From the Lafayette Daily Courier, October 17, 1888 in an article
telling
about the upcoming political rally for Benjamin Harrison, which was to
take place at the Tippecanoe Battlefield~~
The Campaign of 1840
One of the best informed men with reference to the history of the Battle
Ground is Chauncey Jones, Esq., who has lived in this county for half a
century and now holds the office of Commissioner. His farm is just
above the battlefield, and aside from the traditions concerning the
historic spot, Mr. Jones is in possession of a great deal of general
information concerning it. To a correspondent of the St. Louis
Globe-Democrat, who visited him recently, he referred to the political
meetings that had been held there during his recollection, and among
other things, said of the demonstration in 1840 when William Henry
Harrison was running for President:
"That was the largest assemblage in Indiana up to that time. We had no
railroads, but people came hundreds of miles in their wagons. It was
thought that at least 15,500 people were on the battle-ground. A lot of
us came up from Lafayette a few days before, cut timber from the hill
where Prophet's Rock is, and built a big cabin on the ground to hold the
provisions, which were dealt out free to everybody. We had an enormous
wagon built in Lafayette, and on that we erected a log cabin. There
were coonskins nailed on the outside, and there was a barrel of cider
inside. There was also a printing press inside, and two or three men
kept busy running off Harrison's songs. This wagon was drawn by half a
dozen teams of white horses, and as it was taken around through the
crowds the campaign songs were distributed. The carcass of an ox was
roasted, and we had a terrible time. The biggest speakers from all
around were here. I have heard Gen. Breckenridge, Stephen A. Douglas
and all great public orators on Tippecanoe battle-ground. That has been
a favorite gathering place in political campaigns."
A few rods below where the line of Mr. Jones' farm strikes the river is
an interesting spot. There, tradition has it, was located the post of
the French fur-traders. There they kept a stock of such things as are
good for barter among the Indians and bargained for pelts. The
foundation logs of the houses could be seen until a few years ago. Now
a clearing and the stone corners mark the location. There is one other
interesting relic--an apple tree.
"It bears a small apple," said Mr. Jones, "unlike anything that grows in
this part of the country, and, in fact, like any other apple I ever
tasted. The tree is old, and I can only account for its presence there
on the supposition that the Frenchmen brought it from Canada and planted
it. The grass, too, that grows about the ruins is entirely different
from any we have, and I believe it was brought in by the fur-traders."
Prophet's Town extended along the river for some distance. One portion
of it was near the fur-trading post. An orchard considerably past its
prime occupies a part of the site, and where Tecumseh's house is said to
have stood a farmer has his cow shed.
The Original Harrison Voters
The following is a complete list of the Harrison club of 1835 and 1840,
a large number of whom took part in the great Tippecanoe rally of 1840,
and all of whom were on hand at the Battle Ground today. The complete
list has not been before published. The figures following a name is the
age of the person named. (Listed as they appeared in the article.)
Isaac N. Parker, 82
Lawrence Clark, 71
Samuel Favorite, 84
H. L. Wilmoth, 71
Chas. Freel, 69
Peter Craig, 68
John Jones, 69
Stephen Smith, 81
John Hollingsworth, 72
Stephen Moore, 69
Wm. Hawkins, 76
J. H. Wiles, 71
John E. Bate, 79
Robert Gwinn, 70
David Pyke, 69
James P. Wilson, 74
Chauncey Wilson, 74
Peter Weaver, 76
John Robinson, 90
John Bolyard, 85
Daniel Peter, 74
John Dewitt, __
M. Simpson, 72
W. S. Crain, 76
Wm. P. Wiggins, 76
Martin L. Pierce, 76
William Shively, 75
James Devaney, 74
James Brand, 80
John Brunton, 75
Wm. Campbell, 72
W. G. Virgin, 72
Jerry Virgin, 75
Adam Henderson, 71
Henry Quigley, 84
R. Widner, 84
G. W. Brockway, 72
Ira Shafer, George Oglesby, 78
Henry Webb, 81
F. M. Howard, 71
Jacob Stallard, 75
Moses Wood, 74
Wm. Taylor, 86
Henry V. Pixley, 73
Cyrus Ball, 84
Samuel Fielding, 69
Wm. A. Wickersham, Simon Bass, 69
Abraham Nisely, 73
James Parker, 74
Joseph Brown, 74
Lewis Patterson, Abraham Mover, 72
David Meharry, 80
Jesse Andrew, John Shroner, C. T. Terry, George Hubler, Silas Steely,
John Rawles, James McCormick, Wm. Lank, John Rosser, 70
Samuel Meharry, 78
John Dougherty, 71
___ Abbott, 80
J. S. Perry, 72
J. K. McMillan, 81
D. M. Reser, Henry Lester, Albert Henderson, James Munn, Phineas D.
Paige, John Wilson, Jacob Roamfelt, Joseph Glick, Paul Youndt, C.
Brindle, Eli Burkhalter, Cyrus Bayless, Asa Earl, J. L. Ellis, 69
Thos. K. O'Neal, 74
Samuel C. Savage, 72
Armstrong Ross, 73
Geo. Wells, Samuel Campbell, Garrison Chisum, Robert Bowles, Richard
Gladden, William J. Thompson, E. Y. Barnes, 77
John Allen, 71
David Clevinger