Sims is a United Brethren minister residing also on this creek. Bethel United Brethren Church is located five miles southwest of Clinton, and the "Union Class" of the same church, worship at a point six and a half miles southwest of Clinton.
The Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church is located about five miles west of Clinton, where lewis Walraven is class-leader; and Trinity Church, nearly south of Clinton, is a place where a prosperous class worships, of whom John Ryan, Harrison Cole and William Wright are official members. These two classes are in the Clinton Circuit, of which Rev. J. B. Combs is preacher in charge, with residence at the parsonage in Clinton. This is in the Greencastle District, Northwest Indiana Conference of which Rev. A. A. Gee is presiding elder. Clinton Circuit, including the town, had 300 members last year.
The town of Clinton was laid out in 1824, by William Harris, a resident of Martin County, Indiana, who was a Government surveyor, and named the place in honor of DeWitt Clinton, of New York.
Up to the time the railroad was assured, about 1868, the growth of Clinton was slow, but during all that long ante-railroad period it was nertheless the entrepot for an agricultural district around it fifty miles or more in diameter. Across the Wabash the people traded mostly at Terre Haute, only fifteen miles distant from Clinton, and always an absorbing factor in the country trade.
The first mercantile establishment opened at this point was by John and Benjamin R. Whitcomb, who kept a general store. Other early business men of Clinton were John Payton, John R. Whitcomb, Huram B. Cole, John Ferrel, and John Marks. Later were James McCulloch, Otis M. Conkey, Jones & Chestnut, from paris, Illinois, Leander Munsell, from the same place, Alanson Baldwin, of Baldwinsville, Illinois, O. & D. Bailey, of Bloomfield, Illinois, who were extensive pork-packers at this point. This was for a long period a prominent shipping point for pork.
Minor business men were J. W. and Fielding Shepard, and Volney Hutchison, mechanics, who afterward moved into the country and became successful farmers; S. E. Patton, cooper; H. F. Redding, carriage maker and blacksmith, and others.
Many of the buildings occupied by the above parties are still standing, on the bank of the river near the wagon bridge, where the old boat landing was, as monumental relics of the steamboat period. How many scenes of the past, and associations concerning the characteristics of the early business men of Clinton, does their venerable presence still suggest!
Clinton is now, and has long been, the largest town in Vermillion County; but what its population is we cannot ascertain. It is variously estimated at 1,200 to 1,800. The town is beautifully located, streets running "square with the world," and withal it is a pleasant place in every respect.
It was first incorporated about 1848 or 1849, by a special act of the Legislature, which empowered the trustees to prohibit the sale of intoxicants. In later years, about 1879, the town was re-incorporated, under the general law. It is divided into five wards, from each of which one trustee is elected biennially. The general officers are elected annually, -- the president being elected by the board, and the other officers by the people directly.
On account of the absence of the old records, we are unable to give a complete list of officers. Since 1880 the following have
served; Presidents -- Neil J. McDongall, 1880-'84; Decatur Downing, 1885; W. L. Morey, 1886-'87. Clerks -- D. C. Johnson, 1880; L. O. Bishop, 1881; Decatur Downing, 1882; J. M. Hays, 1883-'84; Ed. H. Johnson, 1885-'87.
Here, as elsewhere, have been the usual contests with the liquor traffic. The most remarkable movement in modern times was the "woman's crusade" of 1874-'76. In 1874 a band of praying women laid siege to a saloon day and night, being on duty in divisions and by turns. The proprietor surrendered. In April, 1875, a company of forty ladies headed by Mrs. Malone and Mrs. Kibby, marched in double file to the saloon owned by Tice & Meehler, to hold an interview with the proprietors; but on arrival found the fort evacuated and the doors wide open. The ladies guarded the place until evening and then retired. The next night one of the proprietors was arrested, and while he was in custody the citizens gathered at the point of contest and demolished everything that contained intoxicating liquor. The proprietor sued fifteen of the citizens for $5,000 damages, but the case was compromised or dismissed. Other events of this crusade occurred, but of minor importance.
