The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-29

June, 1902, Henry Bates, two SOs.....-....16O
July, 1922. Joseph 30
Joseph Greer was the father or near relative
of the family that has owned and lived for two
generations ut the foot Of Mississippi street
Hervey Bates was the first sheriff of the county,
by appointment Of Governor Jennings. in Feb
ruary, 1922. In later life he was the first presi-
dent of tine indianapolis branch of the State
Bank. John Hobart was a farmer with some
~poetical faculty that might have been cultivated
into celebrity but never got much beyond a
knsck of rhy mingi in a sensible, coherent fashion.
The Millerite excitement Of 13i3 upset q judg-
meut never of the s~teadiesr, and as
the world would not come to
an end he went off to Ohio aud Joined
the "Sbakers:" Obed Foote was long ~ajustice
Of the peace, from 1924 a leading citizen in all
public affairs, and the father OF Obed Foote,
jr., for some years in business here after the
war, and of Mrs. Fred Bags. Rein ammoD
was q Methodist preacher of Charlestown. Clark
county. in this State. who preached what was
probably the first public sermon in the town in
the spring of 1921. while on an expedition to pick
out choice bits of land for purchase at the July
sales in Brookville. His pulpit was a log on the
Circle SLOPE, and the seats for his auditors were
stumps and logs a. the foot of the mound next
TO Washington street ION the authority Of Mr..
Nowland.l John W. Redding was q prominent
member Of the Baptist Church. and
major of the militia regiment of the county.
His farm occupied the site OF the German
Orphan Asylum, on Pleasant run. Archibald
Reed was for some years one OF the first con-
stables of the township. In supervising q fight
one night he was stabbed some four or five
times SO seriously that his life was dsspaired of.
but he recovered. 70 die in his bed a few years
later. His homo was on the land now called
Prospect street, on the north side Of Pleasant
run, opposite Major Rsddings. VIM McLaugh-
owned the big farm at the cross
ing OF the Belt road over Pleas
ant run. Humphrey Griffith was the first
of our clock makers, and bad q shop on the
north side of Washington street. where bis son
built the present handsome Griffith Block. HIS
eccentricities made him one of the best known
citizens of the young capital. Samuel Hender-
son was the frs. MISUNDERSTANDING, 1872,
opening the Office in March-and for many years
landlord OF our biggest tavern. There were no
.'hotels" then. He owned a large tract OF ground
north OF Seventh street, extending westward to
the canal. and including the famous sugar
grove and turkey roost." David Mallory was
a colored brother. the fret barber, living on or
near Washington street in mis- later days, close
by the Little" Tavern. corner of New Jersey
street He was q fat, roly- poly. jolly sort of fell
low and very popular with his white neighbors
AID other citizens.
The land entries in the township. outside Of
the donation, fairly represent 10 amount OF indi.
vidual appropriations the entries 10 the other
townships. Very few exceeded leo acres. Most
were eiehths Of sections. or so acres. Even when
a purchaser would buy a quarter or half section
he would usually divide it into two or more So
scre tracts, mainly TO profit by the real or fam
cied advantages varied by diverse locations.
The only exceptions were Robert Harding and
IsaAc Wilson. with one entry OF 258 acres, Cen
ter township; Ludwell G. Gains. 229 acres, in
Decatur. and Eli Suigrove, in Decatur, 40
acres, in August, 1927. 81 acres IN August, 1921,
and 200 in October, lS22. a full section of 60
acres in all
IL may not he known TO many readers that in
the first division OF the county into civil town
ships large areas were so thinly settled that for
practical purposes two townships were coupled
together. Thus We had. as the records show,