WILLIAM JACKSON'S NARRATIVE OF PIONEER INCIDENTS-HARNESS-SHOP IN MUNCIE-OLD, DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS ON ELIGIBLE SITES-THE FIRST COURT HOUSE A FRAME-INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH IT-DR. S. P. ANTHONY'S OFFICE AND STORE -MARTIN GALLIHER'S STORE-JOHN MARSHALL'S TAVERN-CENTRAL HOTEL OR JO DAVIS HOUSE-CHARLES WILLARD AND THOMAS KIRBY'S STORE- MR. LOCKWOOD'S BUILDING-ED KEASBY'S HAT STORE-JAMES MARTIN'S DRUG STORE-JAIL AND SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE-PUBLIC SQUARE-OLD ELM TREE-WOOLEN MILL-CONFLAGRATION-POST OFFICE, RAILROAD CELEBRATION - MARKETS - ROUSER BILL, THE COBBLER-PRIVATE SCHOOL-BLACKSMITH AND WAGON SHOP-EARLY MAILS-EARLY SOLDIERS-INDIAN VILLAGE-MOUND---GRAVEYARD-INDIAN TRAIL-OTHER INCIDENTS.
When I came here, which was in the year 1885, the town presented then, and a few years after, about the following appearance: On the northeast corner of Walnut and Washington streets, the present site of the post office, John Brady kept a harness shop. The building fronted to the west on Walnut street It was a frame, one story high, with a very low, ceiling, and about, say, 16x24 feet in dimensions. It was weather-boarded and very much weather-beaten; inside it was ceiled between the rafters, presenting the appearance of an inverted V, in front having one door and a window. On the northwest corner of Walnut and Washington streets, was an open space of about twenty or twenty-five feet. Immediately to the north of this space stood an old, dilapidated brick building, unoccupied, at that time nearly in ruins. It fronted on Walnut Street also, and was one story high. The vacant corner, above described, had no fence around it. That corner is the present site of the Muncie National Bank. West on Washington Street, from the corner and immediately adjoining this vacant space on the west, was a one-story frame building, badly weather-beaten. Its front faced the south, had a door in front, and one window with shutters. Further west, and on the corner of the alley, stood a story and a half frame building, in which Moses Neely lived, at that time keeping a few boarders, students who were attending the Seminary, then located out in the country, the present site of the West End School Building, on West Jackson street. West, on the other side of the alley, stood a small frame building, occupied, I believe, by a man named Osborn, as a dwelling house. The building was a one and a half story, and stood a little way back from the street it had ventilators over the windows and doors-fan-shaped-peculiar to the architecture of that day, and painted green. I think there were a door and two windows below and one above. From this point west to the corner, a row of frame shanties was located, in one of which, about where Dr. Budd has his dental office, Dr. Clark's office was situated. He was one of the practitioners of that day, and had a good practice. The corner lot, however, was vacant.
On the northwest corner of High and Washington streets was a vacant lot, but shortly after I came, and between 1845 and 1847, Job Swain built the present building, now occupied as a pump-shop by Smell & Puckett. The house was built for a residence and occupied by him for a number of years.
On the southwest corner of the same streets was located a dwelling-house, in which John Barnes, a brother of William, resided. On the west side of High street, south of Washington, the present site of the marble-shop, was an old, dilapidated dwelling-house, a small one-story frame, which was finally moved away. The next building was the court house, all the grounds on either side of it being vacant. The court house was a two-story frame building, with its gable facing the street. It had two doors and four windows in the front, six windows in the upper story. The timbers in it were all hewed and put together with wooden pins. When I saw it first, it was getting very much dilapidated, the floors and timbers getting out of place. When I had been here some time, it took fire, and we all turned out and worked as, for our lives, to put it out, which we succeeded in doing. Afterward, however, reflecting on our foolishness, we wondered why we had been so anxious to save it- it was a nuisance and should have been torn down. (Page 34)
CHAPTER IV
THOMAS S. NEELY'S REMINISCENCES-EARLY MERCHANTS AND THEIR TRADE-FURS AND PELTS-OLD TEAMSTERS AND OVERLAND TRANSPORTATION IN PIONEER TIMES-OTHER MERCHANTS-SALOONS- BLACKSMITHS-WAGON-SHOP-SOME EARLY BUILDINGS IN MUNCIE -SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES - DISTILLERY-GRIST-MILL- HACKLEY s RESERVE-GILBERT'S TAVERN-THE OT.D FORD-KIRBY HOUSE -CABINET-SHOP-RAILROADS-HON. O. H. SMITH-CANAL-INDIAN GRAVEYARD-BURNING AT THE STAKE-HACK LINE-COURT HOUSE -TAILOR SHOP-SEWING-MACHINE, ETC.
