Yester~Year

Delving Into Yester~Year

Local historian and writer Paul Miner uses items from The Republican's Yester~Year column to develop an interesting, informative and often humorous article.

To the Editor:

Danville’s Lew Pounds declared he was “walking on feathers” since his baby girl, Rowena, was born in late February 1896.

I’ve heard of walking on sunshine, eggshells, air, clouds (cloud nine, to be precise), railroad tracks, on stilts, hot coals, water, the moon, tippy toes, nails, wet cement, thin ice, one foot (it’s one of those tree falling in the woods conundrums), pins and needles, and broken glass, but never feathers.

I think Lew farmed southwest of Danville. He had eight siblings and his father was Archibald Price Pounds. I know little about A.P., other than he declared in March 1882 that he had not refused to sign a petition to pardon the fellow who shot at Garfield’s assassin. He never saw the petition and could think of no reason why he’d refuse to sign other than the fellow’s “bad marksmanship.”

A.P. was a Democrat, but that doesn’t help me ferret out what feather walking means.

May I add that A.P. was present in September 1882 when the county’s Democratic Committee put on a show and parade in Danville? One fellow rode two horses going in opposite directions, but that didn’t work out. Another juggled “dangerous edged weapons.”

Around that time, The Republican encouraged correspondents to get their news in early, pad it “and present it in an attractive and spicy form.”

As for feathers, plenty plucking was needed to make any money. A pound was good for a quarter in July 1848 and only a dime more in 1890. In 1889, 194,592 pounds of feathers were plucked in Indiana.

Goose feathers were worth 45 cents a pound in early 1898.

Some took feathers in trade. Dry goods merchant J.M. Robbins, at Crawford’s Building two doors north of the post office, accepted feathers, ginseng, beeswax and rags; racoon, mink and other skins; and timothy, clover and flax seed in trade in November 1847.

Cabinet makers E.D. Young & J. Thompson in 1849 made sofas, tables, chests and coffins and took feathers, wheat, flaxseed, flour, pork, bacon, beeswax and cash.

I calculate 100 pounds of feathers were then worth $25. How many chickens is that? My reckonings were sidetracked by what I thought was a good deal on McDonald’s chicken nuggets, but I finally discovered a five-pound chicken’s feathers weigh 2.6 ounces, leading me to figure 615 chickens were needed to produce feathers worth $25.

How big is a 100-pound sack of feathers? The parcel industry claims a 15x15x15 box is needed for 10 pounds of feathers. I’d need 10 boxes. I couldn’t stack a sack that big.

I can calculate beeswax, bacon and flaxseed shipping costs if anyone is interested.

Stove maker and tinsmith R.H. Moorhead in 1853 accepted vegetables, meat, flour, poultry, fruit, old copper and pewter, feathers, beeswax and “anything to eat” if buyers were cash-strapped.

Moorhead, who favored rhymed poetry in his advertising, also had sad and dog irons. Anyone owning one of those is sitting on a cool collectible.

Ostrich feathers and plumes were big-city fashion hat trim in 1881, but I wonder about Danville where folks had cheap chicken feathers handy. Fashionable feather turbans approximated birds on a nest.

Ostrich pompons were worn in the hair. Feathers were patiently glued one at a time on fans.

Millinery trends saw small wolf heads showing teeth and tongues, tiny pistols, metal and feather rooster heads, silver snails, green turtles, lobsters, crab and shrimp.

Partridge feathers covered parasols, but likely shed little water. Ostrich feathers drooped over straw hats, but flowers were better on spring bonnets. W.J. Meilam and W.H. Zell fitted up the old depot (which one, undisclosed) and launched a feather renovation business late in 1884. The Republican encouraged readers to have “clean beds.”

Danville welcomed the Electric Feather Washer and Mattress Company in October 1899. The outfit “renovated” feathers and manufactured mattresses declared by purchasers to be “the best on the market.” Electric Feather is long gone, replaced at the corner of Indiana and Marion Streets by the Danville Public Library.

As for walking on feathers, I’ve deduced Lew was extremely pleased, but I’ve no idea whether they were chicken, goose or duck. I don’t think it matters.

Paul Miner Lizton

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of March 12,1896

Hazlewood: The roads are very bad. J.G. Wilson has been compelled to work four horses to his huckster wagon.

Amo: Master “Dutch” McCloud is the most hustling youth in town. He arises early every morning, even during the cold weather, and sweeps from one to three stores before breakfast. If he continues, he will some day make a mark in the world. He is ten years old.

Coatesville: All the young Americans in town are using “nigger killers” to the destruction of the windows.

A Red Men’s lodge was instituted at North Salem, Monday evening.

A landmark has been removed this week when the Gregg homestead on the lot just purchased by the First National Bank was torn down. It is impossible to learn just when the Gregg house was built but in 1832, a Mr. Givens, merchant, lived in it and conducted a store on the corner where the bank will be built.

Mont Clair: The school taught by S.D. Haney at the Hamilton school house closed Thursday. The patrons all came with well filed baskets and a most enjoyable time was had, followed in the evening by an exhibition.

J.M. Doan and Aaron Mills, two Guilford township young men, graduate from the Indiana Medical College this spring.

Mrs. Achsa Kenyon, of Indianapolis, conducted a revival at Island Grove consisting of nineteen meetings, which began Feb. 16th and closed March 1st. There were thirteen conversions and renewals.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Issue of March 10, 1921

Township trustees are this week paying into the common school fund the excess dog money in their hands.

