Sorry I stopped sending these a while back. They were printed in the Press
Dispatch on the History Page:
I'm starting where I left off with Sept 1891
Hope it helps someone.
Sandy
1891 Pike County Democrat gleanings - part 5
9/2/1891
Vincennes coal mines are selling coal at 5c, at the bank. Petersburg can
beat it.
A. F. Baker, expert tonsorial artist, of Winslow, has purchased Lee's
barber shop on Eight street, between Main and Walnut. Hope he will succeed
in his new home.
Chicken-and-dumplings, Fried chickens, Baked chickens, Boiled chickens,
Yellow Legged chickens, for everybody at the Methodist eating house at the
Fair Grounds.
L. R. Hargrave, ex-Representative of this county, is the man to apply to
for anything from this county in the way of the World's Fair. He has
already received his commission.
Shot Two of Them - Report came here yesterday that William Curry shot and
fatally wounded J. J. Miller and Charles Posey at Velpen, this county. The
report here has it that Miller and Posey went to Pikeville on Sunday and
took too much whiskey. From there they went to Velpen and when they entered
town they said they would take some place. How true this threat we can not
say; but evident it is that they entered William Curry's room used as a
barber shop and restaurant. They commenced to take the place. Curry
insisted on their going out in peace. Miller told him they would go out it
he was the best men. They had previously bought some cigars which still
further stimulated them, and while puffing and having a general malee, John
P. Taylor caught Curry by the left hand, and, holding him across the
counter, drew a whiskey bottle on him, supposed to be going to knock him on
the head. At this juncture Miller was going behind the counter apparently
to help whip, kill, or in some way to do Curry bodily harm. Curry became
alarmed, drew a pistol and shot first at Taylor, supposed he hit him but
missed him entirely. Then the malee grew worse and Curry grew desperate
with fright from what he thought a dangerous position, and fired again. One
ball hit Miller hear the right nipple and ranged downward; another hit him
in the neck barely missing the right jugular vein. He shot at Posey and the
ball took effect in the abdomen from the right side. Dr. Hatfield was
called and made an examination and pronounced Miller's case (and perhaps
Posey's) fatal. Miller cannot be taken to his home, and is at a residence
in Velpen. Posey is at home, some two miles from town, near where both
reside. Curry has not been arrested at this writing and says he is ready to
settle the matter in court. We have not heard the other side of the case,
but will print it next week if it can be obtained.
The big Pike County Fair opened Monday morning with the most flattering
prospects. Up to last night the beautiful and fine stock and the farm
products together with the beautiful and costly handi-work that was so
rapidly filling the floral hall promised one of the greatest exhibitions
ever held in Southern Indiana. As early as Saturday the fine stock from
neighboring counties and states began to fill up the stalls, while the
finest breed of horses (coach horses, draft horses, trotting horses, pacing
horses, and running horses) came in such numbers as insured a most
interesting time for all who are so fortunate as to be at the fair the rest
of this week. The rush Monday and yesterday was such as kept Hon. E. P.
Richardson, the efficient Secretary, and his two assistants, Miss. F. P.
Traylor and Miss Sarah Harris, continually busy.
The Gibler Band and Orchestra is one of the best ever in the city.
Thomas Stevens of Indian Springs has taken a position at the Pike Hotel.
The Gibler Comedy Company will be at the Opera House every night this week.
The Gibler Comedy Company is the best or one of the best that has ever
visited our town.
Dr. Leon Cardeniz, of the Oklahoma Medicine Co., is resting here after a
season of hard work on the road.
Excursion to Indian Springs September 6, 1891 - Special train leaves
Petersburg 8:15 a.m. Returning leaves Indian Springs 5 p.m. Fare only $1,
for the round trip. E. B. Gunkle, Ag't.
Memory of Little Curtis Paul Beadles - Born Dec. 5, 1890. Died Aug. 20,
1891. Age 8 months and a half. Oh, Dear Sweet, Good, and loving little
darling angel! How hard to give you up, but your loving little spirit has
gone to rest! How promising, healthy, so sweet and so good, until that
awful dreaded disease melted your sweet little fat image away to a
skeleton! That sweet little song of "Dad," "Dad," "Dad," and
"ma," did that
toungue warble until the very last!
Those sweet, earnest and sparkling little eyes have closed to open no more
to us on earth. That sweet little song has hushed, no more to be heard on
this side of the Golden shore. That Dear, sweet, little spirit is Home,
where there will be no more teething scurvey, or anything else to mar your
peace and pleasure for ever and ever! A Happy change now for you, but, oh!
So hard for us to give you up! God bless - your long and hard suffering is
over - sweet peace be your rest! Tis all we can do. W. C. Beadles
We would have the people know that John Bradfield and Son are running a
store at Shandy's old stand, two and a half miles east of Petersburg, on
the Petersburg and Washington road. They sell goods of all kinds as cheap
as can be bought anywhere. All kinds of produce taken in exchange for
goods. Almost anything you can call for kept in stock. Call and see them.
9/8/1891
W. H. Thompson started yesterday morning for Oklahoma. He says this country
is too slow for him.
Mr. Rudolph Burger and his brother, Mr. Wilbur start to-day for Hanover
where they will attend college again the coming year.
Having purchased the Insurance Business from W. H. Thompson, would
respectfully solicit a share of the patronage of Petersburg and vicinity. I
represent only first-class companies. Prompt attention given to business.