When Mr. Neely came to Muncie, in February 1839, Messrs. Willard and Kirby were doing the principal mercantile business of the town. They were general merchants, and were located on the northeast corner of Walnut and Main streets, having some time previously moved from an old frame building on the north side of Washington street, west of High, Where they had originally commenced business in Muncietown, and which, from the corner of Franklin street to the corner of Walnut, was the principal business portion of the town, and was built up with either log or rude frame buildings. When these gentlemen commenced in the then large and spacious building erected by them, they were prepared to meet all the demands of trade; in fact it was argued that this business would never be equaled in the sown of Muncie. It was large, it was in advance of the times, it was replete with all goods then on demand in the market; besides, it was one of the largest and finest buildings in this part of the country and much the largest in the town. It stands yet, and is occupied by a shoe store but the surroundings have obscured its prominence; and there on one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the city, stands the relic of what was once the most beautiful and complete business houses in the town, belonging yet to the estate of Mr. Willard. The class of business done by these parties was general, such as dry goods, groceries, hats and caps, boots and shoes, hardware, crockery-ware and the general line of goods then in demand. They had men out over the country purchasing, etc., principally coonskins. The firm was a very large dealer in this trade, and purchased furs from all the surrounding country, many lots being taken in exchange for goods. The method of re-stocking and shipping was by wagon to Cincinnati, over what was called the Richmond State road, but what is now known as the Muncie and New Burlington Turnpike. The men thus engaged, were "Jo Davis," Sims Coon, Jacob Armpriester and Increase Sears. These parties would load their great heavy wagons with furs, peltries, etc and start on their journey, which was usually out on Main Street, to the west, until, at Madison Street, the Richmond road bore off to the southeast. They always returned with a load, "back-load," as it was called, of such articles and materials as the country demanded. They usually had an order for goods for the merchant, iron for the blacksmith together with drugs, oils, paints, hardware, salt, fish, molasses, groceries of all kinds, indeed, nothing was brought into the settlement any other way. These trips usually consumed from a week to ten days, each way, and longer when the roads were bad. Main Street was one continued mass of mud from end to end, and this, too, nearly all the year round. Buggies and spring wagons were unthought of. The old heavy Virginia and other classes of wagons were the only vehicles of transportation, and it was "trudge, trudge along, from morning till night," camping out, on extended trips, buffeting all kinds of weather, and enduring all kinds of hardships. At the time of Mr. Neely's advent here, there were but two stores in the town, Messrs. Willard & Kirby, and Messrs. Jack & Russey. The latter firm was located on the north side of Main street, between Walnut and Mulberry streets, on the east side of the alley, the present site of the Globe Block, in a small one-story frame building. They were principally engaged, at that time, in the sale of dry goods, but kept other classes of goods also. Russey went to California during the gold excitement, and died, or was killed. Jack died and was buried here, some years ago. His widow still survives him, living at Muncie. On the southwest corner of Main and Mulberry streets was located, in a small, rude frame building, a man (name not remembered) who was running a saloon known as the "Great Western"-a very large name for so small a business. It is not related of him that be did a very lucrative business, or that his place was very orderly. It is said, however, that it was a "very hard place," and that he sold very mean whisky. On Main street, west of High, on the present site of a Kline's residence, was situated a rather dilapidated log structure, occupied by a man named Cox, who also was engaged in selling whisky, as well as in drinking his-own goods. When Mr. Neely came here, the story had gained currency that the proprietor would put in a glass of water for each glass of whisky he would draw out for himself; and, as winter came on and cold weather set in, it was no uncommon occurrence to find, icicles hanging to the spigot. His