Robert Pogue, president of the Hendricks County Radio club, invited a representative of this paper to a “reception” in the radio room of his home, Friday evening, when speeches and music from a station in the District of Columbia, were being received. Words and music could be heard very distinctly.

Devoid of thrills and sensations, but full of plans and propositions as to what should or should not be done to make Danville a better place to live, the first spring monthly meeting of the board of trustees was held, Monday night.

Amo: Mrs. Nora Kersey spent some time the past week with her new granddaughter, little Miss Elmina Kersey, who entered the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kersey, at Hadley, on March 4th, weighing 7 ½ pounds.

Clayton: A birthday surprise party was given Friday evening in honor of Miss Sophine Weesner at the home of her parents. On Friday, March fourth, 1921 she reached the twenty-first mile stone in her earthly career.

The local Post of the American Legion will hold “open-house” Monday evening at their hall over Crawley’s restaurant. The public is invited. “Eats” for the ladies and “smokes” for the men, with music for all.

Milford Hadley has erected a handsome garage and tool house on his lot on east Broadway, which he plans to live in this summer, until he has time to put up a larger building.

North Salem: Clarence Smith left last week for Latouch, Alaska, to take a position as cook in a mining camp.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of March 14, 1946

Rehearsals are being held weekly by the Hoosier Symphony Orchestra in Danville, preparatory to the first concert, Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m., at Central Normal College.

Dr. W.T. Lawson has presented his medical library, consisting of over sixty volumes, to Central Normal College. Dr. Lawson assisted in moving the college from Ladoga to Danville by wagon in 1878, and for many years served on the board of trustees.

The Ford tractor owners school at Danville Motors, Friday night, was well attended. Two factory prepared motion pictures were shown. Questions from tractor owners were discussed with factory representatives.

The first new Plymouth at the E.J. Roberts show room was driven out by its new owner, Capt. William B. Adams, of Danville, Monday morning.

Sergt. Leroy Rutledge returned to Oakland, Calif. recently after spending three weeks with his wife and son. He returned to duty on the SS Sea Devil as a radio operator and expects to go to England via the Panama Canal.

FIFTY YEARS AGO Issue of March 11, 1971

The Indiana State Highway Dept. intends to prepare plans for a new bridge over the Penn-Central Railroad on SR 75, three miles south of New Winchester. Construction is anticipated in the 1973 season.

Miss Vicki Lynn Storm of Coatesville and Miss Cheryl Westbrook of Danville attended a 12-hour teachers workshop for twirlers in Delphi, Sunday. They passed the official United States Twirling Association teachers’ test and received their licenses.

Betty Heimansohn, 11-year-old daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Henry H. Heimansohn of Danville, has received her Novice Amateur Radio License WNCKS after passing a Morse Code and Theory test. She can only transmit messages on the air in Morse Code with this license.

The second annual Jazz Festival will be presented March 19, 9 p.m., in the South Elementary School by the Danville Community High School Band and the Junior High Show Band.

The Brownsburg Jaycees are spearheading a drive to clean up the trash along the roads in Brown and Lincoln townships, April 3.

John Hunter, Danville Community High School’s 6’6” center, has repeated as a member of the Mid-State All-Conference basketball team.

The Channel 20 Auction Go-Getters in the Danville area met at the home of Go-Getter Captain, Mrs. Philip A. Davis for coffee, Friday. The Go-Getters are Mrs. John T. Almond, Mrs. W.R. Cummins, Mrs. James Evans, Mrs. John M. Howard, Jr., Mrs. William Kraft, Mrs. David Lawson, Mrs. Melvin R. Lind, and Mrs. George Welty.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of March 7, 1996

Last Tuesday night, the Hendricks County Plan Commission voted, 5-1, to approve the site plan for a $200 million mini steel mill plant at Brownsburg.

The Dave Landes Memorial Fund recently sent a $500 donation to Danville Middle School. The school will purchase a podium for guest speakers and convocations.

Chuck Russell of North Salem will DJ a St. Patrick’s Day Country Dance on Saturday, March 16, at the 4-H Fairgrounds Community Center, Danville.

Small business owner and community leader Barbara Quant has filed as a candidate in the Republican primary election for Indiana State Senator, District 24.

The Hendricks County Master Gardeners Association has an event that will chase those winter doldrums. On Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, they will bring the 11th annual lawn and garden show to the Hendricks County Community Center at the Fairgrounds.

On February 27, a 100-year temperature record was broken at 3:49 p.m. when the mercury went to 73 degrees. The record for the date was 70 degrees in 1896.

Teresa Kimberly, Danville, a student in the Professional Nanny Program at Vincennes University, was among seven VU students to receive the Award of Excellence on February 14, in a special ceremony at Indianapolis.

TEN YEARS AGO Issue of March 10, 2011

Neal Molloy, Danville’s first State Champion Wrestler, was recognized by the Danville Town Council for his achievements at Monday evening’s meeting.

It was the first bill signed by Gov. Daniels in the 2011 legislative session, but the election of 2014 will be the earliest that vote centers could be set up for use in Hendricks County.

Amanda Fruits of Brownsburg is among 11 winners of Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman’s fourth annual Celebration of Hoosier Women Artists competition.

Young athletes look up to their sports heroes, but last Thursday Olympic Gold Medalists Michael Phelps proved the feeling was mutual as he tossed a medal to 7-year-old Carson Sadler during the USA Swimming Grand Prix at the IUPUI Natatorium. Carson is the son of Jack and Casey Sadler of Danville.

Hope United Methodist Church will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on Sunday, March 13, at 10:30 a.m. The church is located at 1331 Section St. in Plainfield.