Vain Desire to Share the Honor . . .

(We have combined two weeks of local news into one blog post –-May 28, 1880 and June 4, 1880.)

Twenty teams loaded with wheat from near Chaucey were in Lawrenceville at Barton’s warehouse. The editor had lost hope for Lukin twp. It was one vast wilderness when first she saw it and now, May 28, 1880, from 500 hundred taxpayers all but 12 tax receipts were returned delinquent. Dr E H Robinson was a graduate of the Missouri Medical School. Judge A Shaw was the largest real estate owner in the county. Last Sunday May 23, 1880, Katie Barnes,14- year old daughter of M E Barnes, passed away. A long sufferer of dropsy with a few short weeks of comparative ease had been her last. 

Our farmers were beginning to see damage done by the fly, the rust, the north wind and the east wind to the growing wheat.  From the best resources at the editor’s command, she learned that in some instances the fly had been doing some damage, whilst rust also made some shadow. She also heard rumors that the grand army worms were beginning to minister their forces for a grand attack upon the flowing grain that looked so inviting to those hungry tramps.  Still the grain continued to grow tall, the demand for reapers was heard on all sides and she felt safe in announcing to the hungry, that bread would be plenty and prices reasonable, rather lower than the past fall.

1880 census takers for Lawrence County: Lawrence twp., C M Carter; Allison twp., John R Gold; Russell twp., W F Curry; Bond Twp, Gardner H Plummer, Christy twp,; Wm D Gilpin; Lukin Twp., Joel A Cooper; Bridgeport Twp., Chas Abernathy.  (no one listed for Petty or Denison twps.),

Warner Bros of Bridgeport advertised seasonal (dress)  goods for sale: “ginghams, buntings, white lattice figures, lawns, dress linens, light prints, linen and grass cloth suits- 3 pcs, basque overskirt and skirt, linen and grass cloth dusters, black and colored silk mitts, long lace work gloves, embroidered ladies hosiery, sandals, Newport and button slippers for Ladies, Misses, and children as well as fans, parasols and many other novelties.” Additionally, they were selling 12 pounds of fair brown sugar for $1.00, and twelve pounds of Carolina rice for $1.00. For men in the line of summer clothing: “French worsted suits, alpaca coats, dusters and Ulsters; white vests, linen vests, penang stripe and white shirts, homemade blue countlet jeans pants, homemade heavy cotton plain and stripe shirts, and summer hats.”

 The man who said that if you would give him, the luxuries of life he would manage to dispense with the necessities would be pleased to learn the Supreme Court of Indiana decided that what was usually considered a luxury was actually a necessity.  The case arose from the sale of a cigar by the clerk of a hotel, resulting in his arrest for the violation of the Sunday law, which like that of nearly all states, forbid rioting, hunting, fishing, quarreling, common labor and the pursuit of one’s usual avocation on Sunday; works of charity and necessity only excepted. Manufacturing where heavy machinery was used and where a stoppage would be an inconvenience were seldom stopped on Sunday, as was cooking food, making meals, drinking tea and smoking a cigar.  But there was no reason to work in a shop, plow a field, sell from a store, or open an office on a Sunday. A hotel could be kept open Sunday and if it had a cigar stand at which cigars were sold on weekdays, it was as lawful to sell a cigar on Sunday as it was to furnish a cup of tea or coffee or supply a meal. So that in Indiana at least, a cigar was pronounced a legal necessity which opened up a wide variety of moral and social questions.

A wedding took place at the poor house in this county. The groom, Joseph Duaine, was from the soldier’s home of Dayton Ohio, and the bride, Mrs. Lucy Sterner had been staying at the poor house for several weeks with her four children. 

Samuel Michael, 62, married Caroline Turner, 30, in Sumner. Dr W B Bedell of Sumner with the assistance of other physicians, removed a cancer from the face of J. Gray, age 69, who lived near Chauncey. The operation was a successful one.  Last week the blog reported the arrest of Harry Duquoin for indecent exposure, but no details were given.  The Vincennes Weekly Western Sun provided the following:  Mr. Harry Duquoin was recently find $160 (a significant amount in 1880). He met Miss Caroline Hayman on the road between Vincennes and Lawrenceville and indecently exposed his person to her gaze probably with the intent to commit a felonious assault. The fine was a heavy one, but Harry should be thankful he got away without being shot.

 Democrats in Lawrence County: F W Cox, Dave Price, Dr Garrard, A I Judy, W H H Mieure, B H Wathen, Jacob Potts, H W Bunn, Wm McCroskey, Will M Garrard, W H Bunn, George Petty, Jacob Potts, T F Hardacre, J K Dickirson, G W Lehr, and George French.  

