LXIV.  PUBLIC BUILDINGS

 

There is nothing, probably, in the whole range of public improvements, that attracts the attention or makes a deeper impression on the minds of the people than the public buildings of a county. Marshall county has been fortunate in the erection and maintenance of public buildings that have been an honor and a credit to the county. They might have cost more, but possibly they might not have answered the purpose for which they were intended any better than the buildings we have erected and now have. The first public building. erected in the county was the courthouse, stipulated in the agreement between the proprietors and the board of locating commissioners, and completed according to contract in October, 1836. Its dimensions were twenty by thirty feet, One story high, and it was erected on lot No.22, being the lot on the corner of Adams and Michigan streets. This was a temporary concern and was used only about four years, when the first courthouse built by the county was erected. This first building erected in 1836 was used for the purposes for which it was intended until the county built the first courthouse after the organization of the county; about 1840. The old building was used as a carpenter shop, cabinet shop, and for other purposes, and was afterwards purchased by Mr. L. Lumis, and moved on his lot east of the Michigan road, or as it is called, "Michigan street," where for several years he used it as a barrel factory, and later overhauled it and made it into a dwelling, which at this time is occupied by the family of John Fogle.

 

The First Courthouse Erected by the county.

 

The contract for the building of the first courthouse erected by the county was awarded to Levi C. Barber, May 8, 1840. As compensation for building the same, it was agreed by the board of commissioners that he should have all the lots donated by the proprietors of the town unsold at the time the contract was made, except the lot on which the courthouse was to be built. He was also to receive a small amount of money and notes, except about $517 in notes in the hands of the county agent. From an estimate of the value of the lots at that time, it is thought the probable expense of building the courthouse was about $5,000. The lumber of which it was built was manufactured at the sawmill at Wolf creek, five miles southwest of Plymouth. The old mill has long since gone to decay, and within the last year or two the court ordered the old mill dam to be taken out, which has been done, and the old mill, which was one of the original

 


                                                HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.                         337

 

landmarks in Marshall county, has passed away, and not a vestige of it remains to remind one of the scenes and incidents that occurred there three-quarters, of a century ago.

 

The rising generation and those who come after them will be interested in knowing tat the courthouse in question was the finest temple of justice, at that time, in northern Indiana. Its dimensions were about fifty by eighty feet, two stones in height, with a cupola and winding stairs to the top. Offices of about fourteen by sixteen, on the first floor, were provided for the clerk, treasurer, auditor, recorder and surveyor. The second floor was used entirely for court purposes. When the second courthouse was commenced in 1870, this old courthouse was sold at auction in 1871, for  $150 to A. C. Thompson, and by him transferred to M. W. Downey, who removed it to a vacant lot on the then Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago railroad west of the present school building, where it was converted into a stave factory. During a heavy thunderstorm one evening in July, 1874, it was struck by lightning, caught fire, and in less than an hour was a mass of ruins.

 

The Last and Present Courthouse.

 

In 1872 the present courthouse was completed and the several county officers moved into the various rooms assigned to them. It is an elegant brick and stone structure, complete in all its parts; with all the offices fireproof, and the courtroom, halls, offices and jury rooms beautifully frescoed.

 

The plans and specifications were prepared by G. P. Randall, of Chicago

 


338                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

and accepted by the board of county commissioners, consisting of Hiram A. Rank, Jonas Miller and Henry Krause, and the contract let to Epperson and Favorite, of La Fayette, under whose direction the work was commenced in April, 1870, and from that time on was pushed vigorously.

 

On tile twenty-fifth of August the cornerstone of the building was laid with appropriate and imposing ceremonies, under the general committee appointed to make the arrangements, consisting of John C. Cushman, William W. Hill, Henry G. Thayer, 0. H. P. Bailey and Martin H. Rice, of whom Henry G. Thayer was subsequently made secretary and W. W. Hill treasurer. H. G. Thayer was also selected as grand marshal. The following was the program of exercises prepared by the committee :

 

1. Music by the Fort Wayne band.

2. Invocation by Rev. George H. Thayer, of Bourbon.

3. "Song, "Oh, Hail Us, Ye Free," by the Glee Club.

4. Laying the cornerstone, by Grand Master Martin H. Rice.

5. Song, I've Meet Upon the Level, by the Glee Club.

6. Address by Hon. Charles H. Reeve.

7. German song, by the German Glee Club.

8. Music by Nevins & Dean's band, of Chicago.

9. Anvil Chorus, Plymouth Silver Cornet band and Glee club, under direction of Daniel    

    McDonald.

