Fayette. He has already donated two hundred thousand dollars to it, in the way of money and land, and there is a probability that he will increase this amount before his death to five hundred thousand dollars. The writer, when in Tippecanoe county, called on Mr. Purdue, at his private rooms in the Lahr House, and was handsomely entertained. Mr. Purdue is a genial, kind-hearted old bachelor, having never married, He is ripe in years, sound in intellect, fully conversant with the affairs of the world, and very pleasant in conversation.

The St. Mary's Academy is another of the valuable educational advantages of La Fayette, as is also the Sisters' School. The buildings and grounds of these institutions are valued at one hundred thousand dollars.

Tippecanoe county is one of the best agricultural counties in the State. Throughout the county the farmers are nearly all wealthy, the schools are in good condition, and general prosperity is noticeable to the observing traveler on every hand.

CHAPTER XLIX.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY EARLY HISTORY.

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ONTGOMERY county was named in honor of the distinguished General Richard Montgomery, who gave his life for the American cause at the battle of Quebec. It was first settled in 1822-3. In the latter year the county was organized, including a much larger tract of country than that now embraced within its limits. Crawfordville, the county seat of Montgomery county, was early a central point on the Wabash, and for several years the principal town in that section. It is one of the oldest settlements in the valley. It was the depot from which the early settlers of La Fayette and

Tippecanoe county, drew their supplies from 1823 to 1826-7. Until 1826, all the settlements for thirty, and even forty miles in any direction, were compelled to visit Crawfordsville for judicial purposes.

Among the prominent early settlers was Major Ambrose Whitlock, who located in Montgomery county in 1822. This pioneer laid off the town of Crawfordsville in 1823. He was appointed receiver of public moneys by John Quincy Adams in 1825, one year after the land office was opened in Crawfordsville. Major Whitlock was one of the leading men of the olden time; he was an active and efficient officer under General Wayne, and a useful man in the town which he assisted in founding. He died in Crawfordsville in June, 1864, leaving a widow, who lived until ninety years of age. She died in Crawfordsville in 1873.

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In 1824, or about two years after the county was first settled, and one year after the county was organized, the land office was opened at Crawfordsville. The first general land sale took place on the twenty-fourth of December of that year. Up to this date the numerous settlers were mere squatters,' having no title to the land which they occupied, and, as a consequence, there was considerable rivalry at the sale. At this period Crawfordsville was a small settlement, surrounded on every side by a dense wilderness.

The first white settlers in Montgomery county were William Offield and William Miller. Mr. Offield settled near the mouth of Offield creek in 1822, where he built a rude cabin and began pioneer life with energy. Mr. Miller settled near the present town of Crawfordsville in the same year. He erected a round log cabin, which was the first building of any kind erected in the vicinity. Both of these pioneers have passed away. Mr. Offield left the county in 1836, and Mr. Miller died in the city which he was useful in founding, early in 1874.

Among those who settled in 1823, in the vicinity of Crawfordsville, was John Beard. He was born in North Carolina in 1795, and at the age of twenty-seven, came as a pioneer to the State of Indiana. He became prominent in the affairs of Montgomery county at an early day. In 1827 he was elected

representative of the county in the State legislature, and was continued for fifteen years, with the single exception of one term, as a representative either in the Senate or in the House. Mr. Beard distinguished himself in legislative duties, render. ing an effective support to the bills for the abolition of imprisonment for debt, liberal exemption of property from execution, investing the governor with power to commute capital punishment to imprisonment for life, and for the construction of the Wabash and Erie canal.

