The Decade Was 1860's

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The Decade Was - 1860's

Various newspaper items concerning Boone County and its residents in the 1860's. You'll find a bit of everything ... deaths, births, accidents, crime ... and even humor. All items are transcribed exactly as they appeared in the publication, so please bear in mind that it was a different time and sometimes those editors wrote with a bit of flair, and describing gory details seemed to be their specialty! Even if you don't find an ancestor or two among these pages, you'll still find it interesting to read the news of their day. And if you *do* find a relative in some of these news clips, you might turn up a real surprise or two!

Use the "find" feature on your browser to locate particular surnames

The New York Times
Wednesday, October 11, 1868
Page 1

Riot at a Democratic Meeting in Lebanon, Ind. -- Gen. Fremont at Indianapolis.
Indianapolis, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 10.

A riot occurred at a Democratic meeting at Lebanon, Boone County, to-day, caused by the Town Marshal attempting to arrest a member of the "White Boys in Blue" for alleged drunkenness and disorderly conduct. During the melee a number of shots were fired in the crowd. THOMAS KING, the Marshal, was shot in the head and seriously but not fatally wounded. One of his assistants, Joseph Hoselegg, [sic?] was shot through the thigh. Other disturbances occurred during the afternoon at a brewery, and one man was badly beaten. Everything is quiet again to-night.

Gen. Fremont arrived here to-night. He will speak at Shelbyville on Monday, and make the closing speech of the campaign for the Republicans here on Monday night.

Senator Hendricks will make the closing speech here on Monday night for the Democrats.

[Transcriber Note:] Name above possibly misspelled and should be Joseph Hazelrigg?

Transcribed by: T. Stover - November 2, 2008
Source Citation: The Decade Was [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2008. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: Making of America Collection, Cornell University Library.

Scientific American
An Illustrated Journal of Art, Science & Mechanics
Vol XXI, Page 189

Patent Claims
Issued from the United States Patent Office
September 18, 1869

Recent American and Foreign Patents
Under this heading we shall publish weekly notes of some of the more prominent home and foreign patents.

REGULATING APPARATUS FOR WATER TANKS. -- J. M. Crose, Lebanon, Ind. -- This invention consists in a peculiar arrangement of valves, water recesses, a tilting bar, and balancing weights, in connection with the water tank and supply pump, to be set into motion by a float in the tank when the water falls too low, for closing an air passage to a constantly-moving pump by which the tank is supplied, to cause the said pump to work for filling the tank, and to be operated by the surplus water to cause the pump to cease working, as required by the supply of the water.

Scientific American
An Illustrated Journal of Art, Science & Mechanics
Vol XXI, Page 190

Official List of Patents
Issued by the United States Patent Office,

FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUG. 31, 1869.

Reported Officially for the Scientific American.

September 18, 1869

94,383. -- PLOW. -- J. C. Bell, Lebanon, Ind.

Scientific American
An Illustrated Journal of Art, Science & Mechanics
Vol XX, Page 317

Official List of Patents
Issued by the United States Patent Office,

FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 27, 1869.

Reported Officially for the Scientific American.

May 15, 1869

89,470. -- CLOD FENDER -- Joseph C. Curryer and William F. Curryer, Thorntown, Ind.

Scientific American
An Illustrated Journal of Art, Science & Mechanics
Vol II, Page 333
May 19, 1860

Patent Claims

ISSUED FROM THE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 8, 1860.

[Reported Officially for the Scientific American.]

28,211. -- George Stevenson, of Zionsville, Ind., for an Improvement in Apparatuses for Evaporating Liquids:

I claim the rotating shaft, D, the adjustable perforating blades or skimmers, F, and the springs, b, constructed and operating in combination with the partitioned pan, B, substantially as described.

Scientific American
An Illustrated Journal of Art, Science & Mechanics
Vol XVIII, Page 203
March 28, 1868

OFFICIAL REPORT OF
PATENTS AND CLAIMS

Issued by the United States Patent Office,

FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 10, 1868.

Reported Officially for the Scientific American.

75,324. -- GATE AND DOOR SPRING -- Benjamin F. Whitaker, Whitestown, Ind.
I claim the application of the circular rod, and also the coil of wire used as a circular spring, as set forth in the drawing.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - November 2, 2008
Source Citation: The Decade Was [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2008. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: Making of America Collection, Cornell University Library.

Scientific American
An Illustrated Journal of Art, Science & Mechanics
Vol XVIII, Page 59
January 25, 1868

OFFICIAL REPORT OF
PATENTS AND CLAIMS

Issued by the United States Patent Office,

FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 7, 1868.

Reported Officially for the Scientific American.

73,000. -- SAWING MACHINE. -- I. R. Harman (assignor to himself and Thomas J. Meginnis), Whitestown, Ind.

