The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-03-24
men THRONCED
CANAL LANDING
TO SEE BOATS
Sixty-eight Years Ago Next
Saturday Whitewater
Packet DOcked at Cam
bridge City From Cincy.
BY 8. q. HuooELsroN.


On the twenty-seventh of March,
1s47, Whitewater canal packet came
in after two full days travel from
Cincinnati, and the people Of Cam
bridge City, which was then but a
small village. thronged the landing
eager to see not only who were the
passengers, but also to express their
qualification for the improved conve-
nience Of travel.
Among the passengers we're four
that we will notice; the most promi-
nent one was the Rev. DR.. Caleb W..
Witt. returning from business trip
to the city. The others were the Wild
ow of Richard Litterell and her two
sons. from the kanawha valley. about
80 miles above Charleston, w. Va.
Mrs Litterell had been twice widow
and her two sons were by her first
husband. They were Lafayette and
George w. Champe. The boys were
young men and of the best West Vir-
ginia blood. Their step-father had
been a Revolutionary soldier with
record of seven years service, and
their uncle, John Champe. had been
an officer of note and is mentioned In
history in connection with Washing
tor and other works.
Boys Were Twina
The boys were twins, born February
s, 1880, at Peters Hill, and number
of members Of the Champe family are
still living in and near Montgomery,
on the Kanawha river Mrs. Litterell
was shrewd lady and having heard
much talk of Indiana and wishing to
do q good part by her boys, had come
down the rivers and up the canal
seeking location. They knew no one
here and did not even form an &C.
quaintance with the Rev. DR.. Witt
Having landed at Cambridge City. the
head of navigation, in the evening
time they put up for the night at the
Vinton House. The next day. looking
westward, they saw higher ground
and remembering their old valley
home. they wished to get out Of the
valley, so they came to Dublin. which
as good fortune has provided, was a
wise choice for them.
Lafayette Champe secured a clerk
ship with Jefferson Layman, the
leading dry goods and grocery mer-
chant here, where he remained sew
eral years and married; then he re-
moved to Kansas. where he died.
Mrs Litterell died In Dublin, in Ju-
ly, 1865, at the age Of 70 years.
One Of the first things the Champe
boys did when they arrived in Dublin
was to look for work and they went
separately, each one for himself.
George W.. feeling a little liking to
Caleb w. Witt, from what he saw of
him when they were fellow passengers
on the canal, sought him and Mr.. Witt
employed him on a months trial to
work in the garden and to make shin
giles to cover his house. At the close
of the trial month Mr.. Witt payed him
thirteen silver dollars and kept him
in his employ throughout the year.
Then he worked in the shop for Witt,
Hollingsworth & Co., until December,
1852.
Enters Medical School.
On January 4, 1853, he and Miss
Elizabeth Nation, of near New Lisbon,
were married and at that time he
commenced to study medicine under
DR.. Barton Witt. When he entered
medical college he and his wife NOV.
ed to Cincinnati and remained there
until 1856. He practiced medicine un-
til he entered the army as first assist.
ant surgeon in the 10th Indiana AT
ter the close Of the war be lived In
Dublin and engaged in the drug bust
ness and continued the practice OF
medicine here. When he first saw
the Witt residence he was stricken
with an ambition to own it, and he
did own it when Witt was ready to
sell out He died there at a good old
age leaving family OF highly respect
ed sons and daughters.