M. M. Glezen
A new swindler is around, giving away 100 pounds of hog cholera medicine
and selling township rights to use it. The receipt given by the farmer for
the medicine turns up later a note for $100.
Dr. Harris, Dr. Byers, and Dr. link last week performed a severe and
delicate abdominal surgical operation on Douglas Williams. He is doing well
and will recover. He was hurt in a railroad wreck some time ago, and not
getting better, puss gathered in delicate parts of the lower abdomen with
the above results.
Wouldn't Take It - Tantalized By a Prostitute - Friday morning a prostitute
maned Sis Hays, an inmate of a house kept by a pimp named Sam Sanders,
continued tantalizing Mrs. Jake Battles who lives in her neighborhood and
who had been tantalized, it is said, by this street and house prostitute
for sometime, saying things about Mr. Battles. This time Mrs. B. concluded
to settle the matter, and when the fourth-class pest commenced her tirade
on Mrs. Battles she drew a pistol and fired twice. Once she shot close to
the head and then the Hays woman began to run. A second shot was fired,
said to have passed near her left side under the arm. Mrs. Battles was
taken by marshal Smith to squire Chappell's office where a preliminary
trial was held and she was released. The hays woman was taken up and fined
and costed seven dollars and some cents. (In default of bail she is in
jail.) Mrs. Battles so far as any one knows, has always been considered
chaste. But that other one, who escaped death only through bad
marksmanship, is considered by the public a mass of meanness, filth and
disease the town should be disinfected of. The sooner done with her and
half a dozen others, the better.
9/23/1891
On last Wednesday morning, according t the weather service report there was
not a drop of rain falling in any part of the United States. Such a thing
has not occurred for years.
S. Dillon & Son, Otwell and Long Branch, are closing out a fine line of the
very best of goods at low figures for cash. They want to make some changes
and are therefore making this sacrifice. Money or produce taken for goods.
Miss Sadie Berridge is teaching dancing classes in this place.
A child of N. F. Wolvin, died and was buried at the Morrison cemetery
yesterday.
Clippings from Clark's - Lewis Beck Jr., is putting a very nice veranda to
his house. E. B. King is the architect.
Signal Flags - Petersburg has now the daily report from the Weather Bureau,
and the signal flags are put up daily at the post office. The flag means as
follows: White, Fair weather, unchangeable. Blue, Rain or snow,
unchangeable. White and Blue on one flag, local rains, unchangeable. White,
with black triangle flag above, fair, warmer. White, with triangular black
beneath, cooler, fair. Blue, black triangular above, warmer, rain or snow.
Blue, triangular black below, cooler, rain or snow. White and Blue on one
flag, black triangle above, warmer, local rains. White with white flag with
black in center, fair weather, cold wave. Blue with white flag with black
in center, wet weather and cold wave.
Co. H. 80 Reg't Vol. - The second annual reunion of Co. H 80 Reg't Vol.
Will be held at Winslow, Ind. Oct. 8, 1891. All the members of said company
and their friends are requested to be present as early as 10 o'clock a. m.
with their baskets well filled, and join in making the day pleasant by
relating old army stories and incidents, and friendship felt and
experienced while enduring the dangers and hardships of 1862 and '3. Dan.
C. Ashby, Chairman; J. H. McConnell, Secretary.
C. E. Montgomery, of Lincoln, Nebrasky, has been in Petersburg since last
Friday, shaking hands with the associates of his boyhood.
Master Freddie Carter went to his new home in Boonville, Monday. His
father, Tom Carter, formerly of this place, has married again and resides
in that place. His grand-father, Abe Case, Sr. accompanied him as far as
Evansville.
Birth Day Dinner - Sept. 19, 1891 - To-day the relatives and friends of
William H. Morton celebrated his 73rd. birth day by giving a dinner at the
residence of his daughter, Mrs. J. W. Ridge. There were 85 persons present,
nearly all of whom were the oldest settlers of this county. The day was
spent in relating many old time incident, and in comparing and contrasting
those times with that at present. Among the guests was a Mrs. W. H. West,
of Washington, Davies county, Ind. Who, though a stranger, seemed to enjoy
the occasion. After dinner was over the crowd gathered together and sung a
few old time songs, after which devotional exercise was conducted by J. O.
M. Selby, ending with a good, old-fashioned shaking hands, as it might in
of interest to some we will now give a short sketch of his life. W. H.
Morton was born Sept. 19, 1818, in the state of Kentucky. He lived with his
parents in his native state until he was twenty-one years of age, when he
came to Ind., (1829), and soon afterwards married, and settled on a farm
near Winslow where he still resides. He received a very meager education
owing to school facilities which he tells of as follows: "I studied school
quite a distance from my father's residence. The building was constructed
of logs, one log being removed from each side, having a space for the
admission of light. Over this space was pasted paper, having been saturated
with grease, for the purpose of making it transparent. The seats on which
we sat were semi-saplings with peg legs. The room was kept warm by a five
foot fireplace, situated at one end of the home. The wood was prepared by
the pupils while they were (?) at (?). On one side of the house were pegs
in the wall on which was placed a plank used for a writing desk. Around the
pupils walked to and fro, with the rod of correction in his hand, "and
occasionally gave the well or some little urchins curved spine a rap to
secure obedience. Such were the nature surroundings of his school days.
Coming to this country at a very early date when game was plentiful he took
great delight in pursuing and shooting the game which consisted of deer,
bear, catamount, turkeys, fox, and some other kinds. He is the father of 10
children, nine of whom are now living.