10. Music by Bremen band.

11. Music by Warsaw band.

12. Doxology, by all the bands and audience.

13. Benediction by Rev. L. C. Buckles.

 

The editor of the Voice of Masonry, Chicago, being present, gave among other things the following in regard to "the day's doings:"

 

One of the many interesting incidents of the day was a dinner, provided for the Masonic bodies by the citizens and Masonic body in Plymouth, before the ceremonies of the day, in the beautiful grove of trees belonging to the seminary, in which the ladies of Plymouth acquitted themselves

admirably in all the arrangements to supply the wants of the inner man. The provisions were ample and most excellent, while the abundant supply of Iced crystal water, and splendid coffee, was such as to indicate that the ladies of Plymouth know how to keep an open-air hotel to perfection. May they often be employed in a like good work, which we need not say we

should be happy to witness.

 

In reviewing the accomplishment of the exercises upon the program, We deem it a duty and pleasure to note the excellencies of, indeed, all concerned; especially, however, we may remark that the No. 1 music by the Fort Wayne band was a credit to the musical talent of the band, and exhibited great proficiency and beauty in the piece executed we did not learn its name. The glee club also did splendidly for an open air concert, which is always a great difficulty to keep in time and harmony. In that beautiful song, however, of Brother Past Grand Master Rob Morris, of Kentucky, which will render his name immortal, "We meet upon the level, and part upon the square," they were sublime. Brother A. C. Thompson, of Plymouth, sang the solo with great feeling, perfect harmony and in a key that sent the sentiments thrilling through every heart.' Again, in the Anvil Chorus by this club, under the direction of Daniel McDonald, aided by

 


HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.                                     339

 

the Plymouth Silver Cornet band, the music was rendered in a manner unsurpassed, while the silver chimes on the half dozen anvils were most beautifully smitten, in time and tune. The local bands of Bremen and Warsaw were also in excellent time, order and beauty. As to the Chicago

band of twenty pieces (Nevins & Dean's Band), who that knows what they are capable of will be otherwise than convinced that they discoursed music hardly surpassed by any band in existence.

 

Hon; A. L. Osborn, of LaPorte, who was then judge of the Marshall circuit court, had been selected by the committee as orator of the day, but owing to sickness was unable to attend, Hon. Charles H. Reeve, the oldest member of the Marshall county bar, was then selected "on the spur of the moment," and although he had but a few hours to prepare what he had to say, made a splendid effort, which will last in the memory of the people until the cornerstone itself shall crumble to dust. Since then the distinguished C. H. Reeve has passed over the mystic river to the great beyond, and it seems fitting that at least a portion of this address, which contains much food for. thought for the present and future generations, as a memorial to his name and fame should be given. After a few preliminary remarks he said:

 

“The people of Marshall county have met to lay the cornerstone structure, which will be their temple of justice, and within which must be kept the records of her whole history, past and future, and where must be transacted all the business relating to her people and their prosperity. Her representative business men must sit here to hold intercourse with other municipalities like herself, with the state, and with all individuals having public business within her borders; and from the impression made by them must go abroad the opinions of men as to the capacity of the people to govern themselves. The extensive interests involved in her administration, and the important duties demanded by mankind, so far as they affect her people center here; and from here must emanate in wisdom or folly. that kind of administration of public affairs which will make her people prosperous and wise, or bring them burdens and ignorance, and offer great inducements, or none at all, for capital or intelligence to make their home with her. The management of schools and the funds to maintain them ; the valuation of property; the levy of taxes; the collection of and accounting for the public money; the care of the poor; the directions for public improvements ; the provisions for the safekeeping of persons charged with crimes; the preservation of the records of the titles to property; the administration of justice at the hands of the ministers of the law all will have their center here, and from here will go out the reputation that shall make her fame-good or bad. It is fitting, then, that the chief cornerstone of this temple shall be laid with ceremonies, amid scenes and in presence of witnesses that shall constitute the act an era in the county's history; and it is an occasion when eloquence could give utterance to thoughts in words which would leave impressions on the memory not to be forgotten.

 

"That ancient craft, organized when the glory of Israel's inspired king filled the known world with fame in the erection of that wondrous temple their hands created in all its magnificence, and whose order now is found in every land beneath the sun, have laid the cornerstone of almost every public building in the land, and here, today, with their imposing ceremonies,

 


340                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

lay down for us the corner of this structure, in which shall hereafter center so many vital interests of our people. Within that stone now lies a synopsis of the record of her history to this day. There are names of men---0ur sometime public servants who have long since gone down the dusty road on the march to the home of the dead, and their busy minds, which once sat here in judgment for us, have ceased to think and plan. For each of them, 'the dome of thought, the temple of the soul,' has crumbled back to dust; but their names live here, and 'their works do follow them.' Time shall crumble the walls to be here erected. We shall be where those dead servants are, and our names shall not be known; but in the long years yet to come, nations who come after us may find these records and these names here deposited, and thus are formed the links in the great chain of history which binds the past to the ever-existing present.