I claim the combination of the movable center, 15, with slides, 7 and 7, 4 and 6, and eccentric cam, 5, and spring, 13, all constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

[Transcriber Note: Name above may be in error and should possibly be spelled, "McGinnis" ?]

Lebanon Patriot
Lebanon, Boone County, Indiana
Thursday, 5th August 1869, page 3

DANGEROUSLY ILL

Wm. WITT, living about two miles east of here on the Noblesville Road, was dangerously sick last Thursday, with what was suppose to be cholera. But the disease turned out to be congestion of the stomach. For twenty-four hours his life was despaired of, but he is now convalescing.

Miss Molly DAILY, daughter of J. C. DAILY, was seized with congestive chills last week, but the disease was got under control.

Miss Samantha LANE, daughter of Levi LANE, is in critical condition with typhoid fever. Very little hopes are entertained of her recovery.

Transcribed by: Janet Isley Price (no relationship to individuals) - October 9, 2007

The New York Times
June 21, 1863

TROUBLE IN INDIANA

From the Indianapolis Journal, June 18.

Provost-Marshal Park having received information on Monday night at midnight that the enrolling officer at Whitestown, in Boone County, had been interrupted in the discharge of his duties, proceed [sic] to Indianapolis in the 2 o'clock train the same night to secure a detachment of troops to aid in making arrests. Capt. Park returned from Indianapolis to Lebanon the next afternoon, (Tuesday,) and in the evening proceed [sic] by a private conveyance to within about a mile and a half of Whitestown. The 9 o'clock train that night brought fifty men under command of Capt. Holloway, of the Sixty-third Indiana.

The train stopped to meet Provost Marshal Park, and quietly landed the soldiers. They bivouacked in a grove near the railroad. Scouts were immediately sent out towards the town, who returned about ten o'clock with the information that about one hundred and fifty Copperheads, well armed with rifles and navy [?] revolvers, and other side arms were in possession of the town, with pickets posted guarding all the approaches. Thereupon messengers were sent to collect together the home-guard of that place, who at a given signal were to cooperate from the east side in taking the town, skirmishers being thrown out with directions to post themselves at the various streets and roads leading to the town. At this early hour no Copperheads were visible, until a gentle summons at the door of every house in town induced them to make their appearance. The result of these proceedings was, that by 9 o'clock the same morning the enrolling officer had fully completed the enrolling of all the citizens liable to military duty in the town. Fourteen Copperheads were arrested and taken to Indianapolis, and delivered to the civil authorities. Fifteen revolvers, some of them fine navy revolvers, together with some rifles and United States muskets, and about one thousand cartridges were taken, and delivered to Deputy U. S. Marshal, Capt. McAffee, who was present at Whitestown, and who rendered valuable assistance. The whole affair was conducted successfully and peacefully, the Copperheads evidently being taken by surprise. One single person, William George, made his escape. As he was running, he was shot at by one of the soldiers, but it was not known whether he was wounded or not.

Capt. Park speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of Capt. Halloway and his men. Every house was searched, but the soldiers uttered no word of insult, and treated all with due respect. It may be proper to add that the soldiers received no insult from the citizens. This last fact is attributable, probably, to the presence of Federal bayonets, which have a very persuasive power.

In thus suddenly thwarting the attempt made to prevent the enrollment of Whitestown, Capt. Park is entitled to great praise. It was done judiciously, and without unnecessary parade and fuss, [?] and the manner in which it was accomplished ___ [?] great credit upon the Provost-Marshal.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - September 23, 2007

New York Herald
New York, New York
December 8, 1869

[excerpt]

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE.

Washington, Dec. 7, 1869

The President has sent to the Senate the following list of nominations, the appointments having been made in the recess of Congress: --

[text omitted]

POSTMASTERS

[text omitted]

Lindley M. Cox, Thornton [Thorntown?], Boone County, Ind.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - August 20, 2007

Dawson's Fort Wayne Daily Times
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Tuesday Evening, November 6, 1860
Page 2, Col 1

Boone County in Limbo

J. McLean, Cashier of the Boone County Bank was arrested and committed to jail at Indianapolis to-day to answer the charge of issuing counterfeit bills on the Boone County Bank at Lebanon. The City Marshal of Indianapolis came up on the express train to Lebanon this afternoon with a warrant for the arrest of the President of the Bank and others implicated in the swindle. The State Sentinel of the 3rd Nov. says:

"The following persons, according to the article of association on file in the Secretary of State's office, comprise the stockholders of the Boone County Bank: Wm. Zion, Richard Dormire, James Combs, Milroy Lane, John M. Hedges, Black and Rro., H. Wilson, A. Spooner, and J. McLean of Lebanon; John H. Mott of New York, and T. R. Knight, of Woodham, Long Island. Mr. Spooner, the President, and Mr. McLean, the Cashier of the bank, filed an affidavit that they were citizens of Indiana and residents at Lebanon, but we believe both these parties have had their local habitation in the hotels of this city. The cashier has been in the habit of going to Lebanon on the noon train and returning in the evening and the President has gone backwards and forwards as his onerous official duties demanded.

