The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-09
HENRY CLAY'S SLAVES
COLONY OF MANUMIrTED NEGROES
IN ELKHART COUNTY, INDIANA.
The Kentuckfan's Plan 10 Do Some
Proven n F~lattering
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
ELKHART. Ind, Dec. S.-A few miles
north of this city is a settlement exclusive
ly of colored people. and known as Calvin
Center. In fact the entire township in
which Calvin Center is located is possessed
by colored people, nearly all of whom are
farmers on a large and successful scale.
The township has no small degree Of inter-
est attaching to it. both from a historical
and sociological standpoint, as some OF
those who now live there and the ancestors
of the present generation were slaves on
the plantation of Henry Clay, and were
granted their freedom by him a few years
prior to his death. Henry Clay. one day, in
recognition Of the faithful services of a
number Of his old family servants, and in a
characteristic spirit of generosity. gave
them their liberty and conveyed them
to Ohio, where he bought them lands
and located them. He returned to Ken
lucky, but a few weeks afterwards, while
sitting on the veranda of his plantation
home one evening in a revery, he was
aroused by a loud shout, and, looking up,
saw the entire band Of his emancipated
slaves Flooding down the road toward him,
swinging their hats and sunbonnets and
shouting hosannas of gladness that they
were again on the old familiar grounds. In
response to his questioning they informed
him hal they had become so homesick that
they could stand 1t no longer, and, pulling
up stakes and disposing of their live stock
and goods. they walked the entire distance
back to Kentucky, to spend their remaining
days in the fields they had known so well.
Clay had some pet theories in regard to
ms scheme and was chagrined at being
disappointed. He decided to make another
effort and. after disposing of the Ohio lands
ne mad bought for them, he again loaded
them up and concluding that he would re-
move them to a more distant point whence
they would not be so likely to walk back
to Kentucky, he landed them in Calvin
township, a few miles north OF this city,
which was then scarcely a village, and
there they have stuck ever since, increas-
ing and prospecting even more in both re-
spects than their white neighbors Of the
surrounding townships.
A SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY.
If Henry Clay's theory was a sociological
one-that the negro could be made self
respecting, Independent and self-sustaining,
he was right, for under the thrifty care
of his pioneer ex-slaves the broad and fertile
acres Of Calvin have been made to yield
most beautifully, and to-day the most pros
porous farmers of that section are to be
found among the colored people.
Considerable Indian blood has crept into
the colony and straight hair. high cheek
bones and a mixture Of Indian and African
features are noticeable. William Allen. a
large, fine looking colored man, with I'M
mistakable evidences of the Indian about
him, lives In and owns the finest brick res
idence in his section and is the most ex-
tensive live stock dealer in this vicinity.
He is rich and highly respected by whites
as well as blacks. Charles Bum always
made it a point to corner timber land.
rant into tho 1,rp,hor bttcfnocc 0lnnO with
his farming and to-day is the wealthiest
man anywhere in his neighborhood, regard
less of color. There are many other colored
men Of extensive means and a high de-
| gree of intelligence in the settlement, among
them Messrs. Hawke, Bass, Ash, and
others, all of whom have as high a stand
ing among the white people OF their neigh
borhood and this city as they have among
the people of their own coler.. Another
colored man, noted Tor ms wealth. ana IN,
a few years ago. He was so DlacK tnat
his face shone like a mirror. He had a
white wife. always wore fine clothes and
| drove excellent horses. BY the disrespect-
| full he was known as "Nigger Massey"
The colored people showed great shrewd,
+, hundreds of acres of the hardwood tim
| Der land that abounded in their neighbor-
hood before the matter OF timber supply
| assumed the Importance of a question:, ana
as the result they are to-day the owners
of nearly all the hardwood timber in this
| locality and have an absolute monopoly OF
the hard frewood market in this city and
the surrounding towns of less importance.
In the summertime they push their farm
| ing. and in the winter haul wood and saw
logs, and By this means always Keep. them
selves supplied with. ready money, having
orstv of their white friends. Some of them
also do an extensive charcoal burning pusi-
MAKING GOOD CITIZENS.
There used to be a great deal Of lawless-
ness in Calvin, and serious cutting and
oe,oxrr xuoro oaunpna nccl1rrepcaS
the last affair of this kind being the muir
der of a young colored man named Aikens,
by two young colored men, Wilson and
Allen. a few years ago. for which the per-
petrators are now serving terms In the
penitentiary. But lawlessness has become
a thing Of the past in Calvin, and now
the colored people of that section are look
ing after the educational interests OF
their offspring as ardently as are the
whites, and a majority of the young men
and women have a fair education.
Everything throughout the township has
a thrifty appearance: the original CABINS
have either been converted into sheds or
pulled down, and replaced with neat. COM
modious frame and brick buildings, many
OF OF them Oh baT ross can be- found anywhere.
Some Of the old "uncles' and "mammles'
who came here in their youth from the
SSrosched on the subject, OF dwelling on
their experiences On the Clay plantation,
and relate many dnecuoteS Oh their Olu
master. of whom they always speak with
every appearances of reverence and solem,
Among the younger generation the negro
dialect, has entirely disappeared, and good
manners and intelligence are everywhere
apparent. They have a very creditabIe
brass band and orchestra, have their school
literary societies, and keep well in line
with their white ~neighbors of the sur
rounding townships.
where Of the fact that the negro, when
thrown entirely on his own resources, can
make his way in the world than is afforded
in Calvin. Some Of the present residents
have come there since the war, and nearly
all of them own productive, well-stocked
farms, the results of their own hard work.
Many of the men were soldiers in the late
war. and wear the G. A. r.: badge with
every evidence of pride. The badge is gen.
orally fastened to the front of their hats.
Any white mai who has business in their
section is always treated with great hos
pitality, and the merchant of this city or
Johannesburg or Cassopolis who can COM
mand a good share Of their trade is re-
garded by his Acknowledgement with envy.
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