeteries where the bodies of my parents,
brothers, sisters, and many dear relatives and friends repose. Indeed, old
Carroll still has charms for me. If there has ever been anything in my life that
has been of any consequence to the people where I have lived, it had its
beginning in old Carroll. The weather is so warm, and I am not strong, so I
think I had better not go-I might not be able to speak if I should go. I still
preach occasionally, but that is in the church, and not so hard as in the grove.
Please give my kind regards to old friends. With kindest regards, I remain yours
very truly,
                                         "NELSON GILLAM."


LETTER FROM REV. CORNELIUS MCCAIN.

   "Mr. J. C. Odell—Dear Sir: In answer to your request I will call to mind the
early events and persons of 1826 and a few years following. My father and
mother, Daniel and Magdalena McCain, came to Carroll county, then a territory
belonging to the Crawfordsville district of public lands, from Ohio, in the year
1826, settling on a tract of land entered by my father, east of Delphi about one
mile.

   "There were but seven families in the county when we came. Henry Robinson was
the first white man to come who laid the foundation for a splendid local
civilization. I attended religious services at his house. I was bom in Warren
county, Ohio, in 1823. I will give the names of the first settlers I recall for
the first five or six years: James Odell, Sr., Henry Robinson, Benjamin D.
Angel, Daniel Baum, David Baum, Gen. Samuel Milroy, Aaron Burntrager, Doctor
Ewing and J. H. Steward. James Odell, Jr., was my first school teacher in the
summer of 1833. General Milroy lived on an adjoining farm and had a good
library, which I had the privilege to enjoy. We were taught to say, 'Mr.' and
'Mrs.' to older people.

   "The doctors who administered to the sick were Doctor Ewing, Doctor Steward,
Doctor Allen, Doctor Grimes, Doctor Blanchard and Doctor Dewey. Nearly everybody
had the ague in the fall of the year and the doctors were busy waiting on the
sick and acted as nurses when the whole family were down. Our means of crossing
the Wabash river was by a ferry owned by the Sampson family. A. F. Martin and
Louis Martin, Mr. Tweed and G. W. Pigman were merchants. A. H. Bowen, J. P:
Dugan, N. B. Dewey and William Bolles were prominent business men, and Dunkle
and Kilgore manufactured wagons and plows.

   "Looking back seventy-five and eighty years, I feel as if I can see the band
of early pioneers passing before me in a long, solemn procession, looking
perfectly natural; while I am spared to tell of their deeds, and assure their
descendants and the rising generation that a more faithful, honest, upright and
worthy generation of men and women never lived. All are gone, and the changes
wrought by their successors are so great, the pioneers would not know the places
that once knew them so well, if permitted to return to their old, primitive
homes. C. MCCAIN."

COUNTY FAIRS.

   About the year 1851 the system of farming was undergoing a radical change in
the form of farming utensils. The primitive system from necessity existed until
practical experience taught the farmers that better methods of tilling the soil
must be adopted to obtain adequate returns from the soil.

   Carroll county soil was found to contain certain ingredients which had been
partially wasted, from want of knowledge to preserve them. However rich the soil
naturally, it was found it could be exhausted by continuous cropping without
rest, and some essential fertilizer. This fact led to inquiry and led up to
agricultural organizations having for their object not only a comparison of
products, but to learn new ideas as to proper tillage of the soil.

   Improved implements were being introduced, new labor-saving machinery
invented, and the people were inclined to "try all things and to hold fast to
that which was good." The sickle and grain cradle answered their purpose when a
farmer had only a few acres of wheat; but a crop of forty or fifty acres could
not be saved properly by the old method of reaping. Those who remembered the
first harvesters used, can now realize what advancements have been made in
saving grain and a saving of cost.

   No improvement has excelled the progress in threshing of grain. The saving of
time, saving of expense and quick returns for labor have been the chief aim of
inventors. Every new device was patented. This kept up the prices on machinery.
It became evident that success in farming could be obtained only by an
intelligent application of the means to the end. Since there is safety in a
multitude of counsel, it dawned upon the people that an organization, having in
view the interests and welfare of the agricultural classes, would be beneficial.

   The people of Carroll county took an advanced step along these lines in 1851.
A society was organized, officered by men of experience, money raised and
premiums offered. The first fair, held in this county in 1852, was represented
by Thomas Thompson, president; William Hance, vice-president; Isaac Jackson,
secretary; Thomas Sterling, treasurer; and one director from each township. The
fair was held in October, 1852, in A. H. Bowen's grove—which is now occupied by
the public school buildings and residences. The highest premium offered was five
dollars. There were forty premiums offered, ranging from five dollars to fifty
cents. Diplomas were given for certain articles. The fair was a success
financially and otherwise.

   The second fair was held at Camden, in October, 1853. The ground was enclosed
in a high board fence. The premium list was increased, and higher prizes
offered. As the best corn raiser, Adam VanGundy carried off the prize. He raised
one hundred and nine bushels of corn per acre on the Wabash river bottoms. A.
Sanderson, on upland, raised one hundred and six bushels per acre. In 1853 the
products shipped from Carroll county were in value, $385,889.13.

   The third fair was held at Camden in 1854. The fourth fair was held at Delphi
in 1855. The fifth fair was held at Delphi in 1856. No fair was held in 1857.
The sixth fair was held in Delphi in 1858. The grounds at Delphi were one mile
south of town. The fairs were well attended. There was one fair held at Pittsburg.

   In 1870 a new Carroll County Agricultural Association was organized. Adam
VanGundy was the president and R. L. Higginbotham, secretary. There were six
fairs held by this organization, to the year 1881. Horse speeding took prestige
over everything else. The fair grounds became a course for horse-racing, which
drew large crowds; and the agricultural side collapsed.