goods, however, found ready sale, and he, was sustained in business for some length of time. Madison Whiteside was engaged in the blacksmithing business. His building, a very rough frame or plank construction, was located on a portion of the lot immediately west of the Kirby House. Mr. Neely called upon him one day and did a job of setting tires on a wagon, and, the work being so well and quickly done, he was greatly awed, and suggested a partnership at once. Mr. Neely, however, declined, for the reason that he could not stoop over to shoe horses. A partnership was nevertheless formed, and Mr. Neely was excused from the task of shoeing horses. Mr. Neely had worked at the trade some time before coming to Muncie, and had previously, or when he first came here, engaged, in a small way, in the grocery business. The partnership was formed in the winter of 1839-40, and they continued in business together about four years. About this time, "hard times" set in, and, there being little money in circulation, on the suggestion of Mr. Whiteside, the partnership was dissolved. Each then commenced business for himself, Mr. Neely on the old site, and Mr. Whiteside across the street, on the present site of Bower & Klopper's carriage factory. They continued in opposition here for several years, when Mr. Whiteside sold out to Mr. Neely, making an agreement never to engage in the business in Delaware County. Mr. Whiteside subsequently moved to the West. The house and lot were sold to Mr. Neely for $800, and were sold by Mr. Neely, some three or four years ago, for $4,000. About the same time, a man named Henry Stover was engaged in making running gear, etc., for wagons, and was also located immediately west of the Kirby House. Some time after I came here, Martin Galliher came also, and engaged in the mercantile business. Martin was then, as he is now, a jolly, good-natured soul, and was quite an accession to the business of the town. He became a very popular merchant, and did a flourishing business, making quite an inroad upon the other merchants, and spread some consternation among them, so that after a time some one or more of them sued for peace. Martin, true to his instincts and business sagacity, gave them terms of compromise, but eventually proved that the cash plan, which was his plan, was the only successful one. His place of business was on the south side of Main, west of Walnut Street, the present site of Haines' dry-goods store, and the same building. He kept a general store and purchased and traded in produce, etc. I remember of William Jones purchasing an acre of ground where John Reed now lives, and that this place was considered a great way out of town, in fact, in the country. It is now one of the finest portions of the city of Muncie. Dr. Burt built a house on a part of this ground. Subsequently, however, he removed to the eastward, on account of the malarious climate. At that time, the house was hardly considered as being in Muncietown. Afterward it was converted into a schoolhouse, and was known as the "Burt Schoolhouse," reconstructed in 1850. Here one of Muncie's earliest schools was taught, maintained by private subscription. This building stood on the corner of Vine and Jackson streets, and seemed to me to be a half a mile out of town. This was about 1842. I remember that I called a meeting of the citizens to take place in this schoolhouse, to make arrangements for a school levy, and such other steps as were necessary for securing greater school facilities. On the first evening, no one came; on call again, no one came. At the third meeting, there were but few present. We made a levy of 25 cents on the $100 valuation. This had to be done for two or three years before we received anything. Finally, we secured funds enough and built the little brick schoolhouse that stands on Main Street, now owned by Mr. Isaac Meeks, and is used as a dwelling house. A Mr. Harter did the brickwork. The inside we hand pointed, like the outside, in order to save plastering. The brick were purchased from D. T. Haines and Henry Hankins, who were burning a kiln hard by, for the purpose of building a brewery. Goldsmith C. Gilbert built and operated a distillery near the bank of the river, a short distance below the grist-mill of Wysor & Kline. It was built before I came here-a frame. Its manufacture was principally used at this point; some, however, was shipped to various places in the country. I never learned whether his 'tangle-foot' was of equal or superior quality, compared with that brought from Cincinnati. His still was considered of good proportions, and he manufactured quits largely.