 

"Here, too, for us as well as those to come, is food for thought. Only thirty years ago, and we numbered 126 voters; now we number 6,309! Then our whole population was only 630; now it is about 25,000. Then we had only $461,000 of taxables supposing the valuation to be one-third-and that mostly in wild lands owned by non-residents; now we have nearly $15,000,000, owned mostly by residents. Then we had no rail- roads, no telegraphs, no church buildings, few and widely scattered log schoolhouses, no educational system or public funds to sustain one; now see the contrast, and realize that nearly all the vast improvements that bring all the world together in a week-a day-an hour have principally emanated from the minds of American citizens, and are the legitimate out-growth of that system of government of, which our counties form a part.

 

"See here today the thousands assembled, who, a few short hours ago, were at their homes long miles away, and in a few hours hence will be there again, moving all the time with the ease and comfort of an afternoon visit at the residence of some friend; again, behold the contrast. These men whose names we have preserved beneath that stone in their day would have been weeks, by rude conveyance and camping out, in making such a round.

 

"Ah me! well I remember all their faces. And I remember, too, many of the faces of the wild Indians among whom they came to open up the wilderness that has given place to all this civilization we now enjoy. I knew these men, and how they lived. And I saw the red men and their wives and children torn from their homes here by the soldiers and driven from the graves of their fathers, almost in sight of this spot where I now stand, by the sharp bayonet of the soldier, leaving the land for us.

 

" And all these names of the early judges and members ,of the bar- how their forms and faces now come back to me! The Invincible, punning Everts; the English-like judge, S. C. Sample; the Websterian-Looking , Liston ; the wily Jernegan, the eloquent Hannegan; the scholarly Bradley;  the scientific Niles; the witty Orton; I cannot pause to name them all, but their faces rise up before me as they were. Some live yet; some have gone to visit 'that bourn whence no traveler returns.' But they were with us  and of us; and no portion of the state, or of any state, has seen better lawyers, truer men, or, as a class, those who have left a better record. Peace to the ashes of those who are gone; a serene and prosperous old age to those who are left! It makes me sad to go back in memory to those early days and note the havoc made by death, It makes me proud to  

 


341                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

note the progress made within the space upon which these men have left the impress of their actions and their thoughts. Within the walls here to be erected, no pro founder logic, no more thrilling eloquence, no more sparkling wit, will e'er be heard than has fallen from their lips-now cold in the silent chambers of the dead!

 

"But the living claim our attention. Here before us is the foundation, and about us are the materials and the workmen; what shall come of it ? A beautiful and substantial structure, to battle with time and with the elements. .For what use ? The administration of public justice, the protection of private rights, the punishment for public wrongs, ,the preservation of the public records. Who shall inhabit here ? The servants of the people. By what rule shall they be selected ? Because of their fitness, both as to capacity and moral integrity, let us hope. What a trust is here ! Shall we ever have a Jeffries on the bench ? God forbid! Shall Justice sit blindfolded, while Ignorance, in the person of her minister, the judge, directs her to strike right or left with her sword, without regard to the right or without the ability to see which is right ? Heaven forbid! Shall public opinion, founded on rumor, walk into the jury box and dictate the verdict without regard to evidence ? Maya just system of education make it impossible. How shall we insure the non-pollution of this temple and make it the fit home for justice to dwell in ? By being just ourselves, and fit to be her ministers. By rejecting demagogues. By respecting the law and its ministers, and by making them respect us. By refusing to select them in party or political caucus, and by selecting the purest and most competent men we have, and then paying them a salary sufficient to command their attention to our call for their services, and pension them when they have served till they are old. By crushing, with the contempt of an outraged public, the men who enter the political arena to use its contaminating influences to reach the bench. Above all, having, as a people, permitted such a system to be inaugurated, and many of our good men to be dragged within its action against their sense of right, let us do away with it at the earliest possible moment, and recognize the fact-as patent as sunlight-that cheap salaries command cheap men, and cheap men will degrade justice and bring the law into contempt; the Lex- Talionis - the mother of anarchy-follows.