The Terre Haute railroad car works was building two hundred refrigerator cars for the transportation of fruit for the Cairo and Vincennes railroad.  An arrangement was made with Cap’t O Donnell in Vincennes to run garbage wagons for the purpose of hauling off slop and garbage but soon discontinued.

June 4th, 1880

Squirrels were more plentiful this year than usual.  The heavy rains injured the corn badly on the low prairies. The Fourth of July was to be celebrated on the 3rd because the Fourth was on a Sunday. In view of the overwhelming crop of growing grain, farm implements were being sold in great quantities.

The tuition for Summer Normal (teaching school classes) was $6 for the term or $1 a week for traditional attendance. 

W T Buchanan, Sam Irwin, D L Gold and B L Cunningham were in Chicago taking in the Republican National Convention. Mr Wallace was the photographer in Lawrenceville. Doctor Edwin Alexander, the popular railroad man of Frog Eye and general favorite of Lawrenceville roomed in Indiana. Sneak thieves broke into the residence of T W Roberts in Lawrenceville and carried off some silverware. Lydia Robinson brought suit for divorce against Ellis Robinson, who was then a nonresident of Illinois.

Wives were wanted in Leadville Colorado and the duties were quite light, nothing to do but to cook dinner, wash the dishes and dress gunshot wounds. Lew Hite the good-natured clerk of Ed Schmalhausen’s drug store, and John Cole, the miller’s son, left Thursday morning for Leadville. John Buchanan and Mark Ryan returned home from Colorado.

Milton Lewis had a horse that allegedly killed and ate young chickens with as much energy as an old sow. The county sheriff John Scott was relieved on the first night of his stay in Springfield of a good silver watch, a Smith and Wessen revolver and seven or eight dollars in money.  The money was some silver, he carried loose in his pocket. He had quite a roll of bills which he was careful to secrete about his person, so the thief failed to get it. (Number one: it takes guts to rob a sheriff and, Number two, where did he secrete the bankroll?)

Treasurer Whittaker was officially informed that the injunction against the collection of the 1875 delinquent tax of the O & M RR had been dissolved, and that he was expected to collect the same, which amounted to about $5,000. The Board of Supervisors, however, compromised the matter receiving 25 percent from the railroad in payment of all claims for that year’s taxes.

Bridgeport news: W H Lathrop the marble cutter and family moved to Newton. The season of bathing is at hand. Col J P Sage had a fine horse killed by the train. The mail train now ran through town on Sunday the same as weekdays. W M Seed and Son shipped two carloads filled with 86 hogs to Cincinnati. Barton’s store sold 8 milk crocks for 50 cents. Miss M A Briscoe closed her summer school for the term. Arrangements were made to celebrate the Fourth of July by a basket picnic at Lanterman’s grove on the 3rd.

Shiloh neighborhood:  Mrs Sam Combs was whitewashing. Mr Gray put up a martin box. Miss Maggie Pierce closed school for the term.

From the Vincennes Weekly Western Sun: Letter to the editor written June 4 1880 (a pretty “modern view” for that era.)

  “We wish to inquire why it is that women and girls have no full distinctive names of their own? When the name of a married woman is published it is Mrs. Wm Brown, or Mrs. John Jones, instead of Mrs. Susan Brown or Mrs. Mary Jones.  If a woman’s husband happens to belong to what it termed any of the learned professions, she is designated as Mrs. Dr. White, Mrs. Pro. Black, Mrs. Judge Smith; or if the husband has a handle to his name such as Col. Capt., Major, etc. the handle is stuck on to the name of the wife when it is mentioned.  By the same rule the wife of the mechanic ought to be designated as Mrs. Blacksmith Blue, Mrs. Tailor Green, Mrs. Carpenter Grey etc.  We protest against this habit of sinking the name of the woman into oblivion, by joining it with that of the man; it is bad enough for a woman when she marries to cast away her surname without also throwing away her Christian name  There is no more reason why the woman should take the man’s name than there is why the man should take her name.  Then our girls have no full Christian names anymore.  Sarah is Sallie or Sadie, Susan is Susie, Mary is Mamie, Gertrude if Gertie, Jane is Jennie etc.  The absurd practices should be abandoned.” 

The editor responded: “Is it not mainly the fault of the women themselves? It certainly is so far as the “pet names” are concerned.  These names are fastened on to them in their infancy and the mother should be held accountable.  Then in the case of using the husband’s Christian name, as “Mrs. John Jones” the practice originates because the wife’s Christian name is often unknown because of her lack of prominence in business life. And again, this will apply when the wife assumes the title of the husband, as “Mrs Col. “Elevator” etc.  but in the latter case it may be a vain desire to share the honor often contained in titles. These reasons are from the newspaper standpoint.”  ( I bet the Lawrenceville editor, Miss Mary Buntin, had a comment or two to make about the Vincennes (male) editor!)