This interview was from the Valparaiso Vidette Messenger on Thursday 1 March
1923.
"A man with flowing beard, keen eyes and an active mind sat in a huge chain
in a home on Lincoln Way this afternoon and discussed events which occurred
more than eighty-five years ago. He was JOHN FLEMING, the 2nd white child
born in Porter county, Indiana, who today is celebrating the ninetieth
anniversary of his birth. The general appearance of the pioneer belies his
age and demonstrates as he said what proper living does for one. The
century mark is the goal set my Mr. Fleming and he declares there is no
doubt but what he will attain this goal.
In the days when John Fleming was born, Porter county was a little more than
a prairie. His father Jacob Fleming built the third log cabin in the
county. The first one was constructed by Isaac Morgan after whom was named
Morgan Prairie, the vicinity in which the Fleming's lived. Reason Bell the
first white child born in the county, lived in a cabin next to that of the
Fleming's.
"There was not much of a Valparaiso in those days, Mr. Fleming related. And,
there was not much of other thriving cities which we see in this section
today. Valparaiso in those days, helped to furnish us with deer and other
game which we often came to this vicinity to shoot. I remember very
distinctly that there was a log cabin near where the court house stands, and
a log cabin used as a jail, was sitting on the same site as the present
jail. One of the greatest events in this city was than hanging of a man
named Staves about eighty-four years ago. I remember the whole country-side
came to witness the hanging. a roughly constructed scaffold was placed on a
lot on Jefferson Street, near what is now College Hill. That man should
never had been hanged because the only evidence they had against him was the
fact that the blade of his knife was dented. It was presumed that this dent
resulted when he stabbed the man for whose death for which he suffered the
death penalty for.
Indians and wolves chiefly populated this area when I was a child. If it
wasn't the howling of the former we would hear it was the howling of the
latter. The Indians never troubled us, however. They were peaceable so long
as we did not trouble them. I learned not to trust them too much, however
after listening to a story my grandfather John FLEMING, who was one of the
first settlers of Ohio, once told me. My grandfather was on picket duty one
night during the Indian war - he noticed what looked like a sow picking at
acorns near his post. Not taking any chances he shot the "sow" but
discovered it was an Indian hiding under a "sow" skin. The Indians in our
vicinity were thrifty and worked their gardens with the same spirit of
industry as was used by white persons in working their farms. The nearest
trading point we had was in Lafayette. Late a post was established in what
is now Michigan City.
Education and religion were not much in evidence during the early years of
Mr. Fleming's life. Not un-like Abraham Lincoln he studied in his own home
reading what ever printed matter came into his hands. Religion was first
introduced among the settlers by "Daddy" Komer, a Camelite preacher, and by
Nathan Fairchild who preached the doctrines of the Methodists.
These men would visit the cabins and talk religion, Mr. Fleming stated and
they met with great success.
John FLEMING was intimately acquainted with Abraham Lincoln, Garfield and
McKinley. Altho he was a democrat the pioneer said today he voted for
Lincoln.
It was the only time I voted a Republican candidate for President thought,
Mr. Fleming said, but Lincoln certainly gained my admiration and respect.
Garfield and McKinley too, were great men. During their campaign they came
through our district, and learned to them.
For four years Mr. Fleming was township trustee, her represented Washington
Township for two years and Union Township for the other two. He also was on
the Democratic Central committee for a period of more than forty-five years
and during this time, he stated he came in contact with leading politicians
throughout the country.
The modern flapper, prohibition and other reforms came in for condemnation
from the aged man. "Prohibition is the curse of the world today" he stated,
"and the licensed saloon, too, in the earlier days played a prominent part
in making drunkards out of men. Before we had such things as saloons, one
could get liquor, and it was good liquor, in stores, hotels and where not.
But when they licensed the saloons the quality of the beverage was r3duced,
prices were increased and people had to go to saloons for their drinks.
Here they would congregate and the first thing they knew they had too much.
But even at that saloon was much better than this prohibition rot.
I will venture to say that there are ten persons dying today where there was
only one in the days before prohibition for drinking liquor. What do we get
now? Nothing but a lot of poison. it is a shame and a disgrace."
"Another thing I don't care to mention much about are the high heel shoes
being worn by young women. and the short dresses and bobbed hair. These
things might be fancy but they don't take my fancy or the fancy of other
people who think. all of these things, together with the fact that we have
not been careful in selecting public officers have tended to place the world
in the great up-roar it is in. I will venture to state that the entire
world will be at war within two years. I might be wrong but I don't believe
I am. But I shall be on this earth at that time so I shall know whether I
was or not."
The end -
John died 5 years later in 1928 - he was right about the war, but a wee bit
early in predicting it -
Hope you enjoyed reading about his time on earth -
Wilma Fleming Haynes
gencon(a)harborside.com