SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
Page A-2
The Republican
Delving Into Yester~Year
Local historian and writer Paul Miner takes items from
The Republican’s Yester-Year column to develop an interesting, informative and often humorous article.
To the Editor: Hard times hit Hendricks County in late 1883. A man named McCaslin near Lizton lost $28,000 “by the late decline of Chicago options.” That would be almost $746,000 today. Others in Danville and the county’s south side had lost in the neighborhood of $90,000, which in today’s dollars is about $2.4 million. “’Tis better to bear the poverty we have than to fly unto riches we know not of,” The Republican opined. As winter neared that winter, the paper advised “it might be well to perfect a benevolent association of some kind to provide for the poor and needy.” Many in town were in “a hard and protracted struggle with the wolf” due to sickness, “bad management, hard drinking or laziness.” The household head “may be and no doubt is responsible” for those hard luck and poverty cases. It was up to Danville’s “prosperous and provident” citizens to protect the wives and children of those ne’er-do-wells “from hunger and cold.” I could never count the no-counts and bad businessmen, or number Danville’s dipsomaniacs. I read per capita annual consumption during that era was 7.1 gallons of pure alcohol. I deduce most drank less, and many consumed much more. Don’t know about beer. Indiana had 70 large breweries in 1879, and a number of distilleries. The paper shared an observation: “Poverty is the only burden which grows heavier in proportion to the number of dear ones who have to help bear it.” A fellow named Richter was credited with that pith. I think he was a German Romantic writer who had died more than 50 years earlier. The Republican was sympathetic to poor, destitute women in March 1882. “You, reader, who are blessed with a comfortable home” and not missing meals was called upon to consider the plight of those wretched women who were “delicate, cultured, refined, and all unused to physical labor.” Many were “nursed in the lap of luxury, but thrown suddenly and helplessly upon the world by some social or domestic volcano that engulfed home and friends and left them stranded and alone to struggle with the hard conditions of cruel and relentless poverty.” Their “more fortunate sisters” could only imagine themselves in such straits, replete with woe, possibly tempted “into a gilded life of sin.” Society was “out of joint” and The Republican wondered whether “the favored of earth” had any clue that there was “little virtue in the goodness of one who has never been sorely tempted.” The following month, the paper offered this thought provoker: “Most people know something about the discipline of poverty, and feel quite ready to experience some of the awful responsibilities of wealth.” Readers also were advised to distrust anyone who “talks much of his honesty.” That reminds me of a truck salesman who chased after me as I drove off a lot. “We all know the result of an aimless, thriftless life,” a reprinted article declared in December 1884, “working only when the necessity or inclination prompts.” It was a work or starve life, “with the final remorse of having nothing to show for a life’s labor, but errors, distress and poverty; health and manhood gone and nothing left but neglected opportunities.” “The essential qualities of self-denial, perseverance and determination,” on the other hand, “cannot fail to produce good results.” Some were “kept in poverty through their own fault,” sermonized the Rev. Thomas De Witt Talmadge from the Brooklyn Tabernacle in June 1886, which The Republican dutifully reprinted. “They might have been well off, but they smoked or chewed up their earnings, or they lived beyond their means.” He overlooked illness, laziness, hard drinking, and economic downturns. North Salem correspondent Bob O Link condemned young shiftless townsmen content to “idle away their precious moments” while their mothers and sisters were “in pressing need at home. “They seem to think that to live and move is all that is necessary.” Once charity was exhausted and when “the last morsel is taken from the shelf,” and when mothers are “haggard and worn from constant toil, we ask you, young men, where is your manhood to give up work entirely, be nothing but a drone and allow such a calamity to come in our midst?” Paul Miner Lizton ______________________________________________________________________
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
Yester~Year
The Republican has published local news weekly since 1847. We offer this column as a look back at events from our archives and to help connect today’s readers to the people and events in our past. ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of July 30, 1896 Inez Osborne wants to exchange her wheel for one with a cow-catcher attachment. Hazelwood: Grant Stone has just finished burning a kiln of nearly 100,000 brick. The North Salem Herald suspended several issue ago. The plant has been sold to S.C. Gilman, of Indianapolis. It is understood that he will revive the paper. Henry Coates, founder of Coatesville, died at his home in Darlington, Saturday. He moved to Hendricks county in 1844 and laid out the town of Coatesville. Mr. Coates was a Friend. One of his last requests was that his body be taken to the cemetery in a common wagon. Ed Engleken has moved his cigar factory to the north side of the square in the Lingenfelter block. Mr. Engleken is now giving employment to five people. Miss Bessie Lee will teach in Kentucky next year. She has just taken an examination in Scott county and received a four years’ license. Her general average was 96 and a fraction. Lizton: District No. 3 has a new school house in progress. Contractors for the carpentering, Leak & Young, and Dillon, of Pittsboro, the masonry. Avon: Crews & Co. have the contract to deliver the brick to the new school house near Shiloh at eighty cents per thousand. They are shipped here by the contractor from Hancock county. _____ ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Issue of July 28, 1921 Fire of unknown origin destroyed the canning factory, south of the Big Four tracks, Saturday afternoon about six o’clock. The destruction was complete including the machinery and some 500 gallons of sorghum stored in the building. Harris F. Weesner, of Clayton, for some time instructor