"The Swiss Settlement of Switzerland County, Indiana," by Perret Dufour
"The citizens of Vevay early organized a library association known by
the name of 'Vevay literary Society'
They had accumulated many books by donation and purchase--John Francis
Dufour being authorized by the society to procure donations of
book[s]--when visiting Lexington Ky on business he received a donation
of many volumes. That Library was well patronized until about 1829 or
1830 when James Rous, removed from his farm to Vevay, when he became
librarian--the books still remained in his possession. Where they
finally went to I am not able to say.
John Dumont was President of the Literary Society, George Coggshell,
Robert M. Trotter and Daniel Dufour Blanc Directors. Eight lots were
reserved for the Society and the Legislature in 1816 passed an act
incorporating the 'Literary Society of Vevay.'
During the Summer of 1814 Vevay and the surrounding country improved
considerably. There were several stores two or three taverns, two or
three blacksmith shops one or two tailors, a chair factory, a
manufactury of 'Big' and little wheels and reels [and] a hatters shop*.
Wolves were very numerous and did great damage to hogs and even
calves. The Legislature of the territory passed an act allowing a
bounty of One doller for each wolf scalp, which the person claiming the
Bounty should prove to the Satisfaction of the county court, he or she
had killed--under that law an allowance was made by the County Court as
follows.
'Elizabeth Jones is allowed one dollar for the Scalp of a wolf killed
by her in 1814.'
Heathcoat Picket and his brother James were out hunting on the ridge
just west of Jacksonville near where there was a 'bear wallow'
Heathcoat went on one side of the ridge and James on the other, thinking
to chase a deer around to the other, while thus separated James was
surrounded by a pack of wolves which commenced howling, with their heads
raised as if looking at something in the tree tops. Heathcoat hearing
the wolves, went over to where the noise was when he saw the wolves
around James and James looking up into the trees to see what the wolves
were barking or howling at. Heathcoat asked James what does this
mean--James replied 'these dogs have treed something, see how they are
barking at it' James had taken the wolves to be dogs.
Among the early settlers in the upper end of the county were James
McC[l]ure who was Judge of the courts, Ezekiel and Joshua Petty, Peter
Lostutter, Lewis Jones, George and Elisha Wade Caleb Mounts, William
Pierson, Benjamin and Robert Drake, the Vandoren family John Kilgore
William Campbell, Robert Gullion, Amos A. Brown, John Neal, Charles
Campbell, Job and James Treusdel, William Johnson, William White, the
Wallicks, McCrearys, [and] McCorcles.
* Sometime in the fall of 1814 the news of McDonoughs victory over
the British on Lake Champlain was received by the citizens of the young
town of Vevay, who, to show their joy at the reception of the news of
the Victory, decided to have an illumination of the Town. Every house,
in fact every window in every house, was as brilliantly illuminated as
could be with common tallow candles.'
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p. 48
The first taverns kept in Vevay were kept by Thomas Armstrong, Philo
Averil* William Cooper Samuel Fallis, Jonas Baldwin David McCormick
William T. Huff and others not necessary to mention. Thomas Armstrong
and William T. Huff in fact kept the only taverns in the town with the
view of accommodating travellers--
By the law then in force none but tavern keepers were permitted to
retail liquors by the small or as was then the common expression 'by the
half pint' and persons applying for tavern license were required to
prove to the satisfaction of the county Court that they had a certain
number of extra beds and extra Stable room for a certain number of
horses. In some instances this law was evaded. At one time a person
wishing to obtain license to retail the ardent by the 'half pint' and
not having the requistite number of spare beds and stable room, rented
of a neighbor for a week or ten days the Stable room required and
borrowed the requisite number of extra beds and fitted them up in his
house--he called someone to come and see that he had the beds and stable
room went before the county court, proved by his witness that he had the
required number of extra beds and extra Stable room, license was
granted him--that day or the next the borrowed beds were returned, and
the man went on with his tavern in the ususal way of such Taverns.
Thomas Armstrong at first kept his tavern in a two story hewed log
house on the lot where John F. Doans residence stands. Afterwards he
built the house in which John L. Thiebaud resides and kept tavern there
for many years.
William T. Huff built a brick house at the corner of Ferry and Main
Street where the LeClerc house stands and kept his tavern there for many
years.
