All the above newspapers, except the Argus, were printed upon the same press.
During the summer of 1887 Mont. L. Casey started "Casey's Siftings," as an organ laboring for the "elevation of morals and horse-thieves," and as the only "religious" paper in the county and the "best advertising medium on earth," published every Friday evening, "the Lord permitting," and on Saturday morning "any way."
It seems that the Argus-eyed journal has come to stay, having a clear field and running steadily. It is a "free, untrammeled newspaper for the people," handicapped by no idiosyncrasy. In connectiion with the paper, Mr. Bishop has also a good job office.
Lucius O. Bishop was born in Clinton, a son of Francis M. and Melinda (Anderson) Bishop, April 17, 1859. Approaching the years of manhood he began the study of law in the office of Henry A. White, in his native town, but, before completing his course, he, in partnership with Mont. L. Casey, leased the printing office of the Clinton Herald, in 1879, since which time he has been engaged as a journalist and job printer, as above related. He is a rising young man, and being endowed with energy and mental activity, he is destined to make a mark in this world of life. He is a member of the order of Odd Fellows, and takes an active interest in the literary societies and other local enterprises of the community.
The Clinton Building and Loan Association was organized in March 1882, and is still alive. William L. Morey is president, and J. W. Robb, secretary.
Clinton Building and Loan Association No. 2 was organized January 1, 1887, with a capital stock of $50,000. David McBeth, President; J. W. Robb, Secretary; and W. A. Hays, Treasurer.
The Clinton Natural Gas Company was organized in the spring of 1887, with a capital stock of $2,000 to $4,000. C. Mathews, President; John Whitcomb, Vice-President; W. H. Hamilton, Secretary; N. C. Anderson, Treasurer The other directors are J. J. Higgins, Decatur Downing, J. E. Knowles, C. B. Knowles and W. A. Hays. The material for the derrick, etc., is now (June) on the ground, and the company intend to commence drilling within a few days, in the western portion of the town.
The first school-house in Clinton Township, as elsewhere described, was a log structure of the most primitive kind, located at the Davidson hill, a mile west of town, when the only school books were the English Reader, Webster's Elementary Spelling Book and the New Testament, and sometimes a copy of Daboll's Arithmetic. Since then a remarkable growth of the present free-school system has taken place In the meantime, according to the character of the respective periods, two or three attempts have been made toward the establishment of special or select schools of an advanced order. For example, just previous to the war, Myram G. Towsley's Military Institute and the Farmers' College, which went down on account of the war coming on. Part of the building a large frame, was afterward converted into an opera house, and the wings into dwelling-houses.
The present fine school building, of six rooms, was erected in 1881, at a cost of about $8,000, including seating, furnishing and the ground. The enrollment last year was 368. The school is divided into ten or twelve grades, and prepares its graduates for admis-
sion into the State University. The principal is J. H. Tomlin, who has six assistants.
Freemasonry was organized in Clinton previous to D. A. Ranger's arrival here in 1843, but interest in it declined and the charter was surrendered.
Jerusalem Lodge, No. 99, F. & A. M., received its charter May 29, 1850, and has ever since then been kept alive. The charter members were -- Sylvester Redfield, Worshipful Master, who afterward moved to Nebraska, John N. Perkins, Hiram Barnes, John R. Whitcomb, Benjamin R. Whitcomb, William S. Price, James Gazsowuy, James McCulloch, Nathan Sidwell, J. J. Moore and William Barrick. The present membership is fifty-six, with these officers: James Robert, Worshipful Master; Robert B. Bailey, Senior Warden; Jasper Frisk, Junior Warden; N. C. Anderson, Treasurer; D. A. Ranger, Secretary; H. B. Dudley, Senior Deacon; John Horney, junior Deacon; and William Hughes, Tyler.
Amant Lodge, no. 356, I.O.O.F., was instituted November 16, 1870, with about twelve members, who have increased to about seventy-five. The present officers are -- A. V. McWethy, Noble Grand; J. H. Black, Vice Grand; Frank Swinehart, Recording Secretary; W. H. Hill, Permanent Secretary; John H. Birt, Treasurer. The past grands number twenty-three. The lodge has an unusually nice room for their meetings.
Clinton Encampment. No. 143, was chartered May 16, 1876. Present officers -- W. H. Hill, Chief Priest; W. H. Cale, Senior Warden; Harry Swinehart, Junior Warden; J. M. Blagg, High Priest; W. F. Wells, Permanent Secretary; Ed. H. Johnston, Scribe; J. H. Black, Treasurer.
Vermillion Lodge, No. 182, Degree of Rebekah, was organized July 9, 1877. It has at present about forty active members. The officers are -- Mrs. Anna Davis, Noble Grand; Miss Ella Bishop, Vice-Grand; Mrs. Katie McWethy, Treasurer; Lillie Birt, Recording Secretary; Miss Lulu Allen, Permanent Secretary.