   Several attempts to revive interest in farm and stock displays in the way of
"Street Fairs" were made which attracted immense crowds to Delphi; but they
vanished when the farming element lost interest. The efforts put forth brought
results, however, as the farms and stock show a high standard of perfection.

LOCAL OPTION.

   The Legislature of Indiana on the 25th of September, 1908, enacted what was
called the "Local Option Law." The county was the unit Upon the filing of a
petition signed by twenty per cent, of the votes cast at the last general
election for secretary of state, the board of county commissioners was
authorized to order an election in such county to determine whether the sale of
intoxicating liquors, as a beverage, should be prohibited.

   The Legislature at its session in 1911, and on the 2d of February, 1911,
amended section 1, of the former Act, making the unit to apply to incorporated
cities, and within the territory embraced within any township in such county,
outside of and exclusive of the territorial limits of all incorporated cities in
such township.

   An election was held in Carroll county under the provisions of the Act of 1908.

   At the February term of the board of commissioners of Carroll county, 1909, a
petition, signed by W. C. Smith and others, was presented to the board, praying
for an election to be held at the several voting precincts in said county, to
determine whether the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage should be
prohibited. As the petition was signed by more than twenty per cent, of the
voters of said county, as shown by the aggregate vote of the last regular
election preceding, the board granted the prayer of said petitioners, and
ordered an election to be held in the various voting precincts of said county on
the 26th of February, 1909.

   The election was held accordingly, and at the March term, 1909, the board of
commissioners examined the certificates of the election commissioners on file,
and found that the total vote cast at said election was 3,966, of which number
2,954 votes were cast in favor of prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors
as a beverage in said county, and 1,012 votes were cast against prohibiting the
sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage in said county. As the result of this
election all the saloons in Carroll county went out of business in ninety days
thereafter.

ELECTION IN THE CITY OF DELPHI.

   At the regular term of the commissioners, court of Carroll county, held on
February 6, 1911, a petition was presented, signed by Madison Arnot and others,
praying for an election in the city of Delphi, for the purpose to determine
whether intoxicating liquors should be sold as a beverage in the city of Delphi,
which petition was found to comply with the provisions of the local option law
as amended, and the board ordered an election to be held in the several wards of
said city on the 28th of February, 1911, to determine whether intoxicating
liquors should be sold as a beverage in said city. The election was held
accordingly, and on the 6th of March, 1911, the election commissioners filed
before the board their certificates, showing the total vote cast of 623, of
which number 340 votes were cast in favor of prohibiting the sale of
intoxicating liquors as a beverage in the city of Delphi, Carroll county,
Indiana, and 283 votes were cast against the prohibition of the sale of
intoxicating liquors as a beverage in the city of Delphi.

ELECTION IN MADISON TOWNSHIP.

   An election was held, pursuant to an order of the board of commissioners of
Carroll county, in Madison township, on the 23d of May, 1911, and at the June
term of 1911, the board examined the certificates on file and found that the
total vote cast was 180, of which number 118 votes were in favor of prohibiting
the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage in said township of Madison, in
said county and state, and 62 votes were against the prohibiting the sale of
intoxicating liquors as a beverage in said township of Madison, in said county
and state.

ELECTION IN MONROE TOWNSHIP.

   At the June term of the board of county commissioners, 1911, a petition was
presented to the board, signed by John Wilkinson and others, praying for an
election to be held in Monroe township, in said county, and the board found that
the petition contained the requisite number of the legal voters of said
township, as shown by the vote cast at the general election last held in said
township, and ordered that an election be held at the several precincts in said
township on July 1, 1911, to determine whether intoxicating liquors should be
sold as a beverage in said township. The election was held accordingly. At the
meeting of the board of county commissioners in July, 1911, the certificates of
the election commissioners on file were examined and the board found that the
total vote cast was 622, of which number 349 votes were cast in favor of
prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage in Monroe township,
in said county and state, and 273 votes were cast against prohibiting the sale
of intoxicating liquors as a beverage in said township, in said county and state.

ELECTION IN JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

   At the September term, 1913, of the board of commissioners of Carroll county,
a petition was filed before the board signed by William A. Kleckner and others,
praying for an election to be held in Jackson township, in said county, to
determine whether the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage should be
prohibited in said township; and the board finding that the said petition was in
compliance with the law, granted the prayer of said petitioners, and ordered an
election to be held in the several precincts in said township, on the 27th of
September, 1913. The election was held accordingly, and at the October term,
1913, of said court, the certificates of election on file were examined and the
board found that the total vote cast was 351, of which number 237 votes were
cast in favor of prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage in
said township, and 114 votes were cast against prohibiting the sale of
intoxicating liquors as a beverage in said township.

ANOTHER ELECTION IN DELPHI.

   At the March term, 1913, of the board of commissioners of Carroll county, a
petition was filed before the board, signed by Harry Shigley and others, for an
election to be held in the several wards of said city, to determine whether the
sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage should be prohibited in the city of
Delphi, in said county and state; and the board finding that said petition
conformed to the requirements of the law, granted the prayer of the petitioners
and ordered an election to be held in the several wards of said city, on the
25th of March, 1913. The election was held accordingly and on the 7th of April,
1913, the board in session examined the certificates filed by the election
commissioners, and found that the total vote cast at said election was 534
votes, of which number 348 votes were cast in favor of prohibiting the sale of
intoxicating liquors as a beverage in the city of Delphi, in said county and
state, and 186 votes were .cast against prohibiting the sale of intoxicating
liquors as a beverage in said city of Delphi, in said county and state.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY INDIANA

ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS
BY
JOHN C ODELL
With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and
Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families

ILLUSTRATED
1916
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc.
Indianapolis, Indiana


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