"The securities deposited for the redemption of the notes issued by the Auditor, were $28,000 in Virginia bonds, quoted in New York at 87 3/[?], and $27, 000 Tennessee quoted, at 89c. There were 44,300 circulating notes issued upon these securities, equal to eighty-one cents upon the dollar for the stocks deposited. Unless the stocks depreciate below that valuation the securities will be ample to redeem all the genuine notes issued.

"The spurious and genuine notes in circulation are from the same plate, which implicates the engraver, W. L. Ormsby, of New York in the fraud. Both kinds have been examined by a professional inspector of bank note engraving, and he decided that there could be no doubt whatever that both kinds of bills were from the same plates. The denominations of both the counterfeit and the genuine are the same -- one's, two's, three's, five's, ten's and twentie's. [sic] The engraver filed an oath that only fifty thousand dollars of these notes had been struck from the plates, but this is evidently false.

"Our bankers, yesterday, received remittances of the Boone County Bank currency, which they returned to their correspondents. A New York man received in Chicago $359, all of which was spurious. He says the banks there received and paid out just such notes as he had and that the amount in his possession came from one of them. He reports quite a quantity in circulation there. Another person was here yesterday from St. Louis with $5000 all which was spurious currency. We learn that $5000 was remitted from New York to a banker in Terre-Haute for circulation, but he finding out the character of the currency, immediately sent it back.

"The cashier of the bank paid a young man who resides in Boone county, day before yesterday, $400 on a check, and the bills were examined by the President. The young man was going to Fayette county, and thinking the notes all right, promised the others of the bank to give them a good circulation. On his way through the city he heard the reports in reference to the institution, and he took his currency to the Auditor's office for inspection. It was all pronounced counterfeit except about $35. The officers of the bank must have certainly known the good from the bad.

"There is no doubt but a large amount of the fraudulent bills have been put in circulation in various sections of the country. The fraud was an admirably devised scheme to swindle the public, and if the credit of the bank had first been established, a large amount of the spurious notes might have been issued, if they had been prudently put out. But the bankers, either from necessity or bad management, were in too much haste, whence the quick exposure of the fraud."

Dawsons Fort Wayne Daily Times
Fort Wayne, Indiana
November 6, 1860
Page 3, Col 4

TELEGRAPH

Boone County Bank Fraud
Indianapolis, Nov. 3

Jas McLean, Cashier of the Boone County bank at Lebanon Indiana, J. B. Hussey, A. H. Hager, Miles A. Bridley and J. D. Chipman, all connected with the same institution were arrested here to-day charged with forgery and circulating money fraudulently issued on Boone County Bank. They all waved [sic] examination and were committed to jail in default of $5,000 bail each. It is supposed these parties have circulated $300,000 or $400,000 of counterfeit bills on the above bank. In Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri $45,000 of genuine notes were issued by the Auditor of State. The spurious and genuing [sic] notes are from the same plate, the Auditor and Register's names being counterfeited on former. A. Spooner, President, made his escape from this city at one o'clock this morning. About $100,000 of the counterfeit money has already been received by our bankers from their correspondents in the west. Several hundred dollars of spurious bills were redeemed at the bank at Lebanon yesterday.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - March 11, 2007

The Lebanon Reporter
11 February 1961

History Recalls Lincoln Trek Through Lebanon 100 years ago
by Ralph W. Stark

One hundred years ago today, at shortly after four o'clock in the afternoon to be exact, a special train with President-elect Abraham Lincoln and his party, including his eldest son, Robert, aboard, made a brief stop at the Lafayette and Indianapolis Railroad's little passenger station on South Lebanon street.

Enroute from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D. C., where he was to be inaugurated the sixteenth president of the United States on March 4th, Lincoln appeared on the observation platform of the last car to address a few remarks to the large crowd of well-wishers, and the curious, gathered about the station.

The Lincoln entourage had left Springfield at 7:30 o'clock on the morning of February 11, 1861, crossing the Illinois-Indiana state line at noon. At State Line, a welcoming committee composed of seven members of the Indiana legislature went aboard. At Lafayette, where a ten minute stop was made for switching the coaches to the L. & I. tracks, Lincoln spoke to a crowd of several thousand persons gathered there.

Arriving in Indianapolis at 5 o'clock, Lincoln was officially welcomed by Governor Oliver P. Morton and Mayor Samuel D. Maxwell. Later that evening, from the balcony of the Bates House, located where the Claypool Hotel now stands, the President-elect addressed a huge throng of Hoosiers gathered in the street below.

