Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1869 — EARLY REMINISCENCE OF JASPER COUNTY. [ARTICLE]

EARLY REMINISCENCE OF JASPER COUNTY.

BY HORACE E. JAMES.

CHAPTER VI.—CONCLUSION. In April, 1840, was held tho first term of'the Circuit Court in the town of Newton, (afterwards changed to Rensselaer by act of Legislature). The Court House was a little log building that stood near the rcsidenee of Mr. Patrick Barton, on Angelica street. Mr. Raphael J. Hopkins last year grew cabbage and other garden vegetables on the site of the first Court House in Rensselaer.

The Grand Jurors were William Donahoojllananiah Hewett, Wesley Spitler, Robert Mallatt, Lewis Elijah, William Gillam, William Doran, Joseph Woosley, George Culp, Tbos. Timmons, James Recd, James Brown, Andrew Richey, Joseph D. Yeoman, and Samuel Benjamin—fifteen.

At the fall term of the Circuit Court for the same year, Ilia Honor Judge J. W. Wright, of Logansport, presided. Upon the assembling of the court, the room was found to be so completely invested with bed bugs, that it was condemned as being unsuitable in which to transact business and the court was adjourned to

convene in a new building erected for~a~ blacksmith shop. This stood in front of Mr, J. R. Vanatta’s residence on Washington street.

The first letters of administration granted by the Pobate Court were to Ellis Clifton, on the estate of John Wolf. The first dower was set off to Mrs. Julia Lewis, widow of Benjamin Lewis. The first marriage license issued in Jasper county was to James Lacy and Matilda Blue. The marriage ceremony was performed by J ustice John Lyon?. The first death in Rensselaer, was Mrs. Stewart, wife of Captain Ezra Stewart.

The first funeral iu Rensselaer was that of Mrs. Irwin.. Dr. John Clark, who came in 1839, was the first physician to locate in Rensselaer. It is believed that Rev. Enoch Wood, called long Enoch, of the Methodist Church, preached the first sermon in thia town. . The first preaching was at Dr, Clark’s house. The first school in Rensselaer was

taught in the winter of 1840, by Mr. George W. Spifler, County Clerk. The first wedding in. this place was consummated in the first Court House. The principals in the affair were Mr. Edward Dyer aud Mrs. Elizabeth Barr. The first celebration of the Fourth of July was observed in 1843. The programme was gotten up by Mrs. Malinda Spitler, toother of M. L. and T. J. Spitler. The prominent feature was a double or two-story quilting—two quilts were quilted, one up stairs ai’-4 one 0,1 l^ie ground floor. At two o’clock in the afternoon the multitude assembled under the umbrageous foliage of a wide branching qak which grew where Messrs. A. McCoy &. Thompson’s Bank now stands, corner of Washington and Van Rensselaer streets, and listened to the Word of God as expounded by a Rev. Mr. Hopkins of the Christian denomination. As the sun went down, new amusements were introduced which continued until the struggling dawn gave evidence that the day had been celebrated to its close arid that another day was being born.

Arid here wo close our story without a long penoration upon the hardships, privations and dangers endured by the sturdy band who first camo hero to make for themselves and their children a home. The diligent searcher may learn of these matters by patiently reading any published work on pioneer life; the story of one being tjre experience ofall with but the variation of names. Or'if this is not satisfactory,, a few of the early settlers bf the county are still living whom, we have no doubt, would be willing to gratify a laudable curiosity on this subject, at proper times, and under favorable circumstances.

Among the surviving pioneers of Jasper county we will "name Mrs. Mali nd a Spiller, living in Rensselaer, who name to the bloom of youth still upon her

witT/tho birth of her children, growing' with their growth, and arriving to a position of importance in the State as her children have arisen to takeimportantpositions in iWsociety, business, and government. She lias won a loving place in the hearts of the many whom her kindness andj benevolence has made happy. Mr. Willis J. Wright, also living in Rensselaer, is another of the first settlers. His father, we believe, was one of the first to engage in mercantile pursuits in this, place, having established an Indian trading post at the residence of Mr. Joseph D. Yeoman, which it will b*e remembered was the first house built here, MrWright is known and respected by a large circle of friends; lias been Sheriff of the county—i? communicative, and has the faculty of pleasantly relating the early incidents which fell under his observation, and on which he delights to dwell.

