The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
CROW, CHAPMAN, CROW.


CROW, CHAPMAN, CROW!
correspondent of a city paper recently
stated that the use of the rooster as the
emblem of the Democratic party originated
in 1856 from some person writing to "a man
named Chapman" who at that time
| editing paper In this city, the organ of
the Democratic party in the State, advising
him to print a rooster in the act of Growing.
thus giving evidence of his confidence in
victory This statement was incorrect, but
in attempting to correct it another corre-
spondent made more mistakes and gave an
erroneous account of the phrase, Grow.
Chapman, crow!" which was very current
in this State fifty or sixty years ago. He
| says, 1.-The Chapman brothers sold the Sem
tinel in ISL and left Indianapolis" The
Chapman brothers both died in this city,
Jacob Page Chapman in 1866 and George A.
several years before that. This correspond
ent says further:
There was Chapman connected with the
original rooster story. but 1t was neither
at one time owned the Sentinel, but Joseph
Chapman, of Greenfield, Hancock county
The true story is as follows: In 1910 Joseph
Chapman was the leader of the Democrats
in Hancock county, and prominent in state
politics Thomas Walpole was the Wing
leader. 1t was during the campaign of Har-
rison against Van Buren, that Chapman, in
a fit of encouragement, wrote to a political
friend in the northern part of the state,
Charles w. Cathcart, / think. In reply his
! friend wrote back for him not to be discour-
aged. to keep up brave fight. and make
| out as IL he felt assured OF victory, and
| thus encourage his followers. He closed his
letter with the words: Grow, Chapman,
| crow!"
| Acting on this advice Chapman began a
| campaign of vigorous predictions of Demo-
| cratic success. This change in his attitude
attracted the attention OF the Wings and
| they began to wonder what had wrought ii.
| By some means Walpole got hold of the let
ter and the secret was out. Soon all the
| Wings in Hancock county were shouting,
Grow, Chapman, crow! In sheer despera-
| ton the editor of the Democratic paper
began TO print each week large rooster.
| in the act of Growing.
Joseph Chapman, of Greenfield, never
| edited a paper nor did anything whatever
toward popularizing the phrase. Grow.
Chapman. crow! Joseph Chapman was
| the Democratic candidate for Legislature in
1910. The letter referred to was not ad-
dressed to him, but to the postmaster at
Greenfield. Following is copy of the letter
|
June %, 1910. The entire article is given,
with it's caption:
| TELL CHAPMAN TO CROW
If any Of the friends of General Harrison
have felt at all discouraged to the
suit, either in August or in November, we
think a perusal of the letter published be-
| low will cause all their fears to vanish. The
confidence exhibited by the Van Buren,
| party is only assumed for effect. and this
letter. from the pen of the principal Van
Buren, editor in this town. is not only char
acteristic of the source from which it en-
anated, but will sufficiently illustrate the
truth of our own remarks. The copy has
been handed us for publication by citizen
Indianapolis, June II, 1910.
| Mr. Sebastian:
Dear Sir-I have been informed by DEM
| ocrat that In one part Of your county thirty
| Van Buren, men have turned for Harrison.
| Please let me know if such is the fact. Hand
| this letter to General Milroy. l think such
| a deplorable state of facts cannot exist.
| If so L will visit Hancock and address the
| people relative TO the policy of the Demo-
| cratic party. l have no time to spare. but
| i will refuse to eat or sleep rest so long
! as anything can be done. Do, for heavens
| sake, stir up the Democracy. See Chapman
tell him not to do he did heretofore.
| He used to create unnecessary alarms by
| putting bad face upon our prospects. Tell
him he must crow. We have much to crow
over. Spare no pains. Write instanter.
GEO. PATTISON.
| Postmaster Greenfield.
George Pattison was the editor of the
Indiana Democrat in this city, which was
| the forerunner of the Sentinel. In July,
1871, the paper was sold to George A. and
Jacob p. Chapman, both Of whom had prev
iously published papers in the Wabash val
ley. They Immediately changed the name
of the paper to the Indiana State Sentinel,
and its first issue under their ownership,
dated July 81, 1S41. bore at the head of its
outside title page a large picture of a
rooster with the motto underneath Grow,
| Chapman crow!' This emblem and motto
| were published in every issue of the paper
for year. The editorial page of this first
| issue contained a picture of two ROSTERS
and underneath. '"The growers are coming
How do those who stole private letter and
made ii public like the idea?' The pros
| pectus of the State Sentinel. issued by the
Chapman brothers when they purchased the
paper. began with Chapman. stand forth.
Eyes right. Hands up. Crow!r In notic-
ing the purchase of the paper by the Chap
mans the New Harmony Dissemination said
.In the Indiana State Sentinel the brothers
1 Chapman are about TO unite their voices
and crow in earnest" The Illinois States
man said: This is the cock that crowed
in the morn. We call attention to the pros
pectus of the Messrs. Chapman i'm our
paper. They are too well known in the
/ Wabash country to need any praise from
u.s. The Richmond Jeffersonian began a
paragraph with: 1.-The Chapmans are crow
ing. Ohio. oho,'' During the nine years that
the Chapman brothers owned the Sentinel
the phrase. Grow, Chapman. crowr' was
applied to them continually until It acquired