Remaining overnight in Indianapolis, where he was joined the following morning, February 12th, his birthday, by Mrs. Lincoln and his two younger sons, the President-elect and his party left Indianapolis for Cincinnati at 11 a.m.

The special train took "the long way 'round" for the remainder of the trip to Washington, passing through Columbus, O., Pittsburg, Pa., Cleveland, O., Buffalo, N. Y., Albany, N.Y., New York city, Philadelphia, Pa., and Baltimore, Md., before reaching the national capital on February 23rd, twelve days after leaving Springfield.

Lincoln was destined to once again pass through Lebanon. On this occasion, the coaches of the mourning-draped funeral train halted for a brief period at the L. & I. depot, shortly after midnight, on the morning of May 2, 1865; Lincoln, the great war president who had led the nation to victory through four years of bloody Civil War and who now "belonged to the ages," was on his last trip home to Springfield.

In a dispatch to his paper, an Indianapolis reporter wrote: "Here in Lebanon the county seat of Boone County, in the flickering light of bonfires, lamps, and lanterns, it seems that the entire town and county has turned out to honor the dead."

(Note: The Lafayette and Indianapolis Railroad later became the Big Four Division of the New York Central System. The passenger station, until 1902, was on the site now occupied by the Boone Grain and Seed Company, 310 South Lebanon street.)

Submitted by: Amy Davis

The Lebanon Reporter
11 February 1969

Lincoln Finished Story He Started at Thorntown, Here Feb. 11, 1861
by Ralph W. Stark

Today, February 11th, marks the 108th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's very brief and only personal appearance in Boone County and Lebanon.

Lincoln left Springfield, Ill., Monday morning, February 11, 1861, on the first leg of his journey to Washington, D. C., where, on March 4th, he was to be inaugurated the 16th president of the United States.

The trip from Springfield to Lafayette, Ind., was via the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad, and from Lafayette to Indianapolis by way of the Lafayette & Indianapolis Railroad, later called the Big Four.

In the early afternoon, the president-to-be gave a 10-minute address to a crowd of well-wishers, and the curious, gathered at the railroad station at Lafayette, telling the people that Indiana had changed greatly since he had left it 30 years before. "What was a wilderness has become a garden of cultivation and civilization," he said.

Pausing at Thorntown, Lincoln addressed a few remarks to the folks assembled there and had begun telling his Slow Horse story when the train pulled away, leaving the anecdote unfinished.

Here at Lebanon, the train halted at the little depot on South Lebanon street, where, from the platform of the last coach, Lincoln greeted a large assemblage of local citizenry and completed telling the story begun at Thorntown saying he understood several people from that place had followed the train on foot all the way to Lebanon just to hear the end of the tale. In conclusion he commented, "If my journey goes on at this slow rate, it will be resurrection day before I reach the Capitol."

The Slow Horse story concerned a politician desirous of becoming a candidate for a county office, subject to being nominated in the county convention. He had worked hard, made many friends and seemed to have the nomination in the bag.

On the morning of the convention, he got his dependable but rather leisurely steed and set out for town. On the way, the horse stopped to nibble at every bush along the roadside, so, when the gentleman reached the county seat it was late in the evening, the convention was over, and he had lost the nomination.

Lincoln told the story to illustrate that if he stopped to make a speech at every town between Springfield and Washington, he would not make it to the capital in time for the inauguration.

Resuming his trip, Lincoln spoke briefly at Zionsville, and around 5 p.m., he arrived in Indianapolis where he stayed overnight, leaving the next day, February 12th, his birthday, for Cincinnati and on to Washington by way of Columbus, O., Pittsburg, Pa., Cleveland, O., Buffalo, N Y., Albany, New York city, Philadelphia, Pa., and Baltimore, Md. He reached his destination on February 23rd, 12 days after leaving Springfield.

Among the people gathered at the Lebanon depot to great "Honest Abe" was James Gogen, editor of the Boone County (weekly) Pioneer, the organ, locally, of the Democrat Party. Gogen viewed Lincoln with a jaundiced eye, and in his issue of February 22nd, he editorialized:

"The Indianapolis papers say that Old Abe was told on his arrival at the station here that the people of Thorntown had followed the train on foot to hear the conclusion of his anecdote. Mr. Lincoln need not be afraid of any such annoyance as the people of this county have seen enough of him."

During the celebration of Indiana's Sesquicentennial in 1966, a historical marker was placed at the South Lebanon street railroad crossing by the Indiana Sesquicentennial Committee of Boone County commemorating the occasion of Lincoln's appearance in Lebanon.

Submitted by: Amy Davis


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