The first grist-mill built in Muncie, if not in the county, was situated a short distance below the present mills of Wysor & Kline; was rather a small frame structure, furnished with two rims of stone, one for wheat and one for corn. At what time, it was built I do not remember, but it was built by Goldsmith C. Gilbert, in a very early day. Mr. Gilbert was the owner of the Hackley Reserve, which he purchased for $960. He was a trader, and had a trading-house on the reserve.
William Gilbert built a tavern in an early day, on the ground now occupied by the jail, and was near the head of the' ford,' which was at the bend in the river, just where the bridge on the Wheeling pike crosses, at the head of High street. In low water, this was the principal crossing-place; but, at other times, a ferry afforded crossing facilities further up and just where the Granville road crosses the river, on a continuation of Walnut street, the point where the covered bridge is now located. It was run at this time (1838-39) by Miles Smith. He had a large flatboat, and poled or paddled it from one side of the river to the other, charging a liberal fee for transportation; don't remember how much.
Mr. Gilbert's tavern was a very popular resort, and all were very, hospitably entertained. His house was an old-fashioned plain frame, with plain front and not painted. You passed in, as was usual in those days in all taverns, to a bar-room, where the good-natured landlord met you and greeted you with a smile, and a little of the "old stuff, just to warm ye up." On an old post on the outside the traveler was informed that it was an inn. By-and-by, an old-fashioned large sign swung in a wooden frame and squeaked out its monotonous noise, that either lulled the weary traveler to sleep or kept him wide awake the night through. A good meal was always served at Gilbert's, and the traveler felt at home when he reached this place.
On the present site of the Kirby House, Joseph Anthony also kept a tavern. The building was a two-story frame, of good substantial build, and finally demolished to make room for the present edifice, Mr. Kirby-having purchased the realty from Mr. Anthony. Mr. Anthony was a natural cripple, one of his legs being somewhat shorter than the other. He was a lawyer by profession, and was, at one time, elected Judge of the court. He ran the tavern for many years, and up to the time of the sale of the property to Mr. Kirby, a short time before the building of the Kirby House, it was a place of entertainment, becoming, how-ever, rather ordinary in its last days. It was very much dilapidated, and was all-unkempt. A cabinet-shop was kept by James Hodge, on the north side of Washington Street, west of Willard & Kirby's store, but west of High street. Sometime after I came here, my brother started a cabinet-shop. He was located on the north side of Washington street, west of High, but a little east of Hodges. I don't remember whether or not he was in a frame or log building. There was a number of both kinds along there; in fact, there was a row of buildings of these classes, occupied by various persons, some as dwelling-houses and some as business houses, in that locality.
At the time of the agitation of the railroad question over the country, in 1851, I thought we ought to have-a railroad connection, but did not know where, only that we ought to have an outlet. The canal outlet had failed in reaching us, and railroads were beginning to excite the people. I got up a paper and carried it around among our people, but failed to excite any particular interest. Dr. Anthony laughed at me, and said it was foolishness to talk about such a thing. A meeting, however, was called at the courthouse, and brought out a large crowd. Several persons addressed the meeting, myself among them. No one had any idea where the road was to be built, or to what point. Some suggested Fort Wayne, in order to connect with the canal. I was not favorable to that project, because it would freeze up. Others suggested Connersville, Indianapolis, Bellefontaine, etc. I was most in favor of a connection to the southwestward, to join the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, then just completed and put in running order. We were finally solicited by parties both from Fort Wayne and Bellefontaine, and, finally agreed to join with the Bellefontaine folks. The manner in which the question was settled was indeed novel. Ata meeting at the Ohio State line, where Union City is now located-there was no Union City then-after a number of speeches had been delivered from a box, it was decided to put the question to the test, and all who were favorable to Bellefontaine were directed to take one side of the door as they filed out, and those favorable to other points, the other side. It was found that the Bellefontaine folks had two-thirds majority over all. 0. H. Smith was made the first President of the road. Thus was formed and permanently located a road destined to become one of the most-important roads in the Northwest, and that, too, here in Muncie, and by one of Muncie's own and most-respected citizens. Mr. Kirby, also, was an active and diligent worker for the construction of the road, and to his energy and industry is due much of the credit for the completion of this road to and from Muncie.