P. R. Owen Post, No. 329, G. A. R., was instituted April 15, 1884. (See a preceding page for a sketch of Dr. Owen). The Post was organized by Captain R. B. Sears, of Newport, mustering officer, with about twenty-five or thirty members. They now number fifty-four, and are in prosperous condition. Officers -- L. H. Beckman, Post Commander; Cornelius Quick, Senior Vice Commander; T. B. Wells, Junior Vice Commander; S. Weatherwax, Adjutant; J. H. Wilson, Quartermaster; William Kelp, Chaplain; D. A. Ranger, Quartermaster Sergeant; Enoch Whitted, Sergeant.
Council No. 3, Sovereigns of Industry, was organized May 5, 1874, with twenty-five members. James A. Greenwalt was elected President; David McBeth, Vice-President; J. C. Campbell, Secretary; T. Victor, Treasurer; S. B. Blackledge, Lecturer; J. C. Hall, Steward; D. Moore, Inside Guard.
The A. O. U. W. organized here eight or ten years ago; soon had thirty or forty members, but in about a year they practically dibanded. Perry Jones, superintendent of a coal mine in the vicinity at the time, was master workman of the lodge. He moved away some years ago. Probably he constituted the soul of the lodge, and when he went away the body died.
Some eight years ago an orchestra was organized in Clinton, which is still efficient, and more recently a cornet band, led by White and Wells.
Methodism. -- Itinerant Methodist ministers of pioneer times were especially marked for their energy and daring in threading the wild woods and prairies in search of the isolated settler, for the prupose of preaching to him the gospel and of organizing "classes" (church congregations) as soon as he could find three or four residents who were zealous enough to meet, coming from far and from near. The first Methodist class in Vermillion County was organized some time previous to 1830, at the house of John Vannest, the first settler of the county, comprising besides Mr. Vannest himself, also his brother, and George Rush, James, Amos and Joseph Reeder, the Brannons, etc. The minister, who walked his rounds, preached here every four weeks. Revs. Smith and McGinnis are remembered as being among the early Methodist preachers in this section.
Not having space to detail the particulars of Methodist history from that time to the present, we are obliged to learp in our imaginatio over half a century, to the present period.
At the present time the Clinton society comprises ninety-four members. Class-leader, L. H. Beckman. Stewards, James M. Hayes and Robert Allen. The flourishing Sunday-school is superintended by John Whitcomb and L. H. Beckman. Pastor, Rev. J. B. Combs, now in his second year here, and occupying the parsonage, a neat residence in a retired place. This circuit is in the Greencastle District, Northwest Indiana Conference. Rev. A. A. Gee, of Greencastle, is the presiding elder.
As to a house of worship, the Methodists passed from the log-cabin residence and school-house to a frame church, erected mainly by the Presbyterians in 1881; and next into a frame, 38 x 60 feet, built about 1852, at a cost of about $1,400, which is now used as a dwelling; and finally, in 1883, they reared their present massive and imposing brick edifice, 40 x 80 feet in ground area, at a cost of $6,500.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church of Clinton, was organized in 1876, by Rev W. S. Langford, of Rockville, at the time, who was also pastor for a while. The class, led by George Harris, started out with only six members, but now numbers about twenty, with Mrs. Lida Brown as class-leader. Stewards, William Bowen, John Cooper, Elbert Brown John Bowen and John Walker. Sunday-school, of about fifteen pupils generally, is superintended by James Bowen. The pastor is Rev. W. R. Hutchison, now a resdent of Lost Creek, Vigo County; this is his third year. The church building, 26 x 30 feet in dimensions, was erected in 1881, at a cost of $250, and is free from debt. It is located in the central part of town.
The Presbyterian Church at Clinton was also organized in pioneer times, being the first to erect a house of worship in the county, in 1831, with the aid of the Methodists. Running down somewhat in the course of years they were re-organized about 1850, by Rev. John Gerrish, of Helt Township who died in the spring of 1887 in Kansas. There are now fifty-five members. The ruling elders are E. V. Brown and David McBeth. They maintain a Sunday-school the year round, with an average attendance of ninety pupils, superintended by D. C. Johnson. The present pastor is Rev. L. G. Hay, D. D., of Terre Haute, who has been serving as "stated supply" since the first of February 1887. Former pastors (or supplies) have been, so far as can be conveniently remembered, Revs. James Boggs, in 1855; John A. Tiffner, of Bono, two or three years;
John Hawks, of Rockville, two or three years; Thomas Griffith, of Montezuma, three or four years, and L. H. Davidson, who resided here at the time, two years. The first church building was converted into a barn, and is still used as such. The present house of worship was erected about 1852, is a frame 40 x 70 feet in dimensions, and located centrally, on the school-house lot.