While on the subject of municipal government, we may notice that under corporate management the streets have been graded and macadamized, nuisances generally kept in abeyance, and a satisfactory government generally administered.
Dr. Joseph Hopkins, from Ohio, was the first physician to locate in Clinton, in 1830 or previously. He was an acceptable practicioner. Died out West, leaving a wife and two daughters.
Dr. Erstman was here a short time, about the same period.
Dr. I. S. Palmer, a well educated graduate of a medical college at Philadelphia, settled in Clinton during its pioneer period, accumulated some property, but finally became intemperate and lost it, although he was a gentleman of a shrewd intellect. He finally lost his life in a horrible manner, although not drunk at the time. Visiting a patient across the Wabash one day about fifteen years ago, he noticed on his return many squirrels in the woods. On arriving home he took his gun, and started out to indulge in the sports of the chase. While crossing the river on the ice, he broke through, but held himself from being drawn under by clinging to the edge of the ice; and there he held fast until parties had arrived from points a mile or more distant for his rescue. But his strength gave out and he went under, never more to be seen; his body was never recovered. Charles Knowles nearly lost his life in his efforts to save him.
Dr. William Kile, from Ohio, was a man of great energy and industry, and with an extended practice he accumulated a handsome amount of property. This he finally sold and went to Paris, illinois, where he engaged in mercantile business, and also farming and handling live-stock, for a number of years, and ultimately banking. In visiting patients on the other wide of the Wabash he would sometimes swim his horse across the river on his return, rather than to come a few miles out of his way to the wagon bridge. One time he was violently attacked with smallpox, when scarcely any one expected he could survive; but his "vitativeness" was so large that, as he was being taken out into the country for treatment, passing a store, he called out to the proprietor, "Save me that largest pair of boots, will you?" He had
very large feet. He died at Paris many years afterward.
Dr. Perkins, a botanic physician, practiced here a number of years, and finally removed to Oregon.
Dr. Rollin Whitcomb, a botanic physician from New York, came in 1841, and, after practicing here a number of years, moved away, and returned again and remained until his death.
Dr. I. B. Hedges was a boy when his parents brought him here from New York in 1824. Commencing practice about 1845, he proved to be a successful physician as well as business man. On dying here three or four years ago, he left considerable property to his family. He was a man of high standing.
Dr. P. R. Owen came to Clinton about 1854, from New Goshen, Indiana, but was a native of Ohio. At the beginning of the war he enlisted in the army, was elected Captain of Company I, Fourteenth Indiana Infantry, promoted Major and then Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment; came home and practiced his profession until 1871, when he died, leaving a widow and several children. He was also an excellent Methodist preacher. The Grand Army post at Clinton is named in his honor.
Dr. Corkins, after practicing here a while, moved to Texas.
Dr. William Reeder practiced medicine at Clinton for a period before the war, in which he enlisted and held some office. About 1874 he moved to Texas, where he is now following his profession.
Dr. J. C. Crozier arrived here also some time before the war, entered the army as a Surgeon, continued in the service until the close, then practiced here a number of years, and finally went to Washington, d. C. where he has for a number of years been engaged in the pension department.
Dr. William H. Stewart, who came from Illinois and practiced medicine here two or three years, was in Terre Haute when last heard from.
The present physicians of Clinton are Drs. Henry Nebeker, J. H. Bogart and C. M. White.
James R. Baker, although he did not practice law a great deal, may be counted among the bar. He left here, entering the Methodist ministry.
Lyman J. Smith practiced law at Clinton three or four years, and moved to Paris, Illinois.
"Judge" John Porter, who lived in the country in this township, followed the law to some extent, was a man of considerable literary attainments, a member of the Legislature, etc. He died some time before the war period.