At the time of the projection of the Central Canal through Indiana, it was seriously thought that Muncie would be made the head of the feeder, by throwing a large dam across White River at this point. The large bend in the river here being, perhaps, the incentive. At all events, a great excitement was caused by such a plan, and the citizens felt that they were to be put in connection with the great chain of canals that were about to be completed from the lakes to the Ohio River. Had this plan been carried out, the feeder would have supplied water from this point to Anderson, where it would have formed a junction with the main canal, instead of Daleville, where it was afterward decided upon and built, and which has since been taken up by a company and used for hydraulic purposes.
When I came here, an Indian graveyard was in a good state of preservation, located on the north bank of the river, about fifty yards back from the river, and about three hundred yards west of the Granville road. There were a great many graves visible, and a number of remains had been, and were then being, exhumed by the curious relic hunters and others. This was the principal burying-ground of the Delaware Indians at this point.
On the farm of Samuel Cecil, in Section 25, Center Township, in 1839, was a piece of ground near the side of the then Richmond State Road, now the New Burlington Pike-where, tradition says, a Col. Winchester was burned at the stake by the Indians. The stake was visible when I came, and was charred; around it, for a distance of about fifty feet, it was level, and smooth, and round like a circus ring, only not thrown up on the circle. This tradition had gained considerable credence at the time, and all believed it to be true.
Some time subsequent to the date of my coming to this county, Jo Davis and a Mr. Gilbert, of Richmond, owned and ran a hack-line between Richmond and this point. Mr. Gilbert was a landlord in a tavern at Richmond, and Jo Davis on the corner of Main and Walnut streets, in Muncie. The building here became famous, and was known in Muncie as the "Jo Davis corner," the present site of the Patterson Block. This house became a popular resort, and in latter years the proprietor did a very good business. The hack-line had built one of those "very elegant" old coaches known as the "Rockaway," with great leathern springs. There were three seats in the coach, and the necessary baggage facilities in the rear and on the top. The trips were made three times a week, carrying the mails. Prior to the establishment of this line, but one mail each week was run over the road to Richmond. Edward Keasby was Postmaster here at that time, and the office was located on the northeast corner of Main and Mulberry streets. A number of us clubbed together and had boxes made and put into the office at our own expense. These were the first boxes put into the office. The Postmaster, previous to this, had very rude for handling the mails. I was assigned No. 48, and have ever since retained that number. The hack-line was discontinued when the rail road was completed to Muncie.
The place of holding courts prior to the completion of the court house, was in a small frame building on the west side of High street, north of Main, on the site of Wachtel & Tyner's harness-shop. Courts were, however, held in some other place before that time, but this was the courthouse when I came here, and at which time the foundation of the present courthouse had just been laid. This foundation was laid in the fall of 1838, and the building erected in 1839, by a man, Morgan John, who, through some mismanagement or other outside of this contract and with it, broke up, and a Mr. Shaffer was employed to finish the carpenter work. The building was considered a marvel of beauty, and, in fact, was the finest structure in many surrounding counties.
A man by the name of W. H. Perkins came and commenced business here, as a tailor, in one of the small rooms in a frame building on the north side of Main Street, between Mulberry and Walnut, the present site of Birt & Kirby's grocery store. Some of our citizens learned the trade with him, among whom were Wash Green and Samuel Rodman. He came here some time after my arrival and located as above, but subsequently removed his shop and opened up a larger and more complete business on the east side of Walnut, north of Main Street. He brought the first sewing machine into the town. It was one of. Singer's manufacture and excited great curiosity. Everybody went to see it work, and all kinds of opinions were passed as to its practicability. The machine was purchased at Indianapolis, at Indiana's first State Fair, in 1852. It was one of Singer's first build, and was purchased by Mr. Perkins for $250. (Page 36-38)