Mr. Samuel Sparling, living one mile south of town on the Remington road, is'another of the hardy band, whose enterprise and epergy assisted to develop the wealth, beauty and resources of our favored county. Mr. Sparling is a gentleman of pleasing address and retiring manners, and no stranger looking into the depths of Iris mild blue eyes would suspect that their possessor was of the intrepid band of western pioneer.-, whose endurance of exposure, privations and the trials of frontier life anti whose tri' umph over the dangers which beset them on every hand, has become the wonder and admiration of the world. Mr. Sparling has held various offices of trust in tho county, always with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents.

There are others still living here who came to the county in its infancy, who spent their youthful vigor iu the grand work of preparing the way for civilization and improvement. Many of them arc stjll active and retain much of the fire of their younger days, but their locks are grizzled and wrinkles have mapped their brows. We mention these three persons because wc have been acquainted with them since coming to the county, fourteen years ago, and because from them, especially from Mr. Wright, we have heard many incidents of the early days in the history of Jasper County.

—A woman living kee has a sailor husband whom she has not seen for nineteen years, but receives letters from him regularly. He is a hand on wLiverpool packet, making regular trips from New York and back. Every time he ships from the former port, he writes his wife that upon his arrival in New York next time, he will certainly go home. The ship arrives, but no husband. Soon comes the inevitable letter with the same intelligence. He did inUni to come, was paid oft', got intoxicated, spent his money, and came to his senses hot only penniless, but shipped on board the packet again.— He (leclarqs he never.will be fooled again, and goes to work with thy idea of obtaining means to return home, and the next trip is a repetition of the old story. Meanwhile the wife toils on, and lives in hope that some day the truant husband will come back.

Burleigh” writes to the Boston Journal, of the Sorosis in New York : “The badge is a Dutch ‘S’ of gold. It is not wpm as a pin or as a common ornament, but as a badge, and hung out prominently where all can see it, in the house or on the street. The Sorosis holds itiZregular meetings, at which good cheer, in fine stjje, graces' the board, while the door is shut in the face of the men. "No working girls or worsen argadmitted as members. It is very aristocratic, and does not seek to elevate or improve the lowly, but receives members only among those who arc already refined and elevated. ‘Wealthy ladies, ladies intellectual, ladies at the head of establishments, are alone , admitted.” ,

An English statistician- claims to have ascertained ’ that there are 100,500,000 hens in the United States. - .l-h ' —: It is rupdfted*lfiat Victor Eman-

[From Packard'® Monthly,] A to Olive Logan. JIY KATE KEAT. Few readers will tpieation Miss Logan’s purpose in writing the article which appeared in the January number of this magazine. She means U> spur her sex op to a more usidul'ami independent way of living. She aims to aw r aken within them a knowledge of their capacities; to urge upon them the fact that practical, available ability should be dearer to them than their usual superficial accomplishments. She would have a woman ask herself, not “I wonder who is going to inarry'ftnd Support me ?” but; rather*, •‘what practical, remunerative work am I best fitted for ?” ' Now, if I am right in thus understanding her purpose, then to this extent, it seems to me, all thinking men and women must be heart and soul with her.

I certainly am. But, when I read some passages in the article to which I refer, my heart and mind revolt against them so passionately that' I cannot help saying plainlyjvhcrcin I think Miss Lagan is wrong; wherein I think she, perhaps,, mistakes her meaning, exciting opposition where else she would be most sure to call out-.only warm sympathy. ‘ " ’ It is pot a fact that no woman can be a true helpmeet to her husband unless competent “to earu her living independently of him.” Think how many thousands ’of wives would feel their hearts wither

within them if such a belief were forced upon them! To me it seems Miss Logan considersjthe term “helpmeet” solely in its pecuniary sense; and, as a living and loving woman, I must reject so exclusive an interpretation. The word has a deeper and broader meaning; "for we surely can find among those about us instance upon instance of the wife, occupied exclusively ifi the care'Of her family and the directing of her household, who is a true and valued helpmeet to her husband, but who has no acknowledged skill at money making. i < And are there not instances enough on record where the Wife, being a confirmed invalid, has yet been to her husband, in the widest and dearest sense, a helpmeet and a sure support —a “counsellor, a guide and friend?” • But Miss Logan makes her statement as unconditional as it is positive, and for this reason nearly every wife is impelled to repudiate it. Then follow her strictures upon “baby-tending,” unless adopted as a business pursuit; and against her views in this direction I must openly and earnestly rebel. So, too, when Mrs. Croly asserts that if a woman marry she gives jfp everything, and receives in return “nothing but her board and clothes,” 1 feel ashamed. 1 blush to ‘think

that men will read th¥vTewS she arrogates, while they know that women are still ready to marry, and that ’she who thus asserts has set thCth un example. -__ It would Miss Logan ignores maternal inStihct-in women, and desires to place her deeds upon the higher (?) level of intellect and intelligence. That is, a woman becoming a mother, must “make an effort” to rise superior to the occasion. She inav foolishly feel that a soul is ip her keeping and that its temple is in her care.