in printing at the Boys’ School at Plainfield, has resigned his position to accept the superintendency of the printing department of the city schools of Mishawaka. Directors of the Hendricks County Federation of Home Economics Clubs held a business meeting, Monday afternoon, when the signed a contract with Miss Ruth M. Dix, of St. Louis, Mo., as Home Demonstration Agent for Hendricks County. Why not a swimming pool for Danville in its splendid park? The answer to this question is up to the town board. For weeks, every evening, scores of people have been driving to Big Creek to enjoy a plunge. Hazelwood: The act presented by Sylvester, the Iron Jaw King, at the Cozy Theater last Saturday was the most unusual entertainment ever given here. He is coming back Saturday night, August 6th with an entire change of program. Pittsboro: Saturday, two more of our soldier dead arrived here, the remains of Otis E. Pierson and Ora Johnston. Their bodies were at once removed to their respective homes. Sunday funeral services were held, at 2 p.m., at the Christian church here and at Maplewood in the presence of a large gathering of relatives and under the auspices of the American Legion Post. The long corteges following the remains to the Pythian cemetery at Lizton, the funeral rites pronounced by the Legion Post as they laid their comrades to rest were an impressive ceremony. _____ SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of August 1, 1946 The Cassell C. Tucker Post of the American Legion of Greencastle assisted in the establishment of the American Legion Post of Pittsboro, Monday evening. Officials of Canterbury College announced this week that the curriculum of the new college is being reorganized in the direction of a liberal arts college. At a business meeting of the Danville Conservation club last Friday night, it was determined to form the club into a corporation. The move was made in order that the club might attempt to sell the real estate it now holds. Lawrence Cline, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Cline of Amo, recently signed a contract with Glen Curtis to play professional basketball with the new league. He attended school at State Normal in Terre Haute and played under Mr. Curtis there before entering the army. He served thirty-two months in the European Theater. A dissolution of partnership was announced this week by former member of the E.J. Roberts garages, in order to segregate dual franchises into two separate
firms. E.J. Robers has assumed complete ownership and control of the garage and agency for Dodge and Plymouth cars and Dodge trucks. Virgil MacCamack will move the agency and service department for Allis Chalmers farm machinery. An appeal has been voiced by Milford Hadley, park commissioner, for equipment for the boys enjoying supervised play each day under the direction of Danville’s high school coach, Robert Leedy. The boys are learning to play badminton, croquet, soft ball, and hard ball according to rules and sportsmanship of the games. A contract for the complete redecoration of Hargrave Hall, the library building and the administration building at Canterbury College has been let to Dickey & Dickerson Co. of Lebanon. _____ FIFTY YEARS AGO Issue of July 29, 1971 No. 17, the last girl in the line up of the 4-H Queen contestants, ended up at the head of the list, Sunday night, as she was crowned “Miss Hendricks County” to reign at the Fair. Miss Janice Kay Sullivan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Huston Sullivan of Washington Township, was crowned by Miss Betsy Dill, of Plainfield, the 1970 Queen. Rev. Bernard Burgert is the new pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Danville. Miss Polly Ratliff of Union Township, modeling her formal, was named overall grand champion of the Hendricks County 4-H Dress Revue. Edward M. Mertz, formerly of Danville, has been appointed to one of the top-ranking assignments with the engineering department of Chevrolet Motors Division. Waters Restaurant – 306 W. Main, Lizton – Sunday Menu, Roast Beef, Ham Steak, Pan-Fried Chicken, Baked Potatoes. Homemade pies every day. Approximately forty descendants of the Gill family enjoyed a picnic at the cabin of Brewer Gill, north of Danville, Sunday. Miss Inga Larsen was surprised Tuesday evening, when a large number of her ’71 graduating classmates had a farewell party, at the home and pool of Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Martin, Sr. Glenda Bolton, captain of the Danville A Team of the girls softball team, made a record hit, Friday evening, when she scored a home rum. This is the first home run scored since the girls softball team has been organized. _______ TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of July 25, 1996 Reigning as Queen of the Hendricks County 4-H Fair this week is 19-year-old Kim Butler, daughter of Richard and Jenna Butler of Brownsburg. Matthew D. Whetstone, age 27, Brownsburg Town Councilman and co-owner with his wife of Whetstone Associates, an interior design firm, was chosen to replace Sam Turpin on the GOP ballot for District 40 State Representative. Navy Ensign Aaron W. Dimmock, son of Wayne A. Dimmock of Plainfield, recently graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and was commissioned to his present rank in the U.S. Navy. Myrtle Mae Comer Loy (Mrs. Wendell D. Loy) of Avon celebrated her 100th birthday with her congratulating family, on July 19 and 20. Mrs. Mildred Hoge’s picture was in a daily paper one day last week. She has walked three miles a day, rain or shine, since 1980. ______ TEN YEARS AGO Issue of July 28, 2011 The Hendricks Regional Health Women’s center, Danville, has been designated a Breast Imagery Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Verlin and Sandi Clark of Greencastle, proudly announce the engagement of their daughter, Chelsea Clark, to Caleb Neier, son of Rick and Lisa Neier of Coatesville. On Tuesday, August 2nd, all citizens throughout Brownsburg are invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the 28th Annual National Night Out” crime and drug prevention event. The Hendricks Symphonic Society will provide a parade of great classical music during its 2011-12 concert schedule. The Annual Kersey Family Reunion took place on Sunday, July 17, at the Coatesville United Methodist Church. Jennifer Steward of Clayton was named to the dean’s list at the Savannah College of Design in Georgia. ___________