The taxes for 1816 levied in the county were as follows.
On every horse mule, and ass above 3 years old 25 cents
On first rate land 37 1/2 cents per 100 acres
On Second rate land 25 cents per 100 acres
On third rate land 12 1/2 cents per 100 acres
On Stallions at the rate at which they stand by the Season
On town lots and houses 50 cents per 100$ of their value
On George Ash's ferry $2.50
On Edward McIntires ferry $2.50
On John Francis Dufours ferry at Vevay $5.00
On George Craigs ferry $1.00
On F. Louis Raymonds ferry on Indian creek 50 cents
And the following taxes were levied as road tax:
On Daniel Dufours Store $3.00
On Lucien Gex Store $3.00
On Isaac Stanleys store $3.00
On David McCormicks Store 50 cents --On Joseph Bentleys store 75
cents
On Jonathan Reeders store 75 cents--
On James Dalmazzo store 25 cents
*He obtained license on the 24th of November 1814, and on the 25th of
Novr. 1814 The court established the following rates to be charged by
tavern keepers in the County of Switzerland: For a meal of victuals 25
cents, for Lodging per night 12 1/2 cents, for corn or oats per gallon
12 1/2 cents for horse at hay per 24 hours 25 cents, for whiskey per
half pint 12 1/2 cents, for peach brandy per half pint 12 1/2 cents, for
Holland gin, French Brandy and Jamaica spirits per half pint 50 cents,
for rum per half pint 37 1/2 cents for imported Madiera wine per quart
two Dollars, for Switzerland Madiera wine per quart or bottle one
Dollar, for Switzerland red wine per quart or bottle 75 cents, for
Domestic gin and cherry bounce per half pint 18 3/4 cents.
In March 1815 license was granted to William Cooper to keep a tavern
in Vevay, on the 30th March 1815 a license was granted to Peter Harris
to keep a tavern in this county, and in November 1815 he laid out the
town of Jacksonville.
In September 1815 license was granted to 'Uncle' Thomas Armstrong (as
he was familiarly called) to keep a tavern in the town of Vevay for one
year from the first day of July 1815 he having entered into bond with
security at that time.
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'The relations of an anedote in which 'Uncle Thomas' was concerned may
not be amiss, in this connection: At the time he was keeping his tavern
in the log house corner of Main and Union street, James Hamilton (the
father of Edward P., William, and John Hamilton who are well known among
us) carried on the hatting business in a shop on the half lot on the
alley back of the Baptist church, and as it was customary, with hatters
in those days, to call in some of their friends during the night, while
coloring, to partake of a 'chicken supper' on one of these occasions,
Hamilton invited some of his friends and among the number 'Uncle Thomas'
to take supper with him, 'Uncle Thomas' of course accepted the
invitation, and with the other guests partook of a splendid 'Chicken
supper', the next morning when Mrs. Armstrong went to the coop for
chickens, for breakfast lo and behold they had all 'vamoused', she
called 'Uncle Thomas' and informed him that some one had stolen all the
chickens, 'Uncle Thomas' at once suspected that he had the night
previous been of the party, that devoured the chickens, which Mrs.
Armstrong had intended for breakfast, he said nothing, but afterwards
gave Hamilton a cursing for the trick he had played off on him.
"David McCormick obtained licence to keep tavern in Vevay in September
1815, and kept his tavern in a part of the house in which George E.
Pleasants now resides.
"In May 1816 license was granted to Samuel Fallis to keep a tavern in
Vevay, the house in which he kept his tavern was a one story brick,
standing on Main Street on the lot on which Charles Thiebauds dwelling
house now stands and occupied by him at this time.
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"Jonas Baldwin kept his tavern in the frame house now standing on the
corner of Ferry and Market Streets, now owned by the widow and heirs of
the late Joseph Dalmazzo."
"Robert M. Trotter being perhaps to [the] first person to keep a house
of public entertainment in the town."
"William Bradley kept the same house in 1819 and 1820 when he removed
to a new house erected on the corner of Market and Union Street... The
present scite of the Le Clerc house, was occupied by many others not now
recollected, except Amos Gilbert who built the 'Russel House' who
occupied it from 1827 to about 1832 or 1833."
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