 

"May no such fate follow the imposing ceremonies of this day. May no such contamination pollute the beautiful structure whose cornerstone has this day been laid. May our judges be wise lawyers and honorable gentlemen, and may our people recognize their right to commensurate respect and compensation. May our county offices be always filled by the best men we have who are best fitted for the stations to be filled. May our prosperity continue and our county become the home of still greater intelligence, industry and enterprise, and may the reputation of her public men be such as to bring to us the wealth and intelligence from abroad which would seek a resting place only amid an honorable people, whose public servants can be safely trusted with the public interests, and where courts and the law are respected."

 

Daniel McDonald, being clerk of the court when the several county offices were moved from the old to the new, courthouse, spread upon the judge's docket of the court on the day named. the following :

 


342                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

"Be it remembered, that, on the eleventh day of June, 1872, the records, books and papers of the several county offices were removed into the new courthouse, just completed at a cost of $105,000. The officers of the county at this time are: Daniel McDonald, clerk; Hiram C. Burlingame, auditor; John Soice, treasurer; John W. Houghton, recorder; Daniel K. Harris, sheriff ; Morgan Johnson, surveyor; John Bauer, Jr ., coroner ; Hiram A. Ranck, Jonas Miller and Henry Krause, commissioners."

 

Judge Thomas S; Stanfield, of South Bend, presided at the first term of court held in the new building, and Daniel K. Harris, sheriff, first opened court therein with the usual "Hear ye! hear ye! hear ye! the honorable Marshall circuit court is now in session, pursuant to adjournment, and all persons having business herein can now be heard." .

 

Daniel McDonald, clerk of said court, then spread upon the order book of said court the following entry:

 

"Be it remembered that, at a term of the circuit court of Marshall county, state of Indiana, began and held at the new courthouse, in Plymouth, Indiana on the first Monday of August, 1872, and on the first judicial day of said term, the same being August 5, 1872, there were present the Hon. Thomas S. Stanfield, judge of the ninth judicial circuit of said state, and, ex-officio judge of the circuit court of Marshall County; William B. Hess, deputy prosecutor of the ninth district; Daniel McDonald, clerk, and Daniel K. Harris, sheriff of said county, and court opened in due form of law."

 

This was August 5, 1872. The names of the Marshall county bar who were in attendance at the opening of said term were Charles H. Reeve, James 0. Parks, Horace Corbin, A. C. Capron, M. A. 0. Packard, D. E. Van Valkenburgh, John G. Osborne, Amasa Johnson, A. B. Capron, William B. Hess, John S. Bender, J. Darnell, S. D. Parks, Z. D. Boulton and R. D. Logan.

Of those mentioned as being the officers of Marshall county in the above entry on the eleventh of June, 1872, only Daniel McDonald, then clerk, is still living, and of the fifteen attorneys noted as being present only M. A. 0. Packard, Wm. B. Hess, John S. Bender and A. B. Capron, now of Denver, Colorado, are still living.

 

The entire cost of the building, including furniture, heating apparatus, grading the square, and superintendency, was $105,000 ; and the entire county indebtedness for the same was, at date of completion, only $50,000, for which bonds had been issued and sold at par, which, two years later, were fully paid.

 

The First County Jail.

 

The first county jail was built of hewn logs, and was completed August 1, 1838. From the plans and specifications it appears that the building was "to be sixteen by twenty, of white or burr oak timber, to be well hewed, and counter-hewn, twelve inches. square; the foundations to be three sills, twelve by twenty inches, let into the ground twelve inches ; the lower floor to be laid with timbers hewn as above, twelve inches square, to be well laid and perfectly level; the walls of the first story to be made of timbers twelve inches square and hewed as above, to be built seven and a half feet high; then the second floor to be laid with timbers hewn as

 


343                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

above, twelve inches square, to be laid in a complete, workmanlike manner; the above-said wall to be raised with a half 'duff-tail,' so as to fit down close and tite! to be two windows, twelve inches square and eighteen inches long; the grates to be let in the centers of the timbers at equal distance; the said lower floor to be covered with inch boards, well seasoned and well matched, and spiked down with spikes two inches in length, and the spikes to be two feet apart one way and six inches the other; the said walls to be, well lined with good white oak plank, well seasoned and matched together, two inches thick, spiked on with four inch spikes, twelve inches apart one way and four inches the other, the whole building to be weather boarded, with good half-inch boards; the door of entrance to be five feet high and two and a half wide; said door frame not less than two inches thick, to be made of good timber, well seasoned, and hung- with good strong hinges in the upper story: of the north side, near the east end; one trap door, made of good oak timber, five inches thick, two and a half feet square, to be hung with good iron hinges, made for the purpose; the said door to be let down even with the floor, in a place cut through the floor for the purpose, to rest on two iron bars, three feet long, one inch square, with a good and sufficient hasp and staple, lock and key, to be placed three feet from the wall of the west end."