Also, some time before the last war, a man named Ragan was a practitioner of law at Clinton for about a year.
Henry D. Washburn was born in Vermont, in March, 1832; came to this county about 1850; taught school three or four years -- principally in Helt Township and some at Newport; studied law while teaching, with Thomas C. W. Sale at Newport; admitted to the bar in 1853, and opened office at Newport; was in partnership with M. P. Lowry for a time; elected auditor of the county in 1854, serving one term; entered the army as Captain of Company C, Eighteenth Indiana Infantry, promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, and then Colonel, and Brevetted General and the Major General, serving in the army about four years, first in Missouri, next in the Army of the Potomac, and then in Georgia; but in 1864, before the termination of the war, was elected, while a resident of
Clinton, to the lower house of Congress, against Daniel W. Voorhees, serving from March 1865, to March, 1869, having been re-elected; was appointed in the latter year by President Grant to the office of Surveyor - General for the Territory of Montana; and while holding this office he died, in January 1871, at Clinton, leaving a wife and two children. Commanding a company of fifty men, he made the first thorough exploration of the Yellowstone Valley, in 1870, in which journey the exposure brought on the illness which proved fatal. In his religion he was a Methodist, in his social relations a Knight Templar, and his politics a Republican, and a good campaignist for his party. Mrs. Washburn now resides in Greencastle, this State. Dr. A. A. Washburn, her son, is practicing medicine at Atwood, Illinois; and her daughter is the wife of Professor J. B. De Motte, of De Pauw University, at Greencastle.
Henry A. White, a native of Helt Township, this county, practiced law at Clinton a number of years, and is now in Kansas.
M. B. Davis, a native of this county, and a graduate of Asbury University at Greencastle, was admitted to the bar in 1881, commenced practice while a very young man, and was in partnership for a short time with H. H. Conley, of Newport, and in 1885 left for Beatrice, Nebraska, where he is now practicing law and has an interest in the Beatrice Republican.
The present lawyers of Clinton are Daniel C. Johnson, Platt Z. Anderson, Benjamin R. Whitcomb, I. II. Strain and Melvin B. Davis.
In 1873 the Clinton Exponent was established by B. S. B.ackledge and James R. Baker, Esq., in Allen's picture gallery, a short distance west of the present Argus office, and was Republican in politics. F. L. Whedon, from Ohio, edited the paper for a short time. After a time Baker sold his interest to his partner, and Mr. Blackledge conducted the paper alone until the first week of November, 1876, when he sold to Lyman E. Knapp. In June, 1877, he sold to R. S. Knapp, but King Alcohol foreclosed a mortgage on the institution and killed it. It raised its fainting form at Perrysville, as the Perrysville Exponent gasped a few months, and breathed its last. In 1877 H. A. White, a lawyer of Clinton, bought the office material, returned with it to Clinton, and started the Western Indianian, in the building now occupied by Harry Dudley as a meat market. Subsequently it was removed to the room now occupied by the Argus. By this time the organ was "National" in its politics.
White sold out to T. A. Kibby, H. S. Evans and John McMahon. The last mentioned soon left, and Evans became editor and publisher, Kibby remaining as a silent partner. Then Evans left, and Mr. Kibby, in September, 1879, leased the office to L. O. Bishop and Mont. L. Casey. In June, 1880, this firm bought the Clinton Herald, to which the Western Indianian had been changed by Mr. Evans, and published it until July 1, 1882, when Mr. Bishop sold to Casey. August 31, Mr. Bishop started the Saturday Argus. In twelve or fifteen months the Herald suspended. Shortly afterward Alexander Myers tried his hand at the business of journalism, by starting the Tomahawk and Scalping-Knife, which he immediately changed to the Democrat: died in six weeks. In June, 1884, Mr. Casey came out with the Clinton Siftings, which sifted occasionally and irregularly along for about three years, when it entirely sifted out.