SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
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The Republican Thursday, January 28, 2021
Delving Into Yester~Year
Local historian and writer Paul Miner uses items from The Republican’s YesterYear column to develop an interesting, informative and often humorous article.
... And Equal in the Sight of Men? To the Editor: Attitudes toward minorities and behavioral norms have evolved in the county since more than a century ago. Remnants lurk while some persistent views are there for all to grasp if they simply admit their eyes and ears are accurately functioning. The generally accepted post-Civil War racial divide was obliquely expressed, perhaps due to innocent ignorance. Danville had not yet hosted Klan parades attracting crowds of 10,000. It was commonplace to use demeaning language in referring to minorities. Perhaps no one white saw anything injurious about it. Consider black-face minstrel shows, that American national entertainment. Or the term “coloreds,” and mockingly exaggerated dialects in making jokes. Danville’s “burnt cork fraternity” provided two Masonic Hall “drawing room entertainments” just after Christmas 1870 to “large audiences, composed of our best citizens, who manifested their decided approval by unfeigned applause.” “Jokes, songs and burlesques” included “delineations of the Fifteenth Amendmenters,” with dances and comedies “strikingly true, and which “exhibited a talent for Negro Minstrelsy.” That amendment, giving black men the right to vote, had been ratified earlier in 1870. Blacks presented minstrel acts, too. “The colored minstrel troupe consisting of local artists,” along with talent from Paris, Illinois, gave a show in January 1890. Nonwhites were identified by their race. Danville Post Office regularly advertised unclaimed letters, and when one was for a black man in July 1882, “colored” appeared after his name. The “colored folks’” basket meeting in July 1885 near Pecksburg, where Old Settlers sometimes met, drew around 1,500, but three-fourths were white. Everyone was welcome to those faith gatherings. Rev. Charles Roberts, Plainfield, also black, preached morning and afternoon. In distant news, the paper reported in June 1885 that Henry O. Flipper, the first black West Point graduate, held a commission in the Mexican army, “and gets along very well with the ‘greasers.’” Little beyond his name was accurately reported. The American Doves of Protection, “a colored organization,” picnicked at Lum Tout’s woods in August 1885. About 75 from Indianapolis and 50 from Danville and nearby, along with 100 whites gathered. After building a platform, the group enjoyed dancing and singing. Come nightfall, the party moved to Danville’s skating rink, charging 15 cents for dancing. Whites were invited as spectators. “However, but few of the better class were present, although a number of men and boys (mostly from the lower element) . . . conducted themselves in such a manner as to mar the pleasure of the colored folks and cause them to lose all interest in the amusement.” Observing America is “a free country,” The Republican reproved, “if a white lady or gentleman choses to attend a colored dance . . . so long as the manager of the occasion does not object, there is no law to prevent them.” Whites mixing socially with blacks was “not a crime,” but “a matter of taste,” the paper continued, “yet public opinion censures anyone who does so, and if the young man or woman does not respect the opinion of the public, they should not and can not expect the public to respect them.” A “colored dance” at the rink three months later turned out well. “The tall and the short, the lean and the fat, the white and the black . . . all enjoyed a good time.” When John Lee grew the largest turnip seen around town, 22 inches in circumference and weighing 4-3/4 pounds, it also was necessary in October 1885 to clarify that he was “colored.” Societies, clubs and benefits could send $2 to Philadelphia in 1902 for a manuscript detailing everything needed to put on a successful minstrel show. The Ladies’ Auxiliary of Danville’s Sons of Veterans entertained with a luncheon and minstrel show in June 1920. Ten ladies in plantation costumes and blackface sang, danced “and worked off jokes until there was danger of some one becoming hysterical when the curtain was considerately rung down.” The Union’s Plainfield correspondent in October 1883, on Civil Rights, claimed the town’s black citizens “should feel proud that they can stand on equal footing with the white . . . they are free and equal in the eyes of the law.” Not then. Not now. Paul Miner Lizton ______________________________________________________________________
The Lees of Danville
John William Lee, mentioned in the article above, was born a slave in Virginia. He never knew the year he was born. During the Civil War he escaped to the Union line and was employed by the government to build foritifications around Washington, D.C. After the war, he came to Danville where he sold produce from his garden and did odd jobs. His daughter, Bessie, was the first Black graduate of Danville High School in 1893. Three of his sons also graduated from Danville. One of his sons, John Milton Lee (DHS 1910) help to found the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Indiana University, and in the first Battery of Negro Artillerymen in World War I. John William Lee’s story was equal to any of the “pioneers” but was never published in any histories of Hendricks County. It was, however, recorded in the pages of The Republican. ______________________________________________________________________
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Enjoy the musical talents of Dave Hatfield on the Hendricks County Senior Services Facebook page. Watch Dave perform live on Thursdays at 10 a.m. __________
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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 January 30, 1896 Stilesville: We have had a detective with us for a day or two looking up the Hinshaw case. New bridges are needed on the two streets leading to the depot. It is proposed to build an arch on Tennessee street and a bridge on Washington. The structures will cost from $1,200 to $1,600 each. The rate for electric lights for domestic use is fifty cents each per month for the first three lights and fifteen cents for each additional light. The North Salem Herald missed the issue of the 17th on account of the death of the editor’s daughter who was making her home at Brownsburg with her grandparents. The Shakespeare Club gave another of their enjoyable parties Friday evening at the pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Hadley. Fortune telling by means of the oracle finished an evening perfect in every way, one long to be remembered. Will exchange photographs for wood at Pendergast’s. Chas. G. McCurdy entertained last evening at “taffy pullin” his Sunday school class of little boys and their lady friends. Center township schools will have a six and one-half months term. The shortest term in the county is in Brown township where there will be 101 days of school. The Prohibitionists of Hendricks county met in mass convention yesterday to the number of twenty including state chairman Dunlap. They do say that Prosecutor Gulley decided to shave with one of these safety razors, constructed something on the principal of a lawn mower. He went into a room all alone, locked the door and worked for quite a time. When he emerged, one side of his face was more or shaved while the other was not touched. He went up town to the barber and had the job finished. _______ ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Issue of January 27, 1921 Marion township proposes to hark back to the days of yore and have an old fashioned fox drive, Saturday. The court house clock is running worse than ever this week. It is thought all four tires are down. Coatesville: A petition is being circulated to present to the T.H.I.