Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-04-06
VALLEY FARMER.
ENocH Mc,cARTY-.A sketeh.

EN0C6 NC CAdI I --A oketcn.
Every attentive member Of the Ag-
ricultural society. must have frequent
ly noticed an elderly man, Of small
stature, taking an active part in the
deliberations Of the Society. and. par
ticularly during meetings Of the Board,
giving important advice and counsel
Itwould argue that man must be al
most stranger in Franklin County to
hear him ask who that is; for ESocH
McCARrY Is one Of the fixtures OF Old
Franklin. His father was one of the
earliest settlers in the White Water
Valley, and he himself has taken an
active part in most Of its transactions.
Were we writing history OF the
man, instead of giving merely an cg-
riesahral sketch of him, we would
have to write history Of Franklin co.
Few men. living or dead, have had
more to do in the affairs Of the county
than he. He was one Of the delegates
that framed the first State Constitu-
ton. and prior and subsequent to its
adoption. he was for near twenty years
the Clerk Of the Court. Subsequent
" he has been in various Offices. until
il might be said that he has been. and
is now, an official fixture, having been
more honored or more burdened. (as
you please) with official position. than
any other man in the county.
But it is not to speak of him as a
man, nor as an officer. nor as politi-
clan, that we attempt to sketch him.
In neither of these might we do him
justice, for. as politician. we differ
from him widely. though respectfully.
on many subjects. and as an officer
the people have attestod his fidelity,
by their continued confidence; and as
aman. we arc not infinitely enough ac-
quainted with his history. to give all
that should be said in that respect
We merely wish to sketch him as an
Agrieultvolist.
And here we are met at once by
farmers Of the Brady school. and told
that. like the Irishman, justice is what
he has most TO fear, for in truth Judge
McCarty is not much to brag OF, as a
farmer. His fences are crooked, and
rather rickety. The barn and its APP
pendages are not first class, and even
the garden. and door-yard. and gates
are not to be commeded as worthy Of
imitation.
Why then. says one. does he de.
serve sketchiig? To such. five were
simply to say that II may dogood to
abuse him little, by way Of warn
ing to others, II might be sufficient
answer. for in our sketches. we hardly
expect to find perfection in every farm.
err. But it is not to caricature him that
we write. We have long since learn
ed that for most of the failings Of men,
there NAV be found some satisfactory
apology. il we but look for one, and
we have found but few men in whom
there is not something to commend.
1t is due Judge McCarty. as a far
mer to say than much Of his life has
been spent in town. in the service ol
the public. in Offices that did not yield
sufficient income to enable him to beau.
tify his farm with their proceeds. e..
peclally for several years lately, though
not in Office. in q kind Of retired life.
he has lived in town, and committed
his farm to renters who. thopDh care
full and industrious. are never expect
ed TO devote rs much time to keeping
up appearances" as the owner Of the
land. In this We find an apology for
the delapldated appearance of things,
though he is at present on his farm
Though there Is not much to commend
in the appearance Of things about his
farm. yet Judge McCarty possesses a
fund Of practical knowledge that wo'd
be invaluable could il be brought be-
fore the public. We have frequently
listened to his opinions on va.ious top.
les Of a practive character, in our Ag'
ricultural meetings, with pleasure and
profit. He was among the first in the
county to devote attention to the cul.
walton OF fruit.
Fer many years he had the best nur.
sery in the county. and many Of the
valuable orchards that are now enrich.
ing. or at least gratifying their owners,
came from 1t. And he has now on his
farm one Of the most profitable or
chards we know Of. II his fences,
barns, &C., are not worthy Of CON-
mendation. his orchard is. When we
were there last month. IL was showing
too hard to make visit through the
orchard rs pleasant as it would have
been last September. but through the
snow we could see the marks Of care
and culture every where. He too. has
one Of the bestvineyards in the county
probably the best owned by an Am
erican. In his vineyard he has erect
cd wine press. and in his orchard a
cider press. though the former at least,
has not been very profitable. On the
culture Of fruits-apples and grapes in
particular. he Is probably more capa.
BILE Of giving reliable instruction thar
any man in the county, and we regre,