CHAUTAUQUA - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Source: Attica-Fountain-Warren Democrat 17 Aug 1922 p 1

James King, James Brown, James Cline, Will Fix, Harrison Hickman and Joel Gray of this city are busy this week gathering in the old relics for display in the log cabin in Ravine Park during Chautauqua which begins tomorrow. This log cabin promises to be an interesting place during the 10 days of the Chautauqua. Many old household articles, now obsolete will be on display.  If the younger generation wishes to know how people got along 75-100 years ago they should take a look through the relics at the log cabin. If any persons have any old relics which have not been brought in yet, they will confer a favor by bringing them in to any of the above named gentlemen or to this office.

Source: Attica-Fountain-Warren-Democrat Aug 24, 1922 p 1

About the busiest people on the Chautauqua grounds are James King, James P. Brown, James Cline, William Fix, Harrison Hickman and Joel Gray who are in charge of the relic display at the log cabin they built in Ravine Park last spring. Sunday there were 1404 persons visited the cabin, inspected the relics and registered their names and these men were kept quite busy showing the people through, getting them to register and answering questions concerning the relics.  It is certainly a very fine display of old time household and other articles, some of which were in use over 150 years ago. The above named gentlemen collected these old pieces, arranged them in the cabin and are in charge of the exhibit all through the Chautauqua.  They are deserving of much credit for the splendid success they have made of this relic exhibit. There are hundreds of relics on exhibit – far too many to try to name, but below will be found a brief statement of a few of the old time articles which may be of interest to persons who were not fortunate enough to see them.  Among the many interesting things were a set of six table knives, the blades of which were made of Mexican silver dollars, the handles of ivory in 1812, the property of Mrs. Harry Purviance of Attica; a pewter soup tureen made in 1785, now the property of Mrs. Rachel Levor of Attica; an old wooden leather covered box or trunk used by William Fenton, a sailor to carry his money and valuable papers while on ocean voyages in 1810; an old violin which was formerly owned by Gabe Godfrey, chief of the Miami Indians and is over 100 years old, the violin now being owned by Mrs. FW Benamire of Attica; an old muzzle loading rifle, carried by John Washington, brother of George Washington during the Revolutionary War, now owned by Jesse Hamblen of Warren Co; an old biblical history that was first owned in 1797 in Germany by the great great grandfather of Mrs. James King of Attica, it being given to Mrs. King by her father, Philip Deisch who resided near Peru, Ind; an old bedspread made over 100 years ago by Deborah Peppers, the grandmother of Ben and Debbie Brown of Attica who now own it; a display of war relics by Mack Young of Attica, consisting of an Indian tomahawk and pipe of peace, an old gun with bayonet attached, bayonet scabbard a wooden canteen; Mrs. T. Reid Zeigler has on display the first boots worn by her husband when a small boy over 50 years ago; old time steelyards for weighing things, owned for 80 years by John Michael, father of Dr. Michael of Independence who is now the owner; a very fine display of Indian relics by Fred Ballencourt, consisting of Indian axes, arrow heads, tomahawk, hunting knife, also a bear’s claw and rattlers from rattlesnakes; a candlestick with snuffers owned by Lucinda Adams over 90 years ago now owned by James King of Attica; candlestick and snuffers first owned by Mrs. Zelphia Hubert who cooked for George Washington’s soldiers in camp during the Revolutionary War she being the great grandmother of the late Mrs. John Epperson of Attica, the the property now being owned by Mrs. WA McConnell of Attica; an old velvet wedding vest of the late Joseph G. Whittier of Attica, father of Cash and Miss Georgia Whittier, it being about 96 years old, the wedding vest of the late James King, Sr. father of James King of Attica who now has the vest; old fire tongs first owned over 70 years ago by Joseph Harshlen (?) father of Joe Harshlien (?) who lives just across Big River in Warren County …? Measure made by Jesse Brown over 90 years ago still in good condition and now owned by Ben Brown who resides west of Aylesworth two miles; an old clock, the works of which are all of wood, owned first by JP Isley’s mother when he was a small child; a copper tea kettle made in Sweden over 100 years ago and brought to this country 51 years ago by Mrs. Fritz Peterson of Attica who now owns it; a cast iron cooking pot made in Glascow, Scotland over 160 years ago, brought to this country by Mrs. Edward Neugent, mother of Mrs. John Rutledge of Attica; two rocking chairs, still in good condition, made over 100 years ago, one owned by George W. Peck and the other by James P. Brown of Attica; a spinning wheel and reel, now owned by William Brier who resides near Carbondale, formerly belonged to his grandmother and are over 100 years old; an old flax hackle, now owned by Charles McNett, formerly owned by his father, the late Jasper McNett of Warren County; an old wheat cradle used in cutting wheat and oats made in 1830 by Orran Arms, father of SH Arms of Attica; an oxen yoke last used by James King’s father in Attica during the epidemic of epizootic which killed so many horses about 50 years ago; a tin lantern, now owned by Mrs. Wilbur Huff, first owned by Mrs. Huff’s grandmother; a saddle used by Capt. Macklin in the late Civil War in 1861, now owned by Frank Benamire of Attica; an old US Cavalry curb bridle bit now owned by James King of Attica, given him by William Burr who was a clerk in the Zeigler dry goods store 40 ot 50 years ago; a wooden collar and wooden hams for harness; an oxen show over 100 years old, now owned by Mrs. Frank Hatton, formerly owned by her father, WHH Stephenson who got it from his father, last but not least a picture of George Washington’s family, a picture of Lincoln’s family and a picture of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The above are only a small portion of the exhibit, but there are hundreds of other articles which were used years ago now obsolete which will be interesting to the younger people of today. Don’t fail to stop and see the exhibit.  

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Source: Attica-Fountain-Warren-Democrat 19 Oct 1922 p 3

Miss Mary Long, daughter of Mrs. Ellen Long now of Waynetown, formerly of Hillsboro and Harry Starnes son of County Treasurer HI Starnes and wife of Covington were married Tuesday of last week at the home of Rev. JC Burkhart, pastor of the First Christian Church in Crawfordsville. The young couple plan to spend the winter in Florida. Next summer the groom will resume his work on the Chautauqua platform as demonstrator of the wonders of electricity.

Source: Attica-Fountain-Warren-Democrat Aug 24, 1922 p 4

Graduates of the Attica High School class of 1879 held a reunion on the Chautauqua grounds Sunday. There were 11 persons in this class and five were present at the reunion. Two members of the class are dead.  Those present at the reunion were Mrs. JA Brady, Miss Lilly Clark, Miss anna Sheridan of this city, Mrs. Fanny Cobb of Winthrop and Mort Cassel of Hope, North Dakota. Mrs. T. Reid Zeigler is a member of the class but she was out of the city Sunday