&E. Traction Co., that they may hold the traction station open for the accommodation of night passengers. Clerk Woodward’s annual report to the State authorities shows that 27 divorces were granted in the local court in 1920. The number of children affected by the divorces granted was 10. Twelve people of foreign birth declared their intentions of becoming citizens. Civil cases filed in the year, 220. Criminal cases filed, 22. With its usual enterprise, the Klondike Milling Co. proposes to head a movement to send from Hendricks county a car of flour to the starving people in the Near East. Chester Little and Miss Kathryn Tinder, charming daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Tinder, were married at Monroe, Mich., Nov. 14. The marriage is the culmination of a romance that began in school days. About 40 years ago Mrs. Thomas Corcoran was left with the care of several little children. Not being able to keep them together, they were scattered among different families. John, aged four, was taken by a family named Wood and soon after taken by them to Arizona and for 35 years no word was had of him. Recently he came here and was sent to the Euliss home where he was directed to other members of his family resulting in a glad reunion of his sister and brothers at Indianapolis. ______ SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of January 24,1946 The Danville Warriors turned on the Brownsburg Bulldogs in the final session of the annual county basketball tourney in the Central Normal College gym, Saturday night, to claim the county trophy as well as retain the county keg. Miss Lillian Stogsdill, a senior of Brownsburg high school, who was chosen the Good Citizen to represent her school in the annual Good Citizenship Pilgrimage contest sponsored by the Wa Pe Key Way chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was awarded first place in the county, on the basis of a written examination held recently. Thomas E. Wilson of the music facility at Central Normal College is organizing an orchestra from skilled players throughout
the state. It will be known as the Hoosier Symphony orchestra and will present its first concert in the Central Normal College gymnasium, April 7, at 3 p.m. Percy Grainger, famous composer-pianist-conductor, will be featured. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ensminger have purchased three acres of ground at the intersection of Roads 136 and 39 from C.A. Disney and plan to build there in the spring. The house, a one-story structure, will be brick veneer, facing south. Washington Township Farmers Institute will be held at the Avon school, Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. Cash awards of $1.50 and 75 cents will be given for first and second place prizes, also blue, red, and white ribbons. ______ FIFTY YEARS AGO Issue of January 28, 1971 Two Danville artists are among the 160 Indiana painters being shown at the William H. Block Co. Auditorium, Indianapolis, in the 47th annual Hoosier Salon. Marti McCoy and Joan Kisner each have one painting in the exhibits. The operating fund of he Hendricks County Hospital reflected a $7,411 loss in 1961, but made a strong come-back in 1970 to show a $30,450 gain. Robert Jensen of Stevenson-Jensen Insurance Agency, Danville, received the second annual John Jenner III Outstanding Citizen Award. Eight teams have been organized from the 73 boys registered in the Junior Basketball League of Danville. Work on the new Church of God, Danville, is progressing at the corner of Mackey Road and the old Greencastle Road, southwest of town. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ahart, Danville, announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Therese Marie, to Sp/4 Dana Lewis Seegal. C. William Stall, of Danville, has been elected vice president of the Purdue University Ag Alumni Association. _____ TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of January 25, 1996 For the past 10 years, Hendricks Community Hospital has hosted area first graders during its annual “Day at the Hospital.” This year, about 1,100 first graders attended the program. The Home Economics Department at Danville Community High School is now the Family and Consumer Sciences Department. Connie Lawson has announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination as Senator of Indiana State District 24. Chief William Cope of the Danville Police Department announces that Sean Rink is the department’s newest officer. Stop the Steel Mill Coalition is a group of interested citizens who hope their efforts will offset the thousands and thousands of dollars being spent by Qualitech to influence the Brownsburg Town Council and Hendricks County officials. The Steel Plate Fabricators Association is honoring a Danville water tank as a new member of the exclusive Century Club. The 85,000 gallon tank began operation in 1892 and has served the community without fail for 103 years. ______ TEN YEARS AGO Issue of January 27, 2011 To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War, the Hendricks County Museum and Danville Public Library have joined together to plan a two-day Civil War festival at Danville, June 25-26. The Hendricks County Commissioner appointed Eric Wathen to preside over the board during 2011. Phyllis Palmer was named vice president. The Hendricks County Commissioners presented a proclamation honoring the Avon Marching Band at their Tuesday, January 25 meeting. Catching the attention of many who drive by the Hendricks County Highway Department at Danville are two massive snow plows. The blades of the plows have been colorfully painted by students from Mill Creek East Elementary. Ms. Jane Hazelton has joined the staff at the Clayton/Liberty Township Library the Children’s Librarian. Having been around for 85 years, it’s hard to take Betty Jean Weesner by surprise, but it happened Saturday, January 22, when she went to a local eatery for a meal and was surprised by friends celebrating her birthday. __________
