Lafayette Weekly Courier
May 21, 1878
Lafayette, Indiana
GREEN HILL
One of the Beautiful Spots of Indiana
Its Men and their Manners-Personal Notes by Harry Burton
Green Hill - May 16
Correspondence of the Courier:
We came out here Tuesday evening to talk on the "Murphy." We had often
heard of Poolesville, or "Green Hill" as it is called, as being a nice,
quiet little village with a school house, blacksmith shop, post office
and the home of a dozen or more old-fashioned "Bible pounders." We were
prepared from heresay to see just such a monotonous kind of a place, but
before we had been here a day we were agreeably surprised to learn of
our most lame and impotent conclusion. And permit me to say right here
that we have no other feeling but love and respect for this beautiful
little city and her people. The town is situated on the south bank of
Pine Creek, the creek skirting the own in the shape of a horse shoe,
leaving the town high and dry, the creek serving as a sewer.
We were the favored guest of T.C. Bailey, Esq., who does an extensive
drug business in connection with groceries. While eating supper we
inquisitively asked Mr. Bailey if he knew how they happened to start a
town here? "Yes, sir," he replied, "I know all about it. My father and
grandfather owned all this land and laid out the town, forty-four years
ago. I was at the sale when the lots were sold."
Green Hill has three physicians. Dr. Vick, an old acquaintance, has an
extensive practice, and sits straddle, of the pillbags most of the time
night and day. Dr. McAdams although a young physician, stands high in
the profession. He has a good practice, and is a graduate of Bellvue
College, New York. Dr. Moor is the oldest practitioner in the place,
having resided here thirteen years.
Wallace Bailey, son of T. C. Bailey, does a good business in dry goods,
if one can judge from the loads of goods carried away.
T. J . Lyons also has a very nice country store and does a good
business, having been here only three weeks.
R. A. Stokes deals extensively in groceries and canned fruit. He is new
in the business yet, but buoyant and hopeful.
We think it was eight plows we saw standing in G. H. Smith's blacksmith
shop waiting to have their noses sharpened.
Wm. Hook, the undertaker, keeps the only hotel in the place. Most of
the students attending the Seminary board there. We eat our last meal
in Green Hill there, and would just say if we could get such "grub" for
a year or two we would engage board at once and go to school, provided
we could in the meantime find Ponce de Leon's favored spot and put a
little more hair on top of our head.
Green Hill may well be proud of her Seminary while her faculty is
composed of such men as Professor Jackson and Shuey. We felt a little
diffident at first about talking on temperance to such men of education
and talent, but in less than twenty minutes we felt a home, when we
heard the old fashioned "God bless you" and "Amens." Blood will
tell.
Prof. Jackson is one of the finest-looking men we have ever seen. We
visited the school this morning, and the Professor requested us to read
a chapter in the Bible and make a few remarks to the students. Think of
it! Harry Burton trying to talk to a class of college students! We
refused, of course; but we were looking into that sunny face, and before
we knew it he had us up talking of our school days and feeling as much
at home as when standing on the deck of an engine giving her "Black
Diamonds." There are some persons in this world who we always feel
better after having made their acquaintance. Prof. Jackson is one of
those men. Prof. Shuey is quite a young-looking man, but a graduate
from one of the Eastern universities. He is a special favorite, and
those black eyes of his would bore a hole through any ordinary mortal.
The Seminary building is a large brick structure about the size of the
"Ford School" building. It stands in among some of the largest forest
trees. Standing where it does, it is apt to remind the students of
History of some ancient feudal castle; or the lover, of the "Old Mill of
Ben Bolt." "The quiet which crawls around the walls as you gaze has
followed the olden din!"
Green Hill is also the home of eight ministers of the United Brethren.
Elders Wainscott and Newell reside here, each having a reputation second
to none in the State. The "Murphy" would be a success here, but the
good people don't understand what's the matter, as there has never been
an "orphan maker" in the town. "He jests at scars who never felt a
wound."
There are some very fine farms adjoining Green Hill. This morning we
found T. C. Bailey shelling seed corn for early roasting-ears (we
thought), but when he informed us that he had just finished planting
seventy-five acres, we took a fresh chew of "Fountain," and left in
disgust.
This letter is too long, but we can't help it. We feel like we had just
begun. But before we close, we would just say that we don't believe
there is a "loafer" or "dead-beat" within six miles of Green Hill.
We promised to not say anything about Squire Davis or his portly
abdomen. So we won't. But Green Hill and her people will long remain
"green" in the remembrance of
HARRY BURTON.