There is no better tribute to the memory of the public services of Hon. John Beard than that which has been contributed by Hon. John Coburn, of Moorsville, Morgan county, Ind., which is in these words: "I venture to say again, that not one man in a hundred in our State knows the name of him who proposed that the surplus of the proceeds of the stock of the State in the State Bank of Indiana should be appropriated as a school fund. He is one of our greatest public benefactors, a venerable, simple-hearted, clear-headed, sound-minded old gentleman, living in Montgomery county, named JOHN BEARD. His name ought to be precious in the heart of every boy and girl who enjoys the benefit of free schools. When he proposed the measure, it was hardly treated seriously. Nobody thought anything would be left as a surplus; he himself, doubtless, did not realize its importance. But so it was he put the net where it caught the golden fish, and we thank him for it ten thousand times; and we thank those steady, straightforward, strictly upright financiers who husbanded these funds for us. This measure has been the means of producing our present fund of eight hundred thousand dollars for the support of common schools."*

But we must discontinue our sketches of biography, and refer the reader to the regular department of biographies in this work for life sketches of Messrs. Beard, Lane, and many other pioneer settlers of Montgomery county.

Montgomery county was organized in 1823, with the following county officers: John Wilson, clerk of the circuit court, recorder of deeds, and clerk of the commissioners' court; *The fund is now $8,000,000.

William Offield, James Blevins, and John McCullough, county commissioners; Samuel D. Maxwell, sheriff.

Montgomery county is located in the western part of the State, having good facilities for the transportation of its merchandise. The soil is well adapted to the cultivation of the various kinds of grain indigenous to the northwest. "It borders upon those fertile prairie lands in the northern part of the State, and partakes partially of both timbered and prairie soils. Indeed, the northern portion of the county contains several small prairies, which give to it the appearance of having been settled much longer than it really has. The soil of these prairies is very rich and productive, yielding in favorable seasons, very profitable crops of corn, wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Considerable tracts of this prairie remain uncultivated, being used principally for pastures.

Nearly two-thirds of the county was originally very heavily timbered, but much of it has been consumed; yet there is an abundance remaining for all immediate needs. The county is laid out into eleven townships, and is twenty-four miles long north and south, and twenty-one miles wide. The soil is watered by Sugar creek and its tributaries. This stream used to be known by the name of Rock river. There are a considerable number of mills located on this stream. The next principal stream is the Walnut fork of Sugar creek, which empties into the main stream near Crawfordsville. "The county,"

says Mr. James Heaton, Sen., "is well supplied with good public highways. The public improvements, in the way of school houses and bridges, are of the most substantial character. There are but few counties in the State so well supplied with railroads. Every township in the county, except two, has a railroad; and the two exceptions are so near to a road that it may be said that every township has a direct advantage in the way of railway traffic. These roads all center at Crawfordsville, making that city a desirable location for manufacturing enterprises."

Crawfordsville is the county seat, and the principal business center of the county. It is an enterprising city of over four thousand inhabitants, many of whom may be ranked among

the most enterprising citizens of the State. The city has three railroads, giving six different directions of railroad transportation. These roads have constructed a very fine Union Depot at the junction, about one mile from the city.

Crawfordsville is taking great pride in her streets, expending considerable means in grading and paving them. They are very broad, and are bordered on either side with beautiful shade trees, which lend an enchanting scene to the place. Good turnpike roads lead from the city in almost every direction.

The medical, or mineral springs, just northwest of the town, promise to become no inconsiderable attraction to this city, and seem to add another assurance that the future of Crawfordsville will partake largely of a resort for summer recreation and literary pursuits. These springs are already enclosed in light and airy summer houses, and the gentlemen who have control of them contemplate erecting a five story hotel just north of the springs. The waters of these springs are said to contain ingredients of great medical importance.

The material resources of Crawfordsville for manufacturing purposes are equal to those of any town in the State of its size. There is an abundance of good timber, coal, iron ore, limestone and sand, and brown stone.

In educational and religious enterprises, Crawfordsville is not behind any other point in Indiana. She has nine churches, most of which are constructed in an attractive and substantial style. The public schools are well conducted in one of the finest school buildings in the State, having been erected at a cost of over sixty thousand dollars.

Wabash College is the pride of the city, and is one of the finest educational institutions in the West. It is located just west of the city limits, "in a campus containing thirty-three acres, shaded with beautiful native forest trees, affording to the students a healthful atmosphere, as well as abundant space for drill and field sports." There are four buildings, viz.: Central Hall, the Academy, the Dormitory, and the Polytechnic Building, all of which are tastefully appointed and well equipped with all modern appliances.