The Decade Was - 1870's

Various newspaper items concerning Boone County and its residents in the 1870'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!

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Jamestown Press
ca 1953 (reprint of an 1878 news item)

75 Years Ago
IN THE NEWS
Thursday, July 18, 1878

Explosion of a boiler in a threshing machine engine near Jamestown, Ind., killed John Shockley, Frank Jones, Patrick Johnson and John Klienhanz and critically injured several others.

See news clipping

Submitted by: Gayland Isley - October 20, 2007
"I don’t know whether it is still there but I am told that 20 years ago the impression of shrapnel from the 129 year old explosion was still visible imbedded in the tree where the bark had healed over it. – 3 miles east of Jamestown just south and at the end of County Line Road in Hendricks County."

Burlington Hawk Eye
Burlington, Iowa
October 3, 1878
Page 5, col 6

[Advertisement]

A WONDERFUL MEDICINE
WIZARD OIL

A lady who was confined to her bed and could not move for seven weeks, without assistance, got out of bed in a few hours after commencing to use Wizard Oil.

The large number of remarkable cures which have been performed through the instrumentality of this great remedy are unparalled [sic] in the history of medicine. Hundreds of supposed cripples for life, and sufferers who have languished upon beds of sickness, receiving no aid from physicians, testify to its wonderful healing properties.

The following, from a merchant of Thorntown, Ind., is a specimen of many hundreds which have been received by us and are on file in our office:

Gentlemen: -- Eight years ago my wife had the Rheumatism, and for months she could hardly put one foot before the other. For seven weeks she was confined to her bed and could not move without assistance. It seemed death to her when she was moved. I had the most skillful physicians in the section attending to her, without benefiting [sic] her in the least. My son, while visiting Lafayette, saw one of your advertising wagons, and coming home induced us to try the Wizard Oil. We did so, and remarkable as this statement may seem, she got out of bed in a few hours after we commenced using it, and by continuing its use was entirely cured in a few days. This was eight years ago and she has not had a symptom of the disease since.

Gratefully yours,
J. E. Loveless, Thorntown, Ind.

WIZARD OIL NEVER FAILS

It not only allays inflammation, ad stops the most excruciating pains, but it performs radical and permanent cures. It is safe and sure, does its work quickly and effectually, and is just the article needed in every family.

SOLD BY ALL DRUGGISTS

Transcribed by: T. Stover - April 14, 2007

The Decade was 1870

The Lebanon Pioneer
March 28, 1895

The population in Boone County exceeded 22,000.

Submitted by: Amy Davis

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 2, 1879

State News

John Low, employed at Bechtell's furniture factory, Lebanon, had his hands badly mutilated by a buzz saw on Wednesday.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - October 30, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
October 1, 1879

State News

A fly-wheel in Widow Egbert's saw mill, two miles south of Lebanon, burst on Tuesday forenoon, instantly killing Joseph Waugh, sawyer.

A little four-year-old daughter of George Haurens, living near Whitestown, was instantly killed on Tuesday morning by a cider mill tipping over, crushing the little one terribly.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - October 30, 2006

Kokomo Tribune
Kokomo, Indiana
December 19, 1871

Indiana News
Boone County

During a drunken affray at Lebanon, last Saturday, two brothers named Leoring and James Perdue were all seriously cut, William Leoring being dangerously wounded.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1879
Page 6, Col 4

STATE NEWS

A son of Dora Hagerman, living three miles east of Thorntown, was thrown from a runaway horse, Saturday morning, and perhaps fatally injured.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 30, 1879
Page 6, Col 6

STATE NEWS

Robert Coleman, of Thorntown, who served in the Mexican war and war of the rebellion has just received $2,300 back pension money.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 30, 1879
Page 6, Col 6

L. W. Miller, of Thorntown threshed the product of twelve acres of wheat last week and found the yield to be an average of nearly forty five bushels to the acre.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 6, 1879
Page 3, Col 5

Samuel Rich, a farmer, aged fifty, living near Thorntown, was kicked in the face by a vicious horse on Wednesday evening and it is thought fatally injured. His lower jaw was broken and the entire portion between his eyes and lower jaw was torn loose.

John Armstrong, living near Thorntown, was badly injured Saturday, by being thrown in front of mowing machine, the knives catching his arm and tearing flesh between the elbow and hand from the bone. One of his legs was also broken in two places between the thigh and knee.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
May 14, 1879
Page 4, Col 1

OLNEY NEWELL, of Lebanon, Boone county, is a candidate for superintendent of the blind asylum. Mr. Newell is a very talented young man, and is well qualified for this position, having had several years' experience in this institution. He is a staunch democrat, and his appointment would, we are sure, give general satisfaction.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 23, 1879
Page 6, Col 3

A young man named Shott, living four miles east of Lebanon, was dangerously injured by his horse running away with him. His leg was broken in three places and will have to be amputated.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - December 7, 2006