Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1905 — Old Time News [ARTICLE]

Old Time News

Facts from Jasper. County’s First Paper. January 19th, 1854

There yas thv usual great dearth of local news in the paper. A five line mention was of the Court of Common Pleas having been in session the week before, and the <>i nt been inform, d that a large amount of Probate business had been disposed of. A large subscription list was looked for from Carpenter’s Creek settlement. Morocco was then ahead and ‘‘bids fair to merit the reputation of being most intellegent pottion of our county.” Another of the Grants had got married, a practice still kept up, at intervals, by members of that family. The editor did not spend much of his precious time writing up and setting up the marriage accounts — especially if the cake didn’t “come all right.” This is all there was of this marriage notice: MARRIED —At Rensselaer, Ind. on the 24th nit., by the Rev. Thos. M. < heSnut, Mr. Marshal H. Grant and Miss Louisa Miller. If the “ult.” was not a mistake for inst. then the marriage was over a month old when reported. Two different and contradictory mentions were made of Capt. Walker, the great and ill fated fili bust ere r. He thad lately captured Lower Calitornia, the Mexican part and deviated it a republic,and himself president. One item represented him as issuing bonds and Hying hqgh, with 1,000 men on way to reinforce his force of 40; while the other item represented him as’attacked and beaten by the Mexicans, and in a tight place at Euseneba.

Tro fiery southerners at Washington were reported as about to fight a duel. They were Secretary of War, Jeff Davis, and Senator Bdb Tombs, of Georgia. Guess they didn’t fight. Anyhow both lived to cut a big swath in Secession times. More's the pity. No Jasper county death had yet been mentioned in the paper, but this issue contained a long obituary of Mrs. Mariah Wilson, of Oxford consort of Joseph H. Wilson. She died Jan. 3rd, 1851. Archibald Purcupile and Caleb Downing gave notice of dissolution of their pirtm rship. Uncle Arch would wind up their partnership affairs, but Caleb continued the store. David Sayler advertised that his goods “had been bought right and would be sold right.” An expression that is still in use, though gray whi-kered with age, and feebh ■vith over work. * A marriage had j list occnred at Syracuse, N. Y. as the result of ad vertisement for a wife. The editoi di«l not forget to mention that the marriage exemplified the value of advertising. A new advertiser in this issue was A. Starr& Co., of Francesville. Heor they, handled everything of course and wanted to buy furs and fresh game, and wheat, corn, oats, etc.,“having SIO,OOO in cash to pay for that kind of truck.” A two year old red steer with white spots, and dew lap cut down, an 1 a “rone” bull calf had lieen taken up by Araos White, o Washington tp., Jasper county, In 1., and appraised before Zackariah Spitler, J. P., at sl3 and $3 respeciively. Uncle Zack-J. P died < nly a few months ago. Then was still another estray notice from Washington township and anothet from “Bever” township. Batson Douge, of Marion tp., was dead, according to notice given by Ezra W right lhe adinin strator. The edate was supposed to be insolvent, but he left a three year old horse and “other artii’es too tedious to it ent ion” whicl were to be sold to pay debts.

Wm. Knickerbocker had been arrested at Shawnee Mound, Ind., and taken to Hillsdale, Mich., wherehe was wanted for bnrglary. At Shawnee he had been practicing medicine on the homeopathic principle, and paying “marked” attentions to | his landlords daughter, though he had a wife already.” He was a versatile cuss, sure enough.