 

The contract for erecting this magnificent building was let, in 1837, to Oliver Rose and James Currier, for the sum of $399. The building was completed according to contract, and many who read this will remember the trap-door aforesaid, through which prisoners were let down to the  "bottomless pit" in the regions below. This structure was used until the completion of our present (1879) old brick jail, which in time has given place to our elegant brick and stone jail, and sheriff's residence, completed as stated further on.

 

Second County Jail.

 

The plans for the second county jail, which stood in the southwest corner of the public square, were drawn by William M. Dunham. The contract for its erection was let, through a mistake in reading the bids, in 1849, to A. M. La Peere, E. Compton and W. G. Norris. This was afterward corrected, and the contract let to Albert Bass for $2,380. The building was completed according to contract and delivered over to the county June 1, 1851. The building proved to be a very poor one, and of late years it has been almost impossible to keep an expert thief from escaping

through the tumble-down walls. Some five or six holes, or places where holes were made through the walls, could be seen on the east, north and west sides. Several years ago one end was knocked out by a stroke of lightning, but no serious damage resulted. It was recently demolished by  Enoch Belangee.

 

Third Jail.

 

In the early part of 1879 the board of commissioners resolved to build a new jail, secured plans and advertised for bids. The plans adopted were drawn by J. C. Johnson, of Fremont, Ohio, and the contract let to William H. Myers, Fort Wayne, for the sum of $16,970. The heating apparatus,

 


344                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

furnishing, painting, fencing, etc., will probably bring the total cost to $22,000.

 

County Infirmaries.

 

The first county asylum, or "poor farm," as it was then known and called, was purchased in 1849, of John Murphy, for the sum of $1,671.11. It was situated on the Plymouth and LaPorte road, then known as the "Yellow river road," about three miles west of Plymouth. For some cause which does not appear of record it was ordered sold June 19, 1853, for not less than $1,350, and the auditor was ordered or authorized to sell the same to Joseph Evans for $900 in Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad stock, and $450 in two equal annual payments. Why the County should have wanted to invest $900 in Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad stock, the road at that time not being built, or even in the course of construction, is one of the historical facts we have been unable to find out. Practically the stock was worthless, and whatever became of it is not known. The record of the sale of the "poor farm" does not appear, but the offer of Mr. Evans was

probably accepted, as he afterwards owned the land.

 

Second Poor Farm.

 

After the sale of the "poor farm" as above related, the commissioners purchased a tract of land about one mile northeast of Tyner, on which was erected a two-story frame building, thirty-six by thirty-four. This was in 1862. The building was a frame structure, not very substantially built, but answered the purpose until the erection of the present buildings. The first superintendent was Minard Taplin, who was appointed in 1862. Prior to that time the poor of the county were taken care of by contract among the farmers and people. This building was sold by the county about 1890.

 

The Present Infirmary.

 

About 1890 the board of commissioners decided to purchase land and build a more modern and commodious asylum, and therefore arranged to sell the farm and house near Tyner and purchase ground elsewhere, and therefore purchased of Henry Humrickhouser, two miles east of Plymouth, 195 1/2 acres for the sum of $20,000, for which bonds were issued. Contracts were then let for the erection of the asylum and other buildings, and the work was completed and accepted by the commissioners June 12, 1893. The total cost of the building is set forth in the following statement :

 

J. D. Wilson & Son, for work and material.                            $24,882.22

J.D. Wilson & Son for Windmill                                                     140.00

J.D. Wilson & Son, for well                                                            127.75

J. D. Wilson & Son, extra brick, stone and ceiling.                       383.70

Hatter sly & Son, plumbing and heating.                                    4,692.94

Hatter sly & Son, gas Pipe, closets                                                 70.00

W. & J.J. Geek, contract stone                                                      398.25

Wing & Maharan, architects, 5 per cent on coast of building    1,551.50

J Wing & Maharan, trips to make estimates.                                            158.35

Matthews Gas Company, contract for lighting.                             430.00

Matthews Gas Company, contract for oil, etc.                              195.12

Henry Humrickhouser, 1951/2 acres land.                              20,000.00

Total cost of infirmary                                                             $53,365.83

 

344                                          HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

 

The following are the names of those who have been appointed superintendents of the county farm and infirmary since that part of the public service of the county was organized: Millard Taplin, George W. Boyd, Henry W. Steckman, Sanford E. Jacox, William B. Kyle, Jonas Haag, Nathan E. Bunch, Prosper N. Mickey, Peter J. Kruyer.