Iler husband will feel with her in this, if he truly shares her inward life, and has his part in all its hopes, its fears and purposes. But Miss Logan would have the pecuniary helpmeet supersede the mother, Instinct must be quenched. The little life, the new-born soul must be entrusted to the paid 1 protection of “women incapable of highei l 'w'ork?' “How many women,” asks Miss Logan, “who become mothers, educate themselves specially pursuit of baby tending?” Let me ask how arc girls to “educate themselves” for this purpose ? 'How are they to know, until a promise of the wedding hour breaks upon them, making their “misguided hearts” beat so happily," that they may ever bedorne-'mothers? And, after that probability must be recognized, does she really need a special education for her expected duties, or is true, as you, dear Editor, so well say, that “no sooner docs She become a mother, with a true woman’s heart, than she receives a diploma for nurse-ship such as no professional school can center ?” ■' As to the young couple Miss Logan speaks of, I presume their story is a common one, and the lesson she deduces from it is a good one. It seems to me, though, that the husband was an inconsiderate brute, with, an excess of and that the wife had very little of that better pride, and still lees of wifely loyalty about her, if she could find relief in bemoaning her lot and re« garding it as a legitimate subject for the edrs of those she might meet. Miss Logan also professes a willingness to do “Bridget’s work” when men win do It.' •Now, if by. Bridget’s wojk she

family cares Humiliating, and to linak#*entl»ry woman discontented., from Bridget up. 1! “Fashionable women” mß y be ex’empt * Fashion may yield them “better” employment’ than tending babip,' lahd they can relinquish their regrdPi tad.oftspripg to 'vants.” But as MiiwTZ' like immunity for woirten in the “humbler walks oflife,” I nm puttied to see where this transferring of babies U to ei)<iy I hCertahiiy e’v'ery Woman who is not admitted amang the fashionables claims her place in the humbler walks, and should, therefore, have the privilege of an experienced ser- 1 vantto rear her little Then the experienced servant may. basely foster a desire to speculate matrimonially, and if her venture prove prolific of success iti thtf usual 'direction, she, too, wiUj hAWA'*h<?r. .“'limp-backed baby”, (oT’still anjotbef woman to take off her 'and provide for: and so on, ad infinitum, until the last- woman is reached—who, poor, defenseless thing, must fall back upon her natural instinct, and such other poor resources aa Providence may bestow, and acOefrtf the humiliating responsibility of caring for her own. Or else we women in the humbler walks aforesaid must form a mutual benefit relief association; each memlber being solemnly pledged, under fearful forfeitures, to'take of soine other member’s babies. ’ Miss Logan says that religious papers distort her meaning. But does slid not assume a tone that inntey opposition, that solicits criticism? a tone that, by being too bold and positive, unwittingly leads her from presenting truly her best intent ?’'•>* She invites opposition, not frem men alone, but from “countless

thousands’’ among those of her own sex who, being mothers, accept, notj martyr-like, but with"pride andgrhtitude, the engrossing care (and education of their children—whoj’eceivg' their offspring, not as expensive,’ convenient intruders, but as direct blessings from God—as the sweetest and most acceptable evidenced 6t Hisfdth’omlesslove.- : ■ I feel that Miss Logan will almost sneer at this. She mates me feel so. I feel that she looks contemptuously upon every such weakness as “maternal instinct ;’’ and though I recognize gratefully the purpose.- behind her words, yet am 1 certain that she has no true conception of a mother’s duties or a mother’s feelings, unless she has not written down her real thought and heart. 1 I have not Miss Logan’s skillful pen, her quick* intellect, her facility of expression, and cannot record Ifere, with Let—attractiveness and vigor, wy. strongest convictions. But surety I am » woman who is in earnest, gnd ope who judges women by that which throbs’ in nlf own breast. And so, although I cannot sec all things widt MiU'Lol gan’b eyes, I must say 'here how glad I am to have women urged so eloquently to fit themselves for self support Let fathers and mothers learn to scorn the mock pride through which they keep their daughters in dawd 4 ling idleness, and encourage them in directions practically useful, just as naturally and carefully as they do their sons, and the “woman question'’ will soon cease